The idea for a package-free organic grocery store started years ago when brothers Christian and Joseph Lane were discussing a simple business idea: refilling beer and wine bottles.

From there, they decided to include other basic grocery store offerings — meat, dairy, produce, bulk items and bread.

Next thing you know, the concept of a “zero-waste” grocery store was born.

The Lanes and a small group of partners are putting the finishing touches on their modest-sized store, called “in.gredients,” at 2610 Manor Road. The store is scheduled to open this summer.

Their idea is to cut out as much extraneous packaging as possible, with customers encouraged to bring their own containers for things like bulk items.

While there are some limitations as to what can be sold unpackaged because of health codes, “that’s part of our ethos, is to reduce waste and reduce unnecessary packaging,” said Brian Nunnery, head of business development. “And we would say that a lot of packaging that is out there right now is unnecessary.”

While the concept might be novel in the modern United States, going packageless is common in parts of Latin America, they said.

“You go to a market and the beans are just there; you bring your bag and the guy shovels it in, weighs it and gives you your (bag),” Joseph Lane said.

The store’s founders say the idea is as much a mission as it is a new business. Their background is in IT consulting, but Christian Lane said they’ve wanted to move into more sustainable-living areas.

Several years ago, for example, they put together a plan to run a biodiesel business.

“We’ve been kind of tinkering and thinking about those things,” Christian Lane said. The grocery is another option that’s “a little more novel, a little more fun.”

The store’s building is less than 2,000 square feet, next to a house that’s used as their office. Raised produce beds dot the front lawn, the spoils of which they plan to stock in the store. The Lanes say they’re planning to sell as much organic and local stock as possible.

They’ve raised money from private investors (they wouldn’t disclose how much) as well as $15,000 from the crowd funding website Indiegogo.

The response from the neighborhood has also been positive — more than 200 volunteers have already signed up.

“We can’t open fast enough,” Joseph Lane said, adding that there is a desire for such a grocery in East Austin.

“You see a lot of folks in these neighborhoods that, you have to travel across (Interstate) 35, through campus and the nearest thing is Wheatsville (Co-op),” he said. “Wheatsville’s a great place, great people working there, but you’ve still got to go through all that to get there.”

Ultimately, the founders say, their goal is to grow and to potentially become completely packageless in the future.

“It’s a cause-based business at its core,” Christian Lane said. “And causes aren’t 100 percent complete overnight.”

I just found out they have a community volunteer program called in.volved, through which you can volunteer for the store, partner organizations (sustainable Food Center, Austin Pets Alive, Neighborhood Schools, Urban Patchwork, Keep Austin Beautiful, and the BeHive), or your volunteer work through another organization, and claim points for the hours you volunteer and then use those points for cool prizes, including grocery money.  I already got my ING number, so I’m excited to get points for the volunteer work I do with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, VLS, and APL!  Here’s more info from their website (sorry the formatting is coming out weird):

How it works

Our program’s divided into a 3-tier system designed to give recognition and rewards for time volunteered. Once enrolled, simply submit your hours via our “I Volunteered” Form for verification, and watch as your accumulated points earn you perks and invites to exclusive in.volved events.

Claim Your Points

You can claim your points using our “I Volunteered” Form. You’ll need your ING number handy.

What’s an ING number?

If you’ve already signed up as a volunteer, you already have an ING number! If you don’t have an ING number, click sign up as a volunteer. If you’ve forgotten your ING number, don’t worry! It’s in the subject line of the email we sent you when you signed up as a volunteer; if you no longer have that email, fill out this form and we’ll get your number to you

The Austin Green Business Leaders program helps companies work through issues and best practices that can help them become more sustainable.

“Green business is good business in Austin, Texas,” said Lucia Athens, the city’s chief sustainability officer. “Thanks to our environmentally savvy community, companies are finding that Austin customers and employees want to patronize and work at businesses with a good environmental footprint.”

Additionally, the program helps local business owners rethink many of their day-to-day activities, and make them more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly, Athens said.

Companies that enroll in the program are given a scorecard tool that helps them take action across several areas of sustainability including waste, transportation, water, energy, employee health and participation within the community.

Participating companies earn points based on these actions to progress through levels of achievement and recognition.

Once they complete the program, they are able to promote themselves as an Austin Green Business Leader….

You can sign your business up for the program here, and check out businesses that are gold and platinum level Austin Green Business Leaders.

The Statesman had this article today that says that Whole Foods will be opening a new store on May 16th on Bee Caves Road, and another new store on June 19th on South Mopac and William Cannon. I didn’t ever realize these were under development, I had just heard about the Gateway one being replaced with one to go into the Domain (that’s still happening, and expected to be completed next year).

I received this info today and have already registered myself for a chance to win!

SFC’s fifth annual Farm to Plate fundraiser will take place May 10, 2012 from 6:30-9:30pm at Barr Mansion, the nation’s first certified organic event venue. This “sip and stroll” event sells out each year and features over 25 local chefs, farmers, food artisans, award-winning craft breweries, wineries and spirits-makers, and is SFC’s major fundraiser of the year, providing support for our three main programs.You can enter in our drawing right now online »

Entry in the drawing is free. Once you’ve entered, you can improve your chances of winning by helping us promote our giveaway.

