recommendation: respond to earth day

I can hardly believe it has been OVER a full year since I've been doing this blog. Earth Day is this weekend on April 22nd and remembered I did a post on it LAST YEAR. Time flies.

Earth day is one of those days that seem silly because it should be celebrated every day. Like mother's day - you should love your momma every day. That's a big DUH. So here's what you need to remember: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE. First off though, reuse vs. recycle. I had a hard time on which category to put a few recommendations under and found this article quite helpful! For those too lazy to click the link - reuse is to keep the item in its near original form to be used again. If you donate something to a shelter or church you are allowing items to be reused so that people don't have to purchase a new one. If you recycle, the item is being stripped and broken down so that its parts can be used in new ways.

So here's my plan on how to carry out the 3 R's:

REDUCE: Last year I posted to buy local in order to reduce your carbon footprint. My local is now Ann Arbor, Michigan as we relocated in the fall from Chicago. I love this slogan: "BUY local or goodBYE local!". I saw that sign for the first time when a Hallmark in Dexter was going out of business and it made me so sad. Its nice to support businesses around you that get involved with the community that they are in. I've found a few favorite local treats that also encourage business with the local community:

- Grange: 118 W. Liberty / Ann Arbor, MI 48104 / 734.995.2107. How great is this?
"At Grange, our commitment to local and sustainable sources reflects both our commitment to the community and our commitment to bringing the best of the farm’s bounty to the table when it’s fresh and at the peak of its flavor." Brunch there is great (Sundays only) but make reservations in advance!

- Downtown Home & Garden - Great local resource, here is what the site says, "We love to showcase our rich history as a hundred-year-old downtown retailer, but we survive by our willingness to adapt to change. We strive to make ourselves ever-more useful to our customers and the extended community by providing trustworthy information and full service." This place as a great Ann Arbor-y vibe and they are so helpful. This is the place to go if you need specific seeds for your garden or need some fun kitchen utensils.

- Mark's Carts was started by Mark of the above Downtown Home & Garden. Its a collection of food carts individually by the vendors, and each presents a different style of ethnic or regional food. I haven't been there yet but its created quite the buzz in A2.

- Think Local First: their mission is to support and cultivate locally-owned, independent businesses in Washtenaw County that are committed to making our community a healthier and more vibrant place to live. Great list of local businesses that have a lot to offer.

- Ok this one doesn't really fit the whole carbon footprint reduce thing, but they support local businesses and I just L.O.V.E. their billboards! Only Ann Arborites will get these but my favorites lately are: * Non-local banks think Briarwood is where Peter Rabbit lives; * Non-local banks think Kosmo is a character on Sesame Street; * Non-local banks think Ypsi is something you say after making a mistake; and * Non-local banks think Big George is a mob boss.

REUSE: My reuse this year is promotion for the

place I volunteer - The Brides Project! It is a non-profit organization of voluneers dedicated to raising funds for the programs of the Cancer Support Community (CSC) of Greater Ann Arbor. We collect donated 'pre-loved' or unworn wedding dresses that are available for purchase to brides-to-be at a considerable savings. All profits from the sale of the gowns go to the CSC to support programs and services for people touched by cancer. How great is that? Awesome way to reuse a wedding item no longer needed and help the community!

RECYCLE: After posting my Spring Clean your Closet post yesterday (REUSE!!), I found a WasteWatcher catalog that the City of Ann Arbor mails out. This book has so much information about recycling but boy is it confusing! I feel so guilty, so many things I'm throwing in my recycle bin should NOT be going there! A few examples:
* Remove all bottle caps from pop bottles before recycling
* No plastic lids (such as yogurt lids), flatware, fast-food drink tops/straws
* No light bulbs in recycling carts
* No paper cups, napkins, paper plates.
The list goes on. Who knew? Recommendation: find your City website and check out the guidelines for recycling. You are not helping the earth by not following them!

Try to find ways that work for you with your lifestyle to help the earth. Make a personal commitment to do one of the three R's this year: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!