Why Should We Go "Straw-less"?

Straws.... We don't think too much about them as we sip our frosty beverages before tossing them into the garbage. Unfortunately, these seemingly innocuous items are damaging to humans, animals and our planet.

Here are some reasons why...

1. Americans use 500 million disposable plastic straws every single day but they do not biodegrade.
2. In the U.S. alone, there's enough straw litter waste to wrap the circumference of the earth 2.5 times a day, or fill Yankee Stadium over 9 times a year!
3. Straws are one of the most common litter items found on beaches.
4. Marine animals mistake straws for food. They can choke on them or straws can get stuck in animals' nasal passages.
5. Plastic straws are made from polypropylene, a petroleum-based plastic. In effect, a non-renewable resource is used to create a single-use, disposable item.
6. Health issues: According to BreastCancer.org and a recent study by Environmental Health Perspectives, research suggests that all plastics - including those advertised as BPA free -  may leach chemicals if they're scratched or heated.
7. They cause wrinkles! Straw use causes people to purse their mouths and can create wrinkles from the repetitive muscle motion.
8. Chewing on straws is bad for your teeth.
9. It's a convenience; not a necessity. For most of us the use of plastic straws is just a habit of convenience, and habits can be changed with the desire to change.

What Can You Do?

Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem. Choosing not to use or purchase disposable straws is the most simple solution. In fact, The Plastic Pollution Coalition estimates that 1,800 “restaurants, organizations, institutions and schools worldwide have gotten rid of plastic straws or implemented a serve-straws-upon-request policy.”

If you're a ...

Food Establishment: Either opt out of serving beverages with straws or only serve straws on request.

Resident: Choose not to purchase disposable plastic straws for home consumption and say "no thanks!" to straws at restaurants, unless they're reusable.

Can't Live Without Straws? Some Alternatives ...

Although straws can be essential for some with disabilities (and a necessity for parents of young children!) there are natural and environmentally safe alternatives.

Here are some alternatives to disposable straws recommended by online e-magazine GOOP:

Paper: Aardvark Straws are customizable and durable (they can last for hours in water without disintegrating). There are more biodegradeable options on Amazon, too.

Steel: Crate & Barrel sells a set of four; these Mulled Mind straws are handmade and come in different sizes and widths.

Glass: Hummingbird Glass Straws are shatter-resistant and dishwasher safe.

Bamboo: Brush with Bamboo‘s are grown organically, plus you can wash and reuse them.

Grain: Harvest Straws are made from non-GMO grain and grown without chemicals.

Brass: Modern furniture designer Chris Earl makes these reusable brass drinking straws at his home workshop in LA.

Put a Cork in it!

Rosemary & Vine is a "Put a Cork In It" participant.

Spearheaded by RSC member Gretchen Crowley, one of Rye Sustainability's latest initiatives is a cork recycling campaign entitled Put a Cork In It. The initiative is designed to start a broader discussion about the importance of recycling and waste reduction.

Area restaurants, bars and clubs have signed on to participate in this simple exercise: Instead of tossing corks in the trash, participants recycle the cork in a receptacle provided by ReCORK, North America's largest natural cork recycling program.

The receptacle with the used corks is then mailed (at no cost) to ReCORK where the corks are re-purposed into new products. RSC will supplement this activity through an education campaign designed to educate the community about recycling and waste reduction.

A list of participating food establishments can be found here. To find out more about how you can recycle other products, visit RSC's Where Do I Donate/Recycle? page.

For further information, read the recent article below about Put a Cork In It in Apawamis Now.

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Does Organic Lawn Care Cost More Than Conventional?

Does Organic Lawn Care Cost More Than Conventional?

Beyond Pesticides is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., which works with allies in protecting public health and the environment to lead the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides. In their Winter 2016 edition of "Pesticides and You" the editors responded to a reader's question that many of us have: "Is organic lawn care more expensive than conventional?" BP's response is reproduced in its entirety below and makes a compelling case for why residents and municipalities that decide to make the switch won't be breaking the bank.

Do you think the City of Rye should adopt healthy landscaping practices for its open spaces? Let us know what you think by taking the very short survey on our Home Page.

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Question: I’m trying to work towards safer lawn care practices in my Homeowners Association, but I’ve run into problems with the board and administration that say that it’s too expensive to transition to organic. Do you have any information that could help me make the case that the “cost” of organic lawn care won’t break their bank?

Answer: This is an argument used frequently to dismiss a commonsense change to organic and sustainable lawn care practices. While there is certainly a good amount of information that finds that a transition to safer methods is much cheaper in the long-term, start the conversation by reminding people why eliminating toxic pesticide use is essential in the first place. It is important to remember that the focus of pesticide reform is on public health. While the economic benefits of cosmetic pesticide use are concentrated within the chemical industry, the costs are often borne by individuals, particularly children, pregnant mothers, the chemically sensitive and others with compromised immune and nervous systems. Preventing or reducing the health costs associated with a child-hood disease should be considered a benefit to the community. Given that there have been numerous localities that have successfully implemented organic land care practices, the community should strive to do the same, and act as a leader in the protection of public health, particularly children’s health.

But if an appeal to the greater good doesn’t make an impression, there are some well-respected sources to help you make your case. To start, look at the understanding the state of Connecticut has about organic lawn care. Its Department of Energy and Environmental Protection notes on its website, “If your lawn is currently chemically dependent, initially it may be more expensive to restore it. But in the long term, an organic lawn will actually cost you less money. Once established, an organic lawn uses less water and fertilizers, and requires less labor for mowing and maintenance.” Other respected institutions back up this experience. Harvard University has a long-running lawn care program that was transitioned off of chemicals nearly a decade ago, and the school wisely documented the economics of its transition. Harvard indicates that it was able to reduce irrigation needs by 30%, saving two million gallons of water a year as a result of reduced demand. The school was also spending $35,000 year trucking yard waste off site. Harvard can now use those materials for composting and save an additional $10,000/year due to the decreased cost and need to purchase fertilizer from off-campus sources.

