As part of the new station, we are very fortunate to have access to a paved sidewalk that leads from the train platform directly into our rear parking lot via a security-controlled gate. Bigelow employees are starting to take advantage of this green transportation alternative; we already have 7 employees who take the train to and from our office on a regular basis.

As the price of gasoline is currently hovering around $3.50 in Fairfield County, CT, the train offers a more economical way for employees to get to work. For example, in the month of December, 2011 Bigelow train commuters saved approximately 186 car trips, 2,165 miles and 99 gallons of gas according to information provided by Connecticut Commuter Service.  Another very important benefit is that the amount of carbon emissions escaping into the environment has been reduced by 1,000 pounds in only 1 month.  We are optimistic that as time goes on and train commuters share their success stories, we’ll continue to see an increase in train riders and a decrease in cars on the road.

One more step for Bigelow Tea towards making the world a better place for future generations to come and a Win, Win for All.

Jim Gildea, Fairfield Plant Manager
Bigelow Tea

After all the revelry and feasting over the holidays, do you feel it’s time to pull back a little? Don’t fret, Bigelow Tea is right there with you, and we have ideas to help kick off Diet Resolution Week!  Yes, there are those dreaded words:  diet and resolution! The two words combined can seem formidable, but with a new year upon us, let’s brew up a positive attitude!

Diet resolutions are all about eating healthy and being healthy.  Don’t feel like you’re “denying” yourself foods; think of it as embracing wholesome, nutritious foods (and in moderate portions). The upside is that when we eat smart, we feel lighter, more energetic and healthier. The downside? There is none!

Here are some tried and true tips to help us all start 2012 on a lighter note:

• Objectively examine what you have stored in your fridge and pantry. This tells you a lot about your eating habits; remove processed and preservative-filled foods and replace them with preservative-free foods.
• Take a trip to your local farmer’s market. Make it a weekly excursion. The colors and smells inspire you to cook sustainable recipes that will nourish and delight you and your whole family.
• Snack healthy. A healthy snack of fruit or raw veggies can tame your hunger!
• Exercise portion control.  When dining in restaurants, try a variety of healthy appetizers – instead of a main course. Another option: box half your meal, before you begin. Take it home for a second meal tomorrow, or give the boxed half to the restaurant for a homeless shelter or local food bank (many restaurants give food away at the end of each day).
• Move your limbs. Walk or, better yet, dance!
• And of course, drink tea daily!

Good luck and good health in 2012!

Image via weblogs.wpix.com

Let’s face it … we’re a nation of avid collectors. Stamps, coins, dolls, and all sorts of memorabilia –the list is endless!  The wily sleuths at Bigelow Tea have even discovered that there are many tea aficionados who love to collect teabag envelopes! Are you one of them? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Apparently this is not just an American phenomenon.  In Europe, there are some seriously keen teabag envelope collectors. And while one might imagine that England tops the list, we have learned that there are some passionate enthusiasts in the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium!

With such a wide selection of flavorful, aromatic teas, Bigelow Tea certainly provides the ardent collector with a fabulous array of teabag envelopes that can be organized by type and flavor.  If you wanted to start up a green teabag envelope collection for example, think of how many Bigelow® green tea varieties we have!

If collecting sounds like a grand idea to you, you might be wondering: “what exactly do I do with these colorful teabag envelopes as I collect them?”  Well, aside from the traditional place-them-in-scrapbook method, here are a few creative ideas:

• greeting cards
• posters
• party decorations, like piñatas
• seasonal decorations, like garlands and Christmas tree ornaments
• miniature kaleidoscopic origami (teabag folding)

Once you’ve opened your Bigelow teabag envelope—open it gently to keep the foil envelope perfectly intact for your collection!—and have breathed in the beautiful aroma of our tea, you’ll probably be tempted to put off the collecting for a moment as you rush to turn on the kettle and brew a truly delightful cup of tea! Yes, sipping is every bit as good as the collecting! Enjoy!

