Home Sustainability
Sustainability isn't just a buzzword at Longmont Dairy – it's a way of life. From the start, our commitment has been to deliver pristine, fresh milk in reusable and recyclable glass bottles. Over the decades, our relentless pursuit of responsible production extends to high-quality milk, cold brew coffee, teas, and juices. Here's how we ensure it.
Re-Using and Recycling Our Glass Bottles Since 1965, we've proudly produced our Longmont Dairy products in glass bottles, avoiding plastic and cartons entirely. After thorough cleaning, we refill and deliver them, maintaining the highest standards of hygiene throughout the process. Our efforts have saved over 25 million plastic milk bottles from being purchased and ending up in the landfill. At the end of their useful life, almost all of our glass bottles are sent to recycling plants, completing a cycle that minimizes waste and emphasizes our dedication to a greener future.
Last year alone, we bottled over 5,000,000 products, with approximately 150,000 glass bottles purchased. Crunch the numbers, and the average bottle is reused an impressive 33.33 times. Imagine the impact on plastic waste reduction!
Our Milk Caps for Mooola program ensures that the bottle caps find a second life by recycling as many caps as we can. Since we cannot reuse our milk caps due to sanitary purposes, we have partnered with recycling companies to responsibly dispose of these caps along with any other recyclable plastic generated in our office and plant. And, looking ahead, our bottle manufacturer is exploring compostable caps, pushing the boundaries of sustainability in the dairy industry.
Embracing the essence of local sustainability, we champion the idea that many goods can be sourced and delivered locally, mitigating the environmental impact of extensive transportation. While some products, like oranges or almonds, may necessitate long journeys, Colorado's abundance of locally grown garden crops allows for nearby delivery. Dairy, a quintessential local product, can be delivered mere miles from our dairy.
We also prioritize sourcing locally and regionally grown feed for our cows, processing it nearby, and delivering the final product directly to your doorstep. Our commitment to proximity is evident in the fact that, on average, we drive only about 50 miles to deliver our milk to your home and thousands of your neighbors, saving significant fuel in the process. The convenience? You don't need to go out to the store for milk!
Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond our products to our delivery practices. Partnering with local companies enables us to deliver their goods directly to people's doorsteps, reducing the need for extensive transportation and lowering the overall carbon footprint. By supporting and collaborating with local businesses, we contribute to a more sustainable ecosystem, fostering economic growth within our community while minimizing environmental impact.
Sustainable farming keeps our communities strong. When you buy local, you help our economy, keep the environment healthy, and ensure we have enough food. Buying locally directly supports these benefits, reducing the energy needed to import food and products from distant places.
We prioritize local and regional feed for our dairy cows, ensuring careful selection for optimal cow nutrition. This not only allows us to monitor the quality of feed for our herd but also reduces transportation fuel usage. We grow some of the feed on site or source from farms less than 50 miles from our cows! While the local cost may be slightly higher, we view it as a worthwhile investment in adding a touch of local sustainability to our economy.
Furthermore, our daily milking routine includes swift transportation to our processing plant, where it undergoes immediate processing, pasteurization, and bottling. Typically reaching your doorstep within 48 hours, our streamlined approach ensures freshness, with your milk arriving several days earlier than the store even receives its milk.
At Longmont Dairy, our commitment to sustainability extends beyond words. It's ingrained in our history, practices, and future aspirations. Join us in making a difference – one glass bottle at a time.