2008 Woodie Awards
Recycling to sustain CUNY
Sustainability workshop gives rise to eco-friendly arts exchange
David Paulino
Issue date: 7/9/07 Section: News
Can CUNY students make a prolific difference in the world by simultaneously helping save the environment and aspiring artists? The CUNY sustainability workshop, assisted by the non-for-profit organization Material for the Arts, wholly believes so.
The citywide initiative, whose workshop took place on Friday, April 27, broached the following questions: Why is sustainability important to CUNY? What kind of an impact can we make by working together? Amid the Material for the Arts warehouse, which has stored over 6 million reusable items, the feeling was that CUNY students can spur significant change.
Through word-of-mouth and careful political mitigation, the Queens warehouse serves as New York's premier reuse center. The philosophy is: "Don't change it. Redo it." Millions of items, such as ink cartridges, fabric, mannequins, paper, even a grand piano, have been accumulated for reuse; items that would have otherwise been sent to a landfill and forgotten. Instead of being disposed of, these items now serve a purpose, often in the art community.
Supplies in excellent shape such as chalk, paint, chairs and tables have been taken and used by teachers and libraries across the New York area. Educators from poor districts or working within a financially limited program have especially found these items generally free and helpful.
Supplies have also worked to help groups in the art community, such as the Nuyorican Poets Center, Artists on Wheels and the Apollo Theater Foundation.
To be eligible to receive donations, a person must prove that he or she serves the arts, either as a teacher, social worker or working in an agency that serves the arts.
After a tour of the workshop, where visitors are able to view multicolored illustrations, murals and designs from reused items, the CUNY coalition meeting began. A recap of prior, successful events began in the CUNY system, such as Hudson Valley Environmental Consortium and strides taken by schools such as Bronx Community College and City College, the latter housing a green roof. Hunter College is also planning a green roof initiative in their school.
The citywide initiative, whose workshop took place on Friday, April 27, broached the following questions: Why is sustainability important to CUNY? What kind of an impact can we make by working together? Amid the Material for the Arts warehouse, which has stored over 6 million reusable items, the feeling was that CUNY students can spur significant change.
Through word-of-mouth and careful political mitigation, the Queens warehouse serves as New York's premier reuse center. The philosophy is: "Don't change it. Redo it." Millions of items, such as ink cartridges, fabric, mannequins, paper, even a grand piano, have been accumulated for reuse; items that would have otherwise been sent to a landfill and forgotten. Instead of being disposed of, these items now serve a purpose, often in the art community.
Supplies in excellent shape such as chalk, paint, chairs and tables have been taken and used by teachers and libraries across the New York area. Educators from poor districts or working within a financially limited program have especially found these items generally free and helpful.
Supplies have also worked to help groups in the art community, such as the Nuyorican Poets Center, Artists on Wheels and the Apollo Theater Foundation.
To be eligible to receive donations, a person must prove that he or she serves the arts, either as a teacher, social worker or working in an agency that serves the arts.
After a tour of the workshop, where visitors are able to view multicolored illustrations, murals and designs from reused items, the CUNY coalition meeting began. A recap of prior, successful events began in the CUNY system, such as Hudson Valley Environmental Consortium and strides taken by schools such as Bronx Community College and City College, the latter housing a green roof. Hunter College is also planning a green roof initiative in their school.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Janice Hepburn
posted 5/09/08 @ 5:57 PM EST
I applaud your vision and would like to offer an established non-profit to your student population to channel and develop. We are recognized by City Council people, and NYS Dept of Economic Development but a staff of creative thinkers is needed. (Continued…)
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