Earth Positive
On the heels of Earth Day, may we all take a moment and breathe in the sweet air provided for us … Now that Spring is upon us, it is even easier to take in all that nature has to offer. I am eagerly awaiting farmstand season and our first family trip of the year to the beach. I am crossing both of my fingers that my son enjoys the ocean, but I am fully prepared for it to take some time. We are so lucky to have this home we all share, and some of the innovators taking on recycled goods are really making an impact on the health of the planet.
One set of such innovators are Bill Johnston and John Riddle who cofounded Recover Sustainable Apparel Co. in 2010. They sell all kinds of tops and outerwear for men, women and children, as well as various gear for camping and hiking. They utilize 100% recycled material for their clothing and accessories, in an effort to keep as much waste out of landfills as they can, and they are constantly reevaluating business procedures to reduce their energy use. If you’re a fan of comfy T-shirts and saving the planet, this company is for you.
Terracycle is one of my personal favorites. I would love to participate in one of the challenges they post this summer. This company provides boxes that can be filled with difficult to recycle products and shipped back to them to recycle. For a flat cost, they send multiple boxes for businesses or individuals to use to collect hard to recycle items, such as toner and ink cartridges, light bulbs, toothpaste packaging, pens, pencils and markers, and just so much. Once the boxes are full, you affix a preprinted shipping label provided by them, and drop it off at a post office. Then they take care of the recycling and you’ve done a great deal of good for the environment.
Personal recycling projects can be very rewarding as well. I love to utilize recycling to organize my space. Shoe boxes, for instance, are great as shelf organizers in linen cabinets, under the sink, or even in an entryway. To give them a little something extra, you can wrap them in a pretty paper in a pattern that speaks to you. I suggest a glue gun to affix the paper, but most adhesives will do the trick. I most certainly have a glass jar problem at this point, but they are so useful! They’re great for organizing dry goods in the pantry, for travel iced coffee mugs or whatever cold beverage you prefer, and they can even be used for cute amenity storage in a bathroom, kitchen or really anywhere. I love the aesthetic of a nice looking jar.
by Catie Zimmerman