Fall is in the air

The days are getting shorter, there is a chill in the morning air now, pumpkin spice seems to be everywhere (No kidding - I saw an for pumpkin spice laundry detergent yesterday!), and soon we'll change our clocks back an hour. Fall brings around some fun traditions, but many that still bring a lot of waste with them. Halloween is right around the corner, and every year I have been dismayed to go to Costco and purchase trick-or-treat candy in a plastic bag. Add to that the fact that much of that candy is individually wrapped in plastic... so the waste multiplies. Then my kids come home with a pillowcase of more plastic-laden sweets, and I know that we'll have to take the garbage out more than usual. But like so many things that Byrd's Filling Station has reimagined over the years, let's figure out how to do a plastic-free Halloween!  We've been working closely with our candy supplier (yep, that's a thing) to get a mix of items that will satisfy all of the requirements of the holiday without filling up our landfill!  This weekend, we'll be introducing bulk Halloween candy mixes in our store, alongside our organic pumpkins that came from Brisa Ranch in Pescadero.  I'm talking Halloween staples - in mini sizes - without plastic.  WIN - WIN - WIN! Throwing a Halloween party, or looking for a hostess gift for the party you're attending?  We've got some really cute wool trivets and coasters in festive colors like "Pumpkin Patch", "Trick Or Treat", "Candy Corn", or "Hocus Pocus". Carving a jack o'lantern for the porch? Our organic pumpkins were grown locally and will make a wonderful addition to your compost after the big day. Or better yet - paint it and then roast up the flesh in November for pies, soups, curries, chili... you name it.  (Our family favorite is pumpkin chili with cornbread!) As we get closer to Thanksgiving, stay tuned. We've got a ton of ideas to help make us thankful for a sustainable get-together, and help make yours as stress-free as possible...