How to Decrystallize Raw Honey and Other FAQs
Whether you buy honey from the grocery store or the farmers market, purchasing honey from ethical sources is one of many ways that individuals can protect global bee populations and invest in sustainable agriculture -- but it can be hard to figure out how to get...
Voyage Minnesota Magazine: Meet Elizabeth Alonzi of Vetiver Solutions
Our Chief Science Officer, Elizabeth Alonzi, was recently featured in Voyage Minnesota Magazine to discuss how we founded Vetiver Solutions and what we do in partnership with farmers in rural Haiti. She shared: “One of the most important things in the last five...
Vetiver Solutions 2021 Year-End Update
As the new year begins, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the events of 2021 and our ongoing partnership with farmers in Moreau, Haiti. We are grateful to continue sharing their beeswax and honey products with you all and expanding into new retailers in the...
Brands We Love: 2021 Holiday Shopping Recommendations from Vetiver Solutions
Over the past few years, we have been lucky to hear about and meet some amazing companies! As you prepare for the 2021 holiday season, we recommend pairing our Amour, Moreau and Bee Good, Do Good products with goodies from some brands we love.Singing Rooster Singing...
What is a compostable lip balm tube?
What are compostable lip balm tubes? Compostable tubes are a type of packaging for lip balm that are made out of materials that compost in your backyard or industrial facilities. These are typically made out of recycled cardboard, paper, or biodegradable plastic and...
Markei Photo at the Columbia Heights Community Market
We are spending summer 2021 at the Columbia Heights Community Market on Thursday evenings! Huge thanks to Markei Photo for capturing these great shots of the vendors on opening night (Thursday, July 22).
Vetiver Solutions: Investing in farmer-led initiatives in rural Haiti
In 2021, our executive team was interviewed for a piece by the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, as recognition for our entrepreneurial work and history with sustainability programs offered at the university. In reflection on our work in Haiti over the last several...
Bringing Practical Approaches to Sustainability in Haiti
In 2020, our executive team was interviewed for a piece by the Entrepreneur and Innovation Exchange -- the organization that hosts eFest. This year marks three years since winning the Social Impact award at the eFest competition for our vetiver grass pilot in...
Vetiver Solutions 2020 Year-End Update
As the new year begins, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the events of 2020 and our place in them. We are proud to continue partnering with farmers in Moreau, Haiti and to share their beeswax and honey products with you all. Check out our year-end...
What is a lotion bar?
A lotion bar is a solid block of lotion, used for moisturizing skin and personal care. Lotion bars are typically made with natural ingredients that stay solid at room temperature, but melt a little from body heat, making it easy to apply the lotion bar as needed and store in a reusable container. Basically, lotion bars take the best of natural skin care — gentle, simple ingredients like shea butter and essential oils — and pack them into a small bar, rather than a large plastic bottle — this eliminates both the plastic waste from the bottle, and the excess water used in traditional lotion. Lotion bars pack in all the best moisturizing ingredients, concentrated without excess water or plastic waste.
Statement on Recent Events and Social Injustice
To say that it has been a difficult three weeks here in Minneapolis would be an understatement. We are saddened and angered by the murder of George Floyd in our city, as well as the countless other deaths of Black Americans around the country before and since then.
Earth Day: Food sovereignty in rural Haiti
As we have shared throughout this Earth Day blog series, human activities and environmental impacts are deeply linked -- especially in food production and distribution. While it is important to ensure that all people in developing countries have access to nutritious...
Earth Day: Clean water access in developing countries
Around the world, environmental and community health is intertwined with access to clean water. Ecosystems, animals, and people rely on water for basic functions of life, and cannot thrive without it. In developing countries like Haiti, water contamination is directly...
Earth Day: Tree Planting in Rural Haiti
A common Earth Day activity around the world is tree planting -- and for good reason: according to U.S. Forest Service, reforestation “represents unique opportunities to address emerging issues associated with climate change by conserving and managing genetic...
Earth Day 2020
Today we come together as a global community to recognize the challenges we collectively face and the ways we can solve them together. Education is the first step for all of us; it is important to learn about ecosystems around the world and in our own backyards, to...
COVID-19 Update: March 26
Dear friends, family, and others in our community, We want to take time to share how the Vetiver Solutions team is working during the novel coronavirus pandemic that is currently spreading around the world. Based in Minnesota, we are all following CDC recommendations...
Vetiver Solutions 2019 Year-End Update
We are so grateful for all of your support in 2019! Click on the newsletter cover to learn about our collaboration with farmers in Moreau, Haiti over the past year. Feel free to reach out with comments and questions. Happy New Year!
Vetiver Solutions 2018 Year-End Update
We are excited to share our end of year update with you all. Thanks to your support, over the past year and a half we have done some incredible work in Haiti. Please see the link below to learn more about what Vetiver Solutions has been up to in 2018 and do not...
University of Minnesota Carlson School of Managment: Leaving Her Mark in Haiti
"Changing the world for the better was always top of mind for Becca Desens. Less than a year after joining a small start-up company with a mission of developing sustainable agricultural practices, she found herself in Haiti for her Carlson School...
University of Minnesota Legacy: Homespun from Haiti
“Vetiver, a perennial grass, has roots that go down 20 to 30 feet. When farmers plant it alongside their crops, it can reduce soil erosion. The plant’s shoots are a waste product. I worked in Haiti as an EMT and saw children die of poverty and malnutrition. I...