*This post was sponsored by Harrisburg Bike Share, but all thoughts and ideas are my own.
If you’ve tried, in any way, to promote an eco-friendly awareness for yourself or those around you, you’ve likely found it’s a harder task than imagined. Your re-usable water bottle has served you well, but do all the milkshakes you’ve purchased counteract your efforts since they’re practically swimming in plastic? And don’t get me started on all the samples I’ve said yes to, only to throw away the little plastic cup they come in.
One step forward almost always feels like one step back when you receive your gin and tonic at the bar with not one, but TWO little plastic straws!! I’ve learned that no matter how much effort you place into your own environmental practices, friends and community support play a big part in pushing your efforts forward.
In the midst of environmental chaos, small but mighty Harrisburg businesses contribute to sustainability by easily enabling their customers to practice sustainable habits. In case you’ve been on the lookout for some “eco-habit supporting businesses,” I wanted to share some of my favorites in the city.
To stick with the eco-friendly theme, I checked out a Zagster bike, from Harrisburg Bike Share, to zip around town and show you the spots I shop! Check out these four Harrisburg businesses who promote an eco-friendly neighborhood.
1. Harrisburg Bike Share
Do you commute on the daily from Uptown to Downtown for work or happy hour? Harrisburg Bike Share, also known as Zagster, is a bike share program made available for any Harrisburg resident or passer-by looking for an affordable and eco-friendly way to get across town. By downloading the Zagster app, you instantly have access to a multitude of bike stations across town, making emission-free transportation across town a no brainer!
Plus, 93 percent of Harrisburg Bike Share profits support Communities in Schools of PA, a dropout prevention programs benefiting students in the central PA.
2. Little Amps & Elementary Coffee Co.
For those of us struggling to exert an eco-friendly mindset before we’ve had our coffee for the day, Little Amps and Elementary Coffee have you covered! Both shops offer sustainable solutions to our coffee-drinking habits. As someone who loves a Little Amps cold jar on my way to work, but often forgets to pack my re-usable mason jar, the shop lets you purchase a mason jar to-go for just $1. Even better, on the days I do remember my mason jar, Little Amps lets your deposit your mason jars back to them for the price you paid for them!
On the other hand, Elementary Coffee Co. offers a worry-free solution by using 100 percent compostable straws, cups and lids. Guilt-free cappuccino drinking here you come!
3. Radish and Rye
Whether you’re a big milk drinker like I am, or the baker I aspire to be, Radish and Rye is a local farm stand within the Broad Street market that you need to know about. With an emphasis on sustainability, I love participating in their milk bottle exchange program.
For a small fee you can buy into their milk program, and then each time you purchase milk you can return the glass jar and waive the fee for the cost of the jar. For someone wanting to slowly start sustainable habits, a program like this is a great way to dip your toes in the water.
4. Provisions
If your food cravings are anything like mine, grocery stores often throw a wrench in any sustainable plans I might have when it comes to meal planning. Excess packaging and unwarranted quantities can leave your trashcan full of unnecessary packaging and leftovers waisted.
Provisions, however, is a sustainable-friendly shopping experience aiming to offer a near zero-waste shopping option for Harrisburg residents.
From self-serve dry food options to self-serve household products, you can opt to take exactly what you need while using re-usable packaging. It’s a major plus when your local neighborhood makes buying laundry detergent in an eco-friendly fashion an easy, and kinda fun, task!
Love Thy Harrisburg Neighbor
With the addition of Zagster bikes in the Harrisburg community, there’s really no longer an excuse for me to not make it from my midtown neighborhood to the downtown Provisions grocery store, and back to the Broad Street Market for a coffee break. The same goes for you!
The Harrisburg neighborhood has positioned itself to help its neighbors practice sustainable habits in the easiest of ways. This list is by no means inclusive of, or an end to, all Harrisburg is doing to promote an eco-friendly neighborhood. It’s also a city willing to listen – talk to owners of your favorite shops and see what they can do to help make your dining and shopping experiences more obtain-ably sustainable.
Cherishburg 