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Stone & Wood 2023 Beer As A Force For Good Report

Reflecting on our work over the past year

Today is World Environmental Day, more than a day to do ‘good’, we think of today as a moment to pause and reflect on our work over the past year. As a company founded on the idea of using beer as a force for good, we’re always always looking at ways to reduce our impact, and be of better service to the environment that supports us.

Across the board we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and improving our practices. In order to keep track of our journey, hold ourselves accountable, and share our learnings with the community – each year we release our Beer As A Force For Good report. This report is open to the public so you can gain a better understanding of where we are as company, and where our focus is for the future. We believe learnings are best when shared and we love having a beer and a yarn about how we can better use beer as a force for good.

Some highlights over the past year include:

  • We released NRB, Northern Rivers Beer, to the public, which is our first beer made from Certified Sustainable Ingredients. NRB is currently only available in the Northern Rivers region but is an exciting testament to our ambition for the future of sustainable brewing.
  • In 2023 we diverted 90.8 percent of waste (excluding spent grain) from landfill. This is a 5.5% improvement from 2022.
  • At Murwillumbah brewery, thanks to re-using treated wastewater with a UFRO system (Ultra-Filtration Reverse Osmosis system) and capturing water from our bottle rinse and pipe it through our refrigeration system and re-using cleaning chemicals recovered through a CIP system, we are stoked to be 20 percent lower than industry averages for our water usage for the year. 
  • We are 32% lower than industry averages for our purchased electricity consumption this year. This is something we are super proud of for the period. At our Murbah site we run a 100kW solar system on our brewery roof and the Byron Brewery roof we run a 80kw solar system.

  • This contributed to a carbon emission reduction in 2023 equivalent to an approximate planting of 2,630 trees.
  • We are also pleased to announce that in 2023 our Murwillumbah brewery became certified under ISO14001, reflecting a robust and comprehensive environmental management system embedded across our main production site.

Read the full 2023 Beer As A Force For Good Report here.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY

‘Ngalingaa Jagun Gunuul, Arakwal Jagun’ By Nickolla Clark “The artwork brings forward Bundjalung stories, Arakwal Country is well known as a meeting place for all of Bundjalung. Many tribes, would walk, rest and gather here. They walked on songlines, singing in language following the escarpments of Koonyum Range to the shorelines of Tallows and to far north Queensland for the Bunya Nut festival. They walked the Brunswick River on low tide, they twisted their feet in the sand to collect yugari (pippis). Together they shared culture and danced on this sacred ground. This painting highlights the landscape of Byron Bay, where the rainforest meets the sea and lifestyle and culture is hidden within. Arakwal Country is an abundant and versatile place, a marker telling you where you are”.

We acknowledge the First Nations people, the custodians of this beautiful Country. We pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise that Indigenous peoples have protected the land, sea, and waterways for tens
of thousands of years. We show our gratitude for these strong foundations from the past and embrace guidance for the future.

‘Ngalingaa Jagun Gunuul, Arakwal Jagun’ By Nickolla Clark, a new artwork on display at Stone & Wood Byron Bay

“The artwork brings forward Bundjalung stories, Arakwal Country is well known as a meeting place for all of Bundjalung. Many tribes, would walk, rest and gather here. They walked on songlines, singing in language following the escarpments of Koonyum Range to the shorelines of Tallows and to far north Queensland for the Bunya Nut festival. They walked the Brunswick River on low tide, they twisted their feet in the sand to collect yugari (pippis). Together they shared culture and danced on this sacred ground. This painting highlights the landscape of Byron Bay, where the rainforest meets the sea and lifestyle and culture is hidden within. Arakwal Country is an abundant and versatile place, a marker telling you where you are”.

Reading times: 2 mins

Stone & Wood 2023 Beer As A Force For Good Report

Reflecting on our work over the past year Today is World Environmental Day, more than a day to do ‘good’, we think of today as a moment to pause and...

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Can Beer Be Better For The Planet? RE_GENERATION Documentary

Can Beer Be Better For The Planet?

THE DOCUMENTARY

Follow one beer lover’s journey of discovery as he deliberates on how the cold one in your hand can affect climate change and how every drinker has the power to turn beer into a force for good.

From the brewing tanks of Stone & Wood to the lush hop and barley fields of regional Australia, filmmaker and change maker Jack Toohey tours the state in search of the answers on how we can make beer more sustainable.

With the support of our good friends and growers at Ryefield Hops and Voyager Craft Malt, we're very proud to announce the launch of our most sustainable beer yet, Northern Rivers Beer. We've used 100% Certified Sustainable Ryefield Hops and 70% Certified Sustainable Voyager Malt in this brew all of which is regeneratively farmed.

"I think it's vital for punters to know how beers made but not just how it's made, but where it comes from. It's an agricultural product and without agriculture here in Australia, we wouldn't have beer...Stone & Wood has decided to use Regen ingredients in our beers and that's for a higher purpose and that's really to bring it to the mainstream." Says our Head Brewer, Caolan Vaughan.

Learn more about our Northern Rivers Beer here.

 

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Can Beer Be Better For The Planet? RE_GENERATIO...

Can beer be better for the planet?

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NRB | Northern Rivers Beer

NRB 🦃 AVAILABILITY 

From today (21.03.24) you’ll be able to grab a carton from the following bottle shops and next week we’ll be dropping the list on where to grab it on draught...

NRB STOCKISTS

  • Ballina Cellar
  • Byron Cellar Lawson Street
  • The Park hotel
  • Sunrise cellars
  • Station hotel
  • Newrybar general store
  • The Lennox Hotel
  • Tintenbar Store
  • Casino Liquor Company
  • Ritchies Kyogle
  • The Cellar Alstonville
  • Bangalow Cellars
  • The Cellar Byron Plaza
  • The Railway Friendly Bar
  • The Bangalow Bowlo
  • North Byron Hotel
  • Great Northern Hotel
  • Beach Hotel Byron Bay
  • Crabbes Creek General Store
  • Panorama SuperCellars Tweed Heads
  • Murwillumbah Cellars
  • Billinudgel Hotel
  • Burringbar General Store
  • Middle Pub Mullumbimby
  • Taphouse Cellars Kingscliff
  • Courthouse Hotel Murwillumbah
  • Cabarita Beach Hotel
  • Wake Up Hostel Belongil
  • Ocean Shores Tavern

NRB - Keeping It Local.

