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Green eNews December 2014: Alternative Gifts, Winter Farmers Market, and More
Published on Dec 17, 2014 15:07
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Dear Schools & Community,
Hello! We hope this green e-news finds you well and enjoying the month of December! There are LOTS of ways to go green during the holidays and throughout the coming winter in all of our schools and offices!
As always, for more online resources, teaching tools, curriculum links, news, and updates on the Cambridge Green Schools Initiative (CGSI) check out our website.
Thanks for all you do to be sustainable! Happy Holidays~
–Kristen
Alternative Gift Ideas
Do you want to give eco-friendly gifts this year? Here are some gift ideas for this holiday season (recommendations are thanks to our DPW’s Recycling Department):
- Give experience gifts (tickets to a show, gift certificates for dinner, massage, or museum).
- Give gifts of time or service (babysit, make dinner, volunteer).
- Donate to a charity or non-profit in their name.
- Give others a “gift exemption card.”
Bike Workshops
Want to learn how to ride your bike more safely? The City of Cambridge offers free bike workshops for employees & residents throughout the year! Fun and informative, these include: On Bike Training, Riding with Families, Rules of the Road, Hubway Bikeshare, Urban Cycling Basics, Bicycle Maintenance Basics. For more information, please contact Jennifer Lawrence, [email protected], 617.349.4671 or online.
Winter Farmers Market
Do you want to buy locally grown food and support small business? In partnership with “Cambridge in Motion,” a reminder that the Cambridge Winter Farmers Market will be opening on January 3rd and every Saturday, January 3-April 25, 10AM-2PM. The market offers fresh food, hot coffee, lunch, live music and programs for kids & families. Location: Inside the Cambridge Community Center at the corner of Callender and Howard Streets. That’s near the intersection of Western Ave. and Putnam Ave. just outside Central Square. Learn more >>
Let's Recycle Our Christmas Trees
Would you like to recycle your Christmas tree in an eco-friendly way? Weather permitting, the city will provide separate curbside collection of bare trees on the same day as trash and recycling collection from Dec 29, 2014 - Jan 16, 2015. Remove stand and all decorations. Do not put in a plastic bag. Place bare trees at the curb by 7AM on collection day or after 6PM the night before. Residents can also bring bare trees to the Recycling Center during open hours (Tues/Thurs 4-7:30PM and Sat 9AM-4PM) from Dec 27, 2014 - Jan 31, 2015. Place wreaths and garland in the trash.
Thank You Again for All You Do
to Keep Our Schools Green!
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TIP OF THE MONTH
Bring a re-usable water bottle in to school/work, and fill it up with tap or bubbler water throughout the day. Water is healthy and keeps you hydrated, and re-usable containers reduce waste.
LET'S RECYCLE
RIGHT: NO PAPER TOWELS PLEASE
Are you wondering how to get rid of your paper towels sustainably? Cambridge Schools are great recyclers! Paper towels, tissues, and napkins cannot go in the recycling. You can compost them though! If you have Food to Flowers lunchroom composting at your school, you can put food-soiled paper towels and napkins in the compost. Thanks!
LET'S RECYCLE
ALL WE CAN!
Can you do more to recycle at your school? Please be sure to join your school community in recycling all empty and clean containers, paper, and cardboard. Did you know recycling helps the city control trash disposal costs? Did you know it helps curb climate change to recycle, and buy products made with recycled materials? Thanks for doing all you can. Check out how much your school is recycling. Want a special presenter to come to your class to talk about recycling and reducing waste? Contact Meryl at DPW>>
CAMBRIDGE CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
Are you curious what our City is doing to plan for climate change? The City is working on preparing a vulnerability assessment that will serve as the foundation for a climate change preparedness plan that will follow. The project webpage provides background information and documents from meetings. Interested people can send an email to be placed on the project email list.
OPT OUT OF
UNWANTED MAIL
Do you get unwanted mail from retailers, credit card companies, or cable/phone companies? You can opt out of mailings from over 4,000 companies with Catalog Choice and help reduce waste. For example, you can stop getting weekly circulars from Global Direct, they will honor opt-out requests, so add them to "your choices." Just register for FREE online to create an account to start cleaning out your mailbox. To date, over 3,700 Cambridge residents have signed up and opted out of nearly 25,000 different unwanted mailings!
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Kristen von Hoffmann
Sustainability Manager
Email Kristen
Cambridge Green Schools Initiative
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