THE GOOD FILL STORY

Living abroad for a short time opened my eyes to how hard people around the world work to provide for the United States. From food to clothing to goods, Americans are incredibly dependent on other countries to sustain our way of life. While volunteering with non-profits in Costa Rica, I met palm and banana farm workers who struggled to feed their families three meals a day. They worked long hours for about $20 a day, all to supply us with cheap bananas and palm oil.

When my husband and I returned to the U.S., we became increasingly aware of how our buying habits impact people and places globally. We committed to buying less, opting for used items, and choosing products that are consciously made or grown. And it was overwhelming.

Ultimately, we are all doing our best to support and provide for ourselves and our loved ones in the ways we know how. Most of us go through our days unaware that we should reconsider how our purchases may negatively affect the world around us. We tend to prioritize our own benefits when buying, often without considering the consequences. We're conditioned to buy, use, and dispose of things without much regard for the impact of our consumption. However, our purchases and voices shape the direction of entire industries!

The Good Fill is not just a shop for zero-waste products; it’s an invitation to live more thoughtfully, healthily, and responsibly. Living consciously of our impact shouldn’t feel overwhelming, which is why this space exists.

I want to challenge the notion that we lack time, money, convenience, or resources to break free from consumerism's grip. Despite the conveniences at our fingertips, it's no secret that we aren't the happiest people on the planet.

Consider the energy involved in creating just one product: the ingredients, where they're sourced, the people who grow and process them, and the disposable packaging used. When we learn to respect and value the creation process of all things, we become more willing to sacrifice time, money, and energy to challenge the "I need more, new, and better" mindset that fuels wasteful thinking.

The Good Fill provides sustainable alternatives for items we regularly use or discard. The store offers low-waste essentials—nothing more, nothing less. We all need to eat, use a toothbrush, and clean our bodies and homes, but we don’t need a million products or toxic, plastic ones!

I invite you to follow along! Please feel free to contact us with ideas, encouragement, concerns, product suggestions, or questions—I would love to hear from you!

With love,
Megan Gill