Earlier this summer, The Future of Ginseng and Forest Botanicals Symposium was held on the beautiful Monongahela River in Morgantown, West Virginia. This critical event was organized by Dr. Susan Leopold, Executive Director of the nonprofit United Plant Savers, and we were pleased to be in attendance.

Since our beginnings in 1987, Mountain Rose Herbs has been committed to supporting farmers who cultivate herbs without the use of synthetic chemicals. We seek out and foster relationships with farmers who operate in an ethically and environmentally responsible manner. In particular, our farmers support organic and sustainable agriculture, just like us! All of our crops are cultivated organically, without chemicals, and/or are consciously wildharvested. One of the most critically important components is ... soil!

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we put a lot of thought into sourcing, crafting, and delivering our customers the finest organic, non-GMO, and fair trade botanicals from across the globe. What good are consciously sourced products if they're not packaged in equally sustainable materials? We make sure we are using the best available sustainable packaging materials in order to reduce our environmental impact and leave a smaller carbon footprint.

Berries are ripe, flowers are blooming, and my vegetable garden is in full swing. I feel so blessed to live in Eugene, Oregon, especially in the summer when the sun is shining and everything is bursting with life! Everywhere I look something is growing or ready to harvest. The Native Plant Nursery, managed by the Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah, is no exception.

In late 2013, I came across an inspiring article from EarthShare about Green Teams. The idea is that a group of employees come together to have candid conservations and brainstorm creative ways to improve their sustainable business practices. I immediately saw the benefit for Mountain Rose Herbs to create our own Green Team, and in March 2014 we held our first meeting!

Buzzwords are everywhere these days and “sustainability” is right there at the top of the list. But what does it mean to use sustainable business practices? It’s often defined by the triple bottom line – people, planet, and profit – a term coined by author and entrepreneur, John Elkington, in 1994. Elkington believes in corporate responsibility, sustainable development, and looking at the full cost of doing business.

Interested in becoming an environmental champion and moving towards a zero waste lifestyle? The first step is to adopt the practices of a Master Recycler!

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we are so grateful for all of the pollinators in our lives, globally and locally. Our business literally exists on the backs of the bees and other lesser-known pollinators. And as suppliers of herbs, spices, and other botanical goods, we intimately understand that 75% of the world’s agricultural products depend on at least one pollinator, which is one reason why we're passionately committed to organic agriculture. June is Pollinator Month, and we’re honored to celebrate and raise awareness about the plight of the pollinators.

Earth Day is almost upon us, and I’ve already heard about all kinds of activities like tree plantings, the March for Science in D.C., river clean-ups, and community garden workdays. April 22 has become a globally-recognized holiday to celebrate the natural environment, raise eco-awareness, and create positive change for the environmental movement. Have you decided what you’re going to do for Earth Day?

We are so passionate about organic agriculture and quality herbs that we make regular trips to visit our growers. And we always have a blast! Not only does it expand our understanding of our farmers and what we can do to support them, but it also gives us a chance to make sure that the highest quality processing starts before the goods arrive at our facility. This time around, we got to go behind-the-scenes to see how our amazing hydrosols are made.

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we do everything we can to reduce our energy consumption. From powering our facilities with a 100-panel solar array to supporting our local utility’s Greenpower program. However, despite our hard work, we still end up releasing some greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.