Arcata Artisans Partners With Others to be Green

When your purchase requires a box or bubble wrap you may be taking advantage of a green partnership to reduce and reuse local packaging materials. The Arcata Coop and the Shady Lady of McKinleyville have been recycling their packaging materials at Arcata Artisans Cooperative. Arcata Coop gets lots of small size boxes when their vendors send vitamins, cosmetics and other small items. Susan Johnson, owner of The Shady Lady supplies the bubble wrap many of her vendors send items wrapped with. Members of the art coop also bring in boxes and packaging materials for reuse. Sometimes the boxes are turned inside out so any commercial printing is gone and a plain box is obtained. The cooperative has fashioned a label which states "Arcata Artisans re-uses boxes to reduce waste". Says Artisans chairperson, Jim Lowry, "We want to do whatever we can to reduce the amount of packaging that goes into the landfill. Part of our mission is to use practices that lead to a better environment. We appreciate the local businesses that join us in this effort."