Last month I attended a green expo in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It was fun and there were a lot of interesting people to share stories, peddle eco-wares, and wax prolific on everything organic, local, and carbon neutral. One of the booths at the event was We Add Up.
We Add Up has a sharp design aesthetic with modern T-shirts, totes, and recycled water bottles denoting the message that we do, indeed, add up. With a number on each item, a purchase actually adds one to the count of folks who have chosen to become, as founder Jill Palermo explains, “ambassadors of the environmental message - helping to spur conversation and educate others about climate change.”
One of the initiatives We Add Up has created is having school children sell their products, instead of Girl Scout Cookies or People Magazine. This has helped to get children involved, to feel they are a part of something productive and making a difference. Being the jaded, eco-savvy, anti-consumptive consumer that I am, my initial response upon seeing the shirts was “hmmm… been there, done that, got the T-shirt?”
Is this another way to spend money so people can quell environmental guilt and appear to be concerned or making a difference? According to Palermo, the founder, the company is working to put its money where its mouth is.
We just introduced three new T-shirts to our line, which were suggestions from the public - PLANT TREES, COMPOST and VEGAN. The PLANT TREES shirt is very special because we have joined forces with Sustainable Harvest International. With every purchase, SHI will plant 10 trees in the Central American rainforest. As you probably know, trees in the equatorial latitude are much more efficient at absorbing and sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere than trees in northern latitudes, making reforestation in Central America imperative to ending global warming.
WE ADD UP is a member of 1% for the Planet. We donate 1% of sales or 10% of profits, whichever is greater. In addition, the sale of the “Plant Trees” tee directly contributes to creating more carbon sinks, as 10 trees are planted for each purchase. As a taste of what is to come with WE ADD UP, we are currently working to create exciting partnerships for each of our tee actions. We are seeking non-profits who are leaders in developing solutions to the action the tee promotes. And, $3 from the sale of each shirt will be donated to that chosen non-profit.
I know that we are not going to change the world by simply buying organic hair conditioner and carrying a canvas bag to Whole Foods. I think it is important to be mindful of what we consume and to choose wisely, but truth be told, if we see what is happening, and the speed at which it is occuring, buying a “green” T-shirt is not going to have a massive impact.
However, what about the message We Add Up is trying to convey? Can we act as ambassadors for environmentalism? Isn’t it better to have children selling eco-friendly T’s that have a message and teach them about what is happening with regard to climate change, instead of sending them door to door with boxes of lousy commercial frankenfood chocolate bars?
Is it not productive to have people see the words “buy local” or “recycle” or “unplug?” When I see these words, even on someone’s T-shirt, it does remind me that whatever trivial issues are dominating in the moment are nothing compared to a bigger, more important cause that is always calling. Acting on behalf of the earth, on any level, can instigate thought, dialogue and change. We Add Up, in the words of Al Gore, “…is a tremendous marketing tool to promote the important message about climate change.”
You can find it under the following topic(s): Global Warming, Green Business, Green Gifts, climate change, ecofashion.
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I love this program and you beat me to the punch because I too was going to write about too. Some other great programs are CarbonRally.com and GreenRaising.com.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:29 pmPersonally, I think that we should be careful of this thought:
“I know that we are not going to change the world by simply buying organic hair conditioner and carrying a canvas bag to Whole Foods.”
I love this site and the information that’s on it…but the fact is that the world is being changed by these small purchases. When I talk to some of my friends who think being “green” is too cost prohibitive, I talk with them about one small change at a time. So, there you have it, let’s keep changing the world! :-)
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:23 pmI am admittedly jaded in some ways and no doubt wary of the “buy our way to green” mode of consumption. Supporting sustainable practices can initiate change. I think minimalism, however, is perhaps a more significant concept to activate in our lives in today’s culture. That is something I strive for. For me personally, in my life, working to reuse and recycle, minimize packaging, buy less, and generally slow down are daily efforts.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:15 pmEvery Bit Counts
Reducing exposure to toxins – does it matter?
