By Valentine
Most of the places I went to, whether for leisure, food, or drink, were smaller local businesses. I wanted to contribute to the community that is cemented here in Portland. I was able to check out some quirky coffee shops and bookstores. It is important to choose to purchase goods locally, rather than at a chain store, because it lessens the impact of production and distribution.
A great way to get involved in your community while also practicing sustainable habits is shopping at farmers markets. I absolutely adore going to farmer’s markets and with the Flagstaff farmers market not going on until May, I needed my fix while in Portland for the Saturday farmers market.
At the farmer’s market I only bought flowers, but they had a large variety of produce, sweets, and food truck vendors.
My concerns about a compost were quickly resolved since Portland is an extremely eco-friendly city—there are compost bins scattered around neighborhoods, including the conference center. While walking I would dispose of my food scraps there.
It was possible to maintain my sustainability regimen and habits while traveling.
