NYC Composts - and so can you!

Check out this story in Crain's New York Business by Miriam Souccar (and edited by me!) about New Yorkers who compost their food waste, even when family and friends say its gross. These folks are ahead of the curve. Soon enough, the whole city will be expected to compost. I personally can't wait!

Every time she so much as peels a carrot, Denise Oliveira takes the waste and stores it in a bag in her freezer instead of throwing it in the garbage. Her freezer is often so full of scraps that there is no room for actual food, but that's the only way Ms. Oliveira can compost without smelling up her small Manhattan apartment.
Once a week, she lugs the bags to a composting bin at the Union Square Greenmarket. Ms. Oliveira, who learned about composting from her mother in Brazil, started doing it a year ago in observance of Lent. Her brother thinks it's gross, and her friends think she's weird. Even Ms. Oliveira admits that composting in New York City is not for the squeamish. "Sometimes you get to the green market and the bin is already piled up so high that you are placing your scraps on this overflowing mountain," said Ms. Oliveira, a freelance writer.
"It is absolutely disgusting."
 Ms. Oliveira is one of a small but growing number of New Yorkers who are finding ways to compost, even with the considerable handicaps of tiny living spaces...Read more at Crain's New York

Season's slow start

Between knee surgery this winter and the rainy spring our gardening season has gotten off to a slow start. We were late to plant our tomato seedlings and did not get them into their pots till mid-June. And now they are taking their sweet time growing. They're still tiny, and have yet to flower. By July they should be twice as big.

We're having better luck with lettuce which likes chilly wet weather.

Our tomato plants are so puny.

At least our basil is growing strong. In fact, we just made our first batch of pesto. (I was lucky to catch a little sun for these photos.)

I've already harvested two cucumbers. I hope this flowering plant bears more fruit!

Our flowers are doing the best of all. The hydrangea is the biggest and fullest its ever been. I love the pink blooms. But veggies are the main event for us. I hope the season isn't a total wash out!

A rose is a rose

On such a dreary New York day, with tropical storm Andrea bearing down, a glimpse of our garden offers a cheerful alternative to the gray skies. I had no idea our roses would be so awesome this season! They must be enjoying the cool and rainy spring much more than I am.

An early splash of color.

In full bloom

I had to clip these beauties and bring them inside.

A rose of another color

Urban Garden Grows

Meet the latest addition to our urban garden: A young fig tree. Our neighbors across the street are getting work done on their terrace so we've adopted this sweet sapling, and are looking forward to healthy growth and maybe even figs in the coming years.

Our rose bush is about to burst. The flowers are coming in stronger than usual for this time of year.

The columbine is back with lovely pink blooms. I love the springtime flowers that signify the beginning of planting season.

We planted the basil a little earlier this year so they'd be bushy by June.  I'm looking forward to a healthy crop, and some tasty salads and sauces.

I threw lettuce seeds in this planter in late April. The mesclun never minds a little chilly weather.

I put the cukes out last week, to give them a head start. They like mild temperatures and punk out when it gets too hot. Hope they don't mind when it dips below 50 overnight this weekend!

Fresh fruit

Despite the unseasonably cool spring, our perennials are back in business. The strawberries are coming in strong. In several weeks, we'll be able to pick them for breakfast! Our blueberry bushes are in bloom too. Even the Bluecrop variety that was attacked by nasty white grubs (and which we left for dead last summer) has made a miraculous recovery. Of course, every garden delight comes with a downside. In this case, the blueberries attract mocking birds that wake us up, steal our fruit and attack our tomatoes...Oh well, that won't happen until at least mid-June when the berries begin to ripen.

First flowers of the season will soon turn to fruit

This bush, attacked by white grubs last summer, has made a stunning recovery

Bird feeder: unfortunately local mockingbirds love our blueberry crop

Broccoli survives the winter snows

To my surprise, the purple peacock broccoli I planted last summer survived the winter's frost and snow

So, I harvested the florets, rinsed them off and prepped them for the steamer.

The broccoli made a nice side dish with my salmon salad sandwich for lunch. Not as sweet as the fall harvest, but still tasty.

Spring Awakening

It's still frosty outside, but spring is in the air. Just look at my hyacinths, already peeking out of the dirt. For the second year in a row, the bulbs are on track for early blooming.
Well, it'll be nice to see the pretty purple flowers and inhale their sweet fragrance whenever they reach their peak.
Seeing the green shoots has put me in the gardening mindset. Can't wait till I'm pulling up the weeds and planting my vegetables.

Bully for Bloomberg's ban on Styrofoam

Mayor Michael Bloomberg plans to offer up a new proposal to make NYC more environment-friendly: a ban on Styrofoam. Well, as my readers know from previous posts, I'm a bit of a recycling nut so I'm all for it. McDonald's was shamed into doing away with the non-biodegradable packaging years ago. I think New York's coffee shops and delis should do the same. But even more exciting for me were the last lines in the New York Times story saying that food recycling could be coming to NYC. Dumping food into landfill is such a waste - pun intended! I already separate my food and bring it to the green market for composting along with hundreds of others every week. It would be a real step in the right direction if NYC makes composting a reality for all New Yorkers.
"He will also propose taking the first steps toward city collection of food waste for composting, starting with a pilot program on Staten Island," the Times story says. Can't wait till it hits Manhattan! 

Recycling e-waste in NYC gets a boost

I am posting this notice because I support recycling. If you are in NYC and want to learn how to recycle your e-stuff, check out this event.

COUNCIL MEMBER GALE A. BREWER AND

LOWER EAST SIDE ECOLOGY CENTER

WANT YOU TO RECYCLE TODAY

FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

                        WHAT: Electronic Waste Recycling Event

                        WHEN: Sunday, January 27, 2013, 10AM-4PM, Rain or Shine

                        WHERE: West 63 Street between Central Park West & Broadway, Manhattan

On Sunday, January 27, 2012, Council Member Gale A. Brewer, along with the Lower East Side Ecology Center and the West Side YMCA, kick off the New Year with a free e-waste recycling event. This event will provide individuals, non-for-profits  and businesses with the opportunity to safely recycle electronic items, including working and non-working computers, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, cables, TV’s, VCR’s, DVD players, phones, audio/visual equipment, cell phones & PDA’s.

All are welcome to attend this free event. There is no limit on the amount of materials that can be dropped off, and a tax deduction is offered. For more information contact the Lower East Side Ecology Center lesecologycenter.org or (212) 477-4022 or Council Member Gale A. Brewer office at (212) 873-0282.

Recycle your plastics! Here's how and why

I received a request to publish this graphic showing how recycling plastic can save resources and eliminate waste. Sadly, not enough of us make the effort. According to the table below, college students are less likely than those over 40 to get involved. Well, get on it people. Recycling just makes sense! Whole Foods is a great place to drop off your plastic bags, yogurt cups and other #5 plastics that NYC does not currently collect. It even accepts the corks from wine bottles. Best Buy takes CDs and jewel cases. See you there!
For more information about this graphic go to OnlineEducation.net