Cooking and Gardening Projects are in the Bag with True Liberty® Bags

by Linda Kelly on January 26, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Footprint,Carbon Management,Carbon Offsets,Carbonfree Partner,Eco-friendly Products,New Carbonfund.org Partners

True Liberty® Bags provides all-purpose home and garden bags and accessories to any type of gardener or homemaker. With the smell-proof and freezer-to-heat safe bag material, which upholds to water, grease, oil, and fat, these bags are extremely versatile.True Liberty® Bags are produced from FDA-approved food-grade, absolutely BPA-free material, and are all made in the USA.  In the kitchen, Liberty Bags are perfect for use with baked goods, bulk foods, herbs, meats and produce. You can bake, boil, freeze, microwave, line your rice/slow cooker, or contain spoiled food odors. In the garden, Liberty Bags are great for seed germination, plant pollination, fertilizer or pesticide storage, plant protection from pests or extreme weather, and storage of harvested crops.

True Liberty® values serving a grassroots community of advocates and businesses who share a ‘think global and act local’ mindset. From the purchasing of supplies, to the shipping of products, True Liberty® is constantly making eco-friendly decisions. True Liberty’s office, warehouse, shipping, and website are carbon-neutral through an emissions offsetting program with Carbonfund.org. Being carbon-neutral is another way to demonstrate a commitment to reducing environmental impact, and enables customers to share in that commitment. True Liberty® also uses UPS Carbon Neutral shipping for all product shipments, and uses digital files rather than paper whenever possible for administrative functions. This choice saves on time, space, energy, and other natural resources, especially trees! All brochures and media documents are made from recycled paper content as much as possible, and products are packaged in Forest Stewardship Council-approved paper-board boxes that are printed using soy-based ink.

Discover what commercial organic farmers, food storage experts, and hobby veggie growers are using to keep their foods fresh, healthy, and delicious, with all the aroma and flavor locked right in!  Shop online today for your supply of eco-conscious and versatile True Liberty® Bags.

 

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WVO Creates Green Jobs and Community Support through Recycling Vegetable Oil

by Linda Kelly on January 23, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Management,Carbon Offsets,Carbonfree Partner,Eco-friendly Products,Environment

In the Spring of 2007, WVO Management was established as Houston’s first green waste vegetable oil recycler, providing safe, clean and timely removal of waste vegetable oil and creating new local green-collar jobs. Their mission is to contribute 100% of the usable oils to local recycling efforts that provide the greatest environmental re-use. WVO purchases waste vegetable oil from Greater Houston and Greater Lufkin restaurants and commercial kitchens/bakeries. Their recycling program meets all local, state and federal laws and guidelines.  Their customers receive carefree and professional waste vegetable oil removal services, and gain the benefit of participating in an environmentally friendly recycling program.

From the start, WVO was built as a company that is conscientious about their impact on the environment. From the recycled paper on which their business cards are printed to the green energy used to power their workshop and offices, WVO is making business choices that make sense for their bottom line and for the future of our planet, by leveraging sustainability for profitability.  Part of WVO’s environmental commitment includes supporting the mission and projects of Carbonfund.org through their CarbonFree® Partnership.  And the folks at WVO proudly proclaim that yes, they are tree-hugging capitalists.

WVO also encourages their employees to be active participants in the community and affords them the balance between family and work to succeed. And the WVO Management Charitable Endowment Fund hosts three programs designed for Cause Related Marketing Initiatives of WVO Management LLC and their Houston donor businesses.

To learn more about WVO, their services and community support, click here.

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CES 2012 – Another Year of CarbonFree Certified Products!

by Alterra Hetzel on January 23, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Offsets

The 2012 International CES, the world’s largest tradeshow for consumer technology, ran this year from January 10th through
January 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year the show welcomed more than 3,100 companies on a show floor that exceeded 1.85 million net square feet of exhibit space. Among those exhibitors three companies featured Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree Certified label, signifying that their products are offered to consumers as carbon neutral. This means that the products underwent a rigorous lifecycle analysis determining the product carbon footprint from cradle to grave and further offset the impact of that footprint by supporting one of Carbonfund.org’s third-party validated carbon reduction projects. CarbonFree Certification is a transparent, meaningful label that distinguishes products that have undergone this rigorous third-party certification process.