Beyond Pesticides’ Board Member and nationally renowned turfgrass expert Chip Osborne conducted a study several years ago that compares the costs of conventional and organic turf management on school athletic fields. The report concludes that, once established, a natural turf management program can result in savings of greater than 25% compared to a conventional turf program. This report was conducted in 2010, and since then there have been significant improvements in organic-compatible products that help speed organic transitions.

Seeing how cost issues play out at the community level can also be helpful. As part of Reno, Nevada’s pilot pesticide-free parks program, the city estimated that there would be no additional expenses to transition off of pesticide use. City staff stated in a report, “There are no cost implications as staff will implement changes within its adopted budget.” The city estimated it spends approximately 1.4% of total maintenance time applying herbicides, and 4.1% of time using manual or mechanical weed control alternatives. To implement the program, the Park’s Department discontinued herbicide use and began to implement alternative strategies that include the use of organic products, burning, or additional manual or mechanical weed control. The City did not expect the total time spent on weed control to differ as a result of the change in practices.

Saving Money While Going Green: Home Energy Efficiency Workshop

Rye residents and people from neighboring communities showed up at the Rye Free Reading Room on April 1 for Rye Sustainability's first home energy efficiency workshop. The free event was geared to the homeowner who wants to learn how to make his or her home energy efficient while saving money.

A panel of industry experts presented and answered a wide variety of questions, ranging from free home energy assessments to New York State programs that help homeowners finance energy efficiency projects. Attendees also learned about residential renewable energy options, including solar, geothermal and pellet stove heating.

Participants and the topics they covered included:

• Healthy Home Energy and Consulting (Home energy audits)
• Westchester Power (Community Choice Aggregation)
• RUPCO (NYSERDA and energy savings tips for homeowners)
• Gaia Sharbel Energy Contracting (Pellet stoves)
• Steven Winter Associates (HERS and LEED ratings plus tips on how to live a "greener" life)
• Energy Sage

Delicious refreshments were provided by Le Pain Quotidien in Rye.

Thanks to Rye TV, the event can be viewed here.

We Have Two Winners! Rye Sustainability Leadership Award Announcement

2017 Rye Sustainability Leadership Award winners Christine Siller and Taro Ietaka

We have TWO winners for the first Rye Sustainability Leadership Award: Taro Ietaka and Christine Siller of Rye Nature Center. The awards were presented to Taro and Christine at the May 3rd 2017 Rye City Council Meeting by Rye City Council members Julie Killian and Danielle Tagger-Epstein.

RSC Chair Sara Goddard made the announcement of this year's award, the text of which is reproduced below.

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Announcement of 2017 Rye Sustainability Leadership Award

It gives me great pleasure to announce the winners of the first Rye Sustainability Leadership Award.

This award honors individuals, organizations or members of the business community that have made significant environmental achievements and demonstrated excellence in leadership for the health of our community and planet.

Most importantly, the winners reflect the spirit of the Rye Sustainability Committee, which embodies collaboration, hard work, and a deep love of our beautiful community.

There are two winners this year: Christine Siller and Taro Ietaka.

Taro and Christine at City Council

From the moment our committee was formed, Christine, as Rye Nature Center’s Executive Director, has been a staunch and loyal supporter of all Rye Sustainability programs, from the reusable bag initiative to partnering with us on the Rye Healthy Yard Program. Christine has willingly opened Rye Nature Center's doors for our many workshops and events and underwrote the production costs of our healthy yard signs. She has provided guidance and advice over the years and advocated for us at public hearings. She was even a judge for our sign design contest and spent several hours pouring over hundreds of submissions. For all these reasons, we’re honored to present her with this year’s Rye Sustainability Leadership Award.

Rye Nature Center Director of Conservation & Land Stewardship, Taro Ietaka is RSC’s soil, composting, lawn, and gardening expert. Whether it’s speaking at numerous healthy yard coffees, helping lead our composting workshop, talking dirt to a packed audience for the What’s Under Your Soil event, Taro approaches his many commitments with a positive, cheerful enthusiasm and he seems to have limitless amounts of energy. And despite his packed and busy schedule, he always has time to listen patiently to us gardening neophytes and provide a word or two of help. It is such a pleasure to present him with this award.

Congratulations to Taro and Christine for their much deserved awards!

You can read more about the award and all nominees here.

Killian Announces Nominees for Rye Sustainability's First Leadership Award

One of the suggested items in the Rye Sustainability Plan is the creation of an annual sustainability award. Accordingly, Rye Sustainability is pleased to announce its first Rye Sustainability Leadership Award. Councilwoman Julie Killian announced the award and the nominees at the April 19 City Council meeting.

““Recognize significant environmental achievements made by citizens, organizations or the business community through an annual sustainability award.””

— Rye Sustainability Plan: Community Awareness/Outreach, Item 1.9

RSC Award and Announcement of Nominees - 2017

In recognition of Earth Week and as part of its mission to implement the Rye Sustainability Plan, The Rye Sustainability Committee has created a Rye Sustainability Committee Leadership Award.  This award honors individuals, organizations or the members of the business community that have made significant environmental achievements and demonstrated excellence in leadership for the health of our community and planet.

The members of the RSC, including their two City Council liaisons, have nominated the following individuals or organizations. The winner or winners will be announced at the May 3rd City Council meeting.

