As long as plastic waste remains a pervasive problem, every one should partake in the effort to lessen the damage. Eliminating the use of plastic bag in stores is gaining traction lately. But why shy from the opportunity to do more when there is a chance?
Located at the rear end of COMO Park building in Kemang Timur, Naked Inc. is a health food store with a humble and loud mission. The store offers the all-necessary pantry staples such as rice, cooking oils, pasta and spices, all made locally and sold packaging-free to us. Other than supporting local food artisans, the store also partners up with the online grocery delivery service, Sayurbox, for the fresh produce on their shelves.
There’s no shortage to the selection of organic teas and coffees as well as snacks, including homemade energy balls for your healthy afternoon pick-me-up. And let’s not forget to add the environmentally-friendly hygiene products to the list, such as shampoo, deodorant, castile soap and not to mention, treats for your four-legged best friend.
The products in the store are all displayed in bulk in glass containers for customers to ‘scoop-and-weigh’ themselves. That’s right, customers are encouraged to bring their own containers, such as reusable jars, to shop the amount they need. Not only does the store aims to reduce the one-time use of plastic, this concept teaches us to rethink our own consumption habits. In this case, the habit of over-consumption that drives food wastage due to our habit of buying pre-packaged goods.
Indeed, these are troubling times we are living in. But instead of only being aware and focusing on the grueling facts of our reality, what we can do is to engage the effort ourselves. Though reducing plastic and packaging seems so simple and negligible for some, it may be surprising to know how much the environment will breathe in return. How’s that for your food for thought?