The Cheswick Company

Think Precycle!	04/12/2010

We have heard the buzz word Recycle for years....But what about the word Precycle? Thinking Precycle means thinking ahead... When I buy this item, how much waste will I be producing in the packaging? How long will it last? Will I recycle it or donate it when I'm done with it instead of throwing it out? Try not to buy too many disposable products Use re-useable Grocery Bags Buy rechargeable Batteries I learned alot by reading this website http://www.greengarbageproject.com/ A website started by a couple who's goal is to produce no garbage (or as little garbage as possible) in the course of a year. Could I do this...I don't think so! Can I learn how to conserve, re-use and make better purchases? ABSOLUTELY!!!! I admire these people...not merely for their own effort...but for teaching us all to pre-think! If you post a comment to this blog entry, I will enter you in a drawing to receive 3 EPatterns of your choice FREE! Drawing will be held Sunday Evening Please remember to Include your email...or send it to me, so I can notify you if you WIN! I hope you click over to their website...if we all did one extra conscious thing to help this planet....I think it would go a LONG way...Many thanks for listening...I'll get off my soap box now... Have a Great Day~ Cathy

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Stephanie Pluckhorn	04/17/2010
GREAT thought-provoking blog posting! I try to re-use everything I get my hands on. This is a good thing Amy and Adam are doing. [email protected]

sandra	04/15/2010
We have been recycling and composting for years, yet, I can not believe there are still areas that do not recycle! How can this be??? [email protected]

Lynn N	04/13/2010
I like sewing Gift Bags, encourage people to reuse them. You can make bottle bags for your hostess too!

Roxana C	04/13/2010
Thank You for posting this i even save the butter tubs and re used them there's so much waste these day,let's all help Mother Earth.PS i recieve my prim magazine today your article is great hope to see your work there again.

cindi	04/13/2010
Thank you for the great information. The more I think about where something fits into my life, and how necessary it is, the less clutter I have in my life, thus less waste. For years my daughters couldn't understand why I like "old stuff", now they think I'm making use of older items!

Janie	04/13/2010
Cathy, thank you for a link to the wonderfully informative site. I've been recycling for years, and my best ideas are soft drink cans to a local school who then cashes them in for fund to construct bird feeding stations around their school, and used magazines are taken to local hospitals and Veterans hospitals for their waiting rooms. These immeditely benefit many children and people. The other things I do help Mother Earth more directly and I'm always looking for new ways to accomplish this.

Jen	04/13/2010
If everyone took a bit of time to care for our lovely world, we and our children will have a better world to live in. Love our planet, and she will love us. :)

Claire	04/13/2010
This is great! Everyone should try to recycle! I am so about reusing as much as possible. Plastic items I think are the most important.

Donna	04/13/2010
Great idea to avoid excess waste. Not using plastic bags, or at least taking them back to the store is one small step in saving the planet.

Sue	04/13/2010
I finally have gotten away from those pesky plastic grocery bags which seem to multiply exponentially in your closet. My cloth grocery bags even went to the Brimfield Antique Fair where they were very useful.

ginny	04/13/2010
Sometimes I think pre and recycling is just old fashioned ingenuity that we have gotten away from.Our society has gotten very disposable and I'm glad to see people going towards repurposing and reusing things in new and different ways.

Cindy Leaf	04/13/2010
We get the new magazine by Stampington and Co called "Green Crafts" - it has a purse in one of the issues made by using plastic garbage bags and the purse was actually really cute - you could not tell it was made with garbage bags!!

arlene	04/13/2010
We recycle everyday...we have a worm bed, chickens, and a garden...we compost, plus we have been using recycled items in our garden area, as hubby has been furloughed for over a year...so we have become very creative....

Cathy~ The Cheswick Company	04/13/2010
WOW! I am LOVING this!! The enthusiasm from Friends, Customers, Fellow Artists...It warms my soul that we all care so much...Thank you, Thank you...you are making my day :)

sandra	04/13/2010
With Earth Day in April everyone becomes very aware of recycling and taking care of the earth, but everyone neeeds to pay extra special care EVERY DAY of the year. The idea of precycle is ideal!

