So, you just got to York and after the haze of takeaways, late nights, and three actual tonnes of freebies, you may be asking yourself “how can I be more sustainable at York?”
Well, maybe you’re not asking yourself that specifically, but as you’re beginning to explore the city you may be wondering where you can get the best vegan food or where you can get some of those cute sustainable vintage threads. Either way, we’ve got you covered, so take a look below!
Food
Food from The Verge (Wentworth College), taken by Stella König
I think everyone has heard that York is a hotspot for the best veggie/vegan independent eateries in the country, and it’s true! Here are a few of our favourite spots:
• Once Across the Garden (Church Street): A fantastic little vegan kitchen which serves up a flurry of street food and bespoke celebration cakes! Whether you’re looking for your first (very tasty) vegan hot dog or an aesthetic vegan birthday cake for your friend, this is the place to go.
• Vedge (West Campus): Closer to home, Vedge is the University’s first entirely vegetarian/vegan café. It’s new but we’ve heard lots of great things!
• Humpit (Church Street): A personal favourite, Hummpit is an affordable vegan hummus and pita bar. Notorious for their huge yummy pitas there’s no excuse not to check it out if hummus is your thing.
• Goji Café (Goodramgate): They serve a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes to suit everybody’s needs. Their menu is very extensive and they also are a takeaway hotpot.
Clothing
Photo taken by Expressions Clothing
It’s no mystery that the world of fast fashion is contributing to mass pollution and the exploitation of workers, but sometimes it can be hard to find accessible ways to shop for clothing ethically, so here are a few options right here at York!
• Vintage Vera (varying locations across York, but primarily West Campus):A pop-up vintage fair which makes its way to campus a few times a year, offering you to snag up a kilo of vintage goods for £15, its definitely something to check out when it hits campus!
• Swap Shops (various locations):There are a tonne of opportunities to buy and sell used clothing in York! For example, there is a group dedicated entirely to York students on Facebook that is dedicated to the purchase and selling of clothes, textbooks, etc. Sometimes societies on campus or businesses/venues across York hold them too, so keep an eye out.
• Expressions Clothing (12 Walmgate): Are you a fan of vintage and retro clothes, AND American sports teams? Then you’re in luck! Expressions Clothing stock an amazing range of vintage clothes, including jerseys from various American sporting teams (including NFL, MLB, NFA and NHL). Check out the rail at the front of the shop that sells jerseys for £10 a piece!
Most of these take the idea of shopping second-hand to reduce the amount of new clothing being bought, but you should also look at companies that use organic cotton or that pay their workers fairly. Not to mention our local charity shops, which are definitely worth taking a look!
Other places & events of interest
• One Planet Week: The University and students union hold a week of events that aim to inspire new ways that students, staff and others can be more sustainable. One Planet Week 2020 follows the theme of Zero Carbon, so make sure to take part in February!
• Fairer World (Gillygate): They sell a wide range of vegetarian and vegan goods that are Fair Trade. You can order these goods to be delivered to you or as a group.
• Scoop (West Campus): Scoop (York Student Food Coop) is a student-led project that offers a wide arrange of fresh produce, ethical foods, and zero-waste toiletries at affordable prices. Definitely worth looking into and even perhaps volunteering for them.
• Shared Earth (Minster Gates): They are a wholesaler of Fair Trade, eco-friendly, recycled and ethical goods. Selling a wide of range foods, fashion items, gifts, homeware, fragrance and more, they are one of the best places to go to buy products with a positive impact.
It’s not hard to shop with a positive impact if you know where to look, and especially if you take your own shopping bags. We hope we have provided you with enough knowledge for you to go on and explore all of what eco-York has to offer!
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