13 Sustainable Stays, Eats, Shops, and Experiences in Washington

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13 Sustainable Stays, Eats, Shops, and Experiences in Washington

Written by Christina Harris | November 2, 2020

*📷Jaclyn Yost. North Cascades, Washington.*

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Washington is buzzing with a fresh & exciting sustainable energy. You will find a bit of everything – from access to spectacular National Parks, to pristine eco getaways and even a plant based ice cream shop based in Seattle. Our favorite highlights include visiting the San Juan Islands to see wild orcas in their natural habitat and hiking the trails of Mount Rainier to the highest peak of the Cascade region. Talk about some memorable adventures.

Eco-Accommodations

Skamania Lodge

Price Range – $$$

Book this place

Doe Bay Resort & Retreat is located on untouched waterfront land on Orcas Island. This rustic retreat is off the beaten path and only one mile away from Moran State Park – one of the oldest and largest state parks in the country! This island is a haven known for a plethora of outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking and swimming. There is a “seed to table” cafe, yoga studio, spa and organic garden, along with other fantastic amenities on site. The Resort is aiming to be zero-waste by 2021, and you can read more about how to participate in their sustainable initiatives here. Doe Bay believes that “Magic Happens Here”, whether it be solo travel, an epic family reunion, or a simple trip enjoying slow days – come experience the magic of this icon of the Pacific Northwest!

Ace Hotel

Price Range – $$$

Book this place

Ace Hotel is a one of a kind hotel chain that focuses on embracing the cities they’re located in by being “energized, human and useful.” You can find this Ace Hotel in the heart of Belltown, within walking distance to the Space Needle, Pike Place Market and the Seattle Waterfront. This unique & boutique hotel has a trendy feeling with many green, eco friendly and sustainable initiatives in place. Ace uses salvaged wood from old homes for building and majority of the furniture is found – they even cover the bed headboards with vintage canvas made from recycled army ponchos! There is a food waste recycling system in place and the hotel’s food scraps are processed into mulch. Your stay at Ace Hotel will offer simple luxury – with everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Socially Responsible Eateries

Café Flora

Price Range – $$

Cafe Flora’s mission is simple: create a community driven space that serves outstanding vegetarian food while caring for the planet, by using local, organic & sustainable produce. Since the start of Cafe Flora they dreamed of building strong relationships with Washington farms. Along with Floret & The Flora Bakehouse, the three teams produce the best vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options throughout Seattle. The menu features modern and sophisticated meals that are inspired by international cuisines.

Homegrown

Price Range – $

Homegrown is doing everything it can to change the food system so that generations to come can live in greater harmony with the earth in the future. They are committed to “Growing with Purpose” by guaranteeing that their food is sustainably sourced and doing the best it can for the people, animals and land. Their storefronts are also designed to be as low impact as possible. Homegrown uses reclaimed & recycled building materials, energy efficient lighting, and there are no trash cans – only 100% compostable and recyclable products! The menu is slow food, served fast. Homegrown believes that something as simple as a sandwich can do big things in the world. There isn’t a part of their sandwiches that have not been thoughtfully crafted, and when you realize how many sandwiches are sold a day, you can really start to envision the positive change it makes on the food system! They call this idea “Sandwich Environmentalism” and it just doesn’t get more delicious than that.

Frankie & Jo’s

Price Range – $

Who doesn’t love a great scoop of ice cream? But did you know that your next scoop could be made entirely from plants? Even better! Frankie & Jo’s is making the world change the way we think about ice cream. All their flavors follow a process of creating by base, sugar and inclusions. They use housemade milks (with dairy & nut free options!), organic or alternative sugars, all add-ins are gluten free and 100% plant based, and their cones are homemade daily with fresh ingredients. This is a sweet treat that is both simple and nutritious. Frankie & Jo’s is making a positive impact on communities of people, animals and plants everywhere.

Plum Bistro

Social Enterprise Shopping

Moorea Seal

Price Range – $$

While shopping around Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood, be sure to stop in the beautifully designed flagship store of Moorea Seal. The store showcases handmade goods from 150 USA based designers. It carries lines in fashion apparel, jewelry, skincare products, stationary and more. Moorea Seal supports the community and believes strongly in giving back whenever they can. They are passionate about 5 main causes: “Women’s Rights, Children’s Needs, Environmental Issues, Health Issues and Animal Rights.” Visit the store or browse their collection online – you can even shop by cause on the website and they will donate 7% of the proceeds to a connected non profit! The shop is deliberately warm & inclusive for all are welcome here.

