The 2016 Pride and Joy Families Weekend Conference will bring together diverse families and individuals for a weekend of relaxing, learning and sharing. The 3-day event will be held March 18-20 at the Holiday Inn-Downtown Binghamton, NY.
Vince Sgambati, Syracuse-based writer, retired teacher and gay dad, will present the keynote address on, "LGBTQ Families In Transition."
Adult workshops will be held on legal issues, schools, adoption and foster care, kids with special needs, transgender experience, LGBT mental health, gay dads, talking to teens about sex, and navigating change. Childcare and Camp Highlight programs will be provided for children three years and older. A teen panel will give youth with LGBTQ parents a chance to speak out. Inter-generational activities, a Family Dance Party! and a Resource/Vendor Fair will also be provided.
A Pre-Conference Professional Training Day, "Providing Welcoming and Affirming Care for Transgender People," will be offered Friday, March 18th.
These programs are cosponsored by the Lesbian and Gay Family Building Project, Binghamton University Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, Camp Highlight, Family Equality Council, Gay Parent Magazine and others.
The Weekend Conference is intended to meet the needs of families with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer adult members. Families with and without children are welcome. Allies and single LGBTQ adults are welcome. Extended family members are also welcome-grandparents, aunts, and uncles will all have a wonderful time!
Register by Friday, Feb. 19. Early bird Jan. 31. Ample scholarship funds available. For more information, go to www.prideandjoyfamilies.org or Facebook at LGBTFamCon.
A lot of us have good intentions. When we’re provided the option to recycle, we toss what we think of as recyclable trash into the appropriate bin, and assume our job is over: Our waste will be recycled, and we’ve done our part. But, as we are about to learn, this isn’t always true. All plastic is not created equal. Some plastic, like the durable #1 PET (also called PETE, and when recycled, rPET), is inherently reusable—it can be melted down and reused again and again without loss of function. And other types of plastics not as easily recycled wind up in land?lls.
View the following information on a great infographic here: https://magazine.good.is/infographics/what-happens-after-the-bin#open
Recycling Is a 5-Step Process
1. Collection
Recycling facilities gather available recyclable plastic materials in their area, from roadside collections, special recycling bins, or even directly from industries.
3. Chipping
After sorting, the sorted plastic products are chopped for melting.
5. Pelleting
The cleaned and chipped pieces of plastic are then melted down into pellets. These pellets are then sold to manufacturers who melt them down and use the material to make new products.
2. Manual Sorting
All plastic items that are collected are then sorted according to the various plastic types.
4. Washing
A particular wash solution consisting of an alkaline, cationic detergent, and water is used to effectively get rid of all the contaminants on the plastic material, stripping adhesives and shredding labels.
Below, follow along with our conveyor belt of facts to find out what happens to the types of plastic after the bin, and how you can become a more conscious consumer.
PET/PETE(Polyethylene Terephthalate)
PET is one of the most commonly used plastics in single-use products. Does NOT contain BPAs.
COMMON USES
Single serve soda/water bottles, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars, food storage.containers
In 2012, total U.S. bottled water consumption increased to 9.67 billion gallons, up from 9.1 billion gallons in 2011.
31%
of PET was recycled in 2014, or 1,812 million pounds.
2.9 Million TonsRecycledThrown Away
Around 899 thousand tons of PET plastic bottles were recycled nationwide in 2013. 2 million tons was thrown away.
91.6%
less energy is needed to make rPET resin than virgin (or entirely new) resin.
The energy saved by recycling one plastic bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes.
Action Item!
Vote with your wallet! Select items made PET and purchase products made of post-consumer recycled content.
A container's recyclability is determined by 3 things:
What resin it is made from (the numbered triangle on the bottom of the container tells you this)
The shape of the container
And more importantly, the market demand for that plastic
HDPE(High Density Polyethylene)
It's one of the most commonly recycled plastics. Does NOT contain BPAs.
COMMON USES
Detergent bottles, yogurt tubs, milk jugs, bottle caps, hard hats.
The amount of HDPE used in bottles and containers has tripled since 1980.
