Earth Day takes place annually on April 22, but here in York County, several businesses and organizations engage in sustainable practices all year long. We’ve highlighted a few to help you support the greener businesses in our area.

Refillism new shop

  • Refillism is a refill and eco-friendly store on a mission to make eco-friendly products accessible and practical for everyday life. Refill a bottle you bring or fill a new bottle with eco-friendly household and beauty products. Shop online or in-store for unique, earth-loving reusable and zero waste everyday essentials.
  • 1881 Salt Sanctuary is a holistic wellness center offering dry salt therapy, massage therapy, and a retail space that includes an herbal apothecary, handmade jewelry, crystals and gemstones, and other unique gifts.
  • Timeline Arcade is the largest retro arcade in South Central Pennsylvania and beyond. We love to see those old machines find renewed life. Located in downtown York, it’s open seven days a week.

In Between Pages notebooks

  • In Between Pages, a massive used book store  in the Royal Square District, allows customers to trade in their gently-used books for store credit. The store also  creates notebooks out of old hardback book covers.
  • White Clover Family Farm has built a loyal following of shoppers looking for farm fresh, local products such as fresh salsa and jams, nitrate- and hormone-free meat, eggs, baked goods, and flowers. Items not raised on the farm are sourced from local farmers and small businesses.
  • Prince Street Café is a community-focused coffee shop located on Continental Square in downtown York. It’s a Certified B Corporation, meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Every coffee they serve is carefully selected for quality, taste, and sustainability — honoring the journey from farmer to roaster to cup.
  • York Fresh Food Farms provides access to fresh, affordable, locally-grown produce for downtown York residents in unique ways. They are on a mission to cultivate community health through agriculture, access, and affordability. Their nonprofit Mobile Produce Market sells produce harvested from their four-acre York City urban farm.
  • The Horn Farm Center is a bio-regional hub for discovery rooted in the land. Through a variety of classes, training programs, community events, on-site demonstrations, community gardens, and volunteer service learning events, they are connecting people with nature in fun and meaningful ways. 

York County Solid Waste Authority building

  • The York County Solid Waste Authority’s Resource Recovery Center is a waste-to-energy facility that uses garbage as fuel to produce steam to power a turbine to generate electricity. Walking tours of the facility include an overview of the process, plus stops at the Tipping Floor, the Turbine-Generator Room, and a mock Control Room.
  • The York County Parks Department acquires, develops, maintains, and preserves land for future generations to enjoy. Currently, more than 4,500 acres of parkland in 11 county parks provide enjoyment for residents and visitors. As stewards of York County’s park lands, they provide a diversity of natural areas to promote passive recreation, encourage safe and responsible use of park resources, and much more.

Check out these other businesses around York County actively engaged in eco-friendly practices:

  • Pantry Of Plenty Refillery – Low Waste Refill Shop
  • Dawg Gone Bees – Sustainable bee keeping
  • Grounding Coffee – Ethically-sourced coffee & natural/health-conscious menu items
  • Gather256 – Composting, reusing, and recycling in-house
  • Omega Ecycles – electronics recycling

Go Green in the City

The 18th Annual Go Green in the City takes place April 18 in downtown York. This fun, family-friendly festival organized by Downtown Inc celebrates green, healthy, and local living. You’ll find green-conscious businesses, artisans featuring natural or re-purposed materials, vendors offering hands-on activities and instructional demonstrations, non-profits focused on healthy and sustainable living, locally-sourced food vendors, urban gardeners, children’s activity providers, and more. If you’re passionate about sustainability and community, this event is for you.

 

If you visit any of the above locations and share photos to social media, please tag @ExploreYorkPA in your posts.

To learn about additional interesting locations around York County, request a York County Travel Guide to start planning a getaway today. For travel inspiration delivered to your inbox twice a month, sign up for Explore York’s Getaway Guide emails, where there is also a chance to win a prize in every issue.