It is the season to be jolly, eat, have fun and recycle your Christmas tree.  Keep your  up till the beginning of January so you can recycle your Christmas tree for wetlands restoration. The National Christmas Tree Association estimates that the United States sells between 25 and 30 million real Christmas trees each year. The good news is that 93% of the consumers who have real Christmas trees recycle them in some type of community program

Louisiana for the past 25 years has been losing wetlands at an alarming rate of 16.57 square miles a year. With the loss of funding from the state's budget in 1991, the program has been continued by some parishes on their own dime. The City of New Orleans’ office of Resilience and Sustainability funds the city’s Christmas Tree recycling Program. The program is a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Army national Guard. This program recycles the trees and educates the public of the plight of our wetlands and their importance.   The construction of a Christmas barrier   helps limit the impact of wave action and prevent erosion. Branches and leaves of trees help keep sediment in place like sea oats on beaches. 

For over twenty-five years, the New Orleans Christmas Tree Recycling Program has contributed to the restoration of Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge. Besides protecting the wetlands these trees are kept out of the landfill. Samantha Carter, Outreach Manager, Gulf Program, National Wildlife Federation  stated, this is a great way for communities to get involved in restoring the coast while protecting and restoring our natural resources and defenses.

To Volunteer

• Volunteers, 18 years or older are needed to put trees along the coastal areas
• It is recommended that you wear layered clothing, long pants, closed-toe sturdy shoes, hats, sunscreen, and gloves.
• Dates of pick-up will be scheduled closer to the holidays and broadcast on television, on the internet and in the local newspaper.  Trees must be natural and striped of all ornaments, tinsel, light and tree stand.

                     Contact 504-658-4071 for additional information

 Happy Holidays,

Marigny Green

Resource:  https://nola.gov/next/resilience-sustainability/programs/christmas-tree-recycling/

You can hear the music at this wonderful Mardi Gras art box by Linda LeBoeuf.  This box was created thanks to funding from the Faubourg Marigny Neighborhood Association.

We acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of FMIA Parks and Parkways Committee Chair, Phillip Lege, for organizing this project and seeing it through to fruition.  Thank you, Phillip!

Marigny Green News

What to do with Mardi Gras Beads and Throws

Mardi Gras is over and you want to discard your beads and throws and instead of putting them in the closet and forgetting them, why not recycling!

Stuffed Animals

All those stuffed animals you just caught in the past 2 weeks are now piled in your corner. The ones with krewe names and dates are very hard to re-sell. Consider dropping them off at a local pet shelter. A homeless pup would love a little something to snuggle with.

Another suggestion: find a local women’s and children’s shelter that can use them.

ArcGNO will always take them off your hands too.

Mardi Gras Cups

Caught more cups than you need? Well, don’t throw them into your recycling bin. They won’t be recycled – they will only be sorted and then sent to a landfill. Here’s our suggestions: donate them to ArcGNO or find a local art studio that needs them! Lots of artists use the cups for their paint brushes. 

Mardi Gras Beads

If you’re real crafty, you can upcycle the beads into future costumes and wreaths. If crafting isn’t your game, then you need to donate them to ArcGNO. ArcGNO takes your unwanted Mardi Gras throws and turns them into jobs. They employ people with intellectual disabilities to sort through, repackage, and resell your discarded throws. With locations ALL over the metro area, there is no reason you can’t drop them off.

Here is a list of all their drop off sites: (Check to see if these sites are still available)

• Metairie Community Center – 925 Labarre Rd, Metairie, LA 70001
• Uptown Community Center – 1771 Nashville Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
• Chalmette Community Center – 3700 Jean Lafitte Pkwy., Chalmette
• Northshore Community Center – 106 East 25th Ave, Covington, LA 70433

Uptown

• Audubon Zoo – 6500 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70118
• Touro Synagogue – 4238 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
• Loyola University at Biever Hall and Carrollton Hall – 6363 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118
• Whole Foods – 5600 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
• ArcGNO Uptown Community Center – 1771 Nashville Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
• Latter Branch Public Library – 5120 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
• Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center – 4300 S Broad Ave, New Orleans, LA 70125
• Children’s Resource Center Library – 913 Napoleon Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

New Orleans East

• East New Orleans Public Library – 5641 Read Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70127
• Audubon Louisiana Nature Center – 11000 Lake Forest Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70127
• Magnolia Physical Therapy – 2372 St. Claude Ave, Ste 104 New Orleans, LA 70117
• The Green Project – 7243, 2831 Marais St, New Orleans, LA 70117
• Alvar Library – 913 Alvar St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Mid-City

• Norman Mayer Library – 3001 Gentilly Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70122

Metairie

• Rouses – 2701 Airline Dr, Metairie, LA 70001
• Jefferson Parish Library – East Bank Regional Library – 4747 West Napoleon Ave. Metairie, LA 70001
• Lafreniere Park – Near the Carousel – 3000 Downs Blvd, Metairie, LA 70003
• ArcGNO Metairie Community Center – 925 Labarre Rd, Metairie, LA 70001