16%
Approximately 16% ?of HDPE is recycled yearly.
Up to 40% less fuel is used to transport drinks in HDPE bottles compared to glass bottles.
1 TON
Every ton of plastic HDPE milk bottles recycled saves 1 ton of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.
PVC(Polyvinyl Chloride)
PVC is a soft, flexible pastic.
COMMON USES
Plastic pipes, children and pets toys, teething rings, clear food wrapping, cooking oil bottles.
Almost all products using PVC require virgin material (new, not recycled) for their construction.
< 1%
Less than 1% of PVC material is recycled but its products can be reused.
100 years
Has a very long usable life—up to 100 years for a PVC pipe.
PVC pipes cost less—1/3 to 1/2 as much as copper or lead pipes.
Give PVC-based toys a second life by donating them to secondhand stores, shelters, or other parents.
LDPE(Low Density Polyethylene)
LDPE is resistant to impact, moisture, and chemicals. Does NOT contain BPAs.
COMMON USES
Plastic grocery bags, shrink wraps, dry cleaner garment bags, some clothing.
0.83%
of total plastics in the U.S. are made with LDPE.
While LDPE is recyclable, most curbside recycling programs, where we do most of our recycling, don't accept it. That’s because there are few facilities nationwide that see enough of a profit to recycle it.
13.8%
of LDPE is recycled in the U.S. annually.
The most common way to recycle this plastic is at grocery stores with prominent bins, or to reuse it.
LDPE has a second life after recycling as shipping envelopes, garbage can liners, floor tile, paneling, furniture, compost bins, trash cans, landscape timber, and outdoor lumber.
Action Item!
Contact your local solid waste authority or recycling center to see if it accepts number 4 LDPE plastic in your curbside recycling program, or your local landfill, and then save up a load.
California holds 12% of US population, but 25% of all US goods are recycled in California.
PP(Polypropylene)
Polypropylene plastic is tough and lightweight, and has excellent heat-resistant qualities. It serves as a barrier against moisture, grease, and chemicals.
COMMON USES
Straws, disposable diapers, potato chip bags, packing tape, rope.
Polypropylene is recyclable through some curbside recycling programs.
2.1%
2.1% of PP is recycled annually.
Whole Foods Markets works with a company called Preserve to recycle #5 through their "Gimme 5" program. You can mail in directly to Preserve, or drop off at any Whole Foods location in the appropriate bin.
Action Item!
Contact your local solid waste authority or recycling center to see if it accepts number 4 LDPE plastic in your curbside recycling program, or your local landfill, and then save up a load.
PS(Polystyrene, aka "Styrofoam®")
Polystyrene, which goes by the brand name "Styrofoam®," is used to make packaging peanuts, cups, plastic tableware, meat trays, to-go "clam shell" containers, egg cartons, plastic picnic cutlery, and foam packaging. Polystyrene is also widely used to make rigid foam insulation and underlay sheeting for laminate flooring used in home construction.
35%
It is not recyclable and accounts for about 35% of U.S. landfill material. Best to avoid purchasing it, or reuse when you can.
Polystyrene is structurally weak, it breaks up easily, is so lightweight that it can fly out of recycle bins and back into the environment as litter, and is highly flammable.
Expanded polystyrene gets dirty easily and most recycling centers can't deep clean.
Other / PC(Polycarbonate)
The #7 category is a catch-all for polycarbonate (PC) and "other" plastics, so reuse and recycling protocols are not standardized within this category. Some #7 plastics can leach chemicals into food or drink products due to BPAs or Bisphenol A, an endocrine disruptor.
#7 plastics are not for reuse, unless they have the PLA compostable coding.
PLA, or "polylactic acid", is a new generation of compostable plastics, made from bio-based polymers like corn starch. Look for the initials "PLA" on the bottom near the recycling symbol or "compostable."
It takes 450 years for plastic to begin decomposing in a land?ll and then up to an other 80 for it to disappear completely. Recycling keeps it out of land?lls, and thus extends the life of the plastic.
You, the consumer, have more power than you realize.
