On Friday April 22nd, in honor of Earth Day, the Ilsley Public Library hosted an eco-friendly cleaning event where attendees were able to create their own eco-friendly household cleaning products. Sample materials and recipes for laundry detergent, tub cleaner and dishwashing liquid were provided to participants, who had the opportunity to participate and follow instructions to create their own products in reusable jars. The main ingredients were basic household items like baking soda, liquid soap, borax, and optional essential oils to add a bit of fragrance, making the recipes easy to find and make at home.
Renee Urissiti, Programming Librarian, organized this event. He said his inspiration came from his perception of the universality of cleanliness.
"[I] was thinking about Earth Day and wanted to do something green, and I realized that everyone cleans, even people like me who hate it. You always have to do it, so let's think about how best to do it."
Cleaning products contain thousands of chemicals that have not been tested for safety and break down dangerously slowly, polluting streams and rivers, damaging aquatic life and entering the food chain. US News identifies Vermont as the greenest state; However, local residents still often overlook the pollution caused by cleaning products. The plastic containers used for each product are partially non-recyclable, creating additional waste. These are the biggest problems that can be solved by making your own products with natural ingredients and using reusable jars.
Customers of the Green Cleaning event make their own household cleaning products.
The event attracted guests for a variety of reasons: some came on purpose, while others stumbled upon it during a visit to the library. One participant, Lois Myers, came with her children looking for an Earth Day activity, and the library was her first stop. "I like things that teach us something and are close and good for the planet," he said. "I was very curious to learn more about recipes for different cleaners," he added.
Each customer left the event with a packet of ingredients and recipes for a variety of home cleaning products including carpet fresheners, bathtub cleaners, mattress cleaners and more. A customer recently discovered that her sister was allergic to ingredients in conventional cleaning products. Therefore, the activity included additional benefits.
Urissiti's goal was to show people how easy it can be to make your own cleaning products. "I thought when people come in and see how easy it is and see how all the products that we use to make cleaning supplies are available in a grocery store, when they come in and see how it's made and see, how easy it was to make and get all the ingredients, maybe they would go home and move on," Urissiti said.
Customers felt that being able to make the products and knowing what was inside them also gave them autonomy in using the materials they incorporate into their daily lives and a sense of independence; one participant said he felt like a scientist.
The library will continue its series of earth-related or earth-related activities; Renee hopes to hold at least two major events a month. For Arbor Day on Friday, May 6, they are launching a program where visitors can participate in a tree scavenger hunt with a six-inch sapling as the prize. Both children and adults can participate. Part of their mission is clearly to put sustainable and eco-friendly materials and opportunities in the hands of local people, to inspire them to make a difference in their daily lives.
Customers of the Green Cleaning event make their own household cleaning products.
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