We at Sprecher have lots of exciting news this Earth Day!
This year, we are taking big steps to reduce our impact on the environment, support conservation efforts that matter deeply to us, and invest in our local community. Here's how we're doing that:
- Reducing our use of Styrofoam packaging
- Supporting honeybee conservation nationwide
- Fundraising for Milwaukee County Parks
Reducing Styrofoam Packaging
Customers like you have been asking us to reduce our use of Styrofoam packaging for our online orders, and we take that very seriously. So, starting today, we will no longer be using Styrofoam packaging for shipments of 12 packs of cans.
We are committed to eliminate Styrofoam packaging from our shipments of 24 packs of cans as well, pending the delivery of new and more sustainable packaging we have on order. Because we prepackage some frequently ordered items in advance, some online shoppers may still see Styrofoam in the next week or two, but soon it will be completely gone.
This change may sound small, but it should eliminate about 6,500 pieces of Styrofoam waste over the course of the year! The new can packaging will also be smaller and lighter which will reduce the amount of fuel required for delivery. Every little bit helps!
Supporting Honeybee Conservation
Sprecher craft soda is made with honey, so we have a soft spot for the bees around here. In addition to supporting beekeeping by sourcing high-quality pure honey to make our soda, Sprecher is a proud partner of the Honey Saves Hives program. Honey Saves Hives is a national program that spotlights brands that use real honey in their products and bring awareness to the importance of honey bees and their crucial role in our ecosystem and global food supply.
Honey is an all-natural sweetener crafted in nature exclusively by honey bees. In addition to producing the delicious honey we know and love, honey bees are also responsible for one-third of the foods we eat, pollinating more than 90 crops, including foods like fruits, nuts, vegetables and seeds.
As part of its Honey Saves Hives program, the National Honey Board partners with food and beverage brands that are dedicated to protecting honey bees and educating consumers on the ways we can help the honey bee population and our broader ecosystem.
Along with Sprecher, partners include Justin’s, Mary’s Gone Crackers, TEAKOE, This Saves Lives and Tillamook Country Smoker, all actively sharing educational tips to help honey bees. Consumers are encouraged to participate by purchasing honey and made-with-honey products from these partners at retail stores nationwide to make a positive impact.
Fundraising for the Milwaukee County Parks
Last but not least, Sprecher is a proud Wisconsin company, and we like to keep our backyard nice and green by raising money for the Milwaukee County Parks.
Every summer, Sprecher partners with the Milwaukee County Parks to bring a travelling beer garden to a different park each weekend. A portion of the money raised from the traveling beer gardens goes back to improving the parks.
Parks are a vital resource for our local community. Beyond being a great place to gather, the Milwaukee county parks system is home to miles and miles of commuter bike trails that keep gas-guzzling cars off the road. The parks also help the city manage water resources, provide a safer habitat for urban wildlife, and create space for local plant species to grow so that our dear friends the honeybees have a place to eat.
Conservation is in our DNA
Sprecher has been environmentally conscious from the beginning. Our founder, Randy Sprecher, studied oceanography in school and tried to make choices that would keep waste out of the oceans and preserve the environment for future generations.
That's why Sprecher uses glass bottles and aluminum cans, even when our competitors use cheaper plastic bottles. Even better, our bottles are made with up to 35% recycled materials. Sprecher also sources materials locally whenever possible, gives spent grain from the brewing process to local farmers to be used as animal feed, and uses refurbished and repurposed equipment in our manufacturing plant.
No company is perfect, but Sprecher is conscious of its environmental impact and continually looking for ways to practice environmental stewardship locally and nationally, in ways both large and small.
Cheers to a greener 2024!