CSWD’s November Digest

NOVEMBER 2018
The Digest from CSWD: Food for action.
Growing up, we always said grace before meals, but the Thanksgiving prayer always carried greater weight, like we were supposed to mean it more. And so I closed my eyes a little tighter, held my Nana’s hand a little longer, and sang a little louder. But at the end of the day, it was all a ceremony required to eat the food. To me, gratitude was basically a song I had to sing before mashed potatoes.
But kids grow up. I realized at some point that gratitude isn’t actually a word or a thought or a song at all. True gratitude is an action. It’s calling your sister to see how she’s doing, or taking out the recycling because your partner already has her PJs on. The gratitude we show for people is basically what we call love.
“To me, gratitude was basically a song I had to sing before mashed potatoes.”
But how do you show gratitude for things? Take food, for example. Thanksgiving blessings always begin with gratitude for the food and the hands that prepared it. “These thy gifts we are about to receive” and all that. But how far does that gratitude extend? All of those carrot peelings and turkey bones made the meal possible. Are they going to be wasted in a landfill, where they will literally rot for decades? Or will someone have enough gratitude to send them to a compost pile or a nearby farm, where they can continue giving?
This Thanksgiving, we’re challenging you to take a small step of gratitude for your food. It’s called the Thanksgiving Leftovers Challenge, and it’s pretty simple. You just commit to eating all the leftovers in your fridge throughout the rest of November, so no food goes to waste. That’s it! We’ll send you a few emails packed with great recipes, tips and encouragement to get you through the challenge.
If you want to start composting in your own backyard (yes, you can compost through the winter months) or drop it off for Green Mountain Compost to take care of, even better! However you choose to give thanks for your food. Because every tradition–even Thanksgiving itself–started with a simple act of gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving.
With gratitude,
‌
Jonny Finity
Marketing & Communications Manager
P.S. Today (November 15th) is America Recycles Day! Now is a great time to join a public tour of our recycling sorting facility in Williston. After November, tours take a hiatus until the spring.
The Thanksgiving Leftovers Challenge!
This year, we are challenging you to give thanks for your food by starving the landfill and eating ALL of your leftovers.
Fall leaf collection & drop-off info
It may feel like winter, but plenty of leaves are still hanging on. And those once-glorious gardens – they’re starting to look a little scraggly, right? Here’s what to do with all those heaps of leaves and garden debris!
The best places to bring leftover chemicals & paint, all year long
If you’ve lived here for a while, you’ve probably heard of the Rover (which visits every town in Chittenden County) and the Environmental Depot (our year-round hazardous waste drop-off facility). But there are even more options!
New Recycling webpage
We recently revamped the Recycling page on our website to simplify the message about what belongs in the recycling bin (and what doesn’t). We also created a section for Special Recycling — items that can be recycled, but not in your recycling bin! Learn more about takeback and drop-off locations for items like batteries, propane tanks, clothing & textiles, and more.
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Recycling facility tours
Ever wondered what happens to the stuff you put in your recycling bin? Come find out on this behind-the-scenes tour!
We are offering recycling facility tours through November before taking a winter hiatus. Grab a spot on one now while you still can!
What do I do with…?
Got a question? Just ask our A-Z list: From donation & recycling options to the landfill (last resort), we can tell you what to do with just about anything.
In other news…
Survey says…
Last month, we posted a survey asking you to share your thoughts about hours of operation at Drop-Off Centers. Thanks to the more than 400 of you that responded!
These businesses are fighting food waste!
New businesses are added to our “Businesses Fighting Food Waste” list almost daily.
Do you know a food fighter that should be added? Let us know!