Monday, 31 October 2011 09:16
The CarbonFree® GoECOlife™ Paper Shredder Rates High in Consumer Reports and Sustainability!
Written by Alterra Hetzel
We are happy to announce that the GoECOlife™ Platinum Series™ Paper Shredder (GXC120Ti) which carries the CarbonFree® label was one of four shredders “RECOMMENDED” by Consumer Reports in their recent paper shredder review. 19 paper shredders from various brands were tested for speed, capacity and convenience. The GoECOlife™ GXC120Ti rated well in all categories. Consumers can feel additionally confident that they are purchasing a quality product that works well for the customer and the earth!
However, this paper shredder scores first in reducing its carbon footprint. The GoECOlife™ GXC120Ti features commercial-grade performance in a personal-sized machine. It utilizes an energy-saving technology that prevents vampire energy waste when the shredder is not in use, but still plugged into an outlet.
To earn the CarbonFree® Product Certification, the GoECOlife™ GXC120Ti underwent a rigorous product life-cycle assessment performed by WSP Group to determine the carbon footprint. In addition to using energy-saving technology, GoECOlife™ reduced the remaining carbon footprint through support of Carbonfund.org’s third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects.
This is a purchase that offices and individuals can feel confident about! To learn more about Consumer
Reports paper shredder ratings please visit: www.consumerreports.organd to learn more about the GoECOlife™ please click www.goecolife.com.
Friday, 28 October 2011 17:01
Unirac: New Certifications for Environmental Stewardship
Written by Alterra Hetzel
In April 2011, Carbonfund.org partner and North America’s leading provider of solar power systems infrastructure, Unirac, became the first solar infrastructure company to achieve both ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 9001:2008 certifications. Unirac voluntarily participated in the certifications highlighting their focus on environmentally responsible business practices. The ISO 14001:2004 is “a framework for a holistic, strategic approach to the organization's environmental policy, plans and actions” while the ISO 9001:2008 standard offers “a tried and tested framework for taking a systematic approach to
managing the organization's processes.” In order to achieve these certifications, Unirac’s certification, in part, was based on the following:
- undertakes waste management via recycling initiatives
- practices smart consumption of energy and materials
- undertakes better use of natural resources
- has adequate processes in place to manage environmental issues that might arise
- undertakes continual improvement to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities
Friday, 28 October 2011 14:09
Behind the Wheel Offers Lessons in Safe Driving and Environmental Responsibility
Written by Linda Kelly
Facing the terror of teaching your teen to drive? Want to learn from “anyone but Mom”? If you live in the Manhattan Beach area of California, you’re in luck! Behind the Wheel Driving School, family-owned and operated since 1994, teaches in-class and online driver education, driver training and brush-up lessons for teens, adults & seniors.
BTW Driving School offers students the knowledge to develop safe and defensive driving skills that will last a lifetime. The lessons are taught by experienced personnel, who emphasize driver’s responsibility and the importance of traffic laws. Their lessons curriculum is extensive, detailed and engaging. Driving lessons are offered seven days a week, to meet all schedules.
Parents of new teen drivers will have peace of mind, knowing that their child is in safe hands and being taught by the best. And Behind the Wheel Driving School adds a few lessons in environmentally-sound practices to their driving courses.
“At Behind the Wheel Driving School, in addition to teaching our students safe & legal driving practices, we believe it is our duty to be environmentally responsible. Additionally, we feel that we can lead by example in our community, which will bring awareness of the value of making as little negative impact as possible on our mother earth,” says Ryan Stack, BTW Driving School Manager. “By making changes for the better, we are committed to developing sustainable business practices that improve our services & our facilities by making them more eco-friendly.”
In order to lead by example and take actions to fight climate change, the folks at Behind the Wheel Driving School:
- set up their website to have the capability for customers to register and take driver education online;
- recycle all aluminum, bottles, paper and other recyclable products used on-site;
- print double-sided documents whenever possible;
- recycle printer toner cartridges;
- increase the use of local services to maintain vehicles; and
- offset their remaining carbon footprint with Carbonfund.org, to provide carbon neutral driving lessons (note the Carbonfund.org bumper sticker).
