Getting spring fever yet? We don’t blame you – we are too! That’s why we’re hosting a day of Garden Daydreaming. Come by our office at 158 Eaton St. between 2 and 5 pm on Thursday, January 28th to relax, browse through our extensive collection of Garden Design books and seed catalogs, and imagine all the possibilities. You can plan out your garden, place your seed orders, and consult our greenspaces coordinator. The sky’s the limit.

We had a lot of fun hosting a series of Wednesday Workshops before Christmas, coming up with fun DIY crafts such as making  stockings out of recycled sweaters, cinnamon ornaments, and recipes in a jar.

We will be holding two “handmade holidays” workshops this February. The first is on Wednesday, February 3rd, and the holiday we’re celebrating is the Super Bowl (ok ok, not technically a holiday but it could be). We will be making coasters to be put to use during your Super Bowl Party. The workshop will run from 4-5pm at 158 Eaton St.

The second workshop is the following week, Wednesday February 10th. This time we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day. Come to 158 Eaton St. to make romantic candlesticks out of spindles from old staircases. What a great way to ReUse! The workshop will run from 4-5pm.  For both there is no fee, but a suggested donation of $5.

Hope to see you there!!

Our continued and generous supporters at the The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo are creating a new website and they would like your input. The website will connect Western New Yorkers interested in environmental news and activities to the many environmental organizations doing great work in our region.  Sounds awesome to us!

Complete the survey (it takes just a couple minutes) by January 15, 2010, and you will be entered to win an iPod nano or $100! To be eligible to win a survey prize, you must live in Western New York. Click here to access the survey.

Green on, WNYers!

Bring one dozen; leave with 5 dozen!

Here’s your opportunity to give-get-give for the season:

ReUse those old cookie tins, aluminum pie trays or even your Wegman’s salad/sub take away trays by filling them with holiday goodies!

Bring a dozen or so homemade goodies (cookies, candies, bit size snacks) and take home a bigger assortment to give to your friends, co-workers, family and strangers too. We’ll make some candies and cookies together and enjoy each other’s company. Feel free to bring a bottle of wine or cider.

Friday, December 18th from 5-8pm @ 158 Eaton St.

Other things to share: tissue paper, metallic markers, stickers or holiday themed stamps so that we can decorate the cookie containers.

If you bring your recipe card we’ll consolidate them all for distribution.

And of course, bring the kids!

Hope to see you there, and happy holidays!!

Join us for our third and final homemade holiday gift workshop. On Wednesday, December 16th, we will be making gifts in a jar. We have tons of old mason jars here and we’d like to reuse them as soon as possible. What better (and more delicious) way than to fill them with goodies from the kitchen and include an easy and fun recipe???! To me, the holidays are all about baking and eating!

This workshop will take place from 4-5 pm at 158 Eaton St. A $5 fee will cover the supplies needed for these cute homemade gifts. Make sure you don’t miss our last gift workshop!

Buffalo 180, an initiative of the non-profit Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo, is measuring perceptions of Buffalo and community involvement as phase one of a larger initiative to celebrate Buffalo’s 180th anniversary in 2012.

They are inviting residents, visitors, businesses, and organizations to participate in this anonymous web survey.  It takes less than 3 minutes to complete. To fill out the survey, click here.

Thank you for your time and interest in this important initiative!!

The Buffalo Edition of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will be aired Sunday, January 24th at 8 pm on Channel 7. And what’s more…they’ve extended it to a 2-hour special!

A network publicist confirmed the air date for the episode, which will highlight the Massachusetts Avenue home that was rebuilt last month for Delores Powell, a Jamaican immigrant, and her four children.

According to the Buffalo News, “The extra hour is expected to highlight the rehabilitation of several West Side homes near the Powell home, as the community rallied to expand the original idea of the program.” GO BUFFALO!

Buffalo ReUse will be planning something special for our big debut, so stay tuned…

In preparation for the 2010 spring growing season, the Community Action Organization, Grassroots Gardens, and the Curtiss Urban Farm Foundation are presenting a FREE workshop on Organic Composting.

Composting means the controlled decomposition (decay) of organic material such as yard trimmings, kitchen scraps, and wood shavings. Compost helps the soil absorb and retain nutrients and moisture, and protects plants from diseases and pests. Better moisture retention means less watering, allowing you to conserve water and reduce runoff pollution.

Come to this great opportunity to learn and share a variety of organic composting techniques while assisting Buffalo’s first urban farm in enhancing its spring soil!!

Saturday, December 19th, 9:00-11:30 AM. Wilson St. Farm (Wilson St between Broadway & Sycamore)

Email prosner {at} caoec(.)org for more info.

For our second handmade gift workshop, we will be making cinnamon-scented ornaments. We will make them in a variety of holiday shapes, and everyone will be able to leave with several ornaments.

This craft workshop will take place Wednesday, December 9th from 4-5 pm at 158 Eaton St. It’s GREAT for the kids!! Like last week, a $5 fee will apply for supplies. Bring your holiday spirit!

UB students from Stephanie Rothenberg’s class spent the semester creating design work for Sweet_ness 7, Buffalo Blue Bike and Buffalo ReUse. Their job was to communicate the mission and vision of each group and to create some collateral materials.

Come see what they came up with … and be seen. All are welcome!!
Encourage these young designers as they move forward, and support them in their journey of discovering how their skills and interests can help the community!

Their opening reception will be December 3rd, from 6-9 pm at the Grant Street Gallery. Refreshments provided by Tim Herzog of Flying Bison and whatever the students can dice and nuke in their dorms.