WCC WELLNESS
Environmental Edition
Sneak Peek Of WCC Wellness
Environmental Edition

  • What is Environmental Wellness?
  • WCC Mask Distribution
  • Virtual Walk Through WCC's Whitin Park
  • Green Cleaning
  • Gardening
  • Local Recycling & Transfer Stations
  • Tick Safety
  • Essential Oils
  • Green Living
NOTE: Please be advised that for the safety of our customers links to informational websites will be the full expanded addresses without hyperlinks. Please copy and paste the expanded address into your web browser to view the websites and articles. Thank you!

What Is Environmental Wellness?
Environmental wellness inspires us to live a lifestyle that is respectful of our surroundings. This realm encourages us to live in harmony with the Earth by taking action to protect it. Environmental well-being promotes interaction with nature and your personal environment.
Mask Distribution
Based on Governor Baker's order and in preparation for the eventual reopening of our community, the Northbridge Coalition and Valley Volunteers are gathering resources and information to help facilitate and distribute the sewing and distribution of cloth or cloth-hybrid masks with either elastic or ties for both children and adults, and with/without filter pockets.

Our aim is to connect those with a need for this resource with those able to meet this need. As such, we are looking for volunteers who are available to sew masks, who are available to monitor distribution sites adhering to physical distancing recommendations, and those who may wish to help supply fabric, nose pinch materials, elastics and or ties. 

Further, if you are in need of masks and are unable to get to a distribution site, we would like to hear from you as well. As we work out the details of this Mask Drive we will be providing updates, so please be on the lookout for more information via our Instagram and Facebook pages and our email messaging.

To begin, we will be leaving a covered container outside of the Whitin Community Center entrance for anyone who would like to donate masks in a sealed or tied off plastic bag. If you are in need of a mask, you may also pick up a mask from the same container. Please only take no more than what you need for your household so that we may serve as many in the community as possible.

If you have questions, would like to volunteer and/or donate, or if you have a need for masks, please call our number at  508-234-8184 , or email us at  info@ourgym.org  or email  Monique Boucher-Adams, at monique.boucher@ourgym.org.

Virtual Walk Through WCC's Whitin Park
Our very own Emily L. put together a fabulous collection of short videos walking through our historic Whitin Park on a beautiful breezy, sunny day. It is relaxing just listening to the birds. Also for your enjoyment, we've attached our "Welcome to Whitin Park, and the George Marston Whitin Memorial Community Assoc. walking brochure to learn about our history and the property.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWnE-LCl0yc
Green Cleaning
Green cleaning refers to using cleaning methods and products with  environmentally friendly  ingredients and procedures which are designed to preserve human health and environmental quality. Green cleaning techniques and products avoid the use of products which contain toxic  chemicals , some of which emit  volatile organic compounds  causing  respiratory , and dermatological issues. Stock your cupboards with these ten products, and you can clean just about anything:

  1. White Vinegar: An antifungal that also kills germs and bacteria.
  2. Baking Soda: Eliminates odors and works as a gentle scouring powder.
  3. Borax: this is the common name for the natural mineral compound sodium borate, eliminates odors, removes dirt, and acts as an antifungal and possible disinfectant. Use with care around children and pets, as it can be toxic if swallowed.
  4. Hydrogen Peroxide (3% concentration): A great nontoxic bleach and stain remover, as well as a proven disinfectant.
  5. Club Soda (fresh): A stain remover and polisher.
  6. Lemon Juice: A pleasant-smelling nontoxic bleach, grease-cutter, and stain remover.
  7. Liquid Castile Soap: An all-purpose cleaner, grease-cutter, and disinfectant. “Castile” means the soap is vegetable-based, not animal-fat-based.
  8. Corn Meal: Great at absorbing carpet spills.
  9. Olive Oil: Makes a wonderful furniture polish.
  10. Pure essential Oils: Adding all-natural, organic essential oils to your cleaning concoctions can add wonderful scents to your housekeeping endeavors. Some—such as lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and tea tree oils—also may have antibacterial, anti-fungal, or insect-repelling properties. Remember to use care with essential oils, as they can cause harmful reactions when ingested or put directly on the skin. Some are considered dangerous for pregnant women. If you're unsure about an oil, consult a reliable source on its proper usage.

