Let’s celebrate the earth everyday!
Earth Day first took place across American college campuses in 1970. The idea was sparked by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson’s concern for the deteriorating environment in USA. Today, 1 billion individuals in 190+ countries participate in the Earth Day movement each year. To learn more about the history click here.
At Tree Island Yogurt, we strive to celebrate the earth everyday. Our mission is to nourish our community by strengthening the local food system and promoting land stewardship.
“When you’re in business you need to understand your impact – for the community and planet. Sustainability is a guiding principle when we make decisions.” – Merissa Myles, Co-Founder of Tree Island Yogurt.
When creating our product, our goal is to care for the earth and reduce waste at every step. Here are some examples:
- MILK. We source our milk from cows raised on over 700 acres of grass pasture on Vancouver Island where farmers use no-till grass fed practices which helps build healthy soil.
- FRUIT. Last year, we sourced over 8,000 pounds of organic fruit for our yogurt recipes. We choose organic fruit for our products because we are committed to a world of agriculture that uses less pesticides and creates more soil health.
- WATER USAGE/HOT WATER RECIRCULATION. We conserve energy and save water by reusing the hot water from the boiler that heats the pasteurizer so that it can be used for second and third batches each day. We save 1300 litres of water per day!
- FOOD WASTE. We follow a pyramid of waste reduction: 1. Give to Humans that which is safe for consumption through our local Food Bank 2. Give to pigs by donating to local farmers 3. Give to soil by composting.
- PACKAGING. Our containers use 50% less plastic than conventional yogurt producers. We researched glass as an alternative, but it is heavier, has breakage and is not efficient to move around the food distribution system. We also provide bulk yogurt to various package-free grocery stores.
Small actions can have big impacts. The goal is always progress, not perfection.
Happy Earth Day
