Time's Up! - Press Center

2023 Letter – Year in Review

December, 2023 Dear Friend, We hope this letter finds you and your loved ones well. This year the effects of climate change already devastating the Global South have arrived on our doorsteps: smoke turned New York’s air sulfur yellow, heat waves scalded the country, stormwater flooded the streets, and fires raged across once-lush landscapes. More… read more
2022 Letter – Year in Review

December, 2022 Dear Friend, We wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a happy holiday season and thank you for your support of TIME’S UP! Environmental Organization. This coming year will be our 35th year of making positive, sustainable change both locally and globally. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and any year-end contributions… read more
2021 Letter – Year in Review

December, 2021 Dear Friend, We hope that you and your loved ones are well. As this year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and to share what we have been able to accomplish together through TIME’S UP!’s environmental activism and community events. Every day,… read more
2020 Letter – Year in Review

December, 2020 Dear Friend, I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well and staying safe during this utterly unprecedented time. Because of your generous support, this has been another amazing year for Time’s Up! Environmental Organization and our planet—and for that, we thank you. Every day, more people are becoming aware of… read more
2019 Letter – Year in Review

December, 2019 Dear Friend, Thanks to your support, this has been another amazing year for Time’s Up! Environmental Organization and our planet. Everyday more and more people are becoming aware of the urgency of climate change and how their everyday actions affect not only local but global conditions. As we celebrate the beginning of another… read more
2018 Letter – Year in Review

December, 2018 Dear Friend, Thanks to your continued support, Time’s Up environmental organization continues to make positive, sustainable change despite an increasingly negative and divisive climate. Our everyday actions, events and campaigns have inspired people into a sustainable grassroots revolution. We are experts at making change from the grassroots level. We’re doing it everyday with… read more
2017 Letter – Year in Review

December 4, 2017 Dear Friend, Thanks to your continued support, Time’s Up Environmental Organization has continued to make positive, sustainable change despite this negative and divisive climate. Our everyday actions, events and campaigns have inspired people into a sustainable grassroots revolution. We can make change from the grassroots level, and we’re doing it every day… read more
2016 Letter – Year in Review

December 2016 Dear Friend, In 2017, Time’s Up! turns 30. A huge thank you for your long-term support, which has made it possible for us to make positive, sustainable change for so long. Some of our actions and campaigns have now created long-term positive changes. One of the first campaigns that we teamed up on… read more
2015 Letter – Year in Review

December 2015 Dear Friend, In just a few weeks, the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) will be held in Paris. Time’s Up representatives will be attending the conference and sharing our work with others from around the world. The small, incremental changes that we’ve worked for in New York for nearly three decades… read more
2014 Letter – Year in Review

December 2014 Dear Friend, Several weeks ago nearly half a million people filled the streets of Manhattan for the Peoples Climate March. This record outpouring of unity focused on the environment and was seen around the world. Time’s Up was in the midst of the actions that day, just as we’ve been throughout all the… read more
2013 Letter – Year in Review

December 2013 Dear Friend, New York City may be turning into the place we always dreamed it could be. As a new mayor prepares to take the reins of the City, this is a critical time for our future—will we be able to hold on to all the sustainable gains we’ve worked so hard to… read more
2013-07-02 – Wheel Nice Generosity – Daily News

Wheel Nice Generosity Daily News July 2, 2013 By Simone Weichselbaum read more
2013-06-06 – Nude Bikers Who Dare to Be Bare – New York Daily News

Nude Bikers Who Dare to Be Bare Will Hit the Streets on Saturday New York Daily News June 6, 2013 By Mark Morales http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/naked-bike-ride-saturday-article-1.1… Lady Godiva is trading in her horse for wheels. Hordes of nude bikers will strip down and cycle all over Brooklyn and Manhattan as part of the World Naked Bike Ride… read more
2013-05-15 – Children’s Magical Garden Feud With Developed is Rekindled – The Lo-Down

