Preserving our most precious resource for a half-century

When I was a child, I spent most days playing outside.  In the town that we lived in, every now and then the sirens would start to wail, and we’d run inside and wait for it….BOOM!  The blasts from the mine would rattle the windows and shake the foundation.  Sometimes, windows would break, but the mining company was always quick to go out into the community and repair any damages. 

What was not as apparent as broken windows, was the discharge that was seeping into the beautiful northern lakes in our area. In 1972, the Clean Water Act was enacted that set wastewater standards for industry and set national water quality criteria recommendations for pollutants in surface waters.

My father, who worked for the mine his entire career, was happy to see that the lake that our little cabin was on, was getting cleaner and the fish more abundant.  (Don’t get me wrong – we appreciate the work and resources that the mines have and continue to provide.  The mines in northern MN historically have been and continue to be a major source of the steel we use in our everyday lives.) 

What happened when the Clean Water Act was enacted?

The mines and other industries found a way to comply with the new rules under the Clean Water Act and continue on.  Federal and state rules are essential to protect our waters, air and lands.  Enforcement of the rules is essential.  These protections benefit all of us.

Earth Day is celebrating a 50th birthday this year!  Do you think it was a total coincidence that the Clean Water Act was enacted two years after the first Earth Day?  People had made their voices heard.  It’s a good reminder that everyone’s actions matter and are the best way to make impactful change. 

Natural products, without the pollution

When Doug and I started SunLeaf thirteen years ago, we wanted to create products that would be nature-friendly and replace some of the more polluting products.  As a product development chemist in the personal care industry, I saw an overwhelming amount of plastic waste and synthetic chemical use; we believed there was a better way.  Over the years we have:

• Prevented over a quarter of a million plastic bottles from being produced.
• Prevented over a half of ton of preservatives from entering our wastewater.
• Eliminated the use of 50,000 gallons of groundwater (used for diluting soaps in plastic bottles).
• Used only pure plant biodegradable ingredients & beeswax – preventing the use of polluting synthetic ingredients.
• Donated 5% of proceeds to non-profits working to help preserve freshwater resources

What does this mean? Read more about plastic pollution here.

Thank you to our customers – it is you who have made a big impact to protect our earth!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!