Mountains of the Moon: 2007 People's Choice Award - part 2

Hello everyone and welcome to part 2 of my Unofficial Guide to Co-op America's 2007 People's Choice Award for the Green Business of the Year.

Today our focus is on eco-fashion and I have the pleasure to present nominee no. 2:

Mountains of the Moon

Business description: an independent, designer-run business offering sustainable apparel and products, giving the fashion-conscious consumer an eco-friendly choice. Mountains of the Moon’s collections feature unique, fashion-forward hemp, organic cotton, tencel and bamboo items designed for style, comfort and healthy living. Simple enough to be worn everywhere, but never boring, their earth-friendly collections are distinctive and diverse, with designs that are funky, stylish, vibrant, and fun.

Located at: Camby, IN

Operating Since: 1998

Website: http://www.mountainsofthemoon.com/

The questionnaire (thank you to Melissa Baswell, Mountains of the Moon owner and head designer):

1. What makes your business a green business?

Our Hemp Enlightenment clothing line is designed with the conscious consumer in mind - those of us who care about the environment and fair labor practices who also want to look good in what we wear! From start to finish, the collections in our Hemp Enlightenment line are designed, patterned, manufactured, dyed and tagged (using eco-friendly materials) in the USA in small, 100% sweatshop-free facilities that are family owned and operated.

We choose to use eco-friendly materials like hemp, tencel and organic cotton that are known for durability and long-life. By selecting fabrics that are not only grown and processed using eco-friendly methods but that also last longer than conventional fabrics, we are able to produce clothing with longer lifecycles than the average garment. We opt to create pieces that are fashion-forward but also timeless for the same reason: Designs that are stylish but that can also be worn for multiple seasons and that surpass fads and trends are less likely to end up in landfills.

We also choose to ship our orders using reused packing materials or USPS boxes that are cradle-to-cradle certified for ecologically-intelligent design, use only recycled and/or tree-free paper for our invoices, and make regular donations to both environmental and social organizations.

2. What is your green characteristic you're most proud of?

The green characteristic that we're the most proud of is the fact that our Hemp Enlightenment line is designed, patterned, manufactured and dyed sweatshop-free "locally" (in the USA). Being a green clothing company doesn't just mean using eco-friendly fabrics. By staying "local," we are able to save fossil fuels, create less waste, and stay in close communication with our manufacturer and dye house (which is wonderful for quality control, as well as making certain that sustainable practices and fair working conditions are being utilized).

3. What is your biggest achievement so far?

In our minds, our biggest achievement is that fact that we have been green-minded since our beginnings in the late 90s. We started this business fresh out of college with very little funding, and built the company by focusing on saving money and the environment: we re-used fabrics from clothing purchased from second-hand stores (we sewed all of our own collections for years), re-used shipping supplies, re-used paper for invoices, and created a website rather than a paper catalog.

We've grown a lot over the years, and although we have our clothing lines manufactured now and over 100 retail stores carry our collections, we continue to operate a company based on the same values we've had since the beginning. We are thrilled that eco-consciousness has finally reached the mainstream, but we are proud that operating a green-minded business was at the top of our priority list even before it was a widespread way of thinking.

4. In what way do you think that you help people to take a green action and make a difference?

We help people to take green action and make a difference by giving consumers the chance to buy stylish, fashion-conscious clothing and green clothing, all in one. Customers who perhaps normally don't shop for sustainable clothing because they worry that they'll have to sacrifice style are able to come to us, and shop for fashion-forward apparel that isn't hurting the earth.

5. Who is your green hero?

We have many, but one of our favorites is Julia Butterfly Hill. Melissa (Mountains of the Moon owner and head designer) had the pleasure of meeting her in 2000, and discussed with her Melissa's vision of creating a clothing line that was both eco and fashion conscious. Julia was incredibly encouraging, and we all felt very inspired by her dedication, as well as the person sacrifices she made (and continues to make) for the well-being of the environment.

6. What's your green dream for your business?

Our green dream is to be able to reach out to even more customers and more stores throughout the world! We've learned through the years that the more we give, the more we get, and vice versa. It's all connected. The more people who realize the benefits of living an eco-conscious lifestyle, the better off the entire world can be. If we can contribute to that mind-set through our passion - fashion - then a huge part of our dream becomes a reality.

The next nominee: Yoga Nine/Buddha Body Fair Trade Store

And if you missed the parts of the Unofficial Guide we published so far on Eco-Libris blog, please check them out:

Introduction

Part 1 - Natural Pet Home Store

Yours,

Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

Only Natural Pet Store: 2007 People's Choice Award - part 1

Welcome to your unofficial guide to the 2007 People's Choice Award for the Green Business of the Year.

Here's a quick reminder if you haven't seen the introduction to this series yesterday. Co-Op America announced last week the 10 nominees for the People's Choice Award. Your votes are going to decide which business will win the award and everyone can vote on Co-Op's website until October 15. All of the nominees are really great and choosing your favorite one is not an easy task at all. That's where Eco-Libris blog comes to your help! I sent all the nominees a short questionnaire and I hope their replies will make it easier for you to compare them and decide which one is your numero uno.

