March 2025
Sustainable Warwick Minutes
March 19, 2025
Meeting chair: Michael Helme
Presentation: Our guest speaker was Cindy Allyn, owner of Sustainafillery in Florida. Cindy spoke about creating the store with organic products that she sells in refillable containers. The ingredients for her products are all carefully researched and are excellent for anyone with any allergies or skin issues. Her store can also customize many of her products, which range from cleaning products for the house, soap and shampoos for the body (these are customizable with fragrances, if requested), skin products and candles. Product packaging can be brought back to the store and refilled over and over. Many users comment on how long these products last as opposed to commercial products. Cindy makes all the products she sells in a nearby building, then wheels them to her store at 42 North Main Street. If you are looking for healthy products with low environmental impact packaging, check out the Sustainafillery.
Small Group Discussion: We had animated small group discussions on how members feel they are doing with reaching zero waste goals. Composting? Recycling? Reducing garbage? Lots of us felt like we could be doing more, and at the same time are already doing a lot. We may organize a field trip to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), where single stream recycling is sorted into specific material commodities.
Community Hike: We voted to hold community hike on Sunday, April 20th, at 2:00 pm. Sona Mason will lead the hike, an easy “botanical walk” of just over a mile. Everyone is welcome to join the hike.
Join us! Send us an email to sign up.
Green Calendar: The 2025 Green Calendar has launched and is quite successful, but is always looking for more green events to post. Please check the calendar regularly for events of interest and submit new events if you are involved in planning them. Submit event information to the Green Calendar.
Committee Updates
SW Pollinator Pathway: The Pollinator Pathway Committee ran the Plant Natives Fair at Wisner Library last Saturday. It was fairly successful, with over 80 people attending. But we learned some lessons and will try to improve for next year.
Volunteers wanted! The Pollinator Pathway Committee will be meeting for an additional work session Tuesday March 25th at 9:00 AM at Mountain Lake Park to tend new plants and remove invasive species. New volunteers are always welcome. Pollinators@sustainablewarwick.org
Climate and Energy Committee: Our Clean Energy Committee’s next neighborly seminar at the library (4/29/2025) will be on electric vehicles. If you own an EV, please complete this survey and share your thoughts on what you think your neighbors in Warwick should know about EV ownership. If you want to learn more about EV ownership, you can sign up for the seminar at Wisner Library or at this link.
The Coolest Recycling Drive: We are currently planning the Coolest Recycling Drive of 2025. If you are trying to get rid of an old window air conditioner, refrigerator, dehumidifier or any other appliance that contains refrigerants, plan to bring it to one of our drop-off events. Usually the charge is $15 to properly recycle one of these units, but during the Coolest Recycling Drive, it’s free (which is part of what makes this recycling drive so cool)! We are also looking for volunteers to help out at the following places and times:
Monday, April 14
3 to 6:30 PM at Warwick DPW*
63 Public Works Rd, Warwick, NY 10990
Saturday, April 19th [tentative]
1 to 4 PM at Florida Village Barn
Maple Ave, Florida, NY 10921
Tuesday, April 22nd
3 to 6:30 PM at Warwick DPW*
63 Public Works Rd, Warwick, NY 10990
Saturday, April 26th
9 AM to Noon at Warwick DPW*
(Operation Clean Sweep hours)
63 Public Works Rd, Warwick, NY 10990
Volunteers wanted! Contact CleanEnergy@sustainablewarwick.org to learn more or to sign up to volunteer for the Coolest Recycling Drive.
Warwick Community Garden: Sunday, March 23rd at 11AM the Warwick Community Garden is holding their 16th season kick-off and planning meeting. Interested in learning more or joining the garden? Meet them there, next to the Community Center, 11 Hamilton Ave.
Sustainable World Book Club: In March the book group enjoyed the classic “A River Runs Through it” by Norman Maclean. April's title is The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. If you'd like to join us on April 8th at 3:00 contact BookClub@sustainablewarwick.org to get the Zoom link.
Helpsy: A second Helpsy bin is now located behind Town Hall in Florida. Thanks to Kate and Julia for working with the Village of Florida to make this happen.
Our next monthly meeting will be on Wednesday, April 16th at 7:30 PM. Please plan to attend and keep in touch.