"I’ll be bringing my plate, and a cloth napkin, too,” declared Ilene Burak of West Mt. Airy. She is getting ready to attend the 2016 Mt. Airy Village Fair, which has a “zero-waste” theme this year. Attendees will be able to use reusable cutlery and dishes donated by community members for use at the Fair. Or you can bring your own! All food vendors (High Point Café, the Co-op and food trucks) will also be adhering to the zero-waste theme. 

Some may ask, “Why should we do this? Waste is inevitable, and every living organism produces waste.” 

This is true. But we need to consider the impact of all this waste on our biosphere. Our waste was produced from precious resources that we all know are not infinite. It’s important that we care for our environment responsibly, and take deliberate actions to nurture this miracle of a planet. 

With the community’s help, we hope to have plenty of supplies on hand. From now up until the Fair date, Sept. 11, we will be collecting food-service supplies at 555 Carpenter Lane during the Co-op’s normal operating hours: 

• Plates
• Forks, knives, spoons
• Mugs
• Reusable plastic cups
• Cloth napkins
• Tablecloths

We also will need your help on Fair day! There will be many jobs posted on the Weavers Way work calendar, including, but not limited to, positions for eco-ambassadors and zero-waste managers. This is a wonderful opportunity to earn Co-op working member hours while taking action on the environment. 

Food, “Boothies” and More

There will be plenty to eat at the fair, with two primary public eating/seating areas for attendees to enjoy: a beer-garden-style seating area at The Garage at 542 Carpenter Lane, and a large outdoor seating area at High Point Cafe. 

The many interactive booths have also signed on to the zero-waste theme. The Henry School PTA will teach how to pack a zero-waste lunch bag, and the Yes! And… camp will be making a large, group papier-mache sculpture using recycled materials. Each booth will offer an interactive activity, which is one of the unique things about the Mt. Airy Village Fair. Activities will include postcard art, “clicker” dog training, 10-minute guitar lessons, DIY paper jewelry and many more family-friendly activities.

Look for  the slow ice-cream eating contest at 1:45 p.m., and the ever-popular organic pie-eating contest at 2:45. Music and other performances will be ongoing all day on the three stages.

The pet parade will happen as always  — line up with your pets at 12:45 p.m. Everyone already knows to bring their waste baggies, but the pet parade will also have a zero-waste theme: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Pets can be dressed up in appropriate costumes, or are welcome without costumes. “I would love to see greater involvement and a wider assortment of pets. Last year was all dogs,” said long-time emcee Karen Heller. Any zero-waste  parrots or iguanas out there?