#package-free

[happywebdesign]

https://regrocery.co

[happywebdesign]

regrocery.co

[muniph]

As a result of MUNI Community interest in Zero Waste Living, coming from our first meetup on the topic at the MUNI Market last April, to our second one last July, and the desire to discover more practical, actionable ways to live with less waste…we bring you this upcoming meetup!

Join us on September 30 at Batala Bar (see photos below), as we bring you a back-to-back series of MUNI Meetups to talk trash and cut the crap!

We’ll be sharing practical solutions to reduce waste at home (from cleaning to composting), and outside of the home – when you travel. 🙂

Meetup attendees can also get their hands on zero waste lifestyle essentials with our package-free pop-up (see below) + the opportunity to meet others who share the advocacy for a waste-free world!

WORKING PROGRAM:

1:00PM – Gates open for registration

1:30PM-2:00PM – Casual networking / mindful listening exercise

2:00PM-3:30PM MUNI Meetup Session #1: Zero Waste Ways at HOME  with Bea Misa Crisostomo of Ritual (on practical package-free, toxin-free cleaning) & Gio Paolo Espital of Elmntm: Elements of Tomorrow / Bangkong Kahoy Valley (on composting)

3:30PM-4:00PM – Break

4:00PM-5:30PM MUNI Meetup Session #2: Zero Waste Ways in TRAVEL  with Dave Gumban Albao of Danjugan Island (on coastal cleanups and marine impacts) & Nomad Manager – Jen Horn of MUNI (on zero waste travel in and out of the city)

5:30PM onwards – More casual networking and conscious cocktails 😀

TICKET PRICES:

P400 – Early bird registration on or before September 15

P500 – Online registration until September 27

P600 – Walk-in registration

Inclusions:

Access to two (2) Zero Waste Ways sessions (HOME & TRAVEL)

P150 consumable on drinks & snacks from Batala Bar

FREE 100ml refill of castile soap from Casa de Lorenzo when you bring your own container

P200 discount voucher for your own compost kit (priced at P450)

Prepaid tickets may be paid via BPI Bank Deposit to MUNI Cultural Creatives Inc. #2673-0078-16 or via PayPal payment to [email protected] (add P50/ticket for Paypal).

We have limited slots available, so secure your spot by registering via the form below. 

Also available at the event will be:

Zero Waste sets including: Milea beeswax wrap, Minka bamboo toothbrushes, and more TBA!

THRIVE x MUNI upcycled cotton tote, handwoven in Bicol with respun shirt collars and other fabric scrap

Beeswax wrap by Milea Bee Farm

Bamboo toothbrush by Minka

Upcycled cotton tote for your zero waste life

Follow the Facebook event page for more updates!

If you’re a business that has zero waste products / solutions, and you want to be part of this event, shoot us an email at [email protected]. 🙂

HOW TO GET THERE:

Batala Bar is located at 830 Arnaiz Avenue in Makati. It’s kind of like a speak-easy with its incognito sign and secret doors, but it’s located at same building as Hineleban Café and a bike and surf shop.

Parking may be limited, but it’s also an easy walk from Glorietta or Greenbelt.

Just look for the Batala Bar / Philippine Artisan Trade symbol (as in the photo on the right), and go through the door right underneath it! Or enter via the “secret” door through the bike shop. 🙂

Check out these photos at Batala Bar:

Bamboo furniture by Philippine Artisan Trade

Sample local craft brews and cocktails

Bambikes made by Batala Bar co-owner Bryan McClelland

You may register to join this meetup via the form below:

Looking forward to seeing you there! 🙂

MUNI Meetup: Zero Waste Ways at Home and in Travel on Sept. 30 As a result of MUNI Community interest in Zero Waste Living, coming from our first meetup on the topic at the MUNI Market last April…

[makingmatte]

(via In.gredients Package-Free Store Opens In Austin - Business Insider)

[notrashproject]

Oh March, you fickle old girl. I love the changes you bring each year. The image above is was taken while I was out for a run Friday morning. It was snowing sideways and the temperature didn’t get up above freezing all day. But by mid-day Saturday, much of the accumulated snow had already melted in the sun. Sunday brought more sun and mild temperatures nearing 50 degrees Fahrenheit so I jumped at the chance to log some hours outdoors.

My best friend and I took a drive out to the Willimantic Food Co-op to stock up on some bulk goods that we can’t get package-free in Providence, namely liquid soap (for household and personal hygiene purposes), agave nectar, honey, and canola oil. Fertile Underground Grocery’s bulk selection continues to grow and I’ve been told that their goal is to one day offer these liquid bulk goods, but for now I’m still making out of town trips every two months to fill up my glass jars and swing top bottles. Of course, having to drive 40-60 minutes to get to the nearest liquid bulk goods source is not ideal. I take care to plan ahead, writing lists and packing a shopping kit with ample vessels to minimize my trips. Carpooling with a friend and incorporating an outdoor adventure into the errand helps ease my anxiety about burning the fuel.

