Kelli and Emily Ingersoll, the owners of Kindred Hippie, have managed to save over 1,000 plastic containers from going into landfills by reusing plastic containers from home and filling them with Kindred Hippies bulk products from their shop in early February. 

The community played a crucial role in this initiative. Every customer who filled a plastic container with products was not just contributing to the cause but also had a chance to win a prize basket. The excitement peaked when the 1,000th container was filled during one of their live streams on our Facebook page ‘Kindred Hippie.’

Lisa McLean was the winner of the raffle and has been a ‘reduce-reuse-recycle-rethink’ clean person for many years now. She visited Kindred Hippie around Christmas time and got an entry ticket for each product she purchased. 

“I was interested in Kindred Hippie because I figured it would be one more way I could practice environmental stewardship while supporting a small, female-owned business in Wadsworth,” Mclean said. “To be able to do both things by shopping in one store is a real plus for me.”

Kindred Hippie is aiming to help Wadsworth become more sustainable.

“As less than 10% of items put in the recycling bin actually get recycled, our goal for Kindred Hippie was always to reduce the plastic and trash from entering our landfills and therefore the environment,” Emily Ingersoll said. “We decided to start keeping a running total about two months after opening, around September 2023.”

While they achieved the initial goal, their commitment to the cause remains unwavering. The mother and daughter of this company will continue to tally the number of containers saved, not just as a measure of the impact, but as a symbol of ongoing dedication to the environment.

“Our shop is great for both people that are just starting to think more sustainably and also for people that have been shopping for eco-friendly alternatives for a while,” Emily Ingersoll said.