We Won a Climate Award!

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

April 2018

Melissa Elkins (center), Co-op Sustainability Coordinator, accepted the Outstanding Company award at the 2018 Climate Collaborative Awards. Also pictured (from left) is Lara Dickinson, Climate Collaborative Co-Founder, and Robynn Shrader, National Co+op Grocers CEO. Photo courtesy of New Hope Network.

We’re all familiar with the tried-and-true award season saying—it’s an honor just to be nominated. Well, sure, that’s true. But it’s even better to have your work recognized by winning!

Melissa is steering the Co-op toward increasingly impressive accomplishments in its sustainability programs

In that spirit, we want to share appreciation for the hard work of Melissa Elkins, the Co-op’s Sustainability Coordinator. Melissa is steering the Co-op toward increasingly impressive accomplishments in its sustainability programs and this award is just the most recent acknowledgement of that work.

The Co-op was awarded “Outstanding Company" for improving energy efficiency in a retail grocery setting and fostering resilient, regenerative farming communities at the inaugural National Co+op Grocers (NCG) Climate Collaborative Awards.

NCG noted the following factors in the Co-op’s award:

"offsetting 102% of their electricity use with their own 126 solar panel array and renewable energy certificates
diverting 90% of their waste from the landfill
investing in efficient lighting and refrigeration systems has earned their co-op the only 2017 EPA EnergyStar Certificate issued to a grocery store west of the Rockies and puts them among the top 30 retailers in the country in utilization of renewable energy.

"If that weren’t enough, they also invest profits back into their community in many ways, including an innovative Farm Fund supporting local sustainable farming projects.”

Congratulations to Melissa and to the entire Co-op staff who work daily to implement innovative sustainability strategies in our co-op. Make every day Earth Day!

Our 2018 Sustainability Snapshot is available online or in print at the service desk. Following are a few highlights!

Waste Reduction Highlights

Energy Efficiency Highlights

Keeping it Local

Vendor Profile: Lundberg Family Farms

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

October 2017

Though the Olympic Peninsula seems to have little in common with the Andes, it is where quinoa destined for Lundberg Family Farms is being grown in our state. Additional farms are in California, Oregon, and Idaho. Many sites are still experimental, as are growing methods. Most of the quinoa grown for Lundberg uses a low-impact dryland farming technique, relying on the moisture provided directly by rainfall and humidity. Aha! Maybe that’s why it makes sense to grow quinoa on the Olympic Peninsula. Photos courtesy of Lundberg Family Farms.

We were already big fans of Lundberg Family Farms and its delicious sustainably farmed rice and whole grain products, but now we have yet another reason to love Lundberg Family Farms—QUINOA! To be precise, quinoa grown in the U.S. and even in Washington state.

T his ancient grain was domesticated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago in Peru and Bolivia where it has long been a staple in peoples’ diets. Yet, a mere 10 years ago had you asked someone in the U.S. about quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) they would have likely answered you with a blank stare. Since then, the appetite for quinoa has exploded in the U.S., and for good reason, as explained in the below photo caption.

Not only is quinoa a complete source of protein that contains all nine essential amino acids—making it a favorite among vegans and vegetarians—it is also delicious and cooks up fluffy and soft in 15 minutes, making it super convenient and a favorite among almost everyone who eats food—vegans and omnivores alike!

In 2013, recognizing that importing quinoa from the southern hemisphere to feed the growing U.S. demand was not the most ecologically sustainable situation, Lundberg started growing trial crops in the U.S. By 2016, Lundberg’s quinoa production topped 1.5 million pounds, harvested by 15 farmers on 800 acres.

Our love for quinoa aside, why else do we love Lundberg Family Farms?

It is currently run by the third and fourth generations of the Lundberg family and, since the farm was established in 1937, the family has always been committed to improving and protecting the environment.

Lundberg treats the soil, air, and water as important resources, respecting the delicate balance of nature.

In its rice fields, Lundberg pursues a program of ecological stewardship that includes: returning rice straw to the soil after harvest (instead of burning) to enrich the soil and protect the air and the environment, providing habitat for animals including migrating waterfowl that rest in flooded fields during the winter, practicing water-conserving irrigation, never growing genetically engineered rice varieties, using only natural pest control systems and generating and purchasing green power for its handling and processing facilities.

What’s not to love?

Look for Lundberg Family Farms products in our grocery and bulk departments and include more organic whole grains in your diet—for your good health and the health of the planet.

