letters to the editor

Letters must be 250 words or less and include a name, address and daytime phone number. We reserve the right to edit. Please email letters to editor@pccmarkets.com.

Plant-forward eating

Thank you for the article about plant-based diets (“Plant-forward eating,” January). It is very important to highlight this matter and how making this lifestyle change not only is impactful positively to one’s health, but we also can help reverse the environmental damage done by raising animals by committing to cut out animal products.

I’m so glad you addressed the climate impact created by animal agriculture. Let us not forget the compassion of leaving animal products off our plate. Keep bringing us more about living vegan! Your loyal customer,

— Amanda P.

The Plant-Forward eating article refers to Field Roast sausages as soy-based products. My husband is vegetarian and I don’t digest soy well. One of the things I really appreciate about Field Roast sausages is that they are not soy-based, unlike so many other meat-substitute products. We particularly like the Smoked Apple-Sage and Breakfast sausages.

I love PCC. I feel confident when I shop there that the selection is curated to reflect the latest knowledge about what is most healthy for us, the animals and our planet.

— Elisabeth R.

New bulk shampoo coming

For several years now, I have been going to PCC Green Lake on Aurora to refill my shampoo bottle from the bulk section there. Now it appears the bulk shampoo is being discontinued.

I really hate buying a new plastic bottle every time I buy shampoo. Is there any store that still has refill stations? I also use the bulk dishwashing liquid and I hope it will be continued.

— Connie McKibben

Food waste

I really appreciated the spotlight on food waste in the Sound Consumer and hearing the advocacy work you’re doing to push for awareness and solutions. This is such a big topic to solve, especially when it comes to addressing hunger.

I happened to run across this article, ‘‘Repurposing Food Waste as Alternative Building Materials” in Architect magazine. Check out the study by Arup on the Urban Bio-loop referenced toward the end of the story. Here’s the download link for the study.

Thought you might find it interesting.

— Cindy Davis, 
Senior Associate and Sustainability Specialist at MG2

Regarding the push to reduce food waste, maybe PCC can collect ideas from members. Here’s mine: Many people remove and toss the skin that is perfectly edible on some foods. These include the skin of potatoes, carrots, fuzzy kiwis, and eggplants (yes, despite what recipes say).

A daughter who lives in Nelson, B.C., said an older resident remembers that many decades ago, oranges were so rare that when they did appear in stores, people would eat the whole fruit — rind and all. So perhaps many more foods can be added to my short list.

— Julie Scandora

Thanks for your article on food waste. One productive solution/use that wasn’t mentioned was vermicomposting, composting food waste with the help of worms.

Before he passed away, my dad would put all his non-meat food waste into a bin with earthworms, who then would turn it into the richest fertilizer ever for his backyard garden.

— Bonnie Foxley

Recycle deodorant containers?

Greetings! Just wondering if Schmidt’s or any of your deodorant lines use containers that are recyclable, including mailing the container back to the manufacturer.

Terracycle has Tom’s of Maine’s program, but currently there is an indefinite waitlist to be able to use its program. Thank you!

— Lisa Hake

Reduce plastic

I love the new(ish) store in Bothell and shop there regularly. I buy at least one container of yogurt from the yogurt bar every week and sometimes I get two because my kids and I love it so much!

That being said, I am trying to reduce my waste in 2019 and the thought of getting all those containers each week makes me cringe. For health reasons, I’m not sure if I could bring my own (clean) glass jars to have filled, but I’d love to know if that’s a possibility and, if not, do you have any suggestions for me in this area? I know it’s a small step, but those small steps make a big impact over time.

Thanks so much for your time!

— Alison W.

Packaging

Thanks, as always, PCC for continuing to be a great place to shop for good food. I’m a Green Lake Aurora regular and love my little store. Just the right size for me.

I’d like to know if the little salad dressing containers — inside the salads you sell in the deli section — are compostable? It’s not clear to me.

Also, I often ask for the brown paper containers when I order from the deli. Are they compostable? I’ve been worried about the coating on the brown paper containers since reading information from the city about composting where they state the lining on food containers is plastic (which, for some restaurant containers, I’m sure is true).

I’ve also read that the interior is plastic and therefore not compostable. Please advise.

Thanks,

— Candace H.

Palm oil concerns

I noticed that some of your PCC-made desserts have “palm oil” listed as an ingredient and that some of the other brands of desserts you carry include “sustainable RSPO palm oil.” Are all palm oil products carried by PCC RSPO, or just the ones labeled so? I see that your website has a number of articles that mention RSPO palm oil, but I can’t tell what your level of commitment is to carrying only sustainable palm oil across the board.

— Jason Foster