Since 2008, we’ve always put community, connection and sustainability at the heart of Stone & Wood. And whilst our beer can now be found around the country, the Northern Rivers will always be our home.



Our new Northern Rivers Beer is dedicated to our home, this special corner of the world. It was dreamed up by our team and brought to life through their efforts. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding region and its people, we’re keeping this one local. NRB will be exclusively available in store, within the bounds of the Northern Rivers, stretching from Tweed River in the north to Yamba in the south. Of course, it’s not limited to this region alone; you can still find it in our online store.



Community has always been at the heart of our mission. We strive to forge meaningful connections by collaborating with kindred businesses and organizations in our area. NRB is another avenue through which we can achieve this. Since 2018, we’ve contributed $2.1 million to local grassroots, environmental and social charities, both near and far, all through the Ingrained Foundation. For every 100 litres of beer sold from our portfolio, Stone & Wood donates $1, and NRB will proudly continue this tradition.

About Northern Rivers Beer.

This is what we call a Northern Rivers Lager, taking inspiration from the region surrounding us and the people within it. NRB has light floral aromas, subtle malt flavour and low bitterness, but to put it bluntly, it’s a beer that is simply good to drink, with no fuss.

This beer is the perfect drop to wet the whistle. A bright, crisp beer that’s easy to drink and have a yarn over. And the best part of this local brew, other than its taste, is that it’s made from at least 70% malt that has been Certified Sustainable and 100% Ryfield Certified Sustainable hops; crops that take things easier on the soil and water that they’re produced from.

Who Is Certified Sustainable & What Is Certified Sustainable Malt?

Certified Sustainable (CS) is a nonprofit certification program, working with growers that are passionate about sustainable farming practices and the long-term health of their land and communities.

CS works across the supply chain from growers, to makers, and providers, independently verifying and validating positive practices regarding environment, social and governance outcomes.

Through yearly audits, CS growers are required to maintain standards with regard to six key areas. These include traceability, soil health, water conservation, emissions, monitoring, and social/community responsibility. CS growers demonstrate outcomes and practices that balance the material impacts of conventional farming with the wellbeing of people and the natural environment.

Positive practices that are found at a Certified Sustainable Farm include soil nutritional programs that build soil structure and organic carbon levels, cover cropping, minimal to no tillage, water conservation, and adherence to additional regulation and guidance for the use of agrochemical inputs.

That’s why, for us, it makes sense to work with Certified Sustainable when sourcing our malt for this beer. We hope you enjoy this beer as much as we enjoyed bringing it to life!

Reading times: 7 mins

NRB | Northern Rivers Beer

Introducing you to the Northern Rivers Beer, our take on a Northern Rivers Lager. Taking inspiration from the region surrounding us and the people within. It's our most sustainable yet......

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Growing a Greener Tomorrow: Supporting our Young Farmers

Welcome to Stone & Wood’s Regenerating Our Backyard Series, a look into the ways in which the coldie in your hand can help create a better future for the environment that supports us.  

As a business, we’ve aimed to tread lightly on the earth since Day One. We’ve taken measures to reduce our reliance on traditional energy sources and produce less waste, but how can we do better? By thinking outside the box and working with like-minded friends from the farming and brewing communities, we’re making new pathways into a greener future.

In Episode two of 'Regenerating Our Backyard' we spent some time at The Farm Byron Bay. In partnership with national non-profit Farmer's Footprint Australia, they’re helping young people get access to land and learn the noble art of growing food.

Along with Byron Shire Council, Ingrained Foundation (the not for profit we established in 2018) has helped us to support the program, using beer as a force for good, balancing our love of brewing with our love of fresh, organic and local produce.

The hard truth is that these days, there are plenty of barriers that prevent young people from getting into farming. Acquiring land is just the beginning. The Northern Rivers Incubator program aims to educate and empower our next generation of farmers, with an access and education model that could be rolled out by local councils nation-wide.  

We chatted to this year’s participants: Grace and Rob on the patch and learned just how much this program has allowed them to realise the potential of farming as a viable career path, and why we need more of these opportunities for our young people. Enjoy the full episode now 🍺#beerasaforceforgood

 

Watch episode one of Regenerating Our Backyard here.

Reading times: 7 mins

Growing a Greener Tomorrow: Supporting our Youn...

We’re stoked to introduce you to the Regenerating Our Backyard film series. Since day one, we’ve tried to balance brewing beer and taking care of the earth that supports us....

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From Coldie to Compost: A Love Story

 

Welcome to Stone & Wood’s Regenerating Our Backyard Series, a look into the ways in which the coldie in your hand can help create a better future for the environment that supports us.  

As a business, we’ve aimed to tread lightly on the earth since Day One. We’ve taken measures to reduce our reliance on traditional energy sources and produce less waste, but how can we do better? By thinking outside the box and working with like-minded friends from the farming and brewing communities, we’re making new pathways into a greener future.

In this, our first episode from the series, we look at how our brewers and a network of local farmers work together to close the loop on waste and produce some of the richest soil in the Northern Rivers.

 Our brewers working with local farmers

As part of the brewing process, each tank of delicious Pacific Ale produced also creates a yeast waste byproduct. In 2015, rather than committing this product to traditional waste systems, Stone & Wood teamed up with local legends, Coastal Feeds, to take the nutrient-dense waste from all our beers to create a rich compost for organic farmers.  

Hamish Brace from Coastal Feeds said their core goal is to continually improve the quality of soil health for farmers and the yeast waste from Stone & Wood beer is a key ingredient towards achieving that.

“Because you’re brewing quality beer (no preservatives etc) you’re using good materials and that’s always in my favour to produce a good compost.”

