You can save the world! Actually, we all can, together. Each of our small actions add up to a big impact. Earth Day is Saturday, April 22 and we’ve put together a list of attainable changes you can make for a positive impact.
1. Biking to work or walking around town
The beauty of our landscape is that there is so much to see. Yet, we often zoom by too fast to notice. Biking to work or parking and walking around town is not only energy efficient, but good for our physical and mental health. Why not park your car and walk around while you run your errands rather than driving shop to shop? Or enjoy an afternoon walk on a trail like these ones here in Butte. You might see something you’d have otherwise missed.
2. DOUBLE UP ON ERRANDS
If you drive to work, stop for your errands on your way home instead of heading back out. Making fewer trips may require a bit more planning but in the long run it saves on fuel, reducing CO2 and saving a little extra in your piggy bank.
3. FIND YOUR LOCAL FOOD KITCHEN
If you find yourself buying more than you eat, see what you can donate. We have local food pantries here in Butte that benefit from non perishables and the local food bank who accepts donations of all kinds. Americans throw away 133 billion pounds of food each year – that’s 40% of our food supply.
4. TAKE IT HOME!
Leftovers from a restaurant make awesome lunches or snacks. Have ’em boxed up, and ask for biodegradable packaging instead of plastic.
5. CARRY YOUR CUPS
Did you know that at Headframe we give you a discount for bringing your own cocktail cup when you want a cocktail to go? In fact, many coffee shops and restaurants are happy to fill your personal mug or water bottle at less than normal price for doing your part to help the environment.
6. REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES
I know, I know you probably hear this one all the time but it’s true! Americans toss out 2.5 million plastic bottles EVERY HOUR! This can easily be avoided by being mindful of what and how much you are throwing away. Plus, not to boast, but Silver Bow County provides some of the best drinking water in Montana.
7. GO NAKED!
When picking out things like apples, bananas or other fruits and vegetables, don’t worry about putting them into those little plastic bags. This just creates more work for you and more plastic waste. And if the bag is important, you can bring your own produce bags. Reuse the ones you get from the store or dedicate some of your own for produce.
8. BUY LOCAL
Food that is produced locally means a shorter trip to the store generating less CO2 emissions compared to a long-distance truck, boat or plane. Many things like raspberries and strawberries grow great in Montana, so if you want you can even try growing them yourself and really reduce the CO2 emissions. And you can check out the good work of your local farmers’ market for a great source of locally sourced fruits, veggies and meats.
9. FREEZE INSTEAD OF SPOIL
Fruits and vegetables hold really well in the freezer. In fact, they are good for up to a year and a half if you freeze your produce at the peak of freshness. And those brown bananas in the kitchen? Hello homemade banana bread!
10. STAY NEIGHBORLY
Here in Montana, we know how to have each other’s backs. Why not borrow a tool from a neighbor before running out to buy a new one? Or check out one of our great thrift stores, yard sales or online used marketplaces. You’ll meet new people and be able to cherish those new relationships grown from old things.
11. Ditch single use plastic
Eight states have banned single use plastic bags. They’re damaging to our environment, taking 1000 years to break down into chemicals which continue to create hazards. By keeping reusable bags in your car, you don’t have to worry about forgetting them when you head to the store. Headframe’s Reusable Bags can hold four half gallons of milk and are almost impossible to overfill. They pack away nice and small plus, they’re made from 100% post-consumer recycled content fabric.
Reusable bags or containers for lunches and snacks keep more plastic out of our landfills.
Try to set goals for yourself every week that you can stick to. Maybe keep that reusable bag in your car, or connect with your local farmers to learn about what produce they grow. There are so many ways you can help the Earth while helping, and supporting, your neighbors. We’ve only got one planet and we’ve all got to do our part.
A Limited Release Exclusively for Town Pump Liquor Stores
Headframe is excited to announce the Kelley Distiller’s Select American Single Malt Whiskey. This product is a 6 barrel, single barrel release of some of Headframe’s favorite expressions of Kelley and can only be found only at Town Pump’s package stores across Montana.
What does Six Barrel, Single Barrel mean?
Traditionally, when whiskey producers, including Headframe, package whiskey, we’re selecting a number of barrels, blending them together, proofing them down to packaging proof – usually something between 80-90 proof – then bottling them.
