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Stumbling into Sustainability: Reusable Opportunities for a Zero Waste Initiative

  • Liz Bristow
  • 1 day ago
  • 4 min read

Doesn’t that title sound super impressive and knowledgeable? Don’t worry I just came up with it in the shower one day. Zero waste involves minimizing waste production by prioritizing reuse, recovery, and recycling, going beyond traditional recycling to prevent waste from ever being created. The ultimate goal? Keep waste out of landfills and incinerators.


This journey began last December during a visit to my parents in California’s Central Valley, a key agricultural region. I noticed glass milk and creamer containers in their fridge with instructions for returning them for reuse. My mind raced—glass containers? Returnable? Is this the milkman era reborn? Turns out, it’s a local program by a dairy in Modesto, California. But it sparked a question: could similar initiatives exist in my community or others?


Local dairy reusable bottles. Instructions for reuse on back of bottle.

Exploring Local Solutions

My research revealed encouraging, though limited, progress. Local food co-ops are the best bet for escaping excessive packaging waste. Bulk items like spices, coffee, and teas often use minimal packaging, but there’s room for improvement. Here are some actionable steps:


  • Bring Your Own Containers: Use reusable produce bags or containers at grocery stores. Some stores might even offer discounts for this—imagine the savings! If you’re not ready to buy reusable containers, try reusing plastic produce bags you already have. They’re small, easy to carry, and better than grabbing a new one every time.

  • Skip Bags Altogether: A former roommate taught me this trick—she never bagged her produce, reasoning she’d wash it anyway. I’ve adopted this for small trips, like grabbing an avocado and onion for dinner. It’s not the most efficient, and yes, you might get odd looks, but saving sea turtles from plastic waste outweighs strangers’ opinions.

  • Support Refill Programs: Some bath product stores now offer refillable containers for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. You buy the product, then return to refill the container. Others sell package-free options like bar shampoos or lotions that can be stored in containers you already own. These are perfect for those of us who want to do better but need convenient options.




    Bulk foods like nuts, grains, dried fruits and spices.


Local Resources

Here are some local(ish) businesses in Minnesota supporting zero waste (links and social media posts can be added with further details):


  • Crow Wing County Food Co-Op (624 Laurel Street, Brainerd, MN): On Earth Day, they highlighted their bulk bins for grains, nuts, snacks, gluten-free flours, soaps, herbs, and spices. Bring your own containers to refill and reuse! See Here

  • The Good Village (704 Laurel St, Brainerd, MN ): Good Village Herbalist Lauren believes, "The most important tool we possess when it comes to safeguarding and nurturing our wellness -- physical or otherwise -- is community." See Here

  • Countryside Co-Op (409 MN-371, Hackensack, MN): Offers bulk spices and cheese cut from the block. See Here

  • Harmony Natural Foods (302 Irvine Ave NW, Bemidji, MN): Harmony is, "a full service grocery and wellness store conveniently located in downtown Bemidji, serving the greater Headwaters region and beyond." See Here

  • Bluff Country Co-op (121 W 2nd St, Winona, MN): A source for sustainable, organic, local foods that occasionally offers free seedlings and classes on bulk foods. See Here


Advocating for Change

If zero waste matters to you (and who doesn’t wince at their trash bill?), contact your local retailers to ask about reusable container options. Suggest where they could implement them—why not use a mason jar for spices instead of a plastic bag? Reach out to your county’s environmental services to request a list of businesses with zero-waste initiatives and encourage incentives like tax breaks or waived fees for eco-friendly companies. Local resources include:


Taking Baby Steps

Zero waste can feel overwhelming, but small actions add up:


  • Bring your own containers where possible.

  • Avoid containers when unnecessary.

  • Reuse existing bags or containers.

  • Support friends or community members pushing for bigger changes—you might find yourself joining the “warrior team” sooner than you think.


I really thought when I started looking for zero waste business options there would be a lot more options than there are. I understand I live in a smaller community, but even as I researched, the alternatives in larger, urban areas were far more sparse than I anticipated. I had to search online national zero waste companies to find what I was looking for and even that fell far short of expectation. 


I say all of this as I eat my snacks from a plastic bag, and drink my coffee from a plastic cup knowing it’s up to me to make better choices and even flat out stop buying things I don’t need because of the packaging. There is still hope. By patronizing businesses that prioritize less waste and advocating for systemic change, we can all move closer to a zero-waste future. Start small, stay curious, and let’s make waste reduction a collective effort.



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