Marc Sherman, owner of Stowe Mercantile & Boutique, recently presented a donation of $56.00 to Deb Krempke of Lamoille Community Food Share. The businesses instituted a new program this past year: Bring Your Own Bag, or BYOB. For every bag a customer declines to accept at Stowe Mercantile & Boutique, staff members drop a nickel into a donation jar which will then be given to a local charity each month.
According to Sherman, “It’s a win – win situation. Many non-profits in the area need financial support while at the same time the waste stream is reduced by lower bag use.” Sherman also noted that the heavy-duty, reusable bags are made with 100% recycled material, so once the usable life is over, the bags can be recycled again. Sherman added, “This program has been modeled after several other similar programs instituted by like-minded retailers in Burlington and Montpelier. Hopefully it will convince other businesses to follow suit.”