The consumer and worker owners of Weaver Street Market are committed to finding innovative packaging solutions for all of our packaging. Eliminating single-use plastic and paper checkout bags is our second action toward this end. Last year we changed all paper-based containers and cups at our coffee and food bars so that they are 100% compostable.
One of our next steps will be to offer affordable, reusable produce bags. Currently our produce and bulk bags are made from 100% recycled material and can be recycled at recycling centers that accept plastic film.
About The Reusable Bag Initiative
You can read on our blog about the proposal to switch to all reusable bags at the registers, here, and about the launch of the initiative on Earth Day, 2019, here.
News coverage of the launch includes these articles:
Weaver Street Markets Phasing Out Paper and Plastic Bags, by Leah Abrams, April 15, 2019, Indy Week
https://indyweek.com/news/northcarolina/weaver-street-markets-phasing-out-paper-and-plastic-bags/
Shopping at Weaver Street Market? Better bring or prepare to buy your grocery bags, by Tammi Grubb, April 18, 2019, The News and Observer
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article229363464.html
(Watch a video, below.)
No More Plastic or Paper Grocery Bags at Weaver Street Market, by Sam Bermas-Dawes, April 19, 2019, Chapelboro
https://chapelboro.com/news/business/no-more-plastic-or-paper-grocery-bags-at-weaver-street-market
Weaver Street Market celebrates Earth Day with single-use bag ban, by Rachel Pittman, April 24, 2019, News of Orange
http://www.newsoforange.com/news/article_3309f02e-66a8-11e9-a0b3-0384b1094c99.html
Another #CoopACT: Rounding Up
Our Round Up initiative collects donations of change at checkout to support the programs of our community food partners, which are local hunger relief organizations. Rounding up your bill to the nearest dollar is a simply way to contribute to a program that makes a great difference: For example, from 2015 to 2018, shoppers donated funds for 15,280 TABLE backpack meals,and in 2017 and 2018, they donated enough for 374,410 pounds of food for kids at Orange County Schools. One hundred percent of Round Up funds received are used to buy food, at cost from our suppliers. Read about our partners here.
Another way to help is by volunteering directly with the organizations. You can join PORCH to sort produce for a monthly delivery to low income families. TABLE needs help delivering backpacks to after school programs, among other tasks. The Interfaith Council and Orange Congregations in Mission need volunteers at their food bank facilities. Learn more about volunteer opportunities here.