We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”
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Hey there! We’re extremely excited to launch our blog and share our journey with you as Boston’s very first one-stop-shop for all things zero waste. Whether you're looking to switch to a bamboo toothbrush or refill your shampoo, we're here to help. For those who may not be familiar, zero waste is all about rethinking our throw-away society to protect the environment from unnecessary waste, especially single-use plastic waste.
Who are we?
Uvida Shop is essentially Maria Vasco’s brainchild. She quickly discovered her passion for environmental advocacy during her time at UMass Boston as an environmental studies and sustainability major. Maria was determined to learn all she could about reducing plastic waste and sharing her findings with others. This caught the eye of the Honors College Dean who nominated her to apply for UMass Boston's first-ever Entrepreneurship Scholarship. Maria was the first recipient of this award. She then began her journey to open Uvida in her senior year of college with pop-ups on and off campus. In the short span of 6 months, after launching the website and gaining online support, she was able to open the first brick-and-mortar store, becoming Boston’s first zero waste and plastic-free business.
Uvida Shop translates to “U Life” in Spanish, and aims to inspire others to live in a more eco conscious manner. After opening the first location in the North End, Uvida quickly expanded to Brookline to reach more people in the surrounding community. Uvida Shop is more than our two storefronts in the North End and Brookline, we do our best to contribute to zero waste efforts by hosting special events like our recent Candle Making Night and our seasonal Clothing Swaps!
As Boston’s first and only zero waste store in Boston, we offer a wide variety of affordable, sustainable household goods and have a plant shop for all levels of experience. We are a space for customers to escape mass single-use plastic products and packaging, both in-person and through our online store. We’re always happy to see new or returning Uvida family members!
What can you expect?
Uvida Shop opened with the goal to provide the first zero waste/eco-friendly store in Boston so that the community can have a place to buy all of their affordable and sustainable household goods. We hope that this blog can reach people outside of Boston and be a place to learn more about zero waste practices, as well as a collection of resources, tips, and information on:
- Sustainable living and zero waste product recommendations
- Local zero waste initiatives and events
- Ideas for celebrating special occasions and holidays in eco-friendly ways
- Explorations of plastic pollution and other issues
- And more!
Our ultimate goal is to ensure no trash ends up in landfills, incinerators, or our oceans. By providing a space for the community to shop zero waste, we hope to make it easier for people to make small changes that have a big impact. We're excited to share our passion for reducing waste with you, so please make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for all updates related to Uvida. Comment below with what you’d like to see from our blog and let's do our part in protecting the planet together!