Herb’n Organics is in the process of applying for ‘Green America’ certification for our products. Green America is perhaps the most respected arbiter of what constitutes a sustainable business in the US. The organization was originally ‘Co-Op America’ and has been active for years in the forefront of alternative business models and now they’ve changed their name to reflect the most pressing needs in business and sustainable living in the 21st century.
So anyway, the process to obtain certification is quite intense from a time perspective and unlike many other ‘certifications’ available, it’s very affordable from a financial perspective. For me the most challenging part of the process is interviewing and questioning all our suppliers to determine how sustainably these businesses are run.
Just as I was lamenting the time this task would take, the universe gave us an amazing gift: an intern from ASU’s School of Sustainability! Brett visited the Urban Farm that our cottage sits in and was taken by the idea of a sustainable business in such a setting. She asked if there was a project she could tackle over the summer and we jumped for joy as we explained our need. The Internship Coordinator agreed that it was a great project and it’s official!
We gratefully welcome Brett into our HNO world and are very excited to learn what she will discover as she interacts with suppliers and colleagues. She’s looking at issues such as sourcing of materials, recycling efforts, countries of origin, worker compensation. Very exciting! But I think her favorite part is visiting with the dogs and getting organic free-range eggs warm from the nest. Life is good!!
Diann

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