With the recent news of the inspiring young climate change activist Greta Thunberg being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian parliament in March 2019, and the preceding and increasing global protests by groups such as Extinction Rebellion in regard to the welfare of the environment and the lack of governmental responsibility assumed, international public recognition of the climate crisis is now being acknowledged, now more than ever, as the emergency it is. Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and many campaigning organisations are demanding real and immediate action from global leaders and corporations in response to the climate crisis.
‘The plastic tide is growing by 8 million tonnes a year. If nothing is done, it is estimated that this figure will rise to 80 million metric tonnes by the year 2025. This tide does not recede. It consists of all sizes of plastics, with larger pieces taking at least 400 years to break down, into fragments known as microplastics, which could take hundreds of thousands of years to break down completely.’ (The Plastic Tide)
We all know the damage the production and subsequent use of plastic does to the environment. The impact of plastic waste and our throw away culture on marine life is clearly devastatingly toxic. Horrifyingly, 99% of the plastic waste is unaccounted for, meaning it could be anywhere in the depths of the oceans and inside the bodies of marine life.
Famously, Sir David Attenborough called for change with Blue Planet II and the more recent Our Planet, his powerful presenting and the brilliant team have helped to put plastic pollution onto the global agenda. Whilst he remains unsure of how to fix the huge problem, Sir David encourages everyone to think consciously about how and why we use plastic and whether it is actually necessary to function in our daily lives.
“There is no doubt that human beings are having a profound impact on the marine environment. From pollution to climate change to overfishing, we are gradually eroding away at the health of our oceans…. So, as strange as it may sound, I would encourage people to treat plastic with respect, because if it escapes into the environment it will remain there for a very long time. If you don’t need it, don’t use it. And if you do use it, be mindful of where you put it.”
According to the scientists at PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA) over 90% of seabirds carry at least 10% of plastic as their bodyweight – a similar proportion to airline hand luggage allowance for humans.
This is big and scary stuff. So how do we actually make a difference in our daily lives? How easy is it to do your weekly shop without including the dreaded plastic that seems to coat everything? And just how easy is it to buy unpackaged products?
The whole experience of supermarket shopping can often feel dreary and miserable, sometimes agonising, especially when your beloved five-year-old decides to drive the trolley into the ankles of the most disagreeable person they can find. Interestingly, the whole experience of what should be, in a basic and practical sense, the most important part of our daily lives, has gone from the ancestrally terrifying hunter-gather, to the utterly mundane and mildly depressing modern-day supermarket sweep.
What about meeting and shopping somewhere civilised instead and making the whole thing less dreadful?
We can start with our shopping.
One family from Norfolk have joined the zero waste revolution and taken environmental responsibility to the high street with the opening of Re.Source, a general store and plant-based cafe that offers an original and alternative shopping experience, without detrimental impact on the environment.
The products are not unnecessarily packaged but instead pasta, seeds, nuts, grains and dried fruits are arranged pleasingly in rows of jars, and fresh bright organic veg glistens in wooden boxes. Laundry detergent, oils and shampoo are lined up in big containers with DIY taps and tags telling you the price per weight. There are glamorous carved razors, mineral make-up, clay soaps and beautiful muslin cloths, recycled rubber bags and stunning bouquets of wild flowers, all made by local ethical entrepreneurs.
You might be tempted to sample an almond latte (yum) while the lovely staff help you get to grips with measurements (it’s quite simple, it turns out). Bring your own bags or containers for your shop and buy as little or as much as you wish. The shopping style at Re.Source encourages thought and consideration, taking some time and making good choices from the quantity and quality of product, to how it is (or isn't) packaged.
This is like going back to previous generation's methods of the simple weigh and pay; shopping only for what you need, with far less immediate consumerism and more consideration and sustainability for the wider environment in mind.
Lady.co.uk finds out more from Re.Source owner, Cata Parrish, on how to shop in a more sustainable way. Cata had been sourcing her family shop online for many years but found the method increasingly unable to meet her needs as a vegan, and living with auto-immune conditions.
Re.Source welcomes questions from customers, who often have questions about how things work, or how to use certain products or foods.
How did you come up with the idea of opening a zero waste store?
For me, it needed to tick a lot of boxes, I can’t eat sugar or gluten and I’m vegan, plus I don’t want it wrapped in plastic. I found it hard to shop locally for all these requirements and decided to do it myself.
We are a combination of government / private investor funded but the whole process of application was extremely rigorous and required a lot of dedication and hard work over a year.
What is the first most simple thing people can do to go zero-waste?
Start small and build up from that. Doing something small is far better than feeling guilty but doing nothing because of being overwhelmed about what to do. You can talk with your family and work out what they'd most like to try first.
Together you can come up with a meal plan for the week, then get them involved in it! My experience is that lots of children love learning something alongside their parents, it makes them as much of an expert as the adults.
Generally speaking, supermarket shopping brings very little joy. Going to your local Low Waste Store with your bags and boxes that the kids have helped you save up during the week is a much more joyous experience!
On Saturdays in our store and cafe, families come in with their containers and bags, and between them they choose their favourite foods. The children can have Saturday treats in their own bags, and choose what deliciousness they'd like in their lunch box that week.
Is it more expensive to shop with you than at my local supermarket?
No, it doesn't appear to be. Our customers regularly express surprise at how little they've spent. We price check as many of our food products as possible and this is an ongoing project. Additionally, when we weigh out produce, we let customers know how much it costs as we go along so there are no nasty surprises.
I have forgotten my shopping bags!
No problem. We have paper bags for 5p and customers drop off pre-loved jars for others to use if they've not brought anything. Also, we get through a lot of jars and bottles ourselves so we have a basket for customers to re-home them. We also sell new kilner jars if you have a hankering for something beautiful to line your shelves with.
Can we bring any container?
Yes you can. It’s your responsibility that it's clean and safe for you to use, and you can use old take out containers, tupperware, cotton bags, plastic bags, paper bags, old bottles, whatever you have.
How does it work? Do I weigh it out? I don't know how to do that!
We'll weigh it out for you don't worry. Just hand us your containers, or tell us you don't have any, and let us know what you'd like.
I don't know how much I want.
That's ok, we're all still learning what 200g of sugar looks like compared to 200g of pasta or tea. We can figure it out together. We'll weigh out a few scoops, show you how much that weighs and how much it costs so far, and go from there.
What else do you do other than food?
So much. Gifts, household products, local artisans' produce.
What advice do you have for families who rely on the quick big supermarket shops for ease?
Most families are busy and we so understand it’s difficult to fit everything in. Many families are now opting for 'blended' shopping: mixing up shopping from greengrocers, low rate stores, the market and a supermarket. This seems to answer lots of families' needs - the need to find some joy and connection in everyday life, the need to teach our children a better way, the need for the planet to still be functioning when our children are grown ups, the need to get some supper on the table without adding a thousand more things on our to-do list.
As well as being a general store, Re.Source is a café and a yoga and movement studio, which will soon be home to yoga classes and more. You can find Re.Source at 21 Timberhill, Norwich NR1 3JZ. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays 10 - 6.
Photography credit: Millie Bolton
