Sustainabili-Tea: Using Tea To Change How We See The World

Sustainabili-Tea: Using Tea To Change How We See The World

Over the past few months, I have taken some time out to learn more about sustainable development on a whole and what that looks like on a global scale. When we talk about sustainable development that includes answering the question:

How do we play our part in making the world more fair and future proof?

How do we make a positive impact in our world?

The most mind blowing part of my studies so far can be summarized in these simple facts.

The world bank provides us with three categories of countries

  1. High Income Countries- countries where the average person makes 12,000/year or more
  2. Middle Income Countries -countries where the average person makes 1000-12000/year
  3. Low income countries- countries where the average person makes $1000 or less a year

 

Of the 7 billion of us in the world, 1 billion of us live in the high income world. And 1 billion of us live in a low income country (making about 3$ a day) Leaving the other 5 billion people somewhere in the middle.

So if you are reading this and you’re in a high income country, you can consider yourself one in a billion- for real!

Now obviously needs and cost of goods are different around the world. Rent in Toronto is not the same as rent as in, say,  Nairobi Kenya.

And of course, cultures and ideals are also very different.

What we believe is important and necessary in Canada, is not necessarily the same in the Sri Lankan or Chinese culture.

But if there is one common thing we can agree on, it’s that the most important pieces to live a quality life are the same no matter where we are from. Shelter, food, employment, and access to education, healthcare, and water are the essential stepping stones to live a good life.

Now tea lovers, as you know, tea grows in countries in the developing world. The tea industry employs millions of people, in places where work would otherwise be very scarce. I have also learned that most tea plantation owners are required to provide housing, education, access to medical care and childcare to their workers. Since tea is grown in rural areas, it is almost given that if the basic necessities of life are not met for workers, workers will move and seek opportunities at other farms that do offer it.

Learning this was very comforting to me, knowing that we play a small role in helping keeping tea farmers and tea workers employed.

I would like to re-iterate that as it stands right now we are still learning. Sustainable development is a loaded topic and we are not playing experts on the matter here. But what we do know, and have always known, is that we want to use T by Daniel and our teas as a tool to change how people see the world, both here at home and abroad, in the places where we source our teas from.

We are committed to learning more and sharing this journey of understanding the impact the tea industry has across the globe, and how it is helping the lives of others, and we'd love to share that with you.

 

Why?

 

So that we are not only inspired to drink tea because of the beautiful experience it gives us personally, but also because we play our tiny part in supporting an industry that represents the livelihood of millions.

 

Stay tuned as we continue this conversation.

Our Organic Rwanda Rukeri Black Tea is now available! Check it out!

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