BYOC not BYOB! Just to be clear, this post is not about beer. I don’t drink and it’s only got the “Bring your own” in common with what we’re talking about here. In this case, what we are talking about is reusing your old containers. BYOC is a company based in southeast Michigan whose pop-ups popped up in the summer of 2020 offering refill stations for household supplies like hand soap (their #1 seller), shampoo/conditioner, laundry soap, dish soap, cleaning supplies and more!
I cannot relay in words exactly how ecstatic I was to learn about this new company in my little old town here in Michigan. I showed up for their first pop up outside of the local yoga studio and was first in line as soon as they opened. I brought as many empty containers as I could salvage, and a few mason jars knowing I wanted to get a bunch of stuff. Ironically hand soap was my number one mission. As with probably everyone, we had been running through the hand soap something serious and I was so excited not to go out an buy another bottle but to take my bottle in to be filled by this amazing new startup!
I ended up buying 2 containers of hand soap, concentrated cleaner, laundry soap, shampoo and a bar of their charcoal soap. I also got a lovely sample of soap comprised of the ends of all of their bars which smelled so heavenly! I absolutely love that all of their products are organic and sustainably sourced. I have since scheduled a refill with Emma and obtained lots more hand soap, charcoal soap and shampoo. The shampoo I chose has a lovely lavender scent which I love! The charcoal soap has been unbelievably wonderful for my skin and I use it every evening.
I have been asking myself for a long time, “what else can I do?” I have made a huge commitment to combatting the ongoing issues that are detrimental to the environment such as making my own items, buying used, gifting and donating unwanted items (Check out your local Buy Nothing and Freecycle groups!), bringing my own bag/cup (which I have not been able to do in 2020), making conscious purchasing decisions based on company’s commitment to reducing waste, reusing and providing sustainable packaging, composting, recycling and encouraging those around me to do the same.
I have had the privilege of immersing myself in habits from my Grandparents and their parents making their own clothes, canning their own food, reusing old items, reclaiming old items, refurbishing old items, growing what they eat and preserving quality items have really phased out over the last 50 years. Convenience has come barging in with plastic and single use items galore. Trends have driven a hunger for new and better and quality has taken a turn for the worst.
I have great aspirations to live a more eco-friendly and sustainable life. I am so grateful that the new generations are noticing this and making things like refill stations a reality. Every dollar we spend speaks for our beliefs in this world and I believe we need absolutely no new plastic. For the first time ever, science has discovered microplastics in a placenta. 2020’s lockdown showed us the immense implications of our actions when everyone stayed home and there were pictures all over the internet of smog clearing and endangered or presumably extinct species reemerged like the pink dolphin in the canals of France.
We only get one life here and our actions impact the lives that are left when we are gone. Start with re-using instead of recycling because every new container has to go somewhere and there is only so much room for trash.
Shorty's Hippie Haven 