SustainabiliTea
Your small cup can make a big difference.
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The Story of Lipton
It was a groundbreaking decision, even for a company with a long history of inventions and innovations. Lipton's 2007 announcement of its commitment to sustainably source all of its tea in teabags from Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM estates by 2015 placed the company miles ahead in sustainable tea farming practices.
To ensure its suppliers' farming practices are sustainable, Lipton has teamed up with the Rainforest Alliance, a nonprofit conservation organization that works to conserve biodiversity and protect the rights and welfare of workers, their families, and communities. Farms that meet comprehensive standards for sustainability earn the Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM seal. These standards conserve biodiversity, ensure that soils, waterways, and wildlife habitats are protected and that farm workers enjoy decent housing, access to medical care, and schools for their children. By shopping for products bearing the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal, consumers can support conservation and help to improve the quality of life for farm families. Some 450,000 independent tea farms in Kenya—to be followed by estates in India, South East Asia, and South America—are working towards becoming Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM.
The first Lipton tea estate to earn the Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM stamp of approval was the company's own tea estate in Kericho, Kenya. This model facility, which was certified in 2007, follows strict guidelines for pest management, tree planting, and use of renewable sources. In addition, on this estate, Lipton provides workers and their families with free housing, free early education for their children, and health services.
Launched as the Thomas J. Lipton Company in 1890, Lipton is today the world’s largest tea brand. And its Earth-friendly policies and commitment to sustainable agriculture will ensure
it remains a leader, not just in the tea industry, but
for agricultural producers in every sector.
Sources:
- Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton Biography
- Suite101.com: Sir Thomas Lipton - Purveyor of Tea and America's Cup Yachtsman
- TeaMuse: Sir Tea
Discover More
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Take Quiz
What does sustainability mean to Lipton? And where does all that tea come from, anyway? Get the answers.
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Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture strives to balance the needs of wildlife, wild lands, workers, and communities.
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iPhone: Jigsaw:
Get the iPhone version of this classic puzzle game and learn how you can help ensure sustainable agricultural practices.
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iPhone: Spot It!:
Download this challenging photo hunt game to your iPhone. Can you spot the differences before the timer runs out?
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Free Wallpaper
Download your free wallpaper here.
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Photo Gallery
See how Lipton is dedicated to sustainable agriculture. View pictures from Boyd's trip to the Kericho Tea Estate in Kenya, Africa.
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Puzzle
Take a tea break with a customizable jigsaw puzzle—easy or difficult, it's your choice.
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Video
Learn how Lipton continues to create high quality tea while being environmentally and socially conscious.
Message From Lipton
We hope you enjoy learning about Lipton's dedication to sustainability. We at Lipton are proud to say that by committing to source our teas from Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM estates, we're helping to conserve the environment and provide a better life for tea pickers and their families.
By purchasing Lipton Tea that bears the Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM seal, you're helping to support a healthier planet and make a positive impact on environmental, social, and economic conditions for farm workers, their families, and communities. Your small cup can make a big difference.
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Tea Touchdown
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Global Growth
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Swimming in Tea
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Leaf Load
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To the Moon
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High Volume
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Whale of a Tale
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Tea Totals
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Did You Know
#1 Tea Touchdown
A tea estate the size of 20,979 football fields would be needed to supply the amount of tea needed for Lipton (hot and cold) tea in one year.
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Did You Know
#2 Global Growth
Some 50,000 indigenous trees have been planted on Lipton tea estates around the world. There are 3,705 acres of wetlands and natural forests conserved within the properties.
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Did You Know
#3 Swimming in Tea
The amount of Lipton hot tea drunk by our consumers in one year would fill 4,434 Olympic-size swimming pools.
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Did You Know
#4 Leaf Load
The weight of Lipton tea leaves sold in one year equals a herd of 14,077 adult African elephants.
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Did You Know
#5 To the Moon
All the Lipton tea bags sold in one year would stretch to the moon and back more than 16 times, and the string used would reach there and back 12 times.
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Did You Know
#6 High Volume
The total amount of Lipton tea (hot and cold) consumed in one year is equal to the amount of water that thunders over Niagara Falls in five and a half hours.
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Did You Know
#7 Whale of a Tale
The amount of Lipton tea sold in one year equals the weight of 538 blue whales.
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Did You Know
#8 Tea Totals
Lipton produces 45.75 billion tea bags each year, and 732,000 tons of leaves are plucked to make the Lipton tea sold in one year.
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Computer Off, Savings On
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Costs of Cooking
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Clean Green
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Good Scents
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Lawn Care
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Toxic Trash
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Light Recycling
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It's a Wash
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Green Tips
#1 Computer Off, Savings On
You can save an average of $90 a year by turning your home computer off every night. You should also turn it off if you don't expect to use it for the next two hours.
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Green Tips
#2 Costs of Cooking
The energy used to cook for an hour in a standard electric oven creates 2.7 pounds of carbon dioxide. By comparison, a slow cooker creates 0.9 pounds over seven hours, and a microwave creates half a pound in 15 minutes.
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Green Tips
#3 Clean Green
You can use baking soda to keep your home spic-and-span. Mix four tablespoons in one quart of warm water for a general cleaner. Add salt to scrub baking dishes and countertops.
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Green Tips
#4 Good Scents
Need to freshen the air? Do it naturally with open windows or simmering spices. Air fresheners are bad for the environment.
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Green Tips
#5 Lawn Care
Keep your lawn natural. Chemical fertilizers are washed by rain or sprinklers into storm drains, which dump into rivers, streams, or the ocean.
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Green Tips
#6 Toxic Trash
Throwing away batteries adds hazardous metals to landfills. Recycle them instead—check with local stores, such as RadioShack and Office Depot, for recycling programs.
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Green Tips
#7 Light Recycling
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) contain mercury and should not be thrown into the trash. Home Depot and Ikea have CFL recycling programs, and your local hardware store or recycling center may have one, too.
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Green Tips
#8 It's a Wash
Keeping your clothes clean uses the second-biggest amount of water in your house. Make sure you have energy-efficient machines to reduce your use and help you save on water and energy.
Interactive Quiz
What does sustainability mean to Lipton? And where does all that tea come from, anyway? Get the answers.
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