Eco-shop opening draws Green crowd

Shetland Greens co-ordinator Debra Nicolson with Why Waste owner Natasha Maltby and Green co-leader Patrick Harvie in 2019.

Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie opened a new eco-friendly shop in Bolts shopping centre on Friday.

Why Waste? promotes eco-friendly and zero-waste products, and is the conception of owner Natasha Maltby, who previously opened a ethical eco pop-up shop in the same space last year.

Ms Maltby has sourced eco-friendly products such as re-usable sandwich wraps, stainless steel straws and bamboo toothbrushes to help Shetlanders to cut down on their plastic pollution.

She said that the refill station, which allows customers to refill bottles with items such as washing detergent, deodorant and toilet cleaner, had garnered interest already.

Ms Maltby started selling eco-friendly products around “a year and a half ago”, she said, having “never been that eco-minded” before.

She said that she was “raising awareness as the recycling came back” in Shetland, at a time when many Shetlanders were beginning to consider how they could cut down on their plastic waste.

She hoped the shop would “provide something for everyone,” she added.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie cut the ribbon to open the shop on Friday afternoon, and he said that he was “privileged” to be invited along to open the store.

The issue of “how can we create less waste” had been one that he was encountering more frequently, he said, and he hoped that this new shop would allow Shetlanders to make a conscious effort to reduce their plastic waste.

By-election candidate for the Green Party, Debra Nicolson, was also at the opening on Friday as the Green’s stepped up their election campaign in the week leading up to the election.