Debbie Barden	04/13/2010
Don't need to win but thanks for sharing this information - Alex is the one who got me to start recycling. The schools have been amazing advocates for teaching our children as well.

Susan K. Sauer	04/13/2010
I have recycled for years... and I love the concept of "precycle"... I have been doing that... did not realize others were doing the same thing... went to the web site and got some good new ideas... Love your designs and enjoy your Blog and web site... so please enter me... [email protected] is my new email... Thanks for sharing Susan

Carole	04/13/2010
Oh Cathy...you are a girl after my own heart. It was nice to see your email and then to find this message ...I love you all the more. We all have to do our part. I see so much waste in our iudustry and even in my customers. I should hand them all this link when they make a purchase or ask for a plastic tray for 2 packs! ugggh! hope all is well! xxx

Theresa Meloon	04/13/2010
I wasn't going to post this but why not....if you've ever wondered how cloth pads would be I can tell you they are wonderful!!! I actually like them better then the throw outs...and they're a lot softer too. Plus they are easy to make too.

Barb	04/13/2010
What a good idea for everyone to put to use. My family and I have been recycling for several years...now will think "Precycle." Thanks, Barb [email protected]

Theresa Meloon	04/13/2010
We can all do our part to make this world better and cleaner....doing just a few things is better then nothing....thats why I'm using cloth diapers for my first child.

Kathleen Rafferty	04/13/2010
I also think re-using is great! ONE IDEA--I glue my patterns on empty flat cereal boxes and it makes them strong. All you have to do is track a round the patterns. I hope that helps anyone this this idea. I think with everyone coming up with things like this, it would help to re-use things. Love your site, Cathy!! And please enter me in your giveaway. Sincerely, Kathy :o)

Diane	04/13/2010
That is a wonderful concept I love it. [email protected]

[email protected]	04/13/2010
Love the concept! I am a big recycler and love the idea of taking it a step further... Thanks for sharing :) Blessings, Patti p.s. Please enter me in your giveaway ;)

Linda Hannemann	04/13/2010
Cathy, Great information! I do recycle but, I know I could be doing more. Love your site and your beautiful creations! Linda

[email protected]	04/13/2010
Thanks, Cathy. I am a fan of recycling and keeping our beautiful earth healty. I am from the "Don't be a litterbug" generation and am always trying to conserve and preserve. Thanks for the post.

[email protected]	04/13/2010
Great information for us all to think about before purchasing. I drive by bags and bags of trash along roads on trash day and think that we are such a throw away society and we need people to make us think of all this waste.

Carol s. Glover	04/13/2010
Really glad you have a "blog" to keep me abreast as what you are doing. For the last 5 years, my husband and I having been trying to do our part in having a greener planet. We compost almost everything from our yard and home, recycle alot from our home and feel real good about it. We are now encouraging our friends and family to take the time to do so also. thank you for site on precycling, I will definately read it.

[email protected]	04/13/2010
Ilove your patterns and would be proud to win them...Your blog is also wonderful...Have a wonderful day...Jean

Linda Higgins	04/13/2010
Hi Cathy, Love your website and your recent blog on "precycling". I am a big recycler at home and at work. At the office, I am always scolding people who don't print on both sides of the paper and who don't use "print-preview" before hitting the print botton. This past weekend we had a huge tag sale and all of the kid stuff I had I advertised as "free-cycle" and all went to good homes to be used by kids a second time. All the tag sale items I had left over were either taken to GoodWill or b

Donna Meredith	04/13/2010
Great thoughts shared. I miss recycling, as there is none in the small town I live in. No one seems to care! Very sad!

Barbara Melotto	04/13/2010
Great seeing you in Prims! I have been a huge recycler for years. I even have a compost pile for my garden. I am the "recycle queen" at work too! I will try to be better about what I buy and how it is packaged. After all, we pay for all that packaging!We can change the world!!