LG Electronics – LG is the first in industry to distribute home appliances, solar panels and various consumer electronics with the CarbonFree® sustainability label, many of which were debuted at CES this year. This marks the first time that CarbonFree-certified LCD TV, LCD monitor, refrigerator, clothes washer, vacuum cleaner, air conditioner, LED lamp or solar panel products will be available to the public. These products also have agressive internal carbon reduction plans to ensure that every year LG manufactures them, they are decreasing their footprint more and more. In addition to the LG CarbonFree certification, the products will be ENERGY STAR® qualified. Other products certified by LG include two mobile phones, also available to the public in 2012.  Learn more at www.lge.com

ECO Alkaline from LEI Electronics – Looking for an eco-friendly, better priced battery that performs as well as the same old brands?  Here they are. Last year these batteries received an “Innovations In Engineering” award at the Consumer Electronics Show.  This year they were at CES again as the only and first carbon neutral battery currently on the market. In addition to carbon neutrality these batteries are also more consumer friendly than their competitors for a couple of reasons including Zero Lead/Cadmium/ or Mercury (they are actually landfill safe), have a 5 year shelf life, have a patent pending leak -resistant seal on the battery, and are offered at retail prices that are competitive to the other major battery brands. Today, environmentally friendly Eco Alkalines batteries are available in US and Canadian supermarkets, department stores, toy and hobby retailers, colleges and university stores, and hotel chains.  http://www.leiproducts.com/eco-alkalines

GoEcoLife by INTEK America – Again at CES this year, the GoEcoLife, which is the world’s first CarbonFree® Certified carbon neutral paper shredder, showed its product to show attendees.  Under the GoECOlife™ brand, INTEK has been dedicated to producing environmentally-preferable, smart every day devices and products that ultimately contribute to their overall commitment to sustainability. They manufacture certified biodegradable/compostable products and utilize recycled and RoHS-compliant (lead-FREE) materials both in products and packaging whenever possible, as well as proprietary energy -conserving technologies. Also, the personal GoECOlife™ shredder utilizes an energy-saving technology that prevents vampire energy waste when the shredder is not in use and plugged in. Recently, the GoECOlife™ Platinum Series™ Paper Shredder (GXC120Ti) was one of four shredders “RECOMMENDED” by Consumer Reports in their recent paper shredder review.  This is a smart choice for the earth and for consumers. To learn more about the GoECOlife™ please click www.goecolife.com.

To learn more about these products and the CarbonFree Certified label from Carbonfund.org, please visit www.carbonfund.org.

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Keystone XL Pipeline Application Denied

by keaty on January 20, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Offsets

The big environmental news this week was the demise of the Keystone XL Pipeline Project.  For those in need of a refresh, this is an extension of an already existing pipeline that would facilitate the transportation of synthetic crude oil from the Alberta, Canada tar sands to multiple locations in the United States.  Needless to say, environmentalists have not been big fans of this venture.

On November 10 of last year, after months of protests, President Obama announced a delay of the decision until 2013.  So we got a reprieve, if not a victory, for the environment.  Shortly thereafter Republicans introduced legislation that would require a decision be made on the project within two months, deadline February 21st 2012.

On December 18th the White House released its decision.  From the official statement:

As the State Department made clear last month, the rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipelines impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment. As a result, the Secretary of State has recommended that the application be denied. And after reviewing the State Departments report, I agree.

This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people.

So does this mark the end of the project and its environmental threat?  Not really. The statement focuses on Republican strong-arming instead of environmental concerns and TransCanada has already said they intend to reapply for a permit.

For more information on the pipeline fight, visit http://www.tarsandsaction.org/spread-the-word/key-facts-keystone-xl/

For insight into different green opinions on this development, visit http://grist.org/politics/is-the-anti-keystone-campaign-good-or-bad-for-the-environmental-movement/

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A Little Game Company with a Big Commitment to the Environment

by Linda Kelly on January 18, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Offsets,Carbonfree Partner,Eco-friendly Products

Giant Plankton is an independent game company based in Seattle whose mission is to create fun and innovative multi-player games that bring people together. Their first product is a two-player iPad game called Skwint that recently launched on the App Store.

