Eagerly Awaiting Earth Day!
Earth Day is April 22nd, and the global theme for 2021 is “Restore Our Earth”. Here are some ways to love the planet that little extra bit while visiting the Co-op:
Bring in all your reusable bags!
Did you know that we’ve switched to 100% compostable bags in our Produce department? Reusable mesh produce bags are another great option to reduce waste when stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies. Make sure to check out our Produce Storage guide for tips on keeping your produce fresh after you get it home! Also make sure to grab your reusable shopping bags to pack up after your trip to the Co-op.
Fight food waste, then compost what’s left
In the kitchens at City Market, we use the Lean Path system to track and reduce food waste. Take a look at your kitchen and see where you can fight food waste!
If your bread's gone stale, turn it into croutons for your next salad! Save your veggie scraps, like carrot peels, onion skins, mushroom stems, and celery leaves for stock. Stash a large bag or container in your freezer, add veggie scraps from other meals, and once it’s full, simmer on the stove with enough water to cover until you have a delicious vegetable stock. Here’s a recipe for one to use up asparagus trimmings! If you really feel like experimenting in the kitchen, try out recipes and crafts using food scraps: turn citrus peels into a wonderful-smelling cleaner, stir up a watermelon salad that uses the flesh and the rind, and ferment your own apple cider vinegar from apple peels!
Once you’ve used up your food in creative recipes, there will of course be some bits leftover that you don’t want to eat or use, and that’s where composting comes in! Composting turns food scraps back into nutrient-rich soil.
Make sure you know what can and can’t be composted at your local facility or in your backyard bin, as there will be different limitations for each. And don’t forget the stickers! Produce stickers aren’t compostable, so always remove stickers from your produce and toss them in the trash before composting your peels, rinds, and unusable scraps.
Buy in Bulk & BYO Containers
Save on food and packaging waste with our Bulk department! Bring in your own containers to refill and save money on things you use every day and save excess packaging from ending up in a landfill. There’s a large variety of dry goods like pasta, beans, coffee, and granolas, ingredients like maple syrup, honey, and cooking oils, and even household items like soap and laundry detergents.
Only need a small amount of a unique spice for a recipe and not sure you’ll use up a whole jar? Grab a teaspoon or tablespoon of whatever you need and avoid food waste. And remember to “bulk up” on Thursdays for a 10% discount in the department!
Click here to find out more about the environmental initiatives going on at the Co-op. Also keep an eye out for Earth Week programming at the Co-op, including our annual reusable bag giveaway, April 19th-25th!