Mary Puskar	04/13/2010
We use the mesh grocery bags that the stores provide, recycle all the usual things and manage to put out only about one can a week for the garbage truck. But this idea of thinking ahead is really great. Thanks so much. [email protected]

Diane Gill	04/13/2010
We try and recycle as much as possible. I am amazed at how much paper ends up in the trash. By recycling my garbage can is usually about 1/4 full each week, while my neighbor's are overflowing.

Ami M (maiden I )	04/13/2010
Here in East Haddam - home of the tree huggers & land of hunters & outdoorsmen (my hubby & sons included) - ALL we do is recycle - we Compost egg shells, coffee grinds and veggie scraps... reuse junkmail envelopes for food lists, pass along egg cartons to friends with chix or use for fire starters... I hate packaging - can't believe how much trash we still have after all the recyling!! Hate Plastic most of all!

Denise M.	04/13/2010
My two daughters, ages 21 and 11 are my teachers on this subject! Before I buy a product, I get "the look", which makes me rethink my purchase.

Sarah	04/13/2010
Great site Cath!!

Theresa French	04/13/2010
Calling from Canada..I couldn't agree more - Think before you buy. I am trying to make my home desk paperless. That's slowly becoming easier for bills and info sharing. Also trying to apply same thoughts to my health-preventative to use less cost and product in the future. Do not want to be stuck on pills later in life - in fact I'm going for a walk right now...

Cathy~ The Cheswick Company	04/13/2010
All of your comments are giving me such Hope and Insiration!! I love hearing how people recycle and reuse. It is becoming such a Necessary part of everyday living! Did you know that Americans use 16,000 plastic Garbage bags every second! Amazing...I'm starting a composter this year for sure! Thanks Everyone...keep them coming!

Dee [email protected]	04/13/2010
I love to recycle and make thinks from them...

BJ McCart aka Daughternature Primitive Folk Art	04/13/2010
Hi Cathy - I love this topic. As a nature lover I have not only shared my love of nature with my daughter but also shared the importance of recycling and precycling. I've read some great books over the years that have inspired me to rethink how I live, what I use every day, and what I buy everyday. I'm glad to see this post to help spread the word. - BJ

Mary ([email protected])	04/13/2010
We've only recently begun recycling in our area and are trying our best (with the help of my very earth conscious daughter) to do our part. I store reusable grocery bags in my truck to use whenever or wherever I shop. I love the idea of precycling and will definately think about that when shopping. Thanks!

Jackie Carney	04/13/2010
Cathy, I think that we are all aware, but don't give it enough effort! I promise to be more conscious of this with everything I do! Waste not, want not! Jackie

Kathy ([email protected]	04/13/2010
Hey Cathy, great post! We just got recycling in our area not too long ago. When I first moved here, they didn't. That was 10 years ago. I inquired about it, and all I got was a strange look. Killed me to throw things in the garbage. Love the "precycle" logo. All of us should think twice on what we buy and how we are to dispose of it. Thanks for sharing this!

Lisa ([email protected])	04/13/2010
As the parent of a young chidren, I have taught then the value of aggressively recycling. We recycle more than we throw away now. I think if we add the wisdom of this article, we can contribute more to caring for this beautiful planet we call home.

Miss Maddie's	04/13/2010
Being an antique and vintage textile appraiser and collector recycle has been a big part of my life for years, long before it was the in eco slogan... We are caretakers of this beautiful Earth on which we live and therefore should take every step possible to preserve it... Susan

Lois	04/13/2010
WoW....Precycle...I love it!!! I will really be thinking of this word as I purchase in the future. I am all about using what we have and recyclying.Thanks for this NEW way of looking at it!!!

Helen	04/13/2010
Have been recycling since the 70's. Grew up with the New England adage, "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without". Typical Yankee here! Waste mot, want not...really works.

