From Snobbery to Shrubbery

Manhattan's Upper East Side is better known for fur coats and doormen than for crunchy granola and waste reduction. Upper Green Side, a nonprofit group launched in February, aims to change that. They're fierce advocates for cyclists, farmer's markets, and waste reduction. Via frequent visits to the local community board and a great many letters to various New York newspapers, they're pushing for fully separated bike lanes throughout the neighborhood (and the city) and recently celebrated the successful launch of a Greenmarket at 92nd Street and 1st Avenue. It's great to see their support for the historically overlooked poorer areas of the Upper East Side; if they can bring the power and wealth of the Park Avenue residents on board as well, they'll be a power to be reckoned with. ::Upper Green Side