Welcome to the PS107 Green Committee Webpage.
The Green Committee is a PTA sponsored Parent Involvement Committee. We are committed to helping PS107 operate in a more environmentally conscious manner and to teaching the children about environmental issues. We work closely with the Wellness and Sunshine Garden Committees to promote a greater understanding of the natural environment and how healthy choices benefit our bodies, the school environment and the greater community.
If you would like more information about the Green Committee or have comments/suggestions on how to green our school please email committee chair: Stacey Petruzella staceypetruzella@gmail.com
PS107 Lunches are Now Styrofoam Free
Together with the Wellness Committee and Sunshine Garden Committee, the Green Committee has launched a Living Room Film Series.
March 7th “Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home”
April 11th “Food, INC”
May 11th “Truck Farm: A Wicked Delicate Film and Food Project”
We look forward to continuing with the series next school year and welcome film suggestions.
PS107 Lunches are Now Styrofoam Free
Starting in June 2010 our school cafeteria switched from serving school breakfast and lunch on Styrofoam to compostable sugarcane trays. New York City schools throw away 3.4 million Styrofoam trays each week. PS107 had joined a group of dedicated volunteers working to decrease the environmental impacts of school lunch.
PS107, along with a handful of other NYC public schools, has made the switch to compostable trays. However, we do not yet have a way to compost the trays. Styrofoam earned its bad reputation because it is not biodegradable, but what many people don’t realize is that the manufacturing of Styrofoam pollutes the air and creates large amounts of liquid and solid waste. By foregoing the Styrofoam trays, we help the environment by reducing demand for this polluting product. But, we are very interested in solving the disposal issue, too! For more information please visit the Styrofoam Out of Schools website.
On November 15th, PS107 celebrated National Recycling Day. All students saw a presentation about garbage and recycling by local author and film maker Robert Maass. Grades 3-5 signed postcards to Mayor Bloomberg and Councilman Brad Lander encouraging reinstatement of the NYC Leaf Compost Collection program and removal of Styrofoam trays in city schools.
In August 2010, the green committee added green suggestions to the school supply lists for the upcoming year. The Green Committee asks parents to consider green products as they replenish classroom supplies throughout the year. See below for some of our suggestions.
Hand Sanitizer: Purell, CVS and Rite Aid Instant Hand Sanitizers do not contain triclosan a suspected endocrine disruptor. Studies have shown bacteria may be able to evolve resistance to triclosan in a way that can help them to also resist antibiotics.
Hand Soap: Triclosan-free soaps such as 7th Generation are a good choice as are soaps that are NOT anti-bacterial. Anti-bacterial soaps have been shown to breed resistant bacteria.
Wipes: 7th Generation, Tushies, Rite Aid Premium baby wipes (fragrance free) and Pampers unscented or sensitive baby wipes are good choices, as these contain lower levels of harmful ingredients such as bronopol (2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-DIOL) which can liberate formaldehyde.
Flair Pens: Flair pens should contain water-based ink. Paper Mate (Sanford) Point Guard Flair pens, Paper Mate porous point or felt tip Flair pens, or Liquid Expresso Flair marker pens are good choices.
Dry Erase Markers: “Low odor” markers (Expo 2) are available at most drugstores. Standard dry erase markers (e.g., Expo 1) contain methyl isobutyl ketone, a harmful solvent. Low Odor markers are alcohol based and contain a blend of ethanol, isopropanol and butanol. Based on allowed workplace levels of these solvents, the alcohols in the low-odor markers are generally less toxic than the solvents in standard markers