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Annual Report 2009

Formerly The Council on the Environment of NYC BRONX

GrowNYC’s City Sites

Greenmarkets Youthmarkets

Open Space Greening

Environmental Education Participating Schools

Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education

New Farmer Development Training Farm

BROOKLYN

STATEN ISLAND

3 Annual Report July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009

Greenmarket • Open Space Greening • Environmental Education • Youthmarkets Offi ce of Recycling Outreach & Education • New Farmer Development Project • Learn It, Grow It, Eat It

GrowNYC improves ’s quality Formerly of life through environmental programs that The Council on the Environment of NYC transform communities block by block and empower all New Yorkers to secure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.

Contents 2 Letter from the Chairman 3 40 Years of Growing and Greening NYC

4 Greenmarket

5 New Farmer Development Project

7 Youthmarket

9 2009 Greenmarket Locations

10 Garden

13 Plant-A-Lot Gardens

14 Teach

18 Learn It, Grow It, Eat It

20 Recycle

24 GrowNYC, Inc. Finances

25 Contributors, Members and Staff

28 GrowNYC Funding Appeal

GrowNYC | 51 Chambers St, Suite #228, New York, NY 10007 | 212.788.7900 | grownyc.org Letter from the Chairman To Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Members, Contributors, Volunteers, Staff and Friends:

Since 1970, we have been the fl agship nonprofi t organization dedicated to improving the environment in all fi ve Boroughs and raising public awareness about environmental issues both locally and globally. Marking our 40th Birthday, Council on the Environment of New York City is changing its name to GrowNYC—a name that better refl ects all the work we do to improve New York City.

Even during a time of economic stress, GrowNYC activities are adding value to the City, its residents and visitors. With greater interest in the importance of eating healthily and locally, Greenmarkets continue to expand and prosper, and we are now expanding the concept to a Wholesale Greenmarket which can signifi cantly impact food distribution via grocers, distributors and the like, while also giving medium-size farmers in the region new outlets in the city.

Open Space Greening continues to dig in to create and improve green spaces, and I had the pleasure on a chilly day last Spring of hosting the groundbreaking ceremony for the Phoenix Garden in Brownsville, . This half-acre urban farm serves over 45 community gardeners who grow crops such as beans, collards, cabbage, tomatoes and zucchini.

Our Offi ce of Recycling Outreach & Education (which we call “OROE”) continues to innovate. We have an expanding textile recycling collection campaign and are assisting in electronics recycling eff orts in addition to continuing our vigorous recycling education for all residents.

These are just examples of the many programs led by GrowNYC’s energetic and dedicated staff which, under the leadership of our Executive Director Marcel Van Ooyen, keeps pushing the envelope and coming up with new ideas while preserving the best of our long-standing programs.

On a sad note, I must remember my predecessor and mentor, Forrest Church, who led the organization for 10 years and passed away this year. I miss his wise counsel and will strive to honor his legacy.

I hope reading this report will incentivize you to think about how you can make choices and take actions that respect and improve the environment. And, as our work would not be possible without donations from our contributors, we hope you will continue to support GrowNYC.

Thank you all for your help, which is essential to our eff orts to create a cleaner, healthier and pleasant environment.

Robert J. Kafi n Chairman

2

2 40 Years of Growing and Greening NYC A Legacy of Action 1970 Marian Heiskell brought her vision of a sustainable New We are so pleased and proud to celebrate four decades York City to Mayor John Lindsay and the of experience and programmatic expansion. GrowNYC’s Council on the Environment of NYC (CENYC) achievements in the areas of farming, education, was founded as a privately funded citizens community gardens, and resource conservation during organization with a mission to increase this time refl ect signifi cant improvements in our city. On environmental awareness among New any given day in the fi ve boroughs, residents now have Yorkers and develop practical solutions to access to 49 Greenmarkets where they can purchase fresh, healthy, local produce and environmental problems. more from small farmers who keep 30,000 acres in production. Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have improved their recycling know-how, and taken advantage of 2010 CENYC has renamed alternative disposal options for textiles, cfl lightbulbs and electronics as a result of the itself as GrowNYC to better Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education. Residents can garden, play, and relax in communicate the scope of more than 50 green spaces and play lots created, and hundreds more assisted by Open our work, and to advance our mission of Space Greening staff and volunteers. The eyes of more than 34,000 young people improving New York City’s quality of life have been opened to environmental issues facing our cities and given the tools and through environmental programs that opportunities to help fi nd solutions, including planting 17,000 trees to protect our water transform communities block by block supply and remove carbon dioxide from the air. and empower all New Yorkers to secure a These are but some of the examples of progress we’ve made with the invaluable support clean and healthy environment for future of our founder Marian Heiskell, the Mayor’s Offi ce and the City of New York, our Board of generations. Directors and members, funders and individuals like you. We hope you will join us this year as we celebrate CENYC’s history and look to GrowNYC’s future.

Marcel Van Ooyen Executive Director

GrowNYC mourns the passing of our dear friend and Board Member, Reverend Forrest Church. A gifted orator and prolifi c author, Forrest served as Chairman from 1996–2006. He guided and transformed the organization with a deft and skillful hand, providing leadership that was characterized by encouraging an exchange of ideas meant to foster our growth. His gentle prodding and wise counsel ushered us into the new millennium fully equipped to meet challenges and opportunities head-on and with open hearts. We will deeply miss his warmth, humor and kindness.

3 grow

Grazin’ Angus Acres Market activities Union Square

Greenmarket

Greenmarket, the country’s largest outdoor farmers market program, ensures that New Yorkers have access to locally grown, foraged, baked and caught produce and products on any given day in every season. This year GrowNYC operated farmers markets in 49 locations across the fi ve boroughs—with more markets, more shoppers, and more farmers, we are growing every year.

Why is Greenmarket so important to New York City and the region? Greenmarket is good for farms: it helps keep regional small family farms in business and preserves farmland. Greenmarket is good for city neighborhoods: it contributes to neighborhood food security, neighborhood economies and community renewal. And, Greenmarket is good for the environment: our farmers are personally invested in the health of regional water and soil; small biodiverse farms help preserve food heritage.

GREENMARKET IS GROWING

We opened two new markets this year in Corona, Queens and the NY/NJ Port Authority Bus Terminal. And as a result of aggressive recruitment eff orts, twenty-one new farmers joined the program in 2009. Existing markets were strengthened by increasing our at-market programming with “Meet Your Farmer” series, health and wellness information, community events and activities, increased press coverage and continued growth of our volunteer program.

Greenmarket staff attended and presented at conferences and trade shows to recruit new producers to the markets. We continue to focus on recruiting meat, poultry, fi sh, dairy, and wine producers. These products are in great demand and bring a more complete range of products to the markets year-round. Greenmarket staff also shared best practices throughout the year, helping to educate other farmers’ market operators about market promotions, inspections, and how to incorporate Food Stamp/EBT access at markets.

GREENMARKET YOUTH EDUCATION

Greenmarket’s Youth Education Project connects New York City school children with farmers to help them gain an understanding of local agriculture and the importance of eating fresh, seasonal foods—for their health, their environment and their communities.

Gramercy Tavern Chef Michael Anthony Fun, interactive experiences such as Greenmarket School Tours, 4 teaching at Union Square in-classroom farmer visits, “Seed-to-Plate” cooking classes, and fi eld

4 Peppers at Union Square Muddy River Farm

trips to farms allow school children in grades K-12 to experience food as a joyful journey that starts with a seed and ends on their plate. All our activities include educational resources and standards-based curriculum developed with Columbia Teachers College and nutritionists.

In the past year, Greenmarket gave 145 tours to over 3,000 school children from public and private schools in all 5 boroughs. In May 2009, we launched an Education Station at our Union Square Market that operates Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with peer to peer programming, cooking demonstrations and interactive displays. Farmers and Youth Education staff visited 875 elementary school students in their classrooms.

NEW FARMER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

The NFDP identifi es, educates and supports immigrants with agricultural experience helping them become local producers and to establish small farms in the region. Over the past year, the NFDP has undertaken activities to facilitate the development of new immigrant-owned farm businesses, strengthen farmers markets throughout the

New Farmer Development Profi le Nolasco Farm Sergio Nolasco learned to farm as a child on his grandfather’s farm in Puebla, Mexico, but for the past fi ve years, he and his wife Paz have been operating a very diff erent kind of farm in Andover, NJ. In the shadow of encroaching housing developments, the Nolascos are farming 10 acres, growing more than 50 diff erent kinds of herbs and vegetables. It’s a full family endeavor with their sons managing at the markets and their young daughters helping out on the farm.

It wasn’t an easy transition to go from the kind of farming he’d learned growing up to building a profi table family farm here in the US, but with the help of the New Farmer Development Project, Sergio and Paz have been able to build a successful business in NJ. After a friend introduced them to the project, Sergio and Paz enrolled in the NFDP’s beginning farmer training course: La Nueva Siembra. Upon graduating from the course, project staff helped them plan their business, find land, get equipment, and apply for markets. A few years later, the Nolascos received a microcredit loan from the project and were able to grow their business to a more competitive size.

