Jaymi Heimbuch
Living / Sustainable Fashion
December 1, 2011
© United By Blue
Last year when we wrote about United By Blue, a clothing and jewelry retail company that puts the ocean first, the company was just a tiny start-up getting its sea legs. But now it has proven itself as a sustainably-minded company that makes a serious difference. It has already removed 82,527 pounds of trash from the ocean as of this writing.
The company accomplishes this fantastic task by removing one pound of trash from oceans and waterways worldwide for every product sold, through company-organized cleanups.
Love this blog! The Green Cheapskate, written by Jeff Yeager, is a funny twist on typical greenie blogs. Jeff gives tips on being green and saving some green $$ in the process.
“Being a Green Cheapskate is about saving money while living lighter on the Earth, from frugal tricks to thrifty planning.” – brought to you by TheDailyGreen
Jeff’s latest blog: The Snobbish Wine Guest Switcheroo and Other Cheapskate Wine Tips
Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/#ixzz1fOIN9KE7
Animals love our environmentally friendly MantraMeds scrubs! Thank you veterinarian Christy B. for sending in this picture! Christy is a MantraMeds Insider. Read more about the Insider Program below!
So, what is the Mantrameds Insider Program?
If you love our product the way we think you will, you’ll pass on the word! It’s pretty simple. The program is our way of saying thanks and asking for your help at the same time. As a Mantrameds Insider you will enjoy the following benefits:
Sounds great, what do I need to do?
1. Apply here now http://www.mantrameds.com/insider-signup
2. Get Approved
3. Receive your Welcome Package
4. Enjoy the Benefits.
If you want to know the Guidelines Read moreInsider Program Guidelines
As a Mantrameds Insider you will have the privilege of all the Insider benefits listed above. Currently to establish a group of Insiders we are inviting individuals to join until the program is full. Insider status can be kept indefinitely but it must be earned yearly. We don’t ask for much, keeping Insider status only requires your participation and brand support. Privilege does come with some responsibly but we do make responsibility fun. We only ask you to use the tools we give you and interact with your community and ours. That’s it give things away and help us spread the word about our brand and products, how cool is that for responsibility!
The Insider Program is currently limited annually. The number of eligible Insiders per state is based on state population.
The Insider Program Coordinator will review ever Insiders participation yearly. Keeping active status as and insider will be up to you and based on what you give away and how you interact with the brand and community via the program coordinator, social media, surveys, etc….
This holiday season, Mantrameds encourages you to support your local farmers! One of the biggest crops in the mountains of North Carolina is… Christmas Trees!
The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association NCCTA
Ever wonder what makes Mantrameds scrubs stand out from the rest? The difference is in the quality ingredients we use. Check out this youtube video to learn the recipe!
New technology has the potential to change the way we do things, from changing a single part of a routine to altering the game plan entirely. Many have lauded Apple’s new iPad as one of these revolutionary technologies, and one that has great potential to be used in fields like education, business and even medicine. Whether or not the iPad can truly revolutionize the way treatment is carried out at hospitals around the nation is yet to be seen, but there is a lot of buzz about it, and more and more facilities are willing to give it a try in their day-to-day practice. If you’re curious about what the iPad could mean for medicine, from nursing schools to nursing homes, take a look at these potential applications, articles and even apps to see what the iPad could change, make easier, and streamline for medical facilities.
Applications
There are a wide range of ways that the iPad has been suggested for use in the hospital setting. Here are just a few applications that can show you what the iPad could mean for changing the way you do patient care in your hospital. (more…)
Taylor Wells, 45, eats only raw vegan food. The younger of her five children, Phoenix, 4, and 14-month-old twins Dakota and Montana, who are still nursing, have never eaten cooked foods in their young lives.
Taylor and husband Phillipe converted to a raw vegan diet after 7-year-old Sage was born, but waited for a while before introducing a completely raw food diet to the children.
