Community Food Co-op

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      • Community Food Co-op, Downtown Store, 1220 North Forest Street at Holly StreetDowntown Store
        1220 North Forest Street at Holly Street
        Bellingham, Washington
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        315 Westerly Road at Cordata Parkway
        Bellingham, Washington
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You are here: Home / Archives for sustainable

Vendor Profile: Hummingbird Wholesale

by Tim Flores, Downtown Bulk Department

February 2018
Hummingbird

Just like the lovely hummingbirds, Hummingbird Wholesale seeks to sip the nectar without harming the flower. It is a family-owned organic food distributor that carefully chooses products by considering the sustainability of farming practices, ingredients, and nutritional value.

“What if, like the hummingbird, all people would sip the nectar of the earth without harming the flower? Is it possible? At Hummingbird we know it is possible.”

When you spend time shopping in the Co-op's bulk department, and among our grocery shelves, you will start to notice the bright yellow labels identifying products from Hummingbird Wholesale of Eugene, Oregon. We highlight Hummingbird in our stores, as it is one of those rare businesses that is privately owned but operates with values similar to our co-op.

Hummingbird endeavors to serve people and planet by providing high-quality nutritious food grown as sustainably and locally as possible.

The business treats its employees with utmost respect, and operates a warehouse with laudable social and environmental practices. They track their sustainability impacts by reporting annually to the Sustainable Food Trade Association, just like we do.

hummingbird wholesale enjoying food outdoors

Hummingbird makes an organic lunch every Tuesday and Thursday for staff who gather to share delicious food and enjoy each other's company.

Photo courtesy of Hummingbird Wholesale.

The company has helped create an incredible food system in Oregon’s Willamette Valley while serving customers as far away as Bellingham. Hummingbird has partnered with local mills and farmers to grow and process organic foods previously unavailable in our region, sometimes in response to requests for specific food crops from its customers, like our co-op.

It has grown the organic food system by helping farmers transition to organic farming and also pioneered Distributor Supported Agriculture (DSA) that, like the Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) many of us are aware of, supports and shares the financial risk faced by farmers.

taking large steps to achieve a tiny footprint and zero waste

This small family-owned company states that it is “taking large steps to achieve a tiny footprint and zero waste.” For example, a lower carbon footprint is achieved by delivering up to 2,000 pounds per delivery to local Eugene businesses via energy-efficient electric-assist cargo tricycles. Bulk liquids are delivered in reusable food grade deposit return containers with an 83 percent return rate, thereby diverting thousands of pounds of plastic from landfills every year.

hummingbird wholesale organic bulk foods bike
Hummingbird organic food on a mission

Karl, above, started making cargo bike deliveries for Hummingbird in 2001. Since then, the bike delivery team has grown to three people and two cargo bikes with trailers (at right). Now, nearly all local deliveries in Eugene, Oregon, are done by bike. In 2017 the bike team: made 1,800+ bike deliveries, peddled more than 1,000 miles, and hauled 300,000+ pounds of product.
Photos courtesy of Hummingbird Wholesale.

Our bulk department stocks many amazing products from Hummingbird and, with few exceptions, they are organic: cranberry and heirloom yellow eye beans, mung dal and black lentils, dried peaches and persimmons, raw sprouted almonds and pumpkin seeds, and bulk maple syrup. There’s even organic quinoa penne pasta.

The bulk Washington honey is one of the few non-organic items (because you cannot control the nectar-collecting habits of bees) along with the chocolate covered hazelnuts and almonds. You can also find Blue Lotus masala chai, and organic black Dakota popcorn on our grocery shelves.

sip from the nectar without harming the flower

Give Hummingbird products a try—the quality and intention to “sip from the nectar without harming the flower” is undeniable!

Learn More

Learn more and read the company’s annual sustainability report on its website.

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BULK| GROCERY| SALES bulk| hummingbird| oregon| organic| sustainable| wholesale

We Won a Climate Award!

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

April 2018
climate collaborative

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!

2018 sustainability snapshot

Waste Reduction Highlights

supermarket energy star certification

Energy Efficiency Highlights

energy efficient grocery store

Keeping it Local

puget sound food hub sales
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HOT OFF THE PRESS| SUSTAINABILITY| THE CO-OP DIFFERENCE award| climate| giving back| local| sustainability| sustainable| the co-op difference| the coop difference

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.

man holding plant 2016 community food co-op impact report

HOT OFF THE PRESS| SUSTAINABILITY| THE CO-OP DIFFERENCE impact report| sustainability| sustainable| the co-op difference| the coop difference

Love at Sea: One Salmon at a Time

by Tele Aadsen, Co-owner of Nerka Sea Frozen Salmon

February 2017
fisherman on boat sea mountain range alaska

Joel Brady-Power, co-owner of Nerka Sea Frozen Salmon, takes in the majesty of Southeast Alaska from his “office.” Photo by Tele Aadsen.

