ReusableBags.com: 2007 People's Choice Award - part 6

Using reusable bags in the supermarket is one of my favorite green actions. It's so simple, but yet so rare.. Our nominee for today works to change the situation. Please welcome nominee no. 6 on Eco-Libris blog Unofficial Guide to Co-op America's 2007 People's Choice Award for the Green Business of the Year:

ReusableBags.com

Business description: Online store featuring a wide range of high-quality, innovative reusable shopping bags and related accessories. ReusableBags.com is also a major force providing facts and news on the global push to reduce plastic and paper bag consumption.

Located at: Chicago, IL

Operating Since: 2003

Website: http://www.reusablebags.com/

The questionnaire (thank you to Allison Kozdron from ReusableBags.com):

1. What makes your business a green business?

We handpick all the products that we carry, and focus on recycled, sustainably grown, fairly traded products and high quality products. We work constantly with our fulfillment warehouse to reduce our eco-impact in shipping and use packaging products with 60% recycled content.

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

Joining the likes of Patagonia, 1% of sales are donated to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment through our 1% For the Planet affiliation.

3. What is your biggest achievement so far?

For the last five years, we've been fighting hard to spread the word on the massive over-consumption of plastic shopping bags and have made a significant impact -- inspiring hundreds of news stories, empowering individuals with practical tools and supporting grassroots activists. We are proud to have been endorsed by An Inconvenient Truth, and recognized in mainstream publications, such as USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Vogue magazine and many others.

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

In addition to being a major catalyst in raising awareness on the plastic bag issue, since 2003 we’ve provided consumers with nearly 350,000 reusable bags and bottles, enabling consumers to reduce their consumption of use-and-toss items by an estimated 190 million units.

5. Who is your green hero?

ReusableBags.com was founded by Vincent Cobb, who after researching the issue, was amazed by the sheer volume of plastic bags and the growing negative impact on our environment. He was inspired by his mother, who had long used reusable shopping bags and was a practical environmentalist. She helped fashion the early prototypes on a home sewing machine for the proprietary Acme bags line, which recently won a “best overall” rating as the best reusable shopping bag by the Wall Street Journal. She still continues to use her reusable shopping bags and spread the word!

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

To continue to stand out as providing attractive, high quality reusable shopping bags that consumers actually want to use, especially as more retailers begin virtually giving away cheap shopping bags (which may merely replace one “use and toss” with another!). We hope to expand our offering of bags made of truly sustainable (organic cotton, hemp) and recycled materials (such as recycled PET and recycled cotton).

The next nominee: UsedCardboardBoxes.com

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

Part 2- Mountains of the Moon

Part 3 - Yoga Nine

Part 4 - Pizza Fusion

Part 5 - Green Living Now

Yours,

Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for everybook you read!

Green Living Now: 2007 People's Choice Award - part 5

I hope you all had a great weekend and now you're ready for the second week of our nominees series. Today Eco-Libris blog presents nominee no. 5 to Co-op America's 2007 People's Choice Award for the Green Business of the Year:

Green Living Now

Business description: Green Living Now is a unique woman owned, organic and natural products online store, based in Vermont. What makes Green Living Now unique is that they only sell the products that Amy Todisco, founder and owner, researches and uses herself. Green Living Now does the research so consumers don’t have to. They also provide a free monthly newsletter and many informative articles on green living.

Located at: Huntington, VT

Operating Since: 2004

Website: http://www.greenlivingnow.com/

The questionnaire (Replied by Amy Todisco, founder and owner of Green Living Now):

1. What makes your business a green business?

Many things make Green Living Now a green business beyond just selling truly green products. One big thing that sets me apart from other natural product stores is that I only sell the products that I've researched (I'm an information-a-holic) and used myself, rather than all of the ones marketed as 'green', 'natural' and 'organic'. And, I'm basically a purist with very strict criteria. There are lots of products in natural food stores that aren't much better than conventional supermarket brands. A few added herbs and essential oils, and earth looking packaging, along with a bunch of toxic synthetic chemicals.

Green Living Now makes it easier for consumers (I hate that word, but that's what we are?) to find truly organic and natural products from companies who are walking their talk. Also, I provide free articles and tips on green living, as opposed to sales oriented newsletters. My mission is really about sharing information to help people become more informed. I sell the products to make it easier to take the next step. Selling online provides an option for people that don't have stores locally that sell these products.

