Howell shopkeeper inspired to coordinate Earth Month activities downtown
HOWELL — In April, shops in downtown Howell will celebrate Earth Month with a shopping scavenger hunt and April 20 celebration.
Lexie Jones owns Quartz and Company, an earth-friendly shop, refill station, recycling drop-off, and workshop space, at 101 W. Clinton St.
Jones said she was inspired to coordinate activities for Earth Month to promote environmental sustainability and downtown businesses at the same time.
"I've always been interested in sustainability, recycling and growing food locally," Jones said. "I've always been the recycling queen and I upcycle things."
Jones aims to be "zero-waste" at the store. Customers can bring in empty and clean containers to refill certain products. The store carries a variety of personal care products, laundry and dishwasher detergents, dental care, essential oils, herbs, teas, honey, candles and other products. Jones vets the products she carries to reduce the impact on the environment.
The store also accepts donations of reusable materials, including glass jars, containers, and paper grocery bags. It also accepts materials that can be harder to recycle, including Royal Canine feed bags, Yankee Candles containers, fragrance beads, plug-ins and car fresheners, dental care products, deodorant packing and empty helium tanks.
"The store really is a combination of all the things I love and the way I would love to see businesses run, just that intentionality and knowing where things come from and knowing where things are going," Jones said.
A new Earth Month celebration downtown
Beginning April 1, downtown shoppers can pick up scavenger hunt "passports" at Quartz and Company. The self-guided hunt will include clues to about 15-20 downtown stores and Earth Month facts. Downtown shops will stamp the passports until April 20.
An Earth Day celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at Quartz and Company in collaboration with neighboring business The Garment District Resale. The first 20 customers to bring in completed scavenger hunt passports will win prizes.
The event will feature a DJ, face painting with local artist Kat McButterfly, a seed bomb workshop and a mushroom growing bucket assembly with The Mushroom Conservatory.
On April 20, Quartz and Company will offer a 10% discount on purchases for customers who bring in their own containers. Other participating businesses will offer 10% discounts for customers who bring in reusable shopping bags.
Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage
Earlier in the month, on Saturday, April 13, the shop will host a series of workshops for kids on reducing single-use plastics.
"It's teaching kids exactly what single-use plastics are. How are ways we can reduce them, What do you know of that are single-use plastics, and other alternatives for those things, and we'll have a little craft going with that."
— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell shopkeeper inspired to plan Earth Month activities downtown
