Posted By admin On April 16, 2021
Earth Friendly Living Starts With Us!
We all want a planet with clean air, pristine water, and chemical-free soil. It won’t happen overnight, but it can happen. The Earth Day 2021 theme is “Restoring Our Earth”. Suzanne’s is dedicated to being part of that solution. Not only do we search high and low for “planet-friendly” options to offer in our store, but we also practice what we preach. Here are just a few of the ways that we support a clean planet…
ECO Products
Suzanne’s uses dinnerware for the salad bar and smoothie cups that are eco certified. We are proud to say we’ve provided ECO serving products for years. It may not sound like a big deal, but according to the EPA data for 2018, 830,000+ tons of plastic paper plates and cups entered the landfill. The number of years it is estimated for a plastic cup to decompose is 450 per cup…a plastic plate up to 1000 years for each one. This chart from Australia’s World Wildlife Fund shows several popular items most of us use daily and how long it takes for decomposition. Consider we added 3,300,000 TONS of diapers to our landfills in 2018 and they take 500 years to decompose. Smart, eco-friendly choices make a huge difference.
Recycling
If we are going to protect and restore our planet, recycling must be part of our daily lives. Suzanne’s makes it easy by providing recycling bins at our store for our customers’ use. The bins behind the store accept glass, plastic, and aluminum. We bring all the goods to Joplin’s local recycling center weekly. Here is a great guideline from the EPA to help https://www.epa.gov/recycle.
Reusable Products
Give the landfills a rest and consider reusable products. From buying “bulk” without packaging to reusable tumblers for coffee, there are so many options for products you can clean and use over and over. Buying bulk and keeping it in glass containers is a great option. Suzanne’s even offers a reusable e-cloth for cleaning that not only provides multiple uses, but also cuts down on chemical use. Fewer chemicals in your home are always a good thing! https://us.e-cloth.com/pages/about-e-cloth
Plant-Grow-Enjoy
There is nothing quite like the “farm to table” flavor of freshly picked produce to take a meal to new heights. Consider adding a raised or container garden. They are easy to manage even in small spaces. Start with organic soil mixtures based on what you are planting. Then add famous heirloom seeds from Baker’s Creek. Suzanne’s carries a wide variety of seeds featuring the most popular veggies including some that may be completely new to you! Next time you are shopping with us, look at our enlarged garden behind the store. We grow much of the salad bar ingredients that everyone raves about in that garden! Organically grown, of course! And don’t forget all the natural pest control options for inside and outside the home that Suzanne’s carries. Lungs were made for fresh air, not harsh chemicals, so commit to natural options this year!
Composting
The circle of life for food and plants comes together in composting. Take your kitchen leftovers and create a compost bin. It is hard to beat the natural benefits of nature’s fertilizer. The EPA has a great website about these benefits and how to get started on your own composting. Suzanne’s kitchen leftovers are always added to the compost bin. Nothing is wasted. https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
To find out more about how you can make positive changes, visit the official Earth Day website.