New Roberto Clemente Learns the Art of ReUsing!

Ms. Gonzalez’s 7th grade classes at New Roberto Clemente School reused old common items and made them new again by creating beautiful works of art. Instead of going to the store to buy a new purse, you can take an empty gallon of milk, an old t-shirt, a button, and a necklace and transform it into a purse like Yordenis did. Or for your next party, you can use Fernando’s candle votive made from a plastic soda bottle, aluminum foil, and a candle. Need a vase try Vanilda‘s upside-down light bulb vase or yordenis‘s glass bottle and gift ribbons. Going out tonight, you can try on Amy’s hair pins made from zippers, rubber bands, buttons, and thread or Gabriela’s earrings and bracelet made from soda can tops, ribbons, and hooks. Soila even tried the old t-shirt tote bag idea from our previous newsletter. One of our favorites was Smerlyn’s decorative box made from an old box, keyboard keys, and a USB cord. So you see, we don’t always need to buy new thing and waste money and materials, sometime we can reuse what we already have and save our landfills from added trash. Don’t throw it away, reuse it today! NRC really is Going Green - Awesome!

What Can You Do With Grocery Bags?

If you look on the bottom of that plastic bag from your grocery store, you will find a number. This is the Resin Code, which identifies what kind of plastic it is. The number on most of these bags is 2, which means it is high-density polyethylene (HDPE). If you look around, you will find the number 2 on all sorts of things. For example, milk jugs and laundry detergent containers are made of HDPE. Paterson, like most towns and cities, recycles HDPE. However, even though plastic bags are made of HDPE, you cannot put them in your recycling bin. Why not?

Well, as it turns out, these bags are no good for the machines that automatically sort recyclable plastics. They can get caught in the conveyor belts and other mechanisms, reeking havoc on the machines, and even shutting down the whole assembly line! People often fill these bags with stuff before throwing them into their bins. The stuff inside can be anything, recyclable or not, so it is the policy of most recycling centers to throw away any of these filled bags automatically.

Not to worry! There is an easy way to help. Most grocery stores have recycling centers for these plastic bags. Just make sure they’re clean and that there’s nothing in them before you drop them off. They are then taken to plants with equipment suited to recycle plastic bags. You can also try and find ways to reuse these bags; try using them to store and organize things or, if you’re doing something messy, try wearing them over your shoes to protect hem. As always, a great way to help out is to avoiding using plastic grocery bags altogether and to get cloth bags!  

We sifted through the notes and drawings on the table coverings of the Go Green Conference and found some exciting talent. We've collected our favorites here.

Paterson School 3 Project Plan!

What a great day we had at the 2011 Go Green Conference. Check out the Project Plan from School 3:

December 7,2011        Go Green Environmental Conference

 Paterson  Public School No. 3  Environmental Club Project Plan :

Project Name:   PKC  : Paterson Kids Care . Students committed to eliminating trash in their community

Results: A cleaner environment. Garden clean, Great Falls Clean, Local  littered lot clean, more people making a difference .

1.  Creation of signs for our garden and for a city garbage  can on the bus stop  directly in front of garden.  Purchase wood for signs and exterior paint . Rosa will paint the signs. Signs encourage proper disposal of litter.
2. Mrs. Bruins will call the PVWC and talk to the educational director to set a date for a Great Falls Clean-up.  This will be a Saturday Project. Flyers will be made in Technology Elective. A pledge for all involved will be developed  to stop littering. Parents will be invited.,letter sent home. This clean-up will be open to all Environmental Clubs in Paterson,as well as all School #3 Middle School Students. PVWC provides gloves and bags.We may be able to have the falls shut off.  We will use a portion of the Money for good gloves to protect hands in clean ups.
3. Students will organize a soccer game to raise money by getting sponsors. This money will be used to buy recycling containers so our neighbors can begin recycling. A spring dance fundraiser is also in the works.  Homes where the students live will recieve containers first so students can begin recycling in their homes. The recycling truck already goes down Marshall Street and Main Street.
4. T-Shirts with the design PKC (Paterson Kids Care) around the Earth. Inside the Earth PS Green Team.
5. There a lot a half block away that is full of litter,students would like to to do a spring clean-up on a Saturday. No cost. We will have to get permission.

Great work School 3!  Keep one of those PKC T-shirts for me, ok?

Go Green Conference 2011

Welcome to the Make a Difference blog. We've created this space for all of the Environmental Clubs that are supported by City Green to use. Here are some of the ways we think it'll be an asset to your work:

• It's a place to share your accomplishments.


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• It's a place to post interesting research you've found that helped your club.


• It's a place to share contacts for grants, field trips, and club activities.

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