Nominees

Scott Nelson and Rye Country Day School for consistent and generous support of the RSC/RCDS Green Screen film series. At Nelson’s direction, RCDS has partnered, promoted and underwritten the entire cost of the Green Screen program so that the general public can attend, learn about important sustainability topics, and enjoy delicious refreshments, all free of charge. In addition, the RCDS faculty has supported the Green Screen by offering course credit to students who attend. Nelson and RCDS' support of the Green Screen allows the message of sustainability to reach so many more members of the public who would otherwise not be able to learn about it.

Christine Siller and Taro Ietaka of Rye Nature Center for their deep commitment to environmental and conservation education and their continued and generous support of RSC educational and conservation-related programs. Taro Ietaka has attended and participated in numerous events related to RSC’s healthy yard program, while Christine has supported RSC initiatives, including underwriting the production of the healthy yard signs.

Jim Boylan, Midland principal for his leadership and perseverance spearheading the Midland cafeteria composting program and inspiring other schools to follow. This waste free lunch program has reduced the Midland’s contribution to landfills by an estimated 25,000 lbs since the program started, and about 150 lbs per day is now being re-purposed or primarily composted. The program has made a substantial impact on waste reduction with the added benefit of educating students about the impact of their waste. 

Mark Dellicolli, Rye resident and assistant to the Chief Information Officer, Westchester County Department of Information Technology, for his efforts to drastically decrease the energy costs of the County Data Center, which had traditionally been a huge energy drain. Dellicolli’s plan to rearrange the room where all the servers were kept decreased energy use by 10%. This was especially impressive given that the data center is 15 years old, data needs have increased drastically and most importantly it was done in lieu of expensive capital projects previously proposed.  The County now has room to possibly offer local municipalities space for off premises storage for emergency purposes.

Congratulations to all the nominees and we look forward to hearing from the Sustainability Committee on May 3.

"Branching Out For Rye's" First Tree Planting

All branches of the community were represented at the April 19 tree planting ceremony commemorating the first tree purchased and planted with funds donated from the Branching Out for Rye Tree Fund.

Rye Sustainability Chair Sara Goddard thanked the many members of the City of Rye staff for their support with facilitating the fund and with the selection of an appropriate and sustainable tree - in this case, a beautiful Thornless Honeylocust. RSC is honored to assist the City with its beautification efforts and Goddard pointed out that that this first tree planting symbolizes a partnership in sustainability among all branches of the community – civic, municipal, residential and business.

RSC member and Tree Fund Chair Melissa Grieco thanked the donors for their generous contributions, noting that donations to date total $4,250. A ribbon cutting ceremony followed, as Deputy Mayor Julie Killian performed the honors with "official" garden shears. City Council member Danielle Tagger-Epstein affixed the Branching Out for Rye tree plaque and then everyone had a turn at shoveling the final clumps of dirt.

The highlight of the day, however, was the arrival of members of Brownie Troop 1915 who, in addition to displaying their expert shoveling skills, plan to embark on a tree fund fundraising campaign as one of their troop activities.

For further information please visit RSC's Tree Fund page and consider making a donation to the Tree Fund. Any amount is welcome!

Having That Talk ... About Going Organic

RSC's healthy yard co-chair Liz Garrett and Lenny Merone (Merone Landscaping) field questions from the audience.

The room at the The Rye Nature Center overflowed with people as they crowded in to learn more about how to transform their yards into healthy and safe spaces.

The goal for RSC and healthy yard program partner, Rye Nature Center, was to spark a conversation between the homeowner and landscaper about natural landscaping. After introductions by RSC chair Sara Goddard, RSC member and healthy yard co-chair Liz Garrett took over to frame the issue that so many of us struggle with: how to maintain a yard that is both beautiful and natural? As Garrett pointed out, homeowners recognize the dangers inherent in applying synthetic pesticides to their lawns, but fear that if they "go natural" they'll end up with a weed-infested yard. "There's got to be a better way," Garrett concluded, and this event was intended to show the way.

Rye resident Stephanie Spierings shared her experiences about going organic.

After a few minutes of personal insights by Rye resident Stephanie Spiering on how she made the switch from conventional to organic landscaping, the audience jumped right in. Landscaper Lenny Merone fielded questions, but the success of the event was the enthusiasm from audience members, eager to learn how to make the transition. The collaborative nature of the event, where people shared tips and ideas, along with expert guidance from Merone and Garrett was energizing, and demonstrated the desire for residents to make a positive and healthy change.

Did you miss the talk? No worries, the entire event can be viewed here, thanks to Rye TV.

Visit our Rye Healthy Yard Section to learn more. And ...

Take the RHYP Pledge!

Spotlight on Sustainability: Carbon Neutrality at LPQ

RSC's ongoing series, "Sustainability in Our Community," features individuals, organizations and businesses that have taken steps towards a sustainable lifestyle. We hope you enjoy this profile of Le Pain Quotidien's energy efficiency efforts, are inspired to learn more, and will consider making changes to reduce your home or business' carbon footprint. Tips below.

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Carbon Neutrality at LPQ

By Sue Drouin, Rye Sustainability Committee

Rye Sustainability Committee recognizes global restaurant chain Le Pain Quotidien for becoming certified CO2 neutral in all its U.S. restaurants.

A mainstay of the breakfast and lunch scene in downtown Rye, and highly visible on Purchase Street, Le Pain Quotidien (LPQ) serves local, mostly organic foods, including fresh bread. It now delivers a message of sustainability.

With dozens of locations across the U.S. and more than 200 restaurants worldwide, LPQ announced in October 2016 that the independent organization CO2logic has certified their U.S. restaurants as carbon neutral. It plans to achieve global carbon neutrality by 2020.

