Guest Blogger: Allison Hill
With all the hype over “going green” around Nashville, I figured it was only a matter of time before I’d jump on the bandwagon. The Green Wagon, that is.
The Green Wagon (which is not a wagon at all, but is named after founder Jennifer Castle’s 1982 station wagon that runs on waste vegetable oil—how cool is that?) first opened in January of 2009, and has since moved to a new location in East Nashville that is currently owned by Johnny and Tara Shields. This eco-friendly store has just about everything—from cleaning supplies to clothing to mattresses, and it even has a bakery that features gluten-free baked goods. The Green Wagon is basically a one-stop shop for all of your household needs. And the best part? 70% of the products are made locally!
This store has so many unique items, but some of my favorites are the cleaning supplies. One of The Green Wagon’s coolest features is its “refilling station” where customers can purchase products like shampoo or household cleaners and bring the empty bottles back to refill at a discounted price, eliminating the need to always buy new containers each time. The soaps and detergents are made with essential oils and don’t have any added scents or chemicals that some people, especially children, can be allergic or sensitive to. These products are handmade and plant-derived (all-natural!).
The Green Wagon also carries a line of natural cosmetics skin care products called Purely Clear. This brand, which has been featured in several women’s magazines, boasts its “organic” title because of the pure state in which it can be used. The products are in their most natural and unprocessed forms in an attempt to cultivate healthier, more nourished skin.
If you’re looking for a way to start going green, this should be your first stop. The Green Wagon carries a truly unique inventory of products that will sell themselves to you as soon as you walk in the door. Many of the items in the store have the brand name and contact information of the local company that makes the product, so you’re free to go directly to the source for more information. If there are two people who know their stuff about being eco-friendly, it’s the owners Johnny and Tara Shields. They have been more than helpful to me every time I’ve visited, because they genuinely care about the impact that we as consumers have on our environment. They strive to educate and inform about the green movement, and hey, they’re just pretty cool people. Pretty cool people at a pretty cool place—sounds like what Nashville is good at.
The Green Wagon is located at 1100 Forrest Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
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TRUCKLOADS of respect for Bongo Java (the following came from a newsletter I receive from Bongo Java):
Coffee Prices. As someone who has for a long time been pushing for higher prices to coffee farmers, I have mixed feelings about the recent big rise in coffee prices. Rising prices means that coffee farmers will be getting paid more -- something I've supported for a long time through our efforts of paying more than the Fair Trade price for coffee. However, with our coffee costs going up as much as 60% for some coffees, this means that for the first time in a long time Bongo Java will be raising its coffee drink and pound prices.
Read more about coffee prices.
Local Dairy. We are darn proud and excited to announce that all the milk we use inside Bongo World will be coming from a local dairy. We are teaming up with Gammon Family Dairy. The premium we're paying for local milk is darn worth it for two big reasons: 1) Quality. Our baristas who have tested the new milk rave about how much better our lattes taste. 2) Local. As a company who has preached "buying local" we feel this change makes us feel better. and 3) Buying from a small-scale dairy matches our goal of buying coffee from small-scale farmers.]]>
Tonight, we had the pleasure of partnering with Saffire Restaurant and Slow Food Nashville to host a Slow Food Supper.