The Nolascos now sell fresh produce, including specialty items like papalo, pipicha, “In Mexico, we grew epazote, and fl ores de calabaza at six farmers markets and three CSA communities corn and sugar cane throughout the city. They are known throughout their markets for the quality and consistency of their produce, or as Paz puts it, “selling at the market is like inviting and used oxen to plow someone into my home—I like to be able to off er them something special.” the land.”

5 region, and supply fresh, local, and culturally relevant produce to immigrant and low-income neighborhoods throughout New York City. Specifi c achievements include:

• 20 NFDP members and their families have started Farmer Profi le successful farm businesses with the support of the NFDP. This includes 3 new farm businesses started in 2009.

• NFDP farmers are selling fresh vegetables, fruit, fl owers, King Ferry Winery eggs, and honey at more than 60 farmers markets King Ferry, NY, Cayuga County since 1984 throughout New York City and the Hudson Valley.

King Ferry Winery joined Greenmarket this year after • NFDP farmers have brought a variety of new specialty participating in the NY Wine & Grape Foundation’s “Uncork NY” produce into the markets, including papalo, pipicha, and New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets alache, epazote, verdolaga, tlapanche, huazontle, “Pride of NY” program, where local wineries set up and sell for huitlacoche, squash blossoms, tomatillos, various hot one day at a Greenmarket with the goals of exposing more peppers, dragon’s tongue beans, and callaloo.

New Yorkers to delicious local wines and to introduce wineries • 3 NFDP farmers have bought farms in New York’s Hudson to the benefi ts of direct marketing. After a few incredibly Valley totaling 26 acres. These farmers are the fi rst successful sales days at market, King Ferry Winery requested to participants in any immigrant farming project in the become a permanent Greenmarket Producer. Northeast to purchase land independently.

Located in the heart of the Finger , Peter and Tacie • NFDP farmers earned nearly $300,000 in Farmers Market Saltonstall operate a 27-acre vineyard and winery on the Nutrition Program (FMNP) checks and $40,000 in EBT/food east side of Cayuga , about 20 miles north of Ithaca. stamp sales in 2009. FMNP checks are given to low-income The vineyard was planted in 1984, and their fi rst vintages of individuals participating in the Women, Infants, and Chardonnay and Riesling were produced in 1988. Peter had Children (WIC) Program and the Senior Citizens Program previously been involved in the construction business, and it so that they may have greater access to fresh local fruits was the same enjoyment of the creative process combined and vegetables. with hands-on labor that drew him to both professions. • 150 participants have graduated from NFDP’s La Nueva “Building a house and making wine are both activities where Siembra (the new season), a two month course designed all your planning and creativity and hard work result in a to teach how to farm in the Northeast’s climate. tangible, touchable or drinkable product, and I fi nd that very, • NFDP farmers keep 200 acres of land in production. very satisfying.”

King Ferry Winery attends Greenmarkets at 77th Street FLOWER MARKETS Sundays, 97th Street Fridays, and Inwood Saturdays. In the Spring of 2009 Greenmarket launched its inaugural series of one-day fl ower markets. We partnered with the Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island’s Annual Orchid Sale, our sister program Open Space Greening at Brooklyn Borough Hall, with The Shops at Atlas Park in Queens and with our sister program Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education and the Riverdale YM-YWHA in . City gardeners, green thumbs and plant lovers from throughout New York City were

6 able to purchase aff ordably priced perennials, annuals, bulbs, herbs, fl ats, house plants, and cut fl owers while supporting Greenmarket farmers.

PRODUCT INTEGRITY

Product integrity is central to Greenmarket’s mission and operations. A comprehensive set of regulations governs what may be sold at market. Ongoing visits to farms and fi elds as well as inspections of cider mills, dairy plants and bakeries help ensure product integrity. The Greenmarket Inspections team expanded in 2009 with the hiring of 3 new inspectors. In March 2009, the Greenmarket Inspection team presented to the Farmers’ Market Federation of NY Annual Youthmarket Profi le Market Managers Conference, sharing our best practices with peer organizations.

FARMER COMMUNITY ADVISORY Fulton Youth of COMMITTEE (FCAC) the Future The FCAC consists of 15 producers and 6 community repre- New to the program this year, the Fulton Youth of the sentatives. The FCAC provides a forum for ideas, peer review in Future Youthmarket has become a unique fi xture in its the enforcement of Greenmarket Regulations, and guidance neighborhood. Like other Youthmarket farm stands, the and assistance in implementing the Greenmarket mission. Fulton Youthmarket is manned by teens from within the community—in this case, from the Fulton Youth of the YOUTHMARKET Future, an organization aimed at helping young people In 2006, GrowNYC developed Youthmarket, an innovative within the Robert Fulton Houses public housing site gain variation on the traditional Greenmarket. More akin to a farm professional skills. Consistent with other Youthmarkets is stand than a full-scale farmers market, Youthmarkets are the threat of diet-related diseases to the very teens who operated in partnership with community-based organizations work the stands; the founder of Fulton Youth of the Future, and staff ed by high school and college students from Miguel Acevedo, began a healthy initiatives campaign the communities in which they are located. Youthmarket in the houses after he was diagnosed with diabetes. This participants are trained by GrowNYC’s staff and provided with Youthmarket provides fresh produce to a wide range of all the education and support necessary to develop and run a customers, from seniors or new mothers from Fulton Houses successful farm stand. redeeming their FMNP checks, to other Chelsea residents

This year, weekly farm stands have increased to seven who supplement their supermarket purchases. At the neighborhoods, and Youthmarket stands have been featured at stand, a diverse crowd mingles and chats with the youth- many community events throughout the season. Youthmarket staff and with each other, swapping recipes and making continues to provide underserved neighborhoods with fresh recommendations for selecting or preparing produce, produce, train teens how to run a small business, and provide demonstrating that people can always come together over a forum for community outreach on how to eat better and fresh, aff ordable food. improve health.

7 WHOLESALE GREENMARKET FARMERS MARKET

New York City once boasted several wholesale farmers markets enabling local farmers to directly supply food stores with locally grown produce. In 2007, the New Fulton Fish Market Cooperative and the Bronx Terminal Market Growers, with assistance from the Governor of New York along with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, established a new Wholesale Farmers Market in the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center in the Bronx. As of 2009 GrowNYC has assumed management and development of the market in order to expand opportunities for small retailers, food service professionals and the public to buy fresh, healthy, local produce directly from the farmer at wholesale prices. Increasing demand for locally grown food from the commercial sector will benefi t mid-sized growers and New Yorkers.

The Wholesale Greenmarket is located in the waterfront parking lot of the New Fulton Fish Market. Open Monday through Saturday from 2:00am – 8:00am, the market features fruits,

Wholesale Greenmarket vegetables, plants and herbs.

FIGHTING HUNGER

Greenmarket operates farmers markets in the diversity of neighborhoods that defi ne New York City. Some of our most successful, oldest markets are located in lower-income communities, many of which suff er disproportionately from diet-related disease (obesity, diabetes, heart disease). Greenmarket is playing a crucial role in enhancing the food security and overall wellness in communities that either lack fresh produce or that pay more for less healthful and poorer quality foods.

Thanks to generous funding from the City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and the City Council, the redemption of EBT (the electronic method for distributing the federal Food Stamp Program benefi ts) is now possible at 23 of our markets (a 40% increase from 2008.) This funding also allowed Greenmarket to conduct an extensive and successful bilingual advertising campaign including newspaper, subway and bus, to promote EBT accessibility at markets.

Accepting EBT cards at Greenmarkets provides farmers with an additional source of income and enables EBT recipients to have access to the most nutritious, freshest, best tasting foods. Our goal is to provide EBT access at every Greenmarket.

EBT sales at Greenmarket have skyrocketed from just under $1000 in 2005, to over $200,000 in 2009, an astounding increase indicating just how great a need and desire exists for fresh, healthy food. Increased sales also point to the expansion in number of Greenmarkets that accept EBT. As evidence that our outreach campaign is working almost one-half of 2009 EBT sales were made by fi rst-time users.

Working with the NYC Department of Health and the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Greenmarket took a leading role in advocating food access for all New Yorkers, promoting Health Bucks. Health Bucks provides $2 coupons that can be redeemed for fruit and vegetable purchases at farmers markets, increasing purchase 8 power and access to healthy foods makes good nutrition possible for all New Yorkers.

