The Bigger Better Bottle Bill Prevails!

New Bottle Bill Expands Recycling Program

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Robert Sweeney announced June 11 that the Assembly had passed a “bigger, better bottle bill” to alter the way the bottle deposit recycling system will function in New York State.

The bill, which was first initiated by students from Queens College a month ago, passed in the Assembly 98 to 40 after nearly two hours of floor debate.

The new program expands the current five-cent deposit system to include non-carbonated beverages like bottled water, iced tea, sports drinks and juices. It also requires unclaimed deposits to be turned over from distributors and bottlers to the state. The revenue will be used to fund and support environmental programs.

A big win for the Queens College New York Public Interest Group (NYPIRG).

See my previous post on The Bigger, Better, Bottle Bill for more info.

Queens College Contractors Have A Bad Rep

Queens College hired dangerous developer

TROUBLED QNS. COLL. DORM FIRM
By YOAV GONEN, Education Reporter, NY Post

University of Connecticut dormitories built by the contractor tapped to erect a $72 million residence hall at Queens College have been plagued with costly fire and safety violations, The Post has learned.

Seven years after two of its dorms were built by the contractor, Alabama-based Capstone Development Corp., UConn is still bringing the buildings up to code, a university spokeswoman said.

She would not further discuss the trouble-plagued dorms, which were built in 2001 at a cost of nearly $55 million.

UConn was paid at least $1 million under the agreement.

Published records show that engineering consultants hired by UConn in 2004 identified dozens of building and safety-code violations at the dorms.

Queens College officials insisted yesterday that they operated with "due diligence" in selecting Capstone for the 506-bed residence, which is slated to open in August 2009.
Additional reporting by Angela Montefinise and Post Wire Services

Queens College Signs Dorn Deal

Queens College signs dorm deal

Queens College (QC) will become the third member of the City University of New York (CUNY) to offer on-campus dormitory housing under a deal signed with Capstone Development Corporation recently.

The residence hall, which Capstone will also manage, will have 506 beds, and occupy the land currently used for outdoor tennis courts, which will have to be relocated.

The project is being financed by $72 million in tax-exempt bonds issued by the New York City Housing Development Corporation, and supported by a Letter of Credit issued by RBS Citizens National Association. RBC Capital Markets is underwriting the bond issue.

According to QC, both the bonds and Letter of Credit are secured by project revenues only - no public funds are supporting the project, which is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2009.

To ease community concerns about an already-difficult parking situation, 200 hundred parking spaces will be created, 89 below and adjacent to the building and the remainder elsewhere on campus, according to QC.

So it is finally official, it's nice to see something finally put into the works after hearing and talking about it for a little over a year now. This will finally bring a social life to QC, one that the consensus agrees is lacking.

Plays Becoming More Popular in Queens?

Tell that to the 91 year old Ridgewood Theater

The Play's The Thing: More risk-taking might boost Queens theaters

One advantage of those older plays is that they have a lot of characters, and the more actors in a play, the more people to spread the word, and the more of their friends to come to see it.

Another advantage is the name recognition. The typical theatergoer will more likely go to something they have heard of, rather than a work unknown to them. So when the Phoenix Players present "Tea," opening Friday, or The Outrageous Fortune Company produces "The Moonlight Room," recently closed, a chance is taken in the hope that the adventurous and sophisticated theatergoer will show up.

It would also be wise to appeal to an audience besides white older people, such as blacks, Latinos and Asians. Queens is known for its diversity - let's see more of it in our theaters. And, of course, all this has to be marketed. A mailing list may be fine, and so are fliers and newspaper notices, but Web sites and the Internet are gaining in popularity and acceptance. Still nothing beats word-of-mouth, but first you have to get the public to pay attention. Any suggestions?

Advertisements are important, but encouraging other people to come is key in my opinion.

"Hey what are you doing next Friday night? You should come with us to this play its supposed to be good".

More people will show up that way then if they see a commercial for it on T.V. or hear it on the Radio.

Have amateur locals be involved in the production, even if it is someone holding up a sign or an extra walking across the stage, it is likely all his/her friends will be there to watch.

Make it appealing, especially to women. Not only will they go, but will drag along a friend or 2.

Location makes all the difference. A local place such as Queens College or another place with a large auditorium works best. I sure am more likely to attend a production in Flushing, Bayside or Fresh Meadows more so than somewhere like Glendale or Rosedale for example, simply because its a nice drive away.

NYPIRG: Expand Recycle Bottle Bill Refund

Students from the New York Public Interest Research Group chapters at Queens College and Queensborough Community College are urging lawmakers to update New York’s Bottle Bill.

Students Urge Lawmakers to Expand Bottle Bill

NYPIRG usually has strong points and make their concerns heard. This suggestion is great because most of the waste you find on todays streets are water bottles, while most cans and glass bottles are recycled. The more benefit people get from recycling the more likely they are to do it. The 5 cents is almost irrelevant I think if they up it to 10 cents we will see much cleaner streets and parks in Queens.


Update: Survey of Beverage Containers