We've Done It - Our 2021 Eco Pledge

We came, we pledged, we conquered.

eco single serve packaging

Trying to be an eco-friendly tea company is a big part of why Bird & Blend exists and has always been part of founders Krisi and Mike's' decision making. Our Eco Pledges help us stay on track to be a little more environmentally friendly each year. 

Our Eco Pledge 2021

At the start of 2021 we made some pledges to make eco changes:

1. Make our packaging 100% compostable and plastic free

2. Become carbon neutral

Eco Pledge Update - January 2022

As we all know, 2021 wasn't a usual year. We were delighted to get back open after the Covid-19 pandemic but, of course, it was a challenge to get to grips with the new normal. 

If that wasn't enough we decided to open 4 new stores, continued to release exciting new products, collaborate with amazing independent makers, and safely host events across the country!

Even with all of this going on we will found time to reach our 2021 Eco Pledge goal and we're super proud to give you an update.

New Pouches, Not New Tea

🥳🎉 We've got new compostable tea pouches 🎉🥳

The same great tea that you know and love, now comes in *ALL NEW* packaging! This project has been nearly 4 years in the making and we're ecstatic to have created a solution!

Four things you need to know about our new pouches:

  • They contain no plastic!
  • They are made from paper and plants like eucalyptus and corn starch!
  • They can go in your home compost or local green waste collection!
  • They break down into biomass, water, and CO2!
eco packaging group
♻ Our New Pouches Can Be Composted Not Recycled

Where can you put your pouch?

  • Home composter (if you're lucky enough to have one)
  • Food or green waste collection (check with your local council)
  • Specific compostable packaging collection (these are a rare occurrence)

Top tip! For quicker results cut the pouch up into small pieces ✂✂

Click here to find out what can be recycled with your local council.

Did you know that 97% of councils have food waste collection options!

Don't forget to take off the label as we're still working on making compostable labels! 

For more info on our compostable pouch and what to do with it, check our this blog. 

Introducing... Even Eco-Friendlier Tins!

🌞 Our new tins are manufactured in the UK using solar power! 🌞

Not only are the tins produced in an eco way, they're embossed with a friendly reminder that "metal recycles forever".

Metal tin eco facts:

  • It takes 95% less energy to be recycled!
  • When recycled the function and quality of the material isn't lost!
  • It can easily be upcycled due to the durability of the material!
  • 80% of metal produced is still in use today!
  • Recycling rates of metal have risen from 20% to 75% in the last 20 years!

This new supplier isn't just eco, they're also one of the oldest (and only) family run tin manufacturers in London. The original business was started in 1857 and is still run by the same family!

Carbon Neutral

🥳🌳 Bird & Blend is now carbon neutral 🌳🥳

Bird & Blend is carbon neutral

What does it mean to be carbon neutral?

1. We calculated all the emissions that our business emits (from delivering tea to turning the lights on).

2. We then purchased carbon offsets (paying money into projects that suck carbon out of the atmosphere!). So essentially, we're kind of paying to remove the carbon out of the air that we emit just from doing day to day business.

You can't just purchase any old offsets from any old company. You need to know that the money you're paying is going to approved projects, ones that actually remove the amount of carbon dioxide they are claiming to.

So we partnered with Ecologi to fund climate projects. Ecologi's carbon offsets are the highest level of Gold Standard approved (this is an internationally recognised committee who approve carbon offsets).

🏭 From 2019 to 2020 we emitted 129 tonnes of COZ-e* 🏭

🌳 Our carbon offsetting helped remove 100 tonnes of CO2 by paying to protect the Amazon rainforest from deforestation 🌳

We have so far planted 280,583 via tea for trees! 

🌳 We helped to remove 30 tonnes of CO2 by funding wind power generation in Vietnam 🌳

* What is CO2-e? - this is a carbon dioxide equivalent. Most activities emit different greenhouse gases (like methane or sulphur dioxide) but it is converted to a CO2 equivalent so that we have one metric. 

The Maths: 129 tonnes of CO2 emitted by Bird & Blend + 130 tonnes of CO2 removed through climate projects = -1 tonnes of CO2

= Bird & Blend is CARBON NEUTRAL!

Why go carbon neutral? And why now?

Krisi and Mike, our Bird & Blend founders, have always kept the environment high in their priority list, so eco-friendly products and initiatives have been (and always will be) a natural part of how we run as a business. 

But in 2021, with coming out of a pandemic and understanding that although we are proud of the eco initiatives we already have, we knew we needed to go a step further! 

In an ideal world we would stop emitting carbon dioxide completely, however nearly everything we do has some sort of pollution attached and it's not always easy (or cheap) to find the right solutions.

Being carbon neutral is a stepping stone to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide we produce. By purchasing offsets we can recognise the footprint of our business whilst we find ways to reduce it.

Want to join us in being carbon neutral?

You can easily offset your own personal emissions by purchasing your own offsets and fund climate projects.

Use Ecologi, the same partner as us, by clicking here and an extra 30 trees will be planted! 

Or search for other offset providers*

* It's important to ensure that your offsets are purchased through a reputable supplier who can prove with complete transparency that their projects have the intended impact. This is often through the Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard. 

For more info about how eco-friendly our business is and all the different things we consider to make our sustainability choices - How eco-friendly is Bird & Blend? 

You may also find the following posts helpful/interesting:

A full breakdown of the eco credentials of all of our packaging here.

Our Tea for Trees project, in partnership with the World Preservation Foundation.

Read 'How Eco-Friendly is Bird & Blend?' to find out more.

Cush Bennett

Hi, I’m Cush, our Sustainability & Ethics Lead. I tend to handle all things to do with sustainabiliTEA at Bird & Blend, from B Corp to energy use, I’m here to help!

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