New MilkCrate Philly App: “The Yelp of Sustainability”


Photo via Facebook

Photo via Facebook

If you refuse to stock your pantry with coffee that isn’t 100 percent organic and fair-trade certified, then it only makes sense that when you’re out on the town you’d want to get the same kind of high-quality, eco-friendly brew. But the thing is, finding a coffee shop that cares about all the same stuff you do can be tough. (And when you’re facing a mean case of caffeine withdrawal, finding anything is pretty much impossible.) But thanks to the new app MilkCrate Philly, it looks like tracking down an eco-friendly coffee shop—or any sustainable shop, for that matter—near you is about to get a whole lot easier.

The folks over at Green Philly Blog sat down with MilkCrate Philly founder Morgan Berman to find out what this new app, described as “the Yelp of sustainability,” is all about. And I’ve got to say, it looks pretty freakin’ awesome.

Here’s the deal: Berman, a sustainably-minded Fairmount resident, got tired of constantly Google-searching for eco-friendly businesses in her area. Frustrated with the lack of resources in this realm, she decided to fill the void: She came up with an app that allows users to search for sustainable spots in Philadelphia by location, type of business and keyword, covering everything from transportation to bars to green spaces. And of course, coffee shops, too.

Berman gauges a business’ MilkCrate-worthiness by evaluating factors like, is this local business a member of the SBN (the Sustainable Business Network)? Does this café serve vegan or vegetarian grub? Does this shop sell locally made goods? Does this business use renewable energy? And more. So far, the app incorporates a whopping 1660 Philadelphia businesses. Pretty useful, huh?

Although MilkCrate Philly is still in the production stages, it doesn’t look like we’ll have to wait too much longer to get our hands on this handy resource: Berman predicts a late-summer debut. Eeeeee! Until then, I guess we’ll just have to keep Googling away. Find out more about this awesome new app here.

Like what you’re reading? Experience Be Well Philly live at Be Well Philly Boot Camp fitness fest on June 7th!