We are not alone on our company grounds. Around our pond and above all in the lavender field bees, snails, grasshoppers and all kinds of butterfly feel at home.

Our mixed orchard is situated behind our production building: big and small, young and old fruit trees of different varieties provide a habitat and food for bumble and honey bees, butterflies, birds, hares and sometimes even deer. The large meadow thus contributes to the biodiversity on our company grounds.

In 2001, we constructed our company building in such a way that the energy that we use to heat our offices does not leave the building unutilised. This is ensured by excellent insulation of all walls, ceilings and windows.

The ‘plastic’ around all of our tea boxes is cellulose-based (Nature-Flex): instead of ending up as plastic waste, the film produced using carbon-neutral processes decomposes into its natural components during composting.

In order to save power in our logistics centre, the lighting is only ever switched on when we need it. And that happens all by itself: the switching on and off of the artificial light is controlled on the basis of northern Germany’s mercurial sunlight. Whenever sufficient sun is shining through the numerous skylights, the lights simply remain off.

In 2002, we approached the local municipal utilities department to express our wish to be provided with electricity from regenerative sources. The resultant pilot project was a success. We have now been using this clean energy alternative for over ten years. In combination with our geothermal power facility installed in 2009, production at Lebensbaum runs today without having any impact on the environment. For our green electricity we pay a ring-fenced surcharge, which goes towards new regenerative power plants in the region.

Since January 2011, all our printing has been carbon neutral. Be it letters, price lists or our customer magazine, we have an identification number for all printed materials. Using this number, it is possible to trace how much environmentally harmful gas was released in the production process – and which project we are supporting in order to compensate for this elsewhere.

Using our heat recovery facility, we draw double benefits from hot air: as we ventilate our production halls we utilise the outgoing air, drawing off, for instance, any heat created in the machines. It is precisely this heat that we use to warm up the new air before it is fed into the halls. In this way we ensure provision of fresh air and a consistently comfortable temperature.

Electric cars usually have much too short of a range, they cannot really replace a petrol-driven car yet. However, we want to actively support those who still opt for an electric car. That is why we had a charging point for electric vehicles installed at our Diepholz site in late 2014 in cooperation with the local public utility company. The charging point is open to all electric vehicle users weekdays from 6 am to at least 9 pm

We cover short distances, for instance the less than 400 metres between our logistics centre and production building, by bicycle. Three load-carrying bikes are very popular among the staff and get loaded with packets and small packages. From our Indian suppliers, however, that brings just a weary smile: they would transport a full day’s production of tea on these three bicycles. We admire such acrobatic accomplishments, but for safety at work reasons certainly don’t want to emulate our tea suppliers.

Geothermal energy is the environmentally friendly means by which we have been controlling the temperature of our production building since 2009. Our geothermal energy facility utilises the temperatures prevailing at depths of 100 metres to heat our production building in the winter and to cool it down in the summer. It is one of the most high-capacity facilities of this kind in Lower Saxony and is operated using green electricity. Since the facility has been in use, our production operation has been running carbon-neutral.

Our machinery is designed to assist us in producing and packing products of finest organic quality in an energy-efficient manner and for as long as possible. Simply throwing things away is not our policy at Lebensbaum. Our tea machines, for example, consume less than one kilowatt, thus not even as much as a standard domestic hair dryer.

So that our company building does not get too hot in summer and no heat is lost in winter, we use above-average insulation. Even back in 2001 during its construction, we fitted insulation that was way ahead of its time and still more than fulfils current insulation requirements. When undertaking subsequent building work in 2007 and 2009, we also fitted what for the standard of the time was outstanding insulation.

To manage the temperature of our logistics centre we make good use of nature, both for heating and for cooling. In order to cool our warehouse halls in the summer, we simply exchange the air at night: warm air out, cold air in.

Our roof planting does more than just look good: as a result of the natural vegetation covering some of our roofs we have not only gained additional thermal insulation, but are in this way also utilising a further opportunity to create habitats for flora and fauna.

Efficient technology keeps electricity consumption as low as possible in all our offices. We use energy-efficient devices, which, when they have served their time with us, also get reused – by our employees at home. Should that not happen, they are broken up into their individual parts and sent for recycling.

The large number of windows in our Lebensbaum offices is no coincidence: lots of daylight saves electricity. Quite apart from that, everyone’s mood is lifted whenever the sun is shining on their back.

In all our communal rooms, such as washrooms, the copier room and the storeroom as well, we use motion sensors: a good and simple aid to saving energy. Whenever there is no one in these rooms, the light remains off. And anyone with their hands full wanting to go into the rooms doesn’t have to first put everything down in order to feel for the switch in the dark.

Since the end of 2015 our tea machines run on solar power on sunny days. If there is not sufficient solar power, hydroelectric green energy is used as before. Around 800kWh of energy is generated per day by the 506 individual modules when the weather conditions are favourable in the summer. And whenever we have surplus solar power, for example at the weekend, we feed the excess into the local grid.

The numerous bushes and hedges around our company buildings are not there to protect us from espionage. They provide numerous species of bird with a sanctuary between moor and meadows.

Our printed materials, including business stationery, customer magazines and staff newsletters, are made of recycled paper. Without exception, all our printed materials also carry the FSC label. For notepads, folders and ballpoint pens as well we look for the most environmentally friendly alternatives possible – and seek to utilise them for a long time, for example by using ball pen refills.

We send all our parcels, packages and letters by Deutsche Post’s carbon-neutral ‘GoGreen’ service. Subscribers to our customer magazine also receive post from us four times a year sent in this way.

Our wastepaper and all cardboard packaging waste that we accumulate gets taken to a regional paper factory for recycling.

Our ecotope at the edge of the bistro terrace is not only a wonderful backdrop of sight and sound for our staff. Numerous varieties of flora and fauna have also made this area their habitat and announce this at higher or lower levels of volume, varying by species and season.

At lunchtime our bistro is probably the most popular place at Lebensbaum. Freshly prepared organic dishes give staff energy for the rest of the working day. On one day of the week there is meat, on another fish. On three days of the week we live happily without any meat. The variety ranges from vegetable lasagne to baked potatoes with bell peppers and cabbage. Salads are always available. For all who live a vegan lifestyle, there’s vegan cooking. The same applies for any employee with a food intolerance, be it to gluten or lactose.