Doing Our Part, Even When No One Is Watching

I have never believed sustainability should be a slogan on a wall. If we are going to talk about it, we need to actually do it.

One thing I am genuinely proud of is this: 90 percent of the waste we produce here gets recycled. That did not happen overnight. It took some trial and error, a few honest conversations, and a commitment to paying attention to what we were throwing away.

Recycling properly takes effort. It means slowing down. It means sorting things carefully instead of tossing everything in one bin. It means asking suppliers different questions. It is not glamorous work. Most of it happens behind the scenes. But it matters.

If we are going to run a business in this community, we have a responsibility to take care of it.

Why We Partnered with ReCORK

We also recently partnered with ReCORK, a program that collects natural wine corks and turns them into sustainable footwear and other useful products.

Here is the simple version. If you have natural corks at home, bring them to us instead of throwing them in the garbage. We will make sure they get recycled properly and turned into something new.

I like this program because it is practical. It takes something small that most people do not think twice about and gives it a second life. It is not complicated. It is not expensive. It is just a better choice.

And those small better choices add up.

It Is About Habits, Not Headlines

I do not think we need to be perfect. I do think we need to try.

For us, recycling 90 percent of our waste is not a finish line. It is just where we are right now. There is always more we can improve. There are always better systems we can put in place.

But I believe in progress. I believe in doing what we can with what we have. And I believe that if businesses take responsibility for their footprint, even in small ways, it makes a difference.

So if you are opening a bottle of wine this weekend, save the cork. Drop it off next time you are in. It is an easy way to be part of something positive.

We are going to keep doing the work, even when it is not flashy and even when no one sees it.

What small habit could you change this year that would make your own impact just a little lighter?