8 2009 Greenmarket Locations

MANHATTAN Lincoln Hospital – EBT Accepted Staten Island Mall (July – August) (July – November) (September through November) Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal Rockefeller Plaza at 50th St. 149th St. & Morris Ave. Inside the main entrance parking lot 4 South St., Inside Terminal Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday 8 AM – 6 PM (S. of hospital entrance) on Richmond Avenue Tuesday & Fridays 8 AM – 7 PM Tuesday and Friday 8 AM – 3PM Saturdays, 8AM – 4PM Bowling Green (Wed May – December, Sat Year Round) New York – EBT & Battery Pl. West 57th St. & 9th Ave. Accepted BROOKLYN Tuesday & Thursday 8 AM – 5 PM Wednesday & Saturday 8 AM – 6 PM (Wed June – November, Sat June – Greenpoint – McCarren Park Cedar Street/ Tucker Square November) Bedford Ave. & Lorimer St. (April – December) W 66th St. & Columbus Ave. Wednesday at Kazimiroff Blvd. btw Saturday 8 AM – 3 PM Bedford Pk. & Mosholu, inside NYBG Cedar St. btw Broadway & Church Thursday & Saturday 8 AM – 5 PM Williamsburg – EBT Accepted Tuesday & Thursday 8 AM – 6 PM Mosholu Gate 77th Street Saturday in Metro North parking lot (July – November) W 77 St. & Columbus Wednesday 9 AM – 5 PM Havemeyer St. & Broadway (June – December) Sunday 8 AM – 5 PM Saturday 8 AM – 4 PM Thursday 8 AM - 4 PM Chambers St. & Broadway 82nd Street/St. Stephens – EBT Accepted Tuesdays & Friday 8 AM – 4 PM (July – November) QUEENS Washington Pl. & DeKalb E 82nd St. btw 1st & York Aves. Saturday 8AM - 5PM (Wed April – December, Sat Year Round) Saturday 9 AM – 3 PM Astoria – EBT Accepted Brooklyn Borough Hall (July – November) Greenwich & Chambers Sts. 92nd Street – EBT Accepted (Thursday & Saturday Year Round) Wednesday & Saturday 8 AM – 3 PM 14 St. btw 31st Ave. & 31st Rd. (Tuesday April-December) (July-November) Wednesday 8AM – 3PM LES/ – EBT Accepted 1st Ave. btw 92nd & 93rd Sts. Court & Montague Sts. (July – November) Sunday 9 AM – 5 PM Long Island City – Hunter’s Point Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 8 AM – 6 PM (July – November) Norfolk & Grand Sts. 97th Street – EBT Accepted Carroll Gardens Sunday 8 AM – 4 PM 48th Ave. btw Vernon Blvd. & 5th St. (April – December) W 97th St. & Columbus Saturday 8AM – 3PM Tompkins Square – EBT Accepted Friday 8 AM – 2 PM Carroll btw Smith & Court Sts. East 7th St. & Ave. A Sunnyside Gardens Sunday 8 AM – 4 PM Mt. Sinai Hospital – EBT Accepted (June – December) Sunday 8AM – 6 PM (July – November) Grand Army Plaza – EBT Accepted Skillman btw 42nd & 43rd Sts. NW Entrance to Stuyvesant Town E 99th St btw Madison & Park Aves. Saturday 8 AM – 4 PM Saturday 8AM – 4PM (June – November) Wednesday 8 AM – 5 PM Jackson Heights - – EBT Windsor Terrace Stuy-Town Oval, 14th St. Loop & Ave. A Stranger’s Gate Sunday 9:30 AM – 4 PM Accepted (May – October) (July – November) (June – November) Prospect Park West & 15th St. St. Mark’s Church W 106th St & CPW 34th Ave. btw 77th & 78th Sts. (inside Park entrance) (June – December) Saturday 8 AM – 3 PM Sunday 8AM – 3PM Wednesday 8 AM – 3 PM East 10th St. & 2nd Ave. Columbia University Tuesday 8 AM – 7 PM Atlas Park/Glendale Cortelyou – EBT Accepted Broadway btw 114th and 115th Sts. (June – November) (June – November) Abingdon Square Thursdays & Sundays 8 AM – 5 PM Cooper Ave. & 80th St., inside shopping plaza Cortelyou Rd. btw Argyle & Rugby West 12th & Hudson Sts. 175th Street – EBT Accepted Saturday 10AM – 3PM Sunday 8 AM – 4 PM Saturday 8 AM – 2 PM (June - December) Corona – EBT Accepted Borough Park – EBT Accepted Union Square W 175th St. & Broadway (July – November) (July – November) East 17th St. & Broadway Thursday 8 AM – 6 PM Roosevelt Ave. & 103rd St 14th Ave btw 49th & 50th Sts. Mon., Wed., Fri., & Sat. 8 AM – 6PM Inwood – EBT Accepted Friday 8AM – 5 PM Thursday 8AM – 3PM Murray Hill Isham St. btw Seaman & Cooper Sunset Park – EBT Accepted (June - December) Saturday 8 AM – 3 PM STATEN ISLAND (July-November) 2nd Ave. at 33rd St. 4th Ave. btw 59th & 60th Sts. Saturday 8 AM – 3 PM BRONX St. George Saturday 8 AM – 3PM NY/NJ Port Authority Bus Terminal (May – November) Poe Park – EBT Accepted Bay Ridge – EBT Accepted 8th Ave. & 42nd St., inside North wing Borough Hall (parking lot) (July-November) (May – November) main concourse St. Mark’s & Hyatt Sts. 95th St. & 3rd Ave. & 192nd St. Thursday 8 AM – 6 PM Saturday 8AM – 2PM Tuesday 8 AM – 3 PM Saturdays 8AM – 3PM Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Bronx Borough Hall – EBT Accepted All Markets operate from 8 AM – 6 PM, year round, unless otherwise listed E. 47th St. & 2nd Ave. (July – November) Wednesday 8 AM – 4 PM Market days, times and locations are subject to change. For the most up-to-date market Grand Concourse &161 St. information, please call (212)788-7476 or visit GrowNYC’s website, www.grownyc.org Tuesday 8 AM – 6 PM

9 grow

Generation X Creative Little Garden Open Space Greening

Providing all New Yorkers with well maintained, sustainable and beautiful green oases for play, relaxation and connection with the natural world is the goal of GrowNYC’s Open Space Greening Program. Staff and volunteers spend signifi cant time and invest long-term resources in gardens rather than a short-term clean-up or green- up strategy. These green spaces grow more than fl owers, fruits and vegetables. In low to moderate income neighborhoods throughout NYC, community gardens help build relationships, provide access to open space, increase the value of surrounding properties and provide exposure to cultural diversity and understanding.

Thanks to funding from the City Council and in cooperation with the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, this year we substantially renovated and upgraded three community garden sites:

• Generation X— This beloved space now includes Geoblock paving which allows for all-ability access to the garden and leads to a viewing area for multi-media performances. The completion of a masonry retaining wall created additional planting areas where blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries grow in season. Nectarine, pear, peach and apple trees form a mini urban orchard.

• Wishing Well — Redevelopment of this Bronx community garden inspired the next generation of local young people and invigorated garden membership. They toiled long hours for no pay save the satisfaction of seeing a once neglected space reborn as large scale vegetable garden and thriving outdoor classroom for Public School 60/ 333. Gardeners had fencing installed, in addition to new soil and vegetable gardens beds which provide food for over 40 families. A shed, outdoor furniture including all-ability picnic tables, a notice board, composting area, gazebo and pathways complete this site. In honor of its name and as a nod to a community desire fulfi lled, a wishing well is being constructed using stones excavated during the construction phase.

• Phoenix Garden — Sunny and spacious and located in Bedford- Phoenix Garden groundbreaking Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, the Phoenix Garden is dedicated to urban agriculture and capable of producing a bounty: in season, nearly 2,000 pounds of vegetables are harvested. The produce is shared with Neighbors Together, a local organization that serves over 500 people each day at a soup kitchen. New steel edging, pathways, and mulch were laid out this year along with the construction of an artisanal shade structure made from salvaged beams that includes a grape arbor. A red tin shed reminiscent of a barn serves as the focal centerpiece of this triangle plot and reminds 10 us that a farm can be anywhere.