Children’s Magical Garden Feud With Developed is Rekindled The Lo-Down May 15, 2013 By Traven Rice http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2013/05/childrens-magical-garden-feud-… We are on the scene at the Children’s Magical Garden at Stanton and Norfolk where a long standing dispute has been rekindled between the community and developer Serge Hoyda. Hoyda has planned to develop a portion of this… read more
2013-05-15- Despite Volunteer Efforts, Beach Still Won’t Open – Gothamist

Despite Volunteer Clean Up Efforts, Fort Tilden Beach Still Won’t Open This Summer Gothamist May 15, 2013 By Lauren Evans http://gothamist.com/2013/05/15/fort_tilden_beach_hurricane_sandy.php Look, no one is happy about Fort Tilden closing after that violent strumpet Sandy came in and flung rebar all over the shore, upsetting thousands of sunbathers who can’t afford a private seaplane to… read more
2013-05-04 – Downtown Sustainability Hub – Ideas City

Downtown Sustainability Hub Ideas City May 4, 2013 http://www.newmuseum.org/ideascity/view/downtown-sustainability-hub There are two untapped resources that could be more efficiently used in creating a sustainable NYC: vacant buildings and grassroots networks. According to Scott Stringer’s report on vacant buildings, there are more than two thousand vacant units in Manhattan alone. Every one of these could be… read more
2013-04-22 – Times Up! takes over Williamsburg lot as first garden – City Atlas

Times Up! takes over Williamsburg lot as first garden City Atlas April 22, 2013 By Shannon Ayala http://newyork.thecityatlas.org/lifestyle/timesupgarden/ Times Up! took over a vacant lot on South 5th Street in Williamsburg, just across the street from its South 6th Street headquarters and in plain view of the Williamsburg Bridge. “We just walked in,” said Benjamin… read more
“Criminality Suspected” Memorial Project

In 1996, Time’s Up! pioneers the Street Memorial Project, commemorating cyclists and pedestrians killed by motorists. The Street Memorial Project creates silent but powerful memorials to draw attention to pedestrian and cyclist fatalities around the city through actions such as Stencil Memorials, Memorial Bike Rides, and candlelight vigils. In collaboration with Right of Way, Time’s… read more
2013-04-18 – Time’s Up! Movie Night – Time Out

Time’s Up! Movie Night Time Out April 18, 2013 http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/times-up-movie-night The cycling advocates at Time’s Up! host a monthly movie night, showcasing short and feature films about bikes and environmental advocacy. There’s also beer and free popcorn; donations are appreciated. read more
2013-04-18 – Vacant Williamsburg Lot Will Become Garden or Apartments – Gothamist

Vacant Williamsburg Lot Will Become Community Garden, Or Maybe Apartments Gothamist April 18, 2013 By Lauren Evans http://gothamist.com/2013/04/18/williamsburg_lot_turned_into_garden.php On Sunday, volunteers with environmental advocacy group Time’s Up broke into a fenced-off vacant lot at 99 South 5th Street in Williamsburg, with the goal of eventually turning the abandoned scrap of dirt into a beautiful community… read more
2013-04-09 – City Settles ‘Occupy’ Lawsuit for $350 K – New York Post

City Settles ‘Occupy’ Lawsuit for $350 K New York Post April 9, 2013 By David Seifman http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/city_settles_occupy_lawsuit_for_UwR3B… The city has agreed to pay more than $350,000 to settle three lawsuits brought by protestors at Occupy Wall Street who claimed thousands of books, electronic equipment and bikes seized by the city were either damaged or never… read more
2013-04-09 – NYC Agrees to Pay Protestors – Huffington Post

Occupy Wall Street Lawsuits: NYC Agrees To Pay Protestors For Destroying Library, Property Huffington Post April 9, 2013 By Jonathan Allen http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/occupy-wall-street-lawsuits-nyc… NEW YORK, April 9 (Reuters) – New York City has agreed to pay Occupy Wall Street protesters more than $100,000 for property damaged or lost when police cleared out their encampment in a… read more
2013-03-26 – Mean Streets For City Cyclists – Metro NY

