You don’t have to shop exclusively at stores that focus on refilling to reduce waste. Personally, I don’t need a reason to go to Poppy & Peep, the spectacular chocolate shop founded by Evana Stoner and her father Mark. The pretty chocolates are enough. But if you want a reason, Poppy & Peep is accepting extra cold packs, the kinds that come when you have something refrigerated shipped to you. If you have a stockpile of medium- and large-sized packs with no holes, drop them off and buy some chocolate.
Buying in bulk can be a good way to stock up on essentials without accumulating extra containers. The Turnip Truck Natural Market locations have small bulk sections, with dry bulk goods (think coffee and herbs) that are 10% off on Wednesdays. The Produce Place in Sylvan Park is another destination for bulk shoppers, and it’s not just food either. The Makeup Altar in East Nashville carries lines of refillable eyeshadow and other makeup products.
If you care about respecting Mother Nature, as Dolly told us to, follow Simplify Nashville on social media (Instagram or Facebook). Abby Schneider founded it in 2017, after seeing contamination at the local recycling centers. “There wasn't a lot of information out there about the dos and don'ts of recycling in Nashville. I wanted to help eliminate the confusion,” she says. The account is way more than recycling advice now. Schneider offers resources on preventing waste, and hosts collection boxes for items that might otherwise be trash but could help others. Empty prescription bottles, for example, can be used by veterinary clinics.
I originally learned about Schneider through my neighborhood Buy Nothing group. (If you’re not in your Buy Nothing group on Facebook, go sign up!) Then we both joined the board of Turnip Green Creative Reuse, so I must plug the shop in Chestnut Hill, where you can donate fabric, art materials, pots, and picture frames, and find whatever you didn’t know you needed. TGCR is hosting its annual Reduce. Reuse. Repeat. fundraiser at Lane Motor Museum on Sept. 23. The silent auction will include fun stuff from your favorite local stores. See you there?
