Zero waste store continues the Santa Barbara environmental tradition and reduces plastic use

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - If you are on board to reduce waste and the overuse of plastics, the Sunkissed Pantry in Santa Barbara should be a shopping stop.

It is an eco-friendly business striving for zero waste.

Customers can bring in their own reusable containers and choose from a variety of soaps , detergents, hand sanitizer,  shampoos,  conditioners, facial creams, and similar items. There are also candles in jars that can be refilled when they burn down.

You bring in your container and fill it up instead of buying a new container and creating more landfill waste.

The store is encouraging personal responsibility for taking care of the planet , and daily personal products are among the problems, with all the plastic bottles that are sold for each product, thrown out and repurchased.

Sunkissed Pantry owner Kiersten Ozhelevskiy said,  "I think Santa Barbara is long over due for this."

In the city where Earth Day began,  the business strives for zero waste.  "Trying to be better for the planet and trying to be better for future generations," she said.

When it's out you bring it in for a refill and that saves on plastic waste.

And you just pay for the product, not a bottle.

"You're just paying for the liquid in your bottle so you are not paying for the bottle or the weight of the bottle you only pay for what you fill it up with," said Ozhelevskiy
The owner says for the customers,  "they are saving future generations, they are saving our habitats. and I think that is something bigger than just our wallet."

Ozhelevskiy remembers her first move to a sustainable lifestyle.   "The first plastic free item I bought were  plastic bags with ziplocks  and that's literally where I started and it just perpetuated from there.  Super simple swaps can make a big difference"

The products here get a personal quality check before they hit the selves.
Ozhelevskiy said, "I've personally tested all the products in here I use all the products in here on a daily basis, so I mean the only difference is it doesn't come in a container all the products are really great.  You don't have to fill up the container completely you can just fill up if you want to  test  a new product you get just  two ounces of it"
 

The store just opened in August, and it's adding food products this month including coffees and teas  and "I want to offer like oats,  barley, rice, beans and all that good stuff and we will do some granola and some dried fruits."

For the pet products, there are brushes and snacks.   "Anytime a pet comes in here they  go right  for the table," she said while pointing out pet food with chicken, tuna and peanut butter flavors, all made of wholesome ingredients.

Sunkissed Pantry is located near the Lobero Theatre at 31 E. Canon Perdido St.
For more information go to:  https://sunkissedpantry.com/