Unless you’re an active member of the environmentalist community, you probably don’t know about Lauren Singer and her store Package Free. But hopefully, after reading this article, you will. Lauren Singer is an environmental activist, blogger, and business owner who lives in NYC. She is a god within the environmentalist community because she lives a zero waste lifestyle. She can prove it with a 16oz mason jar filled with the only amount of waste she has produced in the past several years.
In 2017 she opened up Package Free, originally a pop-up shop, an environmentally conscious and human rights-oriented shop. Every single thing there is recyclable or completely waste-free. As an environmentalist myself, this store was a dream come true. Lucky for myself and others, it stayed open permanently and is located in Brooklyn, NYC. In July 2019, I was finally able to go there in person and continue to be an avid supporter of the store and its environmental progress. Here is a review of my experience.
After taking a subway from the Upper West Side to Williamsburg, the shop is located on the main road filled with many different shops and restaurants. It is a lively part of Brooklyn. Upon entering the store, you go down a long staircase, and in front of you, there is a vibrant pink light with the stores’ logo. There are shelves upon shelves of every environmentally conscious item you might need. They sell everything from soaps and toothbrushes to backpacks and towels. All of the items there are built to last. I purchased a QUE collapsible bottle of water and a tote from the store. Both of these items I still use frequently to this day. Some other items I have purchased include beeswax food wrap, several different soaps, lunch kits, incense, and loofahs. All of which (except the soap, obviously) are still in one piece.
The staff was kind and helpful. That day two women were working at the store. Both of them were accommodating and were willing to answer any questions. Both of them have met Lauren in person and had nothing but good things to say about her. They seemed happy to be working there and together. I spent a long time in the store that day. One of the coolest things I learned, though, is Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny in the Harry Potter films, has been there before.
Overall, the entire store is a real paradise. It is clean and sends the right message to others. And for those of us who live in New Jersey, it is a short trip. Due to the pandemic, they have had to close the store for a bit, but you can check them out on packagefree.com and Lauren’s personal blog trashisfortossers.com. They are also active on a majority of social media platforms.