The Co-op Q&A: Shaina Garfield
By Aly Miller
Shaina Garfield lends her design skills to the Co-op, helping our members find their way through the store by creating signs and visual assets for our space. She also moonlights as a cashier, in addition to her work with our Marketing and Wayfinding committees. Sustainability is at the core of her work here and in her career, where she’s designing sustainable burials and rethinking end-of-life rituals.
Q: When did you join the Co-op, and what were some of your reasons for joining?
A: I joined in the summer of 2015. I had recently been put on a strict diet for health reasons, and the Co-op was the perfect place for me to afford all the super-healthy food I needed. In addition, I’m all about sustainability, small farming, and community, so being a part of a co-op that supports that was such an added bonus!
Q: What is your role at Greene Hill?
A: When I first joined, I was a cashier. Every once in awhile, I still do a cashier shift because I love being in the store and talking with the members. I am now on the Marketing and Wayfinding Committees where I design all of the print and promotional content. There are some really exciting projects coming up this fall that I’ll be designing, so stay tuned!
Q: One of our sayings (I’m not sure who coined it!) is “give a little, gain a lot.” What do you gain as a member?
A: Gosh, I feel like the Co-op has given me so much over the years. I gained so much knowledge about small farming and the life-cycle of produce, which I’ve realized I’m a total nerd for! Also, I think being on a committee has been very special because I have learned how much dedication goes into running a fully member-owner organization. It’s inspiring to be around people who are so passionate about building a sustainable and inclusive community.
Q: What do you do outside of the Co-op?
A: I work in the death and funeral space! My work is meant to help people embrace death and therefore enrich their lives. I design textile-based, biodegradable coffins, where the family participates in weaving it as a form of healing. I also host death-themed workshops, focused primarily on impermanence and letting go. Very soon, I will begin planning end of life ceremonies, which is all a part of my goal to own land that is a green cemetery, small farm, and healing center. When I’m not thinking about death (which is almost never), I’m most likely somewhere next to a tree, practicing Kundalini yoga or cooking elaborate meals (with food from the Co-op, of course!)