by Anya Firszt, General Manager
Hello April! No doubt this month we can look forward to and celebrate warmer temperatures outdoors, even more daylight hours, snow showers turning to rain showers, and being outside! For all you gardeners, organic and locally grown plant starts will arrive mid-month.
Earth Day
We also have Earth Day to celebrate, founded by Gaylord Nelson, Wisconsin State Senator, on April 22, 1970. Nelson was a leading figure in the fight against environmental degradation and social injustice. He is said: “Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures.”
If you want to read about our sustainability efforts, check out our Sustainable Practices webpage at willystreet.coop/sustainability to learn more about what your Co-op is doing to increase energy efficiency, reduce food waste, reduce climate pollutant emissions, and our commitment to renewable energy.
Here are three small, but important, things you can do to reduce/reuse/recycle:
- Subscribe to receive the Reader electronically if you like or don’t mind reading online; this will help to reduce paper consumption. You sign up at willystreet.coop/emails.
- For every reusable shopping bag you use at the register, we contribute 10¢ to the Double Dollars program.
- We are once again collecting paper grocery bags at the stores for use at our local food pantry partners.
Here at the Co-op, in celebration of Earth Day, we offer Owners 15% off bulk products (excluding prepackaged loose tea and herbs, and bulk water) during what we call Earth Week: April 17-23. The perfect time to stock up on bulk items!
Owners who shop with a reusable bag will also be automatically entered to win one of ten $25 gift cards! For those who aren't Owners or who want to enter to win without shopping, show any reusable bag to the staff member at Customer Service and ask for an entry form. No purchase necessary. One entry per person. We will randomly select ten winners in early May.
Launching Our Inclusive Trade Program
In the next month we will be launching an Inclusive Trade program to highlight products from companies owned, controlled, and operated by individuals from underrepresented groups. A vendor will be considered an Inclusive Trade vendor if it is at least 51% owned, controlled, and operated by a person or persons who belong to one or more of the following groups:
- Women
- Black, Indigenous, and/or Persons of Color
- LGBTQIA+ people
- Veterans
- Persons with disabilities
Inclusive Trade vendors will have an icon added to their products’ price tags and will be highlighted in other ways in our stores, on our website, and on social media. We’re also adding an icon to tell you if a product is local! We’ll use a gold circle with “i” to indicate Inclusive Trade and a purple square with an “L” to indicate local.
We believe that highlighting these vendors will help customers more easily identify products in line with their values, drive more business to these vendors, and help us make progress toward our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals for Willy Street Co-op’s vendors and customers.
Co-op Principle 6: Cooperatives Helping Cooperatives
Zoe Bayliss Cooperative, the only student-run housing co-op in Madison, is relocating. They reached out to Willy Street Co-op asking if we could cover their moving expenses, which we were delighted to do. It’s always an honor for us to help out another co-op. Best to them in their new location.
FY22 Patronage Reminder
On January 16th, patronage was issued to those Owners receiving one, and if you have not already claimed yours, store credits are available at the registers through June 18, 2023.
Until next month, take care.