go green, buy green

Green Smart Gifts proprieter Donna Witmer (left) and JoAnne, a friend of the store and Donna, happily provide me with a tour of the many wonderful earth-friendly items that the shop carries.

Offering only earth-friendly products, Green Smart carries products that must fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Recycled—made of recycled materials , reused parts, or scraps
• Organic—made of sustainable and/or natural materials, and/or grown in a pesticide-free environment
• Non-toxic—not harmful to humans or animals during production, use or disposal
• Locally-made—products made by local artists. Emissions from shipping are greatly reduced by using local suppliers/artisans.
• Fairly traded—made by workers who received fair pay and were treated with dignity during the production and sale process.
• Tools of change—products that help us to adopt more sustainable behaviors in our everyday lives, e.g. reusable totes and water bottles

A short while ago the Snap published photos of the cornerstones from St. Paul's Church with the header "all that's left"  -- at Green Smart I learned that this is not true!  The locally based organization called  Reclaimed Cleveland has salvaged wood from the church when it was being demolished.  Turns out that the cornerstones are not all that is left,  St. Paul's lives on.  Below are items for the home that Green Smart made from wood from area churches, including bottle openers and candle holders.

The shop is located at 14534 Detroit Avenue in the heart of downtown Lakewood, right across from Lakewood Hospital, for hours and more information  visit the store's website.