Sustainability is undeniably the new buzzword — zero-waste production, climate change protests on the streets of big cities and numerous attempts to ‘save’ the ecosystem are all over the news today.
You might get sceptical and ask, “How does an individual’s efforts even contribute to anything? The earth is still going to continue melting.”
Actually, climate change is now a legitimate problem. Animal species are at the risk of becoming extinct, increasing temperatures and rising sea levels will directly affect us, and the Earth’s resources are trickling away as every second passes.
Fortunately, we have some eco-friendly tea brands that allow us to drink cups after cups of tea without feeling bad about harming our environment. Yay to a guilt-free cuppa!
We must understand that tea is an ecosystem, and not just a beverage.
It is important for the entire process behind tea production to be natural and non-destructive to the environment, so that we and our children’s children can continue drinking tea for decades to come.
Greek Herbal Tea by Aegean Herbs
Aegean Herbs is a Greek brand that uses biodynamic farming to cultivate their herbs with minimal human intervention, creating an almost-zero carbon footprint.
Credit: Aegean Herbs
They have an assortment of teas with different health benefits that cater to various ailments, #teapasarrecommends giving their Relaxing Blend Herbal Tea a try, as it helps provide stress relief and relaxes the body and mind.
Organic Tea by Sonnentor
Everything is organic at SONNENTOR. That says a lot because organic farming helps preserve resources and reduces carbon emissions, and most importantly replenishes the soil to keep it healthy for future use. Organic farms also promote crop diversity since the pesticide-free land is more welcoming, preserving the wider eco-system beyond just tea crops.
It gets even better as around 80% of SONNENTOR’s packaging materials are renewable raw resources and their teas are packed in degradable films and cornstarch teabags. Zero waste is the way to go!
Credit: SONNENTOR
#teapasarrecommends Sonnentor’s Chilled Jug series. We love the Chocolate Mint & Lemon Verbana. The lemony notes of verbana harmonise beautifully with the refreshing mint to create a light herbal treat for hot days!
Yaupon Tea by Yaupon Brothers
American brand Yaupon Brothers is another sustainable tea brand to look out for, simply because Yaupon is a native crop with rich agricultural history. As a crop that is already embedded within the local Floridan ecosystems, its agricultural model is highly sustainable as it does not require much fertiliser, water or pesticide. Harvesting native Yaupon tea helps restore balance to our natural ecosystems.
Credit: Yaupon Brothers
Yaupon Brothers’ Fire Roasted Warrior’s Yaupon Tea pays tribute to Florida’s ancestral tribes’ pre-battle tradition, as it incorporates the taste of roasted Yaupon leaves over an open fire into an impactful tea blend. The sweet yet smokey intensity does pack an “ooompf” punch!
Yaupon Brothers are available on teapasar.com and at teapasar @ Naiise Iconic located at Jewel Changi Airport, level 2.
Tea Infused Beauty Products by Oasis:Skin
The next brand might be a little special, as they do not actually supply tea for consumption, but instead sell natural tea-based skin and body-care products. oasis:skin’s self-care products are free from artificial additives and other harmful ingredients. They offer a wide range of solid shampoos and soaps to reduce excessive packaging and embrace the eco-conscious lifestyle.
Furthermore, oasis:skin’s beauty kitchen also functions as a refillery, and customers are encouraged to return with their bottles and jars for a refill at 10% off.
Their Blue Pea Lemongrass Solid Conditioner is delightfully refreshing and great for your scalp! Blue Pea is said to be rich in bioflavonoids that not only fights free radicals that damage the scalp, but also reduces the premature greying and balding of hair. Great hair and saving the earth, all at the same time? Sign me up.
Reduce Plastic Waste With Kombynation Co.
Kombynation Co.’s Kombucha comes in glass bottles, which can be reused or recycled, drastically reducing plastic use.
Credit: Kombynation Co.
Kombynation Co.’s Bottle Subscription plan is an excellent example of reducing wastage in the long-term if you are an avid Kombucha drinker. For every 10 clean empty glass bottles returned upon the next delivery, you will get one free bottle of kombucha from them!
If we make a conscious effort to keep a lookout for eco-friendly brands and support their attempts to preserve the natural ecosystem, we might be looking at a future where most businesses understand the importance of implementing green efforts.
Slowly but surely, we can try doing our small bit for the environment, and we don’t have to cut back on our cuppas.
Citations:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-effects/
teapasar journal 