Mainly I want to help people be sure they are getting truly organic and natural products and inspire them to live greener healthier lives.

I would like also to add that Green Living Now donates products, consultations, and money to a variety of nonprofit socially and environmentally responsible organizations each year.

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

I walk my talk. My business is home based which means I don?t have to commute anywhere. I use USPS priority mail, in part because they provide free recycled cradle to cradle certified boxes ecologically-intelligent design that eliminates the concept of waste. USPS is also more affordable for the customer, which keeps our shipping rates reasonable (especially with heavy liquid soaps).

We use recycled paper to pad the boxes, or reuse packing peanuts that we receive from manufacturers.We use only the same natural and organic products in our home office that I sell. We compost, reduce, reuse and recycle, keep our thermostats set to 60 in the winter and heat with local wood, practice a whole bunch of energy conservation techniques, including using energy star appliances, buy local organic food in season (and organic all year round).

We also use natural building materials (just had our kitchen tiled with ceramic tiles), have hardwood floors, use no VOC paints, sealants, stains, etc. We signed up to have a solar electric system installed with Citizenre (it's essentially a rental deal that allows you to lock in your current electricity providers rate for 1, 5, or 25 years, and feed solar generated electricity back into the grid). There's more, but you get the idea.

3. What is your biggest achievement so far?

I've been in the green movement for over 15 years, and my biggest achievement is hearing about the lives I've touched in positive ways through living and sharing about green living. Sometimes it?s through a newsletter article, a personal note with an order, a telephone consultation, or quick question answered for free via email or telephone. Or, sometimes it happens when I'm chatting with someone while I wait in line somewhere.

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

First, by taking action myself and then talking about it. It's all based on my personal experiences, or at the very least-my research. Whenever I communicate about green living I try not to preach, but to share information as one friend to another. Using humor when writing has helped me to deal with the often depressing state of our environment.

I have been told by various people over the years that they have been inspired to act by my newsletter articles (which appear on my site, the Ecomall in the 'Ask Amy' section of the Green Living Magazine-http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/ate.htm, and many other places on the Internet), through my answers to questions from people via the Earth Day Network (http://earthday.net/involved/newsletter/june07.html) and my own site.

Years ago I did a lot of community activism, creating nonprofits and events, and writing letters to the editor of newspapers (the most read section of any newspaper).There's no question that one person can make a difference (sadly we often see the negative effects of one person's actions). Every step we take, no matter how small, may inspire someone else. And, even if no one else is watching, we can feel good knowing that we are doing our best.

5. Who is your green hero?

Rachel Carson

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

To reach a much larger audience with the message of green living. We need bold action now to save life on this planet. I plan to do that by finishing writing my book on green living and be a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show sharing about green living.

The next nominee: Reusablebags.com

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
Part 2- Mountains of the Moon
Part 3 - Yoga Nine
Part 4 - Pizza Fusion

Yours,
Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for everybook you read!

Craft Inc. book launch party

Do you live in the San Francisco area? if you do, check out Craft Inc. launch party on Tuesday. If you don't, maybe you should :-)

I have heard about the party from our good friend Victoria E, and here are the details from the blog of the author Meg Maeto Ilasco:

The book launch party for Craft Inc. will be hosted by the wonderful ladies of Rare Device.

When: Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Where: 111 Minna Street, San Francisco

Time: 6pm-9pm

As it says above, we'll be raffling off a TON of prizes. Literally, 2,000 pounds of Chronicle Books craft titles and goods donated by local indie businesses and the profilees featured in the book. Really nice stuff like an In Fiore body balm, a Lotta Jansdotter bag, fat quarters of Denyse Schmidt's new line "Katie Jump Rope", a gift certificate for Rare Device and so much more!

And the best prize of all (if you own an indie craft/design biz) is one month of free advertising space on design*sponge.

So come to the party to buy a signed copy of the book and to meet me! Or if you already know me, then come to win a prize. Or if you don't care to win a prize, then come to see all the very nice-looking people that will be there. I've paid them handsomely to stand around looking pretty. Don't let my good money go to waste!

(If you're in LA: yes, I will be having a book party there, too, with Reform School in November. Details to come!)