Fremont Vintage Mall

Source: Fremont Vintage Mall

Price Range – $$

This is the vintage mall of your dreams! Fremont Vintage Mall is one of Seattle’s premier vintage & antique shops. Located in the fun and quirky Fremont neighborhood, the shop features anything from art to collectibles to mid century furniture, and just about everything in between. Each item in the shop is being upcycled for a greater use! Exploring the shop will bring nostalgia and feel like stepping right back into your childhood. It is a well organized mess of everything from A to Z. If you love this type of shopping, you’ve come to the right place.

Ethical Experiences

Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching

Price Range – $$ – $$$

Explore this experience

Departing from San Juan Island, join one of Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching tours to experience orca whales in the wild. This tour is considered a “local favorite” for a reason. The crew is passionate about waters and wildlife in the San Juan Islands, and offers an experience that is informative, engaging, and memorable! Maya’s Legacy understands just how important the whales & wildlife are in this region and take the lead in conservation efforts on local, state and national levels. The team is actively involved in the Orca Task Force, salmon population restoration, and supports a variety of research & conservation organizations. You can book one of their experiences for any group size. They offer private charters, photography tours and all day whale and wildlife tours year round. This is an authentic Pacific Northwest experience that only happens once-in-a-lifetime…you won’t want to miss this during your visit.

North Cascades National Park

Price Range – $$

Explore this experience

North Cascades National Park is full of rugged beauty in mountain peaks, deep valleys, flowing waterfalls and over 300 glaciers – more than any other U.S. park outside of Alaska! You will witness a sensitive landscape that is home to the Earth’s changing climate. You can help take care of our stunning Cascades National Park, by going green during your trip. While planning your visit, consider the many options the park has to offer. You can hike some of the finest mountain country in North America, go boating, biking or wilderness mountaineering through the stunning scenery. You can find all of this and more in less than 3 hours outside of Seattle, and it’s just $35 for 7 whole days of exploring.

Olympic National Park

Source: National Park Foundation Price Range - $$ Explore this experience Do you love to explore nature and wilderness while traveling? Well, you’re in luck. Washington is just full of beautiful National Parks, and Olympic National Park is no exception. Known for its diverse wilderness that covers nearly a million acres of glacier capped mountains, the Pacific coast and a temperate rainforest; the park protects a wide variety of species, thousands of years of human history and ahandful of vastly different ecosystems. With all this beauty, comes responsibility from visitors. Olympic has many environmental initiatives in place for visitors to follow, such as understanding the park infrastructure, taking any trash you have with you, and reducing carbon emissions as you go. There are many ways to enjoy your time in the park , especially for water lovers and boating enthusiasts. With rivers, lakes and coasts, there are options for visitors to go paddling, boating, tidepooling and fishing. Or camp overnight in the park and spot wildlife like elk, black bears and maybe even whales in the water! There is something for everyone to enjoy during your visit and the week long $35 pass is available at Olympic as well. Mount Rainier — *Source: National Park Foundation*

**Price Range** – $$

Explore this experience

Do you love to explore nature and wilderness while traveling? Well, you’re in luck. Washington is just full of beautiful National Parks, and Olympic National Park is no exception. Known for its diverse wilderness that covers nearly a million acres of glacier capped mountains, the Pacific coast and a temperate rainforest; the park protects a wide variety of species, thousands of years of human history and ahandful of vastly different ecosystems. With all this beauty, comes responsibility from visitors. Olympic has many environmental initiatives in place for visitors to follow, such as understanding the park infrastructure, taking any trash you have with you, and reducing carbon emissions as you go. There are many ways to enjoy your time in the park, especially for water lovers and boating enthusiasts. With rivers, lakes and coasts, there are options for visitors to go paddling, boating, tidepooling and fishing. Or camp overnight in the park and spot wildlife like elk, black bears and maybe even whales in the water! There is something for everyone to enjoy during your visit and the week long $35 pass is available at Olympic as well.

**Mount Rainier**

Source: National Park Foundation Price Range - $$ Explore this experience Above the Washington landscape lies Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the Cascade Range. The iconic peak reaches almost 15,000 feet above sea level and is the most glaciated in the U.S. It’s still an active volcano, with wildflower meadows surrounding the bottom and a forest that covers the lower slopes. There are many opportunities to explore Mount Rainier’s natural beauty like scenic drives, hiking trails, chasing waterfalls and mountain climbing. Visitors can also consider spending a longer amount of time camping around the mountain grounds. This land is rich in cultural history, and for thousands of years tribal groups gathered here. Since then, areas of the park contribute to the National Historic Landmark District. The park’s environmental factors in air, water and fire are well maintained and protect the native plants and animal species. Explore from the incredible views on top to the great forest below in an adventure you are sure to never forget. — *Source:* *National Park Foundation*