What is Carbon Neutrality?

LPQ staff with the CO2 Logic certification plaque.

According to one definition, carbon neutrality “or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference. It is used in the context of carbon dioxide releasing processes associated with transportation, energy production, and industrial processes.”

How LPQ Achieved Carbon Neutrality

CO2logic helped LPQ identify its major sources of energy consumption and leakages. Switching to LED lights and using more efficient refrigeration, cooking and cooling mechanisms were some of the ways they cut restaurants’ emissions. By switching to LED lighting, for instance, the chain reduced by 20% its carbon footprint per restaurant. It has reduced its overall energy consumption by 60% and its carbon emissions by 168 metric tons.

To offset emissions, LPQ invested in a cookstove manufacturing project in Uganda. (Photo Credit: The Gold Standard)

A final step towards achieving carbon neutrality was the decision to invest in a carbon-reducing project in Uganda to offset the remaining unavoidable emissions. The project provides families with fuel-efficient cookstoves that reduce carbon emissions and deforestation.

Initiatives that reduce water and energy consumption and cut pollution and waste will improve any business’ bottom line. They also benefit from providing employees with a workplace they can be proud of.

By reducing carbon emissions and its carbon footprint, LPQ hopes that they can inspire other corporations, organizations and individuals to do the same to help mitigate climate change.

What Can You Do?

Photo Credit: The Gold Standard
 

Wondering how to get started? Whether you're a business owner or homeowner, start with an energy audit to determine your carbon footprint. The RSC Tips page includes several ways for residents to determine their carbon footprint. Businesses can engage a consultant, such as CO2logic.

For further energy efficiency ideas and tips, refer to RSC's Energy page and The Rye Sustainability Plan.

Are Your Trees in Trouble?

The meeting room at Rye Free Reading Room was packed on February 2nd as people gathered to learn about how to protect their trees from the threat of invasive pests. RSC and The Rye Garden Club co-sponsored the film screening of "Trees in Trouble", which was followed by a presentation from Frazer Pehmoeller of Bartlett Tree Experts.

RGC's Sarah Barringer has written an excellent article about the event and what we can do to protect our trees. The article is reprinted in its entirety below.

Want to do more to protect our trees? Consider a donation to the Rye Tree Fund!

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Trees in Trouble

By Sarah Barringer, Rye Garden Club

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is on its way to Rye and the effects could be ugly. First discovered in the US in 2001, this tree eating pest arrived accidentally in wood crates from Asia. Since then it has spread to nearly all the states of the US and is estimated to have decimated 50 million ash trees already. This could have a devastating effect on the trees of our area, as white, blue and black ash trees comprise 13%-20% of the tree canopy of Westchester County. The emerald ash borer has been detected in Greenwich, so it is time we in Rye take action to protect our trees.

Frazer Pehmoeller, an arborist with Bartlett Tree Experts, is concerned. Frazer is known by many in Rye as he has been caring for Westchester's trees for the past 28 years. He leads Bartlett Tree's collaboration with the Friends of Rye Town Park and has been caring for the trees there for more than a decade.

In a program co-sponsored by the Rye Garden Club and the Rye Sustainability Committee on February 2 at the Rye Free Reading Room, Frazer addressed the threats to trees in Westchester and how we can protect them. The evening began with the film Trees in Trouble, a short documentary about the effect of the emerald ash borer on the city of Cincinnati. Cincinnati's trees were devastated by the emerald ash borer. What funds were put to the problem went to removing dead trees, with very little budgeted to protective measures. Some streets lost every single tree lining the roadway. Homeowners lost countless trees on their properties.

Frazer Pehmoeller (Bartlett Trees) with Melissa Grieco (RSC Tree Fund chair) and Julia Burke (RGC president)

One of the difficulties with the EAB is that by the time you see the damage to the tree and/or see the insects, it is too late to save the tree. The EAB female lays eggs beneath the bark. The larvae feed under the bark in the cambial tissue of the tree. Their burrowing disrupts the tree's ability to absorb and transfer nutrients and water. By the time this larvae hatches into the bugs one can see, the tree is dying. Preventative measures are a must.

In a lively and informative discussion that followed the film, Frazer detailed what we can do to protect the trees of Rye.

• Get a tree inventory. Have an arborist help you map the trees on your property so you know what you have. This is important for the city to do for civic properties.
• Develop a plan to care for your trees. This means pruning trees, keeping in mind the pests and diseases that can harm different types of trees and treating trees that are susceptible to diseases and pests. As Friends of Rye Town Park have done, it makes sense to develop a long-term tree plan. You can spread the work you need to do over time.
• If you have ash trees, it is time to protect them so they can ward off the EAB. Trees can be inoculated with pesticides that prevent the emerald ash borer from feeding. There is a chemical option and an organic option.
• Plant trees and keep biodiversity in mind. Planting a diverse variety of trees will not only create a healthy ecosystem on your property, but will ensure that some trees remain even when a pest or disease attacks.
• Plant native trees whenever possible. Fraser recommends oaks, the sugar maple, the red maple if you have a wet property, beech trees (but make sure to invest in their care) and the white birch. The ash is a wonderful tree to plant but will need inoculations over time.

RGC president Julia Burke with Frazer Pehmoeller and RSC chair Sara Goddard

Frazer concluded the evening with a reminder of the value of trees. Along with trees' essential roles as habitat and food for animals in a healthy ecosystem, we often take trees for granted and forget that trees provide so much for human health. They are necessary for clean air, for storm water management and for keeping our communities shaded and cool. Time in nature and among trees contributes to human well-being. Trees deserve our care and give back to us in so many ways.

