new york to ban bottled water

good news for every new yorker who has had “greenis envy” towards places like san francisco, japan and canada:

governor david a paterson has announced plans to ban the purchase of bottled water by state-owned agencies.

this makes so much sense since new york tap water is considered the “champagne of all waters” and has been said to taste on par with, if not better than, bottled water.

state agencies will be expected to phase out their consumption of bottled water over the next six months.

governor paterson said the move would save the state money as well as having obvious environmental benefits.

the move will make New York the second state, after Illinois, to scrap the use of bottled water.

parisians love sharing bikes with the velib bike system: would this work in new york?

parisians are known for their ability to make anything look fashionable, so when i saw several chic locals riding around on identical retro-lookin’ bicycles, i figured it was the newest trend.

but, as usual, i was only partially correct. the pearly tan bikes are part of paris’s velib bike sharing system which was debuted back in 2007 as part of the mayor’s plan to reduce car traffic by 40% by 2020.

so how does it work?

sustainable nyc: the new one stop shop for the new york ecosumer

new york city econnoisseurs rejoice! sustainable nyc, the lower east side’s new eco-store is open for business. not only does the store boast a colorful array of some of the coolest and best-designed sustainable products, check out the features that make the storefront itself eco-friendly:

1. built from 300 year-old reclaimed lumber from NYC buildings.

2. the furniture fixtures are recycled and for sale.

3. the wallpaper and paint are eco-friendly.

4. the store is powered by alternative energy.

5. even the sign outside is solar powered!

some of swyyne’s picks for what to buy at sustainable nyc:

preserve razors made from plastics (like yogurt cups) that usually can’t be recycled in new york. you can even send these back to be recycled again in a pre-paid envelope that the company supplies once you’re done using them!

natracare organic tampons that are made from cotton not treated with pesticides, because if there is any place that you don’t want pesticide residue, it’s there.

ingenious g diapers flushable diaper refills address the environment and take care of that funky smell in your house.

chicobags in all different colors are durable and easy to carry around with you everyday.
sustainable nyc is located on Avenue A between 9th and 10th streets:

From Screen Captures

c.l.a.s.s. is in session

c.l.a.s.s., new york’s first luxury eco-materials showroom, celebrates its opening tonight by hosting an event that promises to be inspiring and educational.

the event will reflect all three of the aspects of design that c.l.a.s.s. evokes in its name, creativity, lifestyle and sustainable synergy, and will present the latest in eco-materials as well as a round-table discussion moderated by barbara kramer, co-founder of designers & agents, focused on the following questions:

what is the current state of sustainable fashion?
how has the current economic downturn affected designers, retailers and consumer spending?
how do we create pathways toward change?

attendees will get the scoop on how the most knowledgeable professionals in the eco-materials realm feel about the future of sustainable fashion. there will also be eco-friendly treats courtesy of silkstone bespoke events and a fun giftbag for all those who attend!

eco-fashion guru bahar shahpar, who is also the creative director of the c.l.a.s.s. new york showroom, will be on the panel as well!

the c.l.a.s.s. new york showroom is located at 286 spring street, second floor. for appointments and inquiries call 212.206.8319 or email newyork@c-l-a-s-s.org.

illy push button house at the new york food & wine fest

it’s finally here! like something out of a futurama episode, the illy push button house morphs with the push of a button from a standard industrial shipping container into a five-room home, complete with a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, living room and library. you can also sample complimentary coffee and sweet treats, prepare the perfect espresso using illy’s innovative new iperEspresso system, view dance and performance art or take a stand on the illy speakerbox.

illy has really been pushing the envelope with its eco-friendly mission and sustainability awareness projects. i will definitly think about that next time i shop for coffee because i don’t want to simply buy products, i want to buy a little bit of future.

NEW YORK CITY MEATPACKING DISTRICT
LITTLE WEST 12 AND 9TH AVENUE

October 10, 10AM – 11PM
October 11, 10AM – 11PM
October 12, 10AM – 7PM

thanks for the pics, www.mocoloco.com!

does this city make me look fat?

as an urban piggy, it’s nice to see that our city (nyc) is so serious about helping us cut back on our calories. not only is the city’s dept. of mental health and hygiene requiring chain restaurants and fast food spots to prominently display calorie counts on those beckoning, backlit menuboards, they’ve gone a step further and have now launched a three-month subway ad campaign designed to remind us to moderate our intake. the ads, which feature calorie counts for favorites like huge apple bran muffins and chicken burritos, are in about 20% of city subway cars.

but wait, is it me, or is our city the least in need of such measures? overall, i think we’re a pretty skinny bunch, no?

apparently, we’re not even on the cnnmoney.com’s top 25 skinniest places to live list! the winner of that race is marin county, ca. i also clicked on most singles to no avail, although a shoutout to hoboken, nj is in order, youngest which we’re not on either, but congratulations for nabbing 25th place manhattan, ks, and hottest (don’t be fooled).

i’m just afraid that the ads will make me crave a burrito rather than worry about how many calories it is. anyone want to bet whether or not burrito and apple bran muffin sales go up this month?

why is this a site?

swyyne has always been an experiment for me. with all of the other super eco sites out there, i've been feeling like i want to contribute something just a bit different. so for now, here are my random musings.