Behind the Wheel Driving School is also being environmentally responsible by only servicing their local community, within a five-mile radius of their office location, rather than driving a long distance (burning more fossil fuels and creating more pollution than necessary). To assist with this effort, they have created local websites to make sure customers are aware of driving education services offered in their community. The primary website is www.BTWDrivingSchool.com but they offer other local sites for Redondo, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.
Thursday, 27 October 2011 14:29
Lipstick and Nail Polish with a Peacekeeping Cause
Written by Linda Kelly
Must we all "suffer for beauty" when there is an environmentally- and socially-conscious cosmetics company at our fingertips? When looking for the best in nail and lip polish, balms and polish remover, consider both the environmental and social impact of these products. PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics offers an extensive line of upscale cosmetics, through various retail stores and online, that meet the PeaceKeeper’s pledge to offer only products made with slavery-free labor, fair wages for their employees, no animal testing, and without harmful and carcinogenic ingredients.
PeaceKeeper founder, Jody R. Weiss, was inspired to create her company as a way to address the need for a women-oriented company that focused on the values of real love, fairness and freedom for all. One night she dreamed about a PeaceKeeper movement. She saw in this dream that women around the world wanted the same thing…and the words which now appear on the sides of the PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics lipstick carton appeared in her dream: freedom, joy, wisdom, voice, and esteem, in every major language of the world.
Jody also chose to focus on developing cosmetics that were pure and clean, containing no toxic ingredients or involving any animal testing. “At first, chemists told me they could show me what real clean cosmetics look like, and they still had acetone, parabens, etc…, so I had to roll up my sleeves and learn the truth about safe cosmetics myself. A few chemists refused to make our products without their harmful ingredients, 
but now we are working with extraordinary chemists and manufacturers who understand exactly what we are trying to do. We are now ranked as one of the safest cosmetics lines in America. PeaceKeeper prides itself on its slogan "No Nasty Anything!" and is dedicated to creating cosmetics using non-toxic ingredients that will keep your body safe and healthy. Our products use no toluene, formaldehyde, acetone, parabens, etc., 100% natural and 75% or more organic, non-toxic ingredients that are friendly to your body. Our Eco-Sensual Lip Balm is 100% vegan and 73% organic, and our latest line of YUM Glazes has been certified ‘food-grade’ by the USDA—so eco-friendly you can spread them on your toast for breakfast! We also have many vegan-friendly products,” says Jody.
Since 2009, PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics has been supporting Carbonfund.org's projects by purchasing carbon credits as part of their policy of practicing business in a way that is both socially and environmentally conscious. PeaceKeeper is also an All-Benefit Company, one of many companies that give all of their distributable profits to charity after taxes, debt repayment, financing costs and reasonable working capital reserves. Now That’s Beautiful!TM
PeaceKeeper is not simply a project created by a few women and the men who love them. For PeaceKeeper to work, many women (and the men who love them) must be involved. Just by buying a few products, you can become a PeaceKeeper too! So, shop online, or find a store near you, for their natural nail and lip polish, with free shipping for orders over $25, as part of the Million Kisses Campaign in the “Kiss Museum” on their website.
Monday, 24 October 2011 14:48
Fixing the World, One Piece of Hardware at a Time
Written by Linda Kelly
Things break. You drop your iPod, trip over your Mac's power cord, or your display wears out. Wear and tear is normal, but throwing away repairable devices shouldn't be. The goal of iFixit is to provide everyday consumers with everything you need to fix things yourself. “You can fix it. We make it easy,” assure the iFixit team.
iFixit is a repair community of people showing people how to fix things. They help thousands of people repair their devices every day. And every time you fix something, you help the planet by keeping hardware out of landfills.
iFixit was started in 2003 by Luke Soules and Kyle Wiens in a college dorm room, when they started out fixing an old iBook together. There were no instructions on how to do it, so they started the way everyone does: the hard way. They tinkered, fiddled, broke some tabs and lost a few screws. But they fixed it!
