Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, N.H., has set the bar high for sustainability, and last week the farm / restaurant / brewery became the first craft beverage producer recognized by the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft Beverage Recognition Program.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)’ Pollution Prevention Program, with the help of the New Hampshire Brewers Association, launched the Sustainable Craft Beverage Recognition Program as a way to publicly recognize craft beverage producers who are making sustainable choices, preventing pollution and conserving resources, while also encouraging other producers to implement these practices. NHDES Commissioner Robert Scott and New Hampshire Brewers Association Board of Directors Officer Bob Levine presented Throwback Brewery founders Annette Lee and Nicole Carrier with the award for outstanding environmental leadership and sustainability efforts.
Founded on the principle of sustainability, the brewery’s company policy is “to always strive to improve business operations to lessen the impact on the local and global environment by conserving energy, water and other natural resources, reducing waste generation, recycling, and reducing our use of toxic materials.”
The brewery saves more than 65,000 gallons of water a year through reuse and is an innovator in treating brewery wastewater on-site.
Its 174 solar panels produce 20% to 50% of its electricity needs depending on the season, while preventing 33 metric tons of greenhouse gas from being released into the atmosphere – that’s equivalent to planting 2,530 trees.
Throwback’s commitment to making great food and beer sustainably is shown in all that they do, says CJ Haines, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Brewers Association: “As part of the Sustainable Craft Beverage Program, breweries will be recognized for being proactive in reducing their environmental impact, as well as finding innovative and sound methods of reducing costs. An outcome that is mutually beneficial to both our planet and small businesses.”
The recognition program is free, confidential and open to all craft beverage producers interested in implementing sustainable practices. Producers must meet certain sustainability requirements and provide information on an environmental initiative instituted at their business that reduces the amount of water, energy, waste or greenhouse gas emissions it generates.
“We are thrilled that Throwback Brewery will be the first sustainable brewery recognized by the program, since Throwback has worked with our program from the start. They are leaders in environmental excellence and pollution prevention, protecting resources for future generations, and we are excited to recognize them as a member of the New Hampshire Sustainable Craft BeverageRecognition Program,” stated Kathy Black, NHDES Pollution Prevention Program Administrator.
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