For skeptics, Taylor, Phillipe and kids stand out on the urban streets only for being enviably fit and attractive. No anemic, sandaled vegan cliches here; Taylor is powerful, petite with shiny blond hair and a gleaming smile; Phillipe has a square jaw and steely arms. They drive the kids to softball in a green mini-van, have roomfuls of plastic toys for all the kids, and wink at 13-year-old Madison’s occasional Starbucks frappuccino with friends. (more…)
Once upon a time, organic food was special; it wasn’t easy to come by and those who followed an organic diet were often either super health conscious or had the means to pretend to be.
Nowadays, organic goods are finding their way into shopping carts more than ever before. The Organic Trade Association, an organization that represents more than 6,500 organic businesses across North America, estimates the U.S. organic industry grew 7.7% to $29 billion in 2010 from 2009 while overall U.S. food sales rose only 1%. Sales of organic fruits and vegetables jumped 11.8% and represented 12% of all fruit and vegetable sales, while sales of organic dairy products increased 9%, representing 6% of all dairy sales.
Consumers may be embracing organic food, but concerns about cost and regulation still abound. In fact, given that there are probably only a few people – if any – who prefer their peppers with a side of pesticides, cost is probably the biggest gripe consumers have when it comes to choosing organic foods, followed closely by concerns about the way organic food is regulated.
We spoke to Marion Nestle, a food studies professor at New York University and well-known voice in issues related to nutrition, to get her take on the price and safety of organic foods. (more…)
By Jessica Chevalier
Healthcare accounts for just under 6% of the flooring industry’s annual $4 billion in commercial revenue, making it the smallest market segment. As the current and forthcoming growth of the healthcare sector is well documented, this may come as a surprise. However, flooring in the sector is expected to last and is often used ten or more years before it is replaced. Therefore, while the number of healthcare facilities may be increasing, replacement needs are low. Over the next years, however, significant growth is expected, from 249 million square feet of consumption in 2010 to an anticipated 355 million square feet in 2014, according to Market Insights/Torcivia.
The healthcare sector is divided into two segments: the acute care market and the long-term care or senior living market. The senior living market is a complex system, composed of many different types of care facilities: retirement housing, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care and rehabilitation. Though not all residents in this market are necessarily senior, the phrase “senior living” is used as a blanket term for the segment. Younger individuals with brain trauma or physical needs that require long-term care may live in the rehabilitation wings. In the past, much of the design budget for the senior living market was spent on the independent living units. Today, people expect all levels of care to have a polished residential or hospitality feel. (more…)
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Coca-Cola has promoted its chief marketing officer for North America, Beatriz Perez, to the position of chief sustainability officer.
In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing the creation of an integrated global strategy, managing all global partnerships and major sustainability projects, while setting “high-level goals and commitments”.
Perez will head up a team to form the company’s newly created office of sustainability, which will integrate Coca-Cola’s current sustainability initiatives concerning water, climate protection, packaging, recycling and community. (more…)
Jem’s Natural Living started as a web business and opened in November on Sheldon Road. The store offers a variety of natural and organic products, including foods, supplements, makeup and baby supplies.
Cammie Cunningham knew she was taking a risk in a shaky economy when she decided to turn her virtual storefront into an actual one. But she thought she had found a niche that could make it work.
Jem’s Natural Living opened on Sheldon Road in November, offering natural and organic products ranging from mattresses to pet food to children’s toys.
“It’s kind of a little bit of everything,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham and family members founded Jem’s Movement Inc. about nine years ago, specializing in web sales of environmentally friendly merchandise. Two years ago, she launched Her Sweet Baby, an online shop for green baby products and kids’ toys.
She wanted to bring the children’s goods and other items under one roof. A physical location also would allow her to carry supplements and certain brands, like Royal-Pedic organic cotton mattresses.
The timing wasn’t ideal with so many businesses struggling to make money, she said, but she didn’t want to wait until the economy rebounded completely.
“The only way it’s going to get better is to open businesses,” Cunningham said.
A Tampa native, Cunningham was living in Gainesville when she decided to move back to her hometown and open up shop. She liked Citrus Park because of its proximity to Westchase, and saw a need for organic products in that area.
