Vibe shift. The days are longer, the sun is warmer, blossoms are emerging and April is Earth Month! PS 107 Green Committee is honoring the planet with activities focused on education, activism, and action that involve students, parents/caregivers and teachers. 

• Bulletin board and announcements: Did you hear one of our student sustainability tips over the PA during announcements on Family Friday? We’re also updating the bulletin near the lunch room with a focus on the 5R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.
• Trash Walk Challenge:  Classes will be taking walks to the park through May 15th, collecting the litter, and keeping things clean.  The Green Committee has provided washable gloves and tongs.  You can drop off good-condition paper (or plastic) bags for them to use in the front lobby.  The class that goes the most wins a pizza party!
• Recycling for $$$: A big money-making, earth-loving Green Committee initiative this month  is collecting select items to be sent to TerraCycle, a program that recycles hard-to-recycle packaging and other items. Schools can earn $50 for every 5 packages received, plus roughly $1 for every pound.  We urge families to gather the below items (at home) and bring them to school on April 26, 27 and 28 (details below).  
• Riverkeeper Sweep Day of Service:  Join the PS 107 Community by taking part in the 12th Annual Riverkeeper Sweep day of service for the Hudson River and its tributaries by hosting a beach clean-up at Valentino Pier Park, Red Hook.  (May 6th, 2023, 10-12pm; Valentino Pier, Brooklyn; How to register: go to riverkeeper.org/sweep, select "Choose your Location”, and scroll to and select: "Valentino Pier, Brooklyn"). Reach out to Joanna Lumbang Dowding (joannalumbang@yahoo.com) or Laura Gibson-Rimer (bella.gibson@gmail.com) with any questions. River Sweep 2023 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmyRS80Vx7I

Thanks for keeping this program top of mind and stay tuned for more Earth Month activities. After Spring break, we’ll be launching a letter writing campaign to our legislatures as well as sharing details about community clean up opportunities. 

Thank you!

Green Committee

*special thanks to 107 teacher Ms. Amber for leading the TrashWalk initiative and other activities, Spring Hofeldt for the recycling initiative, and Brooke Newbold for this newsletter!

Details on Recycling for $$$

A big money-making, earth-loving Green Committee initiative this month  is collecting select items to be sent to TerraCycle, a program that recycles hard-to-recycle packaging and other items. Schools can earn $50 for every 5 packages received, plus roughly $1 for every pound.  We urge families to gather the below items and bring them to school on April 26, 27 and 28 (See details below).  Feel free to get family, friends & neighbors involved! The more we collect, the more we earn – not to mention it keeps garbage out of our landfills and oceans!

Questions? See below for specifics, or reach out to Spring Hofeldt.

*Note: All items must be emptied/well-rinsed/clean. NOTHING DRIPPING! NO AEROSOLS!

BEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE:

1. ALL BRANDS - Mouthwash bottles & caps, toothbrushes, deodorant containers & caps, bar soap packaging, floss containers, and toothpaste tubes and caps.
2. Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences hair care packaging
3. Burt's Bees personal care, lip care, and beauty care packaging
4. eos - Lip, lotion, and shave cream packaging
5. ALL BRANDS - Electric hair tools & appliances: hairdryers, curling/straightening irons (working or not)

HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES:

1. Tide, Gain, Downy, Bounce, NBD. & Dreft fabric care packaging
2. Arm & Hammer and OxiClean plastic zip pouches (not bottles/jugs)

FOOD:

1. ALL BRANDS squeezable snack plastic pouches and caps. (caps screwed on tight, please)
2. Dunkin’® flexible coffee bags