You vote with your dollar. Buy products that can easily be recycled, especially those with post-consumer content. Participate in creek and waterway clean-ups. Spread the word to your friends about the different types of plastics. If there aren't great container deposit laws in your state, reach out to your legislators to change that.
At the end of the day, recycle and reuse as much as you can—and try to buy products made of recycled materials and plastics that will have an infinite lifecycle.
SOURCES
bottledwater.org
epa.gov
container-recycling.org
recyclingfactsguide.com
waste360.com
bottle2bottle.com
reuseit.com
americanchemistry.com
eartheasy.com
smithsonianmag.com
Best of Show: "Courthouse Detail" by Kirk Van Zandbergen
5th BOB JOHNSTON MEMORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW AND COMPETITION
SPONSORED BY Cooperative Gallery 213 and the Two Rivers Photography Club
January 1 – 23rd, 2016
The Cooperative Gallery 213 and the Two Rivers Photography Club are sponsoring the 5th Bob Johnston Photography Show and Competition January 1-23rd, 2016. “We are looking forward to the best photography this area has to offer,” according to Peg Johnston, Cooperative Gallery president and daughter of the late Bob Johnston. It is an open themed Photography Show and Competition and all photographic media and all photographers are eligible to enter. Photographs will again be judged by J. W. Johnston (no relation), a local professional photographer.
A reception for the photographers, friends, and the public will take place New Year's Day at the Gorgeous Washington Association Art Walk from 6-9, with gallery hours starting at 3 pm that day. The Exhibit will be open Fridays 3-6 pm, Saturdays 12-4 pm and by appointment until January 23rd. Prizes and cash awards for the winners will be presented at First Friday, January 1st at 6:30 pm at a reception for the artists.
The winners are as follows: Best of Show-- “Courthouse Detail” by Kirk Van Zandbergen; Judge’s Choice in Black and White—“Phaseolus coccineus (Scarlet Runner Bean)” and "Asclepius tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)" both by Susan C. Larkin; Judge’s Choice in Color—“Arboreal Spirit I” and “Arboreal Spirit II” both by David LoParco. Ten Honorable Mention awards will be awarded to (in alphabetical order): “Dew of the Morn” by William Bay; “The Silhouette Maker” by Barry Biddle; “Colors of Darkness” and “Indiglow” by Jessica Fridrich; “Urban Construction” by Bill Gorman; “Creepy Crawler” by Dan Harendza; “No Corner for the Devil” and “Fall Oak” by Sandra Kirker; “Selfie” by Peter Kofira Jr; “JD2040” by Lesli Van Zandbergen
The Competition is named for Bob Johnston, a lifelong photographer and a gallery member who died in 2010. “Bob Johnston was an ‘Ansell Adams’ kind of photographer who worked mostly in black and white film and favored both urban and natural landscapes,” said Bill Gorman, also a photographer and member of the Cooperative Gallery. Bob Johnston defined a good photo this way: “For me, the successful photograph is one in which both the abstract elements and the subject matter of the image reinforce each other to provide an emotional experience for the viewer.”
The Cooperative Gallery, a popular stop on the First Friday Art Walk, located at 213 State Street in Binghamton, is open on Frist Friday 3- 9 pm and regularly Fridays from 3-6 and Saturdays from 12- 4 pm. Find us on Facebook at Cooperative Gallery 213 and sign up for our weekly e-newsletter on our website at www.cooperativegallery.com or on our Facebook page.
The presents are unwrapped and another Christmas has come and gone. We hope you had a wonderful holiday filled with friends, food and cheer. There is so much anticipation and preparation with the approach of Christmas, sometimes we feel a bit of a letdown afterwards, but don’t fear for we have the answer. That’s right, put on your coats and gloves (although with this wonderful mild weather, maybe you only need a sweatshirt) and come on out for our biggest yet First Knight event starting 6:00 pm on December 31st. Judith Gross from Equinox Broadcasting, one of our major sponsors will be live here in the Village encouraging visitors to head to this celebration. So come on out to the Village of Windsor and park at the High School. The shuttle buses sponsored by Leonard Bus Sales will be there to pick you up within a few minutes and take you to one of our many fun-filled venues. These buses will be making continuous loops around the venues and back to the high school all evening until 12:30 am. If you didn’t get a chance to check our website www.firstknight.org in advance, which we strongly advise, so you can plan your evening to get the most out of the different offerings, don’t worry there are booklets ready and waiting on the buses or at every venue.
