Yesterday was Earth Day! Omahans are always seeking out ways to get involved and help to keep their community clean and flourishing regardless of the day. Earth Day inspired us to come up with a list of eco-friendly businesses, sustainable living in our communities and ways to help you get involved.
Sustainable Living in Omaha
Making sustainable living changes to your daily life doesn’t require ditching your car for good or living off the grid. For many families, something as simple as composting or choosing locally grown, organic produce whenever possible is a great way to help support the environment and the surrounding community.
Waste reduction practices can include recycling, composting, and opting for plastic-free alternatives whenever possible — such as a reusable water bottle. Luckily, Omaha’s Exist Green is a great way to refill reusable containers with all of your household necessities.
Shopping and eating locally is another great way to not only support the local Omaha economy but to reduce the carbon footprint of your dinner. “Food miles” have been steadily increasing, with some studies indicating that fresh produce may travel over 1,500 miles before it reaches the final consumer. Plan a weekly visit to the Omaha Farmers Market or make an order via Nebraska Food Cooperative to help lower this number.
Omaha Farmers Market
Between May 4th and October 12th, visit the Saturday market in Omaha’s historic Old Market District between 8:00 AM and 12:30 PM. Sunday markets between May 5th and October 13th will be hosted in Aksarben Village between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. The Omaha Farmers Market can trace its roots back almost 100 years and has a proud history of promoting local food. Instead of having your produce shipped halfway across the world, enjoy fruits, veggies, and proteins that come from the farmer a couple of towns over. Buy local and eat fresh!
Nebraska Food Cooperative
Nebraska Food Cooperative was created to cultivate farmer-consumer relationships, as well as to increase food security and enhance the community’s overall sustainability. This online shopping portal allows consumers to gain access to reasonably priced fresh, frozen, and processed food produced in Nebraska. Not only does shopping locally in this manner help to support the local community, but it also makes fresh food accessible for all by designating drop points in the community.
Eco-Friendly Businesses in Omaha
Looking to support local businesses around Omaha that strive to practice sustainability? These Omaha coffee shops, zero-waste stores, bakeries, and even soap mills are all helping to support other local producers while providing patrons with environmentally friendly options.
Exist Green
4914 Underwood Avenue A
Exist Green is Omaha’s very own zero-waste market and eco-boutique. The company was developed by an environmental engineer to help locals discover sustainable swaps for a range of home, kitchen, and skincare products. Bring your reusable containers and buy snacks, pantry staples, spices, oil, vinegar, and more! Not only is this type of shopping experience a great way to reduce waste, but it also allows patrons the opportunity to connect with cleaner products and discover sustainable gifts for their loved ones.
Conscious Comforts
2320 Keystone Drive
Conscious Comforts is a vegan scratch kitchen that utilizes produce and goods from local vendors. The bakery is dedicated to sustainable business practices and has a goal of giving more than it takes. To help reduce waste, the company’s comfort foods are made to order. This not only makes them customizable per the patron’s dietary restrictions and sensitivities but also means that all sweet and savory goods will be at their freshest. Try the breakfast sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, handmade pasta noodles, personalized birthday cupcakes and so much more!
Urban Abbey
1026 Jackson Street
All coffee found at Urban Abbey is fairly sourced and locally roasted. The milk used to craft your latte comes from Nebraska cows and is delivered fresh to the shop. 10% of purchases go towards supporting community partners. March’s partner was The Big Garden. Enjoy specialty drinks, such as the Easter Peeps latte, or classic brews like the Americano, mocha, or traditional macchiato. Light bites are available as well, such as biscotti from Black Bottom Biscotti, oatmeal, yogurt, and a selection of pastries.
Benson Soap Mill
6129 Military Avenue
Benson Soap Mill repurposes natural and discarded products from local restaurants, coffee shops, and farms around Omaha to make some of the finest soap in the city. Examples of locally sourced products include sunflower oil from Simply Sunflower, reclaimed barn wood from Reclaimed Enterprises Inc., and locally produced honey from Bee Grateful Gardens. The company has a Soap Club membership option that includes exclusive discounts and a free bar of soap!
