Engaged Roosevelt Island Grant From Cornell Tech, Watch First Program Of Getting To Zero Waste In Your Daily Life Workshop Presentation - Promoting Environmental Understanding And Boost Sustainable Practices

On November 14 Cornell Tech hosted the first of a year long series of programming to promote environmental understanding and boost sustainable practices on Roosevelt Island in front of a packed room of over 100 people.

Happening Now! @cornell_tech @CornellCUCE_NYC received a an Engaged grant to kick-off a year of environmental understanding & sustainable practices on @Rooseveltisland with tonight’s Zero Waste Talk featuring Noonan & Nicole Grossberg. #zerowaste pic.twitter.com/s2oQED5cAG

— iDig2Learn (@iDig2Learn) November 15, 2019

According to Engaged RI:

An Engaged Opportunity Grant from Cornell University's Office of Engagement Initiatives was awarded to Cornell Tech for a year of planning and learning with the community. The goal of this grant is to promote environmental understanding and boost sustainable practices on Roosevelt Island. Throughout the year there will be engagement events to foster collaboration with residents, community groups, schools, building managers, island businesses, RIOC, RIRA and elected officials toward a cleaner and healthier neighborhood.

The first program supported by this grant was a well attended workshop on Nov. 14, 2019 presented by ZeroWaste NYC Workshop Series. All enjoyed the gracious space and hosting by leaders from the Cornell Tech Campus at the beautiful Tata Innovation Center. In order to foster innovative thinking and community connections, entrepreneurs Grounded Upcycling and Farm to People were also present alongside RI activists from iDig2Learn, The Market and the Good podcast and others... 

The November 14 workshop featured Zero Waste NYC founders Sandra Noonan and Nicole Grossberg sharing their zero waste, low impact lifestyle to spur a conversation among Roosevelt Island residents of what more can be done to boost sustainable practices on Roosevelt Island:

No matter what level of sustainability you practice, or if you are just getting started, you can live cleaner and healthier by learning how to avoid single use plastic, cut down on food waste, and shop smarter in NYC.

Prior to the workshop, iDig2Learn's Christina Delfico described the upcoming Roosevelt Island environmental sustainability efforts and Zero Waste NYC's Sandra Noonan and Nicole Grossberg suggested 2 ways to practice zero waste in your daily life - composting food scraps and finding substitute household items to replace single use plastic packaging.



During the presentation, the audience was asked if anyone composts and the answer, captured in this photo by Green Roosevelt Island Neighbors (GRIN) Founder Anthony Longo, was more than half raised their hands saying they do compost.

Image From Anthony Longo

Ms Delfico reports:

It was a great Engaged Roosevelt Island kick-off thanks to the Cornell Tech grant. And learning about Zero Waste can be daunting but if you ride the subway or use the library you are already reducing pollution and reusing resources.

 This workshop is the first of many events in the year ahead to engage community and university to foster environmental understanding and sustainable practices on Roosevelt Island. Simply put we can be kind to the earth and our bodies and keep us and our land, air, water free of toxins if we just know the impact of our choices.

Image From Waste NYC Workshop

Please fill in the initial Take Action survey & check out the new website. To learn more, hear about events, or sign up to be an eco-ambassador, visit the Engaged Roosevelt Island launching website.

Consider some of the lifestyle substitutions suggestions

Image From Roosevelt Island Zero Waste NYC Presentation

recommended by the Roosevelt Island Zero Waste NYC workshop (see video below for more details)

Images From Roosevelt Island Zero Waste NYC Presentation

and review the Roosevelt Island Green Map.

Image From Roosevelt Island Zero Waste NYC Presentation

Here's the full November 14 Roosevelt Island Zero Waste NYC presentation beginning with an introduction by Cornell Tech Assistant Director of Community and Government Relations Jane Swanson and Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Assistant VP of Capital Planning and Projects Jonna Carmona-Graf describing RIOC's environmental and sustainability practices



followed by the Zero Waste NYC presentation



and Q&A period.



More info on Engage RI available at their web site and it's Take Action Page.

UPDATE 11/20 - Ms Delfico adds:

Thanks to

• Julia Ferguson Roosevelt Island Garden Club (RIGC)
• Chris Gassman for Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA)
• Michelle Edwards Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC)
• Jane Swanson and Samar Sabie Cornell Tech
• Jennifer Tiffany of Cornell Cooperative Extension NYC

for helping to organize the event.