The store had a slow start, Cunningham said, but is gaining traction.
“It’s just going to take time,” she said.
Cunningham is ramping up her advertising with a billboard and a television commercial to spread the word about what shoppers will find at Jem’s and to clear up misconceptions.
A lot of customers expected an organic grocer when they first came in, she said. Although Jem’s carries some food, it is not a Whole Foods. She does not sell meat or produce but has a thorough display of Bob’s Red Mill products, including gluten-free pizza crust, fava bean flour and flaxseed.
Jem’s also offers teas, Annie’s snacks and powdered peanut butter (PB2), among other products.
One customer referred to her as an organic general store, which is a closer fit than a grocery store. Jem’s sells vitamins, probiotics and supplements for children and adults, which Cunningham said has become a large part of her business. But unlike a vitamin shop, Cunningham has household and personal goods, too.
She sells a solar oven that can cook chickens and cookies. A large display of dog and cat food and toys takes up part of the front of the store. The rear section is dominated by the organic mattresses, as well as bamboo towels and bedding. Soft organic cotton lounge pants and shirts that say “live mindfully” and “laugh often” drape across the back wall.
Natural cleaning supplies, organic hand-knit dish cloths, makeup and handmade buckwheat pillows are available. One corner in the front with a gauzy canopy is devoted to children’s dress-up clothes, which Cunningham plans to expand for Halloween.
Baby and child products are tucked throughout the store – chemical-free diaper balms with the bath items, gummy vitamins near the supplements – as well as in designated spots. Two displays of toys are divided by age, with a Fascinations zoo globe and endangered animal erasers from Kikkerland available for older children. Toddlers will enjoy the recycled plastic trucks from Green Toys or the wooden playthings from Plan Toys or Holgate.
A display of onesies covers one wall, including several Dr. Seuss-themed ones from Bumkins. Underneath are cloth diapers, cloth training pants and organic cotton mattress pads.
Cunningham said she takes recommendations from customers for new products to bring in and researches all the companies before selling their wares. She said her store promotes healthy living and commits to eco-friendly, socially responsible and cruelty-free businesses.
Jem’s Natural Living, 11909 Sheldon Road, is in Citrus Falls Common Plaza near Carvel. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.
For information, call (813) 926-2600 or go to www.jemsnaturalliving.com.
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RALEIGH — Many humans would be thrilled to have their relatives treated at a hospital as modern and well-equipped as N.C. State University‘s new veterinary medical center.
In a sense, that’s why it was built and stocked with state-of-the-art equipment and organized around clinics in specialties that didn’t even exist in the early 1980s when the building it will replace was built.
“There has been a major change in the attitudes of pet owners in the past few decades to view their pets more as family and not just backyard pets,” said Michael Davidson, director of medical services and an associate dean at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
“Owners have come to expect and be willing to pay for high-quality health care, and that’s what’s driving this.” (more…)
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Garden Valley, TX (PRWEB)
Without a qualified staff of nurses from all over the world, Mercy Ships would not be able to fulfill its mission of serving the forgotten poor. During National Nurses Week, observed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) May 6-May 12, 2011, Mercy Ships would like to highlight a group of nursing students who played an active role in preparing for the 2011 Mercy Ships Field Service in Sierra Leone – one of the world’s poorest countries.
In a unique opportunity, four nursing students from Northwest University in Seattle, Washington, traveled half-way across the world to help prepare for the arrival of the Africa Mercy, Mercy Ships hospital ship. Accompanied by a professor, they took part in a hands-on medical experience that was dramatically different from textbooks or lectures.
“In Sierra Leone we got such a change in perspective,” says NU nursing student Paul Moughamian. “We were exposed to so many relevant issues that don’t make it into the classroom.” (more…)
By Julie Graham RN/PHN
May 12 is internationally recognized as Nurses’ Day. I thought it would be a fitting opportunity to recognize professional nurses and acknowledge the potential they have to contribute to sustainable change. Nurses have a natural fit with sustainability. They dedicate their professional lives to making the lives of others, and their communities, better. Healthier.
