CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

Today's travelers are looking for more than just a pleasurable travel experience. With every effort being made by many nations to make the world a greener place to live in, even tourists prefer staying in eco-friendly hotels. By choosing such hotels, vacationers can enjoy a comfortable stay and do their bit for the environment at the same time. Eco-Friendly Hotels from France to Puerto Rico So if you are wondering what kind of green measures are taken by these hotels and what eco-friendly promotional items are used, here are some examples. Hi hotel in Nice, France uses only recycled paper, organic paint, and eco-friendly cleaning products. Hix Island House in Puerto Rico offers elegance on the beautiful island and shows how even less is more. Their building is harmonious with its surroundings and usage of solar power, recycled rainwater, harvesting energy from wind power and returning gray water to the environment set it apart from its contemporaries. Although it is eco-friendly, the building is strong and is resistant to earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires. Garonga Safari Camp in Africa is an excellent source of employment for the local citizens and its guests are rewarded with fresh fruits and vegetables collected from nearby areas. Guests are encouraged to participate in the planting of trees in the Eastern Cape. Lefay Resort & Spa in Italy is built on hill slopes, which enables it to disperse very little heat and energy, helping with the global warming issue. The hotel building is made of indigenous materials and the hotel has the policy to follow rainwater harvesting and waste management. The Park Hyderabad in India runs mainly on natural light, reducing its reliability on electricity. The hotel also encourages visitors to use green cars and bikes. Other green measures followed by hotels are the usage of desalination plants, all forms of energy conservation, participating in community cleaning drives and usage of as many natural construction materials as possible to make the building blend in with the locality and be sturdier. Eco-Friendly Hotels and Promotional Items Are the New Trend The good news is that many people are considering employment of green measures on a daily basis for small and large deeds. For example, usage of recyclable bags instead of plastics (which have been banned in most countries) may be a small step, but it will ensure the environment is clean on a long run. Now, with corporations also becoming socially aware, there are larger green measures taken all over the world. The best part is, most of the measures cost next to nothing and can be used repeatedly, giving a long-term solution to many ecological problems. Source

Brewster has been considering its options for controlling the use of plastic bags. It has been considering either increasing the recycling activity or an outright ban on the use of plastic bags. Another option that was being considered was charging customers for each plastic bag that is dumped by them. Comparing PAYT, Growth in Recycling and Printed Shopping Bags Pay as you throw (PAYT), which was established in the year 2013 has been remarkably successful in reducing the pollution caused by plastic bags. Through a range of innovative strategies, PAYT was able to contain the damage that plastic bags can cause to the environment. Even though the exact figures regarding the performance of PAYT are still due, the initial results are encouraging. PAYT discouraged people from using plastic bags by charging them for carrying and throwing plastic bags in the city limits. Another positive result of PAYT is the increase in recycling activity at the town's recycling center. The Brewster Recycling Committee was also considering to rent more number of trash bins from SEMASS to handle the increased recycling activity well. It has submitted a grant application with the state Department of Environmental Protection for getting the funds to expand the recycling activity. The committee is also considering a total ban on the use of plastic bags as a way of controlling the damage caused by the use of plastic bags. However, there are some other adverse effects of PAYT. As people are being charged for throwing their plastic bags in their trash cans, they have started dumping the bags near the beaches. The fines that were charged on people who dump near the beaches did not deter people from dumping their waste. Why Use Printed Shopping Bags? A better way to control the damage the caused by the plastic bags to the environment is to carry printed shopping bags that can used for more number of times. Despite their high initial price, reusable printed shopping bags are cheaper in the long term. Reusable bags are an environmentally friendly way of carrying shopped items. They can also save the money that needs to be spent on buying the paper bags, which can be used only once. Printed shopping bags also look stylish as the different models developed by companies have unique designs and shapes. Despite the improvements that PAYT has brought to the management of plastic waste in Brewster, it cannot completely eliminate the threat. Source

