Spotlight: Taco Time NW

I nerd out a bit about Taco Time NW. Sure, it was my first summer job in high school, but also, the "sour cream" on their soft tacos is ranch dip, so what's not to love?

However, what's really cool about Taco Time is they have cared about their ingredients and packaging long before there was a plastic straw ban or "ask first before handing out consumables" law in Seattle. 

Taco Time proudly sources their ingredients from local suppliers. As a local, family-owned company themselves, they understand that sourcing from local suppliers means supporting the local economy as well as reducing fuel and costs to transport those ingredients.

Next... EVERY ITEM of packaging in their store is 100% compostable (except for ketchup packets). Long story short, back in 2010, they understood that the area was going in the direction of fully recyclable or compostable for food containers, and after testing some options, realized it's hard for customers to sort their trash, and much of the recyclables were contaminated, etc. Not only do we know you can't recycle your way out of plastic waste, but choosing 100% compostable was easier on customers and with better results (ie not losing out on contaminated recycling). Taco Time NW has now been a leader with compostable serviceware for several years. If you'd like to learn more about their process to get there, read this. 

While I've noticed the compostable serviceware for some years now, this new sign caught my eye on my last visit.Taco Time NW has 2 new sustainability initiatives: 1) Match their electrical consumption with investments in renewable energy, and 2) Make their restaurants carbon neutral through partnerships with forest projects. To learn more and not read this tiny picture, visit their page here.

So next time you are craving a fast-food taco, consider visiting one of the 79 restaurants in the PNW. You can eat guilt-free with a sustainability leader in the industry. Maybe just a bit of guilt though for asking for an extra side of ranch!

Posh Elephants

When my colleague, S, came into the office the other day, I was immediately drawn to her light, breezy blouse. It was tailored enough with roll-tab sleeves to look put together, and the round neckline was more feminine and comfortable than a collared button down. My kinda work blouse. And it didn't hurt that it was covered in elephant print. While I've been on a critter-print kick in general, elephants are near and dear to my heart.

So starting with an "I love your blouse!", we proceeded with 10 minutes if casual work convo, and then looped back to "but seriously, where did you get your top?"

Learning that the blouse was from Stitch Fix a few years back, I had enough info to start a search, and later that day had tracked down one in my own size for $18 (including shipping) on Poshmark. Compare at ~$40 new at StitchFix.

Poshmark is a great place to locate gently used, previous season branded clothes. It seems the crowd it caters to (for sellers) are those who want to rotate their closets and recoup some of the funds, so the clothes are often in better condition than those that are donated. The top is more white/cream than the color seen here - the orangey hue is just the evening glow from our deck firepit. Look at those cute elephants...

The dots in this pattern are just begging to be paired with more patterned accessories, so I added these Marquise earrings from Wenwen Designs.

Wenwen Designs is Frances Chang, a local artist from the San Francisco area, whose work I discovered on vacation. She "strives to make pieces... with the lowest carbon footprint possible". The wood surfaces are "sealed with organic beeswax" and "sustainably made... through material choices and studio practices". And don't forget, buying local is a great way to both support the local economy as well as save on fuel for transporting goods. I love how intricate the designs are, and at $70 they are a great deal for this level of handicraft and compared to semiprecious jewelry.

Overall, putting together this look, we saved $20 buying second hand and also supported a local artisan.

Twelve Days of Conscious Christmas: Day 4, Support Local Businesses

Previously, we've talked about the benefits of shopping local, like when we featured The Handmade Showroom (still awesome, by the way). You not only support the local economy, but your goods have to travel less far, taking less fuel and resources to get to you. 

Now, more than ever, small businesses need our support. The government funds available for loans or grants through COVID are just not enough, and I've known more than one small business close their doors. 

So.. for gifts, or decorations, or even food for holiday meals, check out those local small businesses and the holiday cheer will go both ways!

Just one option for you to check out: The Pike Place Market Charitable Marketplace. Not only do you get to support the merchants of the market directly by purchasing from them, a portion of the funds goes to the general market recovery fund, supporting the market's businesses as a whole. AND you get to shop online, safely from the comfort of your home.

Here are some of the treats I've got my eye on (click the images to go to the marketplace): 

For my table

Nothing better than spiced wine or spiced tea to make it feel like the holidays: 

2017 Spiced Rachel Red wine, $33

 

Cinnamon Orange Loose Tea, $19.95

For gifting

For the nice and naughty on your list.

You Are Loved Wall Art, $45

 

Bag of Coal Hand Soap, $8

For my house

Just a little decoration to brighten up these grey, cloudy skies!

Red Holiday Wreath, $50

 

Light Catcher Ornament, Party Pink, $25

 

What are some of your favorite local businesses to shop from?

