Lindsay Wilson
Earth Friendly Moscow
(628
words)
If
looking forward to Hemp Fest and Saturday market, grocery shopping for
your favorite organic food items, and browsing through earth friendly
threads sounds like the makings of an ideal day in Portland or Seattle,
then perhaps you’ll be surprised to hear that a small town in northern
Idaho is home to this environmentally conscientious and informative
community. With just under 25,000 people, Moscow, Idaho, is a great
travel destination for those seeking to immerse themselves in a
community of environmentally mindful locals but looking to avoid the
predictable tourist hot spots.
MOSCOW FOOD CO-OP.
121 E. Fifth Street, Moscow, Idaho 83843, 208-882-8537,
www.moscowfood.coop/, Open daily: 7:30a.m. - 9p.m.
The Moscow Food Co-op is the ideal store for those interested in
purchasing and consuming fresh and natural foods, and it’s great if
you’re looking for vegetarian or even vegan diet options. The Co-op also
buys from close to 100 local venders to help sustain small, local
businesses. They use recycled or low-impact packaging materials whenever
possible as well. They use plastic bags that are donated by consumers
and feature recycling bins at the front of the store. They also have
bike racks outside the store, encouraging environmentally friendly
transportation.
Aside from organic products and recycled packaging though, the Co-op
also supports local artists by housing diverse, live music each Tuesday
and showcasing local artists’ works.
Shopping at the Co-op is an attentive way to support local venders while
consuming all-natural products, but if low prices are what you’re
looking for don’t get your hopes up too high.
NATURAL ABODE.
517 S. Main Street, Moscow, Idaho 83843, 208-883-1040,
www.thenaturalabode.com, Open M-F: 9a.m. – 5:30p.m. & Sa: 9:a.m. –
5p.m.
If
you’re looking for green furnishings and other products for your home,
then the Natural Abode on Main Street is your answer. With an
extensive supply of non-toxic paints, recycled glassware, organic
bedding, solar panels, natural fiber clothing and natural flooring, the
Natural Abode is a delight for those seeking significant,
environmentally beneficial products. This environmentally conscious shop
also offers hemp paper as well as toys, such as organic cotton and hemp
stuffed animals, and clothes made with natural fibers for babies and
toddlers.
Like the Co-op, the Natural Abode happens to run on the more expensive
side, but if you’re willing to go the extra mile for all-natural
products, this is the place for you.
MOSCOW RECYLING CENTER.
401 N. Jackson, P.O. Box 9385, Moscow, Idaho 83843, 208-882-0590,
www.moscowrecycling.com, Buyback and office hours T-Sa:
9:30a.m.-5:30p.m., Recyclable drop-off area & Yard trimming bin: Open
24/7
One important facet that makes environmental friendliness less difficult
in Moscow is the Moscow Recycling Center located conveniently
within the town limits. Not only do they make recycling an easy process,
not even asking that you separate your glass recyclables by color, but
they also buy back several different items including aluminum cans (a
big deal for the serious college drinker), copper tubing and wire, and
radiators.
The Moscow Recycling Center’s website offers an extensive
list of the materials they accept along with information about recycling
and why it’s important. They even accept bicycles for the Village
Bicycle Project, which collects old bikes, restores them, and then ships
them to Ghana, Africa, where the bikes are distributed to citizens who
have no other means of transportation.
The recycling center in Moscow not only makes it easy to be
environmentally conscious but also hosts informative field trips for the
grade school, high school and university students of Moscow.
You might find yourself wondering… is it possible to live in Moscow
without exposure to ways of good stewardship? In the process of finding
a great, undiscovered travel destination, you may realize that you’ve
found your new home as well.