Bulk App Update

A post by my husband, Scott, who has spent way more time on this app than I have (and still does): He is the technical brain in our home and I love him for it! 

_______________________________________________

Thank you everyone for trying out our Bulk locator app!

So far we have had over 1400 people sign up, almost 600 locations added to the app, with over 600 reviews of those locations. 


Also, thank you for your patience as we work out some of the bugs in version 1.0 of this app...there is nothing like having 1400 people use the app, in order to find out what works and what does not work! And we greatly appreciate your suggestions.

Clearly this first release was targeted at just the US & Canada - but in fact, people were able to successfully add locations in Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

Our initial release was constrained by available time and funds - but we would like to build on the functionality to include:

• International mapping support
• Additional platforms besides the iPhone and Android (e.g., PC, Windows mobile)
• Ability to check for duplicate locations (right now, unless users check if a location has already been entered prior to adding it, I have to "delete" duplicates manually...so sorry about that!)
• Ability to add comments
• and more...

We have exhausted our funding from the Green Awards for this project - so we are now looking into raising funds possibly through Kickstarter to be able to enhance and support the Bulk app further.

For us, the best part of releasing this app was finding a new Bulk location on a weekend visit to Santa Rosa, 50 miles north of our home, and discovering a great store (the Community Market), with an incredible bulk selection. You should have seen the sparkle in Bea's eye;)

This location also happens to be one of several locations that have received the most ratings:

• Whole Foods in Pasadena, CA
• Sacramento Natural Foods Coop in Sacramento, CA
• Community Market in Santa Rosa, CA
• The Refill Shoppe in Ventura, CA
• Refyll Home and Body at the Mar Vista Farmers Market in Los Angeles, CA
• MOM's Organic Market  in Alexandria, VA
• Town and Country Market in Bainbridge Island, WA

So thank you for continuing to share and rate your local bulk suppliers! You are the force behind this app, the locations that YOU add (and rate) make it a great resource for the entire Zero Waste community.

Our Bulk Locator App is out!

Tired of fiddling with packaging? Want to help the environment? Shopping the package-free aisles can 

also save you time and money, but only if you know where to find them! 

When I started my Zero Waste journey, I had no idea that bulk bins even existed in my town. Then when I found them and realized that I could eliminate all food packaging by solely relying on them, I came to dream of a smartphone "app" that could locate nearby bulk suppliers. The prize money that I received for winning The Green Awards (thanks to your support) allowed me to realize my dream and provide Zero Waste enthusiasts a valuable resource. After a long year of design, development and testing, it is my pleasure to finally present you with BULK, Zero Waste Home's app, designed to help you eliminate packaging from your life, by pointing to bulk food bins and liquid refills near you - and letting you share the locations that you find with others!

The app is available in the iTunes App Store and Android Market and its features include:

• Search, add and rate bulk locations (US and Canada), including selection available and whether or not reusable containers are permitted
• Locate businesses closest to you or a specific address
• Narrow your search by bulk type (are you looking to refill on body care, dog food, wine?)
• Build a bulk-shopping kit through Zero Waste Home's store
• Consult a bulk food guide to learn how to prepare bulk food items
• Read Community Updates from ZeroWasteHome.com

As of yesterday some 175 Users were already using it and have entered 120 Places. But we need YOU, the entire Zero Waste Community to populate it, to share those locations that you have found along your journey. Here is what to do:  

• Download the app
• Add your locations
• Rate existing locations
• Report an issue if you find a problem with a location ("Report Issue" at the bottom of the location page)
• Rate the app...positively of course;) so that others will be inspired to add and rate locations!

Where have you found bulk bins? (Answer this question by entering locations in the app!)

The Beauty of Zero Waste: Buying Coffee

Some of you felt that I flaunted the availability of bulk in my area when I introduced this series a couple of weeks ago. "This post just seems a little out of everyone's league and for the ones that buy [packaged products] for lack of other options, it may leave them feeling guilty or at a loss", said Jolie. This blog is not meant to flaunt my ways, point the finger at yours, or make you feel guilty or bad about yourself, your way of shopping, your access to bulk or lack of it!...But maybe I did not explain the point of this series clearly enough. 

This series simply aims at demonstrating the beauty of Zero Waste and overtime, at compiling a fantasy photo album of a Zero Waste economy.  My job here is to shatter preconceptions that Zero Waste is messy and unattractive, to provide visual evidence, and to share the great alternatives that I encounter throughout my personal journey. As I said in earlier posts, before I started reducing our waste I was unaware that bulk was even available in my town. Now that I only shop this way, my eye is trained to spot the package free options and I believe it is essential that I report what's out there and what's possible. I hope to inspire manufacturers and retailers to adopt some of these ideas.

In the US, I have found coffee to be one of the products most readily available in bulk form. And I must say, the aroma that exudes out of a bulk bag on the way home does not compare with its packaged counterpart.

Which one do you think is a more beautiful way of shopping for coffee?

Packaged?

Or loose?

Mill Valley Market

Safeway

La Coppa, Mill Valley