1. Green Life Trading Co.
1039 S. FIFTH ST.
The former Glass Pantry is now home to another sustainability-focused business that sells personal care products and home goods. For all shipping, Green Life Trading Co. only uses compostable tape and secondhand packing fillers and boxes. They also partner with the Carbon Fund to offset carbon emissions. In-store, customers can buy in bulk by bringing their own containers to fill, or borrowing a secondhand jar from the donation shelf. The store even has reusable pouches for transporting liquids, and a take-a-bag-leave-a-bag system for those who need one (or perpetually forget theirs in the car).
VOTE FOR MILWAUKEE’S BEST BEER!
What’s Brew City’s best? We’ve picked 16 of our favorite Milwaukee craft beers for a March Madness-style tournament, but it’s up to you to pick the winner! Will it be bright and hoppy? Dark and malty? A zippy lager? Every one is worthy of the title; who will claim the sudsy crown?
2. Riverwest Co-op
733 EAST CLARKE ST.
This community-owned grocery store encourages shoppers to reduce plastic use by bringing containers from home to fill with bulk pantry goods. It sells dried fruits, nuts and seeds, grains, legumes, coffee, spices, baking supplies and more by weight, so you can purchase the exact amount you need. The co-op also offers local food products and a marketplace section featuring local artists. Plus, shop the bulk section for 10% off on Thursdays, or local items for 10% off on Fridays.
3. Tippecanoe Herbs
2235 S. KINNICKINNIC AVE.
From tinctures and teas to “powdered potions,” the plant matter in this apothecary’s products is, quite literally, rooted in Wisconsin. Herbal medicines are made in small batches mostly from herbs foraged for locally or grown on local farms. Any ingredients not attainable this way come from organic sources. To avoid waste, Tippecanoe takes donations of packing supplies and sells some items in bulk.
4. Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market
THE TABLE, 5305 W. CAPITOL DR.
At a new location this year, the weekly market provides access to local farmers, bakers and bee-keepers. So even in the middle of Wisconsin winter, you can reduce your carbon footprint by choosing local produce that keeps well through the cold months, or products that are naturally available year-round. Each week brings a different selection of fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy, personal care products and more. The Saturday market is held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 29.
5. La Lune Collection
930 E. BURLEIGH ST.
This designer rustic furniture is unique not only in style, but in the eco-friendliness of its entire manufacturing process. The company only harvests fast-growing and invasive wood species near their Wisconsin factory, avoids energy-intensive logging equipment and uses non-polluting and non-toxic finishes. They even heat their factory by using waste products and wood scraps to fire a kiln and apply finishes in dip tanks to eliminate airborne pollution.
6. Outpost Natural Foods
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
To find food products grown or made in the Midwest year-round, check out one of this co-op’s four locations. Outpost conveniently labels applicable items with a “local” or “regional” tag on the shelf. For produce, they provide compostable pull-down bags, and in the bulk section, they encourage bringing your own container to fill.
