According to Greenpeace, of the more than 200 billon pounds of plastic produced each year, 10 percent ends up on the ocean floor. And that’s 10 percent too much. This 10 percent doesn’t include the plastic that floats at the top of the ocean and other bodies of water or the vast amount that sits in landfills all across the world. Here at The Cold Pressed Juicery, we’ve made a conscious decision to try our hardest not to contribute to ever-growing trash piles and the littering of our oceans' floors by reducing, reusing, recycling, and making greener choices overall for the sake of the environment, the animals, and Mother Earth.

We often get asked why we used plastic PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles instead of glass. While it's true that poorly disposed of plastic litters our home planet, it's a common misconception that glass is a better choice than plastic. The CO2 emissions released during the process of creating, transporting, and destroying glass are higher than that of creating, transporting, and destroying plastic. Just because plastic is a little better for the environment doesn’t mean that we can stop there. We have to take the necessary steps to be more conscious about the way we use and dispose of plastic. 

We’ll soon be switching to rPET, which is recyclable and made from recycled plastic and we’ve completely eliminated the use of plastic cutlery and straws, opting for compostable alternatives like Biofutura straws also made from a corn based plastic alternative, and knives, forks, and spoons from Vegware, also made of plants and not plastic. Even our rubber bands are Fairtrade rubber bands made of sustainably sourced materials and assembled by victims of the Sri Lankan Tsunami. We also separate our garbage into three different bins; plastic, paper and waste and discard them appropriately. 

Sometimes we aren’t conscious about the amount of waste we produce or how we get rid of the waste, especially plastic and that needs to change. Ecosystems are declining, the air is getting more polluted, and more and more animals, especially aquatic species and birds are dying because of our irresponsibility in regards to how we use and discard of plastic. Here are a few tips to help you live as green as possible.

1. Bring your own plastic bag with you when you shop. Not only does it save you money, it’s better for the environment and canvas bags are more durable than plastic bags.

2. Recycle. Put your plastic in the designated bins. Any bin for that matter. Plastic thrown on the side of the road is not only unsightly but it can potentially end up in the tummy of a bird or another unsuspecting animal.

3. Use plastic alternatives and products made from recycled and recyclable plastic.

4. Bring your own smoothie jar or cup and receive a nice 10% discount at any of our stores.