Cameron Hughes Wine

Cameron Hughes Wine is first producer to be 100% carbon neutral. Employing a no-frills business model, Cameron Hughes Wine, San Francisco is gaining a reputation for delivering the best value in the industry. Since launching the brand in 2004, the maverick negociant has sniffed out 30 wine selections from around the world with no bottle exceeding $20. But the company's most recent challenge wasn't a difficult vintage - it was the bitter taste left by the realization that as their business grew, so would their environmental impact. "Cameron Hughes Wine is about delivering excellent wine at value prices," says Hughes. "But we rely heavily on shipping to receive wines from around the globe and make customer deliveries across the country. If we break out the "true" cost, shouldn't that be factored into the equation?" Hughes began investigating the label's carbon footprint. "You can get pretty worked up about this kind of stuff, or you can do something about it," Hughes remarks. "We made a commitment to be as innovative as possible - taking advantage of every opportunity to control costs. This is merely an extension of that - and it's an easy choice." Cameron Hughes Partnered with the CarbonFund.org Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to useful solutions to stop global warming. Thus all of the company's emissions as a result of office use, travel, freight and shipping activities are tallied and then offset by supporting climate-friendly (renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects), making Cameron Hughes Wine the first negociant to be 100% carbon neutral. "The wine industry's activities - in particular shipping emissions, have a real impact on the environment; and as a responsible corporate citizen, Cameron Hughes Wine is committing to make a difference," says Eric Carlson, Executive Director of CarbonFund.org. "Carbonfund.org is thrilled to partner with Cameron Hughes Wine to help offset their carbon emissions and make environmental awareness a part of their brand's core value." "Signing on with Carbonfree is one of the easiest business decisions we've ever made," notes Hughes. "We're staking our reputation on delivering a great product for a great value - and what could be more valuable than protecting the people and places we love. To steal from another innovator, just do it!" To learn more about the Carbonfund.org, visit www.carbonfund.org. More about Cameron Hughes Wine is at www.chwine.com.