In a world of increasing consumption and fast-paced lifestyles, do many of us stop to think about how toxic our lifestyles may be? Does it matter?
A recent forum at Brisbane’s Griffith Eco Centre, Griffith University, Nathan, highlighted that many people, including a significant percentage of men, believe it does matter!
The forum, lead by three Australian eco-business women who ‘walk the talk’, gave participants insight into the real world of skin care, personal care and house cleaning products made from non-renewable resources and the related toxins.
They also explained the countless benefits of using products based on renewable resources and how each individual can easily avoid toxins in their lives and the effect they have on the environment.
Forum presenters included: Joanne Costello, founder of Equalibrium Bar now ebar the online organic retail shop; Narelle Chenery, international activist and founder of the first organic personal care range Miessence; and Averyll Fitzgerald, Managing Director of Noosa-based eco cleaning group, Energy Health and Living.
In this interview we’ll gain insight into Joanne’s presentation: Certified Organic body products versus synthetic alternatives.
So when did our dependence on mass-produced synthetic soaps and body products begin?
While various body products as we know them have been produced for some time, their significance came to the fore with the advent of television and the glossy advertisements that filled a great deal of television space in the 1960s and 70s.
According to Joanne Costello, the new advertising age brought with it, the chance to extend to millions of people promises of flawless beauty and enhanced lifestyles, all of this packaged in new novel, mass produced goods in reach of the average person.
However, as Joanne explains, just about all of these products were based on chemical substances created and owned by the multi-nationals. And, in these early days, the true impact of such substances (some of which are listed in the Toxicity Table) was far from understood. Alarmingly, many of these substances are still widely used today.
“On the one hand humankind was witnessing great feats in technology and the chance to get on board countless supporters, or customers, who would make new product discoveries profitable,” Joanne said.
“However, as we now know is the case with many industrial chemicals and fertilisers, while creating products based on synthetic chemicals was indeed clever, in themselves they create new problems, problems of toxicity and pollution that outweigh many of the perceived benefits.
“After several generations of using synthetic products, and in many cases, increased marketing and increased usage, we are starting to feel the effects, both on our bodies and our environment.
“Many people know they are sensitive to toxic ingredients, and yet they don’t realise we have affordable, easy-to-access alternatives.”
Joanne Costello has developed a green audit program called ‘carbon rainbow’ a three-step plan to a sustainable home and work environment. It is a unique audit that can help people identify what is bad and good in all facets of their energy consumption.
This is just one of the many evolving tools poised to help people reduce toxicity in their lives and the lives of future generations.
Additionally, many specialised organic products are readily available often at a lesser cost than their toxic counterparts.
To avoid toxins, Joanne states that consumers should aim to purchase Certified Organic skin and personal care products and avoid words that are marketing hype, such as Organic, Natural, Pure, Fruit, Fresh and botanical. Certified organic is the purest form of product on the market.
Certified Organic is a status that must be clearly listed on a product, it cannot be explained in any other terms, ie natural, pure, which may be misleading and allow for harmful ingredients to be used in the manufacture of the end product.
“Our skin is our body’s largest organ, through it we feed our bodies with either harmful or beneficial ingredients – it’s our choice,” Joanne said.
“There are many characteristics that make up an organic product, two being they do not include the use of synthetic chemical or genetically modified ingredients. Additionally, they are very rich in essential minerals and nutrients that come from using ingredients in their natural form.”
“With the long-term toxic effects on our bodies and the environment of the non-organic products becoming clear, these products simply make good sense.”
Joanne’s business Ebar is a web-based skin and body-care shop that also makes education and general information widely available to its clients and the general public. For more information go to: http://www.ebar.com.au or email joanne on joanne@ebar.com.au
Contacts:
Toxicity and skincare
Joanne Costello, Ph: 0410 097 414
Communication/PR
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:06 pmJulie Lloyd: 0415 799 890