Scattered water bottles, backpacks and other trash dumped by U.S. cruise ships into the Caribbean interrupted the view off the shore of the Yucatan Peninsula, inspiring current Shepherdstown shop owner, Karen Valentine, to take environmental action.
"It made me ashamed to be a U.S. citizen," Valentine said.
Valentine decided to start her organization "Go Green Gals" to act, and educate, about recycling. This group would eventually lead to her opening Source, a shop dedicated to local foods and artists' crafts.
Source is a place where customers can come to recycle, and purchase locally made and grown goods. Their products range from sweaters to juice and firewood.
Valentine emphasizes the importance of locally grown and made food and products over the USDA certification of organic. She added: "if it doesn't have to be shipped across the country or an ocean, there is going to be less of a carbon foot print."
"I saw a pack of green beans labeled organic that were grown in China. It made me think why couldn't we have grown these locally?" Valentine said.
Before Valentine moved to Shepherdstown thirteen years ago, she was a sign language interpreter.
"When I wanted to leave the Baltimore area, I knew this was a nice place to go from biking on the C&O," Valentine said.
Valentine moved here to raise her three girls, ages 11, 12 and 14. They bought property by the river and have lived in the area ever since.
The building Source is housed in was used for recyclables about two years before Valentine's friend suggested for her to an open a shop.
One of Valentine's recycling projects is to collect over 2,000 shoes that were donated to make mulch for New Orleans parks post-Katrina.
Now the shop offers recycling or reusing your old denim, batteries, candles, cell phones, batteries, egg cartons, wine corks, packing peanuts, and bubble wrap. Source also holds a drive once a month for scrap metals, computers and electronics.
Despite opening the store during a recession, Valentine believes the store will thrive.
"Shepherdstown has the demographic to keep a place like this open," said Valentine.
Beyond her store, Valentine is working with Shepherd University's maintenance, collaborating on recycling electronics. Another project she is working on with the town and Shepherd University is to try to make a compost pile for the town.
During the summer Valentine wants to sell locally grown produce during the week. Valentine said they don't want to compete with the Farmer's Market, which is open on Sundays.
"Local economies go hand in hand with ecology," Valentine said.
Source even has room for environmental improvements. Valentine hopes in the future that they will be able to be off the grid and powered by solar panels.
Source is located on 108 S. Princes St. in the little brown building next to the community garden. Their hours are Mon-Thurs: 10:00 am through 5:30 pm and Sat: 12:00 pm 4:30 pm; for more information email sourcewv@gmail.com.
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