Paving a Plastic-Free Green Road on Cape Cod
When a friend of mine told me that someone nearby on Cape Cod had a mobile refillery inside an old mini-school bus, I knew that we had to meet. And since first meeting Jess Georges in 2019, we've not only become good friends, but collaborators as well. When it comes to reuse, Jess is someone who truly gets it. She and I have teamed up on multiple shirts, patches and a lot more. Because as you'll see, Jess sees her role as an educator too.
1. So, you run a shop called Green Road Refill. For those who have not had the pleasure of visiting your shop, tell us about it.
Green Road Refill’s brick and mortar shop is nestled into the heart of Brewster on Cape Cod. Our little shop is dedicated to reducing our communities plastic footprint, while also supporting mostly woman owned small businesses. In addition to refilling over 40 plant based products, we offer locally made and fair trade gifts and refillable soy candles too! Our shop brings positivity and opportunity to take action in reducing waste.
2. What was your inspiration for starting the shop?
I launched Green road Refill in the Spring of 2018 out of an old school bus that I found on Craigslist. The idea came to me in a dream. I have always had some anxiety over the state of our planet and in the dream, I had created a place where customers and I could take action to improve things. Bettie Bus was painted bright Green and inside was inspired by the Lorax with a Truffula Tree mural above the dash and my favorite quote from the book, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing’s going to get better. It's not.” We had to retire Bettie during Covid and built Sally Sud Shed on top of an old boat trailer we had in our driveway. In 2021, we opened the shop, but Sally and I still travel around June-December to festivals and farmers markets around the Cape spreading that Lorax Message.
3. Which benefits of reuse do you think your customers enjoy the most?
It’s all about the bottles baby! Our customers bring in all sorts. We love to see dish soap coming out of a sriracha bottle. Whether it’s a mason jar or your old shampoo tube, as long it can hold liquid, it works for us! Refillers “tack a cap” (colorful, un-recyclable caps like the ones you find on milk jugs) onto a cork board for each bottle reused and then when that’s full I get up on a ladder and tack them into our drop ceiling. It’s getting pretty groovy up there!
4. So, while I'm certainly a solutions guy, we do have to address the problems. Where do you see the most waste in your daily life?
I hate grocery shopping. That's where I see the most waste. I have the benefit of going to a couple of farmers markets a week, but even there, organic vegetables can be packaged in plastic. I sell reusable produce bags and I’m always trying to push those. I am excited that we have our first refillable food market right down the road from us in Dennis where I get a lot of my food. I have even partnered with the owner Meghann of the Glass Jar Market and we have a little Green Road Refill section in her beautiful store.
5. In your personal experience, how do you think recycling has worked and NOT worked as a solution to waste?
Oh man, recycling is so hard. I have done a lot of research and I am still confused and feel lied to. My customers are always asking me questions about it and unfortunately I don’t have many answers. I know that we have all been “wish-cycling “ for decades and that it has never been the solution to waste. The reduce, reuse, recycle slogan really needs to be changed - my first T- Shirt with STAY VOCAL was all about that. The only recycle that I feel is true would be the up-cycle of recycle. Above our shop door is the phrase, "Progress over Perfection." We try to have hope. I bring what plastic my family can’t reuse to the dump, throw it down the chute labeled, "# 1-7" and hope for the best.
6. How do you think the U.S. could step up the solutions to our waste problem? Have you seen or heard of anything anywhere else?
I am inspired by local municipal bans and restrictions. It’s not easy convincing our neighbors that they should give up single use bottled water and plastic take out containers, but it’s a start. National organizations like Beyond Plastics have supported national legislation as well. The Break free from Plastic Pollution Acts proposed to congress almost every year haven’t to be even brought to the floor for discussion. At this time the responsibility has really been put on the consumer and not on the corporations - where it should be.
7. Do you have any notable stories about saving money on something because you bought it used instead of new?
I have kids; 10 and 19 years old It’s been hard being a low waste parent. Our culture doesn’t naturally nurture with less and I have been the Debbie Downer of our family. Whether it’s no balloons at parties or trying to keep them from consuming trends like fidget toys or everything else that is marketed to them. I will say that I have stuck in there, setting the example, making them ask, "What will happen to this when I'm done with it?" My proudest victory which saves us all a whole lot of money is thrifting. We have a bunch of great places on the cape and we do it as a family: back to school, changing of seasons, etc. It’s fun to give them a budget and see what they can do with it.
8. Have you ever taken anything out of the recycling bin or trash to reuse somehow or maybe found something on the side of the road?
All of the time! When I lived in New York and Philadelphia, we would make garbage night into a night out. I have always lived with artists and man did we find some cool stuff. I would say my vintage aluminum Christmas Tree was a favorite! To this day I am reaching into trash to pick things out, like bottles I can use at the shop or something that I can do something crafty with. (I do some upcycled art preschool programming). I have no shame reaching in.
9. And lastly, what’s the best thing that you ever got used and why? Got a photo?
Well, while I am sitting here in the shop and I’m looking around, almost everything is reused. I'd have to say these antique shutters that you gave me and my husband and I built into shelves for our Green Road Refill goodies are pretty great!
To learn more about Jess's work and visit her shop on Cape Cod,
To make custom reuse T-Shirts like Jess is wearing in her profile photo,
Love this green bus! What a great interview.