We minimize our environmental impact at every stage, offset two times our annual carbon emissions, and donate 1% of total sales to environmental not-for-profits.
After a voyage of up to 3 years and 3000 miles, a precious few icebergs originating from the western shores of Greenland make their way to Newfoundland: Only 10% of icebergs drifting down Canada's Atlantic coast make it this far south. Before these waning few naturally melt into the saline sea, we harvest a limited volume over 3 weeks in early summer, recovering this amazing natural resource.
Our fleeting seasonal harvest employs local fisherman who use their small, independently-owned vessels to capture near-shore iceberg "growlers" that weigh less than a quarter-ton. For safety, and to ensure zero negative impact on the environment or eco-tourism, we maintain a strict cap on the size of icebergs harvested. In reality, our current practices very much resemble those of coastal Newfoundlanders from a century ago, who also appreciated the fine qualities of this remarkable gift from nature and sought to use it in celebratory gatherings.
While we are a craft-scale enterprise, every facet of our operation considers environmental impact and perpetually endeavors to diminish its footprint from both local and global perspectives. Our ice is stored and processed in modern local facilities powered exclusively by clean hydroelectricity generated within our province. Our core packaging is made from FSC-certified materials, and is designed to minimize space and maximize energy efficiency for storage and shipping.
We are proud to be a carbon negative company, and offset two times our total annual carbon emissions. We engage the advice of GreenStep to help us minimize our operational carbon footprint, as well as calculate our annual scope 1, 2, & 3 emissions. We purchase high-quality carbon credits through Terrapass, and invest in Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) projects.
As members of 1% for the Planet, we invest a minimum of 1% of our gross sales toward environmental projects run by certified nonprofit organizations. That's 1% of total sales (not 1% of profit) used to protect land, forests, rivers and oceans, as well as support sustainable energy production.
Click here to learn more about our climate commitment.