The ban on the plastic bags in Thurston had dramatic results in terms of encouraging the use of paper bags and reducing the pollution caused to the environment. The ban on the paper bags and the slight charge imposed on the purchase of such bags made people start using their reusable bags that were long forgotten by many. Thurston Plastic Bag Ban Has Surprising Results! The ban imposed on the use of plastic bags lead to apprehensions among the businesses regarding the inconvenience that it might cause to the customers. Some grocers were expecting a dramatic backlash from the consumers in the form of reduced sales and protests to pay for the paper bags every time they make a purchase. However, the ban on plastic bags started working in favor of businesses as they could use 50 percent fewer bags than they would, on a given business day. As majority of the customers are bringing their own reusable bags from their homes, the amount that businesses have to spend on purchasing plastic bags has gone down. Some small businesses in Thurston are also benefiting due to the 5-cent charge that is imposed on each paper bag taken from the store. People are also happy regarding the ban and believe that the fee is making them remember carrying their reusable bags while shopping. Many people are of the opinion that banning the use of plastic bags is an effective way of curbing the use of plastic and paper bags than the use of other means like signs, recycle bins, and notes. Even the companies that were in the business of recycling plastic bags have supported the ban due to the reduction in the litter that the ban on plastic bags has brought. Thurston Businesses Go-Green with Promotional Reusable Bags One of the best ways of tackling the plastic bag ban is through the use of promotional reusable bags to promote eco-living. Reusable bags can sold for a nominal price by businesses so that customers can again get used to the practice of carrying of bags from their home. Reusable bags can be promoted as the means of reducing the environmental pollution caused by the plastic bags for a cheaper price. The experience of Thurston makes it amply clear that hard decisions like banning of plastic bags can be taken without experiencing a severe backlash from the customers and taking a hit on the profit margins. What is required is a pragmatic approach to solve the issue at hand. Source

The Texas Department of Transportation is trying to assist drivers to drive safe and green, through their user-friendly mobile app called Roadcents. Using this app, drivers can also reduce a lot of travel expenses with reduced fuel usage. This app can be downloaded from the Drive Clean Texas website. Texas Has Eco-Friendly Tips for Driving Safe and Green People who use automobiles are aware that apart from spending money on buying a vehicle, a substantial amount is also spent on it during its life to maintain it and to fuel it. A well-maintained vehicle means reduced usage of fuel and lesser chances of breakdowns. So apart from using eco-friendly promotional items offered by various green companies for a greener world, drivers can also use this app to keep a track of the vehicle's maintenance and tuning schedule too. While giving a demonstration of the app earlier in the month, the TxDOT showed Texan drivers how they download the app from drivecleantexas.org, environmental-conscious driving tips, money-saving tips, how the app can be used to keep a tab on the vehicle's condition (repair and maintenance) and how they can easily find service stations. These are some of the basic features of the app; it also offers a few more services. Margo Richards, director of the travel information of the Texas Department of Transportation has stressed how beneficial this free-of-cost app is to have a smoothly functioning car. Users have reported that they have saved a lot of money and gas at pumps while also seeing reduced tailpipe emissions. The other benefit of having this app is that drivers no longer have to worry about getting into an accident due to malfunctioning vehicles, thus boosting road safety to a large extent. With this move, Texas has taken another step to reduce wastage of precious and dwindling energy sources by proving a very user-friendly way to its drivers. The drivers save a lot of time and money, the roads are safer, the air is less polluted and this app can be used at anytime, anywhere. A perfect solution for many road-related problems! Drive Safe and Green Encouraged onto Eco-Friendly Promotional Items Many states in the US have implemented rules to cut down usage of harmful pollutants such as plastics and have instead encouraged people to use eco-friendly measures such as using reusable and recyclable bags, conducted tree planting drives, created awareness programs for the citizens to take up rainwater harvesting and maintaining an efficient waste management. Many states have also awarded people as well as organizations who make substantial contribution to the society by adopting green measures. The government in several states has joined hands with various departments to come up with more ideas from which the citizens and the environment can benefit. Source

On Thursday, Southhold Town organized a community forum on the issue of banning plastic bags in the area. The meeting was a success, and various panelists like Debbie O'Kane of the North Fork Audubon Society, Kevin Shannon of the Southold Business Alliance and many others joined together with the citizens to discuss this pressing issue. Talks over Plastic Bag Ban in Southhold Town Southold Town Supervisor, Scott Russell, said the meeting was a great success with many people supporting the ban. Banning single use plastic bags is a prime agenda for environmental activists. Local businesses, on the other hand, do not support the ban and say that it will have a negative effect on their functioning. A number of suggestions were put forth during the meeting. One such suggestion was offering incentives to customers who carry reusable bags, and another was offering promotional reusable bags to customers who did not have a reusable bag. A surcharge or fee of five cents for each bag was also proposed by the forum. The ideas were accepted by retail store owners and they were content with the ban being all pervasive. However, yellow trash bags will not be affected by the ban. Only single use plastic bags that adversely affect the environment will be banned by the order. Garbage bags are used to send garbage for disposal and as such help in keeping the environment clean. On the other hand, single use plastic bags are used and then discarded, creating hazards. The ban is not without opposition though. Riverhead Town Councilwoman, Jodi Giglio, said that businessmen have the right to decide how to deliver their products. She added that she will not support the ban on plastic bags. However, a majority of the public did speak for the ban, and so, the ban will be implemented soon. Share the Plastic Bag Ban Idea by Using Promotional Reusable Bags While the plastic bag ban will go into effect, an alternative to the problem is already here in the form of promotional reusable bags. These bags will be given out to customers for a fee, or if the retailer so desires, will be given free of cost. This step will not only make people aware of the ban on plastic bags, but it will also give them a chance for eco-living. Environmental pollution is majorly caused by single use plastic bags and banning them and promoting the use reusable bags is a sustainable solution.

