Hi All, Master Refiller John Fischer here with KLCC's Living Less Unsustainably.
Packaging for all the home products we use, and food we eat is a significant, and often unrecyclable addition to the waste stream. Even when packaging can be recycled, the energy used in recycling it can be close to what it takes to make a new container. Fortunately, more products than you might realize can be bought in bulk, and put in the same container - over and over and over -forever - or even longer.
To make it easy, use - duh - an old olive oil bottle for olive oil, a peanut butter jar for peanut butter, a shampoo bottle for - everybody- shampoo. Most stores will tare your container - subtract the container weight from your purchase - so you only pay for the contents.
Below you can find a list of stores and products. But here are a few surprise items:
Jerry’s has saw blades and sanding belts in bulk - fasteners like screws and nails too. No annoying plastic wrap.
You can make peanut butter right into the jar at Capella market, from their big bin of peanuts.
Sundance carries dish and hair soap - aka shampoo.
As with any other shopping trip, efficiency is important. Driving a fossil-fueled car can emit more CO2 than the containers you are saving. Washing the containers with warm water - or better yet, in the dishwasher- saves energy too, if they need washing at all.
And it does make a difference. My wife of 40+ years and I have containers that predate our nuptials.
Some stores won't let you bring a container, but a single flimsy plastic bag that you can re-use at home, is far less impactful than a big container. We can all pressure those stores - I mean ask politely - to be allowed to bring our own containers. It might make a difference.
You can get milk in returnable bottles, but I have yet to find a refill source - hmm, that would save a lot of time spent mowing.
Now to that list I spoke of above...
This list came straight from this website, except that Bhumi has closed. I have added Jerry's. It also gives options for other parts of Oregon near us, like Bend and Corvallis
From Litterless.com:
-Capella Market: They stock flours, rices, beans, whole grains, spices, nuts, fruits, seeds, teas, and coffees; they also have bulk honey, agave and maple syrup, olive oil, apple cider, vinegar, yeast, and bee pollen.
-Growers Market: Bulk rains, beans, nuts, seeds, snacks, locally made granola, herbs, spices, teas, ols, agave syrup, maple syrup, cleaning items, and personal care products.
-Kiva Grocery: Here you'll find a good selection of bulk dry goods (grains, beans, nuts, seeds, snacks, baking supplies), plus honey, syrup, oils, herbs, spices, teas, coffees, kombucha on tap, pet food, and detergent.
-Market of Choice: At their many locations, you can find a huge selection of bulk foods.
-Mountain Rose Herbs Mercantile: Bulk dried herbs, teas, personal care products, and pet care products, plus low-waste home goods.
-New Frontier Market: Bulk grains, flours and baking supplies, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, snack, dried fruits, herbs, spices, teas, pet food, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, home cleaning supplies, and more.
-Red Barn Natural Grocery: A good selection of organically grown bulk foods, with a focus on dry goods like grains, beans, nuts, and snacks.
-Sundance Natural Foods: Bulk grains, flours and baking supplies, beans, nuts, seeds, snacks, dried fruit, nut butters, oils, liquid sweeteners, and more.
-We Refill It: Delivery service of bulk household cleaning and personal care supplies.
Jerry's Home Improvement Center - Nails, truss clips, nuts, bolts, saw blades, sanding belts, etc.
Humming Bird Wholesale has order size rules. You can form a buying club or split with friends. The store is not open for general shopping. Honey in returnable jars
Sundance Wine Cellars will fill containers. 70% of wines' climate impact is in the glass.
Market of Choice has bulk items and will let you fill your own container.
Winco, the employee-owned food store has a huge bulk bin department, but requires that you use their bags.
Safeway, Fred Meyer, and Albertsons also have some bulk items, and I believe require you to use their bags.