So what's the book all about? "Craft Inc. is the hipster business primer for entrepreneurial crafters to turn what they do for fun into what they do for money. Pro crafter Meg Mateo Ilasco offers a step-by-step guide to everything from developing products and naming the company to writing a business plan, applying for licenses, and paying taxes. Chapters on sales, marketing, trade shows, and publicity round out the mix. Plus, in-depth interviews with such craft luminaries as Jonathan Adler, Lotta Jansdotter, Denyse Schmidt, and Jill Bliss provide inspiration and practical advice. Accessible, informative, and more than a little spunky, Craft, Inc. paves the way for today's creative minds to become tomorrow's trendsetters." (Amazon.com)

Interested to learn more? check out Victoria E's exclusive interview on her blog with the author, Meg Maeto Ilasco.

Enjoy the party and if you happen to win one of the books that will be given there, don't forget to balance it out with Eco-Libris :-)

Raz

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

More News from the Field : Help Sustainable Harvest International Win $10,000

We got today a newsletter of our planting partners and friends at SHI (Sustainable Harvest International.) Recently storms and hurricanes hit parts of Honduras, Belize and Nicaragua, where SHI operates. But as the newsletter reports planting trees helps prevent more severe damages:

Despite these recent hardships, we feel lucky. Sustainable Harvest Honduras Field Trainer, Juan Carlos Sandres tells us that SHI is not in the business of disaster relief, but disaster prevention - and it's working! In his own words, "After the experience of devastation in my country from Hurricane Mitch in 1998, Sustainable Harvest Honduras has been dedicated to sharing agro-forestry techniques with families that were impacted by the disaster. We have been able to improve many vulnerable areas through soil conservation, reforestation, crop diversification and disaster prevention training. We know that when there are natural disasters, the families we work with are more resilient and their parcels of land are much less susceptible to erosion and crop loss."

So here's your chance to assist SHI with their work in these communities to bounce back from the hurricane damages, and do even better in other places:

SHI has created two groups on a new social networking site and will be eligible to win $10,000 if we can get 100 people to join our online groups. It is free, easy and will not lead to any unwanted mailings. $10,000 could allow SHI to begin work in at least 3 new villages, reaching many more Central American families that are anxiously waiting for our help. Please take a moment to join today and encourage others to do the same.

Register at http://beta.razoo.com/ and join our groups at http://beta.razoo.com/groups/shi and http://beta.razoo.com/groups/sw. Then make sure to tell everyone you know how to join each of these groups!

And don't forget to mention that you are joining because you heard about it right here :)

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

Pizza Fusion: 2007 People's Choice Award - part 4

Friday is a great day for Pizza, isn't it? well, you've got to the right place! Please allow me to introduce nominee no.4 on the Eco-Libris blog Unofficial Guide to Co-op America's 2007 People's Choice Award for the Green Business of the Year:

Pizza Fusion

Business description: This is the world's first organic pizza chain, with two places operating in Florida, two more slated to open by the end of 2007 and contracts for more than 60 franchised units in seven states. Pizza Fusion serves a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, desserts, beer and wine all made with all-natural and organic ingredients. Its cofounders Mike Gordon and Vaughan Lazar are working to build their business on the motto, “Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time".

Located at: Fort Lauderdale, FL (headquarters)

Operating Since: 2006

Website: http://www.pizzafusion.com/

The questionnaire (thank you to Eric Haley, Pizza Fusion Vice President of Communications):

1. What makes your business a green business?

AT PIZZA FUSION, WE CARE ABOUT THE PLANET AND OUR CUSTOMERS. WE CARE SO MUCH THAT WE HOLD OURSELVES RESPONSIBLE. BY BEING COMMITTED TO AND CONSCIOUS OF OUR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CONSUMER, WE’VE SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO FOLLOW AND WE’RE PROUD OF IT.

