PRTF Summer Events Keep Up the Lower Waste Vibe

by 
Arielle Tannenbaum, Weavers Way Plastic Reduction Task Force

Photos by Mike Tannenbaum
The author gets help in completing her family’s bulk routine with her four-year-old neighbor, top. Below, part of the lineup of bulk items in the Tannenbaum’s kitchen.

Tips for Buying Bulk at the Co-op:

  1. Bring your own bags and containers.
  2. Use the scales at the stores to measure the tare weight of your container (the weight of it empty) and write it on the container.
  3. Write the PLU number of the product you’re buying on the container.
  4. If you forget your own container, feel free to borrow one from the jar library (currently only available at the Mt. Airy store). 
  5. At home, store your bulk items in airtight jars and containers. (Pro tip: granola left in a cotton bag gets stale quickly!)
  6. Shop in the Co-op’s bulk department on Weigh It Wednesday July 31, to save 10% on your entire bulk order when you bring your own bags/containers. 

Happy bulk shopping!

The Plastic Reduction Task Force — a sub-committee of the Weavers Way Environment Committee — is working to improve our sustainability efforts at the Co-op. We have several events and initiatives coming up to help fellow members reduce their plastic waste. We’d love to see you at them and in the Bulk department, arguably our favorite spot in the store.

Movie Night, Tuesday, July 23

Join the PRTF for a free outdoor film screening of acclaimed 2009 documentary “Tapped” in the backyard behind our Chestnut Hill store. Showtime is at 8:30 p.m., but feel free to grab a spot anytime after 7:30.

“Tapped” peers into the obscure world of the bottled-water industry. Light refreshments will be provided. This event is presented in partnership with The SE PA Sierra Club.

Weigh It Wednesday 2.0

Want to help our efforts to cut down on single-use plastic at the Co-op? All day long on Wednesday, July 31, you’ll get 10% off your bulk order at all three stores when you bring and use your own bags and containers. Here are some ideas about what you can bring in:

  • Glass jars
  • Cloth bags
  • Plastic containers (e.g. cleaned-out yogurt containers with lids, Tupperware)
  • Stainless steel containers
  • Reused coffee bags
  • Any container you walk in with, including previously used plastic or paper bags

Our goal is to encourage bulk shopping and promote a culture of reuse, in which shoppers regularly bring their own bags and containers. Hope to see you there!

Learn to Make “No-Sew” Bags at the Mt. Airy Village Fair

When you’re at the Mt. Airy Village Fair on Sunday, Sept. 8, stop by the PRTF table and learn how to make a no-sew reusable bag out of a T-shirt. We’ll supply the shirts, or you can bring your own. We’re also seeking shirt donations. If you’d like to donate T-shirts or tank tops ahead of time, please contact me at arielletannenbaum@gmail.com.

Jar Library

Did you know there’s a jar library at the Mt. Airy store? Next time you’re in the Bulk section, look for it by the spices. If you need something in bulk but forgot your own container, grab one from the jar library. When you’re finished with it, wash and dry it and bring it back to the store, along with any other glass jars from home. To add a jar to the library, make sure to remove all labels, wash and dry it completely, and label it with its tare weight.

Jar libraries will debut in the Chestnut Hill and Ambler stores in the near future.