Mean Streets For City Cyclists Metro NY March 26, 2013 By Alison Bowen read more
2013-03-21 – Cyclists Draw a Line – The Villager

Cyclists Draw a Line; Demand Accountability in Car Accidents The Villager March 21, 2013 By Jefferson Siegel http://thevillager.com/2013/03/21/cyclists-draw-a-line-demand-accountabi… All too often, the news is filled with stories of pedestrians and bicyclists killed in accidents with cars. The stories usually conclude with the drivers not being charged followed by the police statement: “No criminality suspected.” In… read more
2013-03-16 – Sidewalk memorials remind public of pedestrians hit and killed – PIX11

Sidewalk memorials remind public of pedestrains hit and killed PIX11 March 16, 2013 By Magee Hickey http://pix11.com/2013/03/16/sidewalk-memorials-remind-public-of-pedestri… You may be walking down the street and see what looks like a chalk drawing, the outline of a body, you may wonder what’s the story. Here’s the answer. An anonymous group of cyclists stenciled these body outlines… read more
2012 Letter – Year in Review

December 2012 Dear Friend, This is the time of year we typically pause to reflect on both the challenges we’ve faced and the things we’ve accomplished, and write to ask for your support for the coming year. But Hurricane Sandy has brought a renewed sense of… read more
2012-12-27 – 5 FREE New Year’s Eve Alternative Events – Waterside Plaza

5 FREE New Year’s Eve Alternative Events Waterside Plaza December 27th, 2012 By Di http://www.watersideplaza.com/roller/blog/entry/5_free_new_year_s If you’re not a competitive runner but still want an active start to 2013, you can bring your bike or skates to Washington Square Park for Time’s Up New Year’s Eve Ride (or roll) up to resplendent Belvedere Castle in… read more
Press Releases

Times Up press releases sorted by year. read more
Press Coverage by Year

Press coverage of Times Up efforts sorted by year. read more
press-center

For press inquires email press@times-up.org. TIME’S UP! is a grassroots environmental group that uses educational outreach and direct action to promote a more sustainable, less toxic city. For more than 20 years, TIME’S UP! has worked to educate people about the environmental impacts of everyday decisions, from the food we buy to the means of… read more
2012-12-08 – East Village Shrine to Riots and Radicals – NY Times

East Village Shrine to Riots and Radicals The New York Times December 8th, 2012 By John Leland http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/nyregion/the-museum-of-reclaimed-urban-space-enshrines-the-east-village-struggle.html?_r=1& FOUR days before the opening of the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space on Avenue C, near 10th Street, Bill DiPaola told the volunteer staff about the suggestion box. Though the group was supposed to make all decisions… read more
2012-12-07 – 25 Free Things to Do in NYC This Holiday Season

25 Free Things to Do in NYC This Holiday Season Complex City Guide December 7, 2012 By Joe Fleming http://www.complex.com/city-guide/2012/11/25-free-things-to-do-in-nyc-th… Bike in Time’s Up Annual New Year’s Eve Ride Date: Monday, December 31 Time: 10:30 p.m. Location: Washington Square Park Perfect For: Getting a head start on your resolution to exercise more Website: times-up.org Organized… read more
2012-11-29 – How to help a month after Sandy – Metro

How to help a month after Sandy Metro NY November 29th, 2012 By Alison Bowen and Meredith Engel http://www.metro.us/newyork/local/article/1157179–how-to-help-a-month-after-sandy Whether it is by biking through boroughs or slinging drinks at a bar, New Yorkers are still helping city residents a month later. Environmental group Time’s UP! has been leading bike caravans to the Rockaways for… read more
2012-11-25 – Disaster Donations Surge, But What About Tomorrow? – NPR

Disaster Donations Surge, But What About Tomorrow? NPR November 25, 2012 By NPR Staff http://www.npr.org/2012/11/25/165871080/disaster-donations-surge-but-wha… More than $174 million in donations has been raised for those affected in New York and New Jersey by Superstorm Sandy, which devastated parts of the Atlantic coast in late October. “The more affluent and well-insured people will figure a… read more
2012-11-09 – Notes from the disaster zone; A survivor sounds off – The Villager