If you haven’t eaten dinner, there are many choices such as Chicken and Biscuit dinners, chili, hotdogs, soup and sandwiches, spiedies, sausage and peppers, salt potatoes – are you hungry yet? Between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm, you can make 2016 spectacles, decorate a hat or have your face painted, but if you want to march in the parade (weather permitting) with or without one of our life-size puppets, you better hurry over to the First Niagara Bank parking lot and meet us at the rear of the U-Haul provided by Williams Energy to get your puppet ready to march at 7 pm. First Niagara and Williams are two more of our wonderful sponsors. Sickmon’s Gentle Giants, a pair of beautiful Belgian draft horses pulling a carriage carrying our First Knight Executive Committee will be leading the parade and will be available afterwards to take you on an enjoyable ride around the Village, a treat you won’t want to miss. Watch for the Grinch in his special motorized car and see if you recognize Father Time. The Grinch will be available later at Zion Church for photo opportunities so bring your camera.
When the parade is finished, all of our 13 venues will be open with snacks, music, history, crafts, games, and special programs for your enjoyment. Too many to mention every activity, but you can see a magic, marionette, ventriloquist or juggler perform. You can visit the carnival and play games to win prizes where you might run into Chee Chee the clown who makes the best balloon animals. You can play Bingo and Trivia for prizes. Visions Federal Credit Union and some of the previous mentioned sponsors fund these shows and programs so we can continue to offer this event without charge. Several history exhibits and presentations are available thanks to our sponsor Coughlin and Gerhart. Maybe you’d rather sit quietly and listen to music, that’s also an option or maybe you don’t want to sit quietly and would rather rock out at the Teen Rock Concert at the fire house sponsored by the Windsor Lions Club. Love up close and personal with animals, don’t miss the Ross Park Zoomobile at Acclaim Insurance Agency, another sponsor. Take in an art exhibit at Whip Works Art Center featuring Windsor’s own Bill Grausgruber’s works and enjoy the easy listening music of Victor Lay and Friends. Have your child’s portrait done for only $5.00 by a Whip Works artist. Sew La Te Do will have their grand debut of local artist’s works for sale along with snacks and drinks.
You can watch the Minion movie, holiday cartoons or Vintage TV videos while enjoying some freshly made popcorn. Head over to the Community House and Windsor Times Square to make some s’mores at the bonfire with Ron Rambo and/or to have a piece of the delectable First Knight cake which will be served starting at 10:30 pm until it is gone (we haven’t run out in the past???) along with coffee, tea or hot cocoa all sponsored by NYSEG.
As the evening and year come to the end, perhaps we have saved the best for last. We will pass out noisemakers, Will Stafford will be juggling fire, we will have a live broadcast of the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square, thanks to our sponsor Adams Cable, we will have our free drawing for a 40” TV, an overnight stay at the Marriott’s Presidential Suite with breakfast, a $100 Wegman’s Gift card and some other prizes. We hope you remembered to fill out an entry at every venue you visited cause one of you is definitely going to win! While it would be great to have you in the crowd, you need not be present to win. Special thanks to Jeff Olin who has graciously offered to emcee this final hurrah! As the clock strikes midnight, join the chorus of Auld Lang Syne, listen to the live Carillon bells and the other Village Church bells and watch the streamers and confetti fall from the sky. Happy New Year to all and welcome to 2016!
Thank you to all the volunteers who work tirelessly, to our venues who open their doors to one and all, to our sponsors who fund the programs and activities to make this event possible for everyone, and to our donors who add a little extra fun. Special thanks to Debbie Menta for her vision and dedication in bringing this event to life in our community!
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