**Price Range** – $$

Explore this experience

Above the Washington landscape lies Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the Cascade Range. The iconic peak reaches almost 15,000 feet above sea level and is the most glaciated in the U.S. It’s still an active volcano, with wildflower meadows surrounding the bottom and a forest that covers the lower slopes. There are many opportunities to explore Mount Rainier’s natural beauty like scenic drives, hiking trails, chasing waterfalls and mountain climbing. Visitors can also consider spending a longer amount of time camping around the mountain grounds. This land is rich in cultural history, and for thousands of years tribal groups gathered here. Since then, areas of the park contribute to the National Historic Landmark District. The park’s environmental factors in air, water and fire are well maintained and protect the native plants and animal species. Explore from the incredible views on top to the great forest below in an adventure you are sure to never forget.

meet the author

Christina Harris - Christina is the Sales & Event Coordinator at ecomadic. She holds a BA in Communications and Event Management and has worked in the travel industry for 3 years. She is a life enthusiast, passionate about travel and people. When she's not working, you can find her staying active, with a coffee in hand or near the ocean. — **Christina Harris**

Christina is the Sales & Event Coordinator at ecomadic. She holds a BA in Communications and Event Management and has worked in the travel industry for 3 years. She is a life enthusiast, passionate about travel and people. When she’s not working, you can find her staying active, with a coffee in hand or near the ocean.

Screen Shot 2020-11-02 at 1.25.29 PM.png — **Christina Harris**

Christina is the Sales & Event Coordinator at ecomadic. She holds a BA in Communications and Event Management and has worked in the travel industry for 3 years. She is a life enthusiast, passionate about travel and people. When she’s not working, you can find her staying active, with a coffee in hand or near the ocean.

5 Indigenous Influencers to Follow

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5 Indigenous Influencers To Follow

Written by Felicity Zhang | November 2, 2020

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Since it’s proposal in 1977, Indigenous Peoples’ Day has grown rapidly, with more cities (and whole states) recognizing the importance of a day to acknowledge the resilience and history of Indigenous people. Though initially proposed in 1977 at a UN conference, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first observed in South Dakota in 1989.

To date, 14 states— Alabama, Alaska, Hawai’i, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin—and the District of Columbia, more than 130 cities, and growing numbers of school districts and college campuses celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in place of or in addition to Columbus Day.

To make Indigenous People’s Day last longer than October 12th, we’ve gathered 5 of our favorite Indigenous influencers so you can add them to your feed, learn from them, and amplify their voices.

Andrea Perez (@for_the_love_of_earth)

Andrea is an Indigenous environmental scientist based in California, passionate about protecting and advocating for Indigenous lands. She is raising awareness about Wirikuta, a sacred land to the Pueblo Wixarika among others; 78 concessions have been sold to First Majestic Silver Corp for mining. Follow on Instagram to support Andrea’s mission for environmental conservation!

2. Nikita Elyse (@nikitaelyse)

Nikita Kahpeaysewat is a Nehiyaw person from Moosomin First Nation and a third year environmental science student, focusing on improving water quality in Indigenous communities. On her page, she talks all things environment, Indigenous culture, and beauty. Follow her on Instagram to learn more about how she shares her culture with others through beauty and education.

3. Tia Wood (@tiamiscihk)

Tia is a TikToker, singer and influencer based in Canada who is Plains Cree and Salish. Her videos embody aspects of Indigenous culture, songs and popular TikTok trends, as well as showcasing her own family. Follow her on Instagram and TikTok to keep up with Tia’s content.

4. Frank Waln (@frankwaln)

Frank Waln is a Sicangu Lakota rapper and musician who has been awarded three Native American Music Awards and received five nominations, both alone and with his group Nake Nula Waun. Waln grew up on the Rosebud Indian Reservation and first began listening to hip-hop as a teenager. His new flute single, “Hope”, is now streaming on all platforms. Follow him on Spotify, Patreon and Instagram to never miss a new release.

5. James Jones (@notoriouscree)

James’ TikTok is both educational and hilarious– he shows different aspects of Indigenous food, dancing and style. James is Tall Cree First Nation, and he aims to inspire others with his embracement of his heritage online, whether it be his famous hoop-dancing or Q & A about what not to do on Halloween as a non-native. Hoop dancing is an Indigenous healing dance, where each hoop represents honoring the circle of life. In 2019, James was even a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance Canada– follow him on TikTok and Instagram to keep up with his dancing!

