Providing ideas to help make the world a better place for this and future generations
It’s that time of year again, when consumerism and family collide into what we call the holiday season. To help you incorporate sustainable choices into your gift giving, decorations and food, we’ve invited Elissa Olin from Green in BKLYN, Ashley Spivak from Clean Plates and Eva Radke of Film Biz Recycling to share their tips and ideas. greeninbklyn.com, cleanplates.com & filmbizrecycling.org
A river runs through it, and it is up on the roof. Tune in to find out how my guest Gennaro Brooks-Church, Director of EcoBrooklyn, created a river on a roof, which uses gray water and rain water filtration systems to cut down on water use, while creating a beautiful waterscape. We also discuss ways to keep your home more energy efficient, by using less waste, via reusable materials and installing passive heating and cooling systems. Water is a precious commodity, and we talk about the sewage/water issues affecting the neighborhoods closest to the Gowanus Canal. Gennaro is building green to keep his “Build It Forward” mantra alive for future generations. For more info go to www.ecobrooklyn.com
Americans do not recycle enough and landfills are clogged with unnecessary waste. Enter Recyclebank, a model company that rewards towns, businesses and individuals for increasing their recycling capacities. Erika Diamond, Vice President of Community Solutions, explains that behavioral change is possible when incentives and rewards are put into place to promote positive behavior. Recyclebank is working to increase recycling rates, which will reduce waste disposal via education, gamification and public/private partnerships, to get communities to participate in green actions thus making the planet cleaner and safer. To find out how you can get involved, go to www.recyclebank.com
In Part 2 of our interview with Charlotte Ghiorse we continue to discuss “American Garbage” both the film and the exhibit. In addition, we talk about her unique connection with the FDNY, and how she worked with firefighters during and after 9/11, to capture the fires and chaos during that most horrific event in US history. On the lighter side, we delve into how individuals can be more proactive in recycling, and how uber cool the House of Choclet is. Go to www.charlotteg.com to find out more.
Charlotte Ghiorse, artist, filmmaker, eco-activist, astrologer and mom of three joins me to chat about her artistic endeavors, and the connection between art and the environment. Charlotte produced a film called “American Garbage” based on the art exhibit of the same title, which won the Spirit Award at the Williamsburg Film Festival. She is an extraordinary talent, and uses that talent to get the word out about the environment, recycling, and sustainability. Her work can be seen in galleries in NYC, and she has had exhibits at The Museum of Motherhood. Check out House of Choclet and www.charlotteg.com for more info.
Learn what you can grow Up On The Roof, as Bradley Fleming, Farm Manager at Brooklyn Grange Farm explains how urban agriculture is taking hold on a tall building near you. Find out what grows best on a city roof, and how it helps both the environment and adds to the sustainability of NYC. Go to www.brooklyngrangefarm.com for more info.
Meet Emellie O’Brien, founder of Earth Angel, a company that provides sustainability management of film and TV productions. Emellie is a pioneer in this burgeoning field, as she coaxes everyone on the set, from directors to grips, to be more eco-conscious. She has worked on the films Noah and The Amazing Spiderman 2, as well as the hit HBO show Girls. To find out more about Earth Angel visit www.earthangelnyc.com
Dave Gardner, director of the documentary GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth explains that we have reached the saturation point in growth, and that the current model which leads to over consumption, is not the cure all for a what is ailing society. We are addicted to growth, and as a result, we are depleting our natural resources, as we cannot sustain infinite growth on a finite planet. Go to www.growthbusters.org and sign up for a screening of the movie on Black Friday. Stay home, watch the movie, play outside or lounge around with the family. Shopping and bucking the crowds does not make for a mindful celebration of the upcoming holidays. Use the day after Thanksgiving to relax and enjoy!
Sing up for the free screening 11/29/13 here: http://tinyurl.com/
And the youth shall lead the way…In Part 1 of our discussion with Global Kids, an organization which empowers students to become environmental leaders, activists and social justice advocates, we talk with Molly Delano, Director of Human Rights Education and student leaders Amosh Neupane, Sam March and Makayla Comas about how students can work become active in areas of environmental stewardship and human rights. We discuss how programs such as Powershift and organizations like Alliance for Climate Change educate students on ways to improve the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe, by elevating our eco consciousness. Go to www.globalkids.org to find out more about the great work of Global Kids.
Kitchen scraps can be turned into compost with “magic” bran (EM Bokashi, a Japanese fermenting process) and a Vokashi eco bucket. Vandra Thorburn, founder of Vokashi waste solutions talks about how easy it is to take fruit and vegetable peels and other food scraps, and put the composted end product back into the soil and out of the landfills. Mother Earth will be happy to see us humans reduce, reuse and recycle our waste. For more information go to vokashi.com
What are Fair Trade items and why should we buy them? Rodney North of Equal Exchange tells us how fair trade items are helping organic farmers both locally and globally by producing coffee, tea, bananas that are grown organically, and give workers living wages and good working conditions. Eat better and help a farmer, go to www.equalexchange.coop/community to find out more.
Mark Jupiter hand crafts furniture from salvaged wood and other items found in and around NYC. We discuss how he gathered downed trees from the Brooklyn Tornado of 2011 and turned them into beautiful furniture. He is a true practitioner of the phrase “reduce, reuse and recycle”. He also is the founder of New World Home, which produces an award winning line of green fabricated homes. Visit Mark at his studio and showroom in Dumbo, Brooklyn and go to his website www.markjupiter.com to get more information on his custom crafted furnishings.
