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March 13, 2008
Pamela Bates, Speakeasy
603/772-9475
Weare, NH – Jenny Chartier, owner of Abigail’s Bakery of Weare, NH was recently honored with one of NH’s first-ever Lean and Green Awards. Business NH Magazine chose seven winners, including Abigail’s Bakery from a wide field of businesses that proved ‘deploying environmentally friendly business practices can also positively affect the bottom line’, according to the publication.
Abigail’s Bakery, which was established in 1978 and
specializes in organic, all natural, whole grain, handmade breads is NH’s
first USDA Certified Organic bakery.
The business has always made organic, earth
friendly ingredients a priority, and went through an intensive process last
year to earn USDA organic certification.
In addition to the use of organic ingredients,
including eggs from their own free-range chickens which were certified
organic 6 months ago, the bakery consistently looks for new ways to lower
its impact on the Earth.
The Lean and Green Awards honor those types of
efforts.
“As business people, we can’t solely
be focused on how things effect the bottom line without considering how our
operations effect the environment,” says Abigail’s Chartier.
“We’re always exploring ways of being ‘green’.
It’s a matter of respect for our environment.”
The Lean and Green Awards selection committee was comprised of Thomas Burack,
commissioner of the NH Department of Environmental Services; Margaret
Dillon, a board member of the NH Sustainable Energy Association and
president of S.E.E.D.S., Sustainable Energy Education & Demonstration
Services; and Ami D’Amelio, a board member of NH Businesses for Social
Responsibility.
The
judges found practices they ‘might expect like recycling and energy
efficient lighting, but were surprised by the many applicants that used
innovative and creative approaches to being greener’. Along with the judges, the award sponsor- Business NH
Magazine, insisted that the competitiveness of the field spoke highly to the
efforts of the winners, like Abigail’s Bakery.
Recently, the business invested in a
more fuel-efficient vehicle, a Dodge Sprinter, and carefully plans their
delivery routes to reduce mileage.
Those moves alone, cut the businesses CO2
emissions by 50 percent and has saved $100 in gas each week.
Abigail’s also enforces a strict ‘no-idling’
policy for both its employees and vendors.
Chartier insists, “We are proof that
industry doesn’t have to be at odds with the environment.
Sometimes the cost of being ‘green’ can be more
costly, but it often has great benefits. Being the first USDA certified
organic bakery in New Hampshire, has helped us grow and we were able to move
into a new facility last year.
We have since increased our output by 60%.
It’s been a huge advantage.”
The bakery continues to explore ways
of improving its environmental impact, and to that end has initiated new
waste reduction and recycling programs, including composting which has
allowed Abigail’s to reduce its average bags of refuse to only three.
These types of ‘small effort/big impact’
solutions are what Abigail’s Bakery prides itself on, as it helps show their
customers and others that being green doesn’t have to be hard.
“We strive to promote a clean
environment and a clean lifestyle.
The Lean and Green Award is a validation of our
mission and the success of that mission through action,” stresses Chartier.
Chartier, along with leaders from other winning companies will share their best practices at the Lean and Green luncheon to be held Mar. 25, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel, Center of NH in Manchester. Abigail’s Bakery will also be celebrating its Lean and Green Award and Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22nd from 3pm-6pm during an open house at its bakery at 324 South Sugar Hill Road in Weare. The event will include tours of the new facility, free organic bread samples, and an overview of the ways Abigail's Bakery has gone green. For more information call Abigail’s Bakery at 603/724-6544
