Full Sail Brewing Company, nationally known for its award-winning beers, was recently honored by Travel Oregon and the Oregon Tourism Commission with their 2008 Sustainable Tourism Award. The award recognizes Full Sail’s leadership in socially responsible practices. Just in time for Earth Day, the brewery received the award on Sunday, April 19th, at the Governor‘s Conference on Tourism in Salem, Oregon.

“We are proud to be part of a state that is a leader in sustainability and honored to receive this award from the Oregon Tourism Commission and Travel Oregon. For us, this sense of responsibility has been part of our core principals since we first started brewing beer over 21 years ago. We have remained committed stewards of the environment and dedicated to operating our brewery in the most responsible manner possible. As an employee owned company we share this award with our all employees who are a key part of our daily commitment. Open communication and suggestions from employees have contributed greatly to managing and maintaining a socially and environmentally responsible business,” said Irene Firmat, Full Sail’s Founder and CEO.

“Our brewery’s amazing location nestled between the mighty Columbia River and the snow-capped peak of Mt. Hood in Hood River, emphasizes our deep connection with our surroundings. Employees are the owners at Full Sail – and because Oregon is our home – we feel empowered and responsible to run the brewery in the most sustainable way every day. We are passionately committed to brew great beers and to our community. It would be impossible to live and work in the Columbia River Gorge and not be inspired by the sheer beauty of the place. It is the blue skies, green forests, snow-capped mountains and pristine rivers surrounding us that insure our dedication,” added Jamie Emmerson, Full Sail’s Executive Brewmaster.

You may know Full Sail’s beers as award-winners, now its practices are award-winning too.
Over the last year, Full Sail Brewing received the “Businesses for an Environmentally Sustainable Tomorrow Award (BEST)” from the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development and the “Governor’s Award for Sustainability” from the State of Oregon. In addition the company’s Portland Riverplace Brewery and offices received recognition as a RecycleWorks business for its excellent track record of recycling, reducing waste and buying environmentally preferable products.
Some of the company’s sustainability measures include:

• Efficient brewhouse: The brewery is as sustainable and efficient as possible, starting with the parts of the building that were reclaimed and recycled when the brewery first opened in the old Diamond Fruit cannery. The company utilizes energy measures such as energy-efficient lighting and air compressors, and compresses the work week into four very productive days, which helps reduce water and energy consumption by 20 percent.
• Sustainable brew process: Pure water literally flows from the peaks that surround the brewery, so Full Sail takes care to conserve this precious resource. While average breweries consume six to eight gallons of water for every gallon of beer produced, Full Sail has reduced its consumption to a mere 3.45 gallons, and operates its own on-site wastewater treatment facility. Local farms supply the other essential ingredients for award-winning brews: 85 percent of hops and 95 percent of barley come straight from Northwest farms.
• Reduce-Reuse-Recycle: Full Sail uses 100% recycled paperboard on all its packaging (and was one of the first in the industry to commit to long-term purchasing of recycled paper products). Everything from office paper to glass to stretch wrap to wooden pallets is recycled. Even dairy cows are beneficiaries of brewery waste: 4,160 tons of spent grain and 1,248 tons of spent yeast are sent back to farmers every year to use as feed for cows.
• Community-wide practices: Full Sail purchases 140 blocks of Pacific Power Blue Sky renewable energy per month. This practice results in the reduction of 168 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of planting 33,000 trees. Full Sail also supports over 300 events and charities each year, with a focus on those in Oregon. Employees at the company have inspired environmental change among other businesses in the Hood River area as well. Full Sail was a founding member of the Hood River Chamber of Commerce’s Green Smart program, an initiative that helps businesses and organizations within the Hood River watershed increase their productivity and profitability by improving resource efficiency and by reducing waste and pollution.

About Full Sail Brewing Company
The independent and employee-owned Full Sail Brewery is perched on a bluff in Hood River, Oregon, overlooking the most epic wind and kite surfing spot in the world. At this very moment 47 specialists in the liquid refreshment arts are crafting barley and hops into your next beer. Among the company’s most popular brews are Full Sail Amber, IPA, Pale, LTD, and Session Premium American lager. Founded in 1987, the Full Sail crew has been fermenting godlike nectar for 21 years. Full Sail is committed to brewing great beer while adhering to socially and environmentally sustainable practices. Their award winning brews are now available in nineteen states. The Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub is open seven days a week. Swing by for a pint, grab a bite, tour the brewery, or just soak up the view.

For more information on Full Sail’s practices visit: http://fullsailbrewing.com/responsibility.cfm
For more on the Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub, brewery tours or just to see what’s cooking, visit: http://fullsailbrewing.com/contact.cfm

To find more information on the Sustainable Tourism Award and Travel Oregon’s website
http://traveloregon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=42