Nurses are highly trained professionals whose doctrine is founded in Holism. Nursing has a long history of identifying maladaptive behaviors and manifestations in individuals and communities, and planning, then evaluating, measures for continual improvement. (more…)
According to the Exchange’s Organic Cotton Farm and Fiber Report, production of organic cotton rose 15 percent from 209,950 metric tons (MT) in 2008-09 to 241,276 MT (1.1 million bales) grown on 461,000 hectares (1.14 million acres) in 2009-2010. Organic cotton now represents 1.1 percent of global cotton production. Global organic cotton has witnessed a veritable explosion (539 percent increase) in production in the last five years since 2005-06, when only 37,000 MT were produced. The organization anticipates similar strong growth in this year.
With the addition of Tajikistan, organic cotton was grown by approximately 274,000 farmers in 23 countries in 2009-2010 versus 22 countries in 2008-09. India remained the top producing nation in 2009-10 for the third straight year, growing over 80 percent of the organic cotton produced globally and increasing its production of the fiber by 37 percent over 2009-2010. Syria moves from third into second place, and Turkey fell from second to third place. The remaining countries in descending order are: China, United States, Tanzania, Uganda, Peru, Egypt, Mali, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Israel, Benin, Paraguay, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Senegal, Nicaragua, South Africa, Brazil, and Zambia.
According to LaRhea Pepper, Textile Exchange senior director, “Manufacturers, retailers and consumers, and most importantly, farmers, all signaled their continued interest in supporting organic cotton production and the risks that came with it despite the recession.” “In addition,” she continued, “the strong growth is an indication of the work Textile Exchange is doing with brands and retailers that have strong strategic plans and engagement all the way to the farm.”
Liesl Truscott, Textile Exchange farm engagement director and the report’s lead author, notes that the organic sector cannot rest on its laurels despite the rapid growth in organic cotton production. “As organic cotton grows in volume, we must continue to strengthen integrity in production, certification, and processing,” she stated.
All 2008-2009 stocks of organic cotton have been purchased as has most of this current year’s crop. As such, “brands interested in nailing down their supply need to build organic cotton supply security into their planning strategies now, preferably by implementing forward contracts,” stressed Truscott.
According to the organization’s Organic Cotton Market Report 2010, global retail sales of organic cotton and home textile products topped 4.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2009. Data from the 2010 market will be available this spring.
Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers or genetically-modified seeds. Representatives from Textile Exchange will be speaking and exhibiting at the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 21, 2010.
Founded in 2002, Textile Exchange facilitates expansion of the global organic cotton and sustainable fiber supply and marketplace by working closely with the entire value chain, from farmers to retailers.
It’s not easy being green, especially in the trade show business. Anyone who has attended a trade show – either as exhibitor or attendee – would likely agree that even just shipping a trade show booth halfway across the country creates a great deal of greenhouse gas emissions.
Add to that the shipping of ancillary materials, plane travel of trade show participants, energy usage for show activities and more, and the impact on the environment becomes apparent.
Savvy companies – in an effort to become more environmentally sustainable – are taking a close look at their trade show activities and adopting strategies to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases generated by those activities.
Case in point: Kimberly-Clark Professional. The supplier of products for commercial and institutional washrooms, “clean” and “industrial” manufacturing environments, healthcare facilities and DIY settings has created the most holistic approach to the environmental sustainability of trade show activities in its industry. Central to that approach is a new, environmentally responsible trade show booth and a carbon offsetting program with Carbonfund.org that reduces the company’s trade show-related greenhouse gas emissions as well as those of trade show attendees who visit its booth.
Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow
Kimberly-Clark Professional’s sustainable trade show strategy is an integral part of its Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow global environmental sustainability program. The program takes a big-picture approach to sustainability by seeking to reduce environmental impact at every stage of its business activities. This includes product design, manufacturing, distribution and use; sales/management activities and facilities; and now, trade show activities.