The first nominee (the order is based on the order of returning the questionnaires) is:

Only Natural Pet Shop

Business description: a leading retailer of natural pet supplies for dogs and cats. They offer thousands of products from all the leading manufacturers of natural pet care products, including vitamins, supplements, medicine, food, treats, chews, bones, flea control products, grooming supplies, litter, cleaning supplies, and much more. All of their healthy, natural pet care products are consistent with a holistic approach to pet health.

Located at: Boulder, CO

Operating Since: 2004

Website: http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/

Blog: http://onlynaturalpetblog.com/

The questionnaire (replied by Julie Dye, marketing director of Only Natural Pet Store):

1. What makes your business a green business?

Being an earth-conscious company is part of our mission. We offer products that are natural, organic, sustainable, free range, fair trade and cruelty free and purchase only biodegradable corn packaging peanuts and reuse all possible manufacturer packaging. And now we're zero waste, which means we recycle, reuse and compost to reduce waste as close to zero as possible. 100% of our electricity is from wind power.

2. What is your green characteristic you're most proud of?

Our zero waste program is very impressive. To process thousands of orders a week, operate an office environment with multiple teams and have over 30 employees, all of which only produces a small amount of garbage at the end of the week is fantastic. The employees work hard to make sure everything is composted and recycled properly.

3. What is your biggest achievement so far?

Getting employees to completely support and achieve our green goals and building support amongst our customers.

4. In what way do you think that you help people to take a green action and make a difference?

We make people aware of the choices they’re making—both in their lives and the lives of their pets. It helps them to understand the lifecycle of the products they order, the benefits of buying natural and organic products and the ease and importance of making such alternative, earth-friendly decisions.

5. Who is your green hero?

From a company perspective, I think the collective group of people who makes decisions every day with an environmental perspective in mind. These thousands of decisions add up to something forceful and effective. We don’t need one big hero, we need millions of small heroes -who chose to consume less, consume in a manner that is more gentle on the earth, not only to nature, but to the people who live on it. Once people understand it in one part of their lives, it spreads to other parts of their lives and to the lives of those around them.

Personally (as marketing director), I believe I would say Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has gone about in his quiet manner and really made a huge difference in New York State. I saw RFK Jr speak several years ago and it was incredibly inspiring.

6. What's your green dream for your business?

To grow, to bring natural and organic choices to the mainstream, to educate consumers to not only seek out healthy care and products (for their pets and their families) with an earth-friendly focus, but to spread the desire and demand eco-accountability from all manufacturers and retailers. That and world peace :-)

Next Nominee: Mountains of the Moon

Yours,

Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

2007 People's Choice Award for the Green Business of the Year - introduction

You've probably heard the exciting news about Co-Op's 2007 People's Choice Award for the Green Business of the Year - last week Co-Op America announced the names of the of ten nominees for this prestigious award.

As this is the people's award, your votes are going to decide which business will win the award. The vote is open for everyone and can be made on Co-Op America's website until October 15. The announcement of the winner will be made on November 10 at the Green Festival in San Francisco.

All of the nominees are really great and choosing your favorite one is not an easy task at all. Anyway, how much do you know about these businesses, their green practices and the way they try to make a difference? That's where Eco-Libris blog comes to your help! I will start tomorrow my People's Award Nominees series, where I will try to provide you with relevant information on each one of the nominees.

In order to do that, I sent all the nominees a short questionnaire that they were asked to reply. I hope their replies will make it easier for you to compare between the nominees and decide which one is your no. 1.

Here are the nominees:

1. Flexcar
2. Greenfeet.com: The Planet's Homestore
3. Green Living Now
4. Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods and Oils
5. Mountains of the Moon
6. Only Natural Pet Store
7. Pizza Fusion
8. ReusableBags.com
9. UsedCardboardBoxes.com
10. Yoga Nine/Buddha Body Fair Trade Store

As you can see, Eco-Libris is not included in the list (well, we're only 3 months old), but maybe next year..

So stay with me for the exciting nominees series starting TOMORROW!

Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

Green as a Thistle: small changes, big impact

Today I would like to recommend on a great blog - Green as a Thistle.

This is a blog of Vanessa, a journalist at the National Post, based in Toronto. She decided to challenge her self and make a small eco-friendly change every day for one year (yep, 365 small changes). Her idea is to try and keep change her lifestyle, but not in a one big radical change, but in small simple steps that all together will make a big impact.

Vanessa explains it on the blog: "I decided to take on a bit of a challenge: Spend each day, for an entire calendar year, doing one thing that betters the environment. The idea is that everything I do, I keep doing (so if I switch brands, it's a permanent switch; if I turn down my thermostat, I keep it down), so that by day 365, I'll be living as green a lifestyle as it gets. I hope, in the end, this proves that being an environmentalist doesn't necessarily have to require massive change, compromise or Greenpeace levels of dedication — it can be simple, and inspiring."