We hit up Old Furnace State Park—one of my favorite semi-nearby hiking spots. The extra hour of daylight seemed like such a gift. The air was warm enough to smell the wet earth and leaves underfoot. On several instances I was overcome by excitement and found myself breaking into a full sprint along the trails. My friend and I weren’t the only ones enjoying the warm weather—the birds were chirping up quite a chorus. Being confined to my apartment or office for most of the winter has its serious drawbacks, no doubt, but the cabin fever makes the coming of spring that much sweeter.

[notrashproject]

I spent this past weekend visiting friends and family in NYC. On my trip back up to Providence, I made a slight detour to check out the Willimantic Food Co-op in Willimantic, CT. I learned about the co-op from a woman who works at As220's Foo(d) counter when I was picking up dinner last week and my reusable take-out containers sparked a conversation about package-free food shopping. She told me that her parents have been members since the co-op opened in the early 1970s and that a visit is worth the drive from Providence. So while traveling across the state, I made my way up to Route 6 and stopped in. 

The co-op is impeccably clean and well-stocked. It's larger than Fertile Underground, the Alternative Food Co-op, and Harvest Co-op Market in Jamaica Plain. The extra space allows room for an impressive variety of dry and liquid food and hygiene bulk goods. I bought some wild rice, local organic chestnuts and apples, and some ever-elusive package-free black quinoa. I also picked up some dish soap, shampoo, and Vermont-brewed Kombucha tea, which is available on tap from a stand on the edge of the produce section. The store employees were all wonderfully helpful and friendly and there was no hesitation in granting me permission to take photos inside the store.

This project has led me to so many wonderful discoveries. Seeing beautiful, inviting, and efficient establishments such as the Willimantic Food Co-op bustling with happy customers is energizing. Though I don't live in the neighborhood, as I strolled amongst other shoppers, weighing my containers and writing down PLU codes, I couldn't help but feel that I am part of a community of people in pursuit of a better way to get what they need.

[notrashproject]

Last week I made coconut milk. Before starting my No Trash Project, I would pretty regularly buy cans of coconut milk to use in many favorite Indian and Thai recipes. Since I stopped buying foods in packaging, I have been adapting recipes that call for coconut milk, by either adding shredded coconut, or some other homemade nut milk. For some reason, it didn't occur to me until recently that I could just make my own. After reading over a few different recipes online, I went to the grocery store and picked up two coconuts. My friend cracked them open and helped me remove the meat from the shells. I diced the meat into small pieces, placed them in a large bowl, added 4 cups of water and blended until smooth. Then I strained the solids from the milk. Voila. Delicious, fresh, and package-free.

The the milk was a little on the thin side and I had some trouble with separation in the bottle shown above. I ended up pouring the milk back into a bowl so that I could hit it again with my immersion blender before each use. 

I came across several coconut milk recipes that call for shredded coconut, which I can get in bulk at nearby food co-ops. I think I'll try to make it that way next time to see if my result is any different. Buying the shredded coconut would certainly save a little time and labor, but may cost a bit more.

[notrashproject]

Since stocking up on bulk tahini from the Belfast Co-op in Maine this summer, I've been enjoying making my own trash-free hummus. It's so simple and freshly made hummus tastes much better than anything I've ever tasted out of a #5 plastic tub. I haven't been able to find bulk tahini at my local food co-ops. I don't own a food processor (though lately I've been fixing to get one) so I'm not equipped to whip up homemade tahini. To satisfy my hummus hankerings, I had been making my own "chickpea spread" (blended chickpeas, garlic, and olive oil) and occasionally purchasing an 8 or 16 oz order from East Side Pockets with my reusable stainless steel container. Making my own is more satisfying and having the tahini makes all the difference. If I do get a food processor or perhaps borrow one from a friend, I will try making my own tahini. For now I have plenty from the co-op, which should keep for several months in the fridge. Below is the basic hummus recipe I've been working from. As always, it's flexible. I usually throw in some spices and fresh herbs too—like cayenne, red chile, and cilantro. And of course, all of the ingredients are acquired without any packaging. 

2 cups cooked chickpeas (I buy mine dry in bulk, then rinse and soak them for 8 hours before cooking)

1/4 cup water (I reserve some of the water used to cook the chickpeas)

2 tablespoons tahini

3-5 tablespoons lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

After cooking the Chickpeas for about 40 minutes, I drain most of the water, reserving about 1/4 cup. Then I add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and blend with my immersion blender (love that thing) until smooth. Easy peasy.