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| history |
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1987
Outstanding Renewal Enterprises, Inc. (ORE) is a pioneer of community-based recycling and composting programs in Manhattan. We started our
programs in the Lower East Side in 1987 by providing innovative recycling
drop offs, such as in front of the 6th Street and Avenue B Garden.
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1990
The Lower East Side Ecology Center is founded on four city-owned lots
on E 7th Street between Avenues B & C and our compost program
started. Compost, made from fruit and vegetable peelings, is used
to amend the rubble filled lots and is the foundation to creating
a vibrant green open space.  |
1994
The Lower East Side Ecology Center partners with the Greenmarket program
and starts a compost collection and education program at the Union
Square Greenmarket. The program collects an average of 1,500 pounds
of kitchen scraps from over 500 New York City households.
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1996
The Lower East Side Ecology Center starts its “Art Exposure”
program to showcase local artists and our space dwindles to 6,000
square feet from 15,000 square feet due to development pressures in
the Lower East Side.  |
1997
ORE secures a license agreement with the Department of Parks &
Recreation (Parks) to utilize outdoor space in East River Park for
composting. ORE agrees to manage leaf composting for Parks.
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1998
ORE installs an in-vessel compost system at East River Park with funding
from the Empire State Development Corporation. The in-vessel system
allows ORE to handle sixty tons of organic material per year. About
half of the materials are collected from New York City residents,
the remainder from green grocers and restaurants located in Lower
Manhattan.
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2000
The Ecology Center’s Environmental Education program starts
to develop environmental education programs that deal with the ecology
of the East River. |
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2002
Through the settlement of a lawsuit brought by Elliot Spitzer to protect
community gardens the Lower East Side Ecology Center is designated
a permanent public open space and becomes part of the Parks Department |
2003
In partnership with Parks the Ecology Center develops the East River
Park Environmental Learning Center, located at the historic Fireboat
House. The Learning Center allows us to bring students into the park
year-round for hands-on, environmental exploration. |
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