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May 2024
Saturday, May 11th, 12:00 pm ET • Dorm Dumpster Dive
Our annual Dorm Dive is back!
Join us to salvage a fraction of the usable and valuable items that are thrown out by NYU students at the end of the school year. This is the one event in the year where we’ll work with huge, high dumpsters. If you’re able-and-inclined, be prepared to climb in-and-out of dumpsters and possibly to lift and move heavy, awkward stuff (there’s plenty of work to do outside the dumpsters so don’t worry if climbing around in dumpsters is not your thing). Unlike other dives, this will not be a tour, as we tend to stay around one place.
What to wear: sturdy shoes, clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Consider bringing a pair of work or garden gloves.
What to bring: bags, wheeled carts, and other containers to tote your newfound stuff; packing tape, bungee cords; hand sanitizer; info on other dorm move out dates/locations.
Media are welcome by appointment.
Meet at 12:00pm ET at the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and 14th Street.
If you have trouble finding us, call or text Janet at (347) 724-6954.
Help make freeganism happen in NYC! At our organizational meetings we discuss and decide on future activities and group direction. Participants are encouraged to step up and introduce new freegan projects with the support of the group, or take roles such as facilitating meetings or bottom-lining events. We welcome both those with experience taking part in non-hierarchical consensus-based groups and those participating for the first time.
At 9pm we will have a brief, newcomer-friendly discussion about freeganism before exploring the area’s wasted food and other goods. We give advice on how to salvage these goods, and comment on the reasons for such waste.
Consider bringing some of the food you find to the Freegan Feast the next day, to share for the collective dinner we will be making.
When & Where: For the meeting, come at 7:30pm to the the eating area in the Whole Foods at 808 Columbus Ave (at 97th St).
For the Freeganism 101 and Trash Tour, meet us at 9pm in the same location.
If you have trouble finding us, call or text Janet at (347) 724-6954.
Attendees are encouraged to participate in Thursday’s trash tour to help rescue food to use for this Freegan Feast.
A FREE vegetarian, mostly vegan, community meal we make together with love, using the food the group rescued on the Trash Tour the night before. We’ll meet new people, reconnect with old friends, tell stories and jokes, and generally unplug from the current pent-up world.
Please note that while freegans encompass a diversity of diets, our feasts are vegetarian (and mostly vegan).
Arrive at 5:30 pm to begin cooking and preparation indoors. Plan on lending a hand in some way even if other commitments prevent you from arriving on time.
Media WILL be welcome by appointment only, but journalists will be required to respect the wishes of those who do not want to be photographed.
The location is a volunteer’s home in the Bronx in Wakefield, and is accessible by the 2 train, plus a walk or 31 bus.
The home is not pet free (dogs and a cat), but is smoke free. It is not wheelchair accessible. Reach out if you have concerns and want more info.
RSVP for yourself and any guests (at least one day ahead) to Janet at (347) 724-6954 for the location.
Join us for an online screening of Vegucated, with a discussion to follow.
Vegucated is an American documentary that follows three meat-and-cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. In the film, director Marisa Miller Wolfson explores the challenges, resistances, and benefits of converting to a vegan diet.
The film also features Joel Fuhrman, T. Colin Campbell, Howard Lyman, Stephen R. Kaufman, and Kneel Cohn. 1h 16min; 2011.
The screening will take place on Zoom. We welcome those interested in attending! Kindly call (347) 724-6954 at least 1 day ahead of time for more information.
Help make freeganism happen in NYC!
At our organizational meetings we discuss and decide on future activities and group direction. Participants are encouraged to step up and introduce new freegan projects with the support of the group, or take roles such as facilitating meetings. We welcome both those with experience taking part in non-hierarchical, consensus-based groups and those participating for the first time.
We welcome those interested in attending the Zoom meeting, but kindly call (347) 724-6954 at least 1 day ahead of time for information.
