Greenest Block in Brooklyn Deadline is June 1

The Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest is back for its 16th year, and the deadline for entries is Monday, June 1. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Greenbridge program holds the contest every year in cooperation with Borough President Marty Markowitz and with sponsorship by Brooklyn Community Foundation.

Brooklyn block, civic, homeowoner and other community organizations can enter to win the Greenest Residential Block, Greenest Commercial Block, Greenest Storefront, Best Window Box, Best Street Tree Beds, Best Community Garden Streetscape and Best Greenbridge Window-Box Kit titles. There are three rounds of judging during which blocks are evaluated on criteria including color and total visual effect, citizen participation, variety and suitability of plants, soil condition, use of mulch, street tree and tree bed care and other horticultural practices.

The Greenest Block in Brooklyn promotes screetscape gardening, tree stewardship and community development in the borough. Participation in the contest has increased from 50 blocks in the first year to more than 250 last year.

Last year's Residential First Place winner was Lincoln Road between Rogers and Bedford Avenues in Lefferts Gardens (pictured here). This year's winner will be announced in August.

Photos by Phoebe Neidl 

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Efforts Announced to Expand Recycling in City's Public Spaces

Pictured at Fort Greene Park, from left to right are Councilmember Jessica Lappin, Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Councilmember Brad Lander, Eric Gioldstein of the Natural Resources Defense Council, William Alatriste of the New York City Council and Solid Waste Management Committee Chair Letitia James. Legislation was announced to expand recycling in the city's public spaces, including expanding plastics recycling (the city only collects numbers 1 and 2 at this point), improving recycling at city schools, and improving outreach and education.

Currently, there are approximately 300 recycling bins at public spaces throughout the city. Providing New Yorkers with more opportunities to deposit glass, paper, plastic, and aluminum recyclables in parks and other highly visited areas, this new legislation would require the Department of Sanitation to greatly expand the number of recycling bins in or near public parks and other highly trafficked areas. Similar to existing containers, the bins would be distinctively colored and placed near existing wastebaskets.

Fort Greene Park is the site of a public spaces pilot program to improve recycling. Solid Waste Management Committee Chair James called it a "perfect example" of "how the City Council has followed through with improvements to make it easier for everyone in New York City to recycle."

Photo courtesy of the City Council

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Take the Cyclone Lounger for a Spin on Coney Island

The Coney Island History Project will host an open house this Saturday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Brooklyn Half Marathon participants and their family and friends. All are invited to view historic artifacts, photographs, maps, ephemera and films of Coney Island’s colorful past.

Try out the “Cyclone Lounger,” designed by Red Hook’s Uhuru Design, made from ipe wood reclaimed from the Coney Boardwalk and inspired by the Cyclone Roller Coaster. The chaise lounge — which was debuted at BKLYN DESIGNS and was awarded “Best In Show” by sustainable design blog inhabitat.com — will be on display in the exhibition center under the Cyclone.

Uhuru designers Jason Horvath and Bill Hilgendorf will be there to talk about their “Coney Island Line” of furniture, sustainability and local craftsmanship.

Photo courtesy of Uhuru 

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