The War of the 'Do Not Post' Signs in Brooklyn's 'Greenest' Neighborhoods

Everyone knows about the war between tenants and the deliverymen of unwanted advertisements that appear on our entry gates every day. But little do you know, there's another war going on. One being waged by members of the community you'd least expect.

Walking around with Caitlin O'Connell, a local Brooklyn blogger, this Saturday afternoon for just an hour, we spotted half a dozen different 'Do Not Post' signs. Albeit, we were in Park Slope and Fort Greene, which, according to Brooklyn Botanic Garden's recent contest, are two of Brooklyn's 'greenest' neighborhoods. So we expected to find more there than the average Brooklyn neighborhood. However, we didn't expect to find signs from so many different community associations.

There is a war going on, folks. And it's getting messy. All but two of the signs we found were from different local community associations. I talked to a local association member (he wishes to remain unnamed) and according to him, there have even been recent reports of certain members belonging to certain associations actually taking down other association's signs to replace with their own. In a way, and I agree, it's a form of free advertising for an association. But, what about working together. Can't we just agree on a sign and be done with it? We're all after the same cause, right? It's not just about promoting the local organization, is it?

Sadly, yes, I believe it is. We can't remain naive for much longer. Let's face it: they don't care solely about preventing your junk mail pile up, they also care about promoting their community association and increasing membership.

That's why I'm encouraging you to go out and take a stand. Make your own sign. Follow these three simple steps to make an effective 'Do Not Post' sign: 1) Make it red because it helps to reinforce the command 'stop'. 2) Make the text bold and keep it short; 'Do Not Post Unsolicited Advertisements on this Property' is the most concise syntax I can imagine. 3) Laminate it! You don't want your time spent on the beautiful calligraphy to be wasted after the first rain.

Check out the signs we discovered here:

'Do Not Post' Signs

If you decide not to make you're own, you can always download one here. I couldn't help but put our businesses information on there. What? Everyone else was doing it!

Gildan, You're Not Gettin' Me

I received a flier in the mail today offering t-shirts with designs like "Save Our Planet" and "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle". And they were cheap too! Only $7.99 for a Men's shirt. But I'm not falling for it. Yes, I believe in the message on the shirts offered (although I may not necessarily like the design), but the shirts are made by Gildan–you know, the company that makes your high-school jerseys, your college t-shirts and sweatshirts.

Gildan is one of the largest t-shirt companies in the world, grossing over $300 million last year. Nowhere on their site or in any of their corporate literature do they mention anything about their commitment to the environment, let alone do they use organic cotton or any other form of sustainable practices in their manufacturing or distribution processes. This is the one of the most egregious and blatant acts of greenwashing I could imagine: wear the message on the shirt while the shirt itself doesn't align with the message.

What's more, Gildan claims to be sponsoring "America Recycles Day". Um, shouldn't we be recycling everyday? And when did this become an official "Day"? I guess if a company as large as Gildan backs it, it's official. Hey, Gildan, do you recycle? Where do you put you're toxic chemicals used to bleach your shirts? How about the excess cotton? Are you recycling today?

Oh, and while they were at it, they sent the flier out on non-recycled, bleached, non-FSC certified paper. Way to top it off. Hypocrites.

The most important thing we can do is make the choice to purchase organic cotton. Find out where to do that in Brooklyn here. Find out more about organic cotton here. Share you're anger below by making a comment.

Eco-DenT in YouR FacE

I floss regularly and–I'm not kidding–I've had the same roll of Eco-DenT Dental floss for over a year. It's insane. Albeit, I did pay twice the price of a regular roll of dental floss such as Crest's Glide. However, it's well worth the extra initial cost if it's going to last so much longer. It's the same principal as investing in CFL lightbulbs: pay more upfront, save more in the long run. Learn more about Eco-DenT and find out where to buy it here.

On another note, does anyone know why they capitalize the "T" in "DenT"? From a design perspective, I assume it's to achieve symmetry in the logo, but I'm probably wrong about that. Free Eco-DenT to the person who comes up with the best answer!

(Yes, that's Tom's Of Main and Aveda shampoo, but that's another post.)

We're Hiring!

We're looking for a salesperson with knowledge of sustainability. Check out the post on Craigslist.org for more details.

Verizon Co-Sponsoring Rally with Eco-Villain Coal Company?

To read more about Verizon's involvement in the upcoming "Friends of America" rally, click here.

Towel Reuse Program Spun as Part of Hotel Environmental Initiative

While staying at the Betsy last week as part of a belated birthday gift, I noticed the hotel's ambitious environmental initiative. Most of the items on the list included basic methods of conservation and reuse like the Towel Reuse Program which encouraged guests to reuse towels by hanging them up instead of throwing them on the floor (which would signal to the Guestroom Attendant to wash them). The most effective item on the list was a new climate control system, which determined–through motion sensors–if a room was occupied, thereby determining if a room needed heating or cooling. Heating and cooling a room consumes more energy than any other activity. So this is one of the best solutions because guests are almost always given the privilege of controlling the temperature and they almost never think about turning the heat or air conditioner off when leaving a room. Other items include: cloth laundry bags (instead of plastic), organic non-toxic cleaning products and Low-E window panes. 

Make the Connection for a Greener Planet

The subhead in the photograph of the MTA ad, "your city, your subway..." reminded me of a few things as I waited on the tracks this evening after a long GMAT study session. Firstly, it brings to mind a 1970's New Yorker cartoon that illustrates the connection between "throwing away a newspaper" and "throwing away the Earth". Secondly, it's similar to the quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, "let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean." Lastly, and conclusively, it emphasizes the type of thinking necessary to achieve the level of consciousness needed to solve many of the environmental problems that exist. We live a world where the connections that make up the systems of our society are hidden; i.e., it's not obvious how the trash we throw away in our subway station affects the broader scope of the NYC's environment, nor is it obvious how the food we consume affects the Earth's fresh water supply.