Ongoing Sustainable and Mutual Aid Events (updated April 2024)
Weekly Bike Repair Workshops by Times Up
OUTDOOR BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOPS:
La Plaza Cultural Community Garden, SW corner of 9th St & Ave C
First and third Saturday of the month, 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
Come and learn how to fix your bike, and do simple maintenance and tune-ups, at the bike repair classes.
FIX YOUR OWN BIKE WORKSHOPS (note new location!):
626 E 14th Street, Manhattan
Sundays & Wednesdays: 4:30 – 8:00 pm ET
Open shop — you use our tools and stands to work on your bike.
Experienced mechanics will be present to answer questions, but you do the work. Bike workshops are free, but we strongly encourage you to make a donation or become a Time’s Up member to help support our efforts. If you have a big project in mind, please be considerate of the time and plan ahead.
INFO: times-up.org
EMAIL: xupbicyclecoop@gmail.com
Food Not Bombs
Long Island Food Not Bombs currently shares free groceries and hot meals every Saturday at 3:00 pm ET just outside Von King/Tompkins Park (NW corner of Lafayette Ave. & Marcy Ave.) as part of its Bed-Stuy Food Share. Volunteers welcome!
INFO: communitysolidarity.org
EMAIL: info@communitysolidarity.org
Food Not Bombs in Manhattan offers a vegetarian meal share (using donated food that would otherwise be wasted) Sundays at 4:30 pm ET in Tompkins Square Park (7th St & Ave. A)
Contact them if you’re interested in helping to cook and prepare food. The most up-to-date info, including specific item needs for aiding migrants, is on their facebook page: facebook.com/lowermanhattanfoodnotbombs
Wild Food Tours
“Wildman” Steve Brill holds frequent tours where you can learn to find and harvest wild growing plants for food and medicine.
Suggested donation is $20 ($10 for children under 12), sliding scale. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds.
Tours for April in the NYC area are:
4/13: Prospect Park, Brooklyn – Grand Army Plaza Entrance, 11am
4/20: Forest Park, Kew Gardens, Queens – Forest Park Dr. & Park Lane, 11am
4/21: Central Park, Manhattan – 5th Ave. and E. 103rd St, 9am
4/27: Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan – 4746 Broadway at Dykeman, 11am
4/28: Prospect Park, Brooklyn – Grand Army Plaza Entrance, 11am
See more details and register at wildmanstevebrill.com
Free Sailing School
Learn to sail for free, and build community, with the FreeSailingSchool.org — founded and operated with freegan principles.
For more information, see The Free Sailing School on Meetup: https://https://www.meetup.com/nycfss
Community Swaps by GrowNYC
GrowNYC has ongoing Stop’N’Swap community events. Bring clean, reusable, portable items such as clothing, housewares, games, books, and toys that you no longer need, and take home something new-to-you, free! You don’t have to bring something to take something.
No furniture or large items, please.
Upcoming swaps for April:
4/6: BronxWorks Community Center, Melrose, The Bronx; 286 E. 156th St; 11-2pm
4/13: Madison Square Park, Manhattan; enter at 25th and 5th; 12-3pm
4/21: Prospect Park, Brooklyn; Park Circle, Prospect Park Southwest; 11-2pm
4/27: Castle Hill Boys and Girls Club, Bronx; 625 Castle Hill Ave; 12-3pm
Check www.grownyc.org/swap for details!
Composting
Curbside composting is now available in many areas of New York City – find out more here:
www.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/food-scraps-and-yard-waste-page/composting-residents-organics
Lower East Side Ecology Center has closed many of their compost collection sites since the start of curbside composting, so check the list on their website before you head out!
Union Square Park greenmarket: M, W, F, Sa, 8am-5pm ET
Tompkins Square greenmarket: Sundays 8am-5pm ET
Clinton & Grand: Mondays 9am-4pm ET
East Broadway & Rutgers: Wednesdays 9am-2pm ET
INFO: lesecologycenter.org/compost
Grow NYC also has many composting sites.
See their up-to-date list here: www.grownyc.org/compost
City-wide list of composting resources
There is a great resource here:
www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/food-scrap-drop-off.page
to find places city-wide to bring your food scraps.
