CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

Organic sunscreen has just been introduced in the States. It is likely to take the industry by storm owing to its unique features. Unlike standard sunscreen creams, this sunscreen is among the eco-friendly promotional items available. It is good to protect your skin complexion, as well as for the environment. It is known as Raw Element Sunscreen was launched by Brian Guadagno. Protect Your Skin With the Invention of Raw Element Sunscreen Brian Guadagno is a lifeguard by profession. He was recently interviewed at The Rhode Show. He stated that his experience as a lifeguard on the beaches inspired him to come up with this product. He had been using synthetic sunscreens all his life until this idea struck him. He was not content with the quality of sunscreens available in the market, for extensive use in direct sunlight, so he decided to create his own cream. Specialty of Eco-Friendly Promotional Items The Raw Element Sunscreen is completely organic in nature. It is devoid of any harmful chemicals or synthetic components. It is suitable for infants, as it is gentle and nothing close to being harsh on the skin. It is best suited for outdoor athletes, who spend a considerable amount of time in the sun, during broad day light hours. This sunscreen also has water-resistant qualities, a little over 80 minutes that is you can be in water while wearing the sunscreen for over an hour at a stretch. This is the standard time for maximum exposure to water, as set by the Food and Drug Administration. It is also resistant to perspiration. Raw Element Sunscreen has been rated as the pioneer product by the Environment Working Group. The New Product Launch Brian has also launched a new variation of sunscreens. It is a new product that comes in a solidified form, instead of the normal liquid form. It is made using natural colors and comes in two pigments, one being white and the other having skin tone. This product is suitable for those who don't like to mess their hands with liquid sunscreen. It is meant for quick touch-ups during the day. These new products are not as resistant to the sun as the organic sunscreen. But they are more suited for indoor activities. If you wish to get an even tone on your skin, you can smear this slab of sun block every 90 minutes. Brian says that no matter which sun block you may use, you must re-apply it at an interval of 90 minutes. He also suggested that you should be careful while stepping out in the sun from 10am to 4pm in the day. Sunscreen should be your last resort and not the first. You must wear clothes which provide protection from the sun and try to remain in shade areas as much as possible. Source

A program is underway in New York with the goal to recycle food, in turn cutting down the waste that goes into the landfill. The program that is expected to go full swing by 2016 would require New Yorkers to separate food waste for composting. This is a voluntary program that is expected to include 100 apartment buildings and 15,000 single-families. Details of the Recycle Food Program The recycled waste food will be used to generate energy or could be used as compost for gardens. The program in the past was successful in public schools as well as in Staten Island and is now on its way to expansion to include more New Yorkers. Of the city's total annual waste, 35 percent or approximately 1.2 million tons is transported to landfills which are very expensive at $80 per ton. It costs much less to convert waste to natural gas or fertilizer. It is expected to divert 30 percent landfill waste in the next four years. NY residents according to the program will deposit food scraps which will be picked up by garbage trucks. Currently, the waste will be composted but later a plant to convert scraps into fertilizer and gas will be set up. Over $300 million is spent annually to dispose 3 million tons of waste by the sanitation department. The goal of doubling the diversion rate was set in 2012 January. By this year end officials hope to include about 25000 residents in the program along with continued expansion. About 90 schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn also participated in the food recycling program. The diversion rates in Manhattan and Brooklyn schools increased to 34 and 38 percent respectively from 15 percent each earlier. With 8.4 million residents, New York would become the largest city to run this program. Role of the Community With the Use of Recycle Food Communities have a great role to play in the use of eco friendly promotional items and waste reduction. Waste reduction and recycling promote efficient use of energy and natural resources apart from saving costs in addition to reducing pollution. However, when large groups of people join a community-wide effort at recycling and waste reduction there is much greater impact than individual efforts. Additionally, eco friendly approaches to dealing with waste and conservation of resources require collaborative effort from a community rather than individual effort. So, the role of collective effort is quite critical to the success of such programs. Source