The Rye Sustainability Committee has created a Tree Fund for the city of Rye. Contributions will be put towards planting trees and caring for the trees of Rye. Learn more by visiting RSC's Tree Fund page.

How to Live a Simpler Life

Rye resident Andrea Alban-Davies is a contributing writer for "Green Space," a regular column in The Rye Record that focuses on environmental issues raised by The Rye Garden Club Conservation Committee. In her 2/17/17 column, Alban-Davies addresses the problem of over-consumption in our culture with her review of RSC's most recent Green Screen, "Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things." RSC has reproduced the article in its entirety here.

For more information about The Green Screen Series, and tips for how you can live a more simple life, visit RSC's Green Screen and RSC Tips for Homeowners pages.

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Incorporating Concepts of Minimalism into Our Super-Sized Suburban Lives

Reprinted from Vol. 22, Issue 3 of The Rye Record

By Andrea Alban-Davies

You may have heard of the Rye Sustainability Committee’s (RSC) work encouraging Rye residents to adopt healthy gardening practices, but the activities of the group go well beyond advocating for non-toxic yards.  The RSC is a group of volunteers tasked by the City of Rye’s Council to implement the holistic Rye Sustainability Plan, and address significant environmental issues throughout our community.   They work to preserve many of the natural and open spaces that make Rye beautiful, protect our air quality, enhance our community through fundraising efforts like Branching Out for Rye to plant city trees throughout Rye, and more.  Perhaps most importantly, they spend a significant portion of their time dedicated to educating the members of our community on best environmental practices and strategies for adopting sustainable habits and, eventually, lifestyles.

RSC education efforts include, among other things, distributing educational materials, arranging informational neighborhood coffees, hosting speakers, and screening relevant documentary films through their Green Screen Committee, launched in partnership with Rye Country Day School.  The first Friday night in February, they screened Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things, after which Director Matt D’Avella spoke.

“Why is acquiring less so important? Because ‘business as usual’ just won’t do; not if we want to leave our children, and their children in turn, with a safe, stable world. ”

The movie mainly follows The Minimalists, a popular simple-living duo as they spread their message, sharing their own experiences far from the familiar world of ‘more’, ‘bigger’, ‘better’.  Now, let me just lay the disclaimer out first: yes, sections of this movie are completely unrelated to the world that almost all readers of this particular paper (myself included) inhabit.  We’re talking the tiny house movement, small – or no – car, people with 33 items in their entire closet, a guy living entirely out of two bags.  It also veers unexpectedly into touchy-feely subjects like hugging strangers and discovering meditation.  Nonetheless, the majority of the movie conveys a powerful message with lasting value, and that’s why I wanted to write about it here for those that may have missed the screening.  The heart of the message was this: “Living more deliberately, with less.”

Why is acquiring less so important?  Because ‘business as usual’ just won’t do; not if we want to leave our children, and their children in turn, with a safe, stable world.  The current economic model in consumer cultures around the planet is leading to the degradation of our habitat.  We have already blown through the maximum safe level of 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and are at a steady 400 ppm (100 ppm higher than at any time in the past one million years).  All scientists knowledgeable about the subject – including pretty much everyone at NASA – predict dire climate change consequences at this level, and we’re only going up from here unless we embrace dramatic change.  A significant part of our CO2 emissions is attributable to the resource extraction, production, transportation, and sale of all the stuff that we surround ourselves with.  A lot of which we don’t really need, doesn’t really matter, and doesn’t make us any happier.

Because people living in affluent communities generally have the means to purchase the most, we need to be the most careful.  So, where can we start?  One easy place is with apparel, which the movie examines.  We are living in the era of ‘fast fashion’, where consumers are encouraged in every imaginable way to buy as much clothing as quickly as possible.  Mainly through low prices (which are only possible because we aren’t paying the true ecological costs or production costs – think sweat shops – of the clothes that we wear).  One expert interviewed tells us the depressing truth: that this model “represents the economics of such an extreme and profound unsustainability”.  So, why not decide to get off that particular hamster wheel?  Why not stop buying lots of things as they come in and go out of fashion, and, instead, buy fewer, classic, high-quality items that we can envision ourselves wearing ten years from now?   By way of inspiration, we see many people interviewed that look great – for work and play! – and own only a handful of items.

Film creator and director Matt D'Avella speaks after the film.

This philosophy can then carry over to any area of our lives where we see high consumption trends.  Personally, I think about the toys and gadgets that I buy for my kids.  Maybe your weakness is the latest home consumer goods, or cutting edge technology devices.  Whatever it is, the important thing is that each of us examines it, and asks ourselves if we can be more thoughtful about what we acquire and do with less.  Which, by the way, also means less clutter, less junk, and less to get rid of once the items are no longer of interest to us. To me, this falls into the ‘easy’ bin in terms of emissions reduction.  More than, say, living all summer long without A/C!

The idea of minimalism is valuable for everyone to explore, and I’m so glad that RSC started the conversation in our community by screening this movie.  Even if you are wholly aware of the ravages wrought by our throw-away culture, it’s always sobering to get an acute visual reminder of exactly how much landfill our extreme style of consumption generates on a continual basis, or to watch the bleak scenes of Black Friday hysteria.  There’s still time to change the severity of our environmental fate; and we can each do our part by staying alert to the areas where we can pare back in our own lives.

A Rye Healthy Yard Neighborhood Coffee

Taro Ietaka imparting his healthy yard wisdom

Surrounded by the delicious smells of freshly baked muffins and brewed coffee, a small group gathered in Rye resident Mary Lyons' gorgeous home last week to learn about the benefits of natural landscaping. As part of Rye Sustainability's Healthy Yard Program (RHYP), RSC organizes neighborhood coffees at homes where the homeowner practices natural landscaping. The purpose of the coffees is to learn about RHYP in a small setting and how simple it is to transform a yard into a natural and safe environment. Although it was too cold to venture outside to wander around, Mary's naturally landscaped yard is a beautiful piece of property.

