“Nothin’ moves backwards, buddy. Do you want to speak to a nuclear physicist?”
This is what an incredulous Con Edison employee said to Windsor Terrace resident Peter Landy when his meter indicated that he wasn’t using any of the utility giant’s electricity.
That was two and a half years ago, right after Landy had photovoltaic panels (pictured at right with Landy) installed on his roof, which convert sunlight into electricity. In other words, he went solar.
“We haven’t had a bill. Just the connection fee, which is around $11,” he says. “We produce more [electricity] than we use, so the meter goes backwards.”
Through a legislated arrangement called “net-metering,” Landy is able to “sell” his excess energy back into the system and build up credit with Con Ed. In the winter and at night, when the sun is less obliging ... read more
Story by Phoebe Neidl, photo courtesy of Aeon Solar
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The Eagle received this press release:
Last week, the Department of Sanitation (DOS), in partnership with The Doe Fund, Inc., Councilmember Bill de Blasio, and the Park Slope Civic Council, launched a public recycling program in Park Slope, Brooklyn for metal cans, glass bottles, and paper products. Similar to the high-end covered litter baskets DOS has placed in other locations throughout the City, the blue and green recycling cans will be placed at the corner of 7th Avenue and 6th Street in Park Slope. The cans will be serviced by the Doe Fund's Ready Willing and Able program participants, who currently work to keep this busy avenue clean.
“If you’re out in the neighborhood and you finish reading your newspaper, you either have to throw it away or carry it home with you,” said Councilmember Bill de Blasio. “We all know that recycling is the right thing to do, but it needs to be more accessible to people in their daily lives. Today brings us one step closer. I would like to thank The Doe Fund, the Park Slope Civic Council, and the Department of Sanitation for working together to make this initiative possible, especially at a time when the city cannot afford to increase spending on basic public services. Despite tough economic times, the environment must remain a high priority.”
“The ‘men in blue’ are well-known in Park Slope and throughout New York City for their hard work making city streets and sidewalks cleaner. We are pleased to help Councilmember de Blasio in his efforts to make Brooklyn greener as well,” said Joanna West, The Doe Fund's Director of Business Development.
“The Park Slope Civic Council is proud to have worked with Councilmember de Blasio, the Department of Sanitation and The DOE Fund to bring Commercial Street Side recycling to the community. In a community of individuals with such high environmental awareness, we are confident the program will be a huge success. We look forward to bringing other locations to fruition in order to further integrate recycling into the lives of Park Slopers,” said Bob Braun of the Park Slope Civic Council.
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The Foragers Market in DUMBO, a market specializing in locally grown and natural products, is having a “Heavenly Holiday Tasting” on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 2-5 p.m. Vendors that sell to the market will come with their products for customers to sample. Some of the vendors that will be in attendance are: Brownstone Coffee, a specialty roasting company in Brooklyn; Hot Bread Kitchen; and Pumpkin Village Foods. If you’re interested in finding out what grass fed meat tastes like, there will be samples from an upstate farm. Owners Anna Castellani, Clifford Shikler, Richard Lamb and Alexander Krivosheiw want customers to “taste an exquisite array of appetizers.. drool over [their] chocolates and candy, devour [their] home-made breads, sip [their] fresh roasted coffee and swoon over [their] local cheeses.” The Christmas Dinner Menu will be available for previewing, and there will be giveaways for children.
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Go Green
For the yoga-enthusiast, get an environmentally friendly, all natural yoga mat. You can find one at Brooklyn store Omala, 400 Atlantic Ave., or www.omalausa.com/journeyyogamat.html.
Know someone who needs new dishes for their kitchen? Give them bamboo kitchen products. Many places are selling them now, including The Brooklyn Kitchen on Lorimer St. in Williamsburg. Bamboo is strong and is the fastest growing plant on earth. Instead of cutting down a 50-year-old tree, damaging the surrounding environment, bamboo is cut down and regenerates after three to five years with no negative impacts to the plant or environment (calibamboo.com).
An aluminum or stainless steel water bottle as a gift ... read more
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When faced with the coming winter, with people riding their bicycles less and not buying any new ones, how does Recycle-A-Bicycle generate funds? By selling jewelry made out of bicycle parts, of course!
Last Tuesday, Karen Overton, the founder of Recycle-A-Bicycle, had a table at “Crafted at the Creek,” an event at The Creek restaurant in Long Island City where local artisans gathered to sell their goods. Overton sold her bicycle jewelry, the profits of which ... read more
Image courtesy of Karen Overton
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With growing concern about the environment, many people have started using re-usable bags when they shop, whether for groceries or just household items. As was reported last month, Mayor Bloomberg is proposing a six-cent fee on plastic bags in New York City, which would be an added incentive to reduce and reuse.
Now more than ever, the Brooklyn Eagle wants to encourage readers to carry with them a bag or a 
tote so as not to collect and throw away these plastic bags. Should Bloomberg’s idea come to pass, plastic bags will not only impact the environment, they will also impact your budget.
Certain tote purchases will even help a third cause. The Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter, has started selling “Forget Me Not” Go Green shopping totes (right), with the Foundation’s logo and pictures of forget-me-not flowers on them. Proceeds from each sale ... read more
Image courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter
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Two weeks ago, Green Desk, an office building in DUMBO that rents out green office space, had its open house. Miguel McKelvey, one of Green Desk’s owners, said the event was “about celebrating the tenants,” and gathering them together to meet socially. There was a ribbon cutting, and Councilman David Yassky and Borough President Marty Markowitz spoke. “There were about 100 people there at all times,” said McKelvey, who explained that people were constantly filtering in and out.
The current tenants of Green Desk were invited and encouraged to invite their friends and families. McKelvey said that one person who attended the event came in the very next day to rent out space and started working the morning after that. The building in DUMBO has six floors, three of which are occupied. Tenants range from software companies, fashion designers, and even a business that sells backpacks and laptops with solar panels on them, added McKelvey. He said the event was very successful, and that having the politician there adds to “the idea that Brooklyn is becoming a home for the environmentally conscious.”
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