Travel in Style (While Being Sustainable)

NW Raw Organic Juice Bar

Located in the heart of Downtown Ashland is NW Raw Organic Juice Bar. They have a large menu serving anything from smoothies and 100% organic raw cold pressed juice, to salads and breakfast foods. They love to provide people on the go with fast healthy options. Their restaurant is work friendly and is open to all traveling through Ashland. NW Raw is committed to keeping their practices sustainable. They bottle all of their juices in only glass bottles. They then allow customers to return their bottle for $0.25 back. NW Raw then sends the bottle through a rigorous cleaning process to reuse for juice in the future. The food and juice they serve is always Organic, and is some of the best found in Ashland. 

Green Dog Pet Supply

Whether you are looking for sustainable items for your dog, your cat, or yourself, Green Dog Pet supply has plenty of options for you! Green Dog opened in 2004 when Mike and Christine moved to Portland and decided to open a shop dedicated to providing outstanding products with a focus on sustainability, nutrition, thoughtfully-sourced items, and environmentalism. The store itself was built with reclaimed and scavenged materials, of course, to stay in line with the core values of Green Dog. Being awarded a Gold Level certification from the city of Portland for sustainable practices, Green Dog definitely knows what they’re doing with their eco-friendly pet products. All of the products are made with ingredients that are human grade and Green Dog avoids chemical preservatives, nitrates, artificial colors, and more. Be sure to stop in to Green Dog Pet Supply to get something for your furry friend, whether that’s kibble, a can of sustainable food, or freeze dried food toppers!

The Bard’s Inn

The Bard’s Inn in Ashland is an inspired place to stay, having a large number of quality amenities and an excellent location. Hitting the town couldn’t be easier; the renowned Ashland Plaza being only two blocks away from the inn, hours worth of shopping and activities are within a short walking distance. Staying indoors at the inn can also be a lot of fun. The inn is decked out with a jacuzzi, a pool, free site wide wifi, homemade breakfast each morning, and vending machines. Each room has a flat screen TV, Cable, Telephones and much more. The inn is even pet friendly, so you don’t have to leave your dog behind to have a great place to stay while on vacation. A stay at the Bard’s Inn is sure to be a treat, if you’re planning for a stay in Ashland it is a great option for quality lodging.

Transportation

We’ve all been there, you’re overworked, stressed and need some time away from home(or maybe even time away from loved ones), but you’re trying to be more aware of the environment and your bicycle is in the shop.Yes we all have experienced this exact scenario and there are no exceptions. Well if you have the means or, you already have an electric or hybrid car(like my brother, who I have never seen plug it in #brothershame) there are several eco friendly trips you can take. Oregon has one of the largest networks of fast charging electrical/hybrid stations. There are several routes you can take, like the “Oregon Coast Electric Byway” or the “Southern Oregon Arts & Bounty Electric Byway” and that’s just naming a couple. So grab your sweetheart and hop in your brothers electric car and hope on one of these routes!

Hiking

Oregon is home to some of the most beautiful and unique ecosystems in the United States. There’s no better way to understand why sustainability is so important than to immerse yourself in the natural world. Luckily, Oregon has over 2,000 hiking trails to choose from ranging greatly in difficulty. One of the most popular trails is the Trail of Ten Falls, located in Silver Falls State park. The trail is an 8-mile loop that passes by ten waterfalls, each arguably more beautiful than the last, with optional cut-off trails. The trails can be split up to accommodate members of a hiking party for all levels of experience. Hopefully after spending hours under the miles of pine canopy, you’ll even be inspired to leave the trails cleaner than how you found them.