Neighborhood Spotlight: West Seattle

A couple weeks ago, I headed to West Seattle to visit this one shop I love and never get to enough. I park my car and on my way to the store, I got distracted by *all the reuse stores*! We're talking thrifting, consignment, antiques. The West Seattle Junction (California Ave SW and SW Alaska St) does not disappoint. 

I popped into the Stop 'N Shop, a small shop that benefits the West Seattle Senior Center, and is mostly housewares. I was going to just take a quick look around and get back on my mission when I saw these great Chinese Laundry flats, normally $60 new, for just $8.

With the brown leather and black suede, these are simple flats that go with everything from work to weekend. I wore them to work today with some dark skinny jeans.

In addition to the Stop 'N Shop (4504 California), here are some other reuse stores in the Junction:

Antique Mall of West Seattle (4516 California)
Funky Jane's Consignment Shop (4455 California)
Pegasus Book Exchange (4553 California)
Thunder Road Guitars (4736 California)
Western Jewelry & Coin Exchange (4210 Alaska)

The merchant association also has a great website to check out some of the other shops and restaurants, and directions to get there. Want to try public tranportation that's also scenic? Try the water taxi from downtown Seattle!

Savings: $52

You're Funny... Looking!

We waste a ton (actually 1.3B tons or 40%) of food each year in the US. That's... insane, especially given the numbers of hungry people that could feed.

While some of this food is meal leftovers, a good portion never even makes it to our plates. It is sorted out prior to grocery sales, because it is less attractive or doesn't meet a certain standard.

There's nothing wrong with this produce besides it's a little funny looking. Some petitions are working on making governmental or corporate changes similar to the law France passed last year that fines grocery stores for throwing away food instead of donating it. They are appealing to alternative options such as using that produce in the store's deli offerings (a lumpy tomato isn't noticed when diced in a salsa), or just plain selling the produce.

Imperfect is a California-based company that is seeking to interrupt this cycle by going straight from the farm to the end consumer. They deliver customized boxes of organic fruits and/or veggies to your door on a subscription basis.

Shortly after I learned about Imperfect, they announced that they were going to start serving the Seattle area, and this week I got my first box! I was thrilled with the experience. While I didn't need to be home for delivery, they texted me when the driver was in my area and again when the box was delivered.

I didn't customize this first box because I was just curious to see what I would receive. Already, from the label on the box, I'm getting excited.

This is about 7 lbs of organic produce for about $15, and hey, I needed potatoes, onions, and leeks for my Thanksgiving menu anyway. :)  And I've literally never purchased a pomegranate, so that will be fun to try out something new. Now to open the box:

That's a lovely selection! Outside of some of potatoes being a little large and lumpy, and the onions and oranges being a little small, it's all perfect quality.

A bonus: they included a little recipe book for what to try with seasonal produce.

I'm definitely excited for my next box. Organic fruits and veggies with door-to-door service at non-organic store prices? Sold.

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Well, it's officially time: the pumpkin spice lattes have been swapped for eggnog, the preview ads for Black Friday are beginning, and it's getting dark at 4pm. I guess that means we're starting to think of holiday gift shopping!

There are lots of ways to think about reducing your footprint this holiday season:

• choose quality items that will have a long life
• choose gifts with reduced packaging
• buy experiences, such as tickets to a concert or gift card to a favorite restaurant
• do a swap: each person in the gift exchange chooses a loved book or movie to pass on
• shop local

Shopping local not only stimulates the local economy, but also reduces the fuel to move goods from place to place. One of my favorite shops is The Handmade Showroom, located at Pacific Place Mall in downtown Seattle. Open 8am-9pm on Black Friday, they are right in the heart of other conventional retail that you may be visiting on Black Friday, and feature dozens of artisans and crafters from the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the shop itself being a small local business, all of the products within are from small local businesses.

They have a bit of something for everyone on your shopping list: sauces and confections for the foodie, cat beds and toys for your fur-babies, jewelry and accessories, kids dress-up costumes, screen-printed t-shirts, housewares... Want to level-up your conscious shopping? Some of the artisans use reclaimed or recycled materials! Top it all off with a letterpress greeting card.

A glimpse into the kids's section: 

Some of your local small businesses may be participating in Black Friday, but keep in mind that many of these business will taking the day to spend with their families. Small Business Saturday was started by American Express in 2010 to encourage shopping small and local and is observed on the day after Black Friday. Search social media for #‎SmallBusinessSaturday or ‪#‎SmallBizSat‬ to find participating businesses.

Finally, if you are crowd-shy and avoid shops this time of the year, consider checking out online marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon Handmade. These marketplaces feature small businesses and artisans, and highlight where the artisan is based from.

Happy holiday shopping, everyone, and may you discover a cool small business near you!