Rye Nature Center Director of Conservation and Land Stewardship, Taro Ietaka, led the conversation by walking us through his five lessons for a healthy yard. We then had a chance to ask questions and share lawn care tips before we continued with our day.

Want to learn more about how to talk to your landscaper about organic lawn care? Attend our workshop at Rye Nature Center on January 27th. Details and how to register here.

If you're a Rye resident with an organic and/or natural yard and would be interested in hosting a coffee for your neighbors, please contact us.

Visit our Rye Healthy Yard and Resources Section to learn more. And ...

Take the RHYP Pledge!

Pesticides: A Quick and Easy Primer

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Click on image to expand.

Pesticides .... You've heard the term, but do you really know what it means? These handy informational pamphlets from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will give you the quick and dirty:

Lawn & Garden Pesticides: What You Need to Know, provides an overview of pesticides, health risks and how we can reduce exposure.

Glyphosate-Based Weed Killers examines one of the most widely-used pesticides.

For information about the types of chemicals and ingredients contained in numerous household and garden products, visit the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation's information portal.

Learn more about how you can create a healthy yard by visiting our Rye Healthy Yard and Resources Section.

• Take the RHYP Pledge!

• Should the City of Rye adopt a natural landscaping policy for its public spaces? Let us know what you think by responding to our survey on the RSC Home Page.

Solar Resources for New Yorkers

With the cost of solar plummeting, now is the time to learn whether solar is right for you. Here are some resources to consult as you consider making the switch.

Energysage: The company's mission is to "make going solar as easy as booking a flight online" by acting as a clearinghouse for solar companies and prospective customers. Energysage helps over 25,000 people each year get multiple solar quotes from their network of pre-screened solar installers. The company has won the support and backing of the U.S. Department of Energy and New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). The site also has a number of informative videos and FAQs for background information.

NYSERDA Get Solar: NYSERDA, a public benefit program, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and support to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. In addition to a variety of energy efficiency resource material, its Get Solar page provides information on solar financing options and available incentives.

NY Solar Map: The NY Solar Map and Portal is an invaluable tool for any New Yorker who is beginning to research whether solar is a viable option. With localized information, it provides detailed cost, industry and market statistics for any type of customer throughout New York. The site can also connect customers with accredited solar installers. Simply type in your residential or business address to get started.

According to the map's creators, the Map is unique in that "consumers, installers and municipal leaders can also access information on resources and programs available in their local community through the ‘In Your Area’ feature. This tool connects consumers to local ‘solarize’ group purchasing campaigns and community shared solar opportunities, which are open to renters, investors and those with non-viable roofs."

Rye Sustainability's Healthy Yard Contest: We Have a Winner!

Grand Prize Winner Liv McNamara's winning design.

The Rye Healthy Yard sign design contest is over and the winners have been announced. The Grand Prize winner is Liv McNamara. Congratulations Liv!

Visit the contest photo gallery to view all entries and watch Rye TV's coverage of the event.

Details about the age category winners can be found below, including more photos from the contest.

Visit the Rye Healthy Yard page to learn how you can make your yard safe and healthy. Then take the RHYP pledge so you can receive a lawn sign with the winning design!

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Thank You!

Thank you to all those who helped make this initiative such a successful one:

Judges: Catherine Parker, Jennifer Sandling, Christine Siller, Tracy Stora, Danielle Tagger-Epstein and Mayor Joe Sack for announcing the winners.

Refreshments: Rosemary & Vine

Awards: Rye Arts Center, Arcade Booksellers and A.I. Friedman

And a special thank you to Rye Arts Center for graciously opening their doors to host this contest!

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Contest Winners

Overall Grand Prize: Liv McNamara

Elementary School Category:
Winner: Mattia Gibbs
Honorable Mention: Julia Zanolin, Clea Rousse and Sofia Rodrigues

Middle School Category:
Winner: Geordy Varino
Runner Up: Rory Cronin
Honorable Mention: Reese Wolfe and Charlotte Lee

High School Category:
Winner: Charlotte Townley

Adult Category:
Winner: Sheri Amsel

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The "design" phase ...

A difficult task for the judges

Thank you to our judges!

From left to right: Jennifer Sandling, Tracy Stora, Christine Siller, Danielle Tagger-Epstein, Catherine Parker

Taking photos of each entry

Thank you to Rosemary & Vine for the delicious refreshments!

Time to hear who has won

Charlotte Lee receives her award

Julia Zanolin receives her award

Mattia Gibbs receives her award

Reese Wolfe receives her award

Grand Prize winner Liv McNamara explains to Mayor Sack how she came up with the winning design.


Contest winners Reese Wolfe, Charlotte Lee, Julia Zanolin, Liv McNamara and Mattia Gibbs, with RSC chair Sara Goddard, Rye Arts Center board member Jen Sandling and Mayor Sack.

Announcing the Rye Healthy Yards Photo Gallery

Have you wondered what it looks like to have an open space that’s free of toxic chemicals? Do you think you have to make a trade-off between beauty and safety? Check out RSC's new photo gallery of Rye families’ healthy yards to see stunning examples of how you can have both beauty AND safety. And maybe you’ll see your neighbor’s yard! Do you have photos to share? Contact us!

It's Fall: A Perfect Time to Switch to Natural Landscaping

Are you thinking about switching from conventional to natural lawn care but don't know how to make the transition? The fall season is a perfect time to make the switch and transform your yard into one that's healthy and beautiful for all.

