Consciously creating sustainable living The Bryanston Organic & Natural Market has been operating quietly in the leafy suburbs of Bryanston for over 40 years. Over the past 20 years the market has felt the
impact of developments in the world that have presented us with many challenges.
- The urban sprawl of Johannesburg and the disappearance of smallholder farmers on the outskirts of the city
- The growth of mono-crop farming and the easy and convincing arguments by commercial business monopolies for the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
- The ballooning of the GMO industry and its effects on our foodstuffs and health
- The customer awareness around the issues of organic foodstuffs and their demand for certified organic products
- The growth of the use of artificial and chemical additives, preservatives, colourants and flavourants to our foodstuffs
- The growth of petroleum based and other chemicals in health & wellness products
- The demise of the SA textile industry and the monopoly of the East on the fabric and clothing industry with the associated abuse of chemical processes and wastage of water
- And most of all, the constant creep of plastic into every aspect of life. Packaging, containers, bottles, sealing caps, carry bags, clothes hangers, refuse bags, refuse bins, the list is endless. Plastic is cheap and convenient – how do we circumvent this?
And it is at this point that one begins to understand the vastness of this term –
Sustainable Living. We have challenged ourselves with the question –
how do we live in the world and be part of the world and at the same time stay true to our brand? - Firstly, we made a decision of enforcing total transparency between the market, the stallholders/online suppliers and our customers. It is the only way that we can earn respect and have credibility
- All new products entering the market do so with the approval of our Product Selection Committee. Products are assessed against criteria of acceptance that resonate with the ethos of the market
- Part of our mission is to inspire a creative, conscious lifestyle by
- Inspiring personal actions
- Focussing on elementals
- Showcasing and demonstrating a conscious lifestyle
- Creating an environment that awakens interest, willingness and curiosity
- Openness, nuance, flexibility, adaptability
- Discernment
- Acting principle based and not rule based
- We have commenced a research project into the use of plastic in foodstuffs so that we can identify areas that can be changed and suppliers that can be challenged to make better choices.
- The market has stopped the use of plastic straws within restaurants and deli stalls
The Bryanston Organic & Natural Market touches only a very small part of this vast subject and daily we strive to meet our customers’ needs and expectations of our market on creating sustainable living.
Below we have a small collection of links and people with whom we collaborate, giving ideas and guidelines around sustainable living on an everyday life basis.
