Happy Earth Day! At Parker Clay, we are committed to remaining conscious of the impact that our production has on the planet, both in Ethiopia and at our HQ in Santa Barbara, CA. 2018 has been a year of focusing our efforts in the ways that we produce and ship our products, as well as by implementing sustainable practices into our daily office life in California.

Check out the list below for a few of the conscious choices we make every day, and recent changes we’ve made to honor and preserve our planet! We hope it will provide you with some inspiration for Earth Day to incorporate more sustainable practices into your own lifestyle.

7 Ways Parker Clay Celebrates Earth Day, Every Day

1. Sustainable Leather Production // Parker Clay works exclusively with tanneries that ethically source their leather as a by-product of the livestock industry. Our partner tannery is an international leader in environmentally friendly practices; they recycle all water used in the tanning process, and increasingly use all-natural organic vegetable dyes.
2. Product Packaging // Parker Clay products are delivered in 100% recyclable cardboard boxes and paper tape. Instead of a plastic sleeve or bubble wrap to protect the product during shipping, we deliver products in a reusable natural cotton bag.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle // A classic Earth Day mantra we shouldn’t forget! Opting for reusable shopping bags, coffee mugs, and water bottles at our office eliminates unnecessary waste. A recent water cooler delivery subscription eliminates our use of plastic bottles, and we are stocking up on reusable silverware and Tupperware to eliminate disposable utensil and plate use.
4. Food Scraps Program // Santa Barbara offers a local food scraps program to allow local businesses to dispose of food waste in a separate waste bin. By implementing this new program for our entire office building, we’re not only reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills, but also helping local farmers! Food waste is trucked to a local composting business which turns our food waste into nutrient rich compost for local farmers.
5. Keep It Local // We love shopping seasonal fare and supporting local farmers! That’s why we bike to the State Street farmer’s market to buy fresh, local snacks for our office every Tuesday. Mandarins are an office favorite!
6. Conscious Coffee // Coffee is an office essential, but constantly using our Keurig generated a lot of waste from single-use K-cups. In researching environmentally friendly alternatives, we discovered refillable, reusable K-Cups! We rotate between Parker Clay’s own Ethiopian Dark Roast Coffee and a medium roast Nicaraguan coffee from our subscription service with Vega Coffee. Vega Coffee is coffee unlike any other, because it’s packaged and roasted by the same farmers who grew it - giving them a greater share in the value and profits than traditional coffee sourcing models.
7. Alternative Transportation // Parker Clay employees who live nearby frequently walk or bike to work. Office bikes are available for use during the day, and offer a great alternative to cars for grabbing a midday pad thai, meeting up with friends, or just a fun way to enjoy the sunshine!