Lakeview

• Robert E. Smith Public Library – 6301 Canal Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

Westbank

• Jefferson Parish Library – West Bank Regional Library – 2751 Manhattan Blvd, Harvey, LA 70058
• ArcGNO Westwego Community Center – 333 Sala Ave, Westwego, LA 70094
• Algiers Regional Library – 3014 Holiday Dr, New Orleans, LA 70131
• Cita Dennis Hubbell Branch Library – 725 Pelican Ave, New Orleans, LA 70114

Reference:  POSTED BY LESLIE HEINDEL  

Be a good New Orleanian and don’t throw them in the trash! 

It's the season to have a good time which means lots of street activities. This year on the parade route Glass Half Full and Glassroots are partnering with the City and a number of of local non-profits to make Mardi Grass more eco-friendly. During the first and second weekend of Mardi Gras (February 11th & 12th and February 18th & 19th), we will be providing recycling for glass, bead and aluminum cans.

   Recycling your holiday tree help the Louisiana's coastline. For information go to @nolareadyandresilient-nola

  Saturday, November 12, 2022 8:30- 12pm

Department of Parks and Parkways

1 Green Parade Lane NOLA 70122

The Big TREEsy giveaways are for Orleans Parish residents only, one free tree per household and Orleans Parish photo ID is required. There are a lot of trees available and for more information go to @nolatreeprojects.org  

•      There are a total of 352 district species of trees in New Orleans.
•      The five most common species found in NOLA are crape myrtle, southern live oak, bald cypress, hybrid holly and slash pine.
•      Trees provide approximately $6,579,933 in annual environmental benefits to NOLA.
•      Trees contribute to energy conservation by providing shade that reduces cooling costs in the summer and diverting wind to reduce healing costs in the winter. The inventoried public tree population accounts for a savings of $ 1,312,038 in energy consumption each year.

Resource: Information from “City of New Orleans Department of Parks & Parkways: Tree Inventory Summary. Report-complete Inventory August 20, 2019. “Visit www.nola.gov/parks-and-parkways/trees/to learn more.

Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans

UPCOMING EVENTS

SEP20    6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

NOCP Zoom Presentation By Jennifer Prout: The design and planting of the Prairie Garden on the Big Lake native Plant Trail 

OCT 1    9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Native Plant Giveaway! University of New Orleans

OCT 8

October 8 @ 8:00 am - October 9 @ 5:00 pm

Fall Garden Festival at City Park

OCT 15    9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Native Plant Giveaway – River Ridge

OCT 29   9:00 am - 12:00 pm

UNO Urban Bird Trail – Woodlot Maintenance

Marigny Green News

Fall is a great time to plant some native plants. Fall is the perfect opportunity to plant more native plants. This is because the soil and temperatures of Fall bring good conditions for root establishment plus it is greater weed suppression. Planting in the fall also gives you a jump on the Spring garden.

Tips and Resources:

• 1.      Best time to plant is September through the end of October unless the temperatures are too hot. Getting the plugs/seeds too late will not allow them to root.
• 2.      If you are planting in the ground, choose an area that you want to grow the native plants. Select plants that are appropriate for the space, the proper light, soil, moisture and height.
• 3.      Once your site is chosen, you must prepare the space. Most native plants prefer well-drained soil. For best results check with native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans https://www.npi-gno.org/resources/.
• 4.      Local Native Plant Sources
• Chickadee Natives - Delivery Only
  Harold's Plants, 1135 Press Street, NOLA
  Jefferson Feed, 4421 Jefferson Hwy, Old Jefferson
  Pelican Greenhouse , New Orleans City Park, NOLA
  NOLA Bug Lady, 2009 Jefferson Hwy, Harahan
  Rose Garden Center, Marrero
• Mail Order:  https://www.mailordernatives.com
• Native Seed Sources:

• Reference:  Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans 2022

Marigny Green News 

June is Upcycle/Recycle month, a made-up phrase according to Carol of Creative Domestication on her FaceBook page. Her philosophy is to reuse as much as we can rather than fill up the landfills. Below are several items that can be repurposed.

• 1.     Yogurt/applesauce cups with lids: Great for mixing paints, started seed containers or snack cups.
• 2.     Chop Sticks: When I order Asian food, the restaurant always gives a handful of chopsticks and useful for paint stirrers, stakes for plants and cake testers.
• 3.     T-shirts: Cut old or stained T-shirt into strips to tie up plants, clean windows and dusters.
• 4.     Shower curtains: Clean the dirty shower curtain with vinegar to get rid of the soap residue before repurposing. Useful for putting weeds or leaves on, protection for the table when painting or doing crafts and under a tub for cleaning an animal.

Eventually these items will get recycled but they can have a second life and get some effective use out of them. It is a win/win situation.