What Does Healthy Mean?

First, it's important to understand why making the change is so important. It all starts with the definition of "healthy." A healthy - and by extension, beautiful - yard is one that starts with good soil.

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Beyond Pesticides, a non-profit environmental organization committed to ending reliance on pesticides, states it clearly in their Organic Lawn Care 101 sheet: "Healthy soil contains high organic content and is teeming with biological life. Healthy soil supports the development of healthy grass that is naturally resistant to weeds and pests. In a healthy, fertile and well maintained lawn, diseases and pest problems are rare."

In fact, applying damaging and dangerous chemicals is the worst thing homeowners can do if the objective is a beautiful yard filled with vibrant plants, trees and a lush green lawn. As Rye Nature Center's Director of Conservation & Land Stewardship, Taro Ietaka, points out: "synthetic pesticides and herbicides kill beneficial soil micro-organisms that are helping your plants."

““Recognize that your soils are living and that you are the primary caretaker or destroyer of that living environment.””

— Dr. Kris Nichols, chief scientist at the Rodale Institute

In short: soil is living. And during the fall and winter, the diverse mix of organisms contained in soil continue to live. In a recent article on The Nature Conservancy's blog, Dr. Kris Nichols, chief scientist at the Rodale Institute comments: “Even when we think of our soils as frozen and dead, there’s still a living component to that.”

So now that you know why you should make the change, how can you care for your yard with the goal of minimizing pesticide applications? Here are some fall lawn care tips to get you started.

fall landscaping

General Tips

Beyond Pesticides' Organic Lawn Care 101 sheet provides a useful list of general tips, reproduced in part here:

1. Mow High Until the Season Ends – Bad mowing practices cause more problems than any other cultural practice. Mowing with a dull blade makes the turf susceptible to disease and mowing too close invites sunlight in for weeds to take hold. Keep your blades sharp, or ask your service provider to sharpen their blades frequently. For the last and first mowing, mow down to 2 inches to prevent fungal problems. For the rest of the year keep it at 3‐3.5 to shade out weeds and foster deep, drought‐resistant roots.

2. Aerate – Compaction is an invitation for weeds. If your lawn is hard, compacted, and full of weeds or bare spots, aerate to help air, water and fertilizer to enter. If you can’t stick a screwdriver easily into your soil, it is too compacted. Get together with your neighbors and rent an aerator. Once you have an established, healthy lawn, worms and birds pecking at your soil will aerate it for free!

3. Fertilize, but go easy and go organic! – Fertilizing in early fall ensures good growth and root development for your grass. Nitrogen, the most abundant nutrient in lawn fertilizers promotes color and growth. Adding too much nitrogen, or quick release synthetic fertilizers, will result in quicker growth and the need for more mowing. Too much nitrogen can also weaken the grass, alter the pH, and promote disease, insect, and thatch build‐up. If applied too late, nutrients can leach directly into nearby surface waters. Be aware of local phosphorus or nitrogen loading concerns. Your soil test results will ensure that you apply only what you need.

4. Overseed With the Right Grass Seed – Once again, fall is the best time to seed your lawn. Grass varieties differ enormously in their resistance to certain pests, tolerance to climatic conditions, growth habit and appearance. Endophytic grass seed provides natural protection against some insects and fungal diseases ‐ major benefits for managing a lawn organically. Talk to your local nursery about the best seed for your area. Check to see the weed content of the grass seed and that there are no pesticide coatings.

Leaf Mulching

What is leaf mulching? According to Leave Leaves Alone:

"Leaf mulching is the practice of chopping leaves into small pieces. Mulching can be done with a lawn mower or a leaf shredder. Mulched leaves can be left on your lawn (they fall between the grass blades) or piled 3" or 4"  deep on garden beds and around shrubs where they act as a protective layer in the winter and, in the growing season, prevent weed growth and help conserve water. Leaf mulch decomposes over time, adding important nutrients and structure to the soil."

To learn more about how you can mulch leaves in your yard this fall, visit the Leave Leaves Alone or Love 'Em and Leave 'Em sites.

Soil Testing

The benefits of soil testing cannot be overstated. It's simple to do and homeowners will be provided with a comprehensive profile of their soil upon which to build the foundation of their natural lawn. For a modest fee, Rye residents can have their soil tested and analyzed through the Westchester Cornell Cooperative Extension.

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For more information on healthy soil and landscaping practices, watch RSC's What's Under Your Lawn presentation.

Visit our Rye Healthy Yard and Resources Section to learn more. And ...

Take the RHYP Pledge!

The Beauty of a Healthy Yard II

Geoff Tischman Photography

Geoff Tischman Photography

Geoff Tischman Photography

Rye resident Caroline Walker, has lived in her beautiful home for eight years with her husband, adorable twin boys and rescue dogs, Chipper and Trixie.

On a recent summer day, Chipper and Trixie took advantage of the Walkers' gorgeous yard to run, play and roll, ignorant of the knowledge that their beautiful play area is a healthy and safe space, free of toxic or synthetic chemicals. Landscape designer Peggy Pierce Peters, helped plan and design a completely natural outdoor living area for the Walker family.

What better gift for your family and friends - and pets! - than to create a natural sanctuary for all to enjoy?

Thanks to Geoff Tischman Photography for the three spectacular close-up photos of the dogs in the yard!

Visit our Rye Healthy Yard and Resources Section to learn more. And ...

Take the RHYP Pledge!