Cindy [email protected]	04/13/2010
All my life I was thought of as the family junk collector. My house is filled with re-purposed items. I think pre-cycling is an incredible thought. Love it !!

Jo [email protected]	04/13/2010
I agree with Julie. And I too grew up in a family that used everything we had. Thank you.....Jo

Julie [email protected]	04/13/2010
What a great reminder to all of us to be proactive about what we use! I grew up in a family where my mom taught us to use everything we had and I so appreciate that today! I use that idea in all my creating!

Donna Short At [email protected]	04/13/2010
Sorry I forgot to include my email in the previous post. Thanks

Donna Short	04/13/2010
I never throw anything away, who knows when I can make that certain something out of things most people would throw away. We need to get back to using what is usable and not throwing it to go into landfill. I have many things My Grandparents made from recycle. My Grandfather carved the most beautiful things out of old wood. My Grandmother did quilting with pieces of all of our old clothing. Recyle is good for us all.

carolyn porterfield [email protected]	04/13/2010
I can remember my neighbor years ago before she passed away, using everything to recycle. She went through the depression and when she bought a shirt for her husband, she would take the piece of cardboard out of the packaging and use it to write grocery lists or other things. She also made potholders from terry cloth and lined them with used towels, which I still use today. I learned lots from her about recycling. Great lady and I miss her still today.

Barbara [email protected]	04/13/2010
we can all do our part in ways large and small in recyling,,we each can find ways that fit with our lifestyles,,, living in the country as I do composting and planting green in the woods around our farm , also growing our own vegetables is an important part of giving back...

Valerie H. [email protected]	04/13/2010
Precycling makes good sense! I added the Greengarbageproject site to my favoites list. Thanks Cathy for having the great giveaway. I would LOVE to win your patterns!

charlene clifton [email protected]	04/13/2010
We had been recyling for years. We do demolition and create furniture from the long leaf pine we demo. Did not realize we had been a green company for the last 25 years. Our son had also started us a compost years ago. I think we all need to be consious of what we do. Our ancestors cut almost all of the long leaf pine trees down and did not realize what they were doing. I wonder what we do now, that we are not even aware of, will impact our future. I realize now, that we need to be even more c

Sharon [email protected]	04/13/2010
During the "great depression" recycling wasn't a choice but a way of life. You purchased frugally and no portion of you item and its packaging went to waste. We have a long way to go before we become as saavy as our parents and grandparents were.

Teresa [email protected]	04/12/2010
Recycling, as I remember it, began in the late 1960's when the ecologists really pushed for less trash. I would like to see more paper bags used by grocery stores like they used to do. Then it would be more of an incentive to use a biodegradable product. Our city has split trash containers to recycle bottles, cans, glass, etc. and biodegradable trash on the other side. I am in Visalia, CA if anyone wants to do a check on these types of trash receptacles for their own city. Thanks a bunch!

Jim	04/12/2010
What a better world it would be if everyone recycled, every little bit helps! Thinking ahead, I like this...

Jean	04/12/2010
Interesting concept - I always try to consider the containers I purchase products in as to how I can use them after the product is gone - storage in my studio, refrigerator, etc.

Roger F. Bochek	04/12/2010
Great website lots of ideas. I use a lot of recycled materials in my folk art pieces, hooked rugs on the floor, handmade quilts on the beds, use it up, wear it out made do with or do without.

Stephanie	04/12/2010
I'm a huge recycler ... and try to be diligent about precycling. Would love to win your patterns!

Marna K	04/12/2010
I like the idea of "precycling" makes sense. Interesting website. I have been recycling for over 30 years.

Nancy Edmonds	04/12/2010
I have recycled for years and it is really easy!!!

Becky Baucum	04/12/2010
I totally agree. I now think before I buy and am trying to make a difference. That website is FAB. Thank you for alerting me to it.

Nancy	04/12/2010
We all need to think about this. There is so many things that can be re-used.

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