Dawn breaks early on July first. Forty miles off the Southeast Alaska coast, light splinters the Fairweather Range as our hooks descend into the blue. It’s not yet 3 am.

So begins the Nerka’s salmon season. For the next three months, she’s the 43-foot workplace, home, and universe my partner Joel and I share at sea for weeks at a time. We are trollers. Not to be confused with net-based trawlers, Joel often describes trolling as the most inefficient commercial fishery. He says this affectionately.

Trolling’s one-fish-at-a-time, quality-over-quantity ethos is what we love about our work.

And we do love it. Ours is a family operation, two boat kids lucky enough to build a living out of the life we both cherish. Even the Nerka herself is family. Joel’s parents, Don and Mary Jean, had her built in 1979. She took Joel to sea when he was just two weeks old. Twenty-two years later, he made the leap from carefree crew to Cap’n J. I joined him in 2006. We’ve been a team since.

A sudden tug catches my eye.

A sudden tug catches my eye. I engage the line and pull in one lure after another, a meticulous rainbow of squid-like “hoochies” alternating with brass “spoons.” Joel devotes himself to the enigmatic art of enticing king and coho salmon to bite. He’s a salmon charmer.

A smooth back breaks the surface. Scales glitter—silver, amethyst, jasper, jade. With the line tight in one hand and a precarious belly-to-rail pose, I promise this will be quick. Meeting her golden gaze, I lower the gaff. All my weight goes into that killing blow.

If Joel is a salmon charmer, I am a whisperer, murmuring thanks as I slice her gills. A gesture— meaningful, hokey, or hollow, depending who you ask—I murmur anyway.

The hooks go back out. I reach for the salmon, knife in hand. Two quick slices, there rolls the head. Entrails go flying with another few cuts, to eager seabirds, both fulmars and albatross, clamoring in our wake. I flush the remaining blood from the veins and trim any lingering loose tissues. Joel, next to me, tends his catch with matching precision.

This is the distinction of frozen-at-sea (FAS) salmon

We’ll do a final inspection before they go into the Nerka’s negative-40 degree hold. This is the distinction of frozen-at-sea (FAS) salmon: unlike “fresh” fish (delivered up to five days after being caught), our sashimi-safe fish are blast-frozen before passing into rigor mortis, freezing the clock on cellular breakdown. Thawed nine months later, a properly handled FAS salmon boasts the taste and texture of one just pulled from the sea.

Come September, we’ll trade the Gulf of Alaska for our land-home in Bellingham. Joel will spend the winter repaying the Nerka for her service, doing repairs and preventative maintenance. I’ll continue the business Don started, sharing our catch with chefs and grocers throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties. Many have been with Nerka Sea Frozen Salmon since our 1998 origin; January 2017 marks the Co-op/Nerka’s 10-year anniversary.

from wild lives finning the shadows of glaciers to their final moments

Studying the orange flesh, I wish our partners could have the gift of knowing these fish as we did, from wild lives finning the shadows of glaciers to their final moments, as quick and respectful as we could make them.

Sustainability requires conscientious consumers who are active salmon advocates.

 Alaskan salmon are a “Best Choice,” yet responsible fishery management alone doesn’t ensure sustainability, and fisherfolk are a tiny group without political weight. To preserve future abundance, we need our partners to read Amy Gulick’s Salmon in the Trees to understand the critical symbiosis between healthy forests and healthy salmon; visit SalmonBeyondBorders.org to learn how Canadian mining threatens Southeast Alaska’s biggest coho spawning rivers; watch The Breach to see how dams have devastated Pacific Northwest stocks, then join Save Our Wild Salmon’s “Free the Snake” campaign.

we chase silver dreams across this surging ocean

For now, though, dawn is breaking. Another 18 hours on deck await, a laborious marathon blurring into tomorrow, and the tomorrows after that, as we chase silver dreams across this surging ocean, just my salmon charmer sweetheart and me.

Troll, Catch, Glaze, Deliver

fishing boat sea Nerka Mount Fairweather BC

The Nerka trolls for king salmon below Mt. Fairweather. Photo by Jeff Thomas.

salmon fishing woman fisherman action shot catching fishing boat

Tele lands a king on the Fairweather Grounds. Photo by Joel Brady-Power.

salmon gutted hand glazing woman fisherman

Tele emerges from the -40 degree fish hold after hand-dipping each individual fish. Known as glazing, this is the final step in frozen-at-sea salmon. Photo by Joel Brady-Power.

fishermen frozen gutted salmon

Joel and Tele deliver their king salmon catch in Sitka, Alaska, and prepare to barge them down to Washington. Photo by Martin Gowdy.

