Featured Evanstonians: Owners Of Eco & The Flamingo

Evanston IL

28 March, 2022

1:02 PM

Description

In honor of Women's History Month, we're featuring two best friends who have made history by opening the first zero-waste business in Evanston! Jackie MacCartie and Bethany Barbouti are the co-owners of Eco & The Flamingo, a new zero waste general store in Evanston with a mission to reduce waste in the community. After opening their first location in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood, the pair was approached by the City of Evanston's Sustainability Office and Economic Development Division to encourage them to open a second location in Evanston's downtown area. Drawn in by Evanston's sustainability mindset, Jackie and Bethany decided this would be the perfect community for them to expand their business. In 2022, they opened their second store location at 1551 Sherman Ave. Eco & The Flamingo strives to provide the most environmentally responsible options for their products and operations. The store prioritizes plastic and package-free goods and avoids all materials which are detrimental to the planet. They focus on the reduction of packaging by offering bulk refillable products, including bath and body items, health and beauty items, home cleaning items, coffees and teas, herbs, spices, salts and seeds as well as dry foods, oils and vinegars. Shoppers are encouraged to bring in older containers and reuse them when refilling. From a young age, Jackie and Bethany decided they wanted to work together one day by starting their own business. The pair grew up together in Des Plaines, attended the same school and shared an interest in sustainability. While studying in Europe in college, Bethany noticed zero waste stores popping up in local business communities and was inspired to bring this concept to Chicago when she returned to the U.S. After reaching out to Jackie, the two decided to open their own store in 2019. Bethany serves as a co-founder and head of administration and development and Jackie serves as a co-founder and director of operations. "We want our store to be for everyone - those who don't understand this concept and those who are looking for a community in the sustainability world," said Jackie. "Come and visit us and see what our zero waste mindset is all about!" Jackie is a prolific artist and holds a degree in the arts. Her main focus and passion is glass art, but she is highly skilled in various artistic mediums. She also has years of experience and robust knowledge in organically grown food products with a focus on tea and coffee, as well as farm-to-table and fine dining. Bethany has worked in data analysis for the US government, and in the humanitarian aid field as a researcher at the UN World Food Program and as a project manager overseeing agricultural and livelihood restoration projects in the Middle East. She holds a master's degree in Sustainable Food Studies. Learn more about Eco & The Flamingo at ecoandtheflamingo.com This press release was produced by the City of Evanston. The views expressed here are the author's own.