Ah, sweet Karma Cream, a wonderland of freshly baked cupcakes, potent iced coffee and a case full of cold ice cream.
Karma Cream is a Gainesville staple that boasts both delicious treats and a warm, earthy ambiance. From late-night study groups to afternoon pastry dates, the shop welcomes customers from all over the area.
The beloved local coffee shop is more than just a place to satisfy a sweet tooth or catch up with friends, however, it’s a major hub of the Gainesville sustainability movement.
Karma Cream’s owner, Kyle Fick, works hard to make sure every facet of the restaurant is eco-friendly in some way. From use of glass bowls and metal spoons to the organic beer and vegan baked goods, the restaurant is a shining local example of a small business prioritizing sustainability over profit.
When Karma Cream opened in 2009, Fick vowed to run a restaurant with a sense of responsibility to the environment. He decided not to cut corners, especially when it came to disposal, recycling and ingredients. With the ingredients and supplies at Karma Cream costing much more than their conventional counterparts, committing to sustainability wasn’t necessarily the easiest financial choice.
“The overhead is much higher. Produce, milk…those things cost two to five times more than conventionally sourced ingredients. Same with to-go supplies,” Fick said. “We figured it was going to be an uphill battle.”
Nevertheless, a strong customer base has kept Karma Cream thriving.
“I think the community recognized what we were doing and we were able to bring in enough (people) to have a sustainable business,” Fick said.
Karma Cream exists as proof that sustainability and business can coexist. Its customers not only get to enjoy delicious treats, but are also, knowingly or unknowingly, helping the cause of sustainability with every baked good, sandwich or iced coffee they purchase, even if it means a few extra dollars.
Via: @Karma_Cream
“There’s hidden costs when you buy something super cheap,” Fick said. “Someone’s going to pay, whether it’s an animal, the environment or people. You’re kicking the can down the road.”
It’s easy to express concern for the environment and then not actually make any changes in our daily lives. The concepts of environmentalism and sustainability are sometimes mired in scientific jargon and have the reputation of being full of gloom-and-doom extremists. But places like Karma Cream remind us that sustainability is attainable, not just in reputation, but in practice.
“I believe you should be an example of what you want to see in the world,” Fick said. “If everyone took the sustainable approach to life, we could change the world.”
As for me? I’ll do my part by always ordering the vegan cookie dough topping on my Karma Cream ice cream. After all, every little bit helps.
