Tea making has a long history and is spread across many cultures. But in today’s world, have you wondered about the sustainability aspect of the process which enables tea leaves or tea bags to get from the farm to the shelf of your local grocery store?
Founded in 1999, Numi Tea has been spearheading its initiative for sustainable tea packaging – both for the tea bag and the box in which the tea bags are carried in. In addition, Numi Tea has also refined its operations to maximize use of recycled products, and to recycle post-consumer waste.
The Impact
Let’s focus on the tea bag first. Typically, tea bags are made of some form of plastic which is not only unbiodegradable but also a health issue since hot water can cause nasty chemicals from the plastic tea bag to leech into your beverage! To overcome this, Numi Tea uses GMO-free natural filter paper, which is 100% biodegradable.
Numi Tea has also gone to the extent of manufacturing its tea box cartons out of 100% recyclable material. This has conserved over 5000 trees and reduces carbon emissions by more than 200 tons.
What’s next for Numi Tea?
Shifting the lens to soil, Numi Tea is exploring alternative forms of agriculture such as biodynamic agriculture. This technique – which was introduced by Dr. Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s – eradicates the use of artificial chemicals on soil and plants. It emphasizes the importance of soil fertility and better management of land ecology.
Numi Tea has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability, seeking to reduce its environmental impact across its operations and value chain, from packaging to soils.
References
[1] http://www.coolcalifornia.org/story/numi-tea
[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/6202917/Why-biodynamic-gardening-makes-sense.html
[3] http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/what-is-biodynamic-farming-zbcz1607
[4] Image taken from: http://www.questforum.org/sustainability/