The Lower East Side Ecology Center is bringing its 9th Annual “After the Holidays” E-waste Event series to all five boroughs this January to help you responsibly recycle of all of your unwanted or broken gadgets. Last January we collected 100 tons of e-waste our goal for this year is 110 tons! We need your help to reach this goal – please spread the word about responsible disposal of electronics to your family, friends and neighbors!

We accept electronics from households, not-for-profit organizations, and small businesses (less than 50 employees, please call ahead). A list of acceptable materials can be found here. We do not accept home appliances such as microwaves, refrigerators, or air conditioners. All events will be held rain, snow, or shine. We also have some special deals from Zipcar and our event sponsor, Tekserve. Below is a list of the remaining events in January.

Events

January 14, 2012 | 10:00am – 4:00pm Flyer Directions

McCarren Park, Bedford Avenue just north of North 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211

January 15, 2012 | 10:00am – 4:00pm Flyer Directions

Prospect Park West and 3rd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Happy New Year!

Your first successful New Year’s Resolution can keep be: sign the babe up for baseball.

Baseball is an important team sport to learn to play and enjoy.  Coach Javier, the head of SFX Youth Sports said, “Youth Baseball should never be trivialized by any means. When approached properly, it teaches our children how to work well with others, encourage each other to try their best, & when we don’t meet the intended goal, how to learn from our mistakes to be better the next time.  All these virtues we take with us as we grow into adulthood & help us to be better students, co-workers, & maybe one day… parents.”

Registration for youth co-ed baseball (ages 4 to 17) and girls softball (ages 6 to 17) is open and “try outs” for the SFX League.  Everyone who signs up makes a team.

Park Slopers generally sign their kids up with either SFX Youth Sports or 78^th Precinct.  My sons have been with SFX since they were 4 years old and my husband currently coaches a SFX Huskies Travel team.  It goes without saying I’m an SFX fan.  That being said, many of my sons’ friends are loyal bulldogs and will rave the virtues of 78^th Precinct.

The two leagues have some subtle differences and because of these differences, SFX and 78^th Precinct don’t compete at the house level.  SFX tends to be more inclusive while 78^thPrecinct is more competitive.  For example, 7 year olds in the SFX league will pitch to their own teammates.  The goal is to learn to throw a strike.  78^th Precinct, though, has competitive pitching as the goal is to learn to strike the other team out.  Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages.  Each family has to decide which is a better match for their child.

Both leagues are staffed with volunteer coaches trying to do right by their kids.

Register now for either SFX or 78th Precinct.

• SFX–Depending on age, registration costs between $60 and $220 (for the older teens). For SFX to avoid a $30 surcharge after 2/1/2012 (for SFX).  You can register online for SFX HERE.
• 78th Precinct– Registration HERE (Cost unavailable without registration– sorry).

The baseball season will begin late March or early April and run through the end of June.  Hope to see you on the field.

Play ball!