• Recycle

    Can I Recycle This?

    Oregon's Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act. This Act is a system-wide update that will make recycling easier for the public, expand access to recycling services, create a single statewide recycling list, and upgrade the facilities that sort recyclables.

  • puppet on letter c
    Book Reviews,  RE-THINK,  Think Piece

    The Letter C

    These days, two C words I think a lot about are Climate and Change. Betty Shelley Does that remind you of Sesame Street? I loved watching it with our son when he was little; it was a good way to have some quiet time with him while learning interesting things. One of the things they did on the show was highlighting a particular letter, explaining how to use it in spelling various words like Cat and Cow and Cup and COOKIE! And they would use the words in sentences to make sure the children Comprehended the meaning of the word. These days, two C words I think a lot about are Climate and Change. Other C words that come to…

  • vegan nut butter
    FOOD,  Reuse

    Nut-tritious Foods Rebranded in Mason Jars

    Dedicated to being Vegan, Non-GMO, sold in reusable mason jars. The mission at Nut-Tritious Foods is to provide delicious, nutrient-dense nut and seed butters to be used as a daily ingredient for healthy eating in our homes and communities. Fresh roasting brings out a fantastic flavor that customers have loved for years. They are differentiated through their choices not to include salt, palm oils, fillers, or sweeteners (except the chocolate) and their dedication to being vegan and non-GMO. This year, they have rebranded the products into 12oz recyclable/reusable mason jars. Nut-tritiuos Foods is currently at 12 markets and several farmer’s markets such as Lake Oswego, Portland State, Beaverton, Vancouver, Camas,…

  • RE-THINK,  Reduce,  Think Piece

    Thinking Upstream

    “Hey, what’s that in the river?! It looks like…. It can’t be…Yes… yes, it’s a BABY! Oh my gosh, here comes another one! What on earth is happening?!? Where are those babies coming from?!” The people on the river banks jump in to rescue the babies floating downstream. They are able to reach them and save the babies from drowning. Then the next day, there are four babies struggling in the river! More folks jump in and save those babies. This process continues each consecutive day until finally, one of the people on the riverbank turns and runs upstream. “Where are you going?” shout the others. “I’m going to see…

  • Recycled Arts Fair
    COMMUNITY,  EVENT,  Zero Waste

    Recycled Arts and Sustainable Living Festival

    June 4th and 5th Yamhill County Fairgrounds 2070 NE Lafayette Avenue, McMinnville). Zero Waste McMinnville had to surrender to the pandemic by curtailing their impactful hands-on volunteer crusade to make McMinnville the first Zero Waste city in Oregon. However, they now feel that the pandemic is manageable for them to re-enter the community with their efforts. Therefore, they invite one and all to join them. They encourage you all to re-engage with Zero Waste McMinnville by joining their effort as a volunteer. They will need help raffling off two electric bikes and volunteers with Zero Waste Oregon and Edible Landscapes of Yamhill County. They also need volunteers to sit in…

  • Girl signals enough
    Education,  Reduce,  Think Piece

    Enough

    “Only when all contribute their firewood can they build up a strong fire.”Chinese proverb. It was a beautiful, sunny fall day today, and I was out for my walk, reveling in the colors of the leaves and the crispness of the air, this being my favorite season. As I passed the neighborhood elementary school, I noticed that some classes were sitting outside, having lunch under a shelter. The kids were sitting on mats, all spread out per COVID guidelines, and appeared to be enjoying themselves. Observing this made me think once again about how adaptable and flexible we need to be to cope with the multitude of challenges, large and…

  • sustainable fashion show
    Reduce,  Sustainable Fashion

    Sustainability + Fashion = Slow Fashion

    Image – Ireland’s Avoca Handweavers has been making fashionable clothing items with the care and attention to detail nowadays associated with “slow fashion” since 1723. In the U.S., millions of shoppers pack clothing stores, excited to key into the newest trends while paying low prices. On the other side of the world, low-wage workers— many of them young girls— are crushed under the hammer of “fast fashion” (the mass production of cheap, poor quality, disposable clothing), laboring without safety protections or adequate rights. Fast fashion’s impacts on both the environment and human rights are evident, and slow fashion may just be the only solution to a greener future. First off,…

  • holiday package
    Reduce,  Think Piece

    Creative Ways to Cut Your Holiday Waste

    Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, American household waste increases by more than 25 percent. Trash cans full of holiday food waste, shopping bags, bows and ribbons, packaging, and wrapping paper contribute an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills. As we celebrate the holidays, it pays to be mindful of sustainable consumption and materials management practices. They may help you focus even more on caring and celebration during this holiday season, and could even reduce the strain on our fiscal budgets and the natural environment. Giving • Less is more. Choose items of value, purpose, and meaning – not destined for a yard sale. • Give treasure. Pass on…