The Solar One staff has always included a lot of avid bikers and Transportation Alternatives, the city’s bike advocacy org, is a Solar One BFF of long standing. Back in 2009, we even tried to make our own stationary bike blenders and have hosted events that included bike-powered sound systems and other bike exotica. But in honor of today’s National Bike to Work Day, our dear friends at Voltaic Systems have created the awesome solar charger in the picture above, mounted on a bike trailer. This charger can handle 180 watt-hours of charging capacity, that’s a lot of cell phones!
Check out the rest of the article (and see some more great pictures) on their blog HERE. And don’t forget to wear a helmet on your bike commute!
East River Blueway Plan Sticks Stuy Cove and Solar 2 right in the middle
The East River has never been known as an oasis of nature. Seinfeld famously ridiculed Kramer, who thought it would be a good idea to swim in the East River. But an intrepid group of politicians and groups are trying to take a big step forward by re-imagining the shorelines along downtown Manhattan.
Prominently featured in the new Blueway Plan is Solar 2, the Stuyvesant Cove Boat Launch, and even our very own Max Joel.
We recommend to download the full plan (don’t worry there are lots of pictures) and browse through some of the proposed developments. Stuyvesant Cove Park gets a full section, and there are some interesting tid-bits about the waterfront and history. This is your river, too!
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Eupatorium coelestinum, Eragrostis spectabilis, Rudbekia fulgida, and Heliopsis helianthoides
Sun washed over Stuy Cove Park, warming the chilled spring air. It wasn’t an unusual day, but it was one of our favorites, as some of our best volunteers from Stuyvesant Cove Park Association made even more progress in helping us continue to restore the plants and beds of Stuy Cove.
This is the season where weeds start to appear, and in addition to planing new greenery, our volunteers also sought out weeds to remove them from our native-plant beds. Some of the new plants were Eupatorium coelestinum, Eragrostis spectabilis, Rudbekia fulgida, and Heliopsis helianthoides. Recognize any of them?
It’s the Mist Flower, Purple Lovegrass, Black-eye Susan, and the Oxeye Sunflower. Next time you come to Stuy Cove Park, you can find them!
All that brown space will turn back into greenery, one new plant at a time.
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Solar Off the Roof at the New Museum’s IDEAS CITY StreetFest
We had a great time at the New Museum’s IDEAS CITY StreetFest this past Saturday. We were demonstrating off-the-roof solar projects and giving kids hands-on lessons in the science behind solar photovoltaics: Photons knock electrons in the silicon panels loose, which starts up a negative electric current. That current flows through the wires embedded in the panel to power a small motor. If you put it in the sun, the motor spins a rotor; if you block the sun, it stops. Light makes it go!
We also demonstrated some small solar chargers from Voltaic Systems and Goal Zero.
And we were honored by the lovely urban garden and estuary creatures from the Earth Celebrations Hudson River Pageant!
We were particularly delighted by the Oyster…
All in all, a gorgeous day and a wonderful StreetFest. We also enjoyed visiting with our friends at Fourth Arts Block, they had a great exhibit of sound sculptures made from recycled materials. They’re a little hard to see in this photo, but they were super-cool:
Fabric sculpture by Amanda Browder, be sure to check out the project she’s doing with FAB this summer.
UPDATED! EVENT IS MOVING INDOORS DUE TO RAIN! Come to Solar One for the First Ever Annual Almighty Foot Clan Anniversary B-Boy Battle
UPDATE May 18: Because of unending rain, this party is being moved indoors and across the river. The new address and time is:
1270 Fulton St 2nd Fl
Brooklyn NY 11216
9pm
Take the A train to Nostrand Ave. we plan to have the Foot Clan back again next year for their 2nd Anniversary Party!
Breakdancing (or more properly, breaking) is a time-honored and essential part of hiphop culture. In fact, back in the early 1980s, when rap was first discovered by the mainstream, many people thought that breaking would be hiphop’s number one art form.
If African American culture supplied the beats and Jamaican culture the sound systems and friendly competition to the world of hiphop, Latino culture provided the moves. Dancers from the Rock Steady Crew, originally formed in the Bronx in 1977, were some of the most famous breakers who helped familiarize America and then the whole world with this athletic and original movement style.
