Made in Minnesota

Used Wine Bottle Candle

Gordon and I took a Made in Minnesota tour through community education today.  I hadn't thought of it as a carbon use related issue when I signed up, it just sounded interesting.  But as I thought about it, carbon footprint is a big component.   As we think about global warming and the reduction of fossil fuels, shopping and manufacturing locally is very important both because of sustainability of the local economy and a reduction in the miles driven for your merchandize.  In fact, many say that the economy is currently at great risk and we should be doing all that we can to build local economies that can survive a shake up in the global economic system.

We visited four Minnesota manufacturing firms today and it is fun to think about the things that are made here, so I've Google it, and here is a list of other companies that create their products right here at home in Minnesota and here is the link: Made in Minnesota. According to this list from Manta, there are 1044 manufacturing firms in Minnesota.  It's not a very helpful list, but interesting.  Not all are small firms, of course.  Here's a list from the Star Tribune of the 100 top publicly held Minnesota firms, of which 3M is the largest manufacturer.

The companies we visited were small.  The first, the Acadian Candle Company, won the Made in Minnesota title on all fronts since not only are the candles made right there at their shop, but all of the ingredients are also from Minnesota.  When we first walked into the storehouse, we walked past a couple of boxes full of empty wine bottles and I thought -  Wow, someone had a big party here.  But as it turned out, their #1 best selling candle last year was a used wine bottle candle complete with the original label.  It actually did make a neat candle.  The wine bottles are cut at a little above the label area and then filled with a soy wax and light fragrance.  So there - using recycled goods too.  I thought it was fun to learn that they get their used bottles from friends who drop them off at the back porch as well as from a few restaurant sources.

Here's another earth friendly option - on their blog they mention that you can buy their used candle molds and supplies to do your own candle making at home.  Though I expect it is more energy efficient to buy a candle they've made since they are making so many at one time.

We also visited Abdallah Candies where I discovered it really takes a long time to make a chocolate covered cherry, J.W. Hulme Co., a manufacturer of hand made leather bags, where I learned that a company that makes $500 purses and $1000 duffel bags can actually be flourishing! and Podium Wear, where I learned that if you have 5 or more people who want to wear the same design you can have your own biking, skiing, or running gear designed and hand made for you in those fabulous colorful outfits you see on the athletes at the Olympics- for a reasonable price (though not what you'd get if it were made in China.)

Here's another way we almost reduced our carbon footprint today.  We took our tour on a big bus.  Buses are the most economical form of mass transportation because they  can pack so many people into one conveyance.  Unfortunately, we learned that the driver of this particular bus lives in Red Wing, drove to Zumbrota to pick up the bus, drove to St. Paul to tour us around all day and they had to return the bus to Zumbrota and then drive home to Red Wing.  I'm not sure that was entirely energy efficient.  So, once again, reducing our carbon footprint is just not that simple.