What Are ‘Sustainable Herbs’?
Sustainable herbal medicine simply means herbal products produced and consumed in ways that sustain human and environmental health – in ways that are good for plants, for people, and for the planet. This means they are:
- They are safe, effective and affordable;
- They help preserve biodiversity and regenerate ecosystems;
- They provide fair wages and good livelihoods for people.
What Are ‘Sustainable Herbs’?
Following Herbs to the Source
This video was the first we produced on following herbs to the source. The points made about what it takes to source high quality herbs still hold true. As does the vision of sourcing herbs as a way to change the world.
Yet, the companies shared have changed ownership and many of those interviewed have moved on to other roles. We include the video here because the themes are perhaps even more important, especially with these changes.
You can find a list of current SHI supporters here.
Why Should I Care?
When we buy an herbal product, we want it to work. We want to know that the claims on the bottle are true, that the plants were identified correctly by harvesters and that no others were mixed in.
We want to make sure those plants were handled properly, that they were harvested at the right time and dried and stored in the correct way.
We may also want to know that the plants were harvested sustainably to ensure their regeneration. We care that the collectors, those hauling heavy sacks up steep mountain slopes, are paid a fair wage.
Take Action
Companies increasingly claim to be ethical and sustainable. Unless they can trace the herbs to the source, it can be hard to verify their claims are true.
Your choices matter. Every purchase either supports careful stewardship or contributes to harmful practices.