And the concept for iFixit was born. Easy-to-use repair instructions didn't exist -- yet. Most consumer devices lacked repair instructions, so Luke and Kyle wrote some instructions and posted them online, for free. For the first time, it was easy for someone with no technical background or experience to take apart a Mac. Their step-by-step instructions were enabling people to repair Macs they wouldn't have been able to repair on their own.
Next, iFixit created a collaborative community for self-taught device repairers to share what they know online. All repair information is collaboratively edited. If you ask an interesting question or write a useful answer, other people may come along and categorize it with tags or edit the text. The goal is to build a database of solutions to hardware problems that is useful for years to come, to give people the information, parts, and tools they need to make their things work as long as possible.
The answers to repair questions provided on iFixit.com are free, and will always be free. iFixit sells parts for device repair, to fund their mission of helping people fix things.
iFixit provides useful information about electronics recycling and the global problems created by e-waste. And iFixit maintains a business partnership with Carbonfund.org to offset its business operation and travel emissions, and to help support Carbonfund.org's mission and projects leading the effort to address climate change.
As Luke and Kyle put it, “We're all in this thing together, and if we work together we can fix the planet. Join us.”
Friday, 21 October 2011 10:46
Earth & Spirit Garden Gallery Aflutter with Fall Events
Written by Linda Kelly
If you’re in the Pine Island, Florida area, plan a side trip to the Earth & Spirit Garden Gallery, a unique destination specializing in Fair Trade, local artwork, and handmade items and gifts. Open Wednesdays – Sundays from 10am - 4pm, Earth & Spirit Garden Gallery hosts a full calendar of fall events for you to enjoy.
October is Fair Trade Month, so join Earth & Spirit Garden Gallery in "A Taste of Fair Trade!" on Saturday, October 22nd. Learn how fair trade is making a difference in the world.
On Sunday, November 6th, from 1 – 3 p.m., Earth & Spirit Garden Gallery will be the host of the second annual “organic high tea” fashion show on Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. What makes this gathering so unique is the fun twist to this high brow affair. 
The “high tea” will include tea sandwiches, tasty breads and dessert made from all organic ingredients and organic fair trade tea from Equal Exchange. The setting will be the pristine outdoor space of the garden gallery and the facilitator of the event will be the main designer - Deb Z. A silent auction will be held during the tea with items donated from island artists, restaurants, and destinations with proceeds going to Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. (ACT).
Deb Z is the artist/designer and owner of Zwear Fashions. Her distinctive work is with hand-painted designs on washable silks. The fashion show will feature her scarves, capes, jackets, and other accessories. Other local artisans jewelry, accessories, and designs will also be featured in the show. Join us for a spirit-filled afternoon of women supporting women. Call 239-282-1025 or email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
to make your reservation for the organic high tea fashion show.
Earth & Spirit’s Green Flea Market is held the first Saturday of the month from October to April. The Green Flea Market features fresh mango smoothies, live music, and lots of Pine Island down to earth fun. Island yoga classes are offered every Thursday morning from 10-11:30 a.m.
This year to celebrate the "Creative Coast Weekends" on Pine Island, Earth & Spirit will host Artists in the Garden. On the second Saturday of each month beginning in November, the artists and crafters represented in the gallery will be setting up displays and demonstrations of their work throughout the grounds. Come and enjoy meeting the local creative souls at Earth & Spirit.
Earth & Spirit includes a nursery and organic herb garden, a gift shop, and offers landscaping services, specializing in colorful water-features, outdoor metal sculptures, bamboo trellis, and butterfly gardens. The pavilion is available for event rentals, for weddings, meetings, and gatherings with meaning. Earth & Spirit keeps an environmental focus by taking a number of steps to minimize their contribution to global climate change, like offering exclusively organic teas, greener packaging, eco-shipping options, using green energy, and supporting the projects and mission of Carbonfund.org as a CarbonFree® Small Business Partner. 
