Lower East Side Ecology Center

Lower East Side Ecology Center The Lower East Side Ecology Center (Ecology Center) has been pioneering community-based models in urban sustainability since 1987.

The Lower East Side Ecology Center was founded in 1987 as one of the first organizations to offer community-based recycling and composting programs in New York City. We started our programs by providing innovative recycling drop-off centers. Today, the Ecology Center offers free public compost collection and education, electronic waste recycling, stewardship of public open space, and environmental

education. Our programs focus on offering opportunities for all New Yorkers to learn about environmental issues facing NYC and to take responsibility for solving those problems.

🌳 Volunteer with NYC Parks Tree Census team for Trees Count 2026! 🌳Ever wondered how many trees call our city home? Now'...
08/07/2026

🌳 Volunteer with NYC Parks Tree Census team for Trees Count 2026! 🌳

Ever wondered how many trees call our city home? Now's your chance to help find out.

Here's how it works:
🎒 Show up to an event and get a tote bag packed with everything you need to count trees
📋 Join a quick 30-minute training covering tree ID basics and how to measure and assess each tree
📱 Use the Tree Census app to split into zones and start counting with your group
🌱 After your first training, you're welcome to keep counting on your own in smaller parks across the city

It's a fun, hands-on way to support NYC's urban forest and meet fellow tree lovers along the way.

Sign up now, link in our bio! 🔗

08/06/2026

Our 2025 Annual Report is here! 🌻 Dive into the inspiring stories of how the Ecology Center is making a difference across the Lower East Side and beyond. We have continued to expand our impact from access to composting, trees cared for, e-waste diversion, and communities engaged. Read all about it! Grab the link to the report in our bio 🍃

Doing some summer decluttering? Don’t toss it - recycle it! Join us at one of our August Community Recycling Events acro...
08/05/2026

Doing some summer decluttering? Don’t toss it - recycle it! Join us at one of our August Community Recycling Events across the city. Find your nearest drop-off date and location, and help us keep materials from ending up in a landfill.

Over the coming months, we'll be shaping our strategic plan for the next five years, and we want your voice in it.👉 Take...
08/04/2026

Over the coming months, we'll be shaping our strategic plan for the next five years, and we want your voice in it.

👉 Take our short survey and share your thoughts: www.surveymonkey.com/r/LESECStratPlan

We invite you to share your honest feedback in a short survey that will help guide our direction. Your input will help us grow stronger and serve our community even better as we step into this next phase of our work. Thank you for being part of it.

🌱 August is packed with hands-on workshops, art, and outdoor fun at the LES Ecology Center! Whether you want to learn ab...
08/03/2026

🌱 August is packed with hands-on workshops, art, and outdoor fun at the LES Ecology Center! Whether you want to learn about composting, try your hand at fishing, or get creative with solar-powered art. 💚 See all events & sign up: lesecologycenter.org/calendar

Join us in celebrating the opening of 🌱 Green Between 🌱A garden art exhibition presented by Lower East Side Ecology Cent...
07/31/2026

Join us in celebrating the opening of 🌱 Green Between 🌱A garden art exhibition presented by Lower East Side Ecology Center and Make Meadows.

🌿 Saturday, August 15, 2026
🍃 4–6 PM
🌳 213 East 7th Street, Clyde Romero Memorial Garden

This exhibition brings together nine artists whose work explores the richness of urban ecology and invites New Yorkers to take a closer look at the native plants that help our gardens thrive. Come explore and celebrate with us!

Featuring: Abby Kamagate, Ana Ratner, Anahit Pogosian, Kalen Kaminski, Kathleen McCarthy, Kevin Woon, Qian Liao, True Bend Studio, and V Walton.

--
This project is made possible in part with funds from a regrant program supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

🚨 We're Hiring! Join Our Team as Communications Manager 🌿Are you a creative storyteller with a passion for community eng...
07/27/2026

🚨 We're Hiring! Join Our Team as Communications Manager 🌿

Are you a creative storyteller with a passion for community engagement and environmental justice? We're looking for a Communications Manager to help grow our voice, share our impact, and connect more people to our mission.

In this role, you'll lead our communications strategy, create engaging digital and print content, oversee our website and newsletter, collaborate across programs, and help tell the stories that inspire action.

We're looking for someone with:
🌱 4+ years of communications experience
✍️ Exceptional writing and storytelling skills
🎨 Experience with Canva, WordPress, Mailchimp, and Google Workspace
🤝 A collaborative mindset and strong organizational skills
🌎 A passion for sustainability, environmental justice, and community impact

If you thrive in a dynamic environment where every day is different and want to make a meaningful difference, we'd love to hear from you!

📩 Apply today and help us amplify our mission.

🌧️ Did you know? City street trees capture millions of gallons of stormwater in their tree pits, helping stop heavy rain...
07/24/2026

🌧️ Did you know? City street trees capture millions of gallons of stormwater in their tree pits, helping stop heavy rain from flooding our subway lines and streets.

After the storms we saw last week, that's not just a fun fact, it's a thank you note waiting to happen. Our trees showed up for us. Time we show up for them too.

Behind every shady sidewalk on the LES, there's a whole operation happening:

✂️ Pruning crews giving trees a trim so they grow up strong (and don't drop branches on your head)
💦 Buckets and buckets of water for the young trees who can't survive a heat wave on their own yet

Shoutout to our Street Tree Care crew and the volunteers who keep showing up!

Want in? There's always a tree that could use a friend. Come get your hands dirty with us.

07/23/2026

🌱♻️ Composting isn't some new trend—it's an over 10,000-year-old practice that helped build civilizations. From ancient farmers to New Yorkers today, turning food scraps into healthy soil has always been one of the smartest ways to care for the land. Help us keep the tradition going strong! 🌍💚

Over the past year and a half, the Ecology Center has worked alongside TYTHEdesign Summer Youth Employment Program parti...
07/21/2026

Over the past year and a half, the Ecology Center has worked alongside TYTHEdesign Summer Youth Employment Program participants, and community partners to investigate food access in the Lower East Side. We surveyed residents, hosted focus groups, and conducted on-the-ground resource mapping. After months of data analysis and reflections, we're excited to share what we found. It is our hope that this report serves as a resource, not just just for the Ecology Center, but for all who are working towards more equitable food systems.

Join us on July 23rd for a presentation of the report findings and to meet some of inspiring individuals already working to improve food access in our neighborhood. We will walk through what inspired this project, how we gathered information, and where opportunities lie. It will also be an opportunity to meet neighbors and community partners and reflect on how each of us - as individuals and organizations - can work towards food justice in our neighborhoods.

This event is open to all but registration is required. Light bites will be provided.

Sign up for the event here: https://www.lesecologycenter.org/calendar/cb3-food-needs-assessment-community-share-out/

Read the full report: https://www.lesecologycenter.org/manhattan-community-board-3-food-needs-assessment/

Address

New York, NY

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+12124774022

Website

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