The home of Tillamook Cheese is on the Oregon Coast in Tillamook, OR

It’s hard to live and work among the incredible landscape that is the Pacific Northwest – with its majestic mountains, rolling rivers and towering trees – and not think about how our business practices impact the world around us. Being good stewards of our environment is important to us here at Tillamook, and we’re proud that our company is making strides to run our farmer-owned co-op in a sustainable way. In fact, in 2010 we completed a Sustainability Operations Audit with Portland State University and ECOS, a consulting firm specializing in sustainability engineering, which helped lay the necessary groundwork to set goals and action items in a number of key areas. The key areas include reducing energy use, packaging materials, waste, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and fuel consumption. This is just the beginning of this journey for Tillamook, but here are some highlights of the specific steps we have taken as part of a comprehensive sustainability program:

- Focusing on reducing energy usage by reusing heat that would otherwise be wasted in various manufacturing processes, using low-level lighting in storage areas and installing meters to help monitor energy use, among other initiatives.

- Continuously evaluating packaging options as part of our commitment to use packaging materials that minimize raw inputs and support reuse and recycling. For example, by redesigning the lid on our yogurt cups, we were able to eliminate the use of 250,000 pounds of plastic annually.

- Closely monitoring the amount of water we purchase and use. By using the smallest amount of water needed, we reduce the amount of wastewater that results from the cheese making process. We also track water used at each facility, and in each department, to pinpoint opportunities for improvement, such as installing seal water control devices.

- Working to reduce waste by operating an intensive company-wide recycling program for more than 12 areas of waste.

- We also recently conducted a transportation audit to analyze traffic patterns between our manufacturing and distribution facilities, which enabled us to establish a baseline for fuel economy, annual fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. As a result, a new, more efficient shipping and distribution plan has been put into effect.  It saves fuel and miles by using forward warehouses that are located in closer proximity to our growing customer base, and makes it more efficient to package and distribute Tillamook products to key geographic regions outside of the Northwest.

We feel even better about the quality of our Tillamook dairy products knowing that they’re being made in a way that is sensitive to our environment, and we look forward to continuing our sustainability efforts into the future. If you have any questions about this information, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us here.

By Tori

The gorgeous Oregon Coast

I grew up in Oregon, so making frequent trips to the Oregon Coast throughout the year wasn’t uncommon for my family. Every summer we would spend a week at Rockaway Beach (right outside of Tillamook, hint hint!). We spent hours playing in the sand, building forts and convincing our parents that we should be allowed to sleep outside, combing the beach for treasure, traversing the jetty, taunting sea anemones, and building bonfires.

Some of my best childhood memories were spent on the Oregon Coast! I’ve grown out of taunting sea anemones, but still enjoy spending time out on the Oregon Coast. If you’re new to Oregon, just visiting, or if you’ve lived in Oregon your whole life but happened to live under a rock during your childhood, here are some of my recommendations for your trip to the Oregon Coast!

Tillamook Cheese Factory
This is a no-brainer. I would be crazy to not include it.  Like I said, Rockaway Beach is right down the road, so every summer on our way to the beach we would stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory! We never had to be told we were stopping or even ask to stop, it was a given! Just like every other kid at the factory, we would press our noses against the viewing area window and watch as the cheese was being made and packaged. I appreciate the history and other attractions that are scattered around the factory now, but back then it was all about the viewing area, the cheese tasting line and the ice cream counter! My favorite Tillamook Ice Cream flavor as a kid was Udderly Chocolate (formally known as Brown Cow), but there’s a Tillamook Ice Cream flavor for everyone!

Ecola State Park
Ecola State Park is a beautiful spot for those looking for a great view; make sure to bring your camera! Just a short drive from Cannon Beach and sitting above the ocean, it’s a great place to stop for a picnic and watch as the waves roll in. There’s a $5 daily day-use fee, so make sure to stop by the guard station on your way in. After you’ve taken in the sights, make your way down to the beach for a little beachcombing or mussel harvesting (but make sure you get a shell fish license first!).

Pacific City
About 35 minutes south of the Cheese Factory you will find the quaint town of Pacific City. Don’t let it fool you; it’s known for some of the most epic sand dunes around. A 4-wheeler’s paradise! If you have some extra energy to spend, the sand dunes have a great leg workout for you. You will find other beach goers climbing the massive dunes and sliding or sandboarding their way down. After you’re done conquering the sand dunes, make sure to stop in at Pelican Pub & Brewery for a bite to eat and a hand-crafted draft brew (for those over 21!).

Rockaway Beach
Rockaway is a great destination if you don’t want to venture too far from Tillamook. About 20 minutes north, through Bay City and Garibaldi, you will find Rockaway Beach. It’s a small town with much to offer, but if you’re short on time, I would recommend making your way out to the jetty first. Traversing the jagged rocks to get to the edge of the jetty is something you won’t want to miss.

Seaside
In my opinion (and experience) Seaside is the best beach for kids. There’s plenty of sand to run free, play football, and build sand castles. After you have had enough sun and sand, you can make your way to the arcade. Seaside is also home to Phillip’s Candy Kitchen, which has the best butter taffy around. If you have never had butter taffy, you might be thinking “gross, butter taffy.” But trust me, it’s delicious! If you’re in Seaside and ready to move on, jump north to Fort Stevens…

Fort Stevens State Park
Fort Stevens State Park is a short drive from Seaside (and on your way to Astoria, where The Goonies was filmed!). It’s a great place to get a glimpse of history and let your little ones get out and explore. While you’re there, don’t pass up a trip down to the beach to see the remains of an old ship wreck.

Learn more about the Oregon Coast for more fun ideas and must-see stops for your Oregon Coast vacation.

What are your must-see destinations and stops along the Coast?

By Candace

It’s Always Stormy in Tillamook is the name of the latest musical EP from a lovely group called Meg & Dia, who fueled their lyrical creations with Tillamook Cheese while renting a house in Tillamook. But it’s also a rather intriguing invitation to visit our little town of Tillamook on the Oregon Coast. Yes it’s stormy right now, but what a spectacular site! Green moss coats prehistoric forests on your drive out to the coast along HWY 6, raging storms whip up the ocean and beat rain against our coastal cliffs, and dramatic waves show you exactly how Haystack Rock got carved over so many years ago. My favorite part about the Oregon Coast is that no matter what time of year, there is always something amazing to see.

After your visit to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, cozy up in a B&B or the great room of a hotel with BIG windows and watch the show.

For those of you who have made it to the Oregon Coast during winter, what are your favorite things to see? Where are your favorite places to stay?

Photo courtesy of Oregon State Archives

By Gillian