One person's junk could be a neighbor's treasure. So to help the environment, residents of Forest Houses in the Bronx are taking recycling seriously.

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of New York City and the Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI) are starting a swap-shop pilot program, the Forest Houses Materials Exchange Shop, where residents can bring reusable items and exchange them for others.

The shop's grand opening will take place Thursday, Dec. 9, 1999, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 955 Tinton Ave., the Bronx.

Items accepted at the shop will include clothing, books, small household appliances, toys and jewelry. Residents who donate items will receive credit, which can be accumulated, for donated items of similar value. If the pilot program is successful, it might be repeated at other New York City Housing Authority sites.

"This innovative shop is one way residents can reduce the amount of waste generated at Forest Houses, keeping reusable materials out of the landfill as long as possible, saving money and keeping the environment clean," says Ruth Allen, the executive director of CCE's New York City programs.

The Forest Houses shop is part of the 3R's (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle) Center for Waste Prevention, a two-year pilot project partially funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. CCE of New York City and CWMI are working in partnership with the New York City Housing Authority, Forest Houses, the Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Center and the Forest Houses Tenants' Association on the project.

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of New York City and the Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI) are starting a swap-shop pilot program, the Forest Houses Materials Exchange Shop, where residents can bring reusable items and exchange them for others. The shop's grand opening will take place on Thursday, Dec. 9, 1999, from 1 p.m to 3 p.m. at 955 Tinton Ave., the Bronx.