78 million tons of plastic packaging is produced annually in the United States. 25% of it ends up polluting oceans and waterways, including the Long Island Sound. Looking for ways to address the growing problem of plastic pollution in Sound, the First Congregational Church of Madison borrowed a well-tested idea and came up with a Bag Buy Back program. Reusable shopping bags, designed by church member Lisa Brown and made entirely from recycled plastic bottles are given out for free in exchange for single-use plastic bags.

The Church Green hosts a Farmers’ Market on Friday afternoons through October and each week a team from First Church staffs a booth at the market, handing out bags and engaging shoppers in conversation about the problem plastics posed to the health and well-being of our local and global environments. The single-use bags collected will be sent to a Baptist Church in Mississippi who weaves them into sleeping mats given to the homeless.

The program has led to wonderful conversations and great support from the Shoreline community. “We want to encourage people to not use single use bags,” said Rev. Sarah E. Vetter, Minister of Community Life at Madison First. “We also want to build community; to bring people together and talk about the issues that impact us all.”

For more information on our Bag Buy Back program, please feel free to contact Rev. Todd Vetter or Rev. Sarah Vetter at (203)245-2739.