Every Day is Earth Day
Did you know that it is estimated that over 1 billion people celebrate Earth Day every year? According to the Earth Day Network, this includes people from 192 countries who take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.
At Open Harvest, it is a pillar of our mission to contribute to a sustainable environment; not only in the products that we sell or the local food system that we support, but in our daily decisions and collective actions. We are proud of the progress we’ve made, but are determined to do more.
Here’s a summary of how currently we put our environmental ideals into action every day, and how we hope to inspire others to do the same.
In Cooperation,
Amy Tabor, G.M.
GREEN MAN STAMP PROGRAM
We encourage owners and shoppers to do their part by incentivizing sustainable actions through our Green Man Stamp program. For every booklet filled (100 stamps) a $5 credit is applied to their shopping trip! Folks can get a green man stamp when they:
• Bring your own container
• Pay with cash or check
• Bike, walk, or take public transit
• Bring your own bag or use a box
We gave out 54,400 green man stamps in 2018 – that’s many people, doing many little things, collectively creating a big impact!
CO-OP OPERATIONS
We know that the operation of any retail business can have a huge impact on our environment.
Packaging. Our Co+op branded packaging by Eco-Products is compostable and free from plastic liners. We are pleased to phase in compostable produce and bulk bags in February.
Serviceware. We offer reusable and recyclable forks, spoons, and coffee mugs, giving our customers an option to choose a reusable product when dining with us.
Motion Sensors. Last year we had motion sensors installed for the lights in all of our bathrooms and back stock rooms.
Printing. Our printing is done on post-consumer recycled materials and printed with soy-based inks at our local print shop Eagle Printing, so it doesn’t travel far.
Co-op Bags. Our reusable co-op bags are made from 10% post-consumer recycled material.
Bag Share. We encourage folks to drop off and pick up reusable bags at the front of the store.
WASTE DIVERSION
Supporting waste diversion from landfills is at the heart of what we do. Anything that can be recycled or composted is, and we are committed to supporting our local food banks by donating food that is no longer saleable but still edible.
Composting. We compost all coffee grinds and produce scraps that result from our kitchen food production. We send approximately 15 lbs. of organic lettuce to feed rescued ducks every week!
Recycling. We recycle all paper, plastic, glass, cardboard, and aluminum. We are a drop-off site for plastic bags and non-lithium batteries.
Reuse. Boxes that are strong and reasonable dimension for hauling groceries are added to our Box Mountain for folks to use instead of paper bags.
FoodNet. Twice a week volunteers from FoodNet stop by and pick up food that has expired, yet still has many days of shelf life for distribution to churches and shelters all over Lincoln.
In addition, we are a proud member of the Nebraska Recycling Council, an organization that exists to maximize the economic and environmental benefits of resource recovery in Nebraska.
Come and celebrate Earth Day with us this year at Lincoln’s Earth Day event on Saturday, April 27th and stay tuned for a week of promotions and in-store events.
To learn more about Earth Day visit www.earthday.org.