Recycling at the United Federation of Teachers and the UN

Here are two places that probably break New York City laws: The United Federation of Teachers (which represents New York City Public School Teachers) and the United Nations.

In the last monthly meeting for this school year (June 16th 2010) the Environmental Committee of the UFT declared that they have been unable to convince the head custodian at 52 Broadway that the union's headquarters is worthy of recycling bins. George Altamare, a union official, said we should continue to fight the status quo and set up a petition. About twenty mostly non-teacher environmental activists came to network and I sensed a need to increase teacher activists. A program was in place as well as an end-of-year party at a neighboring restaurant.

At this meeting an organization which recycles pencils and next to everything was recommended: http://www.terracycle.net/ .

The two main organizers, Coquille Houshour and Micki Josi, are Park Slope Food Coop members http://www.foodcoop.com/ I promised to try to get an article into the coop newspaper, The Linewaiter Gazette. Contact the diligent teachers at uftgreenschools@gmail.com .

Likewise, in the United Nations Cafeteria, where several thousand UN staff dine daily, you can not seperate the plastic juice bottles they sell. You must just leave them on the tray and hope workers will recycle. Employees say they do.