Tiptoeing Towards Zero Waste
At Here We Go Again, keeping our footprint light on the planet is one of our most fundamental core values. We’re constantly examining our practices and searching for alternative approaches to do better, and generate less waste.
Single use packaging, even when recyclable, is still waste. As a result, we’re looking at ways we can reduce the trash AND recycling that we generate at the shops.
New Products
You bought us out of our reusable bamboo cutlery sets over the holidays and we’ll be restocking those asap. So, obviously Zero Waste has hit a nerve with you too. We’ll also be adding cute little collapsible straws in their own convenient mini carrying box.
Pop Up Shop Coming February 8th!
We’re excited to announce a partnership with Utility Zero Waste Portland, and our first ever pop-up shop with them on February 8, 2020. They’ll be bringing some of their wonderful bulk detergents for laundry & dishwashers, as well as bulk personal care products. We’ve tested some of them already, and they’re wonderful with fresh, natural fragrances. At HWGA, we’re perhaps most excited about the clothing brushes for easily removing pet hair and lint from clothing.
These will make a perfect pairing with our practical and affordable Sweater Stones that we’ve carried for a decade or more. Clothing care without the disposables!
Utility Zero Waste will also be bringing wool dryer balls, a fantastic alternative to chemical-laden dryer sheets. You can use natural fragrance oils with them if you like, or stay fragrance free. I use these at home adding just a few drops of lavender oil every month or so. Either way, an easy way to ditch the disposable dryer sheets. Sign up for our twice-ish monthly emails, or stay tuned to our Facebook page for more details as the date approaches. We’re hoping to feature as many natural, bulk cleaning products as we can fit! The Pop-Up shop will be at our Johns Landing shop from 12-3, on Saturday, February 8th.
Oregon’s New Bag Fee
We applaud the new ban on single-use plastic bags, and generally approve of the required bag fee passed into law in Oregon. When you shop with us, we’ve always asked if you’d like a bag, and so many of you say no. You’ve brought one with you – good for you! Most of us are forgetful, but we believe that the new fee will help us establish a more consistent habit of remembering to bring our bags!
Starting in 2020, in keeping with the new law, Here We Go Again will be charging a 10¢ fee for a bag. Our bags are 100% post-consumer recycled content and always have been. (Here’s a shocking number – our bags cost us 50¢!) Using fewer bags helps us keep our prices down, and reduces our carbon footprint with fewer boxes of bags shipped.
We hope you’ll commit to making small changes too, and Here We Go Again is planning some informational events and new products to help us all do better in our goals to get closer to zero waste in 2020 and beyond!
Want to learn more about the zero waste movement? Click the link on this graphic to learn more about the movement. Or read more on this blog about small and easy ways to adapt your lifestyle to be more sustainable and earth-friendly.