Yeast waste byproduct from Stone&Wood Pacific Ale Beer

From the hands of Hamish and team at Coastal Feeds, this beer-boosted compost goes on to feed the rich fields of local organic farmers, like Rod Bruin of Summit Organics.

The rich compost delivery helps tackle what is a big concern for Rod and many sustainable farmers - the limited nutrient life of soil. Working with a finite resource, farmers like Rod believe that tying up nutrient loops, like replenishing the soil with our brewer’s waste, is a way we can give back to soil’s health and keep the nutrient cycle going.

“The Stone & Wood compost brew we get off Coastal Feeds it’s the highest nutrient compost of any of the composts available locally,’ said Rod.

The whole point of compost in sustainable farming is we’re not feeding the plants, we’re feeding the soil. And in the soil is the microorganisms and the fungi, they’ll feed the plants. They’ve got this whole gig going where they help each other out. Bit like what we’re trying to do.”

Farmer harvesting carrots

Both Rod and Hamish believe that small, local actions and solid human relationships are the best way forward to ensure a greener tomorrow.

Hamish from Coastal Feeds said, “We can minimise our impact on the world with a lot of small actions. It’s guided sometimes by bigger actions, but on the ground, it’s the activity of the people in the community and how they can work together to create solutions.”

Similarly, our farmer (and part-time philosopher) Rod said, “I think it’s essential in order for us to move forward on this planet, we have to become more local and build up human relationships, long-lasting human relationships. I think that’s where the future’s at.”

Farmer harvesting lettuce

To get a deeper understanding on how we’re trying to close the loop on waste and have a positive impact on the environment that surrounds us, watch the first episode in the Regenerating Our Backyard Series above.

More good news to come…

Episode two has been released 🎬 Watch Now:

GROWING A GREENER TOMORROW: SUPPORTING OUR YOUNG FARMERS

Reading times: 8 mins

From Coldie to Compost: A Love Story

We’re thrilled to introduce you to the Regenerating Our Backyard film series. Since day one, we’ve tried to balance brewing beer and taking care of the earth that supports us. In...

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OUR INGRAINED FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $200K FUNDING POOL

Supporting The Northern Rivers From The Grassroots Up

Since Day One, Stone & Wood has aimed to be a conscious business that takes care of the communities where we work and live. Part of that story for us has been the establishment of our not-for-profit charity, the inGrained Foundation.

As our HQ is in the Northern Rivers, it made sense that our work started close to home. For the past five years, the inGrained Foundation has run a Large Grants program that provides local grassroots charities and organisations in the area with support for their next big project.

This year, the inGrained Foundation have announced a $200,000 funding pool for the 2023 Northern Rivers Large Grants Program, opening Tuesday, 4 April 2023. 

It’s open to not-for-profits with DGR status and grants will range between $5,000 and $30,000.

With the aim of addressing a broad spectrum of challenges experienced within these communities, inGrained are seeking to support projects that fall into the following categories:

  • Conservation of natural resources and habitats.
  • Action on climate change.
  • Mental health and wellbeing.
  • Accommodation and homelessness.
  • Inclusion and diversity.

In 2022, some of the organisations who received a grant through the program included: Bangalow Koalas, Human Nature Adventure Therapy, Murwillumbah Community Centre and Zero Emissions Byron.

WATCH: 2022 GRANTS ROUND RECIPIENTS RECAP

These teams are just a few of the amazing groups that are working hard to make their community and its surrounding environments a better place for all. Open soon to not-for-profits with DGR status, applicants are encouraged to read the guidelines and submit before Friday 28 April, by visiting www.ingrainedfoundation.com.au, so if you have friends or family doing incredible things in the Northern Rivers, please let them know.

To learn more about the inGrained Foundation, its Grants Program, visit the inGrained Foundation website, sign up to the newsletter and follow @ingrainedfoundation

Reading times: 2 mins

OUR INGRAINED FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $200K FUNDIN...

Supporting The Northern Rivers From The Grassroots Up

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BREWING UP SOMETHING SWEET. TOO MAC & BEE-YOND, A B CORP COLLAB.

Stone & Wood x Brookie's x Flow Hive. Cheers to B Corp Month.

To celebrate B Corp month, we invited a few of our friends in the local B Corp community to come on down and brew a beer to celebrate the amazing achievements of the forward-thinking businesses in our region.

A B Corp Collab Beer

Stone & Wood x Brookie’s x Flow Hive

The beer, titled Too Mac & Bee-yond, is a Honey Macadamia Wheat Beer and was brewed using local Byron drop, Brookies Mac liqueur, and Flow Hive Harvested Honey.

For those lucky enough to live in, or be passing through, the Northern Rivers in the next few weeks, this delicious small-batch brew will be pouring at our Byron Brewery for a limited time only.

Wait, the beer sounds delicious, but…what’s a B Corp?

A B Corp company is a business that is meeting high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Put simply, the B Corp movement proves what’s possible when businesses think beyond profit. When they go beyond the expected. When they come together to prove beyond doubt that there’s a better way to do business.

Cool Cool Cool…so B Corp Month is??

Each year in March, the global B Corp community comes together to celebrate, educate and motivate broader audiences on what can be achieved if we choose to do business a little differently.

Follow the hashtag #WeGoBeyond on Insta or FB to see some of the amazing work that’s being done across the planet right now. It’s the kind of internet rabbit hole that will leave you feeling uplifted and pumped about what good business can look like.

One little overseas gem we discovered was Padstow Holliday Village in the UK who are making holidays more sustainable, including hiring out wooden body boards to their guests for free 🤙 

Where can I find other B Corps?

We’re lucky in Australia to have some outstanding companies working hard to make the world a better place as part of the B Corp community.

Here’s a list of just a few of our faves for you to check out. Hollar back with any of your best B Corp suggestions too!

