What Boundary Bay Brewery is doing for the Earth

Boundary Bay Brewery is making efforts all the time to become more sustainable in our business practices.  We are lucky to live in a community that places importance on recycling, alternative energy, and sustainable life choices.  Bellingham does a lot to encourage environmentally responsible decisions…there are programs to educate and support local, sustainable farmers, we have an excellent recycling system that is even more advanced than what Seattle can offer, and we have a non-profit organization here in town supporting and encouraging sustainable business growth and practices.  Perhaps this partly explains why Bellingham is rated by several popular magazines as the best place to live in the United States. In early 2007, by a unanimous city council vote, the Bellingham local government chose to lead by example by buying 100 percent green power for all city-owned facilities.The community’s purchase resulted in EPA recognizing the Community of Bellingham as the first EPA Green Power Community in Washington State.  Bellingham received EPA’s Partner of the Year Award in 2007 and continues to display national leadership in the purchase and support of green power.  Here at the brewery, we’re trying to do our part and we are learning, growing and changing every day.  Here’s a list of what we’re doing so far at Boundary Bay:

* We are a locally owned and run business – providing jobs for nearly a hundred people in our community.

* We are dedicated to buying from local farmers and markets whenever possible.  Currently, all dishes on our menu that include local ingredients are marked with a “Think Local, Buy Fresh” logo.

* We have made a commitment to move Toward Zero Waste and, as part of that commitment, we have resolved to reduce our total waste by 50% this year alone.

* We participate in – and highly encourage – all forms of recycling.  As part of our Food Plus program, over the course of one year we will compost 210 yards (or two semi trailers FULL!) of food waste that would have otherwise been traditional restaurant garbage.

* We use biodegradeable utensils and carry out boxes for all to go orders.

* The used oil from the fryer in our beer garden gets reused as biodiesel fuel.

* All of our spent grains from the brewing process go to local farmers who use it as livestock feed.

* Our Beer Garden is certified as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.

* We will be having a RECYCLED art show Nov. 28th through Dec. 5th, featuring local artists as well as artisans represented through Ten Thousand Villages who make art using recycled components.  Show is to raise awareness of sustainable art and to promote the “trash to treasure” concept.

We are always looking for more ways to reduce our impact on this planet and we’d love to hear your ideas if you’ve got suggestions that you think might help make Boundary Bay Brewery an even more sustainable business!