“We understand that the way we use resources today will shape the world of tomorrow,” says Lisa Morden, global sustainability leader, Kimberly-Clark Professional. “This philosophy is reflected in how we look at the entire lifecycle of the products we make – from raw material sources through final product disposal. It’s also reflected in how we conduct business – from obtaining LEED certification of our U.S. headquarters building to making our trade show activities more environmentally responsible.”
Sustainable Booth Design
Exhibiting at approximately 60 trade shows across North America every year, Kimberly-Clark Professional had been using a booth initially created in 1997. The booth did a good job at adequately showcasing the company’s full line of products, but according to Trade Show Manager Lori Bauer, it was heavy and expensive to use.
“Our old booth was made of heavy wood materials, resulting in high shipping and storage costs,” she explains. “We wanted a lighter booth that would reduce shipping and storage costs as well as drayage and labor costs for assembly and disassembly.”
The company turned to Expotechnik for help. A leading global exhibit house offering high-end custom rentals and turn-key services to customers on five continents, Expotechnik knew a lighter booth would also help Kimberly-Clark Professional align its trade show strategy with its environmental sustainability strategy.
“We consult with our clients to understand their needs and translate those needs into unique designs that are sustainable in terms of use, packaging, weight, transportation, life cycle, recyclability and the incorporation of A/V technology that reduces costly graphic production and printed materials,” says Cliff Hutson, Expotechnik. “Through 40 years of R&D, we have perfected the design and functionality of our proprietary materials, resulting in significantly reduced costs as well as reduced environmental impact.”
“Taking advantage of new booth construction techniques from Expotechnik gives us an opportunity to use materials that are lighter and more sustainable in nature, thus reducing our environmental impact,” Bauer adds, noting that Expotechnik created a modular design concept that allows Kimberly-Clark Professional to set up both island and in-line exhibits with a range of sizes, depending on the specific show need.
Unveiled in July at the BOMA 2010 International Conference & Every Building Show in Long Beach, Calif., the booth configurations are comprised of approximately 90 percent post-consumer recycled, rented or re-used products. These materials are nearly 100 percent recyclable or re-usable, so that when the booth is no longer needed by Kimberly-Clark Professional, the materials can be re-used again. In fact, about 60 percent of the materials are directly re-usable, meaning they can be returned to inventory without expending energy to recreate or recycle them.
Some of the environmentally sustainable booth construction materials include:
Offsetting Carbon Footprint of Booth Visitors
On the heels of unveiling its new environmentally sustainable trade show booth in July 2010, Kimberly-Clark Professional announced it would offset the carbon emissions associated with its trade show activities and the activities of customers visiting its booth. The carbon offsetting program started with its exhibits at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN Show and Greenbuild Conference in November 2010.
“Reducing our carbon footprint is one of the best ways that individuals and companies alike can lessen our impact on the Earth’s climate and provide for a more sustainable future,” Morden says.
To implement the carbon offsetting trade show program, Kimberly-Clark Professional and Expotechnik partnered with Carbonfund.org, the leading non-profit carbon reduction and climate solutions organization.
Kimberly-Clark Professional works with Carbonfund.org to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions generated by employee travel, shipping of the trade show booth and related materials, hotel stays, meals eaten, and booth electricity use.
Based on those calculations, Kimberly-Clark Professional will donate an equivalent amount of money to one of Carbonfund.org’s reforestation carbon reduction projects. The Amazon Forest Conservation Project, for example, will protect up to millions of acres from slash-and-burn forest clearing and prevent tens of millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The project will also provide essential ecosystem services such as erosion control; water cycling, filtration and storage; nutrient recycling; and habitat for thousands of native Amazonian animal and plant species. Carbon offsets generated from these projects are then retired on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Professional.