The Green Spot
1110 South 71st Street K
The Green Spot is a locally owned natural pet supply store that provides dog owners with access to nutrition coaching, high quality pet food and even access to a self-serve wash area. With a selection of all-natural shampoo and a high-speed blow dryer, your pup will be clean and ready to mingle in no time! The supply store also supports local shelters and gives away free adoption bundles (a bag of food, treats, and a complimentary supplement) for those who provided a forever home for a shelter pup. If you’re looking to transition your pet to raw pet food, The Green Spot can help you manage the switch and even find solutions for eco-friendly toys and supplies to accommodate a more sustainable lifestyle.
Amateur Coffee
3913 Cuming Street
Amateur Coffee has spearheaded a program that has effectively done away with single-use, disposable cups. Instead, their reusable glass jar program provides patrons with a $2 reusable glass jar that can be brought back and refilled or turned back in for $2 off your order. Amateur Coffee has decided to stop contributing to the issue of single-cup waste and instead, create a more environmentally friendly alternative for their loyal patrons.
Earth Day Events in Omaha
Celebrate Earth Day with the whole family at these Omaha events. Earth Day Omaha is the city’s largest environmental gathering, allowing families to enjoy a day in the park or at the lake while learning about how to support their local environment. Grab your bike and a helmet and peddle 12 miles with Trek Omaha to support a cleaner form of transportation.
Earth Day Omaha
808 South 60th Park
Earth Day Omaha is one of the country’s oldest environmental events, celebrating its 35th consecutive year in 2024. The free event is set to be held in Elmwood Park on April 27th between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM. The main stage will feature live music and there will be a vendor expo, demonstration tent, and a childcare area. Participate in health and wellness demonstrations or peruse the electric vehicle showcase. Enjoy the food court and make sure to visit the beer garden, the Skatefest demo park, and the tree climbing area!
Arbor Day Giveaway at Lauritzen Gardens
100 Bancroft Street
Arbor Day falls on April 26th and Lauritzen Gardens is inviting Omahans to take a stroll around the arboretum or embark on the woodland walk. The first 100 households will receive a complimentary tree seedling, which is a great way to celebrate this national holiday dedicated to tree planting! Arbor Day and Earth Day go hand in hand, as trees help to better the environment and can have a lasting effect on local wildlife.
How to Get Involved!
Looking to get involved with local community organizations? These Omaha-based nonprofits and organizations are open to volunteers, where you can learn how to develop vacant land into a community garden, help clean up waterways, or even plant trees to keep Omaha vibrant and beautiful.
Keep Omaha Beautiful
Keep Omaha Beautiful has been around for over six decades and during that time, the organization has fostered environmental stewardship and helped to engage and educate residents. With the support of thousands of volunteers, Omaha’s urban areas and natural environments are kept clean and beautiful. In partnership with Omaha’s Parks & Recreation Department, the Trees for Omaha program has planted over 3,500 trees in over 100 public spaces around town. Help support the mission of Keep Omaha Beautiful by volunteering, donating, or joining the organization at events. Volunteers can coordinate litter cleanups, adopt public areas, or even organize stream, lake shore, creek, and waterway cleanups.
Green Omaha Coalition
Green Omaha Coalition helps to promote sustainability around the city by supporting green initiatives, organizing events such as Earth Day Omaha, distributing informative resources, and connecting organizations, volunteers, and decision-makers to encourage collaboration on ways to benefit the environment. Volunteers looking to be part of this important mission can help market, fundraise, research, and plan events like Halfway to Earth Day and Mountainfilm on Tour. Upcoming events include a volunteer work day in Fontenelle Forest and a tour of No More Empty Pots, which is a North Omaha nonprofit that promotes and develops sustainable local food systems.
Omaha Permaculture
Since its inception over a decade ago, Omaha Permaculture has been dedicated to revitalizing vacant properties by cultivating ecosystems and urban agricultural projects. Now with 17 properties that demonstrate this permaculture in action, the organization brings educational resources via citizen initiatives and landscape job training for at-risk youth. Learning from the land can allow families and the community at large to become more self-sustaining, which is why Omaha Permaculture hosts public workshops and gatherings. Volunteer opportunities are open to individuals of all skill levels and teens 14 and older can earn community service credits.
How Do You Plan on Celebrating Earth Day?
With so many options for getting involved, we’d love to hear what ideas readers have for boosting sustainability and helping to keep Omaha green. Let us know in the comments which events you’re most looking forward to and if you have details on any additional volunteer opportunities!