A Healthy Blueprint

Ever since China’s announcement that it would no longer accept other countries’ recycling waste, the US and other countries that used to rely on China to take their trash now has to move quickly to identify solutions to manage the ever-growing waste streams. This has picked up the attention of the media, companies, NGOs, and governments to figure out how to address the now-looming waste management crisis (more note-worthy actions mentioned here).

Here in NYC, I’m hoping we will move quickly and work with organizations and other bodies like GrowNYC, GreeNYC, Board of Education, Mayor de Blasio’s office, SIMS Recycling Education Center, and the Department of Sanitation to ramp up efforts to provide recycling education to the communities in our five boroughs and also increase access to the organics collection program that is available in select residential neighborhoods.

For now, I’m really excited to hear about the city’s first zero waste grocery store that just opened up in Bushwick, Brooklyn, where you can shop for food items in bulk with your own containers, or purchase sturdy, reusable containers there! There’s really something to being able to purchase whole foods and produce that is not pre-packaged (if you are able and do not require a pre-packaged, pre-cut food items).

We have some ways to go, but this is a great first step, and I hope more dedicated zero waste grocery stores will open up throughout the boroughs (and across the major cities)!

Is there a zero waste grocery store near you? I’m talking package-free, bulk item, zero waste heaven?! Let me know which city you’re from and the name of the store so we can share the info with the community!