Inspired by the Issaquah Highlands Eco-Market, two local teens started a blog to promote eco-friendly businesses, starting with January’s market vendors.
Each month, the Issaquah Highlands Eco-Market at Blakely Hall invites you to shop local from eco-friendly businesses, connect with neighbors, drop off hard-to-recycle items, and learn something new about living green at the “Green Stuff” booth. My brother, Ashwath, and I were inspired by the Issaquah Highlands Eco-Market to start a blog, iEco Buz, to spread awareness about sustainable living and promote local eco-friendly businesses like those participating in the market.
At the January Eco-Market, we interviewed some of the vendors and asked them for tips on living greener. Here are their top tips:
- “It is not about perfection; it is about progression. Start with where you are, and then reuse what you have, and just do your best,” Aline Bloch of the Out of the Box Eco-Store said. From a desire to help reduce single-use plastic pollution and make low-waste living simple, convenient, and accessible to all, Aline opened a refill store on wheels. Read more about Aline and her business on iEco Buz.
- “Reduce. I think the greatest place to start is just to reduce. We have a lot of stuff in our lives. A little less stuff and then re-purposing what we don’t want anymore would go a long way,” Jo Ann Day of Mittens and More said. Jo Ann makes mittens out of old sweaters, cutting them apart and sewing them together again using different patterns. Read more about Jo Ann and her business on iEco Buz.
- “Reuse. No throwing it away; ‘away’ is still on the planet, ‘away’ is still in a landfill. There is no ‘away,’” Ilse de Villiers and Heidi Metz from Largesse Company said. With the motto of “gifting for good,” purchases from Largesse Company aim to provide sustainable living opportunities for socially-marginalized artisans and their communities. Read more about Ilse and Heidi and their business on iEco Buz.
- “Recycle. Kids are super into recycling, so find ways that your children can learn about recycling, things that can or can’t be recycled,” Annalisa Giust of Ridwell said. Ridwell is redefining transparency in the waste industry by giving you a detailed look at where your materials end up and how much stuff is kept out of landfills. Read more about Annalisa and Ridwell on iEco Buz.
- “Start with yourself. If I do the next right thing, if I pick up the piece of trash, if I make a choice that is a little more eco-friendly, then I have done something,” Scott Ridout of Farm Among Us said. Bringing healthy foods to his community is at the heart of Scott’s mission with Farm Among Us. Read more about Scott and his business on iEco Buz.
- “Just try it, experiment, and keep going for it. It is a lot of work because it takes a lot more practice and process to do something that is less harmful, but it’s always worth it,” Rose Pazzolo of Zolo Dyes said. Rose sells individually hand-dyed fabrics, and her clothes use natural dyes that are not harmful to the skin or Earth. Read more about Rose and her business on iEco Buz.
- “When you buy, just ask the question. For example, ask the person who is selling the jewelry from where they are getting their metal,” Vicki Zomenou from Porpe Artifacts said. At Porpe Artifacts, you will find unique jewelry that bridges modern techniques and design with inspirational ancestry stories. They only use ethically-sourced materials and recycled metals from the U.S. Read more about Vicki and her business on iEco Buz.
- “Everyone has to do it – individuals, small and large companies, and government. The more that everyone makes the effort to find and use eco-friendly products, the more normal it is going to become,” Samora Jones from Sunny Littles said. Samora sells eco-friendly products for babies and young kids. Read more about Samora and her business on iEco Buz.
The next Issaquah Highlands Eco-Market is Saturday, Feb. 5, 9 a.m. to noon at Blakely Hall. Find the full list of vendors and event details on the official Issaquah Highlands event calendar. iEco Buz will continue to share interviews from eco-friendly businesses on our website and social media help you shop local and live greener.
Watch: More tips from Highlands Council staff and vendors at the January Issaquah Highlands Eco-Market, produced by iEco Buz.
Photo: Akshadha at the Ridwell booth at the Jan. 8 Issaquah Highlands Eco-Market. Also pictured: the iEco Buz logo.
Akshadha Seshamani is an 8th-grader, member of the Highlands Youth Advisory Board, co-founder of iEco Buz, and an Issaquah Highlands resident. Photos and video courtesy of Akshadha Seshamani.