10 OTHER OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT/MAINTENANCE

• Garden for Living — Residents of Carver Houses, and patients, visitors, and staff of Mt. Sinai Hospital all continue to enjoy this tranquil oasis in East . Funding from the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Foundation purchased a hybrid lawnmower, recycling containers, and an assortment of garden tools Gardener Profi le that will be used for continued site maintenance. A bounty of donated evergreen and deciduous fl owering trees, shrubs and perennials were planted to replace plant Wishing Well material destroyed by a microburst in late spring. • Hattie Carthan — Open Space Greening assisted with the Garden development of an adjacent lot by donating 30 yards of Willie Perez remembers back in the early 90’s when the lot on topsoil and arranging for fencing to be installed to allow for Rev. Polite Avenue in the Bronx was fi lled with nothing but a farmers market. We also facilitated the donation of bricks and garbage. He got a few neighbors and a teacher for the children’s garden and a future BBQ pit. from the adjacent PS 60/333 to see the possibilities beyond • El Sitio Feliz — Providing hands on help with green space its current state and together they approached the city about for the youngest residents of East Harlem is what our cleaning up the space. Every Saturday was designated a work partnership with Union Settlement is all about. We assisted day and pretty soon that handful had turned into a large in the planting of perennials as well as mulching to retain and committed group excited by the changes taking place. water in the garden soil. The garden continues to be a Willie fondly remembers, “People never knew each other beautiful, lush playspace. • Family Aff air Neighborhood Park — This Bedford- before we started cleaning the lot. It was a beautiful thing.” Stuyvesant playground is adjacent to a child-care center and Given Willie’s early leadership role, it’s no surprise that he is required removal of old playground equipment that closed now President of the Wishing Well Garden membership and the park for several months. With the removal complete, continues to serve as its visionary. When GrowNYC sat down the site can be used as an open play space until funding is with the gardeners to discuss their needs, “We got together acquired for safety surfacing and play equipment. as a committee and I brought a design and everybody liked • Waste Management’s “Wildlife Habitat on the ” it.” Willie’s dream is now a reality and he is delighted by the —Greening oversaw an installation of native plant material outcome, “Our conversations used to be about sports and to attract urban wildlife to this 7,500 sf space. Hundreds now the group talks about watering their plants. The main of plants were installed, 90 cubic yards of mulch was thing, most positive thing is that the youngest and oldest spread, and watering, pruning, and weeding took place. gardeners learned to respect each other. The garden created Community members have commented on the rapid return something like a peace zone.” of key pollinators like bees, songbirds, and butterfl ies.

11 RAINWATER HARVESTING

Sometimes the simplest and oldest practices come full circle to the forefront of the green movement. Through our award winning Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) project, each year 500,000 gallons of water are collected and diverted by the 40 Rainwater Harvesting systems built with GrowNYC’s assistance. RWH reduces demand on the public water supply and reduces rainstorm runoff —a major source of pollution of our local waterways.

• In fall 2008, Greening’s rainwater harvesting display was featured at the Museum of the City of New York’s “Growing and Greening NYC” exhibit. • Greening staff , with help from City Year and Green Apple Corps volunteers and interns, installed fi ve 1000-gallon rainwater harvesting systems utilizing roofs of adjacent buildings. Three new shade structures with 300 gallon rainwater harvesting systems were also built. • Greening conducted 5 rainwater harvesting trainings for homeowners, community gardeners and others. • In summer 2009, staff designed and built a human powered treadle pump for use in community gardens with RWH systems. The treadle pump increases water fl ow and/or pumps water to a height of at least 8 feet for those gardens where the pressure/fl ow from the tank cannot reach parts of the garden where the elevation is higher than the water level in the tank. A “How to” manual has been written and is available on our website.

GROW TRUCK

Our mobile gardening one-stop traverses all fi ve boroughs of NYC, delivering donated plant materials and tool loans to facilitate community work days. Nursing homes, community gardens, schools and other groups are all those who benefi t from the this unique service that allows high quality and quantity tool loans at no cost to facilitate community volunteer participation in greening projects.

PLANT SALE

At GrowNYC’s annual Plant Sale, 126 orders were placed for vegetables, vines, perennials and herbs totaling over $25,000 in plant material purchased at cost for groups conducting beautifi cation projects city-wide. Volunteer Work Day at the Garden for Living SWEAT EQUITY

Recent Open Space Greening projects could not have been accomplished without the tireless eff orts of our intrepid volunteers. Employees from , , Boston Consulting Group, Disney, the William J. Clinton Foundation and Conde Nast spent hundreds of man hours moving soil, amending garden beds, installing wildlife habitats, renovating playgrounds, weeding, watering, and planting trees, shrubs and perennials. Thank you.

COMMUNITY GARDEN MAPPING PROJECT

Open Space Greening is in the process of completely updating over 700 garden profi les on the citywide community garden online database, OASIS, as part of a newly improved OASIS website which allows for more and better functionality for site visitors. Information is being sent in by the gardeners via mail, email and a new web based 12 survey, as well as gathered by our staff . The data will be used to create a series of informative guides and maps that 12 describe various greening and gardening initiatives around the city, as well as pictures and information on existing gardens, and can be accessed from our website.

12 Plant-A-Lot Gardens (1978–2009)

Over eight million dollars, from generous benefac- East New York Tremont tors like the Louis and Anne Abrons Foundation, Elton Court Garden/UJIMA II (2001) Tremont Community Council Mrs. Andrew Heiskell and many others, along with Fannie Barnes Children’s Playground (1992) Neighborhood Park (1989–1995) countless hours of staff time and community sweat P.S. 4 – Paradise Garden (1996) West Concourse equity have gone into creating 60 neighborhood The Ujima Garden I (1995) Hope of Israel Senior Center (1982) green spaces all around New York City—often in Ocean Hill communities where previously none existed. We Hull Street Community Garden (2001) gratefully acknowledge our funders, volunteer MANHATTAN The Miracle Playground (1999–2004) gardeners, fellow greening groups and supporters: Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Our Lady of Lourdes Garden (1981) thanks to you, children are playing on the grass, Marian S. Heiskell Garden (1997) folks are dozing under a tree, enjoying spring’s fi rst Park Slope Harlem blooms and observing nature’s endless cycle in this Greenspace @ President Street (2006) Oasis (1996–2000) most urban of places. Williamsburg Children’s Aid Society (1998) Note: Date garden opened/closed in parentheses Placita Infantil (1991) PS 76 Garden (2002) Sunshine Community Garden (1996) Good Earth Garden (1980–1992) BROOKLYN Harbor Morningside Children’s Center Park (1990) BRONX East Harlem Bedford-Stuvesant El Sitio Feliz (1992) Family Aff air Neighborhood Park (1990) Bathgate Alpha Crawford Sunshine Park (1998–2005) Modesto “Tin” Flores Community Garden (1981) Cheryl’s Villa II (1997) George Washington Carver Community First Quincy Street Block Association (2004) Bedford Park “Garden for Living” (2007) Decatur Park (2002) Kosciusko Garden/Learning Center (1998) Lower East Side Belmont All People’s Garden (1979) Joseph Cali-Vincent Artuso Park (1988) Creative Little Garden (1979) East 5th Street Slope Children’s Garden (2006) Angie Lee Gonzalez Park (1981) Mid Bronx Desperadoes Community Park (1997) East Concourse Kenton Hall Neighborhood Garden (1981) Kingsbridge Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (1997) Pheonix Garden (2009) Morris Heights Progressive Adventure Playland (1987) Popham Park (1987) The Pulaski Playhouse Garden (1999) Longwood Spencer Place Garden (2001) Generation X Cultural Garden (2009) Wishing Well (2009) Boerum Hill Martin Luther King Jr. Community Park (1993) Wyckoff -Bond Garden (1979) Miracle Garden (1983) Parque de Tranquilidad (1980) Brownsville Sara D. Roosevelt Park (1996) Amboy Neighborhood Garden (1982) Lower Washington Heights E. Lincoln Housing Community Garden (1997–2002) Dorothy K. McGowan Memorial Garden (1999) Our Lady of the Presentation Garden (1983) Jumel Ecological Educational Garden (1995) Bushwick Howard’s Glen Garden (1994–1997) D.O.M.E. Garden (1979–1995) Children’s Grove/Arboleda de los Ninos (2006) Morrisania Crown Heights STATEN ISLAND Bonner Place Garden (2001–2005) 1100 Block Bergen Street Association (1982) Jacquline Denise Davis Garden (1999) Travis Amateur Association (1981–1998) 196 Albany Avenue Park/Playground (1995) Garden (2005)

13 grow

Learning as we teach Students test solar ovens Environmental Education

Created in 1978, GrowNYC’s youth-based environmental education program is changing the way young people think about and tread upon their environment. They’re learning about the resources that sustain our planet: water, air, trees, wildlife and realizing that their actions and behaviors have consequences—some good, some bad. Every day, in schools across New York City, students are learning about environmental issues, improving their neighborhoods, schools, and homes—creating a greener, healthier world, one block at a time. Alumni of the program report that the experience served as a springboard for further environmental studies, infl uenced career choices and increased participation in community aff airs. In 2008/09, 1,700 intermediate and high school students participated—a nearly 50% increase from last year.

FILLING A NEED

Environmental issues have come to the forefront in the media in recent years and words like “green” and “sustainable” are now common parlance. Despite the (much needed) focus and attention that environmental issues have been receiving, GrowNYC estimates that only half of NYC schools off er signifi cant environmental education programming to students. GrowNYC has historically focused its eff orts in low-income environmentally beleaguered communities where school sites have few dollars for any enrichment programming, accordingly GrowNYC off ers 80% of its programs at no cost to the schools. These communities are often the places where polluting facilities are located. Such environmental injustice can only be fully remedied when a majority of young people become environmentally aware, knowledgeable and active.