NewGrass® stands alone in the synthetic grass industry in its combination of pricing, quality, service and commitment to being 100% eco-friendly. If you’re considering an artificial lawn application, NewGrass will save time and money today and in the long run … in addition to aiding water conservation, reducing the use of pesticides and helping create a healthier environment.
NewGrass is a popular choice for outdoor spaces where children play because it’s eco-friendly and made from recyclable materials, helping to conserve water and eliminate fertilizer and pesticides, therefore avoiding chemical exposure for kids. The eco-friendly synthetic grass is often used in parks, schools, backyards and playgrounds, and earlier in 2011, NewGrass was selected by the NFL and Gatorade for the Super Bowl NFL Junior Training Camp.
As a synthetic turf, NewGrass can be installed permanently or can be installed temporarily for multipurpose areas. In a recent installation in Vail Colorado, an area used as an ice skating rink in the winter was converted to NewGrass for other uses in the summer.
NewGrass is dedicated to being 100% eco-friendly – made with renewable and recycled resources, and totally recyclable. The EnviroCelTM backing on NewGrass replaces over 90 percent of the petroleum-based polymers found on previous generations with bio-based compounds that are derived from domestically-grown soybeans.
On the ground, the backing offers greatly improved drainage, resulting in longer product lifespan. It also means faster and more consistent drainage, which is better for the aggregate base underneath a NewGrass installation, as well as for the surrounding landscaping. The backing of NewGrass also incorporates post-consumer PET plastic from soft drink and water bottles. That makes it – and the entire product – 100 percent recyclable. NewGrass believes that being environmentally conscious means more than conserving water. It means being 100 percent eco-friendly … in their products and in their corporate responsibilities. That commitment is one reason NewGrass was accepted as an Ally in the EPA GreenScapes Program.
And NewGrass maintains a Carbon-Offset Pledge. For every square foot of NewGrass installed, the folks at NewGrass make a donation to the Carbonfund.org Foundation, doing their part to contribute to the fight against climate change. These contributions further support their commitment to a safer, greener environment and the reduction of harmful carbon dioxide emissions. The donations to Carbonfund.org help climate change education, carbon offsets and reductions, and public outreach. They also help NewGrass reduce its carbon footprint.
So, if it’s time to consider a switch to high-quality, environmentally-conscious synthetic turf, contact NewGrass for your estimate today.
Friday, 14 October 2011 10:12
LG Electronics Opens First U.S. Home Appliance R&D Center for Innovative Appliance Testing
Written by Alterra Hetzel
Carbonfund.org note: This is a re-post of a press release from LG Electronic’s opening of a new R&D facility. LG has committed to offsetting the emissions of the premises' electricity. This is another step in the partnership between LG and Carbonfund.org. We are thrilled to work with LG Electronics in meeting their sustainability goals.
BUFFALO GROVE, Ill., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics USA today officially opened its first Home Appliance Research & Development Center in the United States. Located in Buffalo Grove, Ill., the $6.5 million R&D Center will provide low-volume, high-precision product testing and consumer research using state-of-the-art methodologies and technologies.
"The Home Appliance R&D Center represents LG's commitment to meeting the needs of its customers in the U.S., ensuring the highest degree of efficiency is met," said Y. H. Lee, president and CEO of the LG Home Appliance Company. "The Center is a platform for LG to help assure that LG appliances meet or exceed industry standards, explore new technologies and, most importantly, drive innovation for next-generation products."
The 30,770-square-foot R&D Center has the capability of testing hundreds of appliances annually and is the last stop before LG products begin production. The 15,350 square-foot first floor is dedicated to major appliance testing including refrigerators, washing machines, clothes dryers, ovens, ranges, cooktops, microwave ovens, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners. It houses state-of-the-art testing equipment such as a climate-controlled chamber specifically designed to test refrigerator-freezers, consistent with test procedures prescribed by the U.S. Department of Energy.
A Consumer Insights Lab features top-notch residential kitchen, laundry room and living room spaces, designed to provide consumers with hands on experiences using LG appliances. A field focus group discussion area allows consumers to share their reactions to the appliances, ensuring LG produces the highest quality products that meet the needs of its U.S. customers.