Meet Tele and Joel

Joel's fine art photography and excerpts from Tele's memoir, Hooked: A Season of Love, Sex, & Salmon, will be on display in the Downtown store mezzainine through February 2017.  Learn more at joelbradypower.com and nerkasalmon.com. Follow Nerka's fishing adventures on Facebook.

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MEAT & SEAFOOD| SALES| SUSTAINABILITY| THE CO-OP DIFFERENCE alaska| fish| nerka| salmon| seafood| sustainable| troll caught| trolling

Hopewell Farm

by Dave Straub, Cordata produce department

blueberry harvest fresh

Buckets of freshly harvested Hopewell Farm organic blueberries await their final destination—our produce departments and your tummies.

Recently a co-worker asked me, “If you could only eat one kind of fruit for the rest of your life, what would it be?” I was quiet for a moment, looked deep into my soul, and then said, “Blueberries.” Hypothetical questions don’t usually have correct answers, but we both knew I nailed that one.

Blueberries are nutritious, taste amazing on everything from ice cream to salmon, and are historically one of the most local foods available.

People in these parts have feasted on them for thousands of years, and if you’ve hiked the North Cascades in September when the trails are lined with ripe huckleberries then you’ve probably enjoyed this local bounty as well.

These days we don’t have to brave the mountain wilderness for fresh produce, thanks to Pete Dykstra of Hopewell Farm and his 16 acres of blueberry bushes nestled at the base of Sumas Mountain. I journeyed out to this picturesque field and walked the rows already abundant with dainty bell-shaped flowers that will become my breakfast. While there I chatted with Lisa Dykstra, Hopewell’s sales rep and the youngest of four Dykstra generations to farm this land.

As we talked I got a sense of how diversified Hopewell Farm has become over the years due largely to the prodigious efforts and entrepreneurial spirit of Pete.

Besides their famous blueberries and carrots, they grow a variety of other vegetables, medicinal herbs, and seed crops. They operate a dairy farm and grow their own silage for the cows that in turn produce compost for the fields. They even maintain wild habitat for beneficial predators such as hawks, kestrels, and owls.

The evidence of their holistic approach was all around me ...

... honey bees buzzed in their hives at the end of every row, happy cows played beyond the fence line, and Lisa spoke glowingly about being on the forefront of progressive efforts.

Hopewell is certified organic, GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certified, and receives outstanding scores for worker satisfaction. In Pete’s own words this means, “The fields are healthy, they produce great crops, and there is life in the soil.”

And if you’re wondering what all this means for you, my patient Co-op shopper, it means the most delicious blueberries you are likely to eat this summer—fresh, hand-picked, and delivered farmer direct to our shelves for your culinary pleasure.

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PRODUCE farm| farmers| farming| hopewell farm| local| organic| sustainable| whatcom| whatcom county

Farm Fund Spotlight: Cedarville Farm

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

cedarville farm organic harvest

The Cedarville Farm crew harvests and bundles spinach at the certified organic farm located near Deming. After bundling, the spinach will be washed and packed for delivery—perhaps to Cedarville’s 150+ CSA subscribers or to one of the farm’s many wholesale accounts. The final destination may even be the Co-op’s certified organic produce departments..

If you’ve lived in Whatcom County for any length of time, you have likely eaten food grown at Cedarville Farm.

Since 1988, Mike and Kim Finger have been working the loamy soil at their farm along the banks of the Nooksack River just west of Deming, and the Community Food Co-op has been proud to sell their fine produce in our stores since that very first year.

“Mike has been a pure joy to talk to and communicate with through the years. Mike and Kim have twice invited our entire produce team out to tour the farm and see how the things we sell are grown and harvested,” said Dave Sands, Downtown produce manager.

In addition to supplying the Co-op, Mike has several retail and wholesale accounts, participates in the Bellingham Farmers Market, and runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program serving 150+ members.

Among Cedarville Farm’s accomplishments is being one of the first of three Whatcom County farms to be certified organic.

Among Cedarville Farm’s accomplishments is being one of the first of three Whatcom County farms to be certified organic (Cedarville is number 36 in the state) and, in 1992, establishing the first CSA program north of Seattle (they still have a few original CSA members).

Mike and his farm crew grow about 40 crops including a variety of salad and cooking greens, alliums (varieties of onion and garlic), vegetables galore, tomatoes, and herbs. They also raise broiler chickens, turkeys, and maintain a flock of pastured hens for eggs.