Skwint is a clever update to the traditional matching game that rewards a good strategy as much as a good memory. It’s simple enough to play with your five year old daughter yet challenging enough to play with your neighbor who reads statistics magazines for fun. It all depends on the Settings you choose and the skills you bring to the game.

Besides having great game-play, Skwint was also conceived as a vehicle for a variety of beautifully designed audio-visual experiences or “themes”. The first version of Skwint comes with a theme called Pulse which has a clean, minimal feel. More great themes are coming soon.

While the primary mission of Giant Plankton is to create great social games, they are doing it in an environmentally responsible way. Giant Plankton is happy to be a CarbonFree® Partner and purchase carbon credits to offset all of the emissions from their business activities. It is a sincere goal at Giant Plankton to always be a carbon-neutral company.

But being carbon neutral doesn’t reverse the damage that has already been done to the planet, so a percentage of Giant Plankton’s profits will be donated to organizations that work to improve the health of the oceans. After all, healthy seas are critical to plankton survival.

The team at Giant Plankton has temporarily priced Skwint at $.99 in support of Occupy Wall Street!  So check it out and spread the word to your friends. The world will be a more entertaining… and sustainable place.

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Made You Look! Targeted Advertising Anywhere Anytime with APS Mobile Ads

by Linda Kelly on January 17, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Management,Carbon Offsets,Carbonfree Partner

Need to get your message out to a wide and specific audience?  Find your solution with APS Mobile Advertising, LLC, providing on-demand, focused and targeted advertising to the customer at an affordable rate.  Their professionals provide the wealth of knowledge and experience that defines their highly qualified and motivated advertising team.

APS Mobile Ads offers a full range of mobile advertising solutions, including mobile billboard, aerial, static billboard and over-the-road advertising, targeted by geography, demographic or event.  And mobile advertising is effective:

• 98% of in-car audiences indicated they noticed truck-side ads. – American Trucking Association
• 97% is the recall rate on mobile advertising. – Outdoor Advertising Magazine TACA’s market research July/August 2002
• 96% of respondents say mobile advertising is more effective than traditional outdoor advertising. – Outdoor Advertising Magazine TACA’s market research July/August 2002
• Mobile advertising generates 2.5 times more attention than a static billboard. – Perception Research
• 91% of target audiences noticed both graphics and text. – American Trucking Association and 3M

APS Mobile Advertising, LLC is a USDOT compliant, environmentally conscious, veteran owned and operated company. APS Mobile Ads is the only Detroit-based mobile billboard advertising company, directly serving the mid-west, and through partner companies, coast to coast.

And APS Mobile Ads is driven to maximize environmental responsibility in its operations. Utility consumption is kept extremely low, all eligible materials are recycled, drivers are instructed to operate all company vehicles at the most fuel efficient speeds, and APS Mobile Ads participates in Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree™ Partnership program.

“At APS Mobile Ads, we believe that business can be done more efficiently and just as effectively, while at the same time reducing the environmental impact of daily operations. We all have a responsibility to minimize our carbon footprint, and we look forward to achieving that goal through a successful partnership with Carbonfund.org,” exclaims Christopher A. Falster, Chairman of APS Mobile Ads.

Learn more about the mobile advertising options and solutions at www.APSmobileAds.com.  They’ll make you – and your audience – look!

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Viesso Brings Stylish Custom Eco-Furniture Design Online

by Linda Kelly on January 13, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Offsets,Carbonfree Partner,Eco-friendly Products

Ever found yourself in the furniture-buying quagmire, staring at one of the furniture industry’s behemoth showrooms with homogeneous products, thinking there has to be a better way to furnish a house, office or apartment? Well so did the creative team that founded Viesso.

Most furniture companies present their products in an outdated and inefficient fashion, and consumers were forced to settle for products that are generic, whether or not the pieces fit their specific needs. Viesso brings an innovative process to furniture design and creation that allows for maximum customization, with a website and more efficient showrooms as the core of the company.

Viesso allows you to create custom furniture on their innovative website: select the model that suits your sense of style and is the right size for your space. From there, you pick from a large variety of options for fabric, filling, finishes, legs, and more to create your own custom piece, many of which are made from ‘green’ materials. You can price out all the options available on the website. Once ordered, your furniture piece is ready to ship nationwide in about 3 weeks.

