Philly Talks Trash Winter 2025

March 7, 2025 Comments Off

Dear Reader

Welcome to our winter 2025 Philly Talks Trash Quarterly. The effort to reform our linear waste system by reducing the production of waste and implementing circularity continues with enthusiasm. An administration not inclined to keep fossil fuels in the ground can slow but not reverse the US and global momentum towards clean energy and plastic reduction. Those of us working in grassroots movements and in our local communities continue to make progress. Many of the steps needed are already at our fingertips as this month’s guest essayist, Susan Barry, owner of Mt. Airy’s Perennial Refill Hub, demonstrates in her excellent essay on the growth of refill stores in our region.

If you would like to start cutting waste or further reduce your current waste output, please read Susan’s article to see how you too can contribute to a more circular and less wasteful economy. Reducing your waste output can be very satisfying and takes minimal effort. And many of the items available at both Perennial Refill Hub and Weavers Way – if you bring your own containers – can get you down to a small garbage bag each week. Thank you for joining us and challenging yourself, even in these particularly challenging times, to be a more caring steward of this planet.

🖋️ From Our Guest Author:
Susan Barry, founder of Perennial Refill Hub

While communities around the globe were locking down in response to the Covid pandemic, a new variety of retail business was springing up: the “refill” store. Expanding on the bulk grocery model popularized by co-ops like Weavers Way and other alternative grocery and health food stores, these businesses – sometimes called “zero waste” stores – broaden the range of goods available for purchase by weight. Offering home and body care essentials in bulk and encouraging the use of “BYO” containers, they support shoppers in lessening reliance on single-use plastic packaging.

In Philadelphia, 2020 saw the launch of Good Buy Supply on Passyunk in South Philly as well as a mobile service, Ray’s Reusables, providing refills from a van in multiple city neighborhoods. Refill emerged on the Main Line in 2021 as Shift, a pop-up in a Narberth grocery, which soon expanded into its own space down the street. In 2022, Ray’s established a brick and mortar operation in Northern Liberties, and in early 2024 I opened Perennial Refill Hub on Germantown Avenue in Mt. Airy. While each of these stores has its own unique character, all share a commitment to helping customers reduce their household waste and environmental impact.

What’s a Perennial Refill Hub? People are sometimes perplexed when first encountering our Northwest Philly store, thinking it must have something to do with flowers! Here’s the thinking behind the name:

“Perennial” – existing in an enduring way, often through constant renewal (like the earth)
“Refill” – to reuse containers at hand for everyday shopping instead of buying and discarding each time, polluting our planet with harmful waste
“Hub” – a central connection point for sharing experience and inspiration.

During our first year (almost) at Perennial, we’ve settled into the historic “Beggarstown School” building that we call home, established and refined our refill system, and gradually expanded our offerings. It’s been wonderfully fulfilling to welcome so many folks from our community who have become customers, all motivated to shift their shopping habits for the benefit of the planet. In 2025, we’re focused among other things on developing the “hub” element of PRH, strengthening our partnerships and community connections.

Refill stores carry more than just refills. Alongside repurposed containers full of dish, hand, and laundry soaps, a typical shopping basket may hold products in low-impact bar and tablet forms – like shampoo & conditioner bars, dish blocks, and tablets for all-purpose cleaner, dishwasher, or foaming hand soap. Other mainstays are non-plastic kitchen tools and utensils, reusable paperless towels, Swedish dishcloths, and colorful wool dryer balls. Some “Perennial favorites” include sustainable dental and shaving goods, natural deodorants, bath bombs & salts, handy mason jar accessories, cast iron cleaning aids, and earth friendly gifts such as beeswax candles, natural incense and lovely locally-crafted ceramic soap dishes and incense holders.

Shopping at a refill store is a great way to support your local economy and to opt for excellent products created by smaller companies prioritizing human and environmental health. Refill business owners mutually support each other’s efforts, in the recognition that we’re helping to grow a movement that we all care about deeply. We welcome you in this movement too! If you haven’t yet visited the refillery nearest you, how about stopping in today?

Perennial Refill Hub is a neighborhood refill and sustainable goods store offering earth-friendly options for body care, home care and gifts.

🗳️ Politics and Legislation

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Single-Use Plastics Coalition is an organization with members from over 50 municipalities, whose long term goal is the passage of a statewide single-use plastic ban. The coalition also encourages and assists PA townships and municipalities in establishing local ordinances. In regular zoom meetings experienced advocates guide newer townships in each phase of an ordinance campaign. This includes focused education, a guidebook and an extensive library of education materials, presentations, template ordinances and more. Most participating townships are pursuing retail bags bans, but some include utensils, straws, and takeout containers.

The Philadelphia Office of Sustainability (OOS) in January announced grants to 20 community organizations from the Community Resilience and Environmental Justice Fund for projects ranging from community gardening to reducing illegal dumping. You can read about the specific projects at this OOS blog post.
Circular Philadelphia has just issued their 2024 Progress Report. This is an organization working to transform our local economy to the resilient circular economy needed for a sustainable future. We recommend following the work of this organization.

📅 Events 📝

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📅 Feb 12th, 9:30 am EST (Online) • The Vision & Playbook for Reuse in EPR: Expectations for a Best-in-Class PRO • Unlock the Future of Reusable Packaging in EPR Programs. Ready to reimagine packaging? Join Upstream’s livestream to explore how Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) can lead the shift to reusable systems within EPR programs. Hear from policy expert Elizabeth Balkan and Citeo’s trailblazing team as they unveil plans for France’s large-scale reusable packaging initiative. Includes an optional 30-minute speed networking session to connect with like-minded changemakers.

📅 Feb 19 – April 2, from 7pm – 9pm EST (Online) • Judith Enck’s seven-week online class, Beyond Plastic Pollution • Judith Enck’s seven-week online class, Beyond Plastic Pollution, offered by Bennington College’s Center for the Advancement of Public Action. This in-depth masterclass on all things plastic pollution-related will be held via Zoom on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-9:00 PM ET starting on February 19 and ending on April 2. The class is open to anyone from high school students to community members and more. Cost: $100 to audit, or $400 for Bennington College credit (1 credit).

📅 Feb 20th, 5pm – 6pm EST (Online) • PPC Webinar | Solutions Series: Less Plastic, Better Business • Plastic Pollution Coalition will be joined by three innovative founders to discuss their experiences in scaling small businesses that hold themselves to high standards of plastic mitigation. How do sustainable business practices help their companies maintain consumer loyalty and hedge against an uncertain regulatory future? What challenges have they overcome?

📅 March 4th, 7pm – 8pm EST (Online): Annual Virtual Fundraising Gala With Special Guest, Natalie Merchant • Join Beyond Plastics for an inspiring virtual fundraising gala to support our work to end plastic pollution with special guest, singer-songwriter, and environmental advocate, Natalie Merchant!

🌐 Plastic-reduction Resources 🤝🏽

The problems we face with plastic proliferation are great, but an ever-growing group of organizations, laws, and policies are taking aim at the issue, and small businesses are looking to meet the need for products without plastics. The Philly Talks Trash Resource Page is an expanding collection of waste-reduction information, politics, articles, products, and organizations, all focused on reducing plastic use. If you have suggestions for the page please email us. We will highlight a few products and organizations in each newsletter and the link to the full and growing list will always be available at bit.ly/pttq.

Philadelphia Sustainable Packing Alliance
Join the Philadelphia Sustainable Packing Alliance if you want to learn about ways to make your product’s packaging more sustainable.