On Saturday May 18, 32 local crews will battle for prize money and bragging rights at this free-to-watch, $5-to-participate event. And there are only 2 more battle spots available, so sign your crew up now!
The Foot Clan, along with Round the Foot Entertainment, brings to you
The First Ever Almighty Foot Clan Anniversary #1 B-BOY JAM
May 18, 2013 Saturday
2pm-10pm
Battles start at 4pm SHARP
Judges
-Gravity – 5 crew dynasty (NYC)
-Pete Nasty – Repstyles (Philly)
-Miego – Foot Clan/Soul Kings (Seoul Korea)
Hosted by
Ru AKA the Black Lion
Featuring NYC’s one and only DJ X on the Wheels of Steel, spinning your favorite breaks and house jams.
With live performances by
-Coalition 301
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MI6XZqcX3E
-DXA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhI8x5ctp6M
ONLY 2 SPOTS LEFT! CREWS SIGNED UP SO FAR:
1-Stick-Up Kidz MIA/NYC
2-No Control NYC
3-D.I.M crew
4-Ill Clan Rockers
5-Bronx Boys
6-Floor Obsessions NYC
7-United Outkast CT
8-Floorgasm
9-Ace Legion MA
10-Suicide Kings
11-Jersey Underdogs
12-Ruthless NJ
13-extreme kings/Dominican Beast
14-Straw Hat Dynasty
15-Sexual Napalm
16-The Titanz
17-Bronx boys rocking crew
18-Outlawed Angels
19-Ambassadors
20-Harlem Shake
21-YSB JAPAN
22-7 Sins DC
23-Monsters Inc
24-WTF crew
25-Ostrich
26-Inglorious Basterdz
27-X – Fenz
28-Fl!p’d Owt Crew
29-Big Booty Twerk Team
30-Full Circle Cadets
31-
32-
Come down and bring the whole family! We hope to see you there!
Solar One Family Day: NYC Wildflower Week Interactive Plant Fair
Come to Solar One on Saturday May 18 for a fun-filled day of wildflower and native plant activities! Kids and families can pot a native wildflower to take home, make wildflower seed bombs, get their faces painted, make flower costumes and color native wildflowers that grow in Stuyvesant Cove Park. The first in our monthly series of Family Days! Please RSVP to daisy[at]solar1[dot]org or to dina[at]solar1[dot]org.
Held in partnership with NYC Wildflower Week! Because native plants are a wonderful part of our natural environment…
Get Charged Up for Summer- 5 Great Solar Gadgets Under $100
It’s May already?! Hello Summer 2013! Nothing better than kicking off the season by talking to Adam, our awesome graphic designer, about your next few purchases. The items he’s suggesting to buy are not only summer-focused, but also solar powered.
This is Adam. You can trust him.
Go right ahead, Adam!
Summer is just around the corner. And if you’re like me, you’re planning some serious summertime adventures, but would rather spend your money on new gear instead of wasting it on batteries all season long. The phrase “solar energy” might make you think of rooftops tiled with PV systems. And if you don’t own a building, that might leave you feeling like you’re missing out on all the fun. But there’s actually a ton of really great solar gadgets out there for us non-building owners, too. After all, they’re not the only ones that can save money and act green! From backpacks to radios, solar has you covered all summer long…
Note: Everything on this list can be found for less than $100, but we’ve linked to the manufacturers’ websites which may not have the lowest price. So do your own searches to find the best deal
No need to build a fire to make coffee and tea on your next camping trip. This solar kettle is about the size of a lantern and holds 17oz. of water. Leave it out in the sun while you hike and come back to a hot cup of your favorite beverage. For cold drinks like iced tea, just pull it into the shade and give it a little while. Either way, there’s no need to go without that caffeine fix!
#4- The Voltaic Amp Solar Charger
This portable solar charger can produce 4 watts of electricity and will keep your cell phone, iPod, GPS and electronic reading device powered up all day long. Built for durability, this lightweight, waterproof and compact charger sports a battery– so no need to keep your gadgets plugged in. Just leave it out in the sun for a few hours and come back once your phone’s battery has been exhausted by all those summertime photos you’ll be taking.
