Giving Back at the Holiday Used Toy Drive

 By: Veronica (she/her)| Natural Resources Conservation Major at UMass Amherst

         It’s estimated that over 80% of children’s toys end up in landfills and oceans (ecoBirdy), while over 91% of plastic is not recycled (National Geographic)  At this point in time, plastic is part of our lives from birth to death. I challenge you to find a single place, nature included, devoid of plastic. Whether it be litter, your computer, or the packaging your food comes in, plastic is all around you. From a young age, children are introduced to the concept that the world is disposable: their own clothes, toys they play with, even their school papers.

In an effort to give back to the community while promoting reuse, the Agawam Zero Waste Club created the Holiday Used Toy Drive. Many parents are stuck with used toys that their children have grown out of. No one likes to throw out perfectly good toys, but many organizations, such as Toys for Tots only take new toys. The Holiday Used Toy Drive is different- it takes gently used toys and offers them, completely free of charge, for anyone who wants them- regardless of financial situation. Any other year, all the toys are set out and people can pick whatever they’d like for the children in their lives. From toy trucks, to books, to baby’s toys, the options are endless. Due to COVID-19, this year was a lot different. Toys were collected much earlier, so they would have time to quarantine away from people. Each toy was shown on a website where people could request toys. It was split up so everyone could at least get something they wanted. From there, we divied up the toys so each person would get a bag with all of their items. Tomorrow, all the collected toys will be given out through appointments, as to reduce the volume of people and respect COVID-19 restrictions.

Leave a comment if you’d like to volunteer next year! Being an environmental leader means taking action in your community. While it can be nerve wracking, its success gives you confidence. You don’t need to create a huge change to be considered an environmental leader, you just have to get involved in civic engagement. Civic engagement involves giving back to the community for the betterment of the world around you. By doing your part, you strengthen community connections and give back to those in need. Donating an old toy may seem minor, but your seemingly small actions make the holidays more special for a family. It feels great to know you did something good for the people around you. No toys to donate? Join us in organizing and giving out toys! Everyone is welcome.

From Previous Years:

Trash Talkin" with Nancy & Helga

In honor of Earth Day, Helga and I are delivering a powerful presentation about ways to reduce our collective trash footprints and live more sustainably.  This free event takes place at the Agawam Public Library on Tuesday, April 11th at 6:30PM. If you have questions, e-mail me at helgathehen@gmail.com. The first 25 participants will receive a kitchen compost bucket  compliments of the Town of Agawam Depatment of Public Works.

Helga Promotes AGAWAM CLEAN

Helga & Agawam's DPW are promoting Agawam's Second Annual Town-Wide Clean-Up called AGAWAM CLEAN during the month of May and we need your help!!!

Here's why:

• Many of Agawam's streets are littered with trash.

Trash from a Feeding Hills Street

• This trash is harmful to pets and wildlife.

Puppies eat trash, especially if it is a food wrapper.

• This trash may enter storm drains and flow directly into our streams, rivers and finally into the ocean contributing to Ocean Garbage Patches.

A dead albratross that ate plastic from the ocean mistaking it for food.
Photo credit:www.ChrisJordan.com

Here's how you can help.

• Pick an area (small or large) that is littered and register your area with the DPW at 821-0624.

• Bring a bag or two and wear gloves.

• Join others  and clean up that area.

• Take before and after photos of that area and send them to agawam.ma.us/DPW and also share them with others via social media.

• Consider adopting your area and keeping it clean all year.

• Ask other residents, businesses, and civic organizations to join.

• Consider saving old bags that you would normally throw out (such as large dog food bags) and use them as trash bags to save resources.

• Put bagged trash with your weekly trash pick-up. If the trash is from a local business, ask that business if you may use their dumpster.

• If you have any metal items to move, call Mr. T's Trash Removal at 413-205-7082.
• Many Agawam students are planning a cleanup.

• If you don't live in Agawam, organize a cleanup where you live and name it "YOUR TOWN" CLEAN.

A litter free town is possible when we change the current culture to AGAWAM CLEAN. There are a number of beautiful litter-free places thoughout out the world and Agawam can be one of them. Let's put Agawam on that litter-free  map.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed for 2 separate Connecticut River Cleanups in Western Massachusetts on Saturday, April 23 at 9AM.  You may meet at one of the locations below:

1. Pynchon Point on River Road in Agawam
2. Parking area on the North side of Meadow Street, across from Westfield Music School, Westfield

For more information, go to westfieldriver.org  For information about other cleanups in your area, go to ctriver.org or search "Earth Day Cleanups 2016." Add your city and state to narrow your search.

