CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

Our over reliance on plastic has become a very serious concern with regards to the sustainability of our environment. It is important to change a few aspects of our lifestyle decisions to bring in a change. Our excessive reliance on plastic bags has become an ecological issue all over the planet as plastic bags takes hundreds of years to decompose. Towns, counties and states all over the country have taken the issue rather seriously in their attempts to prevent the use of plastic bags through laws and ordinances that ban them. Make Your Own Seed Pots Seed pots, commercially available in the plastic variety, are useful tools for growing plants. However, there are a number of do-it-yourself options when it comes to seed pot usage that are much better in an environmental sense. Pots can be created with the help of a number of regular