Holiday Gift Guide Quiz
Not sure what to surprise your special someone with this holiday season? Take our Holiday Gift Guide Quiz to discover the perfect present!
The SunLeaf Holiday Gift Guide QUIZ!
Related Posts
Earth Day 2021 – Checking in on Bees and Freshwater
This Earth Day, we are checking in with the non-profits that we help support. SunLeaf donates 5% of our profits to preserving freshwater resources with the Freshwater Society, and to pollinator research with the University of Minnesota Bee Lab. The Bee Lab at the University of Minnesota conducts extensive research on all aspects of pollinator health, shares this information through collaborative work with the public and researchers around the globe. For a small, yet fascinating, example of their work, check out their latest newsletter here. The Freshwater Society is an organization that works to advance the areas of water science and policy. With experienced scientists on staff, they conduct comprehensive research on specific methods to best preserve freshwater resources and their watersheds. One of the reasons that we at SunLeaf have supported them for many years is that they share this information with local and state officials to shape meaningful policy to protect our lakes, rivers, and watersheds. Their new research project involves studying best ways to regulate and protect groundwater in the Great Lakes region. With the engagement of surrounding state and tribal governments, the goal is that this will lead to long-term planning that will have a significant impact on the health of the waters in the region. Learn more about this here: GROUNDWATER GOVERNANCE IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH ENGAGEMENT Speaking of helping to preserve water – we do that in the development of our products! – plant based biodegradable ingredients and limited packaging. A better example could hardly be found than in our new Hair Conditioner Bars – fully eliminating the plastic bottle and bulky water-filler from the equation. Our “cheat-sheet” of ingredient information can be found here. Let’s keep working together to create joy in our world – and Happy Earth Day!
Learn more
Freshwater.org - Meet Our Donors: Doug and Teresa Andrys
Doug and Teresa Andrys live in Waconia, Minnesota where they founded and operate a family-owned botanical business, SunLeaf Naturals. Each year they donate 5% of their profits to two environmental causes they care about: protecting pollinators and freshwater resources. Keep reading to learn their story of why they’re passionate about improving water health in Minnesota and why they invest in it to make a difference. Teresa is trained as a chemist and first got to know Freshwater in the eighties when we posted a job opening in a local paper. Teresa saw it and, as she recalled to Freshwater, “I applied for the job! I didn’t get it, but instead was hired as a product development chemist at a local bath product company – a profession I have enjoyed for many years.” Since then she founded and operates SunLeaf Naturals, a family business that uses green chemistry to create, “healthful bath, body and home products that perform well, smell amazing, and allow real plant power to shine through.” As the Andrys family grew and developed their business it was important to them to create environmentally friendly products and to give back, especially to the waters of the Land of 10,000 Lakes. In Teresa’s words, they were drawn to Freshwater’s work because, “We were impressed by the focus on science and the distribution of that knowledge to local officials.” They liked the idea of “creating change to help improve water quality on a local level.” She adds that they strive to “impress on people the importance of change being supported by science and networking with local officials.” Doug and Teresa have attended our gala for many years and enjoy supporting Freshwater through our annual fundraiser. In 2019 they even brought their children. It was a special way to expose them – all on the STEM career paths – to the impact of their philanthropy. Another one of their favorite times to donate is through Give to the Max Day. There are often matching funds available that can take the impact of their donations even farther. Every time we see a SunLeaf product or connect with Doug and Teresa, we are filled with gratitude. We’re reminded that through community support from people like them we can protect the health of our waters for generations to come. We will enjoy watching their kids continue their higher education and pick careers of their own, informed by the ethic of environmental stewardship bestowed on them by their parents. Doug and Teresa say this about their giving, “We hope that Freshwater continues its research into causes of pollution and remedies to improve water quality.” We are able to do so thanks to their generosity. This article was originally posted on Freshwater.org. Read the original article here.
Learn more
Celebrating the 50th Birthday of Earth Day
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!!!
Learn more