Kimberly-Clark Professional also offsets the carbon dioxide emissions of the trade show attendees who visit its booth. Together with Carfonfund.org, Kimberly-Clark Professional will calculate the carbon dioxide emissions generated by attendees’ roundtrip travel, meals eaten, hotel room stays and their share of the event’s overall estimated energy usage. Attendees will be given the option of donating their carbon offsets to support one of Carbonfund.org’s programs including reforestation, energy efficiency or renewable energy projects.
“A week after the ISSA/INTERCLEAN Show, we exhibited at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Chicago where there was a lot of excitement around what we were doing,” Morden concludes, noting that the company offset more than 1.88 million pounds of greenhouse gases throughout the two November shows. “We made it clear to our customers, prospective customers and others that the Kimberly-Clark Professional brand is synonymous with environmental sustainability.”
For more information on Kimberly-Clark Professional’s environmental sustainability philosophy, visit www.kcpreducetoday.com/us.
See story @ http://www.exhibitoronline.com/news/enn-display.asp?counter=9938
Greenville, S.C., – MantraMeds re brands and relaunches as an “Innovative Sustainable Health Care Apparel” Company.
Mantra Scrubs launched its eco-friendly, performance fashion line of health care apparel in 2009. The company is innovative; the products are more comfortable, fit better, perform better and are made with the environment and people in mind. Mantra’s products are designed, developed and manufactured from the fiber to finished product in the USA, using plastic bottles, USDA Certified Texas organic cotton fiber and eco-friendly dyeing and finishing processes.
Based on demand and growing sales, the original name of MantraScrubs did not mesh with where the company was growing.
“We are so much more than just a scrub company.” Jerry Wheeler, MantraMed’s co-founder explains, “We sell online direct to any individual who wears scrubs but also provide custom programs for private practices, hospitals, and medical brands. Anyone in health care that is interested in branding, sustainability, performance and comfort should take a look at our corporate programs.”
MantraMeds has relaunched its Web site with a forward-facing modern brand, and updated user-interface making direct sales for consumers seamless and easier to find products and process orders.
Additionally, the marketing and PR programs are increasing visibility through national ad campaigns, contests, social media promotion, trade shows, public speaking appearances, television interviews, an interactive blog and a series of fun, irreverent videos to drive brand awareness.
“We have really upped the exposure for our brand this year. ” added Jack Miller, co-founder, “Our efforts have already paid off in awareness translating to online sales and increased calls for custom programs.
For more information, see www.mantrameds.com or email Jerry Wheeler at jwheeler@sustaintex.com
See story http://www.healthcaredevelopmentmagazine.com/news_article.html?id=2&newsletter=2
RESTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced current top 50 list of the country’s leading purchasers of “green” power – solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and small-scale hydroelectric. The listing is compiled from members of the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, which works with a variety of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and universities.
“We are delighted to see these Practice Greenhealth member companies identified by the EPA for their dedication to reducing their environmental impact”
These rankings, which are updated on a quarterly schedule, include three Practice Greenhealth member companies: Johnson & Johnson (at #7), BD (at #19), and Kimberly Clark (at #22).
These green power purchases help reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and support the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide. Purchase amounts reflect U.S. operations only and are sourced from U.S.-based green power resources. Organizations can meet EPA purchase requirements using any combination of three different product options: (1) Renewable Energy Certificates, (2) on-site generation, and (3) utility green power products.
“We are delighted to see these Practice Greenhealth member companies identified by the EPA for their dedication to reducing their environmental impact,” said Anna Gilmore Hall, Executive Director of Practice Greenhealth. “Their accomplishments exemplify those of our business members, who are committed to the highest standards of sustainability in product development, manufacturing, distribution, and life-cycle. A manufacturer’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility is driving a growing number of purchasing decisions within healthcare.”
About Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the healthcare community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Members include hospitals, healthcare systems, businesses and other stakeholders engaged in the greening of healthcare to improve the health of patients, staff and the environment. For more information on Practice Greenhealth, visit www.practicegreenhealth.org
Contacts
Practice Greenhealth
Mary Lisi, 888-379-6664
mlisi@practicegreenhealth.org
