Green shoots n' shopping guide

Sydney’s Inner West may at times be grid-locked and a little grey but the good news is you don’t have to travel to the greener burroughs to do your eco-shopping. Green shoots are poking through the concrete all over the local area in the form of sustainable shops offering everything from food to building materials to kids toys.

Here are a few faves:

Alfalfa House Food Co-op. At the risk of shameless self-promoting, Alfalfa House is the gold star option for sustainable groceries. As a not-for-profit organic food co-operative, it provides minimally packaged and processed, affordable organic food to its members and visitors to the shop. 113 Enmore Rd, Newtown.

The Bower. The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre Co-operative collects and (through it’s members) repairs pre-loved household goods then resells them to the local community. Beyond goods for sale, its straw-bale building houses an eco-library and sustainable resource centre, an electrical and timber workshop space and mens shed. 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville.

Conscious Cafes. Take your pick from a string of awesome cafes that specialise in sourcing fresh, often local and organic produce. Reserve your place in the queue at Cornersmith Café (314 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville) for a delectable breakfast, which will most likely include produce from Inner West backyards. Also, within a stone’s throw of each other, are Raw (147 Enmore Rd) and Revolution Foods (175 Enmore Rd), dishing up fresh organic vegan goodness. Enmore Rd, Enmore.

Marrickville Organic and Farmers Market. From the eclectic to the eccentric, from organic to conventional, there’s plenty of eco-friendly chillaxing, eating and drinking happening at this market – it’s one of the best organic markets around, and it runs every Sunday rain, hail or shine. Nice to know, you’ll never be disappointed!
Addison Road Centre, Marrickville.

Second time around. If ever there was a second hand shopping heaven, the Inner West would be it. Clothes, books, timber, furniture, the list is endless. And you can contact the Green Living Centre for a Second Hand shopping guide to the area.

The Green Living Centre itself is a sustainability resource centre in the heart of Newtown, dedicated to growing a culture of environmental sustainability within the urban community. Check it out at 218 King Street, Newtown, for the free workshops, practical ideas for everyday sustainable living, educational and business programs.

Words: Wren Dunn, Alfalfa House Co-operative.