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‘Zero waste’ Scoop Marketplace makes Earth Day debut at The Works on 12th Ave

(Image: The Scoop Marketplace)

(Image: The Scoop Marketplace)

12th Ave DIY community, class, and retail provider The Works has sprouted a new friend to help with your zero waste ambitions this Earth Day. The growing 12th Ave class and retail space is now home to Scoop Marketplace, a grocery dedicated to efficient and package-free shopping.

The new market debuts Monday with a sale, giveaways, along with The Works hosting an Earth Day plant swap.

“Scoop Marketplace was founded out of a need for a grocery store that facilitates low impact living,” Scoop founder Stephanie Lentz says. “Our family was always naturally inclined toward environmentalism, but we didn’t realize just how much thoughtless consumerism we were taking part in. Once we embraced the zero waste lifestyle, we were eager to change our family routines, and eliminate waste. The changes definitely haven’t happened overnight, but the slow process has helped us better understand our relationship with food, possessions, and the things we throw away.”

The Scoop Marketplace concept is a little like a visit to the bulk bin aisle but with a spin. To put the shop to use, gather your clean, reusable containers including jars, bottles, and bags, weigh and label your containers, and then find what you need to stock up on. When you’re done, head to the checkout and weigh what you’ve collected. The weight of your containers is subtracted — and you’ve helped keep a bunch of packaging out of the consumer cycle.

While a big part of helping the planet is to buy less, we all need to eat. Scoop plans to stock fruits and vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts, oils and spice, and more. The hope is to also support regional providers and to create a hub for “environmentally-conscious products and services.”

Zero-waste shoppers in the area can also rely on Central Co-op for no-package grocery options. CHS also recently profiled Seattle start-up Ridwell which can help you properly dispose of hard to recycle packaging.

The Works, meanwhile, is also expanding beyond the new marketplace with more room for classes. They’re a frequent contributor to the CHS Calendar if you’re curious to see what’s on the upcoming schedule. You can also find the offerings of Seattle Seed Company at the 12th Ave venue to boost your home gardening efforts.

Scoop Marketplace debuts Monday with an Earth Day celebration from 6 to 7:30 PM and soft opening in The Works at 151 12th Ave. You can learn more at scoopmarketplace.com.

 

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9 Comments
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Neighbor
Neighbor
4 years ago

Very cool! Our family will definitely support this endeavor. It takes a little time and effort to get used to shopping like this but quickly becomes second nature. Side benefit is being able to request a smaller (cheaper) trash receptacle from the city.

clew
clew
4 years ago

I’ve been told elsewhere in Seattle that it’s against our laws to bring in your own container to be refilled with food — the clerk said it apparently made it impossible to be sure that the food-measuring counter lived up to food-handling standards. No? An excuse by the clerk? Scoop thought of a way around it?

Fjnd
Fjnd
4 years ago
Reply to  clew

We’ve been bringing our own containers to refill at Central Co-op since time beyond memory. Looking forward to checking out Scoop!

centrally located
centrally located
4 years ago
Reply to  clew

I think that might be the case with deli items in stores, which is a shame because I love the convenience of the deli at the Co-op, for instance, but always feel bad about yet another plastic container. I hope someone invents an instant sanitizer type of contraption that could be used behind deli counters to quickly sterilize jars/containers that customers bring.

tigerlily
tigerlily
4 years ago

FWIW, central’s deli containers are all compostable :)

Nord
Nord
4 years ago
Reply to  clew

I don’t know about individual or corporate store policies, but we bring reusable containers to Central Co-op for bulk items like dried beans and spices. If you note the weight of your empty container, they will even deduct that from the weight of the filled container when you pay.

package free life
package free life
4 years ago
Reply to  clew

I have been bringing my own containers and filling them in co-op grocery stores, and anywhere BULK items are sold, since 1997. Most deli’s and restaurants will let you use your own container, you just have to ask, explain and 9 out of 10 times they let me.

Mimi
Mimi
4 years ago
Reply to  clew

I asked a cashier at QFC recently if I could bring my own containers for bulk spices and peanut butter and she said yes. She said, just weigh them before filling and they will subtract the weight from the price.

Mark Baranowski
Mark Baranowski
4 years ago

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