Local Champions
Hempler’s Food Group For the Win!
Hempler’s Food Group has been crafting delicious high quality hotdogs and bacon in Whatcom County for three generations. Located in the heart of Ferndale, they provide hundreds of local jobs. Hempler’s is committed to future generations as well by striving to reduce...
Compassionate, Collaborative Action
I have been working hard to retrain my brain to accept what is, celebrate what should be celebrated and remain steadfast in my hope. Thankfully, the work that has been my profession over the past two and a half years provides me daily examples of people being good humans, doing what they can to take care of themselves, their families, their friends and their communities large and small.
Nearly 5,000 Lbs of Berries Recovered
Together we can achieve more! In the case of the almost 5,000 lbs of freeze dried blackberries donated to Sustainable Connections by CBB Property Management, this sentiment certainly rings true. With a collaborative effort between six agencies including Windwood...
Farmer toolkit for direct sales and pickup sites
We’re acutely aware that getting products to market is challenging now more than ever and we want to help. We’ve been in touch with a number of food delivery businesses and have compiled a list of options for 1) opportunities to sell your products through an...
Toolkit for Hosting a Farm Drop Site
How businesses can provide fresh farm products to the community.
COVID-19 Update from Derek, Executive Director of Sustainable Connections
Dear friends, We are thinking and feeling for you, for your families, friends, neighbors, businesses, and organizations. We are deeply committed to our community, as you are. It’s a special place filled with special people. That’s why we are supportive of restriction...
Business Support for Impacts of COVID-19
The effects of COVID-19 are being felt locally and globally. We are committed to helping our community navigate the rapidly changing times and provide as much support to small, local, and independent businesses as we can. We are working with Whatcom County's Unified...
7 Things You Can Do to Support Local Businesses Right Now
As the COVID-19 situation develops within our community, we would like to take a moment to check in. We encourage you to take care of yourself and your loved ones by observing recommendations from public health officials and staying home if you feel...
Watch Your Waste
Recycling markets are in the tank and we and we continue to generate lots and lots of trash. Where are the bright spots you ask? Well, I have noticed as of late we are finally having real conversation about waste reduction, single use plastics, surplus food recovery and extended producer responsibility. These conversations are happening with an increased frequency and vigor and in many cases are going beyond just talk. Numerous acts of legislation are in the works that will undoubtedly make positive impacts whether it is single use plastic bans or direct and cooperative efforts from governmental agencies to encourage food producers to donate surplus foods.
Rethinking Repair
By Mark Peterson We’ve all heard the news reports that recycling is dead, not sustainable and the myriad of other reasons to justify why we should all feel better about just throwing all our stuff in the landfill bin. There is definitely some truth in these reports...
Food to Bank On
Feeding the Community for 16 Years By Alex Smith January 2020 If you’ve been paying attention for the past 20 years or so, you may have noticed a trend in how people view food. Professional chefs and food critics are increasingly becoming mainstream celebrities,...
Foxes in the Hen House
By Mark Peterson It is no secret that we are being overrun by the ever increasing amount of plastic that deluges us every day. Just about everything we use in our modern society has some sort of plastic component to it. Even our glass bottle with a metal lid has the...