Where can we reduce our impact on the planet?

It’s a question we ask ourselves quite often. As a result, many areas of our operations have had much positive change over the years.   And good news! Our efforts have been recognized as we've been identified as a sustainability leader in the Portland area--check out our 2010 BEST Award. 

Read about our 2009 sustainability highlights or see below for some examples of things we've done:

• We recently converted all our facilities to energy-efficient lighting. Not only did we cut our annual use of lighting in half, we reduced our CO2 emissions by nearly 500 tons a year.
   
• By helping farmers make the transition to organic, we’ve prevented tons of dangerous fertilizers and pesticides from being introduced into the soil and waterways.
   
• Each month we recycle tons and tons of cardboard, plastic and other materials. We also compost a great deal of organic waste.
   
• Every year, we convert several million pounds of Okara, a by-product of our soymilk making process, into a highly nutritious dairy cow feed.
   
• We use aseptic packaging because even the most perishable foods stay fresh, tasty and nutritious for months without preservatives or energy intensive refrigeration. Aseptic packaging doesn’t require as many raw materials to create, which reduces the amount energy needed to process and ship. And it’s recyclable in many places around the country. To learn more about aseptic packaging, visit Tetra Pak or the Aseptic Packaging Council.

We believe that we have an obligation to leave the world a better place. We’re not there yet, but every time we find a way to reduce our impact on the planet it’s exciting and has the added benefit of improving quality while reducing costs.