Possibly our biggest commitment to sustainability is our decision to only source and sell organic teas and herbs. We believe organic agriculture is more sustainable for all living things, for our air, and for our water. Our operation is certified organic by Global Organic Alliance, so our customers can rest assured that the organic integrity of our teas and herbs have been preserved from crop to cup. Global Organic Alliance based in Ohio, was established in 1997 and maintains ISO 17065 and USDA & Canada accreditation.
For more information on our commitment to organics, visit our Organics page.
OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
At Arbor Teas, our daily mission is to find the world's most fantastic organic teas and deliver them to you as sustainably as possible. This is a process that we are always working to improve, envisioning a tea leaf that happily moves through its entire life cycle creating a healthier world and healthier you.
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SUSTAINABILITY AT THE SOURCE
- Organic Farming & Bio Dynamic Farming
- Low Water Intensive Crop
- Tea & Climate Change
- Domestic Sourcing Program
Perhaps our most important decision is to only source tea and herbs that are certified organic. This choice has the greatest impact on lowering the carbon footprint of your tea leaf and promoting sustainability.
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
- Sea Freight for Overseas Teas & Herbs
- Ground Transportation for Domestic Herbs
- Offset Carbon Emissions with Carbon Fund
We've teamed up with Carbon Fund to offset the carbon emissions created in the transportation of your tea from its source to the Arbor Teas facility.
SUSTAINABLE FACILITY
- Solar Powered Packaging Facility
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Materials
- Compost Bio-Waste
- Green Currents Participant
- Minimal Printing
We've installed solar panels at our facility and participate in DTE Energy's GreenCurrents program, which further promotes the generation of energy from renewable sources.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
- Backyard Compostable Packaging
- Cellulose Material from Managed Forests
- Over 90% Renewable Raw Material
- Light Material Requires Less Energy Input
- No Tea Bags
Arbor Teas is the first and only tea company to deliver its full line of organic loose teas in 100% backyard compostable packaging. In doing so, we've significantly reduced both the carbon emissions and waste stream associated with our products.
SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING
- USPS & UPS Ground Transportation
- Avoid Air Transit
- Emissions Offset with Carbon Fund
- Post Consumer Waste Shipping Materials
- Recycle Shipping Materials
We've teamed up with Carbon Fund to offset the carbon emissions created in the transportation of your tea from its source to the Arbor Teas facility.
SUSTAINABLE HOME
- Choose No-Waste Tea Alternatives
- Use Less Water & Energy to Prepare Tea
- Compost Used Tea Leaves & Packaging
- Drink Tea, an Energy-Efficient Beverage
- Never Stop Improving
When you choose Arbor Teas, you support a sustainable, no-waste alternative that allows you to compost your used tea leaves and packaging with no waste.
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SUSTAINABLE PARTNERS
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SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES & TEA
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ECO-FRIENDLY BREWING TIPS
Arbor Teas is built on a passion for amazing tea
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Global Organic Alliance
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CarbonFund.org
We’ve taken a number of steps to minimize our contribution to global climate change, like offering exclusively organic teas, prioritizing sea freight for overseas shipments, powering our facility with solar panels, using backyard compostable packaging, and supporting green energy. Despite these actions, our business continues to generate a certain amount of carbon emissions that we just can’t avoid (yet).
Until we can eliminate these carbon emissions entirely, we’ve teamed up with CarbonFund.org to offset them by promoting green energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation. We agree wholeheartedly with Carbon Fund’s motto:
"Reduce what you can, offset what you can’t."
For more information about carbon offsetting, visit www.CarbonFund.org.
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Fair Trade USA
We believe that we have a responsibility to support a higher standard of living and a sustainable future for the individuals who bring us our products. For this reason, Arbor Teas is committed to offering one of the widest selections of Fair Trade Certified® loose leaf teas available, and we celebrate the Fair Trade Certified® Communities from which they originate.
Fair Trade Certification verifies and acknowledges the commitment of these producers to meeting internationally recognized Fair Trade standards, which include:- Wages that meet or exceed legally established minimums
- Absence of forced or child labor
- Freedom of association and organization
- Safe working conditions, including protection from exposure to harmful agrochemicals
- Adherence to national and international labor protections, including those established by the International Labor Organization of the United Nations and, in India, by the Plantation Labor Act
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Green America
Arbor Teas is a gold member of Green America's Green Business Network! The Green Business Network is the green business program of Green America, the nation's leading non-profit educator on socially and environmentally responsible consumption and investing. Green America’s mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, businesses and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. Companies are only eligible for membership in the Green Business Network™ if they are found to be:
- Using business as a tool for social change
- "Values-driven," not simply profit-driven
- Socially and environmentally responsible in the way they source, manufacture, and market their products, and run their offices and factories
- Committed to and employing extraordinary and innovative practices that benefit workers, communities, customers, and the environment.
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International Green Industry Hall of Fame (IGIHOF)
In 2014, Arbor Teas had the special honor of being inducted into the International Green Industry Hall of Fame. The International Green Industry Hall of Fame, is a non-profit based in California that recognizes individuals and organizations committed to creating a better environment through green practices. After a blind nomination process and a review by their Board of Directors, Arbor Teas was selected for conducting our small business with a genuine commitment to environmental stewardship. Other inductees that year included the likes of Interface, Roz Savage, URBEE, Nest, and many more - talk about honorable company!
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The Green Panel
In 2017, Arbor Teas partnered with The Green Panel to install 19 American-made solar panels on our warehouse. Scaled and sized specifically to accommodate all of our energy consumption, we are intent on reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. We believe in the benefits of solar energy and are proud to be using renewable energy. Thanks to The Green Panel, a local solar company in our home state of Michigan, we are now able to run an even cleaner and more energy efficient business.
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Washtenaw County Waste Knot Program
Arbor Teas became a partner of the Washtenaw County Waste Knot Program in 2008. The Waste Knot Program is a collection of businesses, schools, government agencies, and non-profit organizations committed to reducing waste and protecting the environment. The Waste Knot program aims to develop relationships within the Washtenaw County business community to increase waste reduction and recycling activities. To achieve its mission, the Waste Knot Program provides community-wide recognition and organization-based technical assistance along with value-added education to organizations that exhibit leadership in waste reduction and recycling or to organizations that desire to become leaders in waste reduction and recycling.
