Paterson Plank Rd, Jersey City Heights, Needs A Serious Clean-Up

Posted on January 15, 2010 by itees

This afternoon the weather warmed up a bit to the upper 40s and so it was time to get out there and start walking. I love to walk around town, down to Hoboken, along the waterfront, and back up the hill. My route today was a big circle starting from “The Heights” of Jersey City, down the elevator at 9th Street, up to 14th street and across to walk along the water and down to First Street, across to Paterson Plank Rd. and back up.

Paterson Plank Rd. is a route that is mostly used by cars and buses rushing up and down, but there is a walkway and occasionally you see bicycle riders, runners and folks just walking along, more in warmer weather.

What I’d like to know is, who’s job is it to clean this walkway, because the amount of trash I saw on my walk today, was insane. Besides the leaves that had fallen, there was glass, crushed plastic bottles, newspapers, cans, empty chip bags… you name it, I saw it.

I assume this area is considered Jersey City, but have they cut back? Is there no clean-up detail to work this area anymore? Also, you wouldn’t believe what I saw just thrown over the little wall you walk along that is above the Light Rail train tracks. All kinds of assorted trash including a shopping cart from a supermarket.

I imagine people just drop things as they walk along, or perhaps people throw things out of the car windows as they zoom up? All I know is, if they don’t address the garbage there soon, there won’t be any space left to walk.

Click on the above map picture to go to Google Maps and see the area I'm talking about

Earth Day 2010, Time To Reconnect With Nature

Posted on January 10, 2010 by itees

I have always tried to show, by design or blogging, that people need to reuse, recycle, plant, not tear down, and just plain care more about this place Earth, we all call home. I love the outdoors, gardens, beaches, forests, and have plants, nice green living things in every room, and every Spring into Summer, I have a small outdoor space which is full of flowers. In warmer weather, I ride my bicycle, so I can see and photograph the beautiful gardens around New York and New Jersey. When I travel, I see what I can of the landscape and enjoy it.

However, I’m really beginning to worry about the state of our planet (more than usual). This Winter has been quite frigid, and the snow in some parts of the world, has been at record proportions. The weather in general has been from one extreme to another, and if anyone still doesn’t believe we have global warming, just look around.

People generally live selfishly and don’t think “green,” so I think with Earth Day coming on April 22, and it being the 40th anniversary, it’s a great opportunity to spread the message, that every single person needs to reconnect and realize they are part of nature and do more to help save the planet.

Yesterday, I went to see Avatar, like millions of others, and I was blown away by the story, and the 3D effects. It was so visually stunning and 3d glasses enhanced the natural beauty and made you feel like you were really there. It made me feel so good and I wished everyone felt about our planet, the way the “Na’vi” people felt about Pandora.

I have been thinking about ways to help spread the message of Earth Day and will be designing posters and t-shirts for both i-Tees and the FROGS ARE GREEN sites. Look for more of them in the next week or two. I’m also looking for anyone who’d like to collaborate with me, by donating an illustration or photograph, for this purpose.

Let’s all do our part and show we care and want to save this planet. To learn more about Earth Day, visit this website: Earth Day Network.

Below is my first poster design idea collaborating with photographer, John Crittenden. This poster is 24″ w x 18″ h and we’re offering it at $12.00, along with FREE Shipping.

Polluting Ourselves and Not Just at Thanksgiving

Posted on November 25, 2009 by itees

I’ve gained a bit of weight this year, maybe 10 lbs or so and I’m not happy about it. I realize that this year’s economy has made my workload a bit lighter than usual, and maybe to compensate for the extra time, I’m eating, drinking, and not exercising like I should. You’d think with this extra time, I’d hit the gym, but I haven’t been, because that extra time is focused on finding new work. As you can see, I spend way too much time at these computers, but it’s necessary.

Tomorrow, Thanksgiving will be here, one of my favorite holidays. My parents always invited the family over, we cooked and feasted on all our favorite foods and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. These are wonderful memories I have and each T-day my sister, niece and I get together. Much of the family is spread out and my parents passed many years ago, so the gatherings are more intimate, but we still prepare all the same foods, keeping that tradition going. Today I will be making the cole slaw, and my Mother’s famous chopped liver recipe. Tomorrow, of course, I’ll get that turkey in the oven, and prepare some other favorites. My sister always makes her special cranberries, and this year, she suggested baked apples, yum! I’ll be picking up the desserts including a pumpkin pie, today, from Goehrig’s Bakery, down the street. So, along with the traditional recipes, we sometimes add a bit of own spin to the menu.

Listening to friends and family talk about where they’re going to stuff their faces, started me thinking about how we pollute ourselves and not just at Thanksgiving. I don’t like the way I feel, but with this holiday coming, the parties in the next month, Christmas and NYE on the horizon, what can I do? How can I talk about the pollution out there, and not see what I’m doing within?

Quite a dilemma. One cannot realistically go on a diet now, and stop enjoying the wonderful dishes we make only at this time of year. And when they uncork the wine, should we not enjoy it and each other’s company?

I suppose the right answer is to have some self control, sample everything, but in moderation and get back on track the rest of the year. We must know our limitations and not over do it. So diet today, but enjoy Thanksgiving, but not too much! And afterward I’m promising myself to lose the weight, and get to the gym!