At Bigelow Tea, we stand proudly behind all that is green: green energy, the practice of Reuse-Reduce-Recycle, our 100% commitment to Sustainabili-TEA and, of course our amazing green tea!  Over the years, we’ve extolled the virtues of this wonderful antioxidant-filled elixir … but since November is National Diabetes Month we wanted to share via many studies exactly how regular consumption of green tea may be beneficial to diabetics (and to those who are at risk of becoming diabetic).

The American Diabetes Association defines diabetes as “a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels that result from defects in the body’s ability to produce and/or use insulin.”  The statistics are daunting: as of January 2011, nearly 26 million American adults and children suffer from diabetes (18.8 million diagnosed, 7 million undiagnosed).  This means that over 8 percent of the entire American population has diabetes in one form or another. Additionally, there are approximately 70 million Americans who are at risk.

As Americans, we need to become more proactive with our health. This may mean some lifestyle changes such as healthier eating habits, exercise, weight management, and stress reduction. And don’t forget a daily indulgence of that delicious libation, green tea! Studies have shown that the catechins(specifically epigallocatechin gallate/EGCG) found in green tea, help to significantly lower blood glucose levels by enhancing the body’s insulin function and inhibiting the absorption of glucose in the intestines.

And brimming with natural, aromatic scent and subtle flavors, green tea is an amazing tonic. One thing is for certain: you will never be bored with our Bigelow Green Teas.  We have a treasure trove of flavors to choose from, you may even want to try them all! Enjoy … and, stay healthy!

Image (top) via ihenshin.com

There are signs that bottled water may be falling out of favor – with interest flowing toward alternative beverages such as plain tap water and iced tea! That’s according to a new report in Adelaide Now, an Australian online news service. The story notes that the amount of bottled water consumed in Australia has plummeted by one-third over the past year. Here at Bigelow Tea, we think the Aussies may be onto an interesting trend!

Market researchers speculate that frugality – coupled with environmental concerns about plastic bottles – could help explain the declining sales.  We do still have an undeniable thirst for bottled water in the USA, having consumed $21 billion worth of the stuff in 2009 … making our bottled water market the largest in the world. Yet tastes appear to be shifting on American shores, too; sales of bottled water in the U.S. have declined slightly in recent years as the bottled water quality has come under scrutiny and “ban the bottle” initiatives have taken hold with folks, highlighting the waste and cost of bottled water.

Tea, of course, has always been the great alternative to bottled water – for health, hydration and  sustainabili-TEA! In fact, research suggests that drinking three cups or more of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water, and may offer additional health benefits in the form of polyphenol antioxidants! And iced or hot, it’s tough to beat the taste and convenience of Bigelow Tea. Plus, those few extra minutes needed for heating the water and steeping your tea are worth savoring. Enjoy a cuppa – wherever you are!

Photo by Shrff14 via Flickr.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

At Bigelow Tea, we’re devoted to our Family, so, it’s no surprise that Cindi Bigelow was on board when her family of employees approached her about the concept of a Bigelow Tea Rap Video! The video, written and performed by Bigelow Tea blender Jamaar Wright, pays homage to the positive work environment and community at Bigelow tea.

Several Bigelow Tea employees (and Cindi herself !) are seen dancing and grooving in the background -  join in and dance with us!

This is special. Enjoy!

So we were thinking: you might want to hear directly from our dedicated Bigelow Tea employees about how they are driving environmental initiatives into every aspect of the Bigelow Tea enterprise. Their dedication is exciting … and so is this video which was produced by Hayden Stebbins, Sustainability Intern at Bigelow Tea!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sustainable farming practices are a big part of what Bigelow Tea calls sustainabili-TEA – our commitment to work in harmony with nature to bring you the best tea possible. And since September is National Organic Harvest Month, it’s a perfect time to celebrate earth-friendly habits that are good for the soil and for everyone!