SAVING ENERGY

Reducing energy use by just one kilowatt hour per day can signifi cantly reduce carbon emissions. Students learn about the link between energy use, global warming and the need to seek alternative energy sources. While learning about types and sources of energy, they use their homes and classrooms as real-life examples and learn why and how to conserve energy.

Madison HS students at Energy Fair This year, over 700 kids built solar ovens or designed “green” houses and streetscapes that demonstrate sustainable design features to highlight how renewable energy sources help fi ght global warming. At two energy fairs held at the Union Square Greenmarket, 14 thousands of visitors heard about and viewed our teen’s vision for the future.

14 The full display of HSES green house design

HSES youth plant in Riverside Park SoBro After School kids Education table at Union Square

HABITAT HEALTH AND RESTORATION

Woodlands, parks, water bodies, and wildlife— in a densely populated urban environment, represent gateways to the natural world and nourish and sustain city dwellers. It is only right that in turn we protect and maintain them. Our EE program gives young people the tools to measure the health of natural resources and the skill set to keep them as wild and beautiful as possible. In 2008/2009, students made the following improvements:

• In teens planted 450 native trees and shrubs to create habitat, prevent erosion and preserve water quality. In the last 8 years, students have planted 4,400 trees and 2,000 herbaceous and ground cover plants in the park.

• In Morningside Park students cleared woodchips from 2,000 square feet in the lower section of the park and redistributed them in the garden and around 10 large trees in that area. They also spread grass seed over 1,000 square feet.

• In Ft. Tryon Park teens planted Loriope plants on the “Broadway Berm” to create habitat, prevent erosion and beautify the Broadway side of the park bringing our overall program native plant total on the Berm to 2,270. The proximity of the plants to area catch basins helps prevent runoff into Lorem ipsum caption sewers and to the . DeWitt Clinton students at the

• Students planted 95 native trees and shrubs and 320 herbaceous plants near the Bronx River.

• Teens planted 288 native trees and shrubs “Thanks. I have a deeper and removed invasive plants in a section of understanding in life and / near the Long now want to pursue a career Island Sound.

• 200 native trees and shrubs were planted in the in park restoration.” — Student forest to create habitat and prevent erosion.

• Students from the Dewitt Clinton HS Environmental Aff airs Club planted 175

15 Euonymous plants on a slope in Bennett Park near catch basins which drain to the Hudson.

• Ninth grade ecology classes removed and bagged (Mugwort, Multifl oral Rose) from a 16,000 square foot slope near 88th street in Riverside Park.

At nearly all of these sites, students also conduct water quality and soil compaction studies and report results to appropriate agencies and NPO’s. Through the combination of restoration work and testing, students become invested in preserving the natural world around them and become Student Profi le engaged in science as they see how it applies in a very relevant way.

Royivia Ferguson DRINK UP Royivia joined the DeWitt Clinton HS Environmental Aff airs Club Protecting NYC’s watershed region is vital to ensuring (EAC) as a freshman. According to her it was a “way to adapt to the continuing health of the city’s drinking water and a new school and become active in the community—and the preserving the natural beauty of the area. Once virgin forest environmental club was cool.” That year she went on the Catskill and later farmland, land adjacent to these water bodies is overnight and with her fellow students planted 300 trees along increasingly subject to suburban development; as a result the Little . She said the overnight experience the shorelines of many of the tributaries in the watershed helped reinforce her interest in environmental issues. have suff ered from deforestation and stream banks have As a sophomore, she became president of the EAC and suff ered terrible erosion from severe storms in recent years. motivated 20 classmates to join. Under Royivia’s leadership Maintaining buff er zones along tributaries by planting they tackled recycling, giving presentations to fellow students indigenous trees is key because tree roots hold stream and school staff . Sifting through the information and educating banks in place and help fi lter pollution from run off , leaves others felt good. from overhanging branches contribute nutrients to the food The recycling work spurred other activity. EAC members labeled web which help naturally fi lter the water. trees, planted fl owers, mulched trees at a “Million Trees” planting, For the past decade, GrowNYC has been teaching planted Euonymus plants and planted more trees along the young people by linking city school students with their Little Delaware River in the Catskills. upstate counterparts about the history and ecology of Now in her senior year, Royivia has EAC members removing the watershed. This past year, students planted over 700 invasive species and is getting the club ready to kick off a trees and seedlings in the watershed. The highlight of the recycling program at DeWitt Clinton. watershed work is the annual student overnight in Delhi, NY where substitute for sirens and the joys of campfi res, s’mores and a good night’s sleep after a hard day’s work are all to be had.

16 WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

With the fi nancial support of Waste Management and Noise technical assistance from our sister program Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education, the Teen Speakers’ Bureau on Recycling (TSBR) concluded its second year. Students at the High School for Environmental Studies and DeWitt Clinton H.S. study NYC recycling issues e.g. waste stream composition, disposal, waste prevention, etc. They develop presentations on how to start a school based recycling project and visit schools and youth conferences to deliver their message.

This year, in addition to educating and motivating peers, students from the Speakers’ Bureau delivered their message to over 200 teachers as well. The teens who participate are passionate advocates for the “reduce, reuse, recycle” The revised Noise Code went into eff ect two years ago, but message and infuse their presentations with an enthusiasm New Yorkers’ complaints to 311 indicate that noise remains that is contagious. One young woman, Christina Wu, found a major concern. Noise is not just a quality of life issue but her TSBR experience so inspiring she based her “Leaders of can have adverse health eff ects including hearing loss, Tomorrow” competition entry on it – and secured a $5,000 cardiovascular disorders, negative impacts on children’s college scholarship. learning, and increased stress.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Dr. Arline Bronzaft, GrowNYC member and internationally SCHOOL SITES IN 2008/2009 known noise expert continues to conduct research,

Bronx write, lecture and advise anti-noise groups worldwide DeWitt Clinton High School, MS3, IS216/217 on the dangers of noise to our health and well-being. Her contribution to the writing of the Revised New York Manhattan: City Noise Code resulted in speaking engagements and High School for Environmental Studies, Manhattan interviews here and abroad, indicating the widespread Comprehensive Day & Night High School, Washington interest in noise pollution. Irving High School, City As School High School, Marta Valle High School Life in modern society has increased the amount and level of noise exposures that individuals experience. At the same Brooklyn time, the number of scientifi c fi ndings confi rming the Madison High School, Edward R. Murrow High School, noise/health link have grown. Visit GrowNYC’s website to Beginning with Children Charter School, Academy of fi nd information and resources on noise abatement. Conservation and the Environment

Upstate Watershed Gilboa-Conesville School, Jeff erson-Central School, South Kortright Central School, Margaretville Central School

17 Learn it, Grow it, Eat it IN THE SUMMER AND IN THE MARKET In a year where jobs were scarce and summer employment for youth Learn It, Grow It Eat It (LGE) empowers teens to engage their was at an all time low, LGE held its 3rd annual Summer Internship. community in making the connection between food, health Fifteen motivated students from our school-based program learned and the environment through year-round nutrition education, public speaking, leadership and teamwork skills by conducting hands-on gardening, community outreach, and by improving hands-on gardening activities and hosting nutrition education and food access. Since 2006, we have been targeting eff orts in food demo tables at farmers markets and an outdoor health fair. Morrisania in the South Bronx, a low income community They learned organizational, marketing, and customer service skills plagued with double digit obesity and diabetes rates and at our weekly Youthmarket farm stand. In the garden, they also few options for obtaining fresh fruits and vegetables. In learned carpentry skills, honed their art skills and cooked for each 2008/09, nearly 300 students from four area high schools built leadership skills, gained knowledge and shared it with friends, family and their community, and grew and tended vegetables in three local gardens. Highlights include:

IN SCHOOL

Garden-to-Café — Bronx International students participated in a one day city-wide eff ort to bring fresh, locally grown food into their school cafeteria. Students harvested potatoes, tomatoes, chard, and kale that were incorporated into recipes in their cafeteria. They created posters and hosted a food education table.

Bronx Regional High School Health Fair — Students taught other once per week. This year featured weekly career workshops for peers, teachers and staff how to distinguish between natural the participating interns who also: and artifi cial food and calculate the amount of sugar in favorite sodas. • Taught and led 24 lessons/activities to over 200 youth, ages 5–12, from area summer camps. The interns transformed our gardens IN THE COMMUNITY into outdoor classrooms where the participating kids learned

Youth Forum on Healthy Eating and Active Living — Spring about plant science and growing vegetables while searching for interns held 2 workshops on reading food labels at an event and discovering corn, peaches, pears, and soil critters.

hosted by the NYC Food and Fitness Partnership at Hostos • Ran a weekly farm stand (featuring produce from local College in the Bronx. farmers), selling nearly $3,000 worth of fruits, vegetables and

A Year in the Garden Calendar and Workshop — Bronx herbs, netting over $800 in profi ts. Many of our customers International interns researched and designed a calendar of relied on some form of public assistance and we were month-by-month activities for New York City gardeners. The able to accept EBT/food stamps, Farmers Market Nutrition research was used as the basis for a workshop that the interns Program (FMNP) checks and Health Bucks as payment. Each presented to over 30 teens and adults at the Brooklyn Botanic week featured intern-run cooking demonstrations, nutrition Garden’s “Making Brooklyn Bloom” Conference. education and a health information table.

