When a conservationist first approached Joy Hughes about an offer-first straw policy at her bar, Loosey’s, she wrote the idea off.
But then she and Danny, her husband and business partner, saw a video of a turtle getting a stir straw extracted from its nose.
That could’ve been one of their straws. Even if it wasn’t, how many of their straws ended in the stomachs of wild animals? After seeing this video, Joy decided reducing plastic straw use at Loosey’s was worth a try.
On a busy weekend when the bar was crowded with the Fest crowd, Loosey’s stopped putting straws in every drink. No one questioned the policy. Seeing how quickly her patrons adapted, Joy started thinking about other waste she could reduce in her business.
When she started trying to minimize waste at home, Joy noticed something was missing. Instead of giving up, she and Danny put their business background to work.
The couple opened Life Unplastic, a store that focuses on removing plastic packaging from household items. When you visit the store, you can browse through locally-made soaps, get a refill of laundry powder, or even grab some bag-free dog treats.
Life Unplastic brings zero waste a little bit closer for Gainesville residents. Joy puts in the work to find natural, low- or no-packaging products for you. Life Unplastic will even provide a container and fill it for you, making the experience even easier.
“We’re all really busy all the time. We love convenience. That’s not really something that’s sustainable long-term.”
Through their work at Life Unplastic, Joy and Danny have made reducing waste so much more convenient for their patrons. Visit their store to start your zero waste journey, one item at a time!
Listen to the 155th episode of the WHOA GNV podcast to hear more about zero waste and what you can find at Life Unplastic!