#3- The V-Dimension Solar Backpack
Too adventurous to stay in one place? Then strap on one of V-Dimension’s solar backpacks and hit the trail. This multi-pocket bag has a solar panel on the back that collects all those rays and pumps the energy back into your handheld GPS device or whatever other gadgets you’re trekking with. Whether you’re planning a long-distance hiking expedition or just running errands on the city streets all day, this bag is essential for anyone set on covering some ground.
#2- The SolarFocus Kindle Cover
Not interested in hitting the trail, but would rather sit and read on the beach? No problem. Check out these nifty Kindle covers that have an integrated solar panel and reading lamp. The solar panel charges the lamp and provides auxiliary power to your Kindle, allowing you to finish the last few pages of that novel well into the night. This thing can basically keep you going indefinitely. So if you’re a devoted bookworm, you should really consider picking one up.
And my number 1 pick… The Swiss Army Knife of solar gadgets, nothing is more versatile than the Etón Microlink AM/FM Radio with flashlight, solar panel, hand crank, USB charger, all 7 NOAA weather stations and headphone jack. The radio works just as well as anything that might cost much, much more. The flashlight has 3 LEDs that emit light sufficient for the darkest night– great for when you can’t find your campsite after a late hike. And the USB charger is modest due to its compact size, but its just enough to get your phone up and running in an emergency situations. The least expensive item on this list, I’ve owned mine for years and I don’t pack a day bag without it. Its surprisingly light-weight, durable and it fits in the palm of your hand. And at only $30 (or less), buy one of the Etón solar radios and I guarantee you won’t regret it!
Thanks, Adam! And there you have it folks, five fabulous product to help you start your summer in an environmentally-friendly manner. Stay tuned for more conversations with members of our Solar One staff.
Six Months After Sandy: A New Stage and a Budding Park
This past Monday, April 29, marks six months since Superstorm Sandy pummeled the east coast and caused extensive damage at Solar One and Stuyvesant Cove Park. But things are starting to come back because our stage is being rebuilt, and the plants that survived are sprouting up in the Park. We’re now looking forward to continuing to rebuild and produce an exciting summer of events, activities and lovely days in the Park.
As you can see in the picture, the stage is being rebuilt by carpenter Joey Rizzolo and a fantastic team of volunteers from Green City Force, a service organization that teaches young adults sustainable job skills. GCF has a long and wonderful history with the Solar One family: Their very first pilot corps, back in 2009, worked on a weatherization project with our parent organization, the Community Environmental Center, to celebrate National Weatherization Day.
We’ll be posting some new pictures of the Park and its spring progress soon!
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New Recycling Laws Are In Effect
Recycling is hard. Recycling is complicated. In fact, in NYC, recycling is so difficult that we have only a 15% recycling rate across the city- pretty weak. But that all that will change because we finally have a city-wide, enforceable recycling law allowing all rigid plastics, including yogurt containers, those plastic clamshells they have at every salad bar, the crazy plastic forms that everything from lightbulbs to scissors to lipsticks gets packaged in and pretty much any plastic that’s used as a container. You can read the whole article about it at the NYC.gov website HERE.
Come See Us at the New Museum’s IDEAS CITY Streetfest on Saturday May 4
IDEAS CITY StreetFest
Saturday May 4, 11 AM–6 PM
Artists, architects, poets, technologists, historians, community activists, entrepreneurs, and ecologists share their ideas of Untapped Capital and invite participants to actively shape their city. “MirrorMirror,” a new tenting design, will premiere at the StreetFest. This innovative, minimal-waste event takes place around the Bowery and in Sara D. Roosevelt Park, rain or shine!
Solar One will be displaying/demonstrating solar technologies primarily created for mobile and “off-the-roof” applications. Expect to see items from Voltaic Systems and GoalZero, info on how solar is used around the country and around the world, and some antique “green” technologies from the collection of the Museum of Interesting Things, as well as some solar balloons made from trash bags (we’ll even show you how to make one!). We’re also hoping to bring one of the generators from the Solar Sandy Project!
Solar One will be under the “MirrorMirror” tent near the corner of Stanton and Bowery, so please make sure you come over and say hello!