We’re all wrapped up in this plastic problem. Our homes are swimming in plastic, and this problem is spilling into our oceans and even our drinking water. It’s getting into our food, our drinks and it’s now even appearing in unborn foetuses.
“Microplastic particles have been revealed in the placentas of unborn babies for the first time, which the researchers said was “a matter of great concern” … All the particles analysed were plastics that had been dyed blue, red, orange or pink and may have originally come from packaging, paints or cosmetics and personal care products.” – The Guardian , 22/12/20
With a quick Google search, you’ll be presented with even more endless facts and figures concerning plastic waste, pollution and how it’s not going away anytime soon. It’s a big problem, but it’s fixable – if we make a change. It seems daunting; a big shake up to the way we purchase and consume, but it doesn’t have to be.
This is where the Roots & Hoots philosophy is born out of; accessible and affordable ways to cut out the plastic, lessen your impact and even live a zero-waste lifestyle. Roots & Hoots offers a huge range of refillable groceries, bathroom and beauty products, plastic free alternatives to hundreds of everyday items and all sorts of plastic-free treats and snacks.
Place an order through the Roots & Hoots website and everything will be packed in durable and reusable plastic-free packaging : oats in quality cotton bags, shampoo in glass bottles, spices in metal tins or bath salts in jars. These products are then loaded into an emission-free electric van and delivered right to your doorstep. Once you’ve decanted or used up your products, you can order again or schedule a convenient time and they’ll swing by to say hello and pick up your containers – and don’t worry, they’ll always arrive sanitised, in PPE and happy to social distance to keep you safe. Containers are then thoroughly cleaned (using eco-friendly sanitising agents) ready for your next order. This creates the closed loop; a zero-waste and packaging free alternative shopping experience with absolutely no waste.
Behind this exciting new concept are Shiv Misra , founder and owner of the ever popular vegan and organic supermarket Kindly of Brighton , and Ram Krishnan , who runs a successful tech startup innovating food waste recycling systems.
“I knew that we had to change our lifestyles if we were to do something about the growing issue of plastic,” explained Shiv. “I looked around my house and saw a vast amount of single-use plastic that could be avoided, and that whilst some businesses offered products to lower your plastic-use, it wasn’t convenient, and neither was it cheap.
Before Roots & Hoots I wanted to do something on my own but I didn’t have any retail or business experience. I took the plunge and set up Kindly of Brighton, a 100% organic and vegan supermarket in Seven Dials. With the retail experience of Kindly now under my belt, I set up Roots and Hoots with a tech-savvy business partner in Ram. We are both equally passionate about the plastic pollution issue and want to provide an option to everyone who wants to move to a plastic-free and zero-waste lifestyle. We hope that we can play our part in encouraging more people to think twice about how their purchases affect the environment. We need more small businesses like ours to force the large grocers to move towards a sustainable model.”
Roots & Hoots’ small close-knit team of specialists bring with them a range of skills from business sustainability and waste reduction to plant-based media and e-commerce . Armed with the tools and the know-how to provide a meaningful and impactful service, they aim to create a real change in the plastic-ridden lifestyles of anyone who wants to lessen their impact. Furthermore, as an official sponsor of Big Blue Ocean Cleanup , an international network of beach cleaning and education programmes, Roots & Hoots strives to make a difference far beyond their own business and customers.
