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Community Corner

Eco-Friendly Party Favors

Give a gift the environment will also enjoy.

Spring brings a tremendous calendar full of weddings, christenings, showers and graduations. Take-away items for guests are an important part of party planning, offering a way to say "thank you" for making your party memorable.

Instead of plastic trinkets and heart-shaped bottle openers, why not try for something a little more personal and eco-friendly? Here are a few healthy suggestions under $4 to get you started.

Hudson Valley Seed Packs: Located in Accord, NY, the Hudson Valley Seed Library offers heritage seed packs. Heritage seeds are regionally-adapted, meaning seeds are at least 50 years old and have evolved naturally to suit the environment without genetic engineering.

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Heirloom/heritage seeds have excellent resistance to disease and often yield higher amounts than hybrid varieties. Art packs wrap heritage seeds in labels designed by local artists, offering a beautiful selection of designs from which to choose. Most seed packs are available for $3.75.

Handmade Organic Soap: Made By Cadi soaps are produced in the mountains of North Carolina, using only raw and organic ingredients. Each soap order is customized for your party, offering ingredients with symbolic meaning: saffron for joy, orange oil for a symbol of love and marriage and cinnamon for love and beauty.

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Scent, ingredients and packaging details are all arranged in advance. Lavender and rose petals are grown in Cadi’s backyard garden, each carefully dried and preserved at summer’s end for later use. Honey soap is made using only raw honey from local farms.  Each bar of soap is environmentally friendly, great for skin, and offers guests a unique and useful take home item.

You can purchase 100 bars of soap for $150. Made By Cadi soap bars are available here on Etsy.com.

For the Birds: These heart-shaped organic birdseed favors offer a sweet gift for your guests and local birds. Guests can use them as indoor decorations and can hang them outside for the birds when no longer wanted.

Each heart measures two-inches by one-inch and comes with a personalized tag. You can purchased 100 of these for $140 with shipping.

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