The Town of Acton Economic Development Office and EnergizeActon.org organized a ‘Pop-Up’ Small Business Climate Café led by business advocate Karen ‘Kj’ Herther on Friday, July 28 at the ‘3 Moms & a Pop-Up’ space at 577 Mass Ave in West Acton, next to Middlesex Bank. The Summer Acton Retail Pop-Up space is a sustainable energy-efficient structure made by Maine-based OpBox from more than 14,000 plastic water bottles.
Open until August 21, the pop-up shop features three local women entrepreneurs: Emily Frey (The Fluffy Dog Flower Farm), Michele Montalvo (Girly Girl Soaps) & Namrata Shah ( iJewelshop & just launched ‘Pop-Up’ business Wax and Scent). Current Pop-Up shop hours vary, and are typically Friday 3-6pm and Sunday 10-2pm, when shoppers are en route to the Acton Boxborough Farmers Market.
At the Small Business Climate Café, Acton’s local businesses shared the sustainable choices they are making toward Acton’s climate action initiative. While each business tailors creative solutions that best fit their business model, there were some clear categories and takeaways from the event.
Sustainable Products & Services (lead with sustainability – product offering, organic, local/regional, fresh / seasonal, quality durable products, fix or repair model)
- Fluffy Dog Flower Farm
- Pedal Power
- Bella’s Eco Cleaning
- Eve & Murray Farm to Home
- Kitchen Outfitters
- True West Brewing
- Kuksi Foods Cookies
- Q Cleaner & Tailor
Eco ‘Climate friendly’ Packaging (e.g., re-fillable, recyclable, reusable, earth-friendly material, glass)
- Fluffy Dog Flower Farm (refillable glass vase)
- All Things Spiced (reusable, recyclable)
- Bella’s Eco Cleaning (refillable glass cleaner)
- Eve & Murray (earth friendly packaging, sustainable (non-plastic reusable) food wrap)
- Kitchen Outfitters (recycle, earth friendly products)
- Q Cleaner & Tailor (environmentally friendly dry cleaning bag)
- Wax & Scent (refillable glass candles)
- West Side Creamery (eco packaging, recycling, compostable straws)
Sustainable/Zero waste growing & manufacturing production process (organic, pre-order, method or APP to reduce food waste)
- Girly Girl Soaps (zero waste, re-use soap ends)
- Fluffy Dog Flower Farm (organic, cut fresh, composting )
- iJewelShop (melt down, re-use metals)
- All Things Spiced (pre-order)
- El Huipil (Food APP to reduce food waste)
Clean & renewable energy(clean heating & cooling, solar, Acton Power Choice (APC) Green 100% renewable electricity/EV/efficient transportation (EV, hybrid)) & delivery route optimization
- Retail Pop-Up Project Shops housed in sustainable Opbox
- Bogi Boutique (clean heating & cooling, energy efficiency audit/steps)
- Eve & Murray (clean heating & cooling)
- Fluffy Dog Flower Farm (APC Green)
- iJewelShop & Wax and Scent (clean heating & cooling, APC Green, EV product delivery)
- All Things Spiced (EV/delivery route optimized, APC Green)
- Patty Sutherland Realty Group (remote service option, hybrid vehicle)
- Danny’s Place (clean heating & cooling)
- Q Cleaner & Tailor (energy efficiency audit, APC Green)
As a by-product of the small business climate conversations, seven new local businesses joined other Acton Climate Coalition members endorsing the 2020 Town of Acton Climate Emergency Declaration. To celebrate the ‘3 Moms & a Pop-Up’ businesses, a donation was made to support a local sustainable cause: Acton Housing & Climate Justice.
For the uninitiated, this Pop-Up project was organized by Acton’s Economic Development Office in partnership with UpNext and the 495/Metrowest Partnership, with support from the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce. The project is funded by the Massachusetts Office of Business Development’s REDO grant program. EnergizeActon.org, a collaboration between the Acton Climate Coalition and the Town of Acton Sustainability Office, hosts a series of Climate Café events covering a range of climate friendly topics.
Learn more about the organizers at: Acton.ma.gov/business and Project Pop-Up | 577 Mass Ave Acton (project-pop-up.com) and EnergizeActon.org/events.