Food & Beverage:

Cape Byron Distillery/Brookie’s Gin

Unico Zelo

Pablo & Rusty’s

Fashion:

Outland Denim

Zorali

Bassike

Home:

Flow Hive Honey

Who Gives A Crap

Koskela

AĒSOP

Services & Media:

Bank Australia

Quiip

We Are Explorers To get the full picture on the B Corp movement and a full list of the B Corp businesses in Australia and New Zealand, head here

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BREWING UP SOMETHING SWEET. TOO MAC & BEE-YOND,...

Stone & Wood x Brookie's x Flow Hive. Cheers to B Corp Month.

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Why We Became B Corporation Certified

We believe that beer can be a force for good - and it’s been a key part of who we are since we opened our doors.

Since Day One at Stone & Wood, connection to community has always been a driving force for our business. Each year, we receive enormous support from the close-knit communities that surround us, here in our home base of the Northern Rivers, in Queensland and across the country. Because of this, we’re always looking for grassroots ways we can get involved and give back.

Likewise, we’ve always aimed to keep the environmental impacts of our brewing processes as minimal as possible, as we believe nurturing and protecting the environment that surrounds you is an integral piece in doing good business.

The B Corp certification provides guidelines and standards of what it means to be a great business and helps us to keep returning to these principles.

 You’ve probably noticed the B Corp symbol popping up on more and more of the things you love lately. But what exactly is it ? Let us help you break it down.

SO, WHAT’S A B CORP?

A B Corp is a company that is certified for meeting high standards of transparency and accountability, as well as excellent environmental and social performance across all aspects of the business.

The B Corp movement exists to inspire businesspeople to balance purpose against profit and to empower consumers to make ethical choices.

So how do we incorporate these guidelines into our aim to use beer as a force for good?

We engage in best environmental practices in our day-to-day through our Green Feet sustainability program and we connect to our communities through our not-for-profit arm, the inGrained Foundation. inGrained is where we work with local charities at a grassroots level to help improve the lives of those around us.

 After all, helping out our mates is in our company’s DNA.




WHAT IS A B CORP CERTIFICATION?

B Corp certifications are issued by a not-for-profit organisation called B Lab, whose mission is to harness the power of business to impact the world for the better.

Around the globe, there are approximately 5,000 B Corps like Stone & Wood that lead the way to achieving this mission by embracing a ‘we over me,’ mentality.

WHAT DOES A B CORP CERTIFICATION MEAN FOR BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY?

A B Corp certification is not just recognition, but rather a symbol of ongoing commitment towards sustainability and ethical practices. And there’s no time for sitting on your laurels – B Corp certifications get reviewed every three years!

To get re-certified, B Corps are provided with a roadmap to aid them in identifying key areas of improvement and setting new targets.

At Stone & Wood, we were able to improve our score from 82.1 to 83.7 when we were last recertified, with our results underlined by a strong performance in the environment category.

We were stoked to see the actions we’ve taken in innovating our manufacturing process to reduce our use of water and electricity and output of waste has us on the right track.

Overall, we’re pumped to keep improving our practices and furthering our impact for years to come!

WHY STONE & WOOD BECAME B CORP CERTIFIED

We knew that getting our efforts formally acknowledged by BLab could help Aussie beer drinkers make informed decisions that aligned with their own values.

It was a no brainer for us as B Corporation certification is so closely aligned with what we value most; our community, our people and the natural environment we all rely on.

JOINING THE B CORP COMMUNITY

We’re extremely proud to be recognised as part of the outstanding B Corp Community and to be continuing to push for even better scores in the future.

Now that’s something to raise a glass to!

Shop our full range of ethically-produced products, all available to purchase online.

Reading times: 2 mins

Why We Became B Corporation Certified

We believe that beer can be a force for good - and it’s been a key part of who we are since we opened our doors.

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Congratulations to the 2021 Ingrained Foundation Grants Round Recipients

Six Northern Rivers not-for-profits are to share $115,180 in funding

We’re thrilled to announce six local not-for-profits have been awarded a Northern Rivers Large Grant, with a total of $115,180 being divided between the organisations.

After receiving a strong pool of outstanding applications from many people doing great work in our community, the inGrained Foundation Grants Committee and Board are pleased to announce the successful recipients for the 2021 inGrained Northern Rivers Large Grants Program are:

AGAPE OUTREACH

Agape Outreach Inc is a street-level organisation actively working to alleviate poverty and homelessness in the Tweed Heads area and beyond. Since COVID, they have seen a 468% increase in client numbers needing support. Agape will be putting their grant towards ongoing support and outreach services for people in need.

BANGALOW KOALAS

Steadily building the koala, wildlife and reforestation corridor around Bangalow, Bangalow Koalas are looking to plant over 4000 trees in the area by August 2024 regenerating land and protecting the local wildlife for years to come. Their grant sees a key section of the wildlife corridor progressing within the next 12 months.

BYRON COMMUNITY CENTRE

The Byron Community Centre are at the forefront of the region’s homelessness crisis. Currently renovating the Fletcher Street Cottage to reopen late this year, BCC will be using their grant to help provide the homeless and disadvantaged community with shelter and support in extreme weather events.

COMMUNITY OWNED RENEWABLE ENERGY MULLUMBIMBY (COREM)

COREM installs solar systems on community organisations for free, which is then paid back by the savings made on the electricity bills. The solar systems are provided interest-free and when paid back, the funding is re-purposed for the next installation. COREM’s grant is going towards a model of delivery that allows them to sustain this great work.

GREEN HEROES

Recently rescuing three loggerhead turtle nests from the Fingal and Pottsville areas, Green Heroes built a makeshift incubator and successfully hatched and released over 150 baby turtles with a 96% hatch rate. Their inGrained funding will help them to build a proper and permanent incubator to continue to revive these endangered sea creatures for many turtle hatchings in the years ahead.

HUMAN NATURE ADVENTURE THERAPY

Through their Activ8 Outdoor Youth Mentoring program, Human Nature Adventure Therapy offer immersive outdoor counselling services for teens in need in our community. Their inGrained grant will support the delivery of many more one-on-one outdoor counselling sessions building mental health and resilience.

