We know. It’s kind of cringey, but we couldn’t resist. April 22 is 53rd Earth Day. While sustainability is woven into the fabric of how we work every day, April is a month for a little extra reflection on what we can do to protect our precious planet by bringing a sustainable, restorative, even regenerative mindset to how we live, how we play, how we work…and how we tea.
This is a great time to highlight our organic teas. Organic tea cultivation focuses on specific growing practices that protect and even improve biodiversity, soil heath, and local ecosystems. Regardless of where the tea is grown, tea sold as organic in the U.S. must be certified as grown and processed in accordance with the USDA Organic Standards. Those standards include:
- No synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used in organic tea farming. Instead, farmers focus on natural methods of pest and weed control, such as crop rotation, composting, and using beneficial insects to control pests.
- Organic tea is grown without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), irradiation, or sewage sludge.
- Organic tea farms must follow strict guidelines and undergo regular inspections to ensure they meet organic standards.
- Organic tea is processed using natural methods, such as withering, rolling, and oxidation, rather than using chemical additives or flavorings.
Beyond production of China Mist teas, the sachets are biodegradable, and the boxes are made from recycled materials, printed with vegetable-based inks.
Beyond organic tea, China Mist is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP). Through this organization we are helping to change lives in tea growing locales by providing better income to growers, empowering women in the tea industry and addressing environmental issues and climate change. The collective action of ETP partners is focused on:
- The Economics Of Tea
- Producers Earn A Good Living
- Equality For Women And Young People In Tea
- Equal Opportunity
- Empowered Communities
- The Environmental Sustainability Of Tea
- Preventing Deforestation
- Ensuring Climate-Resilient Farming
- Net Zero Emissions