But first a little background on the term “organic,” not to be confused with “all natural,” free range,” “hormone free” or even “sustainable.” Products carrying the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic logo earn it by meeting strict standards for how food is grown, handled and processed. For instance, organic farmers rely on natural fertilizers such as manure or compost to promote soil nutrition, plant vigor and growth, while conventional growers use chemical fertilizers and insecticides within government guidelines. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage water and soil conservation, and to help reduce pollution.

So does that mean certified-organic foods are more nutritious and safer than their conventional counterparts? Well, the jury is out on both counts, but in the meantime many people are buying organic foods out of concern for the environment and to limit their exposure to pesticide residues. That’s why Bigelow Tea proudly offers 15 delicious organic tea varieties. Look for the USDA Organic stamp on each box!

Bigelow Tea has always sought out the most ethical producers for each and every tea we make. In fact, our tea suppliers, including farmers in Sri Lanka, India and China, understand and have been following sustainable farming practices for over 30 years! Their efforts ensure that each cup of Organic Ceylon or Organic South Indian Select that you brew at home is perfect every time – and that no fields or farmers were harmed in the process. Enjoy!

Image 1 by Lance Cheung for the USDA, via Flickr.com, Image 2 by forevertoemay, via Flickr.com

Imagine a world without … tea?  Perish the thought!  Bigelow Tea wants you to never, ever worry about that, so we all know what we need to do:  conserve water.  Water is one of the world’s most precious natural resources, if not the most precious of all.

Conservation in general is not just an ideal anymore, it’s a reality and we’re all on board. As a global community, we are learning to live a greener life and our collective motto has become: reduce, re-use, and recycle.  Yet even with the increasing occurrences of droughts around the world and the dangers of toxins in our rivers and streams, we still sometimes take water for granted. The simple truth is that water safety is high up on the world’s list of conservation concerns.

With that in mind, Bigelow Tea would like to share some water conservation tips with you so that we may all practice Sustainabili-TEA together!

Outdoors

• Hydro-zone your landscape.  Group your plants, trees and shrubs together, according to their watering needs.
• Mulch reduces evaporation in the soil, so mulch, mulch and mulch again!
• Concrete doesn’t need to be watered, so water your plants, not your pathways!
• Place a rain barrel or two in your garden.  Collect rain and re-use it when you irrigate your yard.

Indoors

• Try to take more (quick) showers than baths.
• Don’t leave the tap running (i.e. while brushing your teeth).
• Use old water from your tea kettle to water your house plants!

If you have any nifty water conservation tips to share with us, we’d love to hear from you!

Photo via Theshinybaz.blogspot.com

Water quality is something that Bigelow Tea takes very seriously…we know that our Bigelow® teas are delightfully flavorful and aromatic, but it takes water to make a great cup of tea; if the water’s good, then our tea taste’s fabulous.  It’s as simple as that. However, if the water is sub-par and metallic in taste, then the quality of the tea will be affected, and not in a good way!  So since August is National Water Quality Month we wanted to highlight the importance of water quality and how it impacts our tea experience, and perhaps more importantly – our health and the environment.

First, know your water quality. Metals, bacteria, fertilizer, industrial waste and chemical pollutants can all seep into our drinking water and the water we bathe in. Although the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires water suppliers to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act, each of us can take our own measures to ensure that our household water is safe.

Here are a few  other ideas:

• Install faucet filters.
• Buy a filtered pitcher.
• Install a whole-house distiller.
• Protect your local water supply by using low phosphate detergents.
• Boil water when you’ve received an advisory/warning about contamination.  However, it may increase the levels of some contaminants (such as lead and nitrates).
• Lead test kits are available; consider testing your water for lead, especially households with children, pregnant women, and anyone with a sensitive immune system.

And then, have relax with a cup of your favorite Bigelow® tea – with fresh, clean water!

Images via Examiner.com and Freshandhealth.com