Wineries have significant purchasing power, and Napa Green works with members to help them green their supply chain and shift to environmentally preferable products. For example, bigger and heavier bottles do not mean better wine, but they do cost more, weigh more, and take up more space, which increases shipments and emissions that contribute to climate change. Currently, only 25-30% of glass bottles get recycled in the U.S. so reducing bottle weight or exploring alternative packaging can add up. 

Napa Green also sets a goal for wineries to divert more  75% of waste from landfills and reuse, reduce, recycle as much as we can. We also connect wineries with local recyclers for free training, signs, and bins to maximize recycling and composting education.

Here are some examples of how sustainable wineries and vineyards prevent waste and green their supply chain:

• Use washable glasses and dishware in the tasting room and at events
• Eliminate the use of Styrofoam
• Using recyclable or compostable shipping materials with made with recycled content
• Lighten bottles, which has the significant added benefit of reducing the winery’s carbon footprint
• Buy green, low-toxicity and biodegradable cleaning products
• Buy post-consumer recycled paper and janitorial supplies
• Eliminate single-use water bottles to decrease their carbon footprint, mitigate health risks, and avoid plastic ending up in our oceans due to low recycling rates
• Use natural cork from renewable cork trees, which can be recycled into new goods