Eco Now in downtown Laguna sells a wide variety of home and beauty products by the ounce , from shampoo to laundry detergent that customers can take home in reusable containers , plus plenty of other items that support a sustainable lifestyle .
Both shops seek out brands that are local and closed loop , which means the brand reuses its packaging . So , for example , when a company delivers a big plastic drum of its liquid soap , it picks up the store ’ s empty container to be refilled later . Other products , like bar soap , are shipped in a cardboard box containing a durable plastic bag that can be reused over and over .
“ We actually ship that box back with about 10 bags in it and they hold it for us , so when we reorder , they use them ,” Pauley says . Other products , she notes , come in 5-gallon buckets that the store upcycles for community members to use as compost bins .
BUILDING COMMUNITY In addition to providing compost containers , Eco Now hosts quarterly events like
composting workshops , clothing swaps and seed swaps . With other stores in Anaheim and The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa ( with more coming in Garden Grove and Riverside ), the business has also offered candle-making classes and a fix-it fair to repair broken furniture and household items . The Ritual Refill also presents events , about once a month , from sound baths to a creative journaling workshop , clothing swaps and pop-ups with local vendors . The shop has even hosted a tea ceremony and a session focused on dyeing fabric with plant and food waste . Check both shops ’ websites and social media channels for upcoming events .
“ We ’ ve had such an incredible first year and a half ,” Hall says . “ Whether it ’ s coming back for refills , showing up for our events , or even just sharing our mission on social media , we are so grateful for the love and support our community has shown us . Our favorite part of what we do is getting to share our vision with the community .”
The goal for both shops is to provide resources to help people live sustainably . In college , Pauley biked to campus and tried to live as simply as possible . Her friends asked how she knew about these eco-friendly methods . “ It seems like people want to do green living , but don ’ t know how ,” she says .
So , in 2018 , Pauley started selling handmade , reusable “ eco towels ,” a fabric alternative to paper towels , at farmers markets . Then she crafted fabric face wipes for removing makeup and reusable , on-the-go cutlery sets . “ Single-use plastic cutlery kills me . Every time I see it , my heart breaks ,” she says .
Eventually , her farmers market booth grew big enough to open a shop . Coming to a crossroads , she decided to commit full time to this venture rather than continuing her education . She opened her store in an Airstream at The LAB , which fell in line with her shop ’ s mission by upcycling the trailer . That ethos now extends to the all-natural paint on her stores ’ walls and the use of wood rather than plastic price tags . The Laguna shop even utilizes gray water from the clothes washer — used to clean the staff ’ s aprons and towels that wipe up spills in the store — to water a little planter of flowers outside .
THE SUSTAINABILITY SHIFT Another approach to reducing the reliance on plastics can be found at A New Earth Project ’ s showroom , which opened last year on South Coast Highway and focuses on product and shipping packages .
The campaign was started by Wes Carter — president of Atlantic Packaging , one of North America ’ s largest privately held packaging companies — after noticing widespread plastic pollution while on surf trips around the world . Along the way , a coalition of outdoor enthusiasts , industry-leading brands and innovative packaging suppliers have joined him in this mission .
Laguna Beach resident and lifelong surfer Don Meek came on board as managing director of A New Earth Project with 40 years of experience in the media industry and plenty of ideas to take this effort to the next level . From a TV series called “ Journey to A New Earth ” on Amazon Prime to a film in production , one of the goals is to raise awareness .
ANDREA BADILLO
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