Shawn Donnille

September 2009 — Fair Trade, Zero-Waste, Local and Organic

Mountain Rose Herbs, Eugene, OR

When Mountain Rose Herbs won Green America's People's Choice Award in 2008, the voters who nominated them into the top-ten, and then voted them into the top spot weren't shy about the many reasons they had to love their favorite green business. They wrote to us about Mountain Rose's fierce commitment to organics and Fair Trade, about their work to become a zero-waste workplace, and about their biodiesel delivery trucks (using 100% waste oil from a local kettle chip factory).

In this month's interview, we've asked Mountain Rose Herb's Shawn Donnille to tell us more about what's in the company's future. Read on to find out about their commitment to recycling, and their work to rid their supply chain of plastic.

Green America: What does your business do, and what is your most popular product?

Loose-leaf tea from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Shawn Donnille: Mountain Rose Herbs is a supplier of certified organic and Fair Trade herbs, spices, teas and herbal products with a strict emphasis on sustainable agriculture and sound environmental business policies. We operate as both a
retailer (primarily selling online and through a mail order catalog) and as a bulk distributor to natural food stores and manufacturers.

Being in business since 1987 and a Green America member since 1992, we have witnessed the resurgence in the green movement which was unfortunately lost in the late 90’s but has come to its rightful place in the world of commerce. This has allowed us to develop products and services which are uniquely developed with a limited environmental footprint. The current bestselling items are packaged loose leaf herbal teas, the line of Epicurean Organic seasoning blends, and of course bulk medicinal herbs and spice.

What makes your business green?

Shawn: There is so much to cover here that we have developed an entire Web page on our own site devoted to all of our accomplishments. The list is expansive and we published it with the hope that other blossoming green businesses could consider adopting the practices that we had. From cash incentive carpool programs, to a zero-waste workplace, and even using waste vegetable oil to fuel our delivery fleet!

Please visit us at: www.mountainroseherbs.com/about/guiding.html

www.mountainroseherbs.com/buyorgan.html

What did you do before you started your green business?

Julie and Shawn on the Mountain Rose Oat Straw Farm.

Shawn: Mountain Rose Herbs has been through a few owners in the past 22 years, but Julie Bailey and I currently manage and represent the Mountain Rose Herbs we know today.

Julie (since 1991) was committed to creating an ethical business with friendly service, and quality herbs so that people could make their own herbal medicines and body care. Her passion and commitment came from her love of the healing plants, and her dedication and enduring respect for the beauty, balance and diversity of the natural world.

As for myself, I've been with Mountain Rose Herbs since 2001, and have radical and grassroots experience working with Project Underground, Earth First, Anti-Vivisection Network, PETA, and Greenpeace. I also formed 3 of my own grass-roots organizations from 1991-1999, all of which focused on animal welfare, environmental sustainability, political prisoners, ancient forest protection, and other revolutionary aspects in our current political and social spectrum. My history within the organic industry, at both the grassroots and corporate level, helped establish a dedication to social change, while my involvement with organic advocacy groups, environmental organizations, and other non-profits brought me closer to the needs of the core organic consumer.

What have been some of the biggest challenges of maintaining high standards of social and environmental responsibility?

Mountain Rose Herbs'
Fair Trade spices.

Shawn: The biggest obstacle we had ever faced and by far our biggest accomplishment to date was achieving a zero-waste work environment. This was an enormous step in the right direction and it took us nearly two years to complete, but the results have far exceeded what we expected and it has become much easier then previously forecasted. (For more information please see www.mountainroseherbs.com/about/zerowaste.html.)

Our biggest challenge in 2009 is developing and utilizing alternative-source packaging components for all the various products we offer. The plastic used in the supply chain is a terrible fact which we are trying to overcome and many of our products are currently packed with some form of plastic in them. We have made enormous steps in only using plastic bottles which are made from post-consumer waste to package our bulk oils and as of 2009 all of our paper labels will be manufactured on 100-percent post-consumer paper which is FSC and Rainforest Stewardship Certified. However, there are still challenges with other products which require some form of plastic in the creation and/or distribution and we are hopeful that an environmentally sound solution will be found within the next 1-2 years. 

What's been your proudest moment as a green business owner?

Shawn: Our crowning moment was when we received the Green America People’s Choice Award in 2008 for green business of the year.

What made this so special was that the public clearly and boldly voted for us even against what seemed to be impossible odds and it filled our hearts with ineffable joy. It was this one moment when we realized we had done everything right to the best of our ability and the public thought so as well.

What advice would you give to other green entrepreneurs just starting out?

Shawn: Operate your green business from a matter of principle and nothing more. There are far too many businesses adopting green initiatives on false pretenses, without sincerity and only because they feel it is a profitable paradigm for them to adopt in the green economy. However most green consumers are acutely aware of this, and this could cause you more harm than good, opening you up to criticism that could have a crippling effect on your company. 

What green product (besides your own!) can you not live without? 

Shawn: I always have the tendency to buy products from companies which stand upon firm principled grounding and I have a preference for local which is why I enthusiastically support the great products offered by Café Mam, Patagonia, HAE Now! and of course our local farms and CSA’s.

Read more Faces of the Green Pages interviews at www.greenamericatoday.org/greenbusiness/interviews.

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