Events

Colonie Compost Drop Program

Join us for a very special Earth Day event this Saturday April 18, 2026 – it starts with the official launch of the Colonie Compost Project at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 11 am, followed by a fun and delicious Reuse-A-Palooza fair and vegan chili cook-off from 12 to 3 pm.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Albany County Legislature, the volunteers at the non-profit Zero Waste Capital District have worked with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, the Town of Colonie, and building consultant Rich Daley of Sunray Sustainability to create a community food scraps drop off site at the Church that can serve approximately 60 families.  The site allows local residents to drop off their food scraps in locked bins any time that’s convenient, 24/7.  From the bins, the food scraps are taken to be composted at Vermiluv, a worm composting operation nearby.  At the launch, Albany County Legislators from Colonie, plus representatives from the Town, Good Shepherd Church, and previously-trained residents will be depositing their first pail of collected food scraps.

“Separating out food scraps from our other waste is a triple win” says Tina Lieberman, Chair of Zero Waste Capital District.  “It helps us reduce landfill waste, lessen greenhouse gas emissions from the landfill, and make local compost – an incredibly valuable fertilizer for our gardens and lawns.”

Those who wish to participate in the Colonie Compost Project must first attend a one-hour training run by Zero Waste volunteer and Colonie resident, Glen Culbertson.  At the end of the training, participants take a brief quiz to assure they know what goes in the bin and what stays out.  They then get the combination to the mobile storage unit that houses the food scrap collection bins in the Church parking lot. 

“The most important thing to remember is not to put plastics of any kind in the bin.  Even so-called ‘compostables’ are not allowed,” explains Glen.  “We need to avoid putting microplastics and chemicals into our food supply.  Besides, the worms won’t eat them.”  Approximately 15 families will begin the program this spring.  Then another group of 15 families will be trained in early summer.  A free will donation of $2 per drop off is requested but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. 

The next training is online and scheduled for Wednesday April 29 at 7 pm via Zoom.  Register at https://www.zerowastecd.org/composting/colonie-compost-project. 

Susan Laurilliard, Albany County Legislator for Colonie said, "It's only a matter of time until our local landfills, and really, all landfills run out of space, and composting represents one of the most realistic, cost-effective and environmentally sound answers to this ever-mounting problem. The teamwork exhibited here, from the years of effort by Glen Culbertson and Dave Esmond to the generous hosting of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church to Tina's dedication at Zero Waste Capital District, is exactly what's going to help us move forward and meet even our thorniest problems with real, workable solutions."

Ellen Rosano, Albany County Legislator for Colonie said, "This is exactly the kind of work that legislator grants from Albany County are best-suited to seed and support, and I couldn't be prouder that I was able to play a part in introducing a composting program in Colonie. Composting this way represents an extraordinary marriage of the wisdom humans have understood for thousands of years and ultra-modern technology, and today they are coming together to provide a safe, simple and environmentally friendly solution to the truly vexing problem of an ever-growing flood of solid waste into our landfills and methane into our atmosphere."

Dave Mayo, Albany County Legislator for Colonie said, "This is the kind of program that, once planted, could grow into something truly phenomenal for the community over time. It's a pilot project, a small solution that has the potential to have a real impact on a problem, solid waste, that we can't look away from. For years environmental advocates have preached the gospel of composting, so it's only fitting that the message be translated into action at this gracious church. We are starting with 60 families, and the firm intention to grow and grow this composting program, to take those first small steps that are the only way to make a big difference, and to do so together, as a community, with every resource at our disposal."

Mon April 20, 7:30 pm at the NYS Writers Institute in UAlbany's downtown campus, Judith Enck will be speaking about her new book “The Problem with Plastic”. Page Hall, 135 Western Ave, Albany. See details HERE.

Save the Date: Thurs May 7 at 7 pm - The Plastic Detox. Are plastics and the chemicals they contain decreasing our fertility? Check out the eye-opening film "The Plastic Detox" now on Netflix. Then join Beyond Plastics in a free webinar to meet the director, a world renowned reproductive epidemiologist and one of the couples in the movie struggling to conceive. Register HERE.

Albany's Tulip Fest is coming!  Saturday May 9 and Sunday May 10 in Albany's Washington Park.  Volunteers needed (desperately!) - Help us reach out to hundreds of people about the importance of waste reduction, the dangers of microplastics, and the benefits of composting.  We also help monitor Zero Waste Stations placed throughout the park and assist people with sorting out food waste for composting and deposit bottles for recycling.  Please sign up for a shift HERE.

PaintCare Recycling Fundraiser for Zero Waste Capital District - Saturday June 6 at Eagle Elementary School, Delmar, 8am-1pm. Calling all volunteers! We need your help managing our paint recycling event.  Help us fund our efforts in the community!  From glass recycling at Honest Weight Food Coop to our new Colonie Food Scraps Drop Off site to our ReUse Center project, Zero Waste members are working hard to reduce waste in the Capital District.  Zero Waste will receive $20 per hour for 5 hours per volunteer!  Please be one of the people to help us reach our goal of covering 15 shifts!  SIgn up here to help.   Sign up here to bring your used paint for recycling - registration starts April 6.  Thank you!

2026 Drop It Swap It Events

Date Location

 Saturday, June 6, 2026 from 10:00am to 1:00pm New Covenant Presbyterian Church, 916 Western Avenue, Albany NY 12203

 The event will be held in the parking lot located behind New Covenant Presbyterian Church. Parking spaces are available in the lot.

 Saturday, June 27, 2026 from 10:00am to 1:00pm Metropolitan Baptist Church, 105 2nd Street, Albany NY 12210

 The event will be held in the parking lot located behind Metropolitan Baptist Church. Parking spaces are available in the lot.

 Saturday, July 11, 2026 from 10:00am to 1:00pm St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church, 440 Whitehall Road, Albany NY 12208

 The event will take place in the main parking lot located next to St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church. Parking spaces are available in the lot.

 Saturday, August 1, 2026 from 10:00am to 1:00pm Albany County Lot, 260 S. Pearl Street, Albany NY 12202

 The event will be held in the Northwest corner of the County parking lot behind the Citgo gas station. Parkign spaces are available in the lot. Enter the parking lot on Pearl St. 

 Saturday, August 15, 2026 from 10:00am to 1:00pm STEAM Garden Parking Lot, 289 Central Ave, Albany NY 12206

 The event will take place in the parking lot next door to the STEAM Garden building. There is no parking on site. Please park on Central Ave.

 Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm Mount Zion Church, 135 Franklin Street, Albany NY 12202

 The event will take place around the corner from Mount Zion Church at the end of Franklin Street. There is no parking on site. Please park on Bassett Street.

From Sunray, Richard Daley

Community Gatherings This Month

• The Earth Repair Meetup at Honest Weight on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30pm. 

Repair Cafe schedule in the Hudson Valley

Get your broken items repaired with this free community reuse service.  Some cafes also offer bike tune ups and knife sharpening.  For more info and to see the schedule of upcoming repair cafes in the region see the Repair Cafe Calendar.