We at Stone & Wood and the inGrained Foundation are stoked with the results of this year’s Grants Program. We congratulate each of the successful applicants and look forward to seeing their projects come to life, and thank all the organisations who took the time to apply this year.

inGrained’s work in the community continues throughout the year with the help of Byron locals and visitors to our Byron Brewery. For every beer sold over the bar, $1 goes towards supporting additional local grass roots charities.

To learn more about the inGrained Foundation, its Grants Program and this year’s recipients, visit the inGrained Foundation website, sign up to the newsletter and follow @ingrainedfoundation


Reading times: 2 mins

Congratulations to the 2021 Ingrained Foundatio...

Six Northern Rivers not-for-profits are to share $115,180 in funding

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Sustainable Merchandise is Taking Root in Australia!

Steps Towards Sustainability

Sustainable goals are coming into fashion. In a world where we hardly have the chance to sit down and smell the roses, we have even less time to look at what’s in our own wardrobes.

Not many of us consider how our clothing gets from the field to our backs, and you’d be among the majority if you didn’t know all the processes involved in landing a singular piece of apparel on the shelf. Clothing production is a huge problem for the world and just like the challenge we’ve undertaken to move our beers to a high standard of sustainability, we’re also determined to take all the steps we can for our range of sustainable merchandise as well.

WHY IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION IMPORTANT?

Over 65% of all clothing is currently made from synthetic materials, derived from crude oils and fossil fuels. On top of this, the dyes used to colour cheaply made fabrics are often toxic to the environment and harmful to the labourers who breathe them in.

As if pollution wasn’t bad enough, the craftsmen and women making these fabrics may be working in sweatshop-like conditions with little pay and no consideration to their health or wellbeing.

But there’s emerging hope, and it rests in the hands of forward-thinkers within the growing trend of sustainable fashion and management. A new wave of ‘consumers’, including people like you are seeing greater value in responsibly sourced apparel and merchandise.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?

Sustainable fashion is the act of producing clothing and accessories while paying attention to its environmental and socio-economic impact. This means more natural dyes, fabrics, and ethical working conditions.

The best way to get there is to be educated on making the most of our clothing, rather than purchasing the newest seasonal trend. If anything, 2021 has opened our eyes to many issues happening both globally and in our communities, making it more important now than ever to have these conversations.

Responsible brands are looking to make sustainable fashion not just a trend, but a permanent fixture in the industry. Sites like Good on You are leading the way in sustainable merchandise and fashion education, offering a directory full of brands and information on how their products perform in terms of sustainability. Well-known names from Asics to Zara are up for scrutiny as Good on You provides all the details on what it takes to be an informed fashionista.

We also know how important the earth is to us and are making our own mark by our own Green Feet Initiative. Through this program, we have brought in sustainable practices that recycle water usage, increase our use of efficient energy systems, and have introduced innovative waste management programs, within our brewing process.

But this initiative extends past our main operations, as we’re also working to promote sustainable fashion in Australia through our beer clothing range. These are an exclusive collection of Stone & Wood-branded products just as clean and refreshing as a cold beer on a summer’s afternoon.

HOW DO WE MAKE OUR SUSTAINABLE MERCH?

There are so many reasons to focus on sustainable habits in and out of fashion. Not only is it great for the planet, but it helps every seamstress and craftsman along the supply chain make a living wage in working conditions that see them as more than just human sewing machines.

The best fabrics for sustainable fashion are natural, biodegradable, and easy to recycle. Materials like organic cotton, linen, recycled polyester, and spandex yarn are some of the many fabrics used to make our merchandise.

Not only are they good for the environment due to their ease of access, lack of chemicals in production, and recycling measures, but they look good too! This means you can both look and feel good while wearing your purchase of eco-friendly merchandise; knowing it is also supporting smaller communities to create a more incredible earth. We’re also working towards introducing packaging that is chemical-free, plastic-free, and made with less water and energy than ever before!

OUR COMMITMENT GOES BEYOND MERCHANDISE

The Green Feet sustainability program is our way of making the world better for today, tomorrow, and every day after. We aren’t perfect, but we work every day to lessen our impact on the world we love.

At our brewery events, we’ve introduced reusable cup programs at events that minimise the output to landfill, while our and community clean-up projects are actively involved in reducing the occurrence of waste in the environment. Through the initiative, we’ve even created the first recycled water beer for World Water Day!

From personally separating our waste by hand before bringing it to the landfill to talking with other breweries to raise awareness of eco-friendly and sustainable practices, The Green Feet Initiative ensures do our best to keep you looking your best while drinking the best.

The Stone & Wood team are on a mission to learn about more ways in which we can introduce sustainability and ethical practices while making changes along the way. We will continue to work towards our ultimate goal of providing a 100% sustainable fashion range with an entirely traceable supply chain.

 

 

Check out our range of beer clothing today, and join us as we attempt to be the champions of sustainable merch in the brewing industry. Let’s make our apparel and brewing habits not just a trend, but an established expectation.

Reading times: 2 mins

Sustainable Merchandise is Taking Root in Austr...

Steps Towards Sustainability

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Say hello to Pacific Moonshine – our limited release with Cape Byron Distillery

Tropical and salty like your first post-surf sip.

We have a story of innovation for you …

You probably know that we don’t like wasting things – especially beer. After all, that’s why we started our Green Feet sustainability program.

When venues around the country closed earlier this year in line with COVID-19 restrictions, many of our customers were stuck with kegs of fresh beer they could no longer sell.

To support them, we took all unopened Stone & Wood kegs back to our brewery and offered credits to our customers for when things opened back up.

Awesome – but then we had enough excess beer to overflow a swimming pool …

Until our good friends up the road at Cape Byron Distillery caught wind of it and devised an unusual plan: they decided to make a ‘beer spirit’ with our excess fresh Pacific Ale. And so, alongside Cape Byron Distillery, we bring you Pacific Moonshine.

Artfully distilled using our Original Pacific Ale, Pacific Moonshine (44%) is subtly salty and bursting with the tropical flavours of pineapple, lychee, passionate and mango, with hints of malt and citrus on the nose and palate.