LEARN MORE

Like the Co-op, Lundberg Family Farms is committed to transparency in its sustainability practices and is a member of the Sustainable Food Trade Association (SFTA). It reports annually on the same 11 action categories that we report on and sets goals for continual improvement in each area. You can read the SFTA reports for Lundberg and
the Co-op on our respective websites.

We’re Sustainability Stars!

Co-op Sustainability Coordinator, Melissa Elkins, leads the award-winning sustainability efforts at the Co-op and keeps us all on track and striving to continually improve.

Learn more about Sustainability at the Co-op and read our Impact Report and Sustainability Goals for 2017.

The Co-op has been named a Sustainability Star by National Co+op Grocers (NCG) for excellence in our sustainability efforts.

The award recognizes food co-ops that demonstrate outstanding leadership by making a positive impact on social, environmental, and local economic issues.

At its annual meeting, NCG honored Community Food Co-op for our role in creating positive sustainability impacts in 2016.

The Co-op eliminated GMO ingredients from our bakery and deli production departments, became the only Energy Star certified grocery stores west of the Rockies, and did a complete audit of our waste stream, among other initiatives in 2016.

Like all Sustainability Star award winners, we participate in Co+efficient, NCG’s sustainability program that helps co-op grocery stores measure their impacts, drive improvements, and share the story of their important work with community members and other co-ops. This marks the second year that NCG has highlighted co-ops by awarding Sustainability Star honors.

The Community Food Co-op is one of ten co-ops nationwide recognized for its 2016 performance.

The sustainability initiatives that the Co-op chooses to endeavor don’t increase sales but they are an integral part of our business structure because we feel it is the best way to show respect to our community and environment.

The cooperative sector has long been an innovator in sustainability. Earning Sustainability Star recognition shows that the Co-op is leading the way, not only by excelling in our sustainability pursuits, but by sharing the details and result of our efforts for the benefit of co-ops and communities around the country.

2016 Community Food Co-op Impact Report

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Program Coordinator

April 2017

Sharing the results from our sustainability tracking informs Co-op staff and shoppers on ways we can work even harder to improve our already strong environmental business practices.

To that end, we have updated the format of our abridged annual sustainability report! You can read it online.

Or, dig into details in the full report on the Sustainability at the Co-op page.

Sustainability In Action

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Coordinator

sustainability, sustainable, alternative transportation, bicycling, bikes

Co-op staff contributes to our sustainability commitment by using alternative transportation to commute to work. Emissions from workforce commuting decreased despite an increase in staff—28 percent of total commuting miles were attributed to alternative transportation.

Go Co-op!

The Co-op Difference. We’ve been talking a lot about it, and will continue to do so because it is what truly differentiates us from other grocery stores.

It’s our commitment to a triple bottom line that accounts for people, profits, and planet.

Our commitment to give back to our community, with donations and free community-building events like our annual summer party. Our commitment to community education through our Healthy Connections cooking and wellness classes and The Real Food Show elementary school assembly program. Our commitment to support local, sustainable agriculture in our community via the Co-op’s Farm Fund. Our commitment to our 10-year strategic plan goals that keep us on track. And, our commitment to sustainability.

The Co-op joined the Sustainable Food Trade Association (SFTA) in 2012. In doing so we are required to report annually on our sustainable business practices in 11 action categories. Our first full report covered the 2013 business year, and now that we have completed two more reports we are excited to share the measurable progress of our commitment to sustainability with you.

Sharing these results informs Co-op staff and shoppers on ways to work even harder to improve our already strong environmental business practices.

It takes all of us to make these changes. Much of our progress is driven by our shoppers’ conscious purchasing choices, like the fact that paper shopping bag use by Co-op shoppers averages only .13 bags per customer. Not sure how you all do that, but keep it up.

Learn More About the Co-op's Sustainability

If you really want to dig in and see how the Co-op has committed to sustainability read more, including our reports to the SFTA.

B the Change

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

Learn more about certified B Corporations and how they use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.

The Co-op is happy for the opportunity to work with like-minded businesses that believe we can all do good, while doing well. Now we have a reliable mechanism to identify these businesses thanks to Certified
B Corporations—a global movement of people using business as a force for good.™

Certified B Corporations—a global movement of people using business as a force for good

The Co-op is happy for the opportunity to work with like-minded businesses that believe we can all do good, while doing well. Now we have a reliable mechanism to identify these businesses thanks to Certified B Corporations—a global movement of people using business as a force for good.™

Certified B Corporations meet the highest standards of overall social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

They aspire to B the Change and use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.

