Spring's begun, and it's about time. Spring means a mindblowing 2013 season announcement from Planet Connections Theatre Festivity will hit the presses in mid-April, so keep an eye out. Spring also signals my arrival: I'm Piper, Greener Room blogger extraordinaire and your friendly neighborhood Green/Charities Apprentice for the 2013 PCTF. I'm a student at Barnard College of Columbia University with interests in theatre and environmental science, I love puns, and I'm a Midwest farmer's daughter (Beach Boys, anyone?). It'll be my job this summer to keep this blog updated with weekly news and helpful hints for living a greener, more artistic, more socially conscious life in New York City. Let's get started now.
In honor of the leaves
beginning to peek out from the trees, as well as the new life that's
beginning to thrum through the Planet Connections team, this week I'd
like to let you in on some gardening and otherwise plant-related opportunities
available in our community in just the upcoming springtime weeks. It's
planting season, and a new tree or garden can be a fantastic force for
environmental good. Recall your last science class and you'll remember
that plants are carbon based; as they grow, plants pull the carbon they
use in their molecular structure directly from carbon dioxide in the
air. As they break down at the end of the growing season, that
carbon may be released – however, by planting perennials and evergreens
(plants that don't decay as fully and often), by attempting to grow
plants that may brighten your home and grace your dinner table (lessening
transportation/shipping-
Here are just a handful
of New York City organizations and events in the next few weeks that
provide materials and resources for the green-minded New York City-dweller.
May they inspire you to become a little more green-thumbed this spring
and summer.
ANYTIME
NYC Government Environmental
Projects
The
New York City government has a listing online of a huge array of volunteer
opportunities for anyone with an interesting in helping out with anything.
Their easy-to-navigate site is one way to connect to volunteer needs
in the city many months in advance, and you can sort for Environmental
projects only, if that's what pleases you. Notably, the Environmental
projects currently listed include tree planting and native seed sowing.
Check out the listings at http://www.nycservice.org/#s
Join a Community Garden
A simple website. http://gardenmaps.org/, shows locations for a huge number of gardens across the city, and
helpfully color-codes listings by their ability to host volunteers.
APRIL 5
Register
for GrowNYC Plant Sale
If you’re willing to help beautify a public space, or want to run a plant sale to benefit a good cause, GrowNYC will supply you with all types of plant flats at wholesale prices to help you get started. These starter plants are raised to order by Greenmarket farmers, and are available for pickup in either Brooklyn (May 2-4) or the Bronx (May 10-11). More information order forms available at http://www.grownyc.org/
If you’re willing to help beautify a public space, or want to run a plant sale to benefit a good cause, GrowNYC will supply you with all types of plant flats at wholesale prices to help you get started. These starter plants are raised to order by Greenmarket farmers, and are available for pickup in either Brooklyn (May 2-4) or the Bronx (May 10-11). More information order forms available at http://www.grownyc.org/
APRIL 5 AND THE
WHOLE SUMMER
Amir
Project Farming Fellowship Application Due
The Amir Project is
a community-building, garden-based summer education program that employs
college-student age (18-24 y.o.) “farmers” to lead summer campers
as they build community gardens, and to run about five hours/day of
educational programming at those gardens all summer. A stipend and training
are provided. “Lead Farmer” applications are open to gardeners
of any creed, but would be an ideal opportunity for an eco-conscious
member of the Jewish community – there are some sites where the
concept of Tikkun Olam is part of the campers’ environmental
and social justice education. Applications are accepted on a rolling
basis. More information can be found at their website, http://amirproject.org/.
APRIL 14
New
York Restoration Project Spring Tree Giveaway
MillionTreesNYC, PlaNYC, NYC Parks and NYRP have banded together to provide private New York citizens with free
trees. If you will plant one on your property, they will give it to
you – it's that simple. Trees are already 7 or 8 feet tall,
but weigh about 30 lbs according to their website, so with a friend
to spot you (read: keep you from tree-tipping), it probably can't get
much easier to plant a tree. Half their stock is available on a first-come,
first-serve basis day-of, but half the tree stock is available to reserve
via online pre-registration, available here: http://www.treegiveaways.com/
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