In a Single Barrel program, each barrel selected is proofed and bottled individually. This allows the characteristics of each barrel to come through directly into each glass of whiskey. It’s an exciting way to share the range of a product, highlighting the unique characteristics each barrel can impart. The six barrels in this Distiller’s Select offering showcase the range of sensory experiences possible inside a single product.
Town Pump has been doing a great job bringing unique single barrel expressions of nationwide whiskey brands to their customers and Headframe is proud to be the first Montana distillery to participate.
“Two of Headframe’s core values are Community and Giving Back,” said Co-owner and Co-founder of Headframe, Courtney McKee. “We’re proud to work with Town Pump, another great Montana company that exemplifies these values.”
The Kelley Distiller’s Select is crafted from 100% Montana malted barley and, depending on the barrel, is aged in either new oak barrels or used Neversweat Straight Bourbon Whiskey barrels.
“The Kelley American Single Malt Whiskey is the whiskey we built Headframe to produce,” explained McKee. “This was an exciting project, selecting six standout barrels of Kelley to share individually. The character varies so interestingly from barrel to barrel and we’re excited to share these with Montana’s whiskey connoisseurs.”
Each barrel was tasted, hand selected, proofed and bottled by our head distiller.
“Starting at 8.30 in the morning with 44 barrels in front of you can feel daunting. By early afternoon, though, you’re feeling a lot better about the task, that’s for sure,” Headframe head distiller, Blake Mueller noted. “Sampling can surprise you. The expectation that barrels will taste like they smell isn’t always true. I wanted to showcase how different the barrels can be and the different flavors you can get. We always think whiskey is whiskey but in truth, the barrel has such an impact and I was excited to share the variety of flavors that come from individual barrels.”
These whiskies are as unique as the barrels they matured in. We are excited to highlight the individual characteristics of each barrel, knowing that once they are gone, those flavors will never be reproduced again.
On February 18, 1882, Butte threw a switch and joined New York City in the advancement of electricity. As one of the first places to experience such an excitement, miners knew that this revolution would bring a change to their city.
As the world electrified, the demand for copper continued to grow and with it, so did the increase in mines and headframes that now crown the Butte Hill. Against all odds, workers envisioned and erected these steel giants and used them to benefit not only the city of Butte, but the entire world. These stewards remain as inspiration to all of us in Butte as to what can be accomplished in our Community.
Here at Headframe, we look to our city for inspiration in everything we create – from our spirit names to the structural steel frames that support our stills. We believe that we can move forward and honor the legacy of Butte while creating more efficient equipment that not only makes more booze, but uses less energy to do so. Our continuous flow distillation system is capable of producing an assortment of beverage alcohols, from low to high proof spirits; faster, easier and cheaper than other technologies.
When you purchase a still from Headframe, you are supporting manufacturing in the United States and promoting jobs right here in Butte, America. Thanks to our clients, we continue to grow our facility and job opportunities for those in our community.
We build stills not only for ourselves, but for other distilleries all across the globe. We appreciate every opportunity to meet new people and share the story of our business and our place in the world – Butte, America.
Certified Benefit Corporations (B Corp) are businesses that use a their company as a force for Good. By prioritizing people and our planet over profit, we are one of a growing list of businesses in Montana that proudly wears this certification.
Here at Headframe, we understand the responsibility that comes with being a steward of the Community. That’s why we make sure we consider every impact our actions will have on the members within it.
In 2016, we received our B Corp status, using every decision as an opportunity to put our workers and our Community first.
Owner Courtney McKee says, “Our B Corp status reflects our values. Headframe consistently prioritizes our shareholder’s values over shareholder value. Doing what’s right isn’t always easy in the short term but in the long run, there’s no other way to work with integrity and we know integrity matters.”
During a discussion about B Corps in April 2022, she addressed the fact that smaller producers in the spirit industry often face challenges overlooked by larger companies.
“There’s no real (environmental) guidance for smaller spirits brands and distilleries; and there’s a good, long way to go (to figure that out),” she stated, according to an article in Sustainable Brands.
A message that was agreed with during a 90-minute virtual roundtable recorded by Distill Ventures.
“(We don’t know) what some of those lower expense-higher impact opportunities look like and what it looks like to plan for a future making more sustainable, more positive investments in what we do,” Courtney said.
Even still, Headframe continues to create a road map to sustainability. Looking for innovative ways where we can make a difference starting right here, in our community.
Click here to read Headframe’s Impact Report.