To read more about green cleaning please click the button below.
Green Cleaning Coach
One of our local Blackstone Valley partners, Leslie Reichert, the Green Cleaning Coach specializes in green cleaning. Check out her Facebook page for cleaning tips and tricks, how to make your own hand sanitizer, spring cleaning ideas and more!

https://www.facebook.com/GreenCleaningCoach/
Gardening
DIY Herb Garden Ideas

Planting an herb garden has many benefits! They give you fresh herbs all year round, they provide beautiful greenery, they’re easy to care for, and they purify the air inside your home.

Learn how to make an herb garden with these ideas which include mason jar planters, hanging planters, pallet planters, tiered planters, vertical planters, ladder planters and so much more!

https://tipjunkie.com/herb-garden/
Propagating Succulents

Propagating plants is extremely fun and easy to do. What is fabulous, is you can propagate your current plants in your garden at home for friends or to spread the plants and flowers in different areas of your property!

Our very own Monique B. has put together a lovely video on how to propagate succulents on our YouTube Channel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUrgQxfhEOA
Recycled Tire Planter

Have a few old tires laying around and don't know what to do with them? Our very own Director of Marketing, Sarah L. has the solution!

"At our house we have old race car tires hanging out in our garage from races long past. While they are too worn for the track, they still look super cool. So to clean up space, we decided to recycle the tires and turn them into planters in our flower garden! For this planter we cleaned the tire itself, and found a great spot in the garden for it. We then used multipurpose garden soil and packed it into the recesses of the tire first. Then we gently placed our plants in the center of the tire and filled in any remaining holes with the garden soil. Finally, we gave all the plants inside the tire a healthy watering and it was done!"
Native Shrubs for Plantings as Wildlife Food

Our native animals and plants evolved over thousands of years into an integrated system of food producers and food consumers. Planting native shrubs will help this natural relationship carry on. Choose which sorts of plants to use based on the type of soil you have available.

  • Dry Acidic Soils
  • Dry Alkaline Soils
  • Wet Acidic Soils
  • Wet Alkaline Soils

Please use the link below to find the perfect native shrubs and plants for your home!

https://www.mass.gov/guides/native-shrubs-for-plantings-as-wildlife-food
What's The Buzz About Bees?
Provided By Viola B.

When we think about bees, a lot of us think about the black and yellow striped honeybees and bumblebees that we see on cereal boxes and in cartoons. Many of us do not realize that there are over 4,000 bee species in North America that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Even more surprising may be the fact that 90 percent of these bees are solitary and do not live in hives. 30-40 percent of bees are actually cavity nesting bees found in logs and stumps such as Leaf Cutter, Mason, and Carpenter bees. Although bees are capable of creating or discovering their own domestic dwellings, recent trends show that they could use our help.

Please click the button below for more information on protecting bees, and how to make cost effective pollinator bee blocks!
Celebrating World Bee Day!

In celebration of World Bee Day (May 20), the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone (BRWC/FOB) added a beehive this week to its 12-acre property known as Sycamore Landing at 100 New River Road in Manville, Rhode Island.
Take The Pollinator Pledge with the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor

https://blackstoneheritagecorridor.org/protect-our-pollinators/
Local Recycling & Transfer Stations
Berkowitz Trucking
Curbside service at the transfer station.
https://www.berkowitztrucking.com/transfer-station


Blackstone 
Permit fees: Residents $30 (plus list item fees) 
14 Chestnut St.
Blackstone, MA
508-876-5129 
www.townofblackstone.org  

Open Tues, Thu and Sat from 9AM to 3PM 

*Swap/Share Shed for a limited amount of gently used, unwanted household items* 

Accepts: Motor Oil/Filters, Anti-Freeze, Yard Waste/Brush, Christmas Trees, Cell Phones, Mercury Thermostats/ Thermometers, Paint (oil based only), Dry Cell Batteries, Clothes/Shoes/Rags, Plastic Plant Pots (P1-7), Cardboard/ Paper, Eye Glasses. Other items, including bulky and hazardous waste, please see website for a list of fees.

