Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods’ Sustainability
Dr. John McDougall, MD has helped millions improve their health and their quality of life by teaching people about the benefits of a plant-based, heart-healthy diet rich in good starches like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, rice, pasta, and legumes. Here at Right Foods, we’re committed to sustaining the earth, sustaining you®.
Every Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods product is vegan, made with whole foods, certified Non-GMO, and made with paper packaging from certified sustainably-managed forests.
We’re here to help you feel your best – that’s why we make a wide variety of organic, gluten-free, protein, and lower sodium options to fuel your needs. From our famous vegan ramen cups made with organic ramen noodles to our organic lower sodium ready-to-serve soups, we make something for everyone.
Read on to learn about how we use sustainable processes to bring you more environmentally-friendly products.
SUSTAINABILITY – THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE
It’s no secret that climate change is reshaping our world. People first started recording reliable temperature records in the middle of the 1800s. Since then, global average temperatures have risen by between 1.1°C and 1.7°C higher than pre-industrial levels.
At Right Foods, we believe in doing our part to fight climate change. That’s why we’ve built our own solar power system to power our factory in California’s organic farming community where we make all our vegan soup cups. The only warming you’ll be doing with us is warming up your belly!
A MASSIVE SOLAR ARRAY
So, how much solar power are we talking about? In raw numbers, our solar system has a capacity of 1.35MW. Located in sunny California, it can run at peak efficiency most of the time, and it’s expected to put out 2 million kWh of power every year (estimate from the National Renewable Energy Lab PV Watts Calculator).
Unless you’re an electrical engineer, that probably doesn’t tell you much. Here’s another number, to put things in perspective: we’re producing enough green energy to power more than 1,700 average California homes, according to PG&E’s average usage numbers. More to the point, we’re not just producing the bare minimum green energy to meet our needs. On a good day, we’re actually producing excess green energy.
In total, our solar array is expected to displace more than 1 million pounds of CO2 emissions per year, according to PG&E’s emissions numbers. According to the EPA, that’s the equivalent emissions of driving more than 1,200,000 miles in an average gas-powered vehicle!
SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY LINES
Of course, the factory itself is only part of our energy usage. Another big part of our energy use is transportation. Think about it: the products have to be sourced, and they have to be shipped out to our customers.
If we wanted to do things cheaply, we’d do what a lot of companies have done: outsource our production to another overseas country.
Instead, Right Foods cups are produced from scratch in Northern California. That way, there’s far less shipping to be done and the carbon footprint of each cup you enjoy is much lower than it would be with imported foods. Once the products are prepped and packaged, they’re already right here in the U.S. It’s that much closer to your door, which means significantly less emissions from shipping.
SUSTAINABLE INGREDIENTS
Sustainability is about more than reducing carbon emissions. It’s about taking a responsible approach towards the environment in general.
At Right Foods, we don’t just want to use green energy; we want our business practices to be healthy for the planet. To that end, we use 100% vegan and mostly organic ingredients.
All of our products are vegan, which supports the environment in so many ways. The first thing you might think of is the greenhouse gas emissions associated with meat and dairy production.
Animal agriculture is often linked with methane emissions, the clearing of forests for farmland, antibiotic use, overuse of fertilizers, and even animal rights concerns. That’s why we’re so proud to make 100% vegan products.
We also have an entire organic collection on our site. Organic ingredients are made without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or GMOs. This costs a little bit more, but it’s much better for the environment and for you.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Right Foods cups aren’t made from Styrofoam or another harmful material made from fossil fuels. Instead, they’re made from durable paper that’s sourced from Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified sustainably-managed forests.
All of our paper cups used for our noodle and soup cups are made from this SFI-certified material. The SFI has strict conditions for forests to be certified sustainable, including commitments to protect biodiversity, at-risk species, and wildlife, promoting sustainable harvest levels, and protecting water quality.
Conclusion
At Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods, we go out of our way to create environmentally-responsible products. With our solar array, our facilities run on nearly 100% green energy. With our U.S.-based production, we don’t waste energy on unnecessary overseas shipping. Meanwhile, we use vegan and organic ingredients for the sake of the environment, and our paper packaging is made from sustainably managed forests. That’s why you can feel good about eating our food!
