San Diego Self-Guided Sustainability Tour
The following are Green & Sustainable Small Businesses Near San Diego…
PLACES TO VISIT
Earthwell Refill
Welcome to Earthwell Refill. We want to be your source for quality natural products! Instead of throwing away your plastic bottles after one use, you can refill them again and again. Less bottles thrown away means less bottles ending up in our landfills and oceans, so you can treat the Earth well while shopping!
You can refill much more than plastic bottles, like mason jars, yogurt tubs, mint tins... use your imagination. Refill products are sold by weight, so you can get exactly the amount you'd like.
San Diego Farmers’ Markets
Open year around, rain or shine! Find farm fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat, fish, groceries, flowers, and plants, local crafts, and more at the
Little Italy Mercato on Wednesdays from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm and Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm
Hillcrest Farmers Market on Sundays from 9 am to 2 pm
Ocean Beach Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 4 pm to 8 pm
Downtown Chula Vista Farmers Market on Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm
Scisters Salon & Apothecary
Scisters is a zero-waste salon founded by two best friends who are hairdressing professionals. They recognized the beauty industry's environmental impact and wanted to make a difference toward conscious consumption. Scisters intend to take on the responsibility of waste as a business and make it easy for their customers. They have partnered with Green Circle to divert the beauty waste that they produce.
This includes turning hair clippings into materials that clean up oil spills, melting foil and color tubes to make new products, and turning leftover color into clean energy.
Verbatim Books
Local shop offering a curated selection of used & rare books & zines in a hip, art-filled space.
Origins Grocer
Website: https://originsgrocer.com
At Origins Grocer, we are more than just a grocery store, we’re a movement. We’re rewriting the rules of shopping: less waste, more intention, and a fierce commitment to people and the planet. We want to shop in a way that doesn’t damage what we care about and what we need. We know you want to waste less and use less plastic. That you want to support creators who are making the world better. And that you don’t want to be manipulated into overconsumption. We know that you know your choices do matter and can make a difference. We’d like you to join us no matter where you are in your journey. No judgement. Without perfection.
Refill Pantry SD
Website: https://refillpantrysd.com
Refill Pantry SD is a plastic-free store in San Diego offering affordable, eco-friendly refills and sustainable goods. From home and cleaning to beauty, pets, and kids, we make zero-waste living simple, accessible, and community-driven.
Kitchens for Good Shop
Website: https://kitchensforgood.org/shop
Google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eDzNt86PGWyCySnY8
Welcome to the Kitchens for Good SHOP! From baking, cooking, and dining essentials to home décor, we sell pre-owned kitchenware items at unbeatable prices. Liven up your kitchen with a range of items bought in-store and online. And feel good doing it since proceeds support the Kitchens for Good mission!
PLACES TO DINE
Second Nature
Vegetarian/vegan restaurant with eco‑chic design, composting, and low‑impact ingredients.
Evolution Fast Food
One of San Diego’s first vegan fast‑food spots offering delicious, handcrafted, affordable, plant-based options to course-correct humanity's impact on mother earth.Uses compostable packaging and plant‑based menus to reduce waste.
Grains Café
Family‑owned vegan bistro with sustainable sourcing and minimal‑waste kitchen practices.
James Coffee
Website: https://jamescoffeeco.com/pages/reuse
James Coffee Company allows customers to choose between our reusable glass jars and traditional single-use packaging. Your to-go drink will come in a 100% recyclable and reusable jar with a koozie for a minimal deposit of $2.50. You can bring in your used jar with koozie and there will be a clean one waiting for you, or you can return it and get your deposit back.
Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants
Website: https://sandiego.surfrider.org/programs/ocean-friendly-restaurants
The Surfrider Foundation's Ocean Friendly Restaurants program recognizes restaurants committed to cutting out wasteful single-use plastic and offer a straightforward framework to help them make sustainable choices for our ocean. The result is a community of like-minded restaurants we can promote, support, and lift up as examples of success in influencing plastic reduction legislation. The larger our network of Ocean Friendly leaders grows, the more mainstream the concept of plastic-free becomes.
ONLINE SHOPS LOCAL TO SAN DIEGO
The Bountiful Bag
Our Story: How this Sister-Owned Small Business Came To Be — THE BOUNTIFUL BAG
The Bountiful Bag is a small family-owned business located in San Marcos, CA, that was co-founded in 2016 by Peruvian sisters Fiorella Rossel Borkert and Romina Rossel in April of 2018. The idea was inspired by their love for craft beer and their mutual interest in helping conserve the environment. Our products are upcycled from grain bags used by local breweries in the production of craft beer mainly from Southern California; banners from local music and beer festival, as well as furniture store showroom sample swatches.
Love This Mother
Love This Mother is a women-owned business deeply committed to preserving and appreciating the natural world. Initially founded in 2019 as a community platform that shares tips and insights about sustainable living, the company quickly expanded to offer friends and followers access to reliable, high-quality eco-friendly products. Love This Mother offers a discounted delivery option for San Diego, California residents within 15 miles of the store.
Refinement House
refinementhouse.com – Refinement House
Refinement House is a zero-waste shop located in San Diego that is committed to providing sustainable home essentials. Customers can visit their website to check for pop-up schedules to access these sustainable products. In addition, Refinement House's commitment to community engagement and education sets them apart. They aim to make sustainability accessible to all. They share their passion for living a less wasteful life.
