Rinse, Recycle, Repeat...

It's that time of the month again! Community recycling at the Jenkintown Whole Foods is tomorrow. In fact, it's scheduled for the second Thursday of every month, so put it on your calendar!

Bring all those plastics the borough doesn't accept - numbers 3 through 7. Please make sure they are clean.

Last month they gave out generous coupons to everyone who brought in recycling. Now doesn't that feel good?!

The New Metropolis

You are invited to join the Southeastern Pennsylvania First Suburbs Project and other community leaders for a special screening and discussion of The New Metropolis.

When: Thursday, October 8th, Doors open at 6:30 PM, Film Screening at 7:00 PM
Where: Hiway Theatre 212 Old York Road Jenkintown, PA 19046

Over the past two years, the First Suburbs Project has convened summits and forums to raise awareness and develop consensus solutions for addressing some of the region’s most pressing issues – aging infrastructure, unfair housing policies, unbalanced transportation investments, and inequitable education finance policies. This summer, we have also been sponsoring strategy discussions and previews of the documentary film,The New Metropolis, across the region. The final event in that series will take place on October 8th, the date of the WHYY film premiere. Film director, Andrea Torrice, is expected to be in attendance.

The New Metropolis, a two-part documentary, highlights the fact that the challenges we face do not just occur here in our region, but also in older suburbs throughout the United States. Filmmaker Andrea Torrice’s account of the rise and fall of the nation’s older, developed first suburbs is comprised of two episodes: A Crack in the Pavement: Rebuilding America’s First Suburbs; and The New Neighbors: How One Town Created a Vibrant, Integrated Suburb.

The viewing will be followed by a strategy discussion of how, given what we know of both our work in the first suburbs and from the documentary, we can work together to build power and influence policies that will restore equity and prosperity to our communities.

If you have attended a previous screening, this is your opportunity to invite your neighbors, colleagues, and congregants to view the powerful film and join the discussion.

Register now by emailing FirstSuburbsProject@gmail.com. Seating is limited. There is a $15 suggested donation, payable at the door. We hope you’ll join us on October 8th for this powerful film and the discussion that follows. If you are unable to attend, tune in to WHYY at 9:00PM for the live premier.

Sincerely,

Isaac Dotson, III, Yeadon Borough Council, First Suburbs Membership Committee Co-Chair
Rev. David Eckert, Drexel Hill United Methodist Church, First Suburbs Membership Committee Co-Chair
Rev. James Evans, Norton Ave Baptist Church
Michael Golden, Jenkintown Borough Council
Bishop Melvin Howard, People’s Church of Christ
John Jordan, Bucks County NAACP
Linda Kligman, Jenkintown Community Alliance
Deborra Sines Pancoe, Jenkintown Borough Council

Can NO IMPACT make a HUGE IMPACT?

Not sure we want to try this one at home, but it sure is fun to watch!

Finally, the movie and book from Colin Beavan's No Impact Man project are out. Apparently the book and movie are very different from each other and both are worthwhile. The bonus in all of it, to me, is the fact that the family benefited so much from "going acoustic." I'm hoping our local theater, The Hiway Theatre, which picks up a lot of independent films, will be screening this one!

If you haven't checked out Colin's blog, which documents the project, you can find it here.

Tomorrow: Party Like There IS a Tomorrow

GreenFest Philly is tomorrow...

Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, 11am-6pm

2nd & South Streets

Philadelphia, PA

Our friends from Footprint Bamboo Activewear and Greenlight Surfboard Supply will be there.

For more information, look here:

Greenfest

Gimme Five Recycling at Whole Foods

Many folks who live in Jenkintown and nearby are participating in a recycling collective that takes 3-7 plastics and many other items that can't be put in our local buckets to Pottstown for recycling. Many of us were pleased to see this from Whole Foods in J'town: (Apparently they were giving out $5 grocery coupons for participating. Check out the Whole Foods Calendar to participate next time!)

Community Recycling Day

9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Cost: Free

People can't believe it but it's true! You CAN drop off your #1-#7 plastics for recycling at our monthly Community Recycling Day. Our commitment to the environment and to our local community has compelled us to offer you this exciting recycling opportunity. On the second Thursday of each month (until December) simply drive up to our recycling drop point and we'll collect your clean, clearly marked #1-#7 plastics. No Styrofoam, please.

Green Jenkintown - All Are Welcome!

Green Jenkintown (Jenkintown's Environmental Advisory Board) Meetings are the Second Tuesday of Each Month at Borough Hall at 7pm.

This is your chance to get involved!

Hello??? REDUCE is the first R!

I just finished packing up my recycling (numbers 3+ and poly coated papers) for the recycle coop run to North Coventry's Recycling Services Inc. I had a couple of items that are questionable - a number 7 maple syrup containe and two sheets of plastic that were inside turkey bacon packages.

It made me think about "reducing" and how I need to bear it in mind in different meanings while I go about trying to be a greener person. Of course I will REDUCE my impact by looking for syrup in a better container next time. Not sure about a plan for the other plastic yet.

I'm also looking at REDUCTION in other ways. For one, I am missing the old used book store in Jenkintown. Among friends, we do a pretty good job passing books around, but it would be great to have the bookstore back. Makes me think again about the gizmos that allow you to download books and carry them around, but frankly I am loathe to buy another gadget, especially if it involves a power supply. Hmmm... I guess I could use the library...

Frankly, while I'm off and rambling here, I'm in the market for some old phones. Yes, I am picky, they have to look good and work well. Perhaps a vintage princess phone (-; or one of those round orb ones from the seventies. We've all become addicted to cordless phones that let us multi-task. How well are we listening when we're also loading the dishwasher or applying mascara? We could all benefit from slowing down and focusing! Okay, well I could anyway. Most of all though, I want to use phones that don't have a power supply! Hmmm...and perhaps eliminate the answering machine? Hello?!