East New York Compost Project
They have resumed public food scrap collection:
Drop off at the East New York Youth Farm, 24/7
620 Schenck Ave. Brooklyn, NY
See more info here: https://ucceny.org/enyf/compost
Textile Recycling
Green Tree Textiles has textile-recycling-collection at a few Greenmarkets, AND they accept fabric and textile scraps along with intact, usable pieces!
Check their site for farmers’ market locations still operating in the winter, and also for a list of drop-box locations: www.greentreetextiles.org
Wearable Collections
While we are still disappointed that they do not accept fabric scraps and rags, they do have a number of year-round Greenmarket collection sites for re-usable, intact clothing:
MANHATTAN
Tompkins Sq Park, Sunday 9am-1pm ET
Columbia University Greenmarket, Sunday 9am-12pm ET
77th/79th Street Greenmarket, Sunday 9am-12:30pm ET
BROOKLYN
McCarren Park Greenmarket, Saturday 8:30am-1pm
Ft Greene Park Greenmarket, Saturday 8am-1:30pm ET
Grand Army Plaza, Saturday 8am-2pm
Carroll Gardens Greenmarket, Sunday 8am-1:30pm
QUEENS
Sunnyside Greenmarket, Saturday, 8am-12:30pm ET
www.wearablecollections.com/greenmarket
Electronics Recycling
The Lower East Side Ecology Center e-waste collection events for April:
Except where noted, all events are 10am-2pm, rain or shine.
04/06/24 —Sunset Park (6th Avenue btwn 44th & 45th Sts)
04/07/24 —Flatbush (Flatbush Food Co-op)
04/10/24 — Flatiron (Flatiron South Plaza)
04/13/24 —South Jamaica (Jamaica Playground)
04/14/24 —Financial District (Fulton Street b/w Ryders Alley & Cliff St)
04/14/24 — Lower East Side (Tompkins Square Park)
04/20/24 —Maspeth (Maspeth Federal Saving Bank) **12pm-4pm**
04/21/24 —Upper West Side (Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan)
04/27/24— Bayridge (St. Anselm Church)
04/28/24— Park Slope (John Jay Educational Campus)
Please refer to their website for more info:www.lesecologycenter.org/e-waste/#collection-events
Also, while not ideal, NYC has a list of mostly corporate e-waste collection sites: www.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/electronics/electronics-drop-off-locations
Fixers Collective
The Fixers Collective is a social experiment in improvisational fixing and aggressive asset recovery. They host monthly repair clinics at Hack Manhattan, and occasional events elsewhere. Events are usually on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, at Hack Manhattan, 34 W 37th St. between 5th and 6th Aves. (Note that the space is up a flight of stairs.)
There is a suggested $5 donation, but no one is turned away.
Check for details, and let them know what you’re bringing in for repair, on their facebook page: www.facebook.com/fixerscollective
Hack Manhattan
Hack Manhattan is a non-profit, all-volunteer hackerspace in New York City. The space is a place for people to come together and socialize, work on projects, and share knowledge. They welcome anyone interested in art, craft, and technology – whether you’re interested in electronics or gardening, textiles or 3D printing, They invite you to come, work, and be part of the community.
While they do encourage people to become paying members of the space, they host regular Project Nights/Open Houses on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7pm to 9:15pm at Hack Manhattan, 34 W 37th St. btween 5th and 6th Aves. (Please note that the space is up a flight of stairs.)
See more info here: hackmanhattan.com
DEAR FRIENDS: KEEP FREEGAN.INFO ONLINE!
If you like this website, or come to our events, consider helping keep freegan.info afloat.
We’re still trying to keep up with our basic expenses by raising a few funds here: www.gofundme.com/f/help-keep-freeganinfo-online
We operate on a nearly zero budget, we’re all volunteers, we only use spaces we can access for free, and we certainly don’t buy anything for our events – but… our web tools cost us money.
We provide events for hundreds of people each year (and have been since 2005!!) and salvage thousands of pounds of food and other goods each year.
Can you help us stay online?