New York's e-Waste Law (or not)

Back in 2008, New York City passed a law requiring electronics manufacturers to take responsibility for recycling their own computers, televisions, printers and iPods sold within the city limits. The law, had it been implemented, would have been the first of its kind in the nation and could have lead to the development of new business opportunities for local companies.

Unfortunately, the law continues to be tied up in court in a lawsuit filed by the Consumer Electronics Association and the Information Technology Industry Council. The long delay has lead many to ask tough questions about the law's intent and effect:

Would it influence the industry to develop gadgets that are more easily recycled?

Would it just lead to more expensive electronics in NYC as the recycling fee is passed on to consumers?

Is it fair to require companies to pick the items up from people's homes?

Check out Gotham Gazette's full coverage of this issue here.

Valentine's Specials

It doesn't matter if you love it or hate it (and there are plenty in both camps, I'm sure), Valentines Day is on the way. Merchants in both Maplewood and Park Slope will be celebrating the day of love this week with specials, sales and chocolate. Details are below:

MAPLEWOOD



Saturday, February 13th, 2nd Annual Maplewood Village Chocolate Walk!

3r Living will welcome Randy Rabney of the Conscious Plate back to the store. Come watch Randi work her chocolate magic, whipping up her delicious organic chocolate truffles, fresh, for you to sample. Take it from us, they are impossible to resist, and honestly, why would you try?

PARK SLOPE



Park Slope's Fifth Avenue will transform Valentine's Day into a week-long shopping and eating extravaganza. There are too many deals to highlight so if you are interested, download the full list here.

Fleet Efficiency

Do you own a company with lots of cars? Do you work for a large company or government agency that has a large fleet of vehicles? If so, you have to watch the simple, beautifully shot video above. Perhaps it will inspire you to take action!

Message to Our Brooklyn Store Customers

Samantha and I hung this sign on the door of our Brooklyn store today. Not much else needs to be said:

Dear Customers, Friends and Neighbors –

We are very sad to announce that at the end of February, 3r Living will be closing our Park Slope store.

When we opened this store in April of 2004, it was a dream come true. Over the past five years we have been honored to provide the community with greener, healthier and safer options, as well as a much-needed community recycling center. We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the customer and friends we have made over the years

This is not an end, but rather a new beginning. Look for us online at www.3rliving.com and 3rliving.blogspot.com.

Also, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE help us to make sure that this does not happen to other businesses in the area. Eat, drink and shop local! Supporting restaurants, boutiques and bars on 5th Avenue , even just a little, can go a very long way.

Sincerely,

Samantha and Mark Caserta

Textile Recycling in NYC

A staggering 530,000 pounds of used clothes, shoes, linens, towels, and other textiles have flooded drop-off sites at Greenmarket Farmers Markets throughout the city since 2007, according to the Council on the Environment of NYC (CENYC). Over the past two years, more than 20,000 New Yorkers have participated in the program -- a partnership between CENYC, which operates the Greenmarket and Recycling programs and the textile recycling company Wearable Collections.

If you live in or near NYC and you are interested in dropping off textiles for recycling, CENYC hosts collections at the following sites:

Union Square Greenmarket (Manhattan); Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket (Brooklyn); 97th Street Greenmarket (Manhattan); Inwood Greenmarket (Manhattan); Fort Greene Greenmarket (Brooklyn); Tompkins Square Greenmarket (Manhattan); Jackson Heights Greenmarket (Queens) – a seasonal market; McCarren Park Greenmarket (Brooklyn). The Staten Island Mall is a potential site for ongoing textile collections beginning in spring 2010.

For a complete list, visit www.cenyc.org/recycling

NYIGF: Day 3

Well, more AT&T data problems kept me from Tweeting throughout Day 3 of the New York International Gift Fair yesterday. Oh well.

Anyway, we finished the show in record time: 3 Days! As a reward, both stores are closing for the day and we are all taking the day off!

Some last observations from the show, taken from our Twitter feed:

Still hearing some vendors ask for high minimums. Very difficult for merchants in a recession. #NYIGF (Seriously, people, small stores cannot buy 500 pieces/thousands of dollars worth of goods at a time these days. Find a way to make it work!)

First thing to go in a recession: free food at booths. :( #nyigf (I've never seen fewer snacks at the show. I'm assuming that they have been cut out of the budgets of vendors as a way to save money? It might be a sign that vendors are leaner and meaner than ever or, it might be a sign that things are still tight. Or, it might be a sign that vendors are sick of candy.)

Anyway, have a good day and we'll see you back at the stores on Wednesday, February 3rd.

NYIGF: Days 1 & 2

Just finished Days one and two of the New York International Gift Fair.

So, what are my thoughts so far? Well...

People seem more optimistic, in general. I'm not sure that the optimism is shared by NYC's consumers, but perhaps that change is coming too.

I feel like I'm seeing less "green". Maybe not. Perhaps green is becoming so mainstream that I don't notice it as much?

I had a hard time Tweeting my way through the show, thanks to AT&T's poor data signal strength in the Javits Center (and the complete lack of free WiFi. AHEM!). Nonetheless, my Tweets are below.

Photo (above): Last August, I joined a number of other green retail/manufacturing leaders in a "Sustainability Council" to help tighten the Gift Fair's standards for what counts as "green", especially in the Sustainability Showcase. The new standards were used for this years show and the large sign in the photo was posted at the Showcase. I guess everyone knows who to blame if their product doesn't get in now, right? ;)

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Saturday, January 30

Just finished Pier 94 but couldn't Tweet. No signal! #NYIGF

Starting Javits 5000. Here we go. 8 miles to go? #nyigf

Seeing a bigger focus on Fair Trade than green so far. Not a bad thing, ultimately. #NYIGF

"Fair Trade is You changing the world while you shop" - Belart #NYIGF

Learning all about Hummingbirds at Par.A.Sol #NYIGF

It's 3:00, time to find free candy. Who's got the goods? #NYIGF

The best part about coming to the #NYIGF is seeing our vendor friends again.

I'm hearing a lot of vendors talk about more optimism from merchants but NYC area merchants are still struggling. #NYIGF

At the Brooklyn Green Team party. Bar Reis. Be there!

Sunday, January 31

Late start today. In 4200. #NYIGF

Sushi is the new pizza. #9spotmonk #nyigf

Late start and not much progress through the aisles but finding some good stuff. #NYIGF

"The future is analog"- Lomographic Society. Really? #NYIGF

iCant get enough of the gadgets and solar chargers at #NYIGF

Major AT&T data connection problems in Javits. Hard to Tweet! #NYIGF