18 As LGE evolves, we are excited to see it branch out of the classroom and into the community, all the while giving our youth the opportunity to develop skills that they can take with them to college and the workplace. As 2009 summer intern Ashley Rivera succinctly put it, “We learn as we teach.”

IN THE GARDEN

Spring-Break Garden Wakeup — Students from Bronx Regional and HS for Violin and Dance interned in spring, spreading wood chips and creating a new herb garden at the JDD Community Garden. They assisted GrowNYC staff in the rebuilding of the Wishing Well Community Garden. In 2 days they helped to take down an old fence, a 1,000 square foot area, and move hundreds of pounds of compost in order to create four new vegetable beds.

June Garden Maintenance Internship — To the gap between end of school-year and the summer internship, LGE hired 4 alumni from our Summer 2008 internship program to keep our newly planted vegetables and herbs well cared for at the JDD and Wishing Well Community Gardens and to build 3 new raised beds at the Model T garden for summer planting.

Learning While Teaching

Introducing young children to the natural world in the garden is a favorite activity for LGE interns. Through the dozen garden-based learning experiences they designed, the teens shared their knowledge about plants and animal life with the youngsters and in the process sparked imaginations and opened a door to the urban environment. This summer, youth from fi ve local programs picked peaches, examined “corn hair”, turned over rocks and decaying wood in search of multi-legged insects and observed fl owers to determine which were the most popular with the local bee and butterfl y populations. Along the way, our teen interns developed skills in leadership, team- building and teaching. They also got a boost in self confi dence as they realized, indeed, the student had become the teacher.

19 grow OROE volunteers at Solar 1 Washington Heights Stop N’ Swap Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education

GrowNYC’s Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education (OROE) helps residents better understand New York City’s recycling rules. We have conducted direct recycling education to more than 45,000 New Yorkers since our creation in 2006 when the NYC Council passed Mayor Bloomberg’s landmark Solid Waste Management Plan. While New York City is a leader in recycling, more still needs to be done. The closing of the City’s last remaining landfi ll on Staten Island and the rising costs of exporting non-recyclable waste make increased awareness of and participation in the City’s recycling program ever more important. Recycling is also vital to fi ghting global warming because it reduces methane emissions from landfi lls, protects forests, and substantially reduces the energy needed to produce goods from raw materials like aluminum. OROE staff works with the NYC Department of Sanitation to increase the percentage of recyclables diverted from the waste stream and to promote waste reduction, reuse and composting eff orts. The offi ce’s primary focus is to train and educate building service personnel and occupants on the methods, requirements and importance of recycling, including conducting building specifi c waste audits.

HOW OROE WORKS: A GRASSROOTS APPROACH

Five borough-specifi c recycling outreach coordinators conduct their outreach and education on a Community District (CD) basis. They target Community Districts that have low recycling diversion rates. Staff creates customized Outreach Plans for each CD focusing on the recyclable materials that have the greatest potential for increased diversion. OROE staff combines this data with Community District profi les and other resources to develop working profi les and targets specifi c population groups within the unique communities. Through this process OROE gains a better understanding of community attitudes toward An OROE volunteer plays the recycling game on current recycling rules and programs and lays the groundwork for a focused outreach plan. During the planning stage, OROE staff identifi es specifi c residences and public buildings that will be contacted during the outreach and follow-up phases and builds a database of elected offi cials, community leaders, block associations and other community groups that can be called upon to help 20 promote recycling and waste reduction in their particular communities.

20 Residents at North Queensview Homes receive sort n’ store totes

WHERE WE ARE

The community districts targeted by OROE staff to date Building Profi le include:

BRONX CD 1, 2, 3, 4—Mott Haven, Melrose, Port Morris, Success at Lindsay Park Hunts Point, Longwood, Claremont, Crotona Park East, Melrose, Morrisania, Highbridge, Mt. Eden, Concourse, Housing, Brooklyn Concourse Village Brooklyn Borough Coordinator, Jae Watkins met with the residents of the Lindsay Park Housing Corporation in BROOKLYN CD 1, 2, 3, 4—Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Williamsburg about their recycling program. They informed her Bedford Stuyvesant, Tompkins Park North, Stuyvesant that while the building wanted to recycle, no easily understood Heights, Bushwick, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, system was in place. This made it diffi cult for building staff Boerum Hill, Fort Greene and tenants to gain traction in their quest to divert as many

MANHATTAN CD 9, 10, 11, 12—Central Harlem, East recyclables as possible from the waste stream. Shortly after Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, West Harlem, meeting with the residents, Jae set up a time to conduct a Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, Hamilton Heights recycling audit for all seven buildings in the cooperative. The waste audit determined a specifi c course of action which QUEENS CD 1, 3, 12, 14—Astoria, Long Island City, allowed for a number of improvements beginning with setting Steinway, Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, North Corona, up the recycling areas in the basement of each building and Jamaica, South Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans, The Rockaways, deciding on a place to store recycling that would be convenient Broad Channel for all of the building personnel. OROE helped the building STATEN ISLAND CD 1, 2, 3—North Island, Mid Island, personnel to organize each basement to clearly identify paper South Island bins, metal/glass/plastic bins, and trash bins using materials from DSNY and then made sure that all the bins in all the This past year OROE staff has made substantial progress. buildings were lined with only clear plastic bags. In addition to Staff met with representatives from almost 100 residential setting up the areas for recycling, OROE helped the property buildings, including meetings with 178 building manager get regular recycling pickups for both paper and MGP. superintendents and 2,000 building residents. In addition, Also, to clear up confusion for all of the building personnel staff participated in 88 public events where it provided (a large staff of around 50 manage the buildings), OROE literature and other information on recycling, reuse, waste conducted an educational training on recycling rules and best prevention and composting. By participating in these public practices to help them avoid fi nes and to enable them to work events, staff provided direct outreach to nearly 25,000 with residents to properly recycle. NYC residents. In addition to helping citizens eff ectively Although the work with this co-op is not complete, these 7 participate in NYC’s recycling program, OROE also creates buildings (22 fl oors each) went from not having a recycling opportunities for the recycling and/or reuse of items not program to an eff ective and easily implemented approach currently recycled under the city’s collection system: which will improve their recycling and overall environmental eff orts within the buildings.

21 MATERIAL MATTERS

Discarded textiles represent almost 6% of NYC’s residential waste stream. A pilot program, known as “Material Mondays”, begun in 2007 to collect used and unwanted clothing and textiles in GrowNYC’s Union Square Greenmarket, proved so successful that we added “Second Chance Saturdays” at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket in Brooklyn in 2008. Since that time GrowNYC’s textile collection program has grown to include 8 Greenmarket locations in 3 boroughs, providing nine opportunities each week to recycle. Over 500,000 pounds of textiles collected from 20,000 New Yorkers have been diverted from disposal for recycling since the program’s inception.

RECYCLING IN PUBLIC HOUSING

The recycling program is a Thanks to a second successful fundraiser, GrowNYC is pleased to wonderful experience for the continue our work with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) which we began in 2008. As the second largest landlord in the nation seniors in our development.They (second only to the US Army) with 2.1 million total residents, recycling have taken to heart the goal of eff orts by NYCHA residents have the potential to make a signifi cant achieving a healthy and clean impact on the environment. Education is the key to boosting the rate environment in the place where of recycling in NYCHA buildings where logistics such as inaccessible basements and lack of on-fl oor chute rooms can be obstacles to robust they live. participation. To date, we have reached over 1,000 residents in ten — Maria Cruz buildings and are pleased to report that recycling rates have increased Senior Resident Advisor (in one case even tripled) at every location. 99 Fort Washington E-CYCLING

Electronics have bettered our lives in many ways but they do not improve the environment when disposed of improperly. TV’s, computers and other electronic devices contain heavy metals including mercury, lead and cadmium which pose serious health risks when they end up in landfi lls. On America Recycles Day in November 2008, OROE was proud to partner with GreeNYC, NYC & Company, DSNY and NBC Universal to host Green Screens, the City’s fi rst simultaneous fi ve-borough, 2-day e-waste collection event. OROE staff recruited volunteers to help staff the event and acted as Volunteer Captains at each location. The event was a tremendous success and captured over 350,000 pounds of used electronics for recycling, including 250,000 pounds of old televisions.