Trash Talkin' with Nancy (and Helga)

In honor of Earth Day, Helga and I are delivering a powerful presentation about ways to reduce our trash footprints. This free event will take place at the Agawam Public Library on Tuesday, April 12th at 7PM.Click on the link below to see more information and to sign up:
Trash Talkin' with Nancy (and Helga)  

If this link fails, go to agawamlibrary.org, click on events/activities, scroll down to this event.

Helga Donates Used Christmas Cards to St. Jude's Recycled Card Program

Give greeting cards another life by donating them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children "Recycled Card Program."  St. Jude's Mission:  "Transforming the lives of abused and at-risk children, young adults and families by empowering them to create new chances, new choices and new hope in a caring community." 

See below for information from https://stjudesranch.org/ 

All occasion greeting cards are accepted year round. (Thank you, birthday, holiday, Christmas, sympathy, religious, Thanksgiving, etc.)

Give your used cards a second life.

Check the back: Hallmark, Disney, or American Greeting cards can not be accepted.

• Only the card front can be used (Please check to be sure the backside of the front of the card is clear of any writing.)  Children at the Ranch remove the front of the card and attach a new back to create a beautiful new card. 
• 5″ x 7″ size or smaller is preferred
• To mail large quantities in the least expensive way, use a USPS (United States Post Office) Flat Rate Box (available at your local Post Office), which holds up to 70 pounds
• Mail donations to:
  St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
  Recycled Card Program
  100 St. Jude’s Street
  Boulder City, NV 89005

Helga invites you to Un-Trash the Holidays

Americans create about 25% more trash during the holidays. So while you make your tree brighter, make your trash lighter! Un-Trashing our planet is a gift we give each other.
.
No wrapping paper, no problem.

Use pillowcases. It's okay to ask for them back. Good friends don't mind.

Use dish towels or cloth napkins. If you want them back, ask or make the towel/napkin part of the gift.

Check your recycle bin for clever options such as magazines, flyers, newspaper or paper towel rolls.
 

If you use traditional wrapping paper, check to see if it is recyclable in your area. In Western Massachusetts, wrapping paper (except for metallic, foil, glitter types) is recyclable as well as tissue paper, lottery tickets, greeting cards (if made of paper.) Western Mass residents go to Springfieldmrf.org for more information.

About 40 billion plastic utensils are used in the US every year. Use the real stuff. If your host does not have enough silverware for everyone, loan your set for the party. Since the holidays are about love, love the fact that by using the real stuff, you are no longer sending plastic ware to the landfill for it to remain buried for centuries or to an incincerator where it  burns and spews dioxin, a potent carcinogen.

Helga Enjoys Local Grains from Localgrain.org

Helga purchases a grain share annually from Pioneer Valley Heritage Grains CSA (Community Supported Agriculture): This includes a variety of organic heirloom beans, corn, wheat, oats and more. Why would she choose to purchase a years worth of grain?

A years' worth of grains:  Properly stored, they have a long shelf life.

• Freshness- These grains are freshly harvested and sold to customers shortly after that.  No need to build extra silos to hold the grain or to use fumigants to prevent rats from eating the grain stored there. Grains that are packaged may be years old before you buy them.

Freshly harvested grains.

• Organic Practices- Herbicides and pesticides harm our bodies and pollute our soil and water supply. 
• Pay the farmer directly- This allow farmers to be paid a fair wage (avoids the middleman) and may encourage more people to enter this life supporting profession.  This allows farmland to stay farmland and residents to have access to locally grown grains. 
• Whole Grains-Whole grain flour is often not really 100% whole grain; the wheat germ and some of the bran is often removed from "whole grain" flour hence removing nutrients as well.
• Delicious- Helga is trying heirloom varieties of grain that she never heard of before and has been testing delicious recipes from the localgrain.org website.

Making blue corn tortillas.

Homemade whole grain bread.

Freshly  made bagels.

• Heirloom varieties- They are varieties you may not find anywhere else and are adapted to the New England climate. Farmers save their seeds annually and the plants (and seeds) continue to adapt over time to the changing climate. 
• Zero packaging- Shes bring her own containers. No problem. 

BYOC- Bring your own containers.

• Grain shares are still available at Localgrain.org. grains are picked up in Amherst, MA in January.

Helga Molts and Reuses Feathers.

Don't be chicken to share your hair. Check out this chick below who donated one foot of hair to "Children with Hair Loss." (www.childrenwithhairloss.us)

Before

After
(Cost Cutters/Stylist Mary Ellen)

Chickens celebrating "The Molt"

Facts: 

Wigs with real hair are expensive (about $1000) to make even if the hair is donated.

The rate and length your hair will grow is genetically determined. 

For those with hair to spare, considered donating it. Never let a good molting go to waste!!! 