The Green Gypsie, a retail store that sells eco-friendly, recycled items celebrated its second birthday on the 19th of this month. For the founders of the store, namely Amanda Reifel and Angela Rossi, an eco-friendly lifestyle was not enough, they wanted to spread the word about ‘Going Green'. The eco-chic store has handmade merchandise, and it specializes in eco-friendly promotional items. Based in Claremont, the store sells recycled and re-purposed merchandise, to be sold as gifts, or as home décor. On the anniversary date, all items will receive a 10 percent discount as a promotional offer. United States Eco-Friendly Citizens Go Green with Green Gypsie Green Gypsie sources its stock from independent crafts persons across the United States. The owners like to be eco-friendly and the purpose of this lifestyle of theirs and their store is to reuse, recycle and re-purpose. As such, they have a lot of items on sale that proves this slogan of theirs. Bowls crafted from fruits and vegetables, recycled cardboard used to make animals and even Bluetooth speakers made from Victrolas. The founders believe this work will not only result in less waste but more environmental awareness too. The founders met when Rossi became neighbors to Reifel. The former started working for Reifel's website, wherein they expanded on the idea and Green Gypsie was born. Thus what others view as garbage, willing to throw it out, Green Gypsie converts them back into a usable item and work of art. Also at the anniversary event at the store, 10 percent of the sales of the day will be donated to Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. Clienteles will also be able to give their ideas a go that day, as there will be a free craft table where they will be able to make eco-friendly art, or even compose a song. Along Come Eco-Friendly Promotional Items from Green Gypsie The proliferation of eco-friendly promotional items has received a massive boost in the recent times, as more and more awareness about the environment comes into the minds of people. This eco-friendliness of people can be taken a step further by incorporating this idea into organizations. Companies can recycle, and form policies that make them follow eco-friendly sustainable ways of working, so that the awareness of such can be generated in their employees. They can also organize events and awareness campaigns that help to spread the message of eco-friendliness. Source

Outer Banks was one of the first places to ban single use plastic bags in the US. After five years of the ban, streets are now much cleaner, less number of plastic bags are seen on the beach and the ban is well appreciated by environmental activists and common citizen alike. Bodie and Hatteras islands, Ocracoke, and Corolla and Carova in Currituck County are the regions the ban extends to, and the retail stores there are required to use recyclable brown paper bags instead of plastic bags. Also, customers are credited with five cents every time they walk in with a reusable bag. Give the Bag Ban Some Time and Opt for Promotional Bags The ban on plastic bags did face opposition in the first stages of implementation. The American Chemistry Council and N.C. Retail Merchants Association were opposing the ban at first, and the Republic majority holding in the General Assembly would have revoked it. But as environmental benefits became clearer, the opposition also faded away. Businesses thought the ban would lead to increased costs and lower sales, but some got printed custom promotional bags as a marketing campaign. It has been five years since the ban and Outer Banks community is already seeing a notable difference in the environment. The ban was promoted as a way to keep the streets, the drainage and the nearby beaches cleaner and free of the garbage and did just that. Carbon-based polyethylene bags were harming the marine wildlife because of turtles and other animals seeing them as food and eating the bags. The bags were known cause digestive problems and blockages in the wildlife, and hence the ban does address this problem of a degrading ecosystem. Plastic bags are not biodegradable, and the ban on them with the promotion of usage of paper bags helped to improve community health. People Love Their Eco-Friendly Printed Custom Promotional Bags Residents and businesses in the area were surveyed regarding the ban. On being questioned if the ban had made a difference, they responded with very positive answers. Retailers gave the ban their own touch by giving customers printed custom promotional bags, which are reusable and also have their logo on it, which helps in advertisement. Customers too love to use the reusable bags, because they understand the problems plastic bags cause, and are perceptive of the benefits of the ban on them. Source

