Sustainable Tips from Source

Man carrying box of lettuce greens in field

Happy Earth Day!

In honor of Earth day we have put together some sustainable tips to add into your daily routine. We are here to help you with all of your sustainable shopping needs so stop by today or visit our website to learn more.

Buy Local and Seasonal

  • Why?
    • Support local farms, support the local economy, support someone practicing sustainable agriculture thus your food has a smaller carbon footprint.
    • Transport of local food and goods requires less transportation and reduces dependence on fossil fuels.
    • Local farms create and maintain greenspace and open space for our community.
    • When you know the exact source of your food, the food just tastes better!

Avoid single-use plastics

  • Why?
    • Globally, less than ⅕ of ALL plastic is recycled. 
    • Of the 50 million plastic water bottles Americans buy each year, only 23% are recycled in the U.S.
    • On average, Americans use 1500 plastic shopping bags per year. 1% of these bags are returned for recycling and in the landfill it can take over 500 years to break down.
    • In 2019, the production and disposal of single-use plastic caused emissions that equaled that of 189 coal plants.

Bring Your Own

  • Why?
    • When you bring your own reusable tote, coffee mug, cutlery, water bottle etc. you are helping to keep their disposable counterparts out of landfills.
    • 6 million tons of non-durable plastic waste from plastic cutlery end up in landfills every year. Plastic straws and utensils can not fit through the sorting machine at the recycling plant and end up in the landfill or worse, our oceans.
    • Less plastic produced means less pollution. Less pollution from carbon emissions means  less trash on earth and less trash in our oceans. 

Compost

  • Why?
    • Americans throw away about $165 billion worth of food every year.
    • Food waste in the trash creates methane. Methane is more potent than carbon dioxide and both are gases that contribute to climate change. 
    • Composting helps to keep 75% of material out of the solid waste stream.
    • Composting at home will result in healthy and enriched soil that retains moisture and wards off diseases and pests.

Cook Your Own Food

  • Why?
    • Food and packaging waste make up about 45% of materials in U.S. landfills.
    • The U.S. has one of the lowest recycling rates of any developed nation, so your packaged foods and take out containers need to be cleaned properly to even stand a chance at being recycled.
    • Unfortunately, compostable and recyclable take-out containers end up in the trash if they aren’t disposed of properly. 
    • Try to make your own food and when dining in at a restaurant, bring your own containers if you want to take away food.

Did you know at Source?

  • All of the fruits and vegetables at Source are grown on local farms in South Florida.
  • You will only find what’s in season at Source so you can be sure your produce isn’t losing any of its nutritional benefits during travel. 
  • Our in-house chef provides recipes that can be found on our website to guide you on how to cook with your local, seasonal produce.
  • Our clear produce bags are actually made from FSC-certified wood-cellulose-derived bioplastic and are compostable, vegan, and non-GMO.
  • We have 100% organic cotton, reusable market bags available to purchase for all of your shopping needs.
  • You can purchase our Source Staples in a glass jar that can be brought back to the store and refilled or they can be reused in your home. 
  • You can find all of your meal time needs at Source. From eggs and oatmeal for breakfast, salad greens and tinned fish for lunch or brown rice and veggies to be roasted for dinner time.
  • Working with as many local farms and brands as possible means we are helping to support our local economy and helping to share these amazing artisans with our community. 

About Source 

Source offers a selection of the highest-quality produce, goods and more sourced local, organic, ethical, sustainable and as regenerative as possible. From the farm box to the market, all of our products are for and from the earth. We are committed to sustainable practices for an invested connected community, in an authentic space that will endure.

Visit us Monday through Friday, 10:30am-6pm at our market or shop online for all of our sustainably sourced food and goods!