Get in quick – numbers are extremely limited for this once-only special release!

With community at the heart of everything we do, we will donate $6 from every bottle to our not-for-profit, the inGrained Foundation, to support local grassroots charities in the areas we work and live.

How do I enjoy Pacific Moonshine?

The crew at Cape Byron Distillery suggest serving Pacific Moonshine with cold soda or fresh pineapple juice or try mixing it up with Cape Byron Distillery’s delicious cocktail recipe ideas.

Pacific Moonshine is available in 700ml bottle from our online store from Friday 4th December. Available only while stocks last.

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Say hello to Pacific Moonshine – our limited re...

Tropical and salty like your first post-surf sip.

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Reducing Our Environmental Footprint

From malt to packaging, our Pacific Ale is 100% Australian

Today is Earth Day 2020, an international day that seeks to inspire the global environmental movement, now in its 50th year.

While most Earth Day efforts and celebrations will take place online today, many of our crew are busy making beer offline at our Murwillumbah production brewery to ensure beer-lovers around the country can still enjoy a beer safely at home.

A big part of their job is brewing, bottling and packing the Original Pacific Ale, which – from the malt and hops through to the bottle caps and cartons – is 100% Australian-made, most within a three-hour drive of the brewery.

In celebration of Earth Day, we thought we’d take you around our Murbah brewery with our sustainability manager James to learn more about our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint via our Green Feet program, plus the lifecycle of the Original Pacific Ale and its all-Australian ingredients and materials.

  • All Pacific Ale ingredients are Australian-made, including the malt, hops and yeast
  • All Pacific Ale materials are Australian-made, including the bottle caps, glass and glue
  • Our bottles are made from 70 per cent recycled glass
  • Our cartons are made from 50 per cent recycled cardboard

Happy Earth Day from our team!


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Reducing Our Environmental Footprint

From malt to packaging, our Pacific Ale is 100% Australian

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Beer-Water Beer For World Water Day

We brewed a perfectly safe and great-tasting beer using recycled brewery water

Humans wouldn’t get very far without water – and neither would beer.

That’s why our brewery is observing the United Nations’ World Water Day 2020, on Sunday 22 March, which highlights the importance of fresh drinking water for people and wildlife.

This year’s theme is ‘Water and Climate Change’ in a way to promote more efficient global water use and raise awareness about how climate change will impact our water sources.

Beer isn’t possible without its main ingredient; from the water used to grow and malt the grain, to the water used to make the wort that yeast will convert into beer – this is an invaluable natural resource.

With our home in the Northern Rivers, we’re fortunate to have access to high quality drinking water from the ancient caldera of the Wollumbin Volcano (aka Mt Warning), which we manage and conserve through our Green Feet program as one of three focus areas: water, energy and waste.

Our waste-water beer is ready for drinking

As part of our participation in World Water Day, we’re excited to announce our Beer-Water Beer, a 4.6% summer ale brewed using purified wastewater from our Murwillumbah brewery (that is, the excess water used in the brewing process that wasn’t turned into beer) that has been processed through our ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis (UFRO) system.

Installed early 2018, the UFRO system turns brewery wastewater into perfectly usable water by stripping out all impurities, turning the hazy beige wastewater into crystal clear H20. At the moment, we only use this reclaimed water for utilities and cleaning, but there’s no reason other than stigma that we couldn’t brew with it – so, we did!

Come and taste Beer-Water Beer at our brewery in Byron

Our Beer-Water Beer will be tapped at our Byron Tasting Room from Sunday 22 March for a limited time only, so we’d love to have people come for a taste!

We think the proof is in the pudding: while we don’t have any plans to use recycled brewery water in any other beers at this stage, Beer-Water Beer points to the possibility for innovation that emerge when we strive to tread lightly on the Earth.

See you Sunday!  

Some of the other ways we conserve water

  • We used 3.8 litres of water per litre of beer, while the industry average is 4.6 litres/litre

  • We capture and recycle water from our bottle rinser and pipe it through our refrigeration system

  • We re-use cleaning chemicals recovered through a CIP system

  • We collect rainwater onsite to water our lawn and fruit trees

  • We send some of our treated wastewater for re-use for local farm irrigation
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Beer-Water Beer For World Water Day

We brewed a perfectly safe and great-tasting beer using recycled brewery water

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Using Beer as a Force for Good

How we work and grow sustainably with our communities

While some companies of yesterday give business a bad name, we believe that in 2019 and beyond we can use business – and beer – as a force for good. We believe it’s our responsibility, like all good businesses, to work for more than profit alone.

What is a good business, then? In fact, in the world of brewing, what is good beer?

For us, ‘good’ means more than the taste of our beer or the quality of the experience at our Tasting Room; it reflects how we fulfil our role as the local brewer and add value to our communities – it encapsulates our whole approach to business.

Some time ago, to help guide this approach, we created something called the Stone & Wood Wheel, a stakeholder model that represents all of the communities that relate to our business and how we work with these in mind. We consider this Wheel our compass that guides us toward true north.

Looking ahead after ten years of Stone & Wood, we thought we’d take the opportunity to share with you something we’ve put together: the ‘Beer as a Force for Good’ Report.

Brief and easy-to-read, the ‘Beer as a Force for Good’ Report captures some of the achievements we’re proud of and how our different communities have helped us reach them – including you, our drinkers.

Whether you’re here for a quick scan or keen to dive deeper into what makes Stone & Wood the way we are, this report is a way of keeping you up-to-date. Thanks for your time and happy reading! Cheers.


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Using Beer as a Force for Good

How we work and grow sustainably with our communities

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Ingrained Foundation Established

We've created a not-for-profit foundation!

As a national not-for-profit, the inGrained Foundation’s mission is to support grassroots, environmental and social charities in the local areas where funds are donated. By fostering long-term partnerships and responding to urgent situations of need, it aims to create sustained positive change by directing funds to support the community where and when it’s needed.

