Happy New Year, Co-operators! Do you recognize the New Year as an opportunity to make a change in your life? Many of us make ambitious resolutions around food, fitness, health and wellbeing this time of year. If you have wellness goals, we can certainly help! Did you know we have free wellness classes and special sales on supplements and health & beauty items on the first Wednesday of every month? Check out our class schedule on our website, on Facebook, or on our Eventbrite page.

Not all resolutions have to be about restraint and restriction. What about simply taking it slower and being easier on ourselves? If you want a more gentle journey into 2019, check out our article on page 11 for some tips on how to recharge in the New Year.

Here at the Co-op, we’ve resolved to increase our sustainability. We got a head start by eliminating plastic straws and switching much of our to-go ware to compostable materials at the end of 2018. Throughout 2019, we will participate in Pennsylvania Resources Council’s Small Business Zero Waste program to identify additional opportunities to achieve a higher level of sustainability.

We are inviting all of you to come along this journey with us. In 2019, we are asking Co-operators to Resolve to Reuse. When you shop at the Co-op, bring your reusable containers for Bulk, bags for produce and shopping and mugs for your Café drink. Can you commit to shopping this way during every shopping trip? What about refusing straws and Styrofoam take-out containers? There are many ways to be more zero-waste, and resolving to reuse is critical in reducing our collective environmental footprint.

Take part in our 30-day #ResolvetoReuse challenge on our social media platforms throughout January and you could win a fun prize! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram
(@eastendfoodcoop) and use the hashtags #EastEndFoodCoop and #ResolvetoReuse to share ways you are embracing reuse. At the end of the month, we’ll give away a zero-waste kit and a $25 Co-op gift card to one lucky participant! We hope you’ll hop on board this concept and use this 30-day challenge to establish a permanent zero-waste way of life. And if you’ve already achieved this resolution, then resolve to get someone else on board!

PS: Did you know we give a 10-cent credit for each reusable bag you use at checkout and a 10-cent credit when you use your own mug for your Café drink? Help save the world, and you can save some money, too!