ECO EVOLUTIONARIES

Known for its architecture, history and its generous welcome to visitors, York is big hearted, wholesome England at its best. And now something else is growing here – a movement sprouting from York’s hospitality industry that is capable of changing and enhancing our relationship with food, with our environment, with our waste and with each other.

Hospitality is evolving.

The word ‘sustainability’ used to be considered a ‘hippy’ thing. But we are learning rapidly that sustainability is actually a survival thing - and that it can be tasty! Here we shine the light on some local businesses, all owner operated, who have put sustainability at the core of their work. Through collective collaboration, they are co-creating systems that minimise waste, maximise community spirit and create healthier business models (environmentally, socially and economically) that others can follow.

Remedy Coffee Shop opened its doors on Fossgate at the end of last year - a plant based café seeking to do all it can to minimise its mark on the planet. It’s owned and operated by Chris, a Yorkshireman with a passion and enthusiasm for the challenges he’s taking on. Remedy has a ‘pro planet’ approach to hospitality - they fill your plates with local organic fresh veggies and they work hard to omit their waste.

And they have a fun initiative with vital environmental gains that is expanding across York. The Mug Library allows coffee lovers on the move to select their favourite mug over a takeaway cup and return it at their convenience. Chris has reached out to cafes across York to join forces and create a roundabout mug exchange to make life even easier; the hope is to be “almost as easy to seek out a mug library as it would be a bin”. The concept is one which could transform the city’s cup waste and see York leading a scheme which can be replicated everywhere.

Indeed, the idea has been brought to York by Laura of UYO (Use Your Own) who pioneered it in New Zealand, where various businesses joined in with much success. Here, Chris has already expanded the mug exchange from Remedy to include North & South, Angel on the Green, 2manywines, Partisan and Goji Cafe, with lots more expressing interest. Also playing an important part are St Leonard’s Hospice, whose charity shops are selling mugs for the initiative for 10p each.

Chris: “It’s been warming to see so many already ensuring that they do little to tarnish the planet, and all the more encouraging to see people so willing to work at making changes here and there to do their bit and help me to do my bit - and in turn help the customers here to do theirs.”

The coffee at Remedy is by Maude Coffee Roasters, whose expertly roasted single origins and comforting blends can be collected in large refillable containers. And they’re soon to install a UK first - a hydrogen powered roaster, reducing their roasting emission to zero! Remedy’s Chris and Maude’s Ben have a plan to sail their green coffee across the world and ensure, where possible, that the rest of its journey is all electric.

Words: @uyo.forever.ok @remedycoffeeshop

Cat at the Little Green Wood is a wealth of knowledge on all things zero waste and spoke about some of the challenges. “It’s not just the end product that’s the issue, it’s the whole chain of supply. We’ve had to work very closely with our suppliers to ensure that everything is not only ethical, but also taking steps to reduce waste. Then there’s trying to ‘change’ people’s habits. The easiest way is to make the service as simple as possible, as accessible and similar to the ways people currently shop. It’s not been easy, but the positive is that we’ve managed to reach an entire new audience who previously wouldn’t have considered the eco option.”

Cat also praised how receptive the York community have been. “The response from thousands of customers across the city and suppliers who make wonderful ethical products has been amazing. Altogether we’ve been able to save over 100,000 pieces of plastic waste, donate to local causes and support other local businesses.”

As well as working with people who are already taking huge steps to reduce their impact on the planet, Remedy are encouraging other suppliers to adjust the way they deliver and package items to help keep the collective waste down. Freddie and his team at the Organic Pantry are a fantastic example. Over time they’ve managed to consistently remove all packaging from Remedy’s deliveries, simply placing veg in box. Such a simple change removes 624 plastic bags a year.

Organic Pantry, as the name suggests, have already made their own commitments to the planet. Organic means no pesticides nor herbicides which in turn means healthier soils, more active bio diversity and a happy planet and happy stomachs. Freddie also put Chris in touch with Sown, an all organic cold pressed juice, much of which is sourced in the UK. They even take their glass bottles back, wash them and reuse them - a simple and effective system for omitting single use waste.

Sustainable action can take multiple forms - reducing the distance that our food travels before it reaches our plates, operating ‘mug libraries’ to minimise single use take-out waste, engaging in conversation with customers about the positive changes we can all be a part of, ensuring surplus food is distributed to those who can make use of it, requesting that ingredients arrive from local suppliers in reusable, returnable and refillable containers. Through each action a truly circular economy can emerge.

By supporting York’s hospitality evolutionaries - pro-planet businesses engaged in such initiatives to make York an example of sustainable hospitality - you play a role. York’s locals are coming together, engaging in collective collaboration to help work towards improving our relationship with food, each other, waste and the planet. It’s all our future, and together we can make it tasty!

Words: @uyo.forever.ok @remedycoffeeshop