The second floor houses a fully functioning video studio and residential kitchen where video content is created for consumers and service technicians. Videos include product and cooking demonstrations and lifestyle hints conducted by LG home economists and customer support technicians. The professionally produced video series will be available on LG's website in the coming weeks. The Center's offices and administrative facilities are also on the second floor, where currently 39 employees work; LG expects to expand the staff over the next 12-18 months.
"Providing the greatest benefit and value to our customers is a key aspect of our new R&D Center," said Heejin Lee, senior director of the Home Appliance R&D Center, LG Home Appliance Company. "By utilizing our advanced resources efficiently, we strive to develop the best products that meet the highest expectations, specific to our U.S. customers."
Further enhancing LG's commitment to sustainability and quality, the LG R&D Center tests products against industry guidelines set by Underwriters Laboratory (UL), UL Environment (ULE), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). To meet these standards, the appliances are subjected to rigorous testing for performance, energy efficiency, water usage, safety and quality.
"As part of our goal to become the most sustainable consumer products company in the world, LG worked with the Carbon Fund Foundation on carbon offsets for the Buffalo Grove facility," said Wayne Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics USA, who came from LG's North American headquarters in New Jersey to cut the ribbon on the new facility. "We are pleased to announce the new facility has CarbonFree Partner status."
Reinforces Commitment to Industry Leadership, Energy-Efficient Products Meeting Top Environmental, Performance Standards
BUFFALO GROVE, Ill., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics USA today officially opened its first Home Appliance Research & Development Center in the United States. Located in Buffalo Grove, Ill., the $6.5 million R&D Center will provide low-volume, high-precision product testing and consumer research using state-of-the-art methodologies and technologies.
"The Home Appliance R&D Center represents LG's commitment to meeting the needs of its customers in the U.S., ensuring the highest degree of efficiency is met," said Y. H. Lee, president and CEO of the LG Home Appliance Company. "The Center is a platform for LG to help assure that LG appliances meet or exceed industry standards, explore new technologies and, most importantly, drive innovation for next-generation products."
The 30,770-square-foot R&D Center has the capability of testing hundreds of appliances annually and is the last stop before LG products begin production. The 15,350 square-foot first floor is dedicated to major appliance testing including refrigerators, washing machines, clothes dryers, ovens, ranges, cooktops, microwave ovens, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners. It houses state-of-the-art testing equipment such as a climate-controlled chamber specifically designed to test refrigerator-freezers, consistent with test procedures prescribed by the U.S. Department of Energy.
A Consumer Insights Lab features top-notch residential kitchen, laundry room and living room spaces, designed to provide consumers with hands on experiences using LG appliances. A field focus group discussion area allows consumers to share their reactions to the appliances, ensuring LG produces the highest quality products that meet the needs of its U.S. customers.
The second floor houses a fully functioning video studio and residential kitchen where video content is created for consumers and service technicians. Videos include product and cooking demonstrations and lifestyle hints conducted by LG home economists and customer support technicians. The professionally produced video series will be available on LG's website in the coming weeks. The Center's offices and administrative facilities are also on the second floor, where currently 39 employees work; LG expects to expand the staff over the next 12-18 months.
"Providing the greatest benefit and value to our customers is a key aspect of our new R&D Center," said Heejin Lee, senior director of the Home Appliance R&D Center, LG Home Appliance Company. "By utilizing our advanced resources efficiently, we strive to develop the best products that meet the highest expectations, specific to our U.S. customers."
Further enhancing LG's commitment to sustainability and quality, the LG R&D Center tests products against industry guidelines set by Underwriters Laboratory (UL), UL Environment (ULE), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). To meet these standards, the appliances are subjected to rigorous testing for performance, energy efficiency, water usage, safety and quality.
"As part of our goal to become the most sustainable consumer products company in the world, LG worked with the Carbon Fund Foundation on carbon offsets for the Buffalo Grove facility," said Wayne Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics USA, who came from LG's North American headquarters in New Jersey to cut the ribbon on the new facility. "We are pleased to announce the new facility has CarbonFree Partner status."