Notes from the disaster zone; A survivor sounds off The Villager November 9th, 2012 By Bill Weinberg http://www.thevillager.com/?p=8442 Well, I’m back on my computer after four days of the electricity being out in Lower Manhattan, and finding my rage level is even higher than usual. Where to even begin? For starters, with the most obvious… read more
2012-11-02 – Occupy relief activists emerge as reluctant heroes in Sandy aftermath – Allvoices

Occupy relief activists emerge as reluctant heroes in Sandy aftermath: They boldly go where no FEMA personnel dare going Allvoices November 2, 2012 By Michelle Devlin http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/13314066-occupy-relief-activis… All those nights camping in Zucotti Park appear to have paid off – big time – for Occupy activists who are possibly not only the most well-prepared, but… read more
2012-11-02 – Hurricane Sandy Blackout: Where to Find Power – Time Out

Hurricane Sandy Blackout: Where to Find Power, Wi-Fi and More Amenities Time Out November 2, 2012 By Jonathan Shannon http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/hurricane-sandy-blackout-whe… Large swaths of New York are still without power and may be for a while. If you have friends who are affected, check our list (it’s small, but growing) of NYC businesses and institutions that… read more
2012-10-31 – NYC volunteers drain basements with bicycles – Cyclelicious

NYC volunteers drain basements with bicycles Cyclelicious October 31, 2012 By Richard Masoner http://www.cyclelicio.us/2012/nyc-drain-flooded-basement-bicycle/ Volunteers with Times Up use a pedal powered water pump and a bucket brigade to empty a flooded basement on Avenue C in the East Village, Manhattan. Enough power was also available from the bike powered alternator to charge mobile phones. read more
2012-10-31 – Communities Gather Around Generators in New York – The Epoch Times

Communities Gather Around Generators in New York: Bicycle-Generated Electricity Creates Spontaneous Communities The Epoch Times October 31, 2012 By Zachary Stieber http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/communities-gather-around-… Lower East Side communities, still working toward normalcy after Hurricane Sandy, gathered in pockets around generators on Wednesday. With power still out during the day from the southern tip to 27th Street of… read more
2012-10-25 – D.A. is M.I.A. on pledge to probe fatal accidents – The Villager

D.A. is M.I.A. on pledge to probe fatal accidents The Villager October 25, 2012 By Keegan Stephan and Charles Komanoff http://thevillager.com/2012/10/25/d-a-is-m-i-a-on-pledge-to-probe-fatal-… Sixties relic or not, speaking truth to power remains critical to democracy. Nowadays, though, elected officials and corporate bosses hide behind gates, goons and guns. Dissenters are shunted into cordons sanitaires. The unfettered, unmediated… read more
2012-10-22 – Twenty five years reclaiming NYC – examiner.com

Twenty five years reclaiming NYC: Times Up! Environmental Organization Examiner.com October 22, 2012 By Shannon Ayala http://www.examiner.com/article/twenty-five-years-reclaiming-nyc-times-u… There is a long row of bicycles, valet parked against the Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Inside, just passed the doors is a long table where volunteers check names off the RSVP list, give people a beer token… read more
2012-10-16 – Times Up Proposes Different Bike Path to Williamsburg Bridge – Bowery Boogie

Times Up Proposes Different Bike Path to Williamsburg Bridge Bowery Boogie October 16, 2012 By Elie http://www.boweryboogie.com/2012/10/times-up-proposes-different-bike-pat… Delancey Street safety improvements are barely out the door, and some are already taking issue with the design. Specifically the Times Up environmental organization with regard to the bike lane along this heavily-trafficked corridor. Times Up recently plastered… read more
2012-10-01 – Dogs In The Bike Lane At Time’s Up’s 2012 Doggie Pedal Parade – Gothamist

