Glasgow social enterprise hopes to run zero-waste ‘eco-van’

Glasgow-based social enterprise Society Zero has launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy an electric van, which they want to turn into a mobile zero-waste shop.

Zero-waste stores have popped up in towns and cities across the country in recent years, offering a range of plastic-free items from pasta, tea and vegetables to household essentials like shampoo and washing-up liquid.

Society Zero currently run a market stall in the city but they want to buy an electric van so they can set up shop at various places across Glasgow and sell zero-waste goods.

They were recently offered a chance to buy a van by another social enterprise in Arran, which includes shelving, a fridge and a freezer. They say they need £11,000 to buy and upgrade the vehicle.

They have a strong social mission, and want the van to reach marginalised and disadvantaged communities with personalised support such as donations of reusables, along with the general public through events, workshops and employment opportunities paying the real living wage.

Their vision for the mobile store is to have two members of staff working as well as more staff completing the online orders. They also want to use some of the money raised to pay for staff drivers licenses as they say this can be a huge barrier to work for some people in more disadvantaged communities.

They hope to have their van popping up at farmers markets and neighbourhoods on a set day across the region.

Some perks included in the crowdfunder include a ‘make your own beeswax wrap kit’ and a personal sourdough making workshop.

Donate to the crowdfunder here.