Since it's impossible to actually hug the Earth, and there's no need to literally hug a tree, taking a single step or a giant leap towards taking better care of the one planet we call home is actually quite simple.
Whether it's recycling better (or more!), swapping out a few disposable items for reusable ones, or keeping an eye on one's closet to upcycle old items into new ones, (or even sporting someone's vintage threads into a new style), anyone can make a difference. Of course, trees are pretty great for their shade and air filtering, so if anyone is still down to hug one—go for it—it might appreciate the love.
RECYCLE RIGHT
Recycling remains the first, and most important step, but recycling right is another thing altogether. Throwing the wrong container in the bin may, in fact, contaminate a whole load of recyclables costing money and time for the trash haulers and waste management facilities.
According to Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA), the number inside the recycle triangle is essentially a misnomer. What they can actually accept are known as the "Big 4," and if unsure, they say, "When in doubt, throw it out."
Currently, the Big 4 are corrugated cardboard, plastic bottles and jugs with necks, metal food and beverage containers, and glass bottles and jars. Lids are never to be included, either on the container or in the bin. The LCSWMA website offers a full listing of "yes" items as well as those that are a "no." But, while they might not take cereal boxes, they do accept a broad range of other items like tires, appliances, and batteries.
LCSWMA has a smaller facility located on New Holland Avenue in Lancaster. This facility as well as York County Resource Recovery Center, Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority, and Derry Township Recycling Center also will take a range of other things that pile up like paperboard (think mac 'n cheese boxes, cereal, and other thin cardboard), paper (mail, school handouts, old bills), newspaper, magazines, toilet paper rolls, books, and food menus. Their only caveat is that items must be sorted (double check each facility's website prior to drop-off for current "yes" lists).
Using recycled materials to their advantage, the Ronald McDonald House accepts glossy magazines and the tabs from all aluminum cans to benefit those using their services. Items can be dropped off at their main office in Hershey or a variety of other places around the area (see website for tab and magazine locations). On average they receive over 2000 tabs a month, bringing in over $250,000! Stickers are available to jazz up containers so any organization wishing to take up collection, whether it's school, scouts, church, or work, can put the word out for a fun challenge.
REDUCE
Okay, so by now we should all know that plastic bags are not the way to carry things, right?
One local store really reinforcing this is Stauffers of Kissel Hill grocery store. As of Earth Day (April 25) this month, the store has committed to eschewing plastic and paper bags. Shockingly, the two stores in Lancaster went through 4.6 million bags in one year! In lieu of plastic and paper bags, the store asks customers to use reusable bags, or free boxes available at checkout.
While ditching those plastic bags might seem tough at first, there are so many cute and stylish reusable alternatives. After time, sporting a canvas bag will make trips to the store much easier with stronger handles (and fun designs!). Promote hometown pride with one of Madcap & Co.'s totes decorated with Lancaster in a few funky fonts. Find other artsy Lancaster designs at the visitor's center, adorned with iconic Central Market, City Hall, and the famous Fulton Theatre. York's Central Market offers similar totes for purchase.
Beer drinkers may not consider how many bottles and cans get tossed into their green bins, but an amazing alternative comes in the form of a growler. With PA boasting so many mouthwatering brewery options, grab a growler and fill it with some local suds from a number of spots ready to fill 'er up. In Lancaster, check out the Taproom by Spring House Brewing Co., Lancaster Brewing Co., St. Boniface Brewery, and Iron Hill Brewery, to name a few. In York, find a fill at Collusion Tap Works and Holy Hound Taproom, amongst others. In Gettysburg, give Mason Dixon Distillery a shot. Growlers offer a great way to sample various ales as well as snagging some memorable merch.
Caffeinated concoctions create a host of waste since most partakers will enjoy a cuppa daily. Some restaurants and cafes have found a way to reduce the copious amounts of containers by opting for compostable and biodegradable cups, lids, and utensils. Opt for establishments like Molly's Courtyard Cafe in York that take pride in using alternatives to plastics and one-use products from straw to spoon. Eating in house? Molly's only uses mugs and dishware so no meal's serveware ends up in the trash. Even their products are sourced locally from a York company, Greenline Paper Company, committed to preserving resources from the kitchen to the office. Although there are recycling facilities that accept product packaging, another option is eliminating the need to recycle the container at all. At Lemon Street Market in Lancaster, over 100 products are available as a bulk purchase placed into the customer's own container. Refill spices, detergent, lentils, and vinegar to name a few. They sell upward of 70 products that can replace one-time use items, as well (lemonstreetmarket. com). Bulk up at the Natural Food Company in Gettysburg, as well, and grab some some ingredients for the home. In Harrisburg, check out Radish & Rye for exclusive local food products and produce.
REUSE IT
Clothing can be a real drain on the planet's resources from growing the materials, to shipping them far and wide, to simply throwing them away to end up in a landfill.
Thrift and consignment shops offer people the chance to give the item a second (or more!) go around, as a new look on a new shopper. Some cool places to grab some vintage threads are Stash in Harrisburg, Miss Ruth's Time Bomb in Carlisle, and The Scarlett Willow in Lancaster.
What if the garment in question is loved but in need of repair? According to Laura Roberts, owner of The Pink Phoenix, "Stitch it before you ditch it!" A longtime lover of sustainability, Roberts sees opportunity in worn items, providing repair and alterations—just like the mythological story of the phoenix—giving textiles another life. Turn a special shirt into a pillow, an outgrown dress into a handbag or scarf; or create something sentimental, decorative, or newly useful.
Reusing can also be fun and bring out an adult or child's creative side. Businesses like Lancaster Creative Reuse, that not only allows dropping off old items, but encourages picking up new ones or sticking around and making a project in-house. Craft classes are scheduled, but even the uninspired will leave with some sparked imagination after a walk around the store with unique bric-a-brac, holiday accoutrements, and crafting supplies. Warm up the old glue gun and watch how easy it is to start attaching those loose pom poms and sequins to a used picture frame.
With everyone back outside getting the garden in shape, leaves, branches, and other lawn leftovers can start to pile up. Good news is even those natural scraps can be reused. Various townships and boroughs like the Joint Compost Facility for Silver Spring and Mechanicsburg Boro and Manheim Township's Compost Park offer residents the ability to not just dispose of yard waste, but to also then partake in the wood mulch and leaf compost that's been created. Enjoy full cycle use of nature's materials!
IN CONCLUSION...
Most importantly, when taking a greener approach to daily life, remember that no one is perfect. Throwing away a plastic blueberry container isn’t the proverbial "end of the world”. These tips highlight the fact that there are so many simple ways to curb one use products. It can be fun and fashionable to switch to an insulated water bottle (who wants warm water from a plastic bottle anyway?) or a tote instead of a plastic bag. With a chic new look, a trendy reusable bag, and a greener attitude, others can be inspired also!