Douglas
http://douglas-ma.gov/265/Transfer-Station


Millbury
The Transfer Station is open Tuesday-Saturday from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.
https://www.millbury-ma.org/public-works

NEDT Household Hazardous Products Collection Center 
83 Gilmore Dr.
Sutton, MA
866-769-1621 
www.NEDT.org

Open Tues & Thur from 9AM to 4PM 
Accepts: Latex & Oil-based Paints, Fertilizers, Automotive Fluids, Carpet Cleaner, Fluorescent Lamps, Computers and Electronics, Solvents/Thinners, Gasoline, Antifreeze, Furniture Cleaners/Polish, Pool Chemicals, Monitors and Televisions, Pesticides and Herbicides, Motor Oil, Corrosive Cleaners, Glue and adhesives, Driveway sealers, Batteries, Mercury/Mercury containing devices. This center charges fees for all items, please see website for fee list. 
https://www.nedt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/407-NEDT-Hazardous-Home-Waste-Process-v13.mp4?_=1
Northbridge
https://www.northbridgemass.org/recycling-center

Sutton
https://www.suttonma.org/transfer-station

The Blackstone Valley Regional Recycling Center
Northbridge Division will be open from 8 AM to 1 PM. 

Uxbridge
Leaf/Brush Disposal & Metal Recycling

147 Hecla St.
Uxbridge, MA
508-278-8616 

Open select Tues, Sat & Sun
Permit fees: Residents $20, Commercial $50 (plus addit ional fees per load for commercial) Accepts: Leaves and grass trimmings (loose or bio bagged only-NO PLASTIC), Brush (less than 6" diameter and 8' length only), Appliances, Air Conditioners, Lawn mowers & Snow blowers (gas/oil removed) NO PROPANE TANKS, BATTERIES, TVs, MICROWAVES, COMPUTERS or TIRES. 
 
Tick Safety
Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months (April-September). Here in Massachusetts we are exposed most commonly to Deer Ticks and the American Dog Ticks. Please use the Tick Identification Card for more information.

If you are outside, then come inside, be sure to check yourself for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.

Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks.

Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.
Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks:

  • Under the arms
  • In and around the ears
  • Inside belly button
  • Back of the knees
  • In and around the hair
  • Between the legs
  • Around the waist


For more information on preventing tick bites, tick removal, checking your symptoms, and where ticks live please use the ink below.

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/

Essential Oils
Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant's scent and flavor, or "essence." Unique aromatic compounds give each essential oil its characteristic essence.
Essential oils are obtained through distillation (via steam and/or  water ) or mechanical methods, such as cold pressing. Once the aromatic chemicals have been extracted, they are combined with a  carrier oil  to create a product that's ready for use.

Aromatherapy
In some cases, inhaling certain scents has been shown to have immediate stress relief effects by raising mood, reducing anxiety and aiding focus and concentration. Experts say it’s because the smells can stimulate the limbic system, which in turn releases chemicals that affect the brain, promoting feelings of relaxation, calmness, love and excitement. Popular oils for stress relief and mental fatigue include:

  • Lavender
  • Cypress
  • Rosemary


7 Essential Oils For Daily Use
  • Lemon
  • Lavender
  • Peppermint
  • Bergamot
  • Orange
  • Roman Chamomile
  • Marjoram


Diffusers
A diffuser is commonly used in resident and patient rooms. The device uses distilled water and a few drops of an essential oil. It then turns the liquid oil into  a cold vapor and disperses it into the air. This technique is similar to a nebulizer. Research has shown that diffusion has  the greatest results for Alzheimer's and Dementia .  It has been also shown to improve mood and short term memory.
 
Linen Spray
Linen spray can be used on a cloth-based item within a resident's environment. Typical uses are before bedtime misting of sheets or pillowcases to aid in a peaceful and calming night's sleep. 
 
Clay Necklace
Essential oils are placed directly on a pendant. Pendants or other aromatherapy jewelry can be made or purchased; there are many options!
Make Your Own Essential Oils Bug Spray
Now that the Summer months are upon us, this means we'll be outside more enjoying our backyards, parks & nature. With that, comes the bugs. An alternative solution to purchasing bug sprays with chemicals and DEET, you can easily create homemade bug spray that is just as affective and smells great! Our very own Director of Outreach, Monique B. has been using essential oils for years now, and has put together a wonderful informative video on how to use essential oils for everyone to enjoy, making bug spray.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZPnG1R3u-D53gkiYcT12eA/videos
Green Living
We're all learning how to be better to our Earth. Here, Green America shares tips on how to make the greenest decisions that affect your home, family, and community, and hear stories from people who have already put their Earth-conscious ideas into action.

https://www.greenamerica.org/green-living
Whitin Community Center
60 Main St. Whitinsville, MA 01588
508.234.8184 | www.WhitinCommunityCenter.com