Sustainability

We’re on a mission to change how business operates - by putting the planet and people before profit.

In 2007, an owner-driven strategic objective was established to improve our commitment to sustainability. We started down the path to becoming a fully sustainable business by 2030, using a framework offered by The Natural Step.

By the start of the next decade, the Ashland Food Co-op will be zero waste and carbon neutral, a living model of cooperation with the laws of nature in all our affairs.

Our 2030 Goals

Sustainable Relations

We will model sustainability, justice, and equity in all of our relationships with employees, vendors, community, and other Co-ops

Carbon Neutrality

We will be carbon neutral, conserve energy, and 100% powered by renewable energy

Zero Waste

As a zero-waste facility, we will minimize waste intake and maximize beneficial reuse and diversion from landfill

Eliminate Toxic Chemicals

We will use no persistent chemicals

Be Part of the Solution

The impact of our efforts increase when we work together! We encourage our members to help us reduce unnecessary waste by taking action in the following ways:

Use Rogue To Go Containers
Pay a one-time fee of $10 and enjoy your meals on the go in a reusable container - plus save 15¢ off the cost of your meal. Choose between a clamshell or soup container, made in Oregon and upcycled at the end of life. You can use a RTG container at many restaurants in Southern Oregon. All new Co-op owners will receive a coupon for a complementary RTG container! Visit the Rogue To Go website to see all participating restaurants.

Bring Reusable Bags and Totes
Remember to bring your grocery totes and reusable produce bags. We offer cotton or upcycled plastic reusable bags in the Produce department. By using these bags, our member-owners have reduced annual single-use plastic bag usage by over 100,000!

Recycle It Right
Know your recycling. If there is any food contamination, it can’t be recycled!
NON-Recyclable items include: egg cartons, all lids, and all certified compostable service wares like our to-go boxes, single-use coffee cups, or utensils.
There are no industrial composting facilities in Oregon that will take compostable wares! Make sure to choose to reuse, otherwise it goes in the trash.

Participate with Bicycle Benefits
Participate in Bicycle Benefits, a nation wide program encouraging sustainable transportation though bicycling. Pay a one-time $5 fee, receive a sticker for your helmet, bike to and from the Co-op, and save 5% on your purchase. You can save at other businesses besides AFC, check the Bicycle Benefits map for participating businesses.

Opt Out of Paper Receipts
As a member-owner, you can opt out of paper receipts and receive them via email instead.

Energy Management

The Co-op is an Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partner. This means we only use energy from renewable sources to power store operations.

We have three solar arrays - one on the roof of the main store, one on the barn, and a virtual net metering array at Oak Street Tank and Steel. It is estimated that we can produce up to 48% of our annual electricity needs from our solar projects!

For our remaining electricity needs, we purchase Renewable Energy Certificates from Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and offset all of our business-travel carbon emissions. We purchase Water Restoration Certificates to lessen the impact on critically dewatered rivers in our region. Through our Greenhouse Gas Emissions calculations, we are offsetting 100% of our Scope 1 and market-based Scope 2 emissions.

We are proud to participate in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management program to reduce natural gas. In 2020, we reduced our use of natural gas by 5.8%!

Read more about the The Co-op's Energy Policy, adopted in 2019.

View our solar production live at the Oak Street Tank and Steel solar array

Partnership

In 2024, AFC committed to being a foundational purchaser of electricity from Ashland Solar Cooperative’s (ASC’s) new solar array on Mountain Ave. This partnership is an example of our Co-op’s dedication to renewable energy and supporting community solar, equity, and accessibility within the community. 10% of the electricity produced by ASC array is reserved for low-income residents at a reduced rate.

Annual Sustainability Reports

In 2008, Ashland Food Co-op became a member of the Sustainability Food Trade Association (SFTA). This organization provides businesses in the organic food trade with guidelines and recommendations for how to embody sustainability in their own operations. The Co-op has adopted its own Sustainability Vision based on the principles of The Natural Step and the 11-point action plan from SFTA’s Declaration of Sustainability in the Organic Food Trade. Our reports are organized using our Four Sustainability Goals.

Each year, we strive for continuous progressive improvement and to practice transparency in annually auditing our performance and selecting reporting metrics that are relevant to our business. These reports are compilations of information we have collected and intend to submit to the SFTA to qualify for ongoing membership in the association.