As we grow more and more concerned as a society about our carbon footprint, we’ve begun to ask ourselves what more we can do to lessen our impact. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy solution for this problem. The current structure of our society doesn’t allow for many of us to be zero waste with ease. It’s not achievable for most of us to fit two years of trash into a single mason jar. It can be expensive to go zero waste and you end up needing to go to several places to get what you could have just gotten at Target. But, there are some steps that we can take in order to try and reduce our own waste. All of this starts within our own city, so here is a short guide to some of the more accessible places to find alternatives to your daily use items!
- Lush
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Most of us know about Lush, but it’s important to remember that the brand has more than just bath bombs and lip tints. At our city’s location, they sell shampoos, conditioners, massage oils, shower gels, lotions, scrubs and hand soaps. With their black pot program, you can redeem the pots you accumulate for a free product. Those pots are recycled by Lush in house. In a recent call with our Kansas City store, they confirmed that you can even bring back their plastic bottles for recycling, though you won’t get any credit. That means that through Lush, you have access to both package-free and packaged items that are sustainable!
- The River Market
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The River Market is a great option to support your local economy! It is open seven days a week, but most venders are there on the weekends. This market is a great option to buy produce and spices without packaging, as well as other goods such as fresh flowers. Head to the Tikka House for the above pictured spices, and don’t forget your own container. You can even get their take away food in your own tupperware. Take your containers a few doors down to Al Habashi for more bulk items such as chickpeas, lentils, cardamom pods, rice and more. Around the corner you’ll find Bloom Bakery, where you can bring your own bag for fresh bread!
- Tea Market
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While I like the taste of coffee, there’s nothing like a good cup of tea. For years I have used individual tea bags, which creates a lot of waste when you drink multiple cups of tea a day. Instead of relying on those tea bags, I’ve shifted to loose leaf tea from the Tea Market right down the street from campus. They have a wide selection of loose leaf teas, and when you bring your own container, you receive a 10% discount! The best part of this local business, in my opinion, is their willingness to help you find alternatives to those tea bags. My all-time favorite peppermint and licorice tea isn’t a blend they keep on the shelf, but they offered to blend a batch just for me!
- Nature’s Own Health Market
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I’ll admit, this one is a bit pricey. But, Nature’s Own has a few of those harder to find items such as pasta ($2.39/lb) and granolas. In addition, they have fresh ground peanut butter and kombucha on tap! Located in Old Westport, it’s just a few minutes away from campus and a great place to grab a few items on the way home from work. Sadly, their produce section is a bit sparse, so if you are looking for anything more than the basics, head to the River Market or Whole Foods. Before stocking up here, be sure to have them take the tare weight of your jars. On your way out the door, they also have a display of locally made Zum soaps, which are package-free!
- Whole Foods
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Now, I know that this can be a pricey option, but it’s worth it to include it as a last stopping point. They really do have a great bulk section where you can bring your own containers for products. There is a Whole Foods located on our own campus, but it sadly lacks a bulk section. Head here to find a wider variety of produce and dairy. If you drink dairy milk, you can get that here from the Shatto Milk Company, a Missouri based dairy operation. They focus on local production and their milk is sold in reusable glass bottles, which you can return for a $2 refund per bottle. They clean the bottles out and reuse them again after return, just as most milk companies used to!
- Clothing Thrift Shops
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Kansas City is host to a plethora of clothing resale shops. We have the standard Plato’s Closet, Goodwill, Savers and Salvation Army stores. In addition, we have lesser known shops such as Arizona Trading Company, Clothz Minded and My Best Friend’s Closet. These are all options to find that new outfit that you need for an upcoming event without buying a whole new ensemble. Find everything from clothes to shoes and purses in these locations!
Sadly, this list does not include everything you will need on a day-to-day basis. There simply aren’t enough options in KC to make it easy to walk out your door and have access to everything you may need. For products that are hard to find in stores such as produce bags, safety razors, toothbrushes and more, you can check out Earth Hero to find a sustainable alternative.
None of these stores are a perfect solution to reducing your carbon footprint. But they can help us all produce a little bit less waste, especially if we plan ahead and buy in bulk so that we need to take fewer trips out. It can be hard to go low waste, especially on a college budget. But keep in mind that many of these swaps can save you money in the long run. And to wrap up this guide, I just want to remind all you collegiates that your small efforts are enough, and that every little bit helps. You don’t need to be zero waste to make a difference. Even just switching to package-free soaps or produce can make a big impact on your own carbon footprint.