Sustainable Shopping
Current consumerism is often defined by convenience and speed, driven by box stores, online shopping, and the ease of one-click buying. These systems prioritize instant gratification. However, this convenience comes with drawbacks, such as overconsumption, waste, environmental degradation, disconnect from the true cost of the items we buy (both socially and ecologically), and the decline of local business.
What can you do? Consider the broader impacts of your purchasing habits.
When we shop local, we contribute to the growth of small businesses, create jobs, and strengthen the local economy.
When we shop green, we make eco-conscious choices, reduce our carbon footprint, promote ethical products.
When we shop thrift, we give pre-loved items second life, reduce the demand for new production, conserve natural resources, and lessen the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
See you in town!
Eco Spotlight
Quarterly, in our newsletter Sustainably Speaking, we feature a business in our community that embraces sustainable practices in their daily operations.
In October 2025, we featured Unpacked Living online at 156 Cabot St in Beverly. They have an amazing selection of refillable products and take a wide variety of hard-to-recycle containers.
In July 2025, we featured Children’s Orchard in the Market Basket Plaza off Newburyport Turnpike in Rowley. The thrift store makes children’s clothing in town affordable, accessible, and sustainable!
In April 2025, we featured Emily’s Skin Soothers at 26 Forest Ridge Drive #2 in Rowley. Not only do they make amazing natural products (order online here!), but they REUSE by accepting donations of clean packing materials, like bubble wrap and air pillows, instead of buying new packing material.
Rowley Farmers Market
You can find an assortment of local, eco-friendly vendors at the Rowley Farmers Market, held every Sunday of summer from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on the Rowley Town Common. Eat fresh and eat local!
Essex County Soap Refill
Replace soaps in bulk with Essex County Soap Refill! Reduce your use of single-use plastics by reusing your containers. Essex Soap Refill is a neighborhood refill service for eco-friendly, non-toxic, sustainable cleaning and care products for your home, body, and hair. Essex County Soap Refill offers: Laundry Detergent, Dish Soap, Hand Soap, Automatic Dish pods, Oxy Boost, Castile Soap, Glass Mirror Cleaner, All-Purpose Organic Cleaner, Shower Gel, Shampoo, Conditioner, Lotion, Body Oil, Hydrogen Peroxide. Orders are placed online and containers dropped to one of the several drop off locations!
Children’s Orchard
Children’s Orchard is a kids’ clothing resale market where our community can swap gently-used clothing rather than buying new. Thrifting and supporting environmentally-conscious businesses are great ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Shop local, reduce your footprint, and support sustainable business practices.
The Monarch Gardener
The Monarch Gardener, located in Topsfield, is helping to “Sustain a species, one yard at a time” through the provision of native plants that are beneficial to pollinator species, including the monarch butterfly.