The aim at Viesso is to be the best solution for modern furniture, on and offline. While all their quality products are created and sold on their website, they support the website offering with a showroom and honest design help to allow people to make educated (and stylish) decisions. By blending customization, modern technology, smart design, and sustainable living, Viesso offers a refreshing way for you to furnish your space.

While creating Viesso, the founders aligned themselves with other companies that share the same passion for the environment. All the products designed and produced by Viesso as made to be as “green” as possible. Check the “How It’s Green” tab at the bottom of every product page to see specific details for each individual product.

Viesso carries its environmental focus through its overall operations, from small showrooms to reliance on technology and electronic communication. All products are custom-built, so there is little to no waste, and there is no large inventory of products to store, like most companies, because each piece is custom-built when ordered. This makes Viesso’s manufacturing process very efficient and reduces the impact on the environment in terms of materials used.

Viesso also offsets a portion of its operational emissions through Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree™ Business Partnership program. “We liked the way the programs were setup, and believed in the cause they [Carbonfund.org] are focused on. In addition, we got a good feeling after contacting them initially,” comments Travis Nagle, one of Viesso’s founders.

You owe it to yourself to experience the unique furniture selection, design and purchasing experience that Viesso has to offer. Visit their website at http://www.viesso.com/.

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New EPA Map Identifies Worse US Polluters

by keaty on January 12, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Offsets

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has come out with a simple and easy-to-use tool to educate you about your friendly neighborhood polluters. Click here to explore their interactive map of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the United States.  You can search quickly by state or create a more specific custom location search (though the latter doesn’t seem to work quite as well).

The coolest feature is the option to select specific pollutants or polluting industries. So let’s say you’re researching the paper industry, writing a compelling report about the environmental impact of paper factories in your state.  You can use checkboxes to narrow down your search to return only the examples that pertain to your thesis.  Results include the name and location of facilities, as well as the quantity and variety of emissions.

One very important thing to note about this map: the data set used does not reflect total U.S. GHG emissions, only those from the largest facilities. So don’t be duped into believing the total is this low!

 

 

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Durban UN Climate Change Conference in review

by keaty on January 12, 2012 · 0 comments

in Carbon Offsets,Environment,Global Warming,News

The 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, concluded on December 11 after two weeks of tense negotiation. The outcome?  An agreement to be part of a new treaty to address global warming.

This comprehensive global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is different from past climate agreements, as none of its predecessors have been legally binding. The precise phrase used is “a protocol, a legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force,” which admittedly leaves a lot of wiggle room, but experts agree this is still a step forward from prior voluntary arrangements.  The agreement, referred to as the “Durban platform,” is expected to go into effect in 2020, with discussions slated to finish by 2015.

Other takeaways from the Durban conference:

  • Unlike Kyoto, the pending treaty will apply to both developed and developing countries
  • A new Green Climate Fund will provide support to the poorest countries to help them reach their emission reduction goals and adapt to the realities of climate change

Michael Jacobs, visiting professor at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment in London, said of the Durban agreement:

“[It] has not in itself taken us off the 4°C path we are on, but by forcing countries for the first time to admit that their current policies are inadequate and must be strengthened by 2015, it has snatched 2°C from the jaws of impossibility.”

South African foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (right) gets a congratulatory hug from the conference executive director Christiana Figueres at the closing session.

The 2 °C to which he refers is the safe threshold, beyond which we’ll begin to see catastrophic climate changes.  4 °C refers to the average surface temperature increase in the next century if we continue emitting greenhouse gases at the rate we are.

As Jacobs’ statement implies, despite the moderate advances made in Durban, there were also astonishing losses—among those, Canada, Russia and Japan’s decisions to withdraw from the Kyoto protocol, citing an inability to meet their reduction targets.  It’s clear that no matter what the UN climate conferences achieve, negotiations between state leaders aren’t going to be enough.

Individuals and businesses must do their part by reducing what they can and offsetting what they can’t.

Carbonfund.org provides helpful tips and resources for reducing your emissions on our site, as well as tools to help you calculate you, your family, or your business’ carbon footprint. Once you’ve reduced as much as possible, donate to our portfolio of carbon reduction projects to become entirely carbon neutral!

To avoid 4 °C, we must remain committed to the fight on climate change.  Join us today!

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