Choose To Reuse
by Rianna Koppel, Co-op Sustainability Coordinator
At the Ashland Food Co-op, we are committed to becoming Zero Waste by 2030. Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about packaging and single-use at our store. Our owners care deeply about reducing plastic waste, and we do too!
Reusable Bags
At the co-op, we have many different bag options… So what's the best choice?
We offer plastic bags, paper bags, and reusable bags. There is a 2¢ charge for new plastic bags, and a 10¢ charge for new paper bags. These charges help to subsidize the costs of our reusable bags.
We offer two reusable options, both costing only 50¢! Our plastic bag is made from reused and recycled plastic. Our fabric bag is made from cotton by the company Royal Jute. 100% of the proceeds from Royal Jute go directly to Kiva, a nonprofit that finances micro-lending programs for women across the world. Every time you purchase or use one of these bags, it makes a real impact for the planet and people.
Since we introduced reusable bags in fall of 2018, we have sold over 16,000 of them to our awesome and very sustainable members. This has worked to reduce plastic too - we have ordered 100,000 less plastic produce bags than in 2018.
What About Compostable Bags?
Sometimes people ask, why don’t you use compostable bags like other grocery stores? This is a great question, with a complex answer.
There are many commercially compostable items out there - including our very own Co-op take-out containers. If you start reading the tiny font on various packaging, you will see that there are many packaged items that are compostable in industrial or commercial facilities.
Here’s the problem: we don’t have any industrial composting facilities in the state of Oregon that will take these kinds of materials.
In fact, every composting facility in Oregon came together to issue a statement on their refusal. They called it, “A Message From Composters Serving Oregon: Why We Don’t Want Compostable Packaging and Serviceware”. The company listed out nine reasons why it’s not a good idea, including the facts that these materials do not always break down, they introduce contaminants, and they cannot sell this compost to organic farmers.
You can read more about this statement in this NCRA article from March 2019.
What about straws made from avocado pits?
So what about bio-based products made from renewable materials like bamboo, corn, or avocado pits? No matter the material, it’s still a single-use straw. There is a financial impact as well - straws made from avocado pits costs a whopping 600% more than a single-use paper straw. I suggest trying a reusable stainless steel straw instead!
There’s another hidden cost to plastics made from materials like corn… the impact on the environment.
According to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s study on Popular Packaging Attributes, bio-based disposables can actually have a worse environmental impact! They concluded that biobased packaging materials have significant environmental trade-offs when compared to non-bio based counterparts. Plus, they take away from food production.
What Can I Do?
Choose to reuse first. Make sure to throw your reusable produce bags in with your tote bags, and don’t forget your coffee cup! Eat in at the Co-op on a durable plate or bowl - which will save you 15¢.
There are different ways to address our plastic problems, and each one of them can start with us making the choice to reuse. We started our 15¢ discount for bringing your own coffee cup in 2013 - since then, customers have used this discount over 113,000 times! That’s an amazing diversion from the landfill that makes us proud to be committed towards zero-waste at the Co-op.
If you would like to learn more about our sustainability initiatives, contact Rianna at [email protected].
More Co-op News
A Visit with Magnolia Farms
Visit Magnolia Farms and learn more about owner Elissa Thau, who the Ashland Food Co-op is so honored to partner with for more than twenty years.
A Visit with Emerald Hills
Visit the Emerald Hills Ranch and learn more about this fourth generation ranching family that the Ashland Food Co-op is so proud to partner with for more than twenty years.
A Conversation with Katie Falkenberg, Photographer and Filmmaker
Katie Falkenberg's photography and filmmaking has taken her all over the world, and lucky for us - she's been calling the Rogue Valley home for a couple years now. Exquisitely and harmoniously capturing the world around her, she is documenting not only through the lens but also through her peaceful and loving spirit. Katie reached out to us in hopes of collaborating after falling in love with the co-op soon after moving here.
March Change for Good Recipient: North Mountain Park Nature Center
March's Change for Good Recipient is
North Mountain Park Nature Center,
a division of Ashland Parks and Recreation, that encompasses demonstration gardens, a nature playground, and approximately 14 acres of Natural Area that is managed for wildlife preservation and public education.
February Change for Good Recipient: Ashland High Arts Advocates
January Change for Good Recipient: Rogue Valley Mentoring
Since 2005, Rogue Valley Mentoring (formerly the Rose Circle Mentoring Network) has trained over 500 adults who have mentored over 2,000 youth in our valley; letting young people know that they are not alone. A caring and compassionate ear shows them that they matter, and they they are experts of their own experience.
Coronavirus Preparedness at the Co-op
Update as of March 15th, 2022: Oregon Health Authority no longer requires face coverings to be worn in all public indoor settings.
Shopping Safely & Efficiently
As coronavirus cases increase in Jackson County, the Co-op is taking extra precautions to protect shoppers and employees.
To ensure social distancing in the store, the number of persons allowed in the store at once has been reduced to 50% capacity. Understandably, this may lead to a short wait outside of the store, but please be assured the line moves quickly.
In order to keep the wait as short as possible, here are a few steps you can take to help out:
10 Ways to Shine Your Light in Dark Times
By Allan Weisbard L.C.S.W.
Since 1963, autumn has been a difficult time for me. Two months shy of my 13th birthday I lost my younger brother to cancer, then shortly afterwards, President Kennedy was assassinated.
Masks Required for All In-Store Shoppers
To protect the health of Co-op staff and shoppers, all shoppers and other visitors on Ashland Food Co-op property must wear face coverings over mouth and nose except when dining in an approved area. As of November 11, 2020, face shields will not be permitted unless worn with a mask.
From the Board: Co-ops Look in the Mirror
By Annie Hoy, Board Secretary and Chair of Owner Engagement Committee
Food Co-ops around the nation proudly display signage saying EVERYONE WELCOME. Or they use the slogan, “Anyone can shop. Anyone can join.” But are food co-ops, and other cooperative businesses, walking the walk?
November/December GM Update: Overcoming Challenges
It’s probably already cliche to say “it’s been one heck of a year.” There have been challenges a-plenty for all of us, whether we’re working or shopping at the Co-op - but I’m so proud of how all of us have persevered.
End of year wrap-up on Strategic Energy Management at the Co-op
Hi there. I hope this finds you well. It’s me, Nina Friedman, Strategic Energy Management (SEM) intern for the Ashland Food Co-op. The global and local crises have only devolved into further chaos since we last spoke. As we sit with the reality of coworkers, neighbors, and friends who’ve lost their homes and businesses to the recent fires, and thousands more across the nation losing their loved ones to COVID-19, I imagine many are feeling frozen and powerless to help those that are suffering.
SNAP in the Co-op Kitchen and Thanksgiving
Use your SNAP EBT benefits for all Co-op Kitchen items through November 20th, 2020!
Recognizing the difficulties in food preparation for families who lost their homes in the local wildfires, the State of Oregon has expanded SNAP benefits to be used for hot foods, like made-to-order and hot bar meals from the Co-op Kitchen, through November 20.
And starting on November 16, you can get an early taste of Thanksgiving as the Co-op Kitchen hot bar rolls out the full Thanksgiving spread.
Black Lives Matter
We acknowledge that the Ashland Food Co-op has not had a culture where all employees and community members felt safe sharing their experiences of discrimination in our store. We apologize for this. We are on a learning journey. We have reached out for help, and are listening to our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) employees and owners who want to be part of the positive change we seek.
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