Tuesday, March 18

Today is the last day of my month living with a low carbon footprint in New York City. Tomorrow I leave on a vacation with my family but before I go I wanted to summarize some of the highlights of my experiences during the past month...

1. The Farmer's Markets in Union Square
I would not have been able to survive my ISP without the hardwork of the farmer's who sell their crops at the market. I have met the most caring and dedicated individuals in Union Square. These men and women tirelessly shlep into the city in rain, snow, and sleet to provide local food for the community. Without their efforts I can honestly say I would not have been able to continue my ISP.

2. The Freegan's Trash Tour
On Friday night I went on a trash tour with two of my peers. We were familiar with the practices of the freegans since two of us are members of their email list. Going on a trash tour was something that we have talked about for months but finally found both the time and the guts to go. It was an incredible experience to say the least, I wish that every New Yorker would join these individuals just once to see the amount of food waste generated in just one day. We met up on 14th Street and 8th Avenue in a large group (around 25 people), we were a mixture of students, twenty-somethings, fifty-somethings, novice divers, experienced freegans, and three private school girls. We did just what you would expect we went dumpster diving, touring the various supermarkets and bakeries in this neighborhood. We gently opened their trash and found a cornucopia of edible garbage.

3. My Walks To School/ Public Transportation
I am grateful to live in a city with a widespread and dependable public transportation system. Even though our transportation system is not only dependable but also "green", I have spent the majority of my commutes walking. These walks have become the highlight of my day.

Thank you to everyone who has helped me make the last four weeks a success!
I'll post some more post-vacation!

xoxo Green Teen