The Green Grocer Bags Its Own Rewards

Some people believe that everything we do, every tiny interaction that we make, impacts our environment.

Let's, for a moment, consider a trip to the local grocery store. The simple act of purchasing a carrot, for example, seems pretty benign, but consider the carrot before it arrived in the produce section. 

Where did the carrot come from, exactly? Were pesticides or chemicals used?

Luckily, there are grocers who have gone through the daunting task of researching all of this information to make natural, organic and sustainable products available.

John Wood and Aly Marks-Wood, owners of The Green Grocer located at 934 East Main Road, are passionate about doing just that. It is their mission to provide the community with a wide selection of natural and organic products, all the while extending their knowledge and expertise to customers in a truly sincere and hospitable way. 

Awarded "Best Health Food Store" by Newport Life Magazine and "Best Natural Market" by Rhode Island Monthly, the Green Grocer has clearly garnered the support of the community.

The Green Grocer, open for more than three years, is reminiscent of a quaint Vermont country store. 

It's the kind of place that is completely contrary to the anonymity of shopping in large supermarkets. Visit the Green Grocer enough and you're sure to know the names of the sociable staff and they'll likely know yours, too. 

Like any market, the Green Grocer is divided into sections according to product, and carries just about anything one would want in their kitchen, in addition to things like cleaning products, holistic medicines and supplements, and beauty products. 

The only difference is that most of these products are natural or organic, meaning they are free of things like preservatives, hydrogenated oils or hormones.

Married couple John and Aly Woods, who have been living a natural and organic lifestyle for the last 20 years, operate their business with a vision to promote positive social and environmental change.

They do this by supporting companies, preferably independently owned, who maintain high-standards. Only companies who produce natural products sustainably, all the while staying "true to the original mission" are offered. 

In addition to nationally recognized companies like Stonyfield Farms Yogurt, Seventh Generation and Quorn, the Green Grocer carries a variety of local products.

"We are passionate about local products," said John Woods, who stocks products from local businesses like Aquidneck Farms on Wapping Road and Arruda's Dairy in Tiverton, which has been family run for last 80 years.

The Woods have lived in Portsmouth for more than six years and are the parents of two boys: Caleb, age 13, and Aden, 8.

The Green Grocer is open for business Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

For more information, please visit their Web site at www.thegreengrocerri.com for more information and recipes for a healthier lifestyle.