Dogs In The Bikes Lane At Time’s Up’s 2012 Doggie Pedal Parade Gothamist October 1st, 2012 By Jen Chung http://gothamist.com/2012/10/01/dogs_and_bikes_times_ups_2012_doggi.php#photo-1 Yes, bicycles for bipeds are the big issue, but dogs also love bikes! Time’s Up had its 5th Annual Doggie Pedal Parade, which showed off bikes made to transport pups as well as promoted adopting… read more
2012-10-01 – Time’s Up!: Group Bike Riding Geared Toward Greenpeace – joonbug

Time’s Up!: Group Bike Riding Geared Toward Greenpeace joonbug October 1, 2012 By Blaine Ashley http://joonbug.com/newyork/charity/Times-Up/rFPRAvo0b6L TIME’S UP! is a grassroots environmental group that uses educational outreach and direct action to promote a more sustainable, less toxic city. For more than 20 years, TIME’S UP! has worked to educate people about the environmental impacts of… read more
2012-09-22 – East Fourth Street FAB! Festival promotes environmentalism – examiner.com

East Fourth Street FAB! Festival promotes environmentalism Examiner.com September 22, 2012 By Shannon Ayala http://www.examiner.com/article/east-fourth-street-fab-festival-promotes… It wasn’t just the arts at the Fourth Arts Block (FAB!) Festival in the East Fourth Street Culture District (between 2nd Avenue and Bowery) on Saturday. Other than a diverse myriad of performances, art installations and culture initiatives, the street… read more
2012-09-28 The Battle of the Bike Ban

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 10, 2012 Contacts: Keegan Stephen 907.244.6426, Keegan@times-up.org Benjamin Shepard 917.586.7952, press@times-up.org TIME’S UP! JOINS WITH FORMER TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PRESIDENT CHARLES KOMANOFF TO CELEBRATE THE 1987 BICYCLE UPRISING, 25 YEARS OF BICYCLE ACTIVISM, AND 20 YEARS OF CRITICAL MASS WHAT: Commemorative bike ride in conjunction with Critical Mass retracing the path… read more
2012-09 – Life After Generators – Alternatives Journal

Life After Generators Alternatives Journal September/October 2012 read more
2012-08-30 – Here’s mud in your…river – The Villager

Here’s mud in your…river The Villager August 30th, 2012 http://www.thevillager.com/?p=7125 The Masters of Succession (MoS) Collective has recently been teaching people in the East Village and Lower East Side how to make — and then, even more fun, throw! — beneficial mud balls to help clean up polluted waterways. The collective’s Dee Dee Maucher led… read more
2012-08-30 – Guerrilla garden action as Stanton lot is taken over – The Villager

Guerilla garden action as Stanton lot is taken over The Villager August 30th, 2012 By Jefferson Siegel http://www.thevillager.com/?p=7030 A small parcel of land on Stanton St. that has stood vacant for more than 30 years has the potential to become a battleground between garden activists and developers. As gentrification continues apace on the Lower East… read more
2012-08-22 – Trespassing to Plant Flowers, and a Flag – NY Times

Trespassing to Plant Flowers, and a Flag The Villager August 22nd, 2012 By Colin Moynihan http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/nyregion/gardeners-annex-lower-east-si… The gardeners entered the empty lot, pushing in the bottom of a metal gate on the Lower East Side, ducking under it and dragging their tools behind them. There were rakes, shovels, a pitchfork — and a “No Trespassing”… read more
2012-03-21 – Cyclists Toss Pies To Protest Police Brutality – Gothamist

Cyclists Toss Pies To Protest Police Brutality, Banking Gothamist March 21, 2012 By John Del Signore http://gothamist.com/2012/03/21/video_cyclists_toss_pies_to_protest.php#photo-1 Last week Time’s Up! had their annual Ides (Pies) of March Ride, in which the environmental activist group uses clownish theatrics to protest issues such as police brutality and blocked bike lanes. This year the ride was renamed… read more
2012-03-05 – Bike Power Weekend – Natalie Pace

