Cookies are delicious and all, but I wanted to share the heart behind our cookies. We recently visited the beach in San Francisco, only to be reminded that the planet we live on is a precious gift and something we ought to steward responsibly. So here's a quick primer on what we're trying to tackle with something as simple as a chocolate chip cookie.
The deal with industrial agriculture
With the Industrial Revolution came a push for rapid growth to meet the needs of a growing population. This is still the case today as our population continues to grow at an increased rate, but there have been some pitfalls with such efficient, industrialized growth.
To get more food more quickly, industrial farmers began to rely heavily on pesticides and chemical fertilizers without knowing their effects. These chemicals end up in our foods and the water we drink (due to chemical runoff) and is associated with various illnesses. Heavy monoculture, or the practice of growing a single crop, has also depleted the nutrients from our soil, causing erosion and lost biodiversity. These industrial practices affect end consumers, the communities surrounding these industrial farms, and many local farm workers. Though this particular article is a bit dated, check it out here for a bit more info on the subject.
There's no denying that we want to get more food to those who are food insecure, but we need to do so with future generations in mind. The challenge is to determine how we can produce food for a growing population in a way that respects the planet we live on, and while it's not the norm, there are some great innovators in the space that are paving the way for a more sustainable future. This is something we're continuing to research and learn about, and we are excited to share our findings along the way!
A bit about Christine
For those that don't know me personally, I've always loved to bake. I often got in trouble for not studying because I was baking, but finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe was something I was far more interested in!
Baking grew with me as I went through my college and early in career years, but it was during this time that I developed another true passion - sustainable living. If you're new to Christine's Cookie Co., I'm an author and sustainable lifestyle blogger for simply by christine. I share tips on slow, simple, and sustainable living, inspired by my industrial packaging and manufacturing background. It was through my studies that I realized a massive disconnect between the manufacturer and end consumer, as many of us don't know where things come from, where they go, and their actual impact.
Our vision
So much joy (a lot!) comes from baking our cookies, but we want to bake well and stay mission-minded. I've always envisioned opening a cookie shop of my own when I was younger, but my background and sustainability advocacy led me to explore the idea of a cookie business done with a more sustainable, conscious edge - one that doesn't leave the consumer questioning the impact of what they're eating.
And so, Christine's Cookie Co. was born with the mission to bake delicious cookies sourced with organic, local ingredients that we trust and believe in. Currently, all of our ingredients are organic, and 80% of our ingredients are grown or manufactured locally in northern California, and we want to help foster greater transparency and appreciation for our local food sources. We're excited to create future content that highlights the farmers, food producers, and organizations doing great work in this space!
Are our cookies going to solve food insecurity, problems surrounding industrial agriculture, and climate change? Probably not - but we believe we can make a dent with whatever sphere of influence we'll be able to achieve, and know it takes all sorts of innovators and changemakers from all different walks of life to create a collective impact. So whether it's the politician, the corporate sustainability manager, or the cookie baker, all of us have an impact and the opportunity to do things well for the planet and the people that live on it.