PIZZA FUSION ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF TODAY'S HEALTH CONSCIOUS CONSUMER WITH CONCERN FOR BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE ENVIRONMENT BY SUPPORTING ORGANIC AGRICULTURE THROUGH OUR 98 PERCENT ORGANIC MENU AND PRACTICING AN ECO-FRIENDLY APPROACH TO ALL OUR OPERATIONS. FROM THE CREATION OF OUR FOOD TO ITS DELIVERY TO THE CUSTOMER, EVERY ASPECT OF OUR OPERATIONS WAS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE ON SOCIETY AND THE WORLD:

IN OUR RESTAURANTS:

• OFFSETTING 100% OF OUR POWER CONSUMPTION IN OUR RESTAURANTS AND AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE WITH THE PURCHASE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES

• PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE BY SERVING A MORE THAN 98% ORGANIC MENU

• BUILDING OUR RESTAURANTS ACCORDING TO THE LEED (LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN) CERTIFICATION STANDARDS SET FORTH BY THE UNITED STATES GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL BY UTILIZING A VARIETY OF UNIQUE ENERGY EFFICIENT TACTICS AND ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS (MAKING US THE FIRST AND ONLY NATIONAL RESTAURANT CONCEPT TO DO SO)

• DELIVERING OUR FOOD IN COMPANY OWNED HYBRID VEHICLES

• RECYCLING AND GIVING CUSTOMERS DISCOUNTS FOR BRINGING BACK THEIR PIZZA BOXES TO RECYCLE THEM

• USING ONLY ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANERS TO SANITIZE ALL OUR STORES

• SERVING OUR FOOD IN PLASTIC SUBSTANCE LIKE CONTAINERS THAT ARE MADE 100% FROM CORN STARCH AND ARE DESIGNED TO DECOMPOSE IN LANDFILLS IN 30 DAYS

• USING ONLY SPUDWARE UTENSILS THAT ARE MADE 100% FROM POTATOES THAT BIODEGRADE IN 30 DAYS

• RECYCLING THE HEAT FROM OUR OVENS TO HEAT THE WATER IN OUR STORES; ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR WATER HEATERS

• ELIMINATING THE USE OF AIR HEATING UNITS BY REDISTRIBUTING THE HEAT FROM OUR OVENS TO WARM THE RESTAURANTS IN OUR NORTHERN LOCATIONS

• USING A GREYWATER SYSTEM THAT RECYCLES WASTE WATER INTO OUR TOILETS AND SAVES 1/3 OF OUR RESTAURANTS’ WATER USAGE PER YEAR

• SELLING AND PROVIDING OUR EMPLOYEES ONLY WITH ECO-APPAREL MADE FROM 100% ORGANIC COTTON

• USING 100% POST CONSUMER TOILET PAPER AND PAPER TOWELS IN ALL OUR BATHROOMS

• PRINTING OUR IN-STORE GRAPHICS ON A BANNER MATERIAL MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED SODA BOTTLES AND PRINTED USING NON-VOC INKS

• USING ECO-FRIENDLY PAINTS FROM GREEN PLANET PAINTS

• USING COMPACT FLUORESCENT (CF) BULBS IN OUR STORES WHICH SAVES ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION

• USING SEAT CUSHIONS MADE FROM SOYBEAN OIL, INSTEAD OF PETROLEUM BASED FOAM

• INSTALLING COUNTER TOPS MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED DETERGENT BOTTLES

• USING PANELS FROM 3-FORM, A RECYCLED MATERIALS PAPER COMPANY WITH A MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT, TO BUILD SHELVES AND COUNTER TOPS IN OUR STORES

• USING RECLAIMED WOOD TO BUILD OUR TABLES AND CUTTING BOARDS

• REUSING GLASS BOTTLES FROM OUR STORES TO CREATE FLOORING TILES FOR OUR FUTURE LOCATIONS

• INSTALLING A SMART LIGHTING SYSTEM IN OUR BATHROOMS THAT AUTOMATICALLY TURNS OFF WHEN THE BATHROOM IS VACANT

• USING DRYWALL IN OUR BUILD-OUT THAT IS 95% POST-CONSUMER CONTENT AND LOCALLY MANUFACTURED

• USING FSC (FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL - HTTP://WWW.FSC.ORG/EN/ABOUT) CERTIFIED WOOD TO BUILD OUR CABINETS AND WOOD FIXTURES

• ALL APPLIANCES ARE ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED

• USING INSULATION IN OUR RESTAURANTS MADE FROM RECYCLED BLUE JEANS

• USING THE MOST EFFICIENT HVAC UNIT ON THE MARKET

• USING 30% RECAPTURED INDUSTRIAL CONCRETE

• USING CEILING PANELS MADE FROM 74% RECYCLED ALUMINUM CANS AND 24% POST INDUSTRIAL METALS

• INSTALLING USG GYPSUM BOARD MADE FROM PRE-USED DRYWALL

• INSTALLING BAMBOO VENEER FACE COVERINGS FOR FIXTURES

• USING CEILING BAFFLES MADE FROM RECYCLED COMPOSITE BOARD

WITH OUR MARKETING:

