Bins labeled and ready to go to classrooms; Brooklyn Urban Garden School (BUGS), one of the first 100 Zero Waste Schools, is all set to recycle!
About Us
GrowNYC's Recycling Champions Program (RCP) develops best practices for recycling in NYC schools in partnership with the  NYC DOE Office of Sustainability and  NYC Department of Sanitation. Check out the  RCP Toolkit to find resources that can help recycling take off at your school!

Photo Credit: Vitaliy Piltser
NYC's First 100 Zero Waste Schools

RCP is excited to be working in NYC's first 100 Zero Waste Schools! Zero Waste Schools is a collaboration between the Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and GrowNYC's Recycling Champions Program (RCP), with the aim of diverting all recyclable and  compostable waste from these schools in five years. 

Best practices learned from the first 100 Zero Waste Schools will be used to expand the program  citywide.  For more information: www.nyc.gov/zerowasteschools
Follow us on Social Media!

RCP  has launched our own Social Media feeds on Facebook and Instagram to share best recycling and waste reduction practices with the K-12 community. Posts feature Zero Waste Schools activities, recycling tips, inspiration from schools, and more!

We want to hear from you! If you have a story to share about great recycling at your NYC school, please email us at schoolrecycling@grownyc.org. We will feature you on our Facebook and instagram page to share your good work with the rest of NYC.
 
Like any of our posts in October for a chance to win a Zero Waste Schools ChicoBag, reusable snack bag and water bottle! 5 winners will be selected randomly from all the likes received in October.

DOE Sustainability Plan Due October 28

Does your school have a sustainability plan for the 2016-2017 school year? Designated  Sustainability Coordinators can follow these instructions to complete the sustainability plan, which details your school's recycling, energy conservation, ecology and green curriculum initiatives and is a requirement of Chancellor's Regulation A-850.  The FINAL date to have the process completed for compliance is October 28, 2016.

For questions, email sustainability@schools.nyc.gov  or call 
718-349-5738.
Fall Leaf Collection

Don't throw those leaves in the trash! Leaves make an excellent addition to any compost pile, either onsite at your school or as part of DSNY's curbside organics collection program.

Organics Schools can set out leaves in brown bins, in paper lawn & leaf bags, available in the SDI catalog and at most hardware stores, or in unlined bins marked "Yard Waste Only."

Non Organics Schools leaves are only c ollected on Sundays if set out in a bin marked "Yard Waste Only" or a brown paper lawn & leaf bag. If not  placed curbside on Sunday or in proper bag/bin, leaves will be collected as trash. 

Leaves to be collected as organics may not be placed in plastic bags.
All trash bins and recycling bins should be paired; a bin that stands alone no matter how well labeled will become contaminated with all waste streams.
Best Practice: Setup Checkup!

Before recycling can happen in your school, recycling bins need to be in place! It seems obvious, but many schools have inconsistent bins through out the building, making it hard for students and staff to develop the habit of recycling. Classrooms should be equipped with a paper recycling bin and trash bin, with an optional recycling bin for metals, plastics, glass and cartons (MGPC). If no MGPC bin is provided in the classroom, make sure there is a large bin available in hallways. 

It doesn't matter what color your bins are,as long as they are labeled with the appropriate decal for the material being collected. Decals and posters to label bins are free and can be  ordered online from DSNY.

Be sure to communicate any changes in bin setup to staff, students and custodians.  Visit our website for resources to help fully implement a recycling program at your school.
Coming Soon: Project Farmhouse!

Construction has officially begun at GrowNYC's new center for sustainability and education: Project Farmhouse, located in Union Square. Beginning in fall 2016, Project Farmhouse will be a place to explore environmental issues through the lens of food, horticulture, arts, recycling, cooking, and more. Make a donation today to help open the doors to Project Farmhouse.
Upcoming Opportunities
Part 2: DOE Sustainability Series
Sims Municipal Recycling
Date: December 1, 6 pm to 7:30 pm
Location: 472 2nd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Part 2 in a 4 part series for teachers, Sustainability Coordinators, Custodial Engineers, and administration. The series takes you on a tour of some of New York City's most unique environmental landmarks. Learn about waste diversion, recycling, water treatment, landfill reclamation and composting; meet with DOE's Zero Waste team; and learn how to make your school more sustainable!

Part 3: Newtown Creet Wastewater Treatment Plant, February 2, 5-6:30pm
Part 4: Freshkills Park, April 9, 1-3pm

Space is limited. For more information and to RSVP: DOE Sustainability Series
Applications for a Grow To Learn "Mini Grant" are officially open! For more details on eligibility and how to submit a "Request For Proposal" application, click here! For helpful tips on grant writing, click  here.

To be eligible, please take a few moments to register or re-register and update any missing information here. You'll need the email originally used to register and your school garden password. 
Grant for School Recycling 
The NYSAR 3 grant program provides up to $500 per school to rejuvenate existing programs or to develop new programs centered around the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle). Awards will be made twice yearly; this is a competitive grant so imagination, ingenuity and initiative are valued. Apply today!


Fall Stop N' Swaps® Across NYC
Bring clean, reusable, portable items you no longer need and take home something new-to-you. No need to bring something in order to take something. No furniture or large items, please . For a complete list of upcoming swaps, see our  website.