10 Ways to Go Green in Astoria

A great way to start going green is to simply reduce your consumption and use of resources. Take shorter showers (using less water and energy to heat the water); turn off lights when you're not using them; unplug "energy vampires" AKA power adaptors; and save gas by using any transportation other than driving solo in an automobile.

As summer approaches, consider using less air conditioning, or at least setting the timer on your a/c unit to turn on shortly before you come home from work, rather than run all day. You'll save money on that pesky ConEd bill, too.

Composting is one of the most elegant ways to reduce your impact on the environment. Kitchen scraps and other plant materials are combined until they decompose, resulting in nutritious fertilizer and soil amendment. Every bit you keep out of the garbage and put into the compost heap saves space in our landfills.

The Western Queens Compost Initiative (WQCI) is doing good work to encourage composting in Astoria, Long Island City, and other parts of Western Queens, providing a composting infrastructure for sympathetic organizations in Queens.

Don't have space for a conventional compost heap? You can successfully compost indoors with a worm bin, otherwise known as "vermicomposting." Members of the WQCI can teach you how.

The clothing swap, an elevated and expanded version of inheriting one another's hand-me downs, is a great way to reuse clothing and other fiber goods like scarves and hats. The concept is very simple: individuals bring gently-used clothing to trade for other gently-used clothes. The atmosphere is communal and convivial, and swappers have reported having a great time at these events. Leftovers usually get donated to Goodwill or Hour Children.

Here in Astoria, local Triple R Events runs a couple of clothing swaps each year.

When it comes to reusing larger household items, the place to go in Astoria is Build It Green! Located in the far western stretch of Astoria, it is "New York City's only non-profit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building materials." At Build It Green! you can find old furniture, doors, toilets, lighting, and more. They'll accept donations, too; so instead of throwing reusable items into our landfills, donate them so that someone else can benefit from your cast-offs.

Thankfully, NYC has been recycling for some time now. Paper, glass, and plastic can be recycled curbside, making the process fairly effortless. The hope is that the pieces you want to recycle will be turned into new items.

One fun project you can do with the paper you're recycling is to make new handmade paper out of it. You can use the new paper for gift tags, or even embed wildflower seeds into it to plant at a later time.

Many supermarkets will recycle the ubiquitous plastic bag. Look for the big plastic bag recycling barrel usually positioned near the checkout area. For instance, the Key Food on 31st Ave in the Ditmars neighborhood has a plastic bag recycling barrel right outside the self-serve checkout area.

Refuse is often put into motion when it comes to packaging. Refuse to buy paper goods wrapped in plastic; refuse to use plastic produce bags. Instead, buy produce and bulk items using reusable light cotton bags (many will include the tare information right on the bag, too). Refuse to accept plastic grocery bags and instead bring reusable cloth bags to carry your groceries home with you.

Basically, where you see wasteful packaging, refuse it and find an alternate sustainable solution.

You can also refuse to drive when walking, biking, or public transportation are viable alternatives.

CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture." When you join a CSA, you are purchasing a share in a particular farm, and your dividends are a portion of the harvest. You'll be supporting local family farms, eating organically, and reducing pollution and gas usage thanks to shorter transportation times.

Astoria/LIC is fortunate enough to be the home to four CSAs: Hellgate CSA, Astoria CSA, Harvest Astoria CSA, and Long Island City CSA.

If you are lucky enough to have land adjacent to your dwelling, access to your roof, or even some room on your fire escape, garden at home.

Otherwise, community gardens are an option. Two Coves Community Garden is located in the western part of Astoria, and over 200 members garden there. Don't worry if you can't get a personal plot. There is a Community Plot, open to everyone! Two Coves is also the home of the Western Queens Compost Initiative.

Gardens are a great way to get more plant life thriving in the city, helping to offset the heat island so prevalent in town. If you can grow substantial amounts of food, you'll have food security, and won't be reliant on a middleman to provide you with your produce.

Consider attending Queens Green Drinks, a monthly social that often takes place in Astoria/LIC. Each month, you'll have a chance to meet and mingle with like-minded people concerned about the health of the environment. Collaborations often are born at one of these events, too, and inspiration runs rampant. Information about green events/workshops/meetings are shared among the participants so you'll have the chance to get a jump on what's happening with your fellow green-minded citizens.

Both Green Shores, a community organization focused on the the health of the Western Queens waterfront parks, and the Astoria Park Alliance, community group focuses on the health of Astoria Park, are happy for your participation. They both organize park cleanups, support general park awareness, and produce a summer festival along Shore Blvd.

Every September there is a shoreline cleanup at Astoria Park, organized by these two organizations. While helping, you'll get a chance to see the East River from a unique perspective, plus you'll feel good cleaning up all the detritus on the beach.

Green Shores meets on the fourth Thursday of every month, and the Astoria Park Alliance meets on the first Tuesday of each month.