• USING PAPER IN OUR COLLATERAL THAT IS FSC CERTIFIED, PRODUCED CHLORINE FREE, AND CONSISTS OF 50% ALTERNATIVE FIBER (RENEWABLE SUGARCANE) AND 50% RECYCLED CONTENT

• USING AN ELECTRONIC VERSIONS OF OUR COLLATERAL, SUCH AS OUR FRANCHISE BROCHURE (HTTP://WWW.PIZZAFUSION.COM/FRANCHISEBROCHURE.PDF) AND PRESS KIT (WWW.PIZZAFUSION.COM/PRESSKIT.PDF), WHENEVER POSSIBLE

• HOSTING OUR WEBSITE WITH A ‘GREEN’ WEB HOSTING SERVICE PROVIDER THAT OFFSETS THE POWER CONSUMPTION OF THEIR SERVERS WITH THE PURCHASE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES• BRANDED PENS MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED CARDBOARD AND RECYCLED PLASTIC

• USING SEED PAPER (HTTP://WWW.BLOOMINPROMOTIONS.COM/PRODUCTS/BOOKMARKS.HTML) FOR VARIOUS COLLATERAL

IN OUR CORPORATE OPERATIONS:

• OFFSETTING 100% OF OUR POWER CONSUMPTION IN OUR RESTAURANTS AND AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE WITH THE PURCHASE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES

• OFFSETTING THE CARBON IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH OUR TRAVELING WITH THE PURCHASE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES FROM 3DEGREES (HTTP://WWW.3DEGREESINC.COM) AND, WHEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT ENGAGEMENTS, REQUIRING THE ORGANIZERS TO PURCHASE RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES TO OFFSET THE CARBON IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH OUR TRAVELING

• SEEKING OUT ONLY ECO-CENTRIC VENDORS TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH AND PUSHING THEM TO FURTHER THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS WITH THEIR OPERATIONS

• MAKING A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO MINIMIZE OUR ELECTRICITY USAGE AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE BY SHUTTING OFF ALL COMPUTERS, PRINTERS, LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONING, ETC. EVERY NIGHT BEFORE LEAVING

• MAKING A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO MINIMIZE OUR PAPER WASTE BY REDUCING OUR PRINTING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

• EXPANDING THE RECYCLING PROGRAM IN OUR OFFICE COMPLEX TO ALLOW ALL TENANTS TO RECYCLE

EDUCATION, PHILANTHROPIC & POLITICAL:

• DONATE MONEY TO ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES IN, AROUND AND BEYOND OUR COMMUNITIES

• HOST A FREE ORGANICS FOR KIDS CLASS EVERY THIRD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH THAT EDUCATES CHILDREN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING

• LOBBYING FOR POLITICAL ACTION, SUCH AS THE SAFE CLIMATE ACT (H.R. 1590), THAT SUPPORTS A MORE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FUTURE

• SPEAKING AT VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS IN AND AROUND OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

• FURTHERING OUR ECO-IMPACT BY SPEAKING AT VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL AND ORGANIC CONFERENCES AROUND THE U.S., SUCH AS THE 2ND ANNUAL BUSINESS OF ORGANICS CONFERENCE (WWW.ALMEVENTS.COM/CONF_PAGE.CFM?INSTANCE_ID=29&WEB_ID=1017&PID=625) AND THE 2008 ALL THINGS ORGANIC CONFERENCE (WWW.ORGANICEXPO.COM/07/PUBLIC/CONTENT.ASPX?ID=14290)

• FOUNDING A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, THE LITTLE SPROUT FOUNDATION,,, DESIGNED TO RAISE MONEY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN VISITING TOWNS AND CITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH, HOSTING EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS AND ORGANIZING PARK CLEANUP.

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

WE’RE MOST PROUD OF A SINGLE ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE, BUT MORE SO OUR ENTIRE APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS. EVERY ONE OF OUR GREEN INITIATIVES IS THE RESULT OF OUR COMMITMENT, RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND PRO-ACTIVE OUTREACH THAT HAS ENABLED US TO FURTHER MINIMIZE OUR ECO-FOOTPRINT AS A BUSINESS. WE’RE EQUALLY PROUD OF ALL OUR ‘GREEN’ CHARACTERISTICS.

