Madison, CT (June 30, 2019) – The First Congregational Church in Madison, the Church on the Green at 26 Meeting House Lane, will be on the Madison Green during the weekly Madison Farmer's Market to hand out reusable bags – bags that actually used to be plastic bottles – as a way to get people to stop using single-use plastic bags. The Madison Farmer's Market happens every Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the historic Madison Green. The reusable bags that will be handed out were designed by teacher, designer and FCC member Lisa Brown. “We want to encourage people to not use single use bags,” said Rev. Sarah E. Vetter. “We also want to build community; to bring people together and talk about the issues that impact us all.” The FCC team is looking for folks to trade-in their single-use bags for a recycled bag. The single-use bags they collect will be sent to a Mission in Mississippi, where they will be used to make sleeping mats for the homeless. According to an article on the Earth Day Network, plastic, which can be harmful to plants and wildlife, rarely make it to a landfill or recycle center. More than 25 percent of the about 78 million tons of plastic packaging produced annually ends up polluting oceans and waterways – which is the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck of plastics into the ocean every minute. The impact of using single-use plastic bags will be felt by Connecticut residents in August, when shoppers will pay a 10-cents fee for each single-use plastic bag at checkout. At FCC, though, the suggestion was made by the youth groups looking for a way to better reserve the earth. The adults? Just about every committee in the Church stepped up to fund this project. “We are following the lead of the kids with this,” said FCC Senior Minister Rev. Todd C. Vetter. “Whenever we ask the youth what they want to work on, they always say plastics and the environment,” Rev. Sarah E. Vetter added. Rev. Todd C. Vetter pointed out that the project fits in with other environmental and social minded projects at FCC. Along with hosting forums on Plastics & the Environment and Racial Justice, FCC members are working on projects to help Refugees and conduct Beach Clean-ups. The Church is also currently discussing the possibility of adding solar panels to the buildings. FCC recently celebrated the 18th anniversary of becoming an Open & Affirming community. If you would like to learn more about the First Congregational Church, you can call us at 203-245-2739, ext. 10, or e-mail us at mainoffice@fccmadison.org. You could also learn more about us at our website at https://www.fccmadison.org/ or follow us at https://www.facebook.com/fccmadison/.