Like many holidays in 2020, Indigenous Peoples’ Day has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many large tribe celebrations have been postponed, but online hubs for Native Americans do exist to commemorate the holiday. Other ways to show your support for the Indigenous population can include attending an online class on Native American history, listening to music by a native artist, filling your social media feed with Indigenous influencers, or learning about the history of the land that you occupy.

A big part of being a sustainable traveler is being aware of customs and culture– in America, this can mean recognizing that history didn’t begin in the 1700’s, no matter what you learned in school. We must think about what celebrating Columbus really means, and how it discounts the history of Indigenous people who had lived in North America for centuries before.

meet the author

Felicity Zhang - Felicity is a student at George Washington University, studying Marketing and International business. She’s originally from Seattle and her nationality is Canadian. She’s always been passionate about sustainable fashion and tourism. Apart from school, she plays on the women’s varsity ultimate frisbee team and educates herself on film photography. — **Felicity Zhang**

Felicity is a student at George Washington University, studying Marketing and International business. She’s originally from Seattle and her nationality is Canadian. She’s always been passionate about sustainable fashion and tourism. Apart from school, she plays on the women’s varsity ultimate frisbee team and educates herself on film photography.

Screen Shot 2020-11-02 at 6.34.48 PM.png — **Felicity Zhang**

Felicity is a student at George Washington University, studying Marketing and International business. She’s originally from Seattle and her nationality is Canadian. She’s always been passionate about sustainable fashion and tourism. Apart from school, she plays on the women’s varsity ultimate frisbee team and educates herself on film photography.

Meet Shammi– Founder of Travel4Purpose

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Meet Shammi– Founder of Travel4Purpose

November 2, 2020.

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ecomadic has been working with Shammi– founder of Travel4Purpose to create a mini-documentary on the Kenya Wildfires. She was able to interview park rangers who are fighting fires on the ground. At ecomadic, we’re super inspired by Shammi, her activism and her drive to run Travel4Purpose.

To learn more about the wildfires, click here and read on for a Q&A session with Shammi about her mindful company.

Shammi is a smiley upbeat girl with a vision. She was born in Mombasa, Kenya and then moved to London, UK with her family at the age of 6. After 20+ years of following the social norm; school, university, 9-5 corporate job, saving to buy a house, etc., she decided to align with her purpose and create a dream company that combines impact and travel.

How did you decide to begin Travel4Purpose?

I noticed the negative impact over-tourism was having on the environment, cultures and local people. I absolutely love traveling and started seeking more sustainable ways to do so. Travel4Purpose was then born – with a mission to travel more sustainably and create a positive impact within the host country, while benefiting as a traveller by aligning to your purpose!

How does T4P support sustainable travel and local communities?

All our experiences and trips create a positive impact. We work closely with local communities to ensure they directly benefit both on a monetary and knowledge sharing basis. Every experience taken through T4P we carbon offset, while ensuring sustainable practices are used. Even if you do not take a trip with us, we are constantly sharing tips and tricks on our social media and website to travel more sustainably and with more of a purpose! It’s a game changer, I tell ya.

What do you look for in your partners?

That our values align – it’s so key. Also fellows you can have a good laugh with doesn’t harm!

What should a traveller expect when you plan their experience?

We have pre-planned experiences but also totally custom-made ones. So literally, anything and everything! We are focused on purpose-led travel, therefore features that align with the individual can be curated and implemented. Overall, the traveller should expect an authentic, impactful and joyful experience that they’ll never forget!

Who are some of the eco-enterprises you coordinate with?

Eco-lodges in national parks, eco-camps and eco-experiences that give back to nature. We’re all about that eco lifestyle.

What is the T4P philosophy?

Connect, Grow and Smile. Our ultimate aim is simply to create more smiles, show us those white teeth!

What are your goals & visions looking ahead?

We have 3 parts to T4P: the travel experiences, our rafikis and the blog. I hope T4P will be able to raise awareness regarding more sustainable and meaningful travel. But also really make a positive difference to numerous lives, both travelers and local people within the visiting country. Finally, I hope to see many more smiles – keep smilin’ Rafikis.

10 Sustainable Stays, Eats, Shops, and Experiences in Montana

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10 Sustainable Stays, Eats, Shops, and Experiences in Montana

Written by Christina Harris | October 27, 2020

*📷Jaclyn Yost. Glacier National Park, Montana.*

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If you love to spend your holiday surrounded by the great outdoors & under big open skies – look no further than Montana. Between the National Parks, secluded cabin stays and trendy city hubs filled with great coffee and upcycled shopping – there is something for everyone to enjoy! Here are a few of our favorites.