3. What is your biggest achievement so far?

WHILE WE’RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO PROMOTE A MORE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FUTURE, FROM COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. ALTHOUGH, WE CONSIDER OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT TO BE THE CREATION OF THE PIZZA FUSION BUSINESS MODEL, WHERE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PROFITABILITY. WE’RE EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE THE GREENEST RESTAURANT CONCEPT IN AMERICA.

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

WE PROVIDE OUR CUSTOMERS WITH AN ECO-FRIENDLY DINING OPTION WHERE THEY CAN DINE-IN, CARRYOUT OR ORDER DELIVERY WITH A MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. BY SERVING A 98 PERCENT ORGANIC MENU WE ARE SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE THAT IS HEALTHIER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE INDIVIDUAL.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY STRIVING TO EDUCATE OUR CUSTOMERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING THROUGH OUR COLLATERAL, IN-STORE DESIGN AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. OUR ‘ORGANICS FOR KIDS’ CLASS EDUCATES CHILDREN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ECO-FRIENDLY LIVING AND EATING ORGANIC. ADDITIONALLY, WE TAKE PRIDE IN SPEAKING ON THE IMPORTANCE SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT PRACTICES AT VARIOUS EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, SUCH AS THE 2ND ANNUAL BUSINESS OF ORGANICS CONFERENCE (HTTP://WWW.ALMEVENTS.COM/CONF_PAGE.CFM?INSTANCE_ID=29&WEB_ID=1017&PID=625) AND THE 2008 ALL THINGS ORGANIC CONFERENCE.

5. Who is your green hero?

“MY MOM. SHE INSTILLED IN ME THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE RIGHT FROM WRONG, WHICH IS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE BEHIND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE CHOICES AND PREMISE BY WHICH PIZZA FUSION WAS FOUNDED ON… DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY. THE HEALTH OF OUR PLANET IS A REFLECTION OF THE CHOICES WE MAKE,” VAUGHAN LAZAR, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF PIZZA FUSION, STATES.

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

“OUR DREAM IS TO BECOME A ZERO IMPACT RESTAURANT WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN COME IN FOR A QUALITY DINING EXPERIENCE WITHOUT LEAVING ANY IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT,” VAUGHAN LAZAR, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF PIZZA FUSION, STATES.

The next nominee: Green Living Now

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
Part 2- Mountains of the Moon
Part 3 - Yoga Nine

Yours,
Raz

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for everybook you read!

Yoga Nine: 2007 People's Choice Award - part 3

Welcome everyone to part 3 of our nominees series. Take a deep breath as we are about to enter the world of yoga. Please meet nominee no. 3:

Yoga Nine/Buddha Body Fair Trade Store

Business description: Yoga Nine is a professional mind-body studio which aims to promote community health by providing a variety of classes taught by the most highly trained and experienced teachers. It is dedicated to providing community outreach through educational programs, volunteer efforts in its fair trade store & cafe, Buddha Body. In the store you can find products made by local artists and artisans, and others created through cooperatives around the world. The cafe is serving organic and fair trade tasty coffee and tea.

Located at: Smithville, NJ

Operating Since: 2005

Website: http://www.yoganine.com/

Blog: http://yoganine.icontact.com/blogs/yoga_nine_llc/

The questionnaire (repiled by Laurie Greene from Yoga Nine):

1. What makes your business a green business?

Yoga Nine is dedicated to a broad view of "green". Our space, constructed in an ordinary strip mall is as eco-sensitive as our buildout code allows. I did not have the money to build my own space, so I negotiated with my landlord to purchase all the materials for retrofitting the space and paid them to install it. The space is insulated with a combination of recycled cotton jean batting and nonformadehyde rolls of more conventional materials to meet strip mall firecode. Used "ecolumber" for our studio flooring and tile and recycled no voc carpet in the rest of our facility.

All our glues are no voc and our walls fixtures are colored with milkpaints. Don't believe the critics - milkpaints are BEAUTIFUL. Everyone comments on how colorful and beautiful the store it. Our fixtures were collected from discarded shelving and painted and tiled. Thanks to all the people who helped me find these products...