So far Vanessa completed 207 days and she brings up great ideas. Let's check what she did just last week:

Monday, Sept. 17 - committing to use towels at least 5 times before throwing them to the laundry.

Tuesday, Sept. 18 - eating only sustainable fish using information taken from SeaChoice.

Wednesday, Sept. 19 - cutting off the end of the toothpaste tube for its maximum usage.

Thursday, Sept. 20 - putting 'Do Not Disturb' sign in a hotel room to avoid unnecessary everyday replacement of semi-used toiletteries in new ones.

Friday, Sept. 21 - forgo any plastic or aerosol cans and use incense or beeswax candles, instead.

Saturday, Sept. 22 - whenever she's at a workshop, a lecture or meeting, she's going to make a point of requesting they illustrate our points using a chalkboard and not a flip chart with papers.

Sunday, Sept. 23 - watering your plants in the evening, when the sun’s not out to evaporate the water before it gets down to the roots.I find it all very impressive.

Way to go Vanessa! Eco-Libris is totally supportive of your approach. We also believe small changes can be fairly simple and make together a big impact on one's life.

So, check out Green as a Thistle and get some inspiration and new ideas from Vanessa.

Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

No car today (and perhaps tomorrow?)

Today is Carfree Day, where you leave your car untouched..

It's a worldwide celebration highlighting the many problems caused by our dependence on cars, including air pollution, global warming, stress, and other issues.

According to World Carfree Network's website "Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighborhood blocks to remind the world that we don't have to accept our car-dominated society."

The idea of the movement is of course to challenge the concept that we cannot live without cars and encourage people to check out eco-friendly alternatives (public transpiration, walking, cycling, etc.). They also call governments to assist people who want to replace their car with greener alternatives by making these options more available and convenient.

For many people, especially those who don't live in big cities, life without a car is not an option, as there are no real other options even to get to the supermarket or a local coffee shop.

In any case, for everyone today is a good opportunity to leave the car untouched and think of the ways we can make our transpiration choices more sustainable.

To get more information about this day and what's going on today all over the world (How about having a parking meter party ?), please check out the World Carfree Network's website.

Enjoy this car free day,
Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

Recycling rocks in Philly!

At first I learned about it after reading a post of Sarah Schmalbach at Philly STYLE Magazine. Then I went to GreenFest Philly and saw some of the people involved in it. And now all is left to do is to get to Philly on Saturday, Sept. 29 and climb to the roof of Whole Foods on market and 10th streets. There you'll find a unique event combining activism and party - Rock & RecycleNOW.

So what is it all about? over the past 18 months RecycleNOW Philadelphia has been collecting over 12,000 signatures, lobbying for public hearings, and making sure the next mayor of Philadelphia will implement a dependable weekly curbside recycling program for everyone in the city.

Their request is simple: expand the recycling pilot projects conducted in Chestnut Hill and West Oak Lane by RecycleBank to all of the city. RecycleBank is a private company that initiated a brilliant recycling program based on an offer people cannot refuse - receive incentives to recycle more. The program rewards resident participation by each with up to $400 a year in discount shopping coupons. You recycle more, you get more coupons.

The idea was to combine attractive incentives with simplicity and comfort - residents were given a single 35 gallon container for all recyclables: glass metal and plastic food containers and all kinds of paper including Cardboard. This way it became much easier for them to recycle (check RecycleBank's demo to see how it works).

RecyleBank created a Win-Win-Win program where everybody wins: residents (more comfort, more coupons), the city (smaller amounts of garbage save the city money) and the companies providing coupons (green promotion for them). No wonder the program is a huge success and increased the percentage of recycling according to RecycleNOW Philadelphia in as much as 125 percent. But somehow, the organization says Philadelphia's city officials remain skeptical of these results and, as it has with previous successful pilots, called for more study.

And now they need your help and support. As they write on their website "Enough is enough. The Recycling Alliance of Philadelphia here calls on you and all Philadelphians to raise our collective voices and let our elected officials know in no uncertain terms: implement and expand Recycle Bank™ recycling program immediately, every week from homes and businesses in every neighborhood across the City."

I support this call as RecycleBank's model succeeded where many other models and ideas have failed and this is the reason they have spread to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York. So, it seems only logical to expand it to the rest of Philly for the benefit of both the residents and the city.

The event will feature live performances by Philly’s best local bands: The Capitol Years, The Swimmers, The Adam Monaco Band, Adam and Dave’s Bloodline, Sarsaparilla, Tough Guys Take Over.

The event will take place between 3 to 7 pm. Tickets are $15 and available at http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/fundraiser.html

So rock and recycle, show your support and come to the party!

See you there,
Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

And the Emmy goes to..

Last Sunday was the night of the Emmy awards. I didn't see it, but later on I heard that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, hosts of two of my favorite TV shows (the Daily Show and the Colbert Report), presented together the winner of , joked about green stuff, from Al Gore to carbon offsetting. So, I looked for it and found it on YouTube (is there anything that doesn't get there?).

So for all of Stewart and Colbert fans who didn't see it, here it is.

Enjoy,

Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!