New Mainstream Green initiative – Syracuse CNY Freecycle Facebook Group

Mainstream Green launched an initiative in 2020 by setting up and are managing a new Facebook group, Syracuse CNY Freecycle. With more than 500 members now, people are able to keep useful items they no longer need out of the waste stream while at the same time offering other people things they need and can make good use of, for free. Win win!

To combat "Covid" holiday season blues, we set up a special holiday program the "Gift Shoppe," where people who might not be able to afford gifts, can find something they might like to give to friends or family. A number of group members have donated nearly new or new items for the Gift Shoppe.

Mainstream Green in the News: Ways to be Environmentally Friendly over the Holidays

The holidays can be brighter for our planet if people make greener choices in gifts, wrapping, eating and drinking while enjoying their traditions! Having less waste, of energy, food, or materials, can have a beneficial impact.

"Our organization's goal is to encourage people to make very easy lifestyle changes that in aggregate will go a long way in saving our environment," says Steve Williams. "Like everybody's vote counts? Everybody's efforts count."

In this video news story which appeared on Spectrum News, Mainstream Green's Steven Williams and  Dana Johnston  talk about a variety of ways people can help the planet when they celebrate the holidays.. Click on the image to open a new window with the video.

Spooked by Waste? Repurpose your Pumpkins!

Halloween pumpkin in costume with big pumpkin next to her

Of the nearly 2 billion pounds of pumpkin grown in the United States in 2014, some 1.3 billion pounds were thrown into solid waste trash instead of being eaten or composted, according to the US Department of Energy.
Mainstream Green’s got resourceful ideas about what you can to do with your unpainted pumpkins after Halloween: Cook ‘em, Compost ‘em, or throw into woodsy areas for wildlife to consume. Download a pdf of recipes here!