I started from square one. No one at the time in southern NJ carried these supplies. Once researched, many were gladly ordered by my small local paint and flooring store. THANK YOU GREG AT TOWNE PAINT... They thought I was crazy at first, but now carry these options for other local folks. We clean with natural products, and installed all low output lighting thanks to the generosity of SOLAR MIKE who appreciates the value of barter!

We put a bikerack next to our facility and reward those who ride in with a 10% discount, but mostly they just appreciate that we care. We recycle and ask our suppliers to use no packaging, or ecopackaging. Our store tries to be paper-free. Our yoga studio runs on an electronic format. Our bags (when people want them - we ask!) are either recycled paper or "eco-bags made from cornstarch. We also give out cotton reusable shopping bags (thank you FLAVOUR OF CHANGE for your FREE bags) and sell coffee/tea mugs and presses in our cafe. If you come in with your own mug, your coffee is always the 12 oz price, and there are free refills. If people need paper, we have all compostable recycled products.

We are currently working with the awesome advocate PATRICK HOSSAY (author of UnSUSTAINABLE-buy it!), at Richard Stockton College to close our loop (along with the new fair trade coffee stations at the college) by creating a quick compost station. (We do not have this available in our township).

Environmental Justice however cannot come without social justice. Our goals at the studio are prefaced on this idea. This is why we sell only fair traded and organic products and devote so much time to educating local folks not only about the injustice around the world, but in our local community. Many thanks to all our wholesalers and home grown supported cooperatives (thanks to the students at SAVE for helping the 3 cooperatives in Belize) and Kim Hancock at Flavour of change, along with countless others who allow me to purchase is smaller quantities than might be common practice.

We sell fair trade organic coffee and tea (Zhena's), and our bags of beans are custom labeled and mixed to support 9 local charities in our community, Thanks to Dean's Beans & Charlsie for doing this for us at no extra charge! The profits from each bag ($2,00) goes to each charity. Our Community Coffee Campaign (which you can read about at our website) provides a venue for education about local causes, matches volunteers with opportunities,and raises money to support them.

We are a totally handicap accessible facility and provide programs for EVERYONE in our community. We have created a protocol and three years running provided the space for a cancer trial (yoga and breast cancer) at the studio and with the volunteer work of my teachers. SHARON GARLAND is currently working to incorporate yoga in the local therapeutic horeseriding program, and we hope to take this to the national organization.

Finally, we sponsor low cost or free events for the community which educate and entertain us. Film screenings (Thanks to Debra Frank for massive fresh popcorn donations), and DAVID REDMOND for screening Mardi Gras Made in China and debuting Kamp Katrina (yet unfinished) in our TINY SPACE, far away from anywhere. David, if you read this, we are still debating "plastic forks"!

Our studio doubles as a gallery space and we showcase the works of local artists, poets and causes monthly at our SECOND SATURDAY free events. What a great way to meet people and build community. Our second show showcased the talents of the Boys & Girls Club Photography Club, and we eventually sent their poetry group to a state "poetry slam" competition. In November we will be supporting Girls Gotta Run by featuring and selling art with shoe themes! Look them up, they are an awesome cause!

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

WE focus on building community. We are able to accomplish all we have because of this! This nomination is testimony to this!

3. What is your biggest achievement so far?

Getting people to know about local causes, and cultivating MINDFULNESS and the idea of the INTERCONNECTIONS we have with everyone everywhere.

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

I think we show them that you don't have to be perfect to be righteous. Every little bit helps. What ever small action you can do everyday. We also help others to find resources and have ongoing education campaigns. We are currently helping the new Unitarian Church build out a green space, and the local state college has just successfully switched their coffee over to fair trade and has started a eco-campaign (Thank to the fair trade student alliance, SAVE, and especially JASON).

5. Who is your green hero?

Wangari Maathai. Plant a tree, save the world. Simple actions are powerful.

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

To have everyone in the area KNOW what fair trade is and to continue to make our small area of South Jersey an unlikely leader in environmental responsibility! Thanks to Rick Dovey and the folks at ACUA for their hybrid car fleet, and WINDMILL project in Atlantic City. You all rock. We want to put South Jersey ON THE MAP as the green capitol of the US. Now there's a dream.

The next nominee: Pizza Fusion

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

Introduction
Part 1 - Natural Pet Home Store

Part 2 - Mountains of the Moon

Yours,
Raz

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

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!