What It Means To Be Socially Responsible

When we started Trail Blazin' in 2014, we had a lot of ambitions.? We were going to:

• provide good-paying jobs in our local community.??
• use lighting that decreases our carbon footprint.
• ethically source our packaging and warehouse materials.
• grow medical-grade cannabis free of pesticides.

Then reality sets in and, not only do you have to prioritize all your great ideas but there is as an assessment of the retail climate that you need to decide if you want to go with the masses or blaze your own trail.

Which path do you think Trail Blazin’ chose?

By blazing our own trail, we have been able to hold our original values, setting us apart from others, and more importantly, allowing us to sleep at night.? You see, traditional corporations owe money to their shareholders first and foremost; they put profit over people.? But as a socially responsible company, Trail Blazin’ gives ethical consideration to our team members, community, environment, and consumers as well as our profits. From our supply chain to the cleaning products we use and the humans we surround ourselves with, Trail Blazin' is proud of the choices we make for the greater good.

SUSTAINABLY GROWN

At this point in time, there is only one viable, habitable planet and you’re standing on her. We have to do our part to take care of Planet Earth!? This can be really difficult for businesses because let’s be honest…the most affordable option is usually the least sustainable. But Trail Blazin’ is committed to making the right choice for our planet. Check out some of the choices we’ve made to keep our carbon footprint as minimal as possible:

• Made lighting choices that reduce our energy usage by 60% (#GoLEDs) - this decreased our yield by 30% the first year, quite an economic blow until we adjusted for the new type of lighting.
• Created a water reclamation system, reusing 95% of our water - water is cheap and plentiful where we are located.? However, reusing it is the right thing to do.
• Upcycled foam packaging from our lights into bean bag chairs for local non-profits.? Environmental and community win?!?!? You know it!
• Invest in companies to recycle our single-use plastic, nitrile gloves, and styrofoam.? It’s not cheap, but we wouldn't do it any other way!
• Feed our biowaste to our worms #TheCycleOfLife
• Reuse single-sided printed paper - I know this seems small, but I cannot tell you how much effort we put into using all sides of the paper!
• Avoid water-based nutrients? - who wants to ship jugs of mostly water all over the world?

BLAZIN' TEAM

“Be the change we wish to see in the world” is something that we say a lot around Trail Blazin’. As a woman, I have had more than my fair share of being judged by how I look, being told that I’m “too emotional” or having to work twice as hard to make the same amount of money as my male counterparts.? And that’s as a privileged white woman!? Well, that stuff doesn’t fly at Trail Blazin’!

• Our team at Trail Blazin' mimics our community's demographics.?
• We are majority woman-owned and run
• People of color, queer folk, and women make up the majority of our upper management.
• The rate of pay is transparent and clearly communicated

We literally hire people based on two overwhelming characteristics: are you accountable and are you happy?? The outcome - is an incredible team who is self-aware and able to find the silver lining in anything!

BLAZIN' COMMUNITY

Trail Blazin' is deeply dedicated to our community and participates as an active member of many associations, including The Cannabis Alliance, the WA Farm Bureau, our local Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of WA Businesses (AWB).? I was the president of The Cannabis Alliance for 3 years, a board member of AWB, and am an ambassador with the Chamber.? Trail Blazin’ has actively fought to:

• Removed the quarantine period (2018)
• Decrease cannabis packaging waste by <50% (2019)
• Expunge records for those with cannabis convictions (2019)
• Allow children on licensees into their farms (2020)
• Update the medical cannabis certification (2021)
• Update the medical cannabis logo (2022)
• Allow all WA residents to grow cannabis; homegrown
• Remove the 37% excise tax for medical cannabis
• Replace the term marijuana with the term cannabis
• Arrest protection for patients
• Clarify cannabis as agriculture
• Create an agricultural cannabis commission

Trail Blazin' is also one of only a few farms that sell clones to patients as we believe everyone should have access to affordable health care.

PESTICIDE TESTED

Did you know that pesticide testing hasn’t been mandatory in WA until April 2022? And that consumers can continue to purchase untested products until 2023?? However, at Trail Blazin’ we have paid for more than 600 pesticides tests since 2017 - regardless of whether the government mandates it or not!

At Trail Blazin' we believe pesticides are not safe for human consumption and combustion. That is why we don't use any pesticides on our products.? Instead, we use clean practices and beneficial insects to mitigate pests.? By going above & beyond to not use any pesticides, this translates to increased health and safety not only for our consumers and patients, but for our Team Members as well. Test results can be found 24/7 by visiting our website at www.trailblazin.net

MEDICAL GRADE CANNABIS

Cannabis is medicine first and foremost.? Just ask a veteran!? Out of 1,500 WA cannabis farms, Trail Blazin' is proudly one of only a handful of Department of Health (DOH) compliant growers.? DOH Complaint is just the official term for medical-grade cannabis.? Look for this state official logo!

Only DOH Compliant products have been tested for pesticides and heavy metals to the DOH's standards.

At the end of the day, I want to spend my dollars at companies who walk the walk, not just talk the talk.? And as a business owner, I want to run my business in a way that supports my day-to-day values. If you’re like me, if you want to put your dollars into companies that make choices in the best interest of the environment, the community, and their team members Trail Blazin’ is the cannabis company for you!

For people seeking physical and emotional relief, Trail Blazin’ is the socially responsible cannabis provider of consistent and reliable, medical-grade products offering consumers viable alternatives to promote their endocannabinoid systems because...LIFE’S GETTING BETTER!

Written by Danielle Rosellison