The September issue of Fancy Foods Magazine has a great little write up about “The Taste of Social Responsibility”.
Thanks Fancy Foods Magazine!
Tetulia in Fancy Foods Magazine. September, 2008
The Taste of Social Responsibility
Category Archives: social responsibility
Tetulia Hearts Arbor Teas
One of the great things about the World Tea Expo is meeting all kinds of new people that share a love of great tea. This year, it was our great pleasure to meet the folks of Arbor Teas. It might seem a bit odd that we’re fawning over a could be competitor, but Arbor Teas tickled our fancy from day one.
As we initially started to design our packaging, one of the most important things was that it reflect our core values – providing a great organic, premium tea while sustaining our land and people. This is when we ran across Arbor Teas of Ann Arbor Michigan. This husband and wife team have developed a solid foundation for a fun business that provides some of the finest organic and fair trade teas, but it doesn’t stop there. To further their belief in making a smaller “footprint” whenever possible, they developed an earth friendly package for their teas.
In the coming days (yes, just days) Tetulia will share with you our brand new packaging. You will see a completely compostable outer container, a recyclable inner freshness protector, and a biodegradable pyramid tea bag. While we were on this track all along, it was Arbor Teas that truly inspired us to go forward with it. Next time you’re shopping for teas, take a moment to consider what you are really buying and what happens to it when you get down to your last bit of tea.
Thank you Arbor Teas!
The Uncultured Project
As I was browsing through the YouTube videos, I came across the Uncultured Project. This is an amazing idea brought forth by a very amazing person.
The Uncultured Project is a funny name given to a simple idea.
It’s not a charity.
It’s not a NGO.
It’s not an attempt at becoming a YouTube celebrity.It’s just a project by someone who believes that if you want the world to be a better place – you have to do your part.
I got the idea while I was a grad student at Notre Dame. While there, I got to meet Dr. Jeffrey Sachs (author of the book “The End of Poverty”). Shortly after meeting him, I voluntarily withdrew from graduate school (in good standing), bought a camera, grabbed my computer, and flew to Bangladesh to see if I could make a difference.
I call it “The Uncultured Project” because there is no set plan, no formal training, and no goal other than wanting to make as much of a difference as possible. - Shawn, 27
I encourage everyone to checkout the Uncultured Project blog and the Uncultured Project videos, such as the one below, which is the first of a series. Also if you have found any great websites, videos, or photos – please share them with us!
All Working Together
With the recent celebration of Earth Day, we wanted to recognize some of the other products/companies that we think are doing a great job making our earth a better, safer, and healthier place to live.
Pangea Organics – This luscious skin-care line is not only amazing as a product, but it’s also 100% organic. Pangea has taken organic and earth-friendly to the next level with its Ecocentric Skincare by creating beautiful packaging that you can actually plant! The recycled paper package even has seeds in it.
gDiapers – gDiapers has invented an earth-friendly, flushable diaper. They have very fashionable cotton, washable outer pant, with a plastic free, flushable refill. If you prefer not to flush the gDiapers, you can compost them. They break down in 50-150 days.
Dream Soft Bedware – Dream Soft Bedware has developed a line of linens that are made from 100% organic cotton. These sheets range from 200-400 thread count and are available in all sizes.
Horizon Organic Dairy – Horizon gives every family an option to enjoy organic dairy products. They also helped the United States develop the National Organic Standards and the USDA seal.
Patagonia - Patagonia offers much more than clothing and gear (some of which are certified organic) for an active lifestyle. They offer a place where purchasing quality products actually helps better our world. They have developed extensive programs to let us, the consumer, participate in their own Social Responsibility programs. For example they have developed a Footprints Chronicles feature where consumers can track the life cycle of a product and see how it impacts our environment.
We would love to hear about your favorite products and companies that are Organic, or helping our environment in some way. Also, Please feel free to just add to our list via Comments!
The Tetulia Cooperative – Bringing life to the land and people
When the first camellia sinensis was planted in the Tetulia garden in 2000, the goal wasn’t necessarily to produce an amazing premium tea. The goal was to employ the largest number of people in a healthy, progressive and environmentally-friendly enterprise. It just so happens that Tetulia accomplished this, while cultivating a world-class organic tea!
One of the programs that sets Tetulia apart from other Tea Gardens – or most other business for that matter - is their innovate Cooperative (Co-op). The Co-op gives the employees and people living in surrounding villages the opportunity to become educated in organic farming, provide nourishment for their family, and generate income, all without monetary loans. Dr. Kazi Anis Ahmed, CEO of Tetulia, explains the Tetulia Cooperative:
“From its inception, Tetulia has been eager to engage with the community in a mutually beneficial manner. This is why Tetulia started a Cooperative that is open both to its workers, and to neighbors in surrounding villages. Tetulia’s Cooperative began with an innovative method focused on dairy. Co-op members receive a milking cow, for which they pay back not in cash, but with milk and cow dung. Members pay only one liter of milk per day, keeping the rest for their children and the calves. The pay 10 to 20 kgs of cow dungs per day, keeping a measure for their own use. This easy “barter” form of payback takes off the pressure of cash payments, making the co-op a practical alternative even to the micro-credit operations for which Bangladesh is now famous. Most members manage to pay off their cow within two to three years. Best of all, they keep any calves that the cow bears, doubling or trebling their cattle wealth!
After a nascent experimental period, Tetulia has stepped up its Co-op efforts in the last two years, and members now exceed one thousand in number. Tetulia expects this number to cross quadruple within the next two to three years, if not sooner.
Tetulia is now also bringing other areas of work, like growing tea, within the ambit of the Co-op. In places like Satmera, Co-op members have come together to start a one-room school built from bamboo donated by the community. When I go the garden, visiting that school and hearing the children sing, or watch them play on the sea-saw or the swing – also made of bamboo – by the little river where they are located is one of the greatest pleasures.” – Dr. Kazi Anis Ahmed, CEO