Aug Newsletter
By Shenandoah Marr
As the last full month of Summer is upon us, we hope you’ve made time to relax and enjoy the (so far) relatively smoke free skies we’ve had. Perhaps you picked up a new hobby or had a beloved piece of clothing mended at one of our events or classes. If not, we invite you to connect with fellow community members working towards a lower waste lifestyle at one of our upcoming events.
If you are a student or live with a student, you may be thinking about what you need to get back to the school routine. If you’ve finished school and are working, perhaps you’re wondering how you can generate less waste with your wardrobe, supplies, and food as we move towards the next season. As we’ve shared before, clothing, food and beverage containers and single use disposable utensils are a major source of plastic waste. It’s also an area where we have a lot of control. Choose to spruce up your back to school or fall wardrobe by shopping at places like thrift stores like Buffalo Exchange, consignment shops such as Echo Boutique or Fringe and Fray, or online stores such as Thread Up.
Minimize take out containers by packing your own lunch and carrying a set of bamboo or metal utensils that can be washed and reused. When going to a restaurant, bring your own to-go containers and always have your refill water bottle and hot beverage cup on hand. Doing these things will reduce your use of disposable plastics as well as your exposure to microplastics, which are known to be in our bodies and are a growing health concern. Spokane even has some refill options. For household cleaners, lotions and soaps check out The Plucky Duck, a new business that features soap making and zero waste options like refill - come back next month for our interview with owner Cristine Aranda. If a subscription service works for you check out Plaine Products where you receive products in stainless steel bottles that you return for refill.
We are excited to have these forward-thinking small businesses in our community and hope to see more like them. If you’re feeling inspired to start your own environmentally focused small business let us know how we can help.
Inspiration from our Neighbors North
I had the opportunity to spend a week in Montreal, Canada in July. My reason for visiting was to learn about wildlife conservation and connect with other conservationists to inspire action in our own communities. The event was everything I hoped it would be, but I also left the experience completely awe struck and inspired by what I saw around a city of nearly 2 million residents. Actually, I was inspired by what I did not see. There were no plastic cups, utensils, take out containers, straws, condiment cups, or plastic water bottles. All of these items, even those sold at large US based retailers such as Starbucks and McDonalds, were made of paper or cardboard. Water refill stations are easy to find in hotels, public buildings, and in popular tourist areas such as the botanical garden and restaurants will fill your reusable bottle for free when you ask.
I looked into this and learned that a variety of low waste legislation was passed around 2020 and that by 2024 92% of restaurants and other businesses were complying with these policies. Is Montreal perfect? No. But if a city this large can see such transformative change in a short period, other places, like Spokane, can do it too. Individual actions, participation from businesses, and policy changes are all part of the changemaking process. Spokane Zero Waste offers tips on individual actions you can take and sends out legislative action alerts during our state session. Voices from individuals and grassroots groups like SZW are what leads to changes in policy.
Cesar salad ordered from a famous Montreal bagel shop
Note the wooden utensils and cardboard bowl and dressing holder. All certified compostable!
Water ReFill Station!!
Becky Busi
Steller Mender!!
Get to Know the Volunteers who Make Mend-It Cafe Happen
By Shenandoah Marr
SZW: Tell us about how you learned to mend?
Becky: I was given a Singer sewing machine when I was 11. I learned to sew and ended up burning the motor out- I loved sewing my own clothes.
SZW: Do you have a particularly memorable item you've mended for yourself or for another person?
Becky: Once I entered high school, I wanted to differentiate myself from the “crowd”. It was a lovely experience to design my clothing.
SZW: What inspires you to volunteer for SZW?
Becky: I’m excited to see a resurgence of sewing and mending!
Learn more about Becky and see her work at
@beckylynnbusi
Upcoming Events
Mend-It Cafe
Tues, Aug 19, 2025
3:00 PM -7:00 PM
Fairwood Farmer’s Market
319 W. Hastings Rd, Spokane
A celebration of culture and creativity!
Spokane Zero Waste (SZW) has been awarded a Spokane Neighborhood Business District Activation Grant. The funds will be used to produce a creative community event for the N. Monroe Business District on August 23rd and will showcase the creations of 5 sewists from Spokane Zero Waste’s ReCraft Lab, a jobs training and circular economy endeavor.
The day will include: Tea and treats from the Afghani Grocery, henna tattooing, delicious food and an opportunity for cultural exchange and learning through the art of sewing. This event will have a lasting impact on the N. Monroe Business District as funds will also be used for a new mural and colorful crosswalk flags. The flags will be made by ReCraftLab students, with upcycled materials and enhance pedestrian safety at five important crossings in the area.
This event, co-hosted by Rogue Heart Media with support from Sew She Can and Manzanita House will be a low-waste event supported by SZW. We will work with participants to guide waste reduction both upstream, with materials and operations recommendations, as well as downstream with our waste sorting station. Interested in volunteering for this event? Email volunteerszw@spokanezerowaste.org with the subject Line N. Monroe.
Night Market and Street Fair
Sept 12th 5-9pm
Catalyst Building Parking lot,
601 E Riverside Ave
Come to this fabulous event that showcases unique vendor artisans, two bars, local food trucks, live music, all the good Summer vibes you need and SZW's waste sorting stations!
Come and support the Night Market and Street Fair's efforts to be the first sustainable outdoor event in Spokane. Alena Horowitz, creator of the Night Market and Street Fair is supporting our zero waste goals by engaging us to provide resources and guides for food vendors to reduce waste upstream and have our waste sorting stations on site to ensure all waste is properly sorted for its best use downstream.
This effort is just the beginning for SZW, we'll be looking to support more events throughout the 2026 season. If you'd like to learn more about our services or volunteer as a waste ambassador email: info@spokanezerowaste.org subject line: zero waste events
