While Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22, Common Grounds is hoping to inspire year-round respect for the environment with the launch of two initiatives, namely the distribution of reusable bags by the visiting “Polly Ethel” and the first “Repair Café.”
Polly will be on-site through April 17 and has been garnering much attention from patrons of Dave’s Diner and Common Grounds. The brainchild of staff at the Recycling Center of the Madison County Department of Solid Waste and Sanitation, Polly represents the number of plastic bags garnered by a typical shopper annually.
“Multiply that figure (500 bags) by the number of Madison County residents and you will begin to realize how our choices impact the environment positively or adversely,” said Mary Bartlett, recycling coordinator for Madison County.
The distribution of reusable cloth bags will take place throughout Polly’s residence at Common Grounds. Visitors are encouraged to take photographs with Polly for sharing on social media.
On Saturday, April 29, the first in a series of bi-monthly Repair Cafes will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Repair Cafes first gained popularity in the Netherlands as a movement to reduce the amount of waste entering the landfill stream by encouraging people to repair “broken, but beloved” items rather than replacing with newly manufactured items. The concept has now spread throughout the world, with a cluster of New York State Repair Cafés recently popping up in the Hudson Valley region.
Staffed entirely by volunteers, the cafes do not promise a successful repair of all items that arrive at the door, but they do guarantee an interesting time.
“We are currently seeking ‘repair coaches’ of all abilities, and are especially interested in community members with skills in repair of small appliances, mending of clothing, bike tuning and jewelry repair,” said Kelli Johnson, community organizer at Common Grounds. “However, anyone who has a specialized skill is welcome to offer their services. Some of the Hudson Valley cafes periodically offer services like knife sharpening and welding, so we are curious to learn the creative talents of our local residents.”
To encourage the community spirit of the Repair Café, Common Grounds will also be treating repair coaches to breakfast and lunch at Dave’s Diner, Johnson said.
To volunteer as a repair coach or to be involved in another capacity at the Repair Café, contact Kelli Johnson at [email protected] or 315-655-4468.
Residents can also register as a repair coach or list an item to be repaired online at Rec Desk, Cazenovia’s “virtual community center” at cazenovia.recdesk.com/Community/Program?category=16.