ZONOsanitech is a new revolutionary product in the disinfectant industry. As against harsh disinfectants and bleach which use harsh chemicals, this new product uses ozone for sanitizing equipment with much greater efficacy and outcome. It not only kills 99.9 percent microbes but also saves time. The credit for developing ZONOsanitech goes to Walter Mann. Sanitizing Equipment Initiative by ZONOsanitech Harsh disinfectants or bleach are often used to sanitize objects like toys, sports and office equipments handled by several people. The disinfectants generally in use contain harmful chemicals. In addition, the process of disinfection is also time-consuming. So, a new product that uses ozone, not harmful chemicals was launched. This product also saves time. Walter Mann is the person behind this launch. He got the idea when one of his kid's friends got a staph infection due to a sports gear. The lack of options among disinfectants led Mann to develop this solution. Antibacterial soap or any other sanitizer takes time to wipe out everything and leaves a film on surface needing to be cleaned. In addition, the traditional disinfectant may not seep down the crevices and cracks. In addition, there are things like books and papers that cannot be disinfected by a liquid sanitizer. ZONOsanitech on the other hand kills almost 100 percent microbes from viruses to bacteria and other organisms like lice using just water and electricity. A single unit of ZONOsanitech is about the size of a small refrigerator in which you can place almost any object that needs to be disinfected. All it takes is a half an hour cycle to completely sanitize the object or fully disinfect it. The automated process ensures there is quick turnaround time and the item can be used as soon as the process is over. This technology is already in use in the medical devise industry, but it has been made available to the average household consumers for the first time. Why Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Should Be Conserved With Sanitizing Equipment The need for the conservation of eco friendly promotional items arises in view of the fact that they may be used or consumed over a longer period of time. One of the ways of extending the life span of items that are used regularly is by sanitizing them. In addition, if they are not sanitized and disinfected they may cause infectious diseases. If the food is not conserved properly under the right temperature, they may become unfit to use. When food items unfit for use are consumed, it may lead to severe medical conditions among the consumers. So, food products need maximum protection to reduce wastage. Source

South Burlington's University Mall surprised its patrons with the installation of an "ecoATM". At this automated self-serve kiosk, people can have their old phones, MP3 players, or tablets evaluated and bought back. It's a quick, convenient, and eco-friendly way to discard unwanted gadgetry and prevent electronics from being sold illegally. What Does the Eco-Friendly ATM Do? With technology rapidly evolving consumers have always had a problem getting rid of old gadgetry. Unwanted tech accumulates at home, is dumped in the trash can, or is resold. If discarded with the garbage, electronic waste can pose a serious risk to the environment whereas buying old products keeps the illegal trade in electronics alive. With the "ecoATM", made available to consumers by the San Diego company of the same name, both these problems are avoided. Up to three-quarters of submitted phones are resold or refurbished and the rest are recycled, so electronic waste is significantly reduced. What's more, as all the products come under the scanner, any attempt to sell off stolen property will be discouraged. So, how does the "ecoATM" work? It connects a product with a cable, then using artificial intelligence it tests the product's buttons, screen, and functions, makes an analysis, and delivers cash on the spot. However, the service can be used only after a driver's license and fingerprints are submitted to verify that the customer is at least 18 and that the gadget hasn't been stolen. While the ecoATM adds an exciting new dimension to the shopping experience, it also helps shoppers recover costs. While one customer made only a dollar reselling an old cellphone, you can get up to $250 for an item. Consumers have the option of taking all the cash or donating some of it to a favorite charity. People Preferring an Eco-Friendly ATM The “green” revolution is gaining momentum, with the demand for products that are biodegradable or recyclable greater than ever before. Not surprisingly, increasing numbers of companies are focusing on environmentally friendly products, not just in their main product lines, but in their promotional efforts as well. By using eco-friendly promotional items, they send out a clear signal to their consumers that they are progressive and environmentally-conscious, earning their goodwill and long-term support. Eco-friendly promotional items, which are popular with the youth, range from pens and pen drives to bags, tumblers, and headphone holders made from recyclable materials. Source

