iDig2Learn hosted a Bellies, Bins & Beauty initiative

for Roosevelt Island residents last Sunday at the Cornell Tech campus.

Anthony Longo gave a brief description of the Bellies, Bins & Beauty initiative:

iDig2Learn founder Christina Delfico reports:

Thanks to the more than fifty neighbors who came out to get a scoop, and thescoop on iDig2Learn’s new initiative Bellies, Bins & Beauty yesterday. Thedeliciousness was generously funded by a Citizens Committee for NYC grant to iDig2Learn. It was a perfect launch day on CornellTech’s Roosevelt Island campus under the Tulip Poplar trees and it was fun to try out the IncrEdible edible compostable spoons too. The initiative is calledBellies, Bins and Beautyto better focus on food into Bellies first, then food scraps into Bins for processing into compost, then Beautyinside and out that comes from within by eating healthy compost-grown food and beautifying our neighborhood with community plantings of flowers and trees while keeping theisland clean and beautiful.

Thanks
for sharing your ideas to more deeply value food and also for adding
your skills to theBellies,Bins & Beauty idea board. Throughout
the upcoming year we plan to team up with many island partners to eat
& grow food together, exchange seeds, plant more trees, water, weed,
plog and make it easyto add food scraps each Saturday from 9am to 2pm
to the bins for composting. We look forward to joining the Graduate
Hotel’s farm freshkitchen team for a fall workshop spotlighting meal
prep with seasonally available food and learning tips to cook more of
the food webuy – think stems andleaftops.
A special thanks to:

The Cafe team Ian and Chris for allowing us to gobble up your ice cream and sorbet supply and for creating the voucher exchange and table setup.Anthony Longo & family for talking to us about the benefits of returning what comes from the earth back to the earth and deeply valuing food scraps for compost. And taking photos too.And to the volunteers Deolinda, Therese, Jane and Levka for meeting and greeting and ensuring everyone had a great time. I deeplyappreciatedyourhelp.And to Citizens Committee for NYC for believing in Roosevelt Island.

SAVE THE DATE FOR UPCOMING iDig2Learn EVENTS:

Thursday, SEPT., 9th from 7PM – 8PM at theGood Shepherd Chapel (inside)Special Guest, Book Author Jennie Romer, presents her new book entitled, Can I Recycle This?
Plus
partners from the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) share the
latest wins and resources to reducing waste in NYC and Roosevelt
Island’s NYP Library will be there too.Please RSVPtoiDig2Learn@gmail.comwith the wordRECYCLEin the subject line to join us.
Monday, SEPT., 13th from 3PM to 4PM at the Secret Not-So-Secret Garden above the Blackwell House North sandbox playground. NYPL’s RI Library branch’s Ms. Jen reads to young readers for a nature-themed STORYTIME with iDig2Learn. Rain location in the library.

Saturday, SEPT 18th from 11am to 1pm FIELD GUIDE “Seeing Fall” at Socrates Sculpture Park. ParkPre-Registration Required – All Ages Welcome – Free! Join Socrates Director of Education Douglas Paulson&Christina DelficoofiDig2Learnfor
a workshop thatweaves art-making and plant identification together!
We will explore the Park, learn about what’s growing around us, and
drawing andseeingtechniques. No prior experience with drawing or
plantidentification is necessary.

Look forward to seeing you soon,

Ms Delfico adds some of the ideas submitted by attendees:

  • Plant more trees
  • Create public gardens in all the open spaces on Roosevelt Island especially veggies
  • Learn how to grow herbs and vegetables at home
  • Use stems, leaves, tops for broth
  • Learn how to cook more of the food we buy to reduce food waste
  • Use avocados for hair masks
  • Bring food scraps to the bins every Saturday 9 AM to 2 PM
  • Create floral crowns for your head
  • Take care of plants with water and harvest veggies and fruit to keep the plants pretty.

Here’s more about iDig2Learn Bellies, Bins & Beauty from last Sunday at Cornell Tech.