REDUCE AND REUSE… THEN RECYCLE

Stop N’ Swap encourages communities to reuse, reduce and rethink “waste”. Think there’s no use for your child’s old alphabet magnets? Join hundreds of New Yorkers who are thinking again about their unwanted belongings. OROE staff began a new initiative this year called Stop N’ Swap and hosted three events in Astoria and Washington Heights. These community swaps invite the public to unload unwanted, but reusable items which can be taken home by others for free, whether or not they have brought something to exchange. In fact, many come just to get rid of things, others challenge themselves to come home with less than they dropped off . Hundreds of people attended the Stop N’ Swaps, scooping up everything from shoes and CDs to rackets and tea cups. The Stop N’ Swap transforms the mindset of those who normally stockpile or trash their unused items, helping them to realize there is a better option. In these tough economic times, community swaps allow people in need to save money, keep items out of 22 the landfi ll and prevent waste created by producing, packaging and transporting new things.

22 New Focus Event Recycling Beginning in February 2009, recycling has been mandatory at all street events in New York City. In April, OROE added a new staff member, Rebekah Sale, as its Public and Special Events Recycling Coordinator to focus on recycling at public events held throughout the City. One of her fi rst responsibilities was to coordinate the waste reduction and recycling plan for the Festival, the street fair celebrating the opening of this historic new park in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. The event’s producer began working with Rebekah weeks before the event to fi gure out how to recover as much material for recycling as possible while reducing waste destined for disposal. OROE put the producers in touch with a carting company that not only accepted the usual recyclables but also some types of plastic cups and compostable food waste.

Rebekah helped determine the number of recycling collection bins needed and their placement at the event. She recruited volunteers and worked to create signage for the “recycling stations” consisting of a recycling bin, a compost bin, and a trash bin. The day of the event, six recycling stations were set up. Each station was staff ed by rotating pairs of OROE-trained volunteers, wearing “Recycling Monitor” badges, who eagerly explained to event-goers where to put their discards. Thousands of event-goers were pleasantly surprised to fi nd that all the items they had to discard – empty water bottles, plastic cups, napkins, food leftovers—were able to be placed into a recycling or compost bin. End result? None of the six garbage bags available even approached capacity; proof that the compost and recycling bins got the job done.

Recycling at public events isn’t just about complying with the law—it’s having a very large classroom where the public can learn more about recycling and sustainability in NYC. OROE volunteers are not only trained in what is being collected at an event but also in the range of materials that can be recycled in the New York City curbside program.

23 GrowNYC, Inc. Finances Fiscal Year 2009

OPERATING REVENUES EXPENSES

Foundations $ 589,633 Environmental Education $ 311,760 Individuals/Corporations 394,498 Greenmarket 2,205,294 Government Contracts 1,326,486 Hunger, Farmer Development Contributed Facilities 413,000 and Food Projects 565,456 Greenmarket Fees 2,329,447 Open Space Greening 673,136 Other income 121,155 Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education 598,428 Public Information 33,734 Total Operating Revenue 5,174,219 Management and general 519,484 Change in Operating Net Assets 10,939 Fundraising 255,988

NON-OPERATING REVENUES Total Expenses 5,163,280

Interest & Dividends 33,223 Investment Income (129,590)

Total Non-Operating Revenue (96,367) Change in Net Assets (85,428) End of Year Balance 1,761,733

The amounts have been taken from the fi nancial statements for the year ended June 30, 2009 which have been audited by Loeb & Troper, Certifi ed Public Accountants. The latest annual fi nancial report has been fi led with the NYS OAG, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, NY, NY 10271. A copy may be obtained from GrowNYC, 51 Chambers Street, #228, NY, NY 10007

24

24 FUNDERS

$10,000 + Dr. Robert T. & Tina Sohn Ftdn. Dr. Judith Sulzberger Louis & Anne Abrons Ftdn. Inc. Tetra Pak, Inc. Tang LLC Anderson-Rogers Foundation Tomra Van Itallie Ftdn. Inc. Venable Ftdn. Inc. $1,000–4,999 Con Edison Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & The Walt Disney Company American Iron & Steel Institute Dicker LLP JRS Dryfoos Charitable Lead Trust Animal Welfare Institute Mr. Mauro Zulli Assurant Foundation Durst Family Foundation Bagspeak/Mitch Barlas $100–999 Durst Organization Mr. & Mrs. Peter Bienstock Epicurious Mr. Richard S. Abrons Samuel J. Bloomingdale Ftdn. Inc. Mrs. Marian S. Heiskell Mr. Spencer E. Adler Ms. Jan Braun Hudson River Foundation Ms. Susan Albarran Mr. Jeff rey R. Brooker Geoff rey Hughes Ftdn. Ms. Sherry Alpern Children’s Aid Society Levitt Ftdn. Inc. Anonymous The City Gardens Club of NYC Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Ms. Pamela P. Auchincloss Counter, LLC Merrill Lynch Mr. Jordan Barowitz The Cowles Charitable Trust Hugo Neu Corporation Ms. Hilary Baum Earthshare John & Wendy Neu Family Ftdn. Inc. Mr. Alex M. Baum-Stein Mr. Christopher J. Elliman NEIWPCC Ms. Rachel Bennett Fuji Film New York City Council Ms. Leslie Benson GeoArt Accessories NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation Mr. Bobby Berg Michael B. Gerrard, Esq. Mr. Andrew Bernstein NY Times Co. Ftdn, Glass Packaging Institute Mr. Devon Bertram Jessie Smith Noyes Ftdn. Inc. Goldman Sachs & Co. Mr. Frederick Bloch Pratt Holding, Inc. Greenthumb Comm. Fund Inc. Ms. Antonia Bowring Morris & Alma Schapiro Fund Mary Livingston Griggs & Mary Griggs Ms. June Boyle Sims Metal Burke Foundation USDA Institute for Students Achievement Bridgewood Fieldwater Ftdn. Waste Management Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Kafi n Dr. Arline Bronzaft Rodney L. White Foundation The Lucius N. Littauer, Ftdn. Inc. Bronx River Arts Center Manhattan Boro President Ms. Tricia Brown $5,000–9,999 Marlot Ftdn. Mr. Samuel C. Butler Bloomberg L.P. Assemblywoman Joan L. Millman Mr. Lawrence B. Buttenwieser Catskill Watershed Corp. Natural Gourmet Inst. For Food & Health Mr. Edmund L. Carey III City Harvest. Inc. Newmark & Co. Real Estate, Inc. Ms. Michelle Carr Victoria Contino, Esq. Open Space Institute Mr. William C. Carter Farm Aid Ridgewood Local Development Corp. Mr. Alex Catchpoole Gesso Ftdn. Riverdale Neighborhood House Inc. Ms. Lydia Lynn Cheuk Good Worldwide Rodale Press Ms. Sonya Chung The J.M. Kaplan Fund, Inc. Mr. Nicholas Scharlatt Mr. & Mrs. Carmen Cognetta Edith & Herbert Lehman Ftdn. Richard M. Schwartz, Esq. Mr. Jonathan H. Cohen MSLO Foundation The Segal Co. Inc. Common Cents NYS DEC Nathan & Dorothy Shainberg Endow- Ms. Jennifer C. Connell Omni New York LLC ment Fund Covanta Projects, Inc. Pfi zer Mr. Matthew Shawl Ms. Ann Marie Cunningham Mr. & Mrs. John and Barbara Samuelson Stainman Family Ftdn. Inc. Ms. Susan Daltroy

