Sustainable Shopping Guide
April 22nd is the day we come together to honor Mother Earth. But at Lakewinds we believe in making planet-friendly choices all year round. Every day is an opportunity to take less, reuse more, and shrink our environmental footprint. Here are just some of the ways we make sustainable shopping easy for owners and shoppers.
Local Loyalty
Of the many reasons to love Midwest-made products, environmental impact is one of the biggest. By decreasing the number of miles products travel to our shelves, we cut down on fossil fuel use and the impacts that go with it. There’s an economic impact as well: local sourcing is a boon for innovative growing practices such as aquaponics and hydroponics, so Minnesotans can enjoy locally grown and raised foods even in winter. It’s all part of our commitment to building a thriving organic food community.
Bulk Up
The bulk aisle is one of the best places to reduce waste on your co-op run. Buy exactly what you need, so less goes unused. And with 23% of landfills taken up by food packaging alone, shopping the bulk aisle can be an important piece of reducing packaging waste. Lakewinds has you covered across the co-op with bulk produce items like basin, mushrooms, and dates, and bulk eggs from Larry Schultz Farm. And remember, you can bring your own bulk containers from home to eliminate the need for bags.
Go Grass-Fed
Lakewinds brings customers 100% grass-fed beef and dairy products whenever possible to support our strict environmental standards. 100% grass-fed meats eliminate the need for corn feed, which requires copious amounts of fossil fuels to grow. By rotating animals’ access to pasture year-round, the practice lessens pollution as animal waste is naturally cycled into the earth. What’s more, 100% grass-fed meats are lower in fat and higher in omega-3s – as good for people as they are for the planet.
