Sustain LA: Leading the Zero Waste Movement with Refill Stations and Sustainable Solutions

With plastic waste causing havoc in our world, the call for sustainable solutions has become more prevalent than ever. Enter Sustain LA, the company Leslie started to offer eco-friendly alternatives in the form of refill stations, plastic-free products, and zero-waste consulting. Read on to learn how Sustain LA is redefining sustainability, creating plastic-free goods, and bringing zero-waste living to the masses.

The Growing Crisis of Plastic Pollution

For decades, recycling has been presented as the main solution to the plastic waste crisis. However, studies show that fewer than 9 percent of plastic containers are recycled. Most of this plastic winds up in landfills, and the oceans, or is burned, with catastrophic effects on the environment. Sustain LA is tackling this crisis by providing a tangible, reusable solution — refill stations that enable you to refill household and personal care products without adding to the plague of single-use plastic.

How the Sustain LA Refill Station Works

Sustain LA is changing the way we buy essential products with its glass refill station, drastically reducing plastic consumption. The process is straightforward and powerful:

1. Customers fill their containers — any container goes.

2. The weigh station records the weight of an empty container.

3. They refill their containers with items in bulk such as laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, and all-purpose cleaners.

4. The full container is then weighed and the original weight is subtracted from it, so customers are only charged for the product they take.

With no need to buy new plastic over and over again, it helps form habits of sustainability and reduces the need for single-use packaging.

How to Bring Zero Waste to Communities

In addition to its Highland Park storefront, Sustain LA pops up at some of the more recognizable farmers’ markets in the city, including the Hollywood Farmers Market and Atwater Village Farmers Market. Topping that are mobile refill stations, making zero waste solutions more portable, thus reaching a wider audience to adopt a new way of shopping sustainably while cutting down on their plastic footprint.

The Story Behind Sustain LA

Growing up in central Illinois, Leslie, the founder of Sustain LA, spent a lot of her early days in nature. It was while exploring the forests around her home in central Michigan that her love of the environment was formed. Later in life, during her career in the restaurant industry, she came face to face with the unnecessary waste generated by disposable plastics, especially styrofoam takeout containers. Inspired by environmental leaders such as Captain Charles Moore, who brought to light the presence of enormous floating plastic gyres in the ocean, she knew she had to do something.

She started working with restaurants to operate more sustainably, then transitioned to helping events get to zero waste. Now, her passion for sustainability sparked the founding of Sustain LA, a venture to make sustainable living more accessible and realistic.

Providing Service and Education to the Highland Park Community

Sustain LA values inclusivity and community involvement. Highland Park has a majority Latino population, and Sustain LA makes sure that its products and informational materials are available in English and Spanish. For those visiting the store for the first time, an infographic displays information about how the refill system works, taking the guesswork out of embracing a zero-waste lifestyle.

For Everyone in Every Stage of Their Zero Waste Journey

Sustain LA serves customers at any phase of their sustainability journey. Whether a newcomer to the zero-waste lifestyle or a longtime environmental advocate, a customer can find a selection of refillable household and personal care products, many of which are hard to find in package-free versions. Popular products include:

1. Household Cleaners: Laundry detergent, dish soap, castile soap and all-purpose cleaners.

2. Personal Care Products: Deodorant, facial cleansers, moisturizers and shampoo bars.

The weekly additions of products rely heavily on customer feedback and Sustain LA aims to stock products from small, local businesses to promote sustainable practices within the community.

Beyond Refill: Towards Sustainability

Not only does Sustain LA offer refillable products. The business goes beyond those efforts to take a holistic approach to sustainability:

For bulk products, like laundry liquid and dish soap, delivery is made in 55-gallon drums, substantially cutting down on single-use plastics.

You recycle them and they get turned into something else. Before we recycle them, we donate empty drums to an animal rescue to give them a second life.

Sustain LA sells an assortment of zero-waste essentials, like plastic-free toothbrushes, reusable containers, compostable sponges, beeswax wraps, and plastic-free razors.

Sustainable practices of Sustain LA By adopting these sustainable practices, Sustain LA is contributing towards plastic waste reduction and a circular economy.

An Action Plan for Future Generations

Leslie’s commitment to sustainability is more than just good business, it’s a personal mission. As a mom, she knows how crucial it is to hand down a planet to future generations where they can live. For her, Sustain LA is her way of doing something that matters, that can further ensure her child and others will take over a world that prizes sustainability and environmental consciousness.

Be Part of the Zero Waste Movement

Not just a business, Sustain LA is a movement to reduce plastic waste, encourage sustainability, and give people the tools to be greener. Now Sustain LA is leading the charge against plastic pollution through refill stations and outreach in the community, plus plastic-free options.

Whether you are just starting your zero waste journey or searching for new ways to reduce your impact on the environment, Sustain LA has the tools and resources to help you be successful.

Take Action Today!

Check out Sustain LA’s refill station, and its sustainable products, and support its pop-up locations at farmers’ markets. Let us work together for a cleaner, greener future.