Bike Power Weekend NataliePace.com March 5th, 2012 http://www.nataliepace.com/np.php?fxn=article&id=20120305 Co-Sponsored by Time’s Up, Occupy North Carolina, Trish Martin, Megan Battistella (Adair Design) and Other Conscious Creatives. April 20-22, 2012. On Earth Day 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oilrig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the death of 11 men. Two days later, as the DWH… read more
2012-02-15 Ride to City Council Hearing for Murdered Cyclist Mathieu Lefevre

MEDIA ADVISORY Contacts: Barbara Ross 917.494.8164, press@times-up.org Benjamin Shepard 917.586.7952, Keegan Stephan 907.244.6426 Time’s Up! Ride to City Council Hearing for Murdered Cyclist Mathieu Lefevre Call for Safer Streets and NYPD Enforcement of Traffic Laws Mathieu Lefevre Safety and Save a Life Ride to City Council HearingWednesday, February 15, 20128:30am leave from Mathieu’s Street Memorial… read more
2012-02-13 – Urban Cyclists Take Back the Night – Columbia News

Urban Cyclists Take Back the Night Columbia News February 13, 2012 By Cory Bennett http://columbianewsservice.com/2012/02/urban-cyclists-take-back-the-night/. Richard Brause stopped his small group of cyclists. “OK, folks, we’re going to dip down real quick,” he said, his salt-and-pepper bearded face stuffed under a yellow helmet. “It’s going to be dark for a little. A bit scary, but… read more
2012-01-27 – Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior greeted with food by 4th Street Food Co-op and Time’s Up! – 4th Street Food Co-op

Greenpeaces Rainbow Warrior greeted with food by 4th Street Food Co-op and Time’s Up! The 4th Street Food Co-op January 27th, 2012 By Jill Woodward http://4thstreetfoodcoop.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/greenpeaces-rainbow-warrior-greeted-with-food-by-4th-street-food-co-op-and-times-up/ The 4th Street Food Co-op teamed up with Time’s Up! to deliver a special food order to the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace’s new ship that just docked at Chelsea piers.… read more
2011 Letter – Year in Review

December 2011 Dear Friend, This has been an exciting year! From Tahrir Square to Occupy Wall Street, change is in the air. It’s about time, with financial markets crashing and climate change ever more of a reality, we collectively need to change. Thanks to its members, volunteers, and activists, TIME’S UP has been playing a… read more
2011 Year in Review

Time’s Up! had a massive year in 2011. Just check out our End of Year Letter! We took more amazing photos and made more incredible videos. We continued our weekly fix-your-bike workshops, recycle-a-bike program, and regular rides and campaigns. Some highlights were our continuation of our participation in Summer Streets with a mobile dance party,… read more
2011-11-22 – Journalist Successfully Stands to NYPD – Gothamist

Video: Another Journalist Successfully Stands Up To The NYPD By: Garth Johnston http://gothamist.com/2011/11/22/video_another_journalist_successful.php Considering how pissed the collective media is over its treatment by the NYPD, it is comforting to know that Time’s Up! activist Barbara Ross wasn’t the only citizen journalist to successfully stand up to the police while being intimidated in the past… read more
2011-11-09 – OWS With 15 Bike-Powered Generators – Gothamist

Occupy Wall Street Plans To Stay Forever With 15 New Bike-Powered Generators Demonstrating how pedal power works (James Thilman / Gothamist) http://gothamist.com/2011/11/09/occupy_wall_street_scores_15_new_bi.php#photo-1 Fifteen newly built bicycle-powered generators are helping to power the movement at Occupy Wall Street. After the FDNY and NYPD seized generators and biofuels citing a fire hazard, clever and resourceful occupiers, with… read more
2011-11-04 – OWS Composting – Treehugger

Occupy Wall Street’s Now Composting, Distributing It To Community Gardens Mat McDermott Living / Lawn & Garden November 4, 2011 http://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/occupy-wall-street-composting-distributing-to-community-gardens.html Mat McDermott/CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 The new bike-powered generators down at the Occupy Wall Street encampment in Zucotti Park have been all the rage in the media (and with passersby) since they were built. They… read more