There are more than 1,500 Certified B Corporations in over 120 industries and 40 countries with one unifying goal—to redefine success in business.

Many of the products carried in our stores are from Certified B Corporations and when you choose to purchase products from these companies, you, too, can B the Change!

You can support B Corporations by looking for the Certified B Corporation seal on products throughout our stores—familiar names like Dr. Bronner’s, Seventh Generation, Runa, Klean Kanteen, and so many more, and including a few of our favorite recently B Corp certified local businesses.

Thank you for B-ing the Change by shopping at the Co-op!

Do we have local B Corp companies? Totally!

Moon Valley Organics in Deming, started in 1998, has stayed true to its passion of living ethically and sustainably. Moon Valley’s body care products are developed with the intention to nourish and heal your body, mind, and spirit, as well as to care for the Earth. The products contain sustainable, organic material, and packing is chosen that does the least harm and is recyclable and renewable. Moon Valley is growing to include national distribution while maintaining their connections with local businesses like the Co-op.

Aslan Brewing Company in Bellingham is a sustainable microbrewery and restaurant exclusively brewing 100 percent USDA Certified Organic beer. Community outreach is of one Aslan’s key pillars. By staying connected with local nonprofits and community organizations, Aslan bolsters its contribution to social and environmental well-being. The brewpub is a community hub and frequently hosts fundraisers and events for local campaigns and organizations, making it more than just a beer-centric eatery.

brenthaven, b corp, certified b corporation, seattle, zero impact

Brenthaven, now headquartered in Seattle but established (and much beloved) in Bellingham, has a mission to achieve Zero Impact™ on the environment without compromising the quality and integrity of its products. The business accomplishes this in three ways:
• crafting products that last a lifetime, and standing behind them with a lifetime guarantee
• reducing impacts by a change in packaging strategy that eliminated the use of over 100,000 boxes per year
• offsetting its carbon footprint through investments in carbon credits and donations to green charities

What Other B Corp stuff do we carry?

Grocery
Alter Eco, Beanfields, Dang Foods, Essential Living Foods, Guayaki, Happy Family Brands, King Arthur Flour, Manitoba Harvest, Organic India, Plum Organics, Runa, Tanka

Supplements and body care
Dr. Bronner’s, Dr. Hauschka, EO Products, Essential Living Foods, Garden of Life, Manitoba Harvest, Moon Valley Organics, New Chapter, Nubian Heritage, Organic India, Preserve, Seventh Generation, The Honest Company, Topricin, W.S. Badger

Frozen and Refrigerated
Hilary’s Eat Well, Tofurky

Household Products
Chico Bags, Ecover, Klean Kanteen, Method, Preserve, Seventh Generation, The Honest Company, World Centric

Find more B Corp products throughout the store by looking for the B Corp logo.

The Co-op Recognized as a U.S. Green Power Leader

by Co-op News staff

Learn more about the Top Partner Rankings.

We might be small, but we are mighty! The Co-op is proud to announce that we are included in the EPA Green Power Partnership Top 30 Retail list. The list represents the largest green power users nationwide among retail partners within the Green Power Partnership.

We are happy to congratulate our fellow co-ops that also made the list—Frontier Natural Products Co-op and Outpost Natural Foods—and B Corp Certified New Seasons Market. Just for a little perspective, also on the list are businesses such as Kohl’s, Starbucks, and Wal-Mart. No big deal!

The combined green power usage of the top 30 organizations amounts to nearly 3.3 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually, which is equivalent to the electricity use of nearly 300,000 average American homes each year.

In 2016 the Co-op’s green power will come from a mix of PSE Green Power Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) and 3Degrees Inc., PSE’s Green Power program outreach partner. All our RECs from 3Degrees are Green-e certified and are generated in the Pacific Northwest. Along with the solar energy we expect to generate in 2016, our offsets are projected to cover 102 percent of our electricity use for the year.

Yep, just another way that our Co-op Rocks!

Sustainability: It’s What We Do Every Day at the Co-op

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Coordinator

$30 MILLION

After adding staff wages and local service contracts and applying the local multiplier effect, shopping at the Co-op kept more than $30 million circulating in our local economy in 2015.