Since 2013, we have operated a community program under the inGrained banner which has raised and donated more than $630,000 to a long list of not-for-profits, grassroots organisations and individuals in their communities.

By establishing the inGrained Foundation, we’ve created a formal separate entity and have made the commitment to annually donate $1/100L of beer brewed to the not-for-profit going forward.

In addition to the annual donation, we will partner with inGrained for our own events, such as our annual Open Day in Murwillumbah (14 April) and Festival of the Stone (9 June), raising funds for nominated local charities in the area.

The Foundation will continue the great work our team have done towards achieving the vision of, helping grassroots organisations make meaningful progress in the community.

Inspired by the idea of being a village brewery and giving back to the community, the act of supporting the people who support us has always been a part of how we do business. The inGrained Foundation will now manage our donations going forward, together with raising further funds to create social change.

The inGrained Foundation plans to be a sustainable not-for-profit, by investing part of the funds in ethical investments.

The foundation will focus on building a pool of funds so that investment income can form a part of future funding streams. This means the community can rely on the foundation to help out future generations.

The inGrained Foundation will partner with aligned charities to create progress in their communities whilst also being able to provide timely support when the local community needs it most. In the future, a granting program will be established to provide a mechanism for charitable organisations to apply for funding.

To find out more and keep up to date with the inGrained Foundation’s developments and community activity, check out it’s official website www.ingrainedfoundation.com.au.

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Ingrained Foundation Established

We've created a not-for-profit foundation!

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UFRO System: Waste Water Not Wasted

Our commitment to treading lighter on the earth…

We’re taking the next step in wastewater treatment processing and have recently finished the commission of a new ultra-filtration & reverse osmosis system (UF-RO).

The system further treats the wastewater created during the brewing process, stripping everything out, to create clean and useable reclaimed water. 100% of the reclaimed water will be used for utilities (boilers, refrigeration etc.) and to wash-down the brewery.

We’re excited to continue implementing innovative technologies and processes to help reduce our brewery’s footprint on the environment. Whilst the reclaimed water is actually at drinking quality, we won’t be using this to brew with…

We currently treat all of our wastewater on site, however, with the instalment of the UF-RO, our upstream water supply consumption will be reduced by 15% and downstream, the amount of wastewater going into local council sewer network will also decrease.

Creating useable water from our waste stream, we’re also decreasing the total amount of water used at the brewery.

The installation of the UFRO forms part of our broader Green Feet strategy, which focuses on water, energy and waste impact, ensuring we are prioritising not just what we do, but how we do it.

Some of our other enviro initiatives include:

  • 95% of all solid waste is re-used or recycled. This includes grain as well as pack materials (glass, cardboard, plastic).
  • The implementation of #forcupssake, a re-usable cup exchange to stop single use cups being used at events and thrown in the trash
  • Boiler upgrades in conjunction with a NSW Govt. grant, reducing energy consumption by 20%
  • The installation of 480 solar panels at the Murwillumbah site – providing up to 10% of the site’s electricity use
  • The installation of an ammonia refrigeration system reducing electricity consumption by 6%
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UFRO System: Waste Water Not Wasted

Our commitment to treading lighter on the earth…

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For Cups Sake!

Introducing our new cup exchange program for the Mullum Music Fest...

We are stoked and excited to announce that we will be eliminating single use cups from the Mullum Music Festival this year with the launch of our new cup exchange. The Cup Exchange will be launched this weekend at the Festival’s 10 year anniversary, the first for the Byron Shire.

“After years of searching for a solution, we are thrilled to partner with Mullum Music Festival to introduce re-useable cups through our Cup Exchange,” says Sarah Blomkamp who looks after community partnerships for Stone & Wood.

“The amount of hours we have dedicated to this conversation around viable alternatives has been crazy! We’re just stoked to be able to trial it with at the festival and hopefully be able to integrate this solution at more events in the future,” she said.

SO HOW DOES IT WORK?

It works as a circular economy, closing the loop on a cup’s lifecycle, meaning it will never end up in landfill. Drinkers will be able to purchase their cup with their first drink. The cup can then be taken home to be used again and again or returned for a refund.

For those drinkers wishing to have another beer they can exchange it for a fresh cup for no extra cost. All cups will be removed from the site and commercially washed to Australian Food Safety standards. The cups will then be returned for us to use them for future events!

The benefits of using The Cup Exchange are:

  • Reduces the number of cups used. By re-using the cups we reduce the number of cups required for events as opposed to using a single-use alternative.
  • The best waste – is no waste!
  • Our cups will never end up in landfill and will never need to be recycled in commercial recycling centres as we send all cups to be 100% recycled back at our cup manufacturer and supplier Globelet
  • Globelet cups are made of polypropylene #5 which is BPA free, tough and durable and made to withstand high heats ensuring our cups will last 100s of washes or years of events.
  • It encourages a circular economy
  • We work with the DCA to wash our cups, employing people that may not be able to be employed elsewhere
  • The wastewater produced by the Globelet washing procedure is non-polluting as we use a washing solution that is environmentally friendly and created by ECOSTORE.

We are hoping to implement The Cup Exchange at all of our local events as well as across the country in time.

If you’re around the Northern Rivers come say hi, enjoy a cold frothy, listen to some great music and grab a momento of the 10 anniversary of the Mullum Music Festival happening this weekend. We’ll be parked up at the festival pouring cold beers from our beer truck ‘Clyde’. Be sure to give our Red Russian Gherkin beer a try, brewed especially for the Mullum Music Fest with our mates Dustyesky!

#ForCupsSake

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For Cups Sake!

Introducing our new cup exchange program for the Mullum Music Fest...

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Beer as a Force for Good.

We’ve joined a growing global community of B-Corp companies dedicated to being agents of positive change.

Recently we became a certified B-Corp, affirming that our philosophies of brewing good beer for the community and supporting the people who support us, while always looking at new ways to tread lighter on our Earth, are on the right track.

So, what is B-Corp?

B-Corp is an independent accreditation for profit businesses that meet rigorous standards set around governance, workers, community, environment, and business impact models. It certifies companies that are concerned for their communities and the environment.