Helga Promotes AGAWAM CLEAN

Helga along with Agawam's DPW are promoting Agawam's First Annual Town-Wide Clean-Up called AGAWAM CLEAN on Saturday May 2nd from 9 am-noon and we need your help!!!
Here's why:

• Many of Agawam's streets are littered with trash.

Trash from a Feeding Hills Street

• This trash is harmful to pets and wildlife.

Puppies eat trash, especially if it is a food wrapper.

• This trash may enter storm drains and flow directly into our streams, rivers and finally into the ocean contributing to Ocean Garbage Patches.

A dead albratross that ate plastic from the ocean mistaking it for food.
Photo credit:www.ChrisJordan.com

Here's how you can help.

• Pick an area (small or large) that is littered and register your area with the DPW at 821-0624.

• Bring a bag or two and wear gloves.

• Join others on Saturday May 2nd from 9am-noon and clean up that area.

• Take before and after photos of that area and send them to agawam.ma.us/DPW and also share them with others via social media.

• Consider adopting your area and keeping it clean all year.

• Ask other residents, businesses, and civic organizations to join.

• Consider saving old bags that you would normally throw out (such as large dog food bags) and use them as trash bags to save resources.

• Put bagged trash with your weekly trash pick-up. If the trash is from a local business, ask that business if you may use their dumpster.

• If you have any metal items to move, call Mr. T's Trash Removal at 413-205-7082.

• Several Girl Scout Brownie Troops have already volunteered to help with this challenge!!

• The SAVE Club and Environmental Sciences Classes at Agawam High School are organizing clean-ups of the school grounds.

A litter free town is possible when we change the current culture to the culture of AGAWAM CLEAN. There are a number of beautiful litter-free places thoughout out the world and Agawam can be one of them. Let's put Agawam on that litter-free  map.

Trash Talkin' with Nancy and Helga

Click on the link below to see information about an upcoming event which addresses ways to reduce your trash footprint.
Trash Talkin' with Nancy and (Helga)

Helga Offers Free Gym Membership--No Buck Bucks

So you've been thinking of joining a local gym but prefer not to shell out the bucks.  Or you find treadmills and ellipticals such a dread. For a limited time, you can join Helga's Free Rooftop Gym and help the environment at the same time.  Here's what you get for this amazing price:


Free use of roof rakes to work the biceps, triceps, pecs, deltoids, and trapezius muscles all while removing snow from solar panels.

Helga working out at Helga's Free Rooftop Gym

Don't know if you're strong enough to handle this--the roof rake has extensions-- a 5 foot extension for beginners and up to 20 feet for those training for triathlons.

This chick is getting buff at Helga's Free Rooftop Gym 

Free ladders to climb up to the roof to work your quadriceps, gluteal muscles(gluteal maximus, gluteal minimus, and gluteal medius), gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

Ladders at Helga's Free Rooftop Gym are fun to climb. The snow is here to catch you if you fall.


What about daycare? There is a snow arena for wee ones to build snowmen (and women), snow forts, snow angels and snow devils.  Pets welcome.

A puppy enjoying the snow arena at Helga's Free Rooftop Gym. 

But hold on. Your kid prefers to climb trees.  The snow is so high that any child 3 feet or taller can reach the lowest branches of the 50 ft. Norway Maple trees in the arena.

At Helga's Free Rooftop Gym, kids can climb the Norway maple tree over yonder while members build muscle and clear photovoltaic solar panels.

There is more.  For the first 100 families to sign, there are free snow cones containing snow flakes (and a few stray particulates from the air.)

At Helga's Free Rooftop Gym, Helga stops to make a Free Rooftop Snow Cone--plain or feather flavored.
That's one talented chick.

Transportation is an issue?  For an additional workout and no additional fee, consider cross country skiing, snow snowing, sledding or tobagganing here.

Helga's cousin Midnight decides to go back to get her snow shoes for her trek to Helga's Free Rooftop Gym.

Bring a friend and get a free snowball! Guaranteed not to melt if the temperature stays below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius.  No kidding.

At Helga Free Rooftop Gym, quality control is a serious business. Helga's other cousin Helen determines that the temperature is indeed freezing and that your free snowballs will not melt.

Why remove the snow?

• Photovoltaic solar panels  produce considerable energy even the the winter. The snow will eventually melt but Helga's Free Rooftop Gym speeds the process along.
• This 42 panel system has averaged a little over 1 megawatt (1000 kilowatts) monthly with a range of 326-1561 kilowatts monthly over the past 4 years since it was installed. Our total carbon offset has been 33.1 tons or the equivalent of 3 acres of trees.
• In addition, removing excessive snow from roofs can prevent ice damming and the subsequent damage it may cause.
• See information below from University of Minnesota extension 
• An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off the roof. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation, and other areas.
• 

http://www.extension.umn.edu/environment/housing-technology/moisture-management/ice-dams/

Helga Gives Thanks

Helga enjoyed her 1st Annual Zero Waste Christmas Eve Extravaganza with 50 of her close family members and friends at her sister's family home. All party goers contributed to making this holiday an exciting success. 