14.3 PERCENT

We focused even more on local and Washington state suppliers in 2015, purchasing a whopping 14.3 percent of our products from producers in our region.

bike, alternative transportation, commute

31%

Co-op staff use alternative transportation for 31% of their total commuting miles.

Our electric car chargers at the Cordata store made 1,522 electric car charges—displacing 1,193 gallons of fuel.

92%

We diverted 92 percent of our total waste from the landfill.

When it comes to sustainability, we're proud to be a community (and national!) leader.

Connection to community is something that has always attracted people to Bellingham—we are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, in my opinion, and a vast number of us care deeply about our city for myriad reasons. The Co-op itself is a direct reflection of our community, as its values and business practices have always been shaped specifically by those who live and work in Whatcom County. To that end, sustainability isn’t something that requires any special consideration in our organization—it is so ingrained in our structure that we live those values every day.

At the Co-op, local isn’t a buzzword, it’s an important part of the framework that makes us who we are.

We have come to realize the value of sharing those practices, so we are proud to say that our third annual sustainability report was published in June for fiscal year 2015. It requires the collection of data that encompasses our entire scope of business—from labor practices to purchasing practices and from resource use to education. The collected data is compiled into an extensive report detailing our successes and areas for improvement.

Following are just a few highlights from 2015:

Cordata store became LEED certified in June 2015
LED lighting was installed throughout the Cordata store and Downtown bakery cafe
We started purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to offset 100 percent of our electricity use organization wide in June 2015
As a result, we were named as a member of the EPA Green Power Leadership Club, one of only about 400 businesses in the entire country
We eliminated plastic packaging from our deli counters in December 2015, which we expect will remove over 25,000 plastic containers from the local waste stream in 2016
We carried 587 fairly traded items. Co-op shoppers can feel good knowing that the people who work hard to produce these products are being treated fairly. Look for fair trade items in our grocery, wellness, and produce departments.
We joined the Domestic Fair Trade Association—currently, we are the only retail business in the DFTA north of Seattle.

We track these numbers so we can work to improve. Every year we set the bar, then we work to raise it.

Read the complete report at
www.communityfood.coop/learn/co-op-sustainability.

2013 Report on Sustainability

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Program Coordinator

Since opening our doors in 1970, the Community Food Co-op has followed a triple-bottom line business philosophy that places equal emphasis on economic vitality, social responsibility, and environmental responsibility.

In 2010, the Co-op started tracking its performance specifically as it relates to sustainability. In 2012, Melissa Elkins was hired as the Co-op’s Sustainability Program Coordinator. In 2013, the Co-op joined the Sustainable Food Trade Association (SFTA).

Along with a handful of our fellow food co-ops, we are the only grocers in Washington state that are SFTA members.

In April 2014, the Co-op filed its first full annual sustainability report to the SFTA—50 pages of detailed information reporting on the 2013 calendar year. The Co-op will continue to file reports annually to track our sustainability performance
over time.

Shown here are snippets from the condensed version of the report, which is available in our stores.

“We’ve been collecting a vast amount of information and corralling it into a massive spreadsheet, so we could track our progress. Writing the first sustainability report based on that info was a huge undertaking, but it was extremely gratifying to see that the Co-op really is making great strides in our sustainability efforts!”

—Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Program Coordinator

Both the condensed version and the full 50-page SFTA report are posted at www.communityfood.coop/learn/co-op-sustainability.

We Won a Climate Award!

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

April 2018

Waste Reduction Highlights

Energy Efficiency Highlights

Keeping it Local

Vendor Profile: Lundberg Family Farms

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

October 2017

LEARN MORE

We’re Sustainability Stars!

2016 Community Food Co-op Impact Report

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Program Coordinator

April 2017

Sustainability In Action

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Coordinator

The Co-op Difference. We’ve been talking a lot about it, and will continue to do so because it is what truly differentiates us from other grocery stores.

Learn More About the Co-op's Sustainability

B the Change

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

Do we have local B Corp companies? Totally!

What Other B Corp stuff do we carry?

The Co-op Recognized as a U.S. Green Power Leader

by Co-op News staff

Sustainability: It’s What We Do Every Day at the Co-op

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Coordinator

$30 MILLION

14.3 PERCENT

31%

92%

2013 Report on Sustainability

by Melissa Elkins, Sustainability Program Coordinator

A Second Life for the Connection Building

The Premiere of the Poem Booth

Next Step Grants Continue to Grow Local Farms

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