In April 2015, the Co-op Farm Fund secured a low-interest loan for Cedarville Farm in partnership with Industrial Credit Union (ICU). This is the third of six low-interest loans secured by the Farm Fund in partnership with ICU, building on the Farm Fund’s original revolving loan program. The new program allows farms to take out larger loans up to $12,000, build a credit history with ICU—another local, cooperatively run organization—and helps farms tackle impactful on-farm projects that increase resiliency and build the capacity to provide more local food for the Co-op.

As any home gardener knows, weeds are your nemesis and whatever you can do to get ahead of them saves a lot of work in the long run. The same is true on an organic farm, only on a larger scale.

Cedarville Farm used their Co-op Farm Fund secured loan to combat its weedy nemesis.

Cedarville Farm used their Co-op Farm Fund secured loan to combat its weedy nemesis with the purchase of two pieces of cultivation equipment that will dramatically improve the consistency and efficiency of weed control and free staff for the delicate hand labor that simply can’t be accomplished by machine.

Mike purchased a well-cared-for 1970s International Cub cultivating tractor that was used by the Montana State University Extension Service to seed trial crops in Corvallis, Montana. Did you know there was a Corvallis in Montana? Neither did Mike, and he had originally made arrangements to pick up the tractor at the Corvallis that most of us are familiar with in Oregon, but that’s another story.

cedarville farm, mike finger, cultivating tractor, farm fund,The cultivating tractor, which hasn’t been manufactured since the early 1980s, is still popular with farmers for two reasons. 1. Its simple, straightforward design makes it easy to maintain and repair on the farm. 2. It is specifically constructed to provide a direct view to the ground, so farmers can precisely navigate between rows without accidentally taking out any precious crops.

cedarville-7054_npMike’s other purchase was a propane bed flamer aptly branded “Red Dragon” that annihilates weeds with fire.

He is still on the lookout for one more addition to his weeding arsenal—a tractor-mounted inter-row cultivator.

The Co-op’s Farm Fund is happy to play whatever role we can to help Cedarville Farm grow even more farm-fresh food.

As Dave said, “Mike is very generous with his time and his smiles, and we love Cedarville Farm for that reason, among many.”

Donate to the Co-op’s Farm Fund at any register to join us in growing local, sustainable agriculture and supporting local farmers like Mike Finger of Cedarville Farm.

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FARM FUND| PRODUCE cedarville farm| Farm Fund| farming| farms| local| organic| produce| sustainable| vegetables| whatcom

Co-op’s Farm Fund: Let’s Grow It!

by Laura Ridenour, Farm Fund chair and Co-op Board director

farm fund logo

The Farm Fund helps us live our values. Our Community Food Co-op is committed to being a cornerstone of the local food economy, ensuring that our community and region is capable of feeding itself.

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A rising consciousness about food has swept our community and the world. GMOs. Climate change. Farmworker rights. Organic and sustainable farming. Pollinator decline. Local resilience and sovereignty. These and many other factors have caused people to look more carefully at the food they eat—where it comes from, how it is grown, and who is growing it.

As a result, people want to buy more local food.

As farmers meet the increased demand for local food, the Community Food Co-op’s Farm Fund has grown from humble beginnings to a nationally-recognized model.

Since 2000, the Farm Fund, with donations from the Co-op operations budget and Co-op member-owners, has circulated over $204,215 for Farm Fund grants and revolving loans benefiting more than 60 farms and food/farming organizations.

The Farm Fund helps us live our values.

Our Community Food Co-op is committed to being a cornerstone of the local food economy, ensuring that our community and region is capable of feeding itself. Collaborating in the development of a vibrant local and regional food production and distribution system is one of the six core goals of our Co-op’s strategic plan.

The Farm Fund, run by a Co-op staff member and a volunteer committee of member-owners connected to the farming community, is a unique and powerful way to meet the needs of beginning and small farm businesses as we collectively work toward these goals.

For example, Whatcom County’s small farmers have reported that the barriers to reduce costs and compete in the wholesale market include two main issues: access to capital for equipment, land, or infrastructure, and a need for resources to navigate the various processes and learning curves related to expansion into new markets. The Farm Fund helps small farms reduce these barriers.

Donating to the Farm Fund gives community members the opportunity to invest in the future of the farms and farmers that provide our food.

Want local food? Support local farms!

Make a donation to the Farm Fund and become a “Farm Fund-er” today. Through the Farm Fund, you have an opportunity to support our local farming community and help to ensure viable small farm businesses are able to thrive. Donate online or at any Co-op register.