ShopRite, the chain of megastores in the US, announced the winner of the “Designed to Fight Hunger” contest on June 08, 2013. The promotional bag design contest required the citizens of Williamstown to come up with a design for reusable bags, which would be offered to customers at the store. The aim of the activity was to promote reusable bags and generate awareness regarding the harmful impact of plastic bags. The activity was conducted a few months ago. The participation from the residents was encouraging. And now, the winner of the contest has been chosen! She is Katrice Sylvester, a local resident of Williamstown. At present, she is a senior at Richard Stockton College in New Jersey. She was awarded with the grand prize of $2,500, as promised. She had entered the contest as part of a school project. She has enrolled into a graphic designing class. Sylvester's winning design was a simple yet iconic piece of art. It depicted a yellow-colored ribbon, not made of cloth but with a fork and knife. The symbol was followed by a caption: “Hunger is everywhere. Join the fight to end Hunger in your Community”. The symbol will be printed on all ShopRite bags, across the US. ShopRite's contribution towards the society Apart from awarding the handsome sum of $2,500, ShopRite has also sent a check of the same prize amount towards the Food Bank of South Jersey. The runners up Kristin Stout from Fords, NJ, and Brittany Morris from Mouth Ephraim, were given recognition and appreciation for their praiseworthy efforts. The contest was conducted to create awareness regarding the problems of acute food scarcity across the globe. It was also held to teach the residents, how they could curb the waste generated by them in a day, by reducing plastic bag usage and encouraging eco promotional bags. ShopRite did a terrific job at hitting two birds with one stone. The contest brought together passionate youngsters, who want to be heard and make a difference to the world through their designs. Sylvester's Views about Promotional bags Sylvester said that she participated in this creative activity, because this particular issue is very close to her heart. She has seen the impact of hunger and food shortage in real life, and when such an opportunity came her way, she could not resist it! She also said that it was her yearning to create an attractive design – one that would communicate at a personal level with others and served as a motivation for other youngsters to strive hard and make an impact to their planet.

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Agriculture have undertaken a joint venture in the reduction of food waste on the occasion of World Environment day which fell on the 5th of June this year. The agencies launched a Food Waste challenge throughout the US as they aim to reduce the amount of food waste in the country. The Department of Agriculture's Aim This World Environment Day According to a survey by the UN Environment programme, about thirty percent of food produced in the United States isn't consumed at all. This percentage is distributed across all layers of the food production process, ranging from the farmer who cultivates the food crops to the garbage man who picks up waste from the food chain. It is estimated that about 222 million tons of food goes to waste in the richest countries of the world. Ironically, this is the same amount of food produced in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. This joint exercise brought awareness among the public about the amount of food that goes to waste and what could be done. It planned to educate people about the best methods to reduce such losses. It also told people how to recover and recycle their food. They plan to inculcate these practices across the entire food chain. Producers of food, processors, retail stores, restaurants, food chains, agencies, NGOs and anyone else could participate in this challenge, which aims to put an end to this practice of wasting food. We have already seen the ill-effects of an uneven distribution of wealth throughout the world. In a few years the situation will be the same with food if we don't put our foot down now and take efforts to curb the practice of food wastage. This is exactly what this joint exercise was aimed at and every such exercise will lead to the reduction of wastage. World Environment Day Says Why Should Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Be Conserved? According to several researches, our population increases exponentially whereas our resources don't increase. So naturally a number of things which are abundant now will become scarce in the future. These include water, air, food, accommodation, and education among many other resources. Everything which is a basic need today will become a luxury in the future. A number of steps are being taken to avoid such a situation. Conservation of eco friendly promotional items is also one such step. This challenge is a step ahead in the right direction. Source

