IOWA CITY, IOWA (April 18, 2019) — In honor of Earth Day, we are encouraging shoppers to go #plasticfree, and join us in transitioning toward less packaging. On Monday, April 22, New Pioneer Co-op will be giving away FREE reusable Organic and Fair Trade-made cotton bulk bags from 4-6PM, while supplies last.
Screen-printed by hand by local artist and New Pi graphics designer JoJo Baccam, the reusable-bulk bags will make it easy for customers to fill up on favorite bulk-items, while avoiding the kinds of excess-packaging that many every-day items typically come in.
New Pioneer also recently picked up a line of reusable silicon-storage bags from Stashers brand. These handy bags replace single-use plastic-bags as leftover and snack-holders, and they are dishwasher-safe.
The Stashers join a myriad of reuse-options already available at the Co-op, like metal bento-boxes from U Konserve, metal-straws and thermal-cups from Klean Kanteen, and If You Care-brand recycled household-products ranging from recycled aluminum-foil, to reusable “paper” towels and eco-sponges.
On Thursday, April 25, in the Cedar Rapids store, Kelli Kennon-Lane from Indian Creek Nature Center will lead a Zero Waste shopping-tour, including her favorite tips for shopping with a smaller environmental-footprint. Reserved tickets are available at www.newpi.coop/classes. This Earth Day, all day long, New Pi will offer 20% off ALL BULK items in the store; this includes Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap, Pacha Soap, Frontier Co-op herbs and spices, Tierra Farm bulk-nuts, fresh ground peanut-butters, bulk spinach, local Early Morning Harvest flour, COFFEE, and even chocolate chips! Customers are invited to come in and get a free bulk-bag, and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Everyone's welcome to shop New Pi, membership is not required.
New Pioneer Cooperative Society was founded as a natural-foods cooperative-grocery in Iowa City in 1971, opened its Coralville branch in 2001, opened a third store in Cedar Rapids in December of 2014, and opened a Café in the Coralville Public Library in February of 2018. New Pi is a thriving food co-op with over 35,000 members-owners. The stores provide local, organic, and natural foods to the Corridor, and everyone is welcome to shop — Co-op owner or not. New Pi is located at 22 S Van Buren St in Iowa City, at 1101 2nd St in Coralville, at 3338 Center Point Road NE in Cedar Rapids, and the Co-op Café at the Coralville Public Library at 1401 5th St., Coralville, IA. Please visit www.newpi.coop for more information.
