July Reflections from a Sustainable Small Business
A Letter from our Founder + President, Peter Murray
July 2026
Today I’m riding my bike on a wide, winding trail along the Poudre le Cache River near Fort Collins, Colorado. The path is shaded by Willow and towering Cottonwood trees, and the river shifts from side to side of its banks as it maneuvers past beaches of rounded stones.
It’s Independence Day and there is a festive spirit in the air. Many folks are wearing shirts
with an image of the American Flag, or USA emblazoned across them. Where there are houses backing to the trail, there are flags and banners hanging from fences.
There are old folks walking, young families pushing strollers and others with kids and dogs in bike trailers. We are all from different backgrounds, but we are all Americans and as we pass, we all shout “Happy Fourth” to one another.
July is a month Americans are often asked to think about the founding fathers and American Revolution. But perhaps it’s a good moment to think about others who were American heroes in their own right.
One of my biggest heroes is Rachel Carson. The research she did forced an end to the use of the pesticide DDT, which had decimated bird populations. American Eagles were even on the verge of extinction with only 415 nesting pairs in 1963. Today there are over 10,000 pairs and it is becoming more common to see them in many parts of the country.
Another hero that comes to mind is Denis Hayes, who organized the first Earth Day. In 1970, way before personal computers and cell phones, he and a handful of volunteers engaged 20 million Americans in community cleanups and tree plantings.
Apart from their scientific and organizing contributions, I think the most important thing that Carson and Hayes gave us was a sense of empowerment. They showed us that real change starts with everyday people. The future is in our hands.
This month also happens to be Plastic Free July, part of the global movement to refuse single use plastics. With millions of people taking part, it’s yet another reason to consider how our everyday choices add up to a larger whole.
Nine years ago, I was wondering if something could be done about the billions of plastic bags being produced each year in America. With some experimentation, I made a shopping bag from natural Jute fiber. A bag that can be used for years, then biodegrades in the back yard. I started selling them at a local farmers market and from our website. I named the bags Stardust, which was inspired by Joni Mitchell's 1970 song Woodstock. “We are Stardust, we are golden, we are billion year-old carbon, and we’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden.”
Today, I’m proud to share that Stardust bags are now sold in a couple of dozen National and State Parks, over 30 REI co-ops, and many grocery stores throughout the American West. We look forward to continuing to be part of the movement to end plastic pollution.
If you’re ready to help keep communities beautiful and healthy too, join us this month by reflecting and ditching plastic.
Peter Murray