• The hosts organized their beautiful home for 50 guests.

Coffee station

• Helga's siblings brought over extra dishes, silverware, and cloth napkins-- enough for 50.

Dishes, silverware, cloth napkins for 50

• Helga brought a chicken scrap bucket-- the leftover food scraps went to backyard chickens to provide nutrients for them to produce eggs.

Container for chicken scraps

Chickens eating the party scraps... Yum!

• Helga's siblings washed dishes, cups & silverware.

• All guests brought a plate of delicious food in a reusable container and then brought their own serving plate/crock pot home to wash. (This made clean-up easier at the hosts' home.)

Delicious hors d'ouerves

Fresh salad in reusable container

• There were recycling bins for bottles, cans and paper.

Recycling bin for paper

• There were buckets for corks and bottle caps to use for arts & crafts.

Wine glasses and cork container

Bottles caps for crafters

• And best of all... everyone enjoyed each others' company and their shared family mission of using resources wisely.

A very special thanks to the hosts and to Helga's wonderful extended family.

Happy New Year!!!

Helga Hosts a Holiday Regift Swap

Do you have some great items that you would like to give away to someone who would appreciate them?  Host a swap. Helga hosted a Holiday Regift Swap with 10 other chicks at the suggestion of Abbey Massaro, a Zero Waste Club Member.  Each chick brought 1-20 items and we picked names from a feather hat to determine who went first. We took turns picking until no one wanted anything else. Her guests swapped clothing, jewelry, holiday decorations, glassware, dishes and many other items that may be enjoyed or regifted. Regifting is awesome if the gift is given with love and the receiver desires the gift.
There are many types of swaps:

• Christmas Swap: decorations including ornaments, lights, gently used gift bags/tissue paper, and items to regift
• Jewelry swap--generally costume jewelry
• Theme holiday swaps such as Independence Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter---swap any decorations
• Clothing swap
• Halloween costume swap--September is a good time 
• Household item swap combined with a recipe swap
• Arts and craft swap--you may have small or large amounts of craft items that you do not need such as fabric, hot glue sticks, corks, yarn, felt, drawing paper, construction paper, etc. 
• Tool swap
• School/office supply swap
• Book swap
• Surprise swap: anything goes

Helga's Holiday Regift Swap

You may choose to set some guidelines before your swap such as..

1. For items not taken, each guest takes home what they brought
2. Or, assign a few people to take anything left to a local charity that accepts these items, or a local second hand store
3. Ask guests to bring reusable bags to place their items in
4. For large items, you may show a photo and make arrangements for pick-up or delivery at a future date
5. Know all items have value in the right hands
6. Consider having a few snacks and beverages to give it a party feel and make it an annual event.

Helga protects waterways-You can too.

 The next time you go for a walk, pick up any trash you see. Reuse an old bread bag or another bag  that you would normally throw away.  Helga used old "Nerds" and "Lemonhead" candy bags that she had from Halloween. (She gave these candies to treat or treaters because that were packaged in recyclable cardboard boxes but unfortunately the individual cardboard boxes were packaged in large plastic bags so she reused them as trash bags.) When she goes for a walk or a fly, she brings along a bag or two to pick up any trash, killing two birds with one stone so to speak. (Helga and Olga would like to revise this saying to "Waving to 2 birds with one wing. " --so much more peaceful.)

Helga and Olga reused the candy bags from 
Halloween to pick up trash in their neighborhood.

Why is it important to pick up this trash?  Trash that goes down the storm drains, flows to our rivers and streams then potentially to our oceans. Watch this video about ocean plastics:  Seas of Plastic

Storm Drain with decal. See enlarged decal above.

This is a sample of the trash picked up in my neighborhood. Although at first glance your area streets may look relatively clean, look around and you may see trash lurking. Pick it up!!!!!! (Recycle what you can before trashing the rest: in general, aluminum cans and plastic/glass bottles are recyclable while plastic cups, lids & straws are not---check your town's recycling website to find more specific information.)

Helga used this plastic container to pick up trash along a Gloucester beach and then emptied the trash into a solar compactor trash receptacle found along the street. (See below) She then recycled the cans she found. 

These types of receptacles for trash and recyclables can be found in Gloucester, Massachusetts, helping to keep their oceans clean.

Helga reused this container again to pick up trash.