Coastal Differences

The difference between the east and west coasts as it relates to my business has not been lost on me.  On the west coast, farmers till the land where flowers and herbs are grown and harvested to convert their botanical elements into essential oils, resins, and such.  All but one of the companies from which I order my essential oils are located on the west coast, even if the oils themselves originate halfway around the world.

So, when fires are raging in California, it even becomes more of a concern for Anu Essentials as it relates to sourcing some of our main ingredients. Just yesterday, a west coast supplier voicemail stated they were closed due to approaching fires. Did this have to be? I think of a move by indigenous people of this land to introduce legislation to Congress supporting “controlled burns” to prevent wildfires. Unfortunately, the idea has not been well received.Wikipedia explains this strategy: “Prior to European colonization of the Americas, indigenous peoples used controlled burns to modify the landscape. These controlled fires were part of the environmental cycles and maintenance of wildlife habitats that sustained the people's cultures and economies. What was initially perceived by colonists as ‘untouched, pristine’ wilderness in North America was actually the cumulative result of these occasional, managed fires creating an intentional mosaic of grasslands and forestsacross North America, sustained and managed by the Original Peoples of the land base.”  There is so much wisdom to be gleaned from indigenous U.S. citizens. Still, the arrogance of modern thinking has all of us running for our lives, nearly overcome by our daily stresses and increasingly realizing that “we can’t breathe.”Meanwhile, the east coast is the domain of container and packaging manufacturers of bottles, jars, pails, aluminum cans, cardboard boxes, take-out cartons, etc. (think, International Paper, Reynolds Aluminum, and Georgia Pacific). We may not have deadly west coast fires, but we have the toxic pollution generated by the factories that produce these containers.  How long can we reasonably expect to sustain our current east and west coast means of production?There is always a better solution for a more sustainable and healthier path.  At Anu Essentials, we try as much as possible to avoid using plastic.  Admittedly, our hair products are bottled in plastic, but in every instance where we can, we use glass.  Whether you live on either coast or somewhere in the middle, we ask that you please recycle the bottles and jars received from Anu Essentials for the health of our lovely planet.