We started Happy Campers out of our love for wellness and happiness.
For us, it makes all the sense in the world that our own health is intertwined with the health of our planet and the environment around us.
Our commitment to Sustainability begins with being 100% PLASTIC-NEUTRAL!
For every loaf sold, we offset its environmental impact by reclaiming 100% of its packaging (in weight) from ocean-bound plastic.
Click on our Concrete Initiatives below to learn how we accomplish this!
Our concrete initiatives
Happy Campers is a part of the Impact Collective. This means that for every loaf sold, we offset its environmental impact by reclaiming 100% of its packaging (in weight) from ocean-bound plastic. The Impact Collective is a group of forward-thinking brands and together, we invest in certified community plastic collection projects in the areas of the world most impacted by plastic pollution due to ocean currents – Haiti, Indonesia, the Philippines and India.
All Happy Campers Bars are now packaged in home-compostable wrappers. Happy Campers uses 100% compostable wrappers made from renewable wood pulp, which means they will decompose in your home compost within 8-16 weeks. The material is certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to the ASTM D6400 standard, which means it meets all the world’s compostable standards, including home composting.
By end of 2023, Happy Campers Easy Peasy Flour Mix will be packaged and sold in pouches made from recycled and recyclable plastic.
These initiatives are just the first step in going plastic-free. We commit to you to continue seeking better renewable materials for our bread and bun packaging. While pulling plastic out of our environment is a great step in the right direction, we recognize the solution is not perfect, as we are still creating plastic in the first place. Please check back here for updates on our journey to becoming plastic-free company and read more on Recycling and Sustainability Tips on our Blog.
Impact Collective projects to reclaim plastic from the Ocean
Our plastic projects are concentrated to reflect the flow of plastic based on ocean currents and patterns. These communities see the highest influx of plastic waste disposed of globally.
By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than there are fish (by weight). Impact Collective manages a portfolio of 3rd party certified projects in Haiti, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and more to reclaim ocean bound plastic from the environment, making IMPACT COLLECTIVE brands plastic neutral.
PLASTIC BANK, HAITI
32 collection branches across Haiti extract over 3.5 million kg of oceanbound plastic, the equivalent of 126 million plastic bottles. The plastic credits provide a life-changing income increase for the collectors, encourages more collection, and prevents plastic from entering the ocean.
PLASTIC BANK, PHILIPPINES
The Philippines is ranked by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as the third biggest plastic polluter in the world, behind only China and Indonesia. The Philippines annually contributes nearly two million tons of mismanaged waste plastic to the global ocean plastic problem. Plastic Bank has developed a strategic partnership model, wherein existing recycling infrastructure is incorporated into a Plastic Bank Ecosystem, empowering local entrepreneurs, schools, and churches. This new model has proven to be more efficient, and highly scalable.
REPURPOSE WASTE VENTURES, INDIA
Waste Ventures India is a social enterprise in Hyderabad transforming India’s waste dumping into a waste management sector. By engaging existing networks of waste pickers and scrap dealers through technology and ethical business practices, WVI is redefining long-standing preconceptions around waste.
Learn How to Recycle or Upcycle our plastic bags
Here are some other fun ideas to Recycle / Upcycle bags:
- Explore these awesome variety of ways to re-use and recycle plastic bags.
- 50 crafty and creative ways to upcycle plastic bags.
- How to fuse plastic bags and make a tote or more (video tutorial)
Want to upcycle your trash completely but don’t know how or have the time?
No matter where you live in the US,Terracycle can do it for you!
How to Recycle or Re-use your empty bread bags!
Check out this website to find a place near you to recycle our packaging:
- Outer bread bags #4 Plastic Bags.
- Bread closures #6 Rigid Plastic.
- Inner packaging is NOT recyclable at this time. Please read more below on why we do use this package!
Why do we use the inner non-recyclable bag?
The primary purpose is to keep your loaf fresher longer. We’re tremendously proud to use absolutely no modified starches, preservatives or other junk to extend the shelf-life of our loaves! Because we bake with the most wholesome, clean ingredients, it becomes quite the challenge to keep nature from taking its course and having your tasty loaf mold quickly. The special vacuum packaging we use prevents just that. As mentioned in section above, Happy Campers offsets the environmental impact of this package by reclaiming plastic from the ocean. Read more on how we achieve this with Impact Collective group. We commit to you to continue seeking better renewable materials to replace the inner bag. While pulling plastic out of our environment is a step in the right direction, we recognize the solution is not perfect, as we are still creating plastic in the first place.
This vacuum packaging is, of course; BPA-free, strictly food-grade, and is as minimal as possible. We also did further research to make sure that the plastic we decided to use is as sustainably produced as possible, with the efficiency of both energy and resources in mind.