Mountain Rose Herbs, Deliciously Organic
My obsession with green tea, OK tea in general, is real. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. I was exploring organic green teas and came across the motherload.
Fun fact: Mountain Rose Herbs and I have been around the same number of years. The all-organic company offers herbs, spices, teas, essential oils, and botanical goods. Their core belief is that people, plants, and the planet are more important than profit.
“We believe that cultivating herbs without pesticides is essential for the health of soil, watersheds, and human well-being,” says Alyssa Bascue, Director of Sustainability. “We are committed to organic farming practices that keep toxins off our land, out of our waterways, and keeps carbon in the ground.”
I can barely commit to working out 3 days a week, yet MRH is committed to keeping their products safe and environmentally friendly. They went the extra mile in 2009 when co-owner Shawn Donnille created the Mountain Rose River Project.
Co-owner Shawn Donnille
“The Mountain Rose River Project helps restore local riparian ecosystems (ecosystems transitioning between the aquatic ecosystem and the adjacent terrestrial ecosystem),” explains Alyssa. “In partnership with nonprofits and state agencies, employees get paid to plant trees, remove trash, and clear invasive plant species.”
It’s the employee’s decision if they want to be involved or not. Every year in the last three years, participation is continuing to grow.
Director of Sustainability Alyssa Bascue
“The employees who volunteer for the Mountain Rose River Project love to get outside and get their hands dirty! We try to include an educational component to every project,” says Alyssa. “For instance, we recently went to an area on the Oregon coast littered with microplastics and spent the day sifting through sand, removing tiny pieces of trash.”
The company even has incentives for being green within the workplace. They offer an Alternative Commute Program that pays employees per mile to ride their bike, take the bus, walk, or carpool to and from work. Hmm.. I wonder if they’re hiring and how many hours it will take to bike from LA to Eugene, Oregon.
Aside from their delicious, hit-the-spot teas, MRH offers bath and body products for babies and children, massage oils (yes, please!), natural hair care, and facial care. They also carry natural herbs as supplements and natural lip balm! One of my favorite categories is their aromatherapy products. Everything from oils, sprays, diffusers, my recent obsession, and candles. I will take one of each, thank you very much.
MRH is continuing their work for the environment. The company launched the Mountain Rose Herbs Giving Project last month. They’re giving away 4,000-dollar grants to plant lovers who share their mission-driven philosophy. They encourage herbal learners, small businesses, and nonprofits to apply.
“We consider how every business decision may impact the environment and people including our customers, vendors, and employees,” says Alyssa. “Because of our long-term relationship with our farmers and rigorous in-house quality control testing, the quality of our products sell themselves. My personal message to our customers is: ‘Botanical ingredients cultivated with love from us to you.”’