And buy local whenever you shop to support local farms and food producers.

Learn More About the Farm Fund

Questions about the Co-op Farm Fund? Email Jean Rogers, Farm Fund administrator, or call her at 360-734-8158, ext. 311. Learn more, watch a video about the Farm Fund, or make a donation at Farm Fund page.

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FARM FUND donate| Farm Fund| farmers| farming| farms| local| skagit| sustainable| whatcom

Farm Fund Spotlight: Brittle Barn Farms

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team, and Hannah Coughlin, Brittle Barn Farms

brittle barn farms, local, farm fund, zack tyler, karl prisk,

Karl Prisk (left), Zack Tyler, and Tarquin, Zack’s trusty Australian Shepherd, take a break from tending their free-range turkey flock at Brittle Barn Farms in Ferndale. The farm prides itself in buying local and used a Farm Fund loan to purchase organic, Non-GMO Project Verified feed from Bellingham’s Scratch & Peck Feeds for their poultry flock.

Zack Tyler of Brittle Barn Farms, a local free-ranged meat producer, has been interested in animal husbandry for as long as he can remember.

Growing up on a half-acre in Arcata, California, with his younger brother and hobby-farm parents, Zack was inspired by his small community of do-it-yourselfers and small farmers. “Every Saturday I got to see farmers and artisans pour into an empty street and make it come alive with their hard work and passions,” said Zack.

His mom makes her living raising fiber animals (llama, sheep, and goats), spinning, and knitting their wool into wares that she’s sold at the Arcata Farmers Market for over 25 years. His dad taught Zack how to slaughter Thanksgiving turkeys when he was six. “My parents taught me to be respectful and compassionate to our animals from the beginning to the end,” said Zack.

After he moved to Bellingham to realize his dream as a small farmer, Brittle Barn Farms was born.

After he moved to Bellingham to realize his dream as a small farmer, Zack and his partner, Hannah, rented a five-acre plot just outside of Bellingham where Brittle Barn Farms was born. They raised meat chickens, egg layers, goats, ducks, geese, turkeys, and Icelandic sheep.

Zack noted, “Neither of us had any capital to start with—no inheritance, no wealthy relatives, and not much combined income.”

Zack works in the classroom with developmentally disabled or at-risk youth, and Hannah works for a local environmental nonprofit, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities.

“We had to start at square one—on a cheap rental with a falling down barn,” said Zack.

They named their farm after that barn to remind them of the virtue of small beginnings.

In 2014, Brittle Barn Farms moved to Cougar Creek Ranch in Ferndale, a 160-acre original homestead owned by the Prisk Family. “Karl [Prisk] and I have been friends for a long time. After he moved to town to farm his grandfather’s land, it was an obvious partnership,” said Zack. They went into business together and grew Brittle Barn Farms, increasing their overall production, and adding cows and hogs to the farm.

In the spring, the Co-op Farm Fund secured a low-interest loan for Brittle Barn Farms in partnership with Industrial Credit Union.

The farm used the loan to purchase organic feed from Scratch & Peck Feeds.

“It’s important to us to operate locally. That includes where we purchase our feed,” said Zack. Purchasing organic, Non-GMO Project Verified feed upfront from Scratch & Peck enables the farm to better control the price and quality of their free-range poultry, while keeping their money circulating in our local economy.

Zack’s dream is to farm full-time. “I love caring for the animals, being connected to the seasons and natural life cycles, and I love producing an important commodity for my community,” he said.

You can purchase Brittle Barn Farms’ chicken at the Cordata store. All their meats are available at both Bellingham Farmers Markets, Carne, and on the farm.

Learn more about Brittle Barn Farms or contact the farm at 360-610-7740 or brittlebarnfarms@gmail.com.

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FARM FUND| MEAT & SEAFOOD brittle barn farm| chicken| Farm Fund| farming| farms| karl prisk| loan| local| meat| sustainable| zack tyler

B the Change

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

b corp, b corporations, b the change,

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, b corp, certified b corporation, sustainable, local,

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, aslan brewing co, bellingham, b corp, certified b corporation, organic, sustainable, brewpub

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?

b corp, certified b corporationGrocery
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.

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

by Co-op News staff

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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!

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The Co-op is proud to report that the toilet paper we sell received an “A” on the NRDC’s “Buyer’s Guide to the Sustainability of At-Home Tissue Products.” Let’s not flush our beloved, life-sustaining forests down the drain!

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Helping Salmon and Orcas in the Salish Sea

Learn about our commitment to cease the sale of any chinook/king salmon from the coastal waters of Oregon, Washington, or British Columbia, and discover ways that all of us can help protect the Southern Resident orcas.

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