In case you missed it, we launched an Earth Day campaign encouraging you (and ourselves) to shop locally + sustainably for an entire week.

To help us in this challenge, London D., the owner of a local sustainability pop-up — The LoWaste Life — has offered some tips to help you reduce waste + shop greener this week (and beyond).

♻️ Beyond the three R’s

We all know “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.” To take the next sustainable step, try out these other R’s:

Repair: Don’t put outdated fast fashion + electronics in the trash. Learn about SB 983, the Right to Repair law introduced this year.
Rot: The new California Senate Bill 1383 is now in effect + mandates a 75% reduction of organic waste by 2025. In San Jose, the city separates our organic waste from the rest of the garbage in our bin. But why not start composting at home? Try a free in-person or remote workshop with our San Jose’s Environmental Services team.

♻️ Shopping local + second hand

There are countless locally-owned specialty businesses within San Jose. Seek out concentrated shopping areas like Japantown, Willow Glen, and Los Gatos, or local pop-up events like #SJMakers, Silicon Valley Pop-up, and Culture Night Market. You can discover more + share your favorite local businesses at Silicon Valley Strong.

If you’re buying locally already, try buying second hand. For vintage looks + decor, London recommends checking out the Pop-Up Vintage Market at the Flea and Three Sisters in Willow Glen. Check out our list of local second hand stores for more shop suggestions.

Thanks London for these great San Jose sustainability tips.