25 Ms. Megan Davis Ms. Michiyo Kanno Mr. Matthew Reid William Dean, Esq. Ms. Jenn Kaye Mr. Damon Rein Ms. Donna C. Decostanzo Ms. Jennifer Kiiss The Frederick P. & Sandra P. Rose Ftdn. Ms. Cora Delgado Mr. James Klaiber Ms. Michele Rose Ms. Lauren Della Monica Mr. & Mrs. Neil D. Klar Mr. Thomas Rosicki Ms. Chelsea DeWitt Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth & Elaine Kowald Ms. Sarah Ross Ms. Dena DiOrio Ms. Gowri Krishna Ms. Elizabeth Ryan Ms. Jacqueline H. Dryfoos Mr. Eric Lane Ms. Lynn S. Sadofsky Ms. Mindy Dubin Mr. Paul Lanzon St. Nicholas Neighborhood Preservation Ms. Nancy Ellis Ms. Jessica Lappin Mr. James Schneider Ms. Ellen H. Emerson Ms. Sara Lesin & Mr. Jared Miller Ms. Alee Scott Mr. Jonathan Emmerling Ms. Jessie Levoy Ms. Daisy Sinclair Mr. John Enochty Ms. Marissa Lippert Ms. Laura Speidel Ms. Anne Epstein Ms. Jennifer Livingston Ms. Janet Spencer Mr. Roy W. Facey LoCicero & Tan Inc. Mr. Todd Stanton Fact Ftdn. Mr. Michael J. Losch Ms. Stella Strombolis Mr. Jeff Fielkow Mr. Aaron Manderbach Ms. Joan Sullivan Firstgiving, Inc. Ms. Shari Markbreiter Ms. Risa Tabacoff Ms. Norma Fischer Ms. Betsey McCall Ms. Lorna Thorpe Flying Pigs Farm, LLC Ms. Sheila McDevitt Ms. Elizabeth Trafton Fordham Graduate School of Business Ms. Paula McDonald Trans-Americas Trading Co. Ms. Daisy Friedman Mr. Barnabas McHenry Transriver Marketing Co. LP GGP Limited Partnership Ms. Meloney McMurry Ms. Peeka Trenkle Mr. John Gillespie Ms. Rebecca Meisels Mr. & Mrs. Marcel Van Ooyen Ms. Emily Glenn Mr. Alfred Milanese Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Varney Mr. Ronen Glimer Miller Strategies, Inc. Ms. Jessamyn Waldman Golden Family Ftdn. Mr. Smaro Mirra Ms. Kerstin Walz Mr. Daniel Gotlieb Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. Mr. Steven Weinstein Mr. Andrew Gottlieb Ms. Emily G. Nammacher Mr. Timothy Wersan Great Performances Artists As Waitresses Ms. Jonell Nash Ms. Louisa White Greater NY Chapter Links Inc. Natura Water, Inc. Mr. John Wiecks Ms. Tara Greeley Mr. & Mrs. Michael S. Nelson Ms. Lindsay Wilson Ms. Susan E. Green Ms. Liz Neumark Mr. & Mrs. Henry D. Wishcamper Mr. Mark Greenfi eld New York Power Authority Ms. Sarah Yoo Ms. Jennifer Grossman Mr. Nao Ohtsuki Andrew B. Zimmerman & Maureen E. Ms. Etta Gumbs Ms. Momoko Okihara Veitch Ms. Nedenia H. Hartley Ms. Nazli Parvizi MEMBERS Ms. Allyson Hickey Mr. Dallas Pell Marian S. Heiskell Ms. Mary Lynn Hinde Ms. Caroline Petersen Honorary Chairman Mr. Jonathan Hochhauser Mr. & Mrs Thomas & Lys Pike Robert J. Kafi n, Esq.* Ms. Christine Homer Mr. Carl E. Podwoski & Ms. Virginia E. Chairman Mr. Cullen Howe Lovejoy Ms. Elizabeth Hoyt Ms. Lisa Pomerantz Richard Abrons* Ms. Sabine Hrechdakian Potential Industries, Inc. Ltd. Partner, First Manhattan Mr. OC Jadwat Ms. Susan Small Preston Company Mr. Sven Jakobson Promoceans Ltd. Pamela Auchincloss Ms. Joanne Jones Mr. Charles Ramat Auchincloss/Arts Mgt.

26 Jordan Barowitz* Richard M. Schwartz, Esq.* Layman Lee The Durst Organization Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP Michael Rieser Comm. Adrian Benepe Stella Strombolis* Rebekah Sale NYC Parks & Recreation Eva Tan Christina Salvi Dr. Arline Bronzaft LoCicero & Tan, Inc. Ermin Siljkovic Lehman College, CUNY Sonia M. Toledo* Jae Watkins Jeff rey Brooker* Bank of America Merrill Lynch Webb & Brooker Samuel Van Allen Greenmarket Victoria Contino, Esq. Wells Fargo Advisors Nicole Born-Crow Wilson Elser In Memoriam Liz Carollo William J. Dean, Esq. F. Forrester Church* Volunteers of Legal Service Cory Cervone * CENYC Executive Committee/ Council on Cathy Chambers Comm. John Doherty the Environment, Inc. Board of Directors NYC Dept. of Sanitation Lela Chapman Jacqueline Dryfoos STAFF Karen DeLuke Psychotherapist Marcel Van Ooyen Jessica Douglas Christopher J. Elliman* Executive Director Thomas Filipowski Open Space Institute Julie A.Walsh Christopher Gatto Comm. Thomas Farley, M.D. Assistant Director Laurel Halter NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene David Hay Michael B. Gerrard, Esq. Comptroller Margaret Hoff man Sabine Hrechdakian Arnold & Porter LLP David Hurd Eric A. Goldstein, Esq. Director, Offi ce of Recycling Outreach David Hughes & Education Natural Resources Defense Council Tara Laruff a Michael Hurwitz Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan Sarah Poten NYC Dept. of Transportation Director, Greenmarket Heather Rubi Prof. Eric Lane Gerard Lordahl June Russell Hofstra University Director, Open Space Greening Program Alexis Stevens Comm. Caswell F. Holloway Tom Strumolo NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection Director Planning & Policy, Greenmarket New Farmer Development Project (NFDP) John S. Lyons Michael Zamm Kate Granger, NFDP Director Focus Features Director, Environmental Education Program Michelle Hughes Lys McLaughlin Pike Environmental Education Christopher Wayne Charles S. Ramat David Saphire Bethel Farms, Inc. LGE Coordinator Youthmarket Project Jeff Salinger, Esq. Olivia Blanchfl ower Shearman & Sterling LLP Open Space Greening Axel A. Santiago Lenny Librizzi Administration Pfi zer, Inc. Assistant Director Amanda Gentile Steven P. Salsberg, Esq.* Lars Chellberg Development and Communications Salsberg Group Michael Rezny Monique Rodriguez Barbara S. Samuelson * Thomas Twente Admin. Mgr. Merrill Lynch Lindsay Robertson Nick Scharlatt Offi ce of Recycling Outreach and Education Admin. Asst. Foothold Technology John Johnson Sharon Santa Maria Eugene Schneur Executive Assistant Omni, New York LLC Jonathan Klar

27 Help us grow for another 40 years! Since 1970, as Council on the Environment of New York City, we’ve engaged citizens across the fi ve boroughs in creating a healthy living environment. Moving forward under our new name, GrowNYC, we’re rolling up our sleeves alongside residents like you to offer resources and fi nd solutions to environmental problems impacting us all. Now more than ever, your support is critical to our success.

growing awareness. growing minds. growing food. growing gardens...growing a better NYC.

How you can help:

Make your gift. Renew your gift. Match your gift. Share your gift. Give in support of Make your gift last Double the impact of Put your talents to this longstanding all year by making a your gift through your good use through and valuable NYC monthly contribution. company’s matching volunteer work in a program area institution. gift program. of interest.

For more information on GrowNYC: www.grownyc.org • 51 Chambers St., Suite #228, New York, NY 10007 • 212.788.7900 Photos Front cover—top to bottom—Sarah Poten, Tom Twente, Dave Sanders, David Saphire Back cover—Adam Schultz Page 4 top left—June Russell; top right—Tara LaRuff a, bottom left—Sarah Poten Page 5 top right—June Russell; bottom right—Michelle Hughes Page 6 top—King Ferry Winery; bottom—King Ferry Winery Page 7—Olivia Blanchfl ower Page 8—Caitlin Shann Page 10—top—Giulia Fleishman; bottom—Daniel Avila Page 11—top left—Lars Chellberg; right—Gerard Lordahl Page 12—Adam Schultz (caption: Volunteer Work Day at the Garden for Living) Page 13—left Gerard Lordahl; middle—Tom Twente; right—Giulia Fleishman Page 14—top left—Amanda Gentile; top right—Mike Zamm, bottom: David Saphire (NB: please change caption to: Madison HS students at Energy Fair Page 15 —top left—Mike Zamm; top right—Amanda Gentile; bottom—Mike Zamm Page 16—Mike Zamm Page 17—Daniel Morris* Page 18—Amanda Gentile Page 19—top—Amanda Gentile, bottom—David Saphire Page 20—bottom left—Jon Klar Page 23—top to bottom—John Johnson, Jae Watkins, Rebekah Sale environmental benefits statement * Provided under Creative Commons license of using post-consumer waste fiber vs. virgin fiber www.creativecommons.org (SPX/:$TBWFEUIFGPMMPXJOHSFTPVSDFTCZVTJOH/FX-FBG3FJODBSOBUJPO.BUUF NBEFXJUISFDZDMFE GJCFS BOE  QPTUDPOTVNFS XBTUF  QSPDFTTFE DIMPSJOF GSFF  BOE NBOVGBDUVSFE XJUI FMFDUSJDJUZ UIBU JT Design PGGTFUXJUI(SFFOFˆDFSUJGJFESFOFXBCMFFOFSHZDFSUJGJDBUFT Julia Reich Design | juliareichdesign.com HSFFOIPVTF USFFT XBUFS FOFSHZ TPMJEXBTUF HBTFT Printed thanks to a generous grant from The Durst Organzation 8 3,880 3 236 806 GVMMZHSPXO HBMMPOT NJMMJPO#56 QPVOET QPVOET

$BMDVMBUJPOTCBTFEPOSFTFBSDICZ&OWJSPONFOUBM%FGFOTF'VOEBOEPUIFSNFNCFSTPGUIF1BQFS5BTL'PSDF XXXOFXMFBGQBQFSDPN GrowNYC GARDEN • TEACH • RECYCLE • GREENMARKET