On June 05, 2013, World Environment Day, the officials of the United Nations urged citizens all over the globe to reduce food wastage and stock hoarding. A lot of food grains gao waste, owing to unhygienic storage facilities every year. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN, requested all participants in the world's food pyramid to take accountability for environmental friendly food systems. He further commented that apart from wastage being an unfair practice for the hungry, it also exhibits the inefficiency of storage facilities in underdeveloped countries. It speaks volumes of the mismanagement of natural resources, on the part of these countries, such as land, water, and energy. Reduce Your Footprint at World Environment Day UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as well as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have started the “Think.Eat.Save: Reduce Your Foodprint” operation. This campaign aims at spreading awareness regarding food wastage problems. Mr. Ban feels that all nations must address this issue alike. Even in first world countries, a lot of food is wasted owing to food wastage by catering companies and households in general. This adds to garbage piles, and emission of strong greenhouse gasses. So, it is imperative for all nations to deal with this issue, despite the rate of hunger and availability of food, across the country. This year, the campaign will be hosted in Mongolia. It aims to achieve a green civilization by generating awareness about eco-friendly promotional items. World Environment Day Solutions to Incorporate Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Chinggis Khan, the Mongol General, made use of “borts”, a traditional Mongolian food, that essentially comprises of condensed beef, rich in protein, that accounts for the percentage of protein found in a an entire adult cow. Borts are compressed to the size of a human fist. The General and his troop, used such eco-friendly promotional items, and conserved other lavish meals. On the global level, Mr. Ban suggests improvising the infrastructure facilities in the transition period, between the harvest and food items reaching the market. The developing nations must collaborate with buyers from developed nations, such that the expiry dates do not lead to wastage of food. Businesses must revise their rejection of food criteria, or introduce grading systems, so that even the slightly defective produce can be accommodated into the food systems. The statistics are alarming. Steps must be taken to curb future damages. Statistics The world's population may increase from seven billion to nine billion in the next 40 years. However, the ratio of hunger victims could be combated. The rate of wastage of food is emphasized in the latest report, launched to coincide with World Environment Day (WED), which discovered that one-fourth of calories produced everyday by farms all over the world is either lost or wasted. As per the World Resources Institute research, people all ...

The officials of Forsyth County have decided to give the option of recycling to people living outside the municipality area of the county. The officials of Waste Management Inc. had declared that the recycling program will continue only for the people who fall within the corporate limits of any town or city that comes under their authority. So the officials of the Forsyth County have come forward to help the people living outside the municipal area. Reason for Termination of the Promo Shopping Bags The present agreement signed with Waste Management Inc. will come to an end on November 5. The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners recently agreed on a consensus that after the termination this agreement, its members will send requests to companies. This will be a proposal to the companies that might have an interest in taking over the recycling of the county. Waste Management Inc. decided to end the program because they did not get expected profits as only a few people signed up for it. The director of the county's office of environmental assistance, Minor Barnette, said that only close to 3200 people signed up for the recycling program in October 2012. This was when the program was completely functional throughout the county. Though this number was a lot less than what Waste Management had expected, it hoped more people would get into it with time. Though the program charged just $2.65 monthly, there was no increase in the number of people joining the program. In fact the number declined. From November 2012 to April 2013, the participation rate of the program fell down to 2900 people. The company had the option to terminate the franchise. On 9th May that is after 180 days, it exercised this right. New Recycling Program and Promo Shopping Bags The Chairman of the Board, Richard Linville specified that the cost of the new program won't be as low as the previous one that was headed by Waste Management. He said that it is not possible to make a profit with a price that low. Barnette said that a rise in the price won't be a problem because a few residents mentioned that they do not have a problem paying a higher price. Many residents have been doing their bit for the environment by opting for promo shopping bags and recyclable items. The residents consider this recycling program a good way to keep the county clean and green.

