April 22, 2014: Let’s Celebrate Earth Day!

In 1970, over 20 million people from universities, schools and communities from around the US came together to celebrate the first official Earth Day. Today, over 192 countries participate in this special day to observe and raise awareness on how we can better serve our planet.

In the past few months in New York City, I have noticed more and more recycling cans being added to street corners around the city. Perhaps you too have noticed these new green & blue bins. These bins are part of NYC Department of Sanitation’s “Public Space Recycling” program, a way to increase recycling in our city.

Green Recycling Can: Paper & Cardboard

• newspapers, magazines, catalogs
• white & colored paper
• mail & envelopes
• paper bags
• wrapping paper
• soft-cover books, telephone books
• cardboard egg cartons/trays
• smooth cardboard
• paper cups
• corrugated cardboard boxes

Blue Recycling Can: Metal, Glass, Plastic & Cartons

• metal cans
• aluminum foil wrap & trays
• metals caps & lids
• household metal
• bulk metal
• glass bottles & jars
• plastic bottles, jugs & jars
• rigid plastic cups & lids
• rigid plastic food containers
• rigid plastic non-food containers
• rigid plastic packaging
• rigid plastic housewares
• bulk rigid plastics
• food & beverage cartons & drink boxes

Sources:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/recycle_what.shtml

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/publicspace.shtml

In an effort to contribute to this movement, Short-Term Stow has added 2 new bins inside our store:

By simply depositing items into the correct bins, we can all contribute to bettering the condition of our planet each day!

Word Above the Street: The Water Tank Project

While we should thank Mother Nature for all she provides each day of our lives, April is commemorated as the official “Earth Month” throughout the world. 

One of the things that many of us take for granted each day is water. We wake each morning, hop in the shower, brush our teeth, fix our coffee and do not give a second thought as to when, where & how we will source our next sip of water. However, for over 1 billion people all over the world, the luxury of clean water is often a major issue leading to illness, poor education, unsanitary conditions, and even death. With the aim of raising awareness of the global water crisis, artist & activist Mary Jordan has enlisted the help of hundreds of artists from across the country to transform 100 of New York City’s water tanks into physical reminders that water is a major problem for many people in the world.

Have you walked the High Line recently? Or taken a trip on the B/D train into Brooklyn? Perhaps you saw them on your flight into the city. On the rooftops of buildings throughout the NYC area, there are some 17,000 tanks that act as the main source of water for residents, visitors, animals, businesses, etc. These towers provide the vital ingredient that makes daily life sustainable: safe water.

If you have a chance to visit NYC in the Summer of 2014, take a few minutes, get somewhere you can rise above the chaos that floods the city’s streets each day & take a little time to appreciate this movement and how each one of us can do a little each day to improve water conditions both in our city & across the world. 

The Water Tank Project

NYC Summer 2014

thewatertankproject.org

www.facebook.com/TheWaterTankProject