Why BLUE BIN Believes The Future Of The Wine Business Rests On Bottles

Lately, wineries and winemakers have develop into more and more aware of the environmental affect wine manufacturing and distribution has on the atmosphere. Many firms at the moment are altering farming practices to be extra local weather pleasant, and contemplating sustainability in packaging and distribution. Nevertheless, the burden of wine bottles, which accounts for 29% of wine’s carbon footprint, continues to be one of many largest points the business faces.

I just lately spoke with Ron Rubin of Ron Rubin Vineyard, Sonoma County Vintner and founding father of BLUE BIN, to be taught extra in regards to the launch of the model’s new 100% recyclable wine bottles, and the way others within the wine business can be part of this development.

Ron instructed me how BLUE BIN is the primary premium wine packaged in a 750ml bottle made out of 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) plastic and that these bottles are smaller and lighter than standard bottles, shatterproof, and absolutely recyclable. As a veteran within the wine business, Ron additionally shared his journey and cause behind founding BLUE BIN and the state of the wine business.

Christopher Marquis: Inform us a bit in regards to the inspiration behind the Blue Bin model? The place did the identify Blue Bin come from?

Ron Rubin: There have been a variety of inspirations behind the BLUE BIN model. As a Licensed B Company one of many affect space pillars is prioritizing and caring for the planet, which the Ron Rubin Vineyard is dedicated to doing.

After some analysis we realized that simply the burden of wine glass bottles (from 420 grams to 850 grams) accounts for 29% of wine’s carbon footprint, so discovering an answer to cut back the carbon footprint was a motivating issue – BLUE BIN’s bottle weight is 52 grams.

Moreover, I learn a examine by Sonoma State College that confirmed 90% of all wine is consumed inside a one week or two week interval after bought, so we felt there have to be a greater various to the normal glass wine packaging that will be higher for the atmosphere and ideal for majority of wine drinkers who devour a bottle inside two weeks.

The inspiration behind the identify got here to me final summer time once I was driving to our vineyard on Route 116 (Gravenstein Freeway) outdoors of Sebastopol, and I observed all of the blue recycling bins out on the highway prepared for choose up that day. As we had been exploring various bottles to fight the waste from conventional wine bottles, we found that we may make a 100% rPET bottle, and understanding that blue bins are the place all of the recycled materials comes from to provide rPET, BLUE BIN felt like the right identify.

Marquis: What was the method prefer to make a 100% recyclable bottle made out of 100% recycled materials? What units the bottle aside?

Rubin: We labored in partnership with Amcor, the worldwide chief in accountable packaging options, to create the BLUE BIN bottle – the U.S’ first wine bottle made out of 100% recycled supplies. With out the management, assist, and dealing in partnership with Amcor, BLUE BIN wouldn’t have been launched. This was a most pleasing collaboration and studying expertise for all.

With BLUE BIN’s first-of-its-kind bottle, we hope to encourage extra wineries to not buy glass bottles weighing extra that 420 grams and to think about using 100% recycled PET wine bottles for wines they produce which can be consumed shortly after client buy.

Marquis: How can different wine manufacturers comply with in Blue Bin’s footsteps to create a extra sustainable + planet-friendly wine business? Do you have got any suggestions for wineries that wish to develop into B Corps?

Rubin: Extra wineries must be open to utilizing some sort of other packaging (rPET, aluminum, light-weight glass) for wine of their companies. Being cognizant of packaging and which is healthier for the planet will create a extra sustainable and planet-friendly wine business.

My advice for wineries desirous to develop into B Corp Licensed is to JOIN the motion to develop into a part of a worldwide group of companies that meet the excessive requirements of social and environmental affect whereas being dedicated to steady enchancment. Small steps may also help our planet and starting these steps as quickly as attainable will assist create a greater future for folks and the planet.

However the course of was time consuming, troublesome, and thrilling all on the identical time. From begin to end it took us 651 days. I believe extra wineries haven’t launched into this journey due to the dedication to transparency and inflexible scoring on 5 affect areas within the B Influence Evaluation (Staff, Setting, Governance, Prospects, Group), that are all pillars Ron Rubin Vineyard proudly adhere to.

Marquis: The wine business has been deeply impacted by local weather change, whether or not fires or droughts. What’s the way forward for wine seem like, and why is it essential for customers to take motion to drink extra sustainably?

Rubin: The way forward for wine can look optimistic so long as winemakers and customers work collectively to create optimistic, planet-friendly choices all through the wine making and buying course of. As we all know, the wine business can have enormous impacts on the atmosphere, from packaging to farming practices. Together with BLUE BIN, there have been many wineries and advocates which have spoken out about methods to make the business higher for the planet, together with packaging, which we all know accounts for 29% of the business’s carbon footprint.

For customers, an excellent first step is for them to do their analysis and hunt down and buy planet-friendly various packaging to benefit from the wine they love with much less environmental affect to planet Earth.