Whole Foods, according to its Nickels for Non-profits program, has chosen FLITE or Foundation for Learning in Tredyffrin/Easttown, to receive funds for its activities. FLITE will get 0.5 cents from Whole Foods if a customer walks in with a reusable bag, and does not use the store's plastic bag buying option. Using Printed Custom Totes Is a Good Habit for a Good Cause Whole Foods has taken this initiative in the wake of increased environmental awareness and conservation efforts they have taken up. They donate five percent of their profits to non-profit organizations located in their society. FLITE is a non-profit that helps students financially or environmentally and is selected by Whole Foods to receive donations from them. Carry printed custom totes, or even just a reusable bag, when you go to shop for groceries at Whole Foods and FLITE will receive 0.5 cents as donations. The reusable bag will help Whole Foods not to sell plastic bags to the customers, and hence of every customer that has a reusable bag, Whole Food saves 0.5 cents that it will donate to FLITE. Non-profits like FLITE help the students around Tredyffrin/Easttown area, to get books, study materiel, or help them with their SATs. As such, with increased donations from Whole Foods, FLITE will be able to provide better services with more help to students who need it. This initiative also helps the environment of Devon. Fewer plastic bags will be sold, which will mean lower number of plastic bags in the environment causing harm to it. Residents need to be made aware that now there is an added incentive to carrying their own printed custom tote. The society around them will garner much benefit from this initiative, especially students in public schools will be benefited. Residents Love to Carry Printed Custom Totes Reusable bags are quite affordable, light and easy to carry. They also help you in carrying more than a plastic bag, and with a lot of ease. Carry a printed custom tote to look stylish while going green. Every time you do not use a plastic bag, less pollution and less amount of plastic gets into the environment. This, augmented by the fact that now organizations are taking up the initiative of helping societies while going green is reason enough for you to carry a printed custom tote every time you go for shopping anywhere. Source

You have sustainable options in almost everything these days, be it food, homes or clothes. This couple from Miller, however, decided to take their love for environment a notch higher by deciding to get married in an eco-friendly way. As it turned out, this decision didn't just help them do their best to preserve the environment in some way, but also helped them cut costs! Here is how they made it happen. Walking down the Organic Aisle Has a Green Setting Jim Bertrand and Michelle Gordon have always loved nature. Michelle is an abstract painter while Jim builds and designs residential projects that help people turn their backyards into artful landscapes. So when they announced that they would be having an eco-friendly wedding, no one was surprised. However, what everyone on their guest list wanted to see was how exactly will they do it. They were clear about what they wanted. They knew that their wedding shouldn't just be restricted to their union, but also showcase their love for art and nature. They had planned two celebrations, one in Frankfort at the groom's parent's place and another in Indiana, at their home. They had ordered food from local restaurants. Instead of opting for the regular disposable glasses and plates, they chose stuff purchased from resale stores. Luckily, they manged to get their hand on a dishware. They also got loads of glassware, silverware and plates. Not only did the whole process turn out fun, but also proved to be cost-effective. Use Eco-Friendly Promotional Items at Your Wedding for a Green Setting Inspired by Michelle and Jim's green wedding? Here is how you an plan your own green-friendly wedding by spending just half of what you would otherwise spend. Begin by choosing an eco-friendly location. A green setting, that makes you feel close to the nature is what you should look for. If you opt for an indoor setting, art galleries or local museums can help you set the tone. Have you heard of eco-friendly rings? No they don't mean the rings you made back in your childhood from leaves and twigs. They are made fair-labor gemstones and recycled gold. However, when buying one, make sure that you ask the jeweler about the metal's origin. Settling for local vendors is another way sticking to a believable budget and keep the surroundings pollution-free. You can also ask the vendor or wedding planner to scatter a few eco-friendly promotional items at the venue, to generate curiosity among your guests and make them go the green way. Source

It has been more than six months since reusable bags came to be used in Los Angeles. LA welcomed the year with a plastic bag ban, which is still going quite strong. Since July 1, the existing plastic bag ban has expanded to smaller grocery stores as well as markets. To mark the success of the ban, LA Bureau of Sanitation handed out reusable bags to shoppers at close to 20 stores all over the city. Ban Widens to Smaller Stores Who Have Personalized Recycled Bags Until June, the ban was applicable only on large supermarkets, convenience stores and drugstores. It was pre-decided that smaller stores will be given extra time of six months to prepare for the ban. Now like the large supermarkets, even small grocers will not be allowed to hand out one-time use plastic bags to their consumers. Instead, they will have to offer reusable and recyclable bags, which will come with an extra cost of 10 cents. The stores will be allowed to retain the profit they make by offering the bags. However, the money can be used by them only to purchase more of such reusable bags. The ban has some exceptions though. Plastic bags which are used for handing out pharmacy products, meat and fresh produce will still be allowed to be used. Apart from that even restaurants will be exempt from the ban. A fine of $100 will be levied on the businesses which do not comply by the new law. This amount will increase to $200 for the second penalty and go up to $500 for the third. Making Personalized Recycled Bags Now that the ban has left you with no option, but carrying a reusable bag while shopping, how about making your own reusable bag? Making personalized recycled bags is pretty simple and will practically be free of cost. All you need is an old shirt. Begin by cutting the sleeves as well as neck of an old t-shirt. Next, you need to turn the fabric inside out and sew its bottom part. Sewing the shirt will give you a box-like structure. After that, take a pin and stick it two inches inside one of the corners. Do the same on the other corner. Again, sew the straight line from where you pinned the t-shirt and create a cross at the seams. Repeat it with the other corner. Just flip around the bag and you are ready to flaunt it ! Source