What it means for Stone & Wood is that we’ve joined a growing global community of companies dedicated to being agents of positive change, including Patagonia, New Belgium Brewing and Ben & Jerry’s. These businesses have all proven that they meet high standards of social, economic and environmental accountability and transparency.

 When we refer to brewing good beer, of course the quality of our product is our highest priority but ‘good’ goes beyond the rational attributes of our beer. It’s about what we do through our Ingrained (community), Green Feet (environment) and Brewlife (people) programs. We believe it is our responsibility, as the local brewer, to positively impact our communities.  

We’re humbled to join a community of like-minded companies determined to set a new standard for how business can be used as a force for good.

Check out the B-Corp website to learn more about our report and find a community of like-minded companies determined to set a new standard for how business can be used as a force for good.

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Beer as a Force for Good.

We’ve joined a growing global community of B-Corp companies dedicated to being agents of positive change.

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Green Feet’s Next Step

Aiming towards a zero waste brewery Our two breweries in Byron and Murwillumbah have seen considerable growth over the past 18 months and as we continue to produce more beer than ever before our sustainable initiatives are front of mind. We celebrate the idea that this is the only planet with beer, a solid reason […]

Our two breweries in Byron and Murwillumbah have seen considerable growth over the past 18 months and as we continue to produce more beer than ever before our sustainable initiatives are front of mind.

We celebrate the idea that this is the only planet with beer, a solid reason and one of many to protect and preserve the beautiful environment that we live and work in day to day. As part of our role as the local brewer in our community we must constantly be looking for innovative ways to ensure our practices are sustainable and that we will see generations in the future enjoying our beers in an environment that has been looked after.

Green Feet is a company-wide initiative, a couple of years old that is focused on minimising our footprint. We’re stoked to announce its next step… the installation and operation of plastic baler, which is effectively recycling and reducing our contribution to landfill at the Murwillumbah site.

After being awarded the NSW state’s first rebate for a baler through the help of a collective from the Northern Rivers called Northeast Waste, we immediately set about locally sourcing a twin chamber baler.

As a bit of a background, waste, especially plastic takes up a lot of space contributing to landfill and also carbon emissions by the increased number of times a garbage truck needs to go to and from the tip.

Our sustainability coordinator Tom O’Reilly makes the point, “[…] landfill is a hole somewhere full of our rubbish. It doesn’t just disappear. If we don’t change our doings we’ll end up with more holes of rubbish and less habitat and land to grow food.”

Compressing the waste minimises the space it would usually require and this is achieved through using a baler. However, Instead of sending it to the dump, we truck it up to Plastics Worldwide, a recycling merchant on the Gold Coast.

The addition of the baler to the Murbah site has meant we now recycle 97% of our waste making a realised difference to our contribution to landfill.


“At the start of this project I wouldn’t have expected that we’d get so close to the prospect of becoming a zero waste brewery.”

That for us is just as important as brewing beer that’s good to drink.

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Green Feet’s Next Step

Aiming towards a zero waste brewery Our two breweries in Byron and Murwillumbah have seen considerable growth over the past 18 months and as we continue to produce more beer...

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Upskilling By Upcycling

WORKING WITH A LOCAL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE TO UPCYCLE OUR WASTE This year’s Stone Beer that’s bubbling away in the tanks, waiting for when the days are short and the nights are cold, was brewed with eleven different malts. That’s a whole of lot of 25kg grain bags (which is always the case when we use […]

WORKING WITH A LOCAL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE TO UPCYCLE OUR WASTE

This year’s Stone Beer that’s bubbling away in the tanks, waiting for when the days are short and the nights are cold, was brewed with eleven different malts. That’s a whole of lot of 25kg grain bags (which is always the case when we use specialty malt for our brews).

For us, it’s always been a question of how we can re-use these bags, rather than send them to landfill. We usually give them to local environmental organisations to assist them in cleaning up the local beaches or to collect plastics from businesses so that they can properly recycle it. We even took to the sewing machine to make cushions with them!

For us, this is how we roll as a business, working continually towards reducing our foot print. This falls under Green Feet, our company wide sustainability initiative that strives not only to reduce, reuse and recycle but also exploring innovative practices by reimagining the ecology of brewing.

Earlier this year, we met Lisa Flower from Waste to Resource who worked with our Sustainability Coordinator to install a baling unit at our Murwillumbah Brewery. The unit compresses cardboard and plastic waste from the packaging line into 75kg bales to be recycled. Compressing this waste means less truck movements and our plastic is now recycled and not contributing to landfill.

Through meeting Lisa, we connected with a local not for profit group call Sort Recycling that she also works with. This social enterprise, based all over Australia, provides skills and training through practical Work for the Dole activities around Australia. Each community-based facility recycles waste close to its source and returns its value directly back to that community.

Through recycling computers, bikes, timber and plastics right through to habitat protection. The organisation creates new jobs, training and economic opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and families.

“We work on-the-ground, in remote, regional and urban communities around Australia. We canvass donations of obsolete computers and other eWaste, wooden pallets, discarded bikes and other things with wheels and plastic items from local households and businesses. We show participants how to fabricate new products from them and then they sell the products in both real and online retail environments.”

The centre based in Murwillumbah has been taking our grain bags and up-cycling them into bags and bunting for us to use at the brewery. This has given a handful of participants the opportunity to develop skills in design and also sewing. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with Sort to come up with ways to not only recycle but upcycle our ‘waste’ into products that are useful for our communities.

For more info about Sort Recycling, check our Murwillumbah’s page https://www.facebook.com/sortmurbah

Our Sustainability Coordinator Tom (third from left) and our Engineering Manager Nick (end right) with the team from the Murwillumbah Sort Recycling Centre – cheers for having us guys!

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Upskilling By Upcycling

WORKING WITH A LOCAL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE TO UPCYCLE OUR WASTE This year’s Stone Beer that’s bubbling away in the tanks, waiting for when the days are short and the nights...

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