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Supermarket in Glass: One Glass Jar at a Time

At Three Stone Hearth supermarket in Berkeley, California, glass is making a powerful statement. Indeed, most products in this worker-owned cooperative are made and sold in reusable and returnable glass Mason jars.

Their goal? To prepare and sell traditional foods and dishes using local products. While the menu changes weekly based on availability of seasonal items, some mainstay items packaged in glass include chile-chicken soup, sauerkraut, homemade sour cream, kombucha and a a variety of traditional bone broths.

When the the store opened in 2006, they wanted to sell products in packaging that would be good for both the environment and taste, and glass was their answer.

The Institute for Local Self Reliance states that glass is the best packaging for the environment and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, carbon monoxide emissions, solid waste generation, energy consumption and water consumption.

For every item purchased, a two dollar deposit is charged and ultimately refunded when the empty bottle is brought back by the customer. This is not only beneficial for the business, but for the customers as well.

If this isn’t the sustainable business model of the future, we don’t know what is!

See more about this fantastic initiative here.

Reuse. Recycle. Don’t Waste. Buy Glass

Capturephoto credit to www.campanil.com