The Beauty of a Healthy Yard

Sustainability in Our Community

Rye resident Sonja Bartlett has lived with her family in Rye for over sixteen years. A professional photographer who has an eye for capturing the beauty of her surroundings, Sonja is first and foremost a mother who cares deeply about the safety and health of her children and numerous pets. Sonja shares shares her experience with transforming her stunning 4-acre home into a pesticide-free environment. With the help of landscaper, Cosimo Ferraro, the Bartletts discovered not only how effortless the change could be, but how their yard transformed into an even more beautiful outdoor living space.

This is the first of an ongoing series covering Sustainability in Our Community. We hope you enjoy and learn from your fellow Rye residents!

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Making the Switch to a Healthy Yard

By Sonja Bartlett

Relaxing on a healthy, chemical-free lawn

Frogs in Rye!

Ferraro checking pH levels

The beauty of a chemical-free lawn

There's nothing wrong with a few weeds

Everyone can enjoy the family's safe and beautiful yard

Sonja and Cosimo

This is not the yellow we want in our yard!

It started with those little yellow signs that pop up all over town every spring like dandelions. You know the ones that read: “PESTICIDE APPLICATION - DO NOT ENTER” and “DO NOT REMOVE SIGN FOR 24 HOURS.”

As I ran past these tiny, yellow dire warnings all around my neighborhood, it got me thinking. What product is so dangerous that my kids and dogs can’t go on my grass for 24 hours? And where do these toxins actually go after a day? Our air? Our groundwater? Do we really need these chemicals to have a beautiful yard?

Well, this was 2003 and the word “organic” was not exactly part of our daily conversation. So I called my landscaper, Cosimo Ferraro to see what he thought.   Cosimo had been working on our yard since 1975, when he first moved here from Italy.  He said not to worry. Going organic was easy.

“It’s the way we’ve been taking care of the land for centuries back in Italy.”

I would be his very first organic yard customer. Exciting.

Thirteen years later, I decided it would be fun to check in with Cosimo again. He now has 20 clients who want organic landscaping, but it’s still only about 20 percent of his work.

“This is the business that I am in. People tell me they want a green carpet. I tell them, carpets are for inside the house,” jokes Cosimo, shaking his head.

You do have to start with your definition of beautiful.  We have been conditioned to want that proverbial green carpet golf course look, for sure. But let’s reset that definition of beautiful to mean natural looking. In our organic yard we have yellow, purple and white wildflowers, wild raspberries, mushrooms and even tiny scallions, which my kids love to dig up and eat. By skipping pesticides and chemical fertilizers, you get gorgeous, tasty diversity in your grass.

Instead of using herbicides for weeds, you have to aerate the lawn aggressively in spring. My kids say that the bits of soil that are left behind after aerating look like goose poops. Cosimo then seeds aggressively as well, so that new grass will grow in the turned up soil and squeeze out the weeds. Next he checks the Ph balance of the soil and decides if we need to add lime to balance it. Then he uses organic compost as fertilizer.

When it’s time to mow, he never cuts shorter than two inches. Many folks want that very short grass like a golf course. Longer grass uses less water and creates shade for the blades, which keeps weeds down, naturally. The clippings go right back onto the lawn, which works much better when you have longer grass. The clippings are your next natural fertilizer.

My gardner Cosimo is himself in a bind like many of us. As a professional landscaper, his own yard is his calling card. He admits to me that he still uses the occasional chemical in the front for that “perfect look.” But in the back, where his young grandson plays and he grows vegetables, he says there’s no debate. All organic.

Just something to think about the next time you take a walk through your neighborhood. Are you seeing lots of yellow? Let’s hope those bursts of yellow are dandelions and those scary little warning signs begin to disappear.

Visit our Rye Healthy Yard and Resources Section to learn more. And ...

Take the RHYP Pledge!

Worms and Dirt Featured at Composting Workshop

Rye Nature Center Presenters

From left to right: Courtney Rothaus, Annette Hein and Taro Ietaka

Taro Ietaka

Taro shows how food waste can be stored in a bin in the freezer until it's transferred outside

Another type of compost bin for the kitchen

Annette Hein

Annette explains the importance of periodic turning to aerate soil

Courtney Rothaus

Courtney reassuring the crowd that worm composting is simple

Rye Nature Center staff fabricated their own vermicomposter, but commercial options are available for purchase

Courtney and Annette answer questions after the presentation

The worms were the stars of the event!

A large group of brave souls ventured out into the rain storm on Friday to learn how to compost from Rye Nature Center experts, Taro Ietaka, Courtney Rothaus and Annette Hein.

The workshop was part informative introduction and part therapy session to ease the fears of those who might be intimidated by the process. Inspired by Midland school's new composting program, Taro said he decided to organize a workshop to share his knowledge of composting with others in Rye.

Taro began by explaining the mechanics of composting - what to include, what not to include, optimum carbon/nitrogen ratios - and how to avoid some of the pitfalls of composting, chief of which is smelly, decomposing waste. He showed us how he stores scraps in the freezer before transporting them outside. He also provided examples of different kitchen compost collectors and bins.

Annette showed us some of the outdoor compost bins, explaining the pros and cons of each. She recommends at least two bins to store waste in different stages of decomposition.

Courtney concluded by presenting an alternative composting option: vermicomposting (or worm composting, in layman's terms). She described how, with minimal fuss and attention, specialty worms (red wigglers) can be employed to decompose home waste, including paper. With vermicomposting, no sifting or turning is necessary. Homeowners can purchase vermicomposters and worms online to begin composting at home.

Rye Nature Center executive director Christine Siller ended the presentation by stressing the important point that as a by-product of composting, we're helping to achieve a critical goal of reducing waste from the general waste stream.

An enormous thank you to the Rye Nature Center, the presenters, and Christine Siller, for organizing this informative event!

Check out our Resources page for more information on composting. Let's all start composting!