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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Join the Refill Revolution at Eco Loka

Eco Loka, Hunterdon County’s first refill store, has opened at 23 Race St. in Frenchtown. Refill stores help reduce the volume of packaging that ends up in landfills, incinerators, and oceans by eliminating single-use packaging from cleaning and personal care products.

At Eco Loka, soap, shampoo, conditioner, cleaners, laundry detergent, etc., are filled in your own container (or purchased at Eco Loka) and sold by the ounce at prices less than or comparable to those at supermarkets and specialty stores. New customers also receive 10% off their first purchase in January.

Owner Bonnie Pariser created Eco Loka at Yoga Loka, the oldest yoga studio in Hunterdon, which she opened in 2003. “Practicing ahimsa (non-violence) is a fundamental principle of yoga,” Pariser said. Pariser sees the creation of Eco Loka as a natural outgrowth of her 35-year practice of yoga. “Having a refill shop in Hunterdon makes it easier for everyone to practice environmental sustainability.”

Pariser sells products in small quantities to give customers a chance to try the products and “dip their toes” into the growing sustainability movement. She hosts community clothing swaps, and recently started a mending circle where people repair and reuse still-desirable clothing.

“I have been a dedicated thrift store shopper since high school,” Pariser said. “Thrift stores, clothing swaps and mending circles keep viable clothing in use rather than in the trash.” Refill shops extend that ethic to personal care and cleaning products.

Pariser’s shop-local, reduce-and-reuse philosophy extends to the sourcing of Eco Loka merchandise. Most products are from small and local vendors who use sustainable materials. The store also offers wood-and-bristle brushes, hand-crafted bar soaps, eco-friendly skin care products, unique gifts, and more. Contact Bonnie Pariser at [email protected] or visit Ecoloka.shop.

Location: 23 Race St., Frenchtown. Store hours: Thurs. 1-6pm; Fri. 1-5pm; Sat-Sun 12noon-5pm. Also, by appointment. For information contact Bonnie at 908-268-7430 (text is best) or [email protected]. EcoLoca.shop. See ad, page 9.

In-Print News Briefs January 2023
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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