Have you ever heard a company telling you to buy less? Well here is one that says so. Cuyana, a new retail apparel Company, advices its customers to make less but meaningful shopping choices. Cuyana launched itself last year as a five employee start up with funding from family and friends. The company works with craftsmen from all over the world to sell high-quality clothes as well as accessories at affordable prices. The Business Plan Includes Plain Non Woven Bags Co founded by Karla Gallardo and Shilpa Shah, Cuyana believes in making high-quality goods available at an affordable price. It believes that consumers need not rely totally on the huge brands offered at the stores. With the idea to get better value compared to big brands, at a reasonable price, Cuyana launched its line of products. The big brands tend to classify themselves as large retailers who supply ethically produced apparel. Small brands too do the same. A graduate named Corey Epstein from UCLA's Anderson School of Management from the 2011 batch founded a brand called 20Jeans. This brand is involved in men's basics like denims and button downs. It sells certain items for as less as $20. Being a start up, it has joined hands with some local suppliers to cut down on the cost and deliver quality products. Corey said it is not difficult to deliver quality products at affordable prices, unlike the big brands that usually offer products at a high price. Cuyana's Eco Friendly Movement Promotes Plain Non Woven Bags Cuyana recently declared an investment of $1.7 million by Canaan Partners which is a venture capital firm. Cuyana also announced the launch of a movement called “Lean Closet Movement”. Through this movement, the Company hopes to help Americans make better and smarter choices while buying apparel. According to this movement, whenever a customer will make a purchase with the company, the company will send reusable bags like plain non woven bags to the customer. The customer will then be encouraged to send to the company a piece of clothing that he/she no longer uses. These unwanted clothes will be donated by Cuyana. Also, the customer donating clothes will get a credit of $10 on their subsequent purchase. Karla Gallardo said that Americans drown in their possessions. This movement will encourage them to buy less, but meaningfully. An innovative and novel idea by Cuyana, this movement will not only help consumers make better choices while buying but will also help them take a step toward saving the environment.

1Lightbulbs.com has included eco-friendly light bulbs in its extensive and competitively priced product line. These bulbs are environmentally friendly because they do not need to be charged as often as traditional light bulbs. In addition to this, they also last longer and are cost-efficient. Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs Offered by 1Lightbulbs.com Since its inception, 1Lightbulbs.com has been offering consumers a wide range of lights at the lowest possible prices. Globally known for distributing and selling light bulbs, 1Lightbulbs.com works closely with an array of reputable brands. These include Satco, Bulb Rite, GE, Sylvania, Universal, TCP, Fulham, Ushio, Verilux CFL Technology bulbs, Advance,  Bayco, Bodine, Robertson, Venture, Nuvo, Schwabe, Stonco, and Phillips among others. The product lineup includes incandescent and halogen lights, ballasts, landscape lighting, Christmas lights, outdoor lighting, LED light bulbs, A-19 bulbs, and more. With a vast range of products stocked in its Baltimore (Maryland) warehouse, the company has the capacity to be a one-stop light bulb shop for all lighting needs. Selling is done online which is very easy. The landing page has a product gallery, prices, detailed product specifications, and category tabs to help visitors navigate to the products they want to purchase. For instance, if you click on the “compact fluorescent” link, you will be able to see the new eco friendly light bulbs being offered and can browse through their features and other details. Visitors to the website may also read positive testimonials from customers who have bought products from 1Lightbulbs.com and experienced its service. According to a customer named James, the company helped him better understand the various features of different bulbs required for his house. The site also offers a detailed explanation of warranties and privacy policies, an option of opening an account with the company, as well as an FAQ page to make the shopping experience better. The Importance of Using Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs In our increasingly environment-conscious world, there is an urgent need for eco friendly products, which includes eco friendly promotional items as well. As eco friendly promotional items are either recyclable or biodegradable, they do not pose a danger to the environment, unlike other products that not only occupy valuable landfill space, but also leach toxic waste into the soil. Companies using eco friendly promotional items attract more customers, which helps to support long-term business growth. Today, many companies are dedicated to selling eco friendly promotional items, which shows the wide acceptance of these products. Source