Barr Mansion is an awesome venue, and I bet it would be an amazing event!

Recently I noticed that they have a really nice blog with green news, tips, and store updates, and so, given my tea habit, this blog post about being less wasteful in the tea making process was pretty cool.   Here are some of their tips:

When it comes to tea, don’t let those cardboard boxes and and single-use disposable bags cramp your style – you don’t need ‘em! Here’s how to cut them out of the picture (and the trash can):

• Buy tea in bulk (in.gredients-style) and store it in a reusable container – a mason jar works great; so do tins and other jars.
• Use muslin tea bags – these are washable and reusable! Plus you have control over how much tea you want to steep, and can add other ingredients if you like.
• Go bag-free by using a tea pot with a built in tea infuser (like the one pictured above), or use a french press.

When finished, spent tea makes great compost!

You can also get a tea infuser/ball for a single cup, and that way you don’t have to wash out a tea pot as well once you’ve made tea for yourself.

Check out their website for other helpful tips!

The article also notes that you don’t even need to spend money to be greener while on the trail – there’s a new water fountain on the trail near the Mopac Bridge.   There article doesn’t go into the locations of other existing water fountains, but there are quite a few – I believe there’s one near the pedestrian bridge on the North side of the river, one near the pedestrian bridge on the South side of the river, one on the North side of the river just West of the I-35 bridge,  and one of the South side of the river just East of Riverside.

Another green option is to but a water bottle at a running store, which is more bulky, but allows you to run in areas that aren’t guaranteed to have water. Many of them come in a little carrier that can be strapped around your waste,  and some have a pouch so you can carry keys, money, etc.  Just one more idea!

Here’s an excerpt from the 360 article about Adreinne:

Adreinne Oujezdsky, 28, grew up running the downtown trail. The idea for reusable cups popped into her mind after she ran past the water coolers three years ago and wondered how many cups she’d use in her lifetime.

That led to some research on how many single-use cups are used at races around the country. She found out that the top 50 U.S. races alone generate more than 660,000 pounds of disposable cups, which mostly wind up in landfills.

“I’d love to see a day when the cups aren’t overflowing the trash bins — both on our trail and our streets after local races,” Oujezdsky says.

Oujezdsky, who has a background in advertising, dug into her bank account and begged friends and family for seed money, eventually collecting $46,000 to pursue her idea for an easy-to-carry cup that could be used over and over.

She purchased a molding machine from China and had it shipped to Boerne, where the cups are now made.

She calls her invention the SipECup. (E stands for environment.) The cone-shaped cups look similar to the paper ones available now on the trail, only they’re made of flexible material similar to what’s used in the yellow LiveStrong wristbands.

Eventually, she’d like to see race organizers use the cups at events. Sponsors could advertise on them, and runners would either keep or toss the cups, which would be gathered, then washed or recycled.

She hopes runners think about the environment the next time they stop for water.

“I wanted it to be easy. Being an athlete is hard enough. It should be easy to do good,” Oujezdsky says.

The blue SipECups sell for $5 for a pack of two and are available at RunTex, Rogue, Mellow Johnny’s and Bettysport. Expect to see a pink version at the Komen Race for the Cure next year.

Once it opens in April 2012, the new Palms Car Wash will have the ability to recycle 100 percent of the water it uses.

Austin’s second full-service Palms Car Wash is under construction at 13695 US 183, next door to the former Hooters of Austin, which is being transformed into Cover 2 restaurant and bar. The car wash will feature an exterior drive-thru express wash and interior and detail services. Customers may also use 12 vacuum stations free of charge.

“We want to be as eco-friendly we can,” said David Beseda, co-owner of Palms Car Wash with Russel Moore. “We use non-toxic, biodegradable cleaners. It is a complicated, expensive process [to recycle water].”Beseda and Moore own the Palms Car Wash at 6811 Brodie Lane. Alone, Moore owns several car wash locations in Austin, but this is the second location the pair will have opened.

The emphasis at TreeHouse, 4477 S. Lamar Blvd. , is on green products — everything from nontoxic paints to reclaimed wood floors to insulation made of recycled denim, newspapers and beer and wine bottles.

“We thought Austin deserved its own home improvement store,” co-founder Kevin Graham said. “This is very Austin — the Whole Foods version of a home improvement store.”

Products were selected after a careful, months-long vetting process that examines their performance, sustainability and impact on a user’s health and the manufacturer’s record of corporate responsibility.

“It’s a very intricate process that uses a database with a lot of questions,” co-founder Jason Ballard said. “Behind every product on the shelves, there’s some good-hearted person trying to save the earth.”

“We’re truth tellers and green promoters,” co-founder Evan Loomis said.

Check out their website here and learn more about their products and services.  I’m definitely curious to check it out!