Hello there, dear readers!
Because we no longer know where to turn in Paris with so many cafes, restaurants and shops, we are going to help you see things more clearly by recommending 2 eco-friendly addresses per arrondissement each week!
Whether you are looking to consume organic, local, plastic-free or vegetarian, you will find what you are looking for!
In an era where global warming is in full swing and the oceans are flooded with plastic, many entrepreneurs have made the choice to act. Imagine: every year, more than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in the oceans! Aware of the urgency and the need for citizens to take their future into their own hands, entrepreneurs have decided to offer a range of products that are healthier and better for the environment. In restaurants, this involves organic and/or vegetarian or even vegan dishes, a fight against waste, seasonal products and recyclable cutlery. Suffice to say that you will not find an ounce of plastic in these places!
Our reporter Annabelle Ploix has unearthed these addresses for you that will allow you to get involved on your own scale. Because consuming responsibly is already a big step towards a greener planet!
You will find in the 18th arrondissement:
1) Natural and organic, 84 rue du Mont-Cenis
I stumbled upon this little shop by chance, and I was immediately won over! Its owner, Sylvie, welcomed me very warmly and told me her story with passion.
His idea with this shop, which dates back ten years ago, is to offer organic products at modest prices: make-up, baby products, creams, deodorants… You will find everything. She is aware that in people's minds, organic is often associated with a high cost. She wanted to make healthy and environmentally friendly products accessible to everyone. Beyond the products, customers come for Sylvie's expertise and advice. This is one of the advantages of local commerce: the discussion between seller and customer is much more personal, the customers are loyal and from the neighborhood, and the owner can recommend the right products to them because she knows their problems and their needs.
In addition to offering quality products without questionable chemical components, Sylvie is committed to ensuring that the people involved in the production process work under regulatory conditions and are not exploited. There is strong product traceability.
The manager of the place began to take an interest in organic products around thirty years ago. Before specializing in this field, she worked in a parapharmacy. Interestingly, this is not the first person I've interviewed who worked for a lab or in the medical sector (you'll notice that if you read all the blog posts ;) ) before turning to the environment. On Sylvie's side, this radical change came from being fed up with having to share her seat with another. She had her convictions, and wanted to put them in place without barriers.
During her job search, she often suffered remarks about her age and sex. She struggled to find work, recruiters said they did not want to pay her a salary commensurate with her experience.
Rather than lamenting her fate, Sylvie bounced back. She had been raised on the principle that women and men deserved the same opportunities. According to her, "we must give ourselves ambitions", and become aware of the capacities which are specific to us in order to use them to our advantage.
His creation of Natur'elle et bio was not, however, without pitfalls! As soon as the name of the store was filed with the National Institute of Industrial Property, the law firm representing the interests of Hachette Filipacchi, a subsidiary of the Lagardère group and owner of the magazine Elle, accused Natur'Elle and Bio of having taken over the term "She" on purpose. Having set up an industrial watch that monitors brand registrations, they are notified of any name registration that would include this term. According to them, the store was trying to emulate the Elle brand, both in name and in products. However, the goods and services offered by Sylvie are very distinct.
Despite the obstacles, Sylvie emerged victorious! Like what, it is always possible for individual companies to stand up to large groups.
Now, Sylvie has her store in the 18th, and offers both cosmetics, baby products, treatments and massages, all based on natural and organic products of course. She is currently looking for a beautician so if this is your favorite area, do not hesitate to contact her!
To sum up, if you are concerned about your health and that of your loved ones as well as the environment and are looking for accessible alternatives, this is the place for you! Sylvie is a business leader like no other. Proof that her activity is more linked to her passion and her values than the search for profit, she does not get paid so that her business continues.
I leave you with one of the lessons that life has taught him: if you are confronted with a problem, an unprecedented situation, take a step back to analyze the situation rather than reacting hotly and regretting it afterwards.
2) La REcyclerie , 83 boulevard d'Ornano
Quickly take your notebooks (okay, your phones) and take note, because this place was a real crush! Nestled in an old disused train station, the REcyclerie is an emblem of eco-responsible struggle that seeks to raise public awareness of the values that are dear to it: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
We owe the success of this place to its founder, Stéphane Vatinel, and to the association "Les amis recycleurs", which is in charge of the programming. This month of August, for example, you can come and visit the Recyclerie, see how the vegetable garden works, and even take part in a literary speed-dating!
Yes, you read that right, the place has a vegetable garden. But that's not all ! It also includes a chicken coop, beehives, a DIY workshop... The opportunity to reconnect with nature in the heart of Paris! The place is very exotic, with its deckchairs in the open air, and its rails in the middle.
A cafe-canteen is at your disposal to delight your taste buds and your pupils. The price being affordable, you have no reason to deprive yourself of homemade, organic and seasonal dishes that are prepared with a lot of love and zero waste. The precise origin of the products is indicated on the menu, in a locavore approach, and compost is essential.
Because you should never do things by halves, as La Fontaine's fable The Cat and the Bird reminds us, electricity comes entirely from renewable energies.
So you think it's too good to be true? Go and sip a bissap juice while savoring the view of the small belt, and you will see that a change in our consumption habits is possible.
The Bonsai team