Put your hand up if you’ve heard about the issue of plastic waste and pollution of the oceans. I’m guessing everyone’s hand is up. Now, put your hand up if you’ve heard about banning single use plastics/drinking straws. Again, I’m guessing that all of you have your hands in the air. Last question: how many of you have gone to the supermarket and lamented the amount of plastic and packaging in just about everything you’ve bought? My hand is up, along with, I’m certain, most of you. But, here’s the thing, how many of us have done anything about it?
Well, one new business on the Perth Road, Dundee has and I went along to see for myself what the shopping experience was like. Now, to be clear, I don’t know the owner and this is not an advert for this particular business. It’s an attempt to spread the word amongst like minded folk that there are now alternatives out there. There a couple of other low packaging retailers in Dundee now and Dundee Climate Action Network website has a growing list of other sustainable shopping options.
Coming from Tayport I could have taken the bus but realistically, shopping is heavy and bulky, so I took the car and parked in a free carpark opposite The Little Green Larder. My first impression of this excellent enterprise was very favourable. It’s a bright, spacious shop with friendly, helpful staff. You have to put a bit of preparation into your visit with organising containers and bags and I needed a bit of guidance on how to weigh and fill them (since I wrote this, Little Green Larder has produced a little guide on how things work for newbie zero waste shoppers on their blog). I bought an eclectic mix of stuff to try out: fruit, muesli, fudge, soap and make-up. The latter I’m particularly delighted to see on the shelves as I’ve been hunting for ages for plastic free, sustainable products and I’m really pleased with my bamboo comb. Their dark chocolate ginger sweeties are now my all-time favourite treat – and they’re guilt free, surely? There is a bakery section, cold drinks, a milk dispenser, washing up and cleaning products and, even, dog biscuits.
I believe if more of us shop in places like this; and more shops like, The Little Green Larder, open, it will put pressure on all retailers to think very carefully about their plastic/packaging output. So, three cheers for this shop, and others like it. Do visit it for yourselves and please, let us share any positive retail experiences. I’d love to hear about other enterprises who are braving the corporate world. Anyone up for opening a Little Green Larder in Tayport?
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