The Story of Acorns

Acorns are a majestic little nut that are quite symbolic. Acorns appear on only fully matured oak trees. As the acorns ripen in the autumn, they fall to the ground below the oak tree where most of them will be consumed or cached by wildlife to eat throughout the coming winter months. However, a few acorns will survive and the following spring, using the nourishment from the acorn seed, will sprout into a new oak seedling. Over many, many years this seedling may persevere to become a mature oak tree. Because of the process of becoming a magnificent oak tree from one single acorn, acorns often symbolize hard work, patience, and perseverence as well as good luck, prosperity, youthfulness, power, and spiritual growth.  

The Story of Becoming ACORN eco-boutique

"ACORN eco-boutique" began as a name to symbolize a budding new eco store and entrepreneur with many goals, dreams, and a bright future ahead. Amy Wilker opened the doors to ACORN eco-boutique in July 2010, with much support and love from family and friends. Upon opening the little shop, its was known that hard work, patience, and perserverence would be required, just like the acorn! The goal was that each day, ACORN would be improved in some way; this goal is still with us today. 

ACORN eco-boutique continues to embody many of the symbolisms of the acorn, including hard work, patience, and perserverence as the store continues to grow, change, overcome challenges, enjoy successes, and appreciate the environment around us that continues to shape us and our store. However, now we can also say that ACORN eco-boutique also embodies the symbolisms of good luck and prosperity with wonderful customers and opportunities falling upon us, youthfulness in that we can enjoy each day and live it to the fullest, and power in that we believe in what we are doing and in turn are making positive environmental impacts and inspiring others to do the same. 

The story of ACORN eco-boutique continues to be written with each day and we are excited for what is to come. We look forward to a wonderful rest of 2011 and are ecstatic about everything to come in 2012! Stay tuned, because we know that you too will be excited! You are our supporters, motivators, inspirers, and educators and we are more than thankful for each of you!

A little bit about what you will find at our shop!

ACORN eco-boutique is dedicated to providing environmentally friendly products for you, your family, home and office including nature inspired jewelry, stationery, school and office supplies, food storage products, natural cleaning products, a wide array of beautiful and fun greeting cards, children’s plush toys, local Lumsden products, and many other great products! Our goal is to make eco-friendly products the norm, not just an alternative.

The boutique is located in the historic Lumsden Plaza building in Lumsden, Saskatchewan. The town of Lumsden is nestled in the rolling hills of the Qu’Appelle Valley, just a 15 minute drive from the city of Regina, Saskatchewan. The boutique shares the building with three other shops. 

The boutique is owned and operated by Amy Wilker, a local Lumsden resident. Amy grew up in the rural Regina area, surrounded by the beautiful Qu'Appelle Valley and Last Mountain Lake. She attended secondary school in Lumsden where her interest in the environment and outdoors grew. Upon graduation from Lumsden High School, Amy ventured to Edmonton, Alberta to complete her degree in Environmental and Conservation Sciences, majoring in Conservation Biology. After completing her degree and working in her field of study in Edmonton, she was drawn back to her roots in Saskatchewan and has now started ACORN eco-boutique!

Goals of ACORN eco-boutique:

- To make sustainable lifestyles the norm and not just an alternative

- To provide access to and education on environmentally friendly products and lifestyles for visitors at the Lumsden retail store as well as those throughout Saskatchewan, Canada and the USA, from rural communities to large urban centres, through our website and online store

- To expand and grow with our market to meet their eco-lifestyle needs

- To provide the best customer service possible to both in store and online customers through product knowledge, information materials, and a friendly atmosphere

- To support other "green" businesses and entrepreneurs in creating sustainable employment and products

- To choose products that have as many of the following characteristics as possible:

1.  Made from recycled, renewable, natural, organic, and/or biodegradable materials;

2.  Inspire being outdoors, conservation, and environmental awareness;

3.  Support social initiatives;

4.  Promote re-using rather than simply disposing;

5.  Have limited packaging and processing; and/or

6.  Made locally.

 Other Green Traits of ACORN eco-boutique:

- We reuse most boxes and shipping materials for online orders. If we must purchase other sized boxes, we ensure they are made of recycled materials. Shipping materials that we cannot reuse are recycled at the local Lumsden recycling depot.

- We recycle all packaging and materials possible. Any materials that cannot be recycled or composted are disposed of in biodegradable bags.

- All eco-cleaners are used to clean our store.

- We minimize power and energy consumption by turning on our lighting only when natural lighting is insufficient and use energy efficient bulbs. We also keep our electronics plugged into power bars which are all turned off at the end of each day to ensure no phantom power is consumed.

- We use 100% recycled paper for shopping bags, printer paper, business cards, posters, and any other promotional materials.

- We use eco office supplies that we sell at our store.

- During renovations and upgrades, we use all recycled paints and other recycled materials where possible.

- We are a member of 1% for the Planet. Members of 1% contribute one percent of revenues directly to any of the approved non-profit environmental organizations in 1%’s network. Non-profits are chosen based on referrals, track record and environmental focus. Over 1,600 non-profits worldwide are included in the 1% program. As a network, the 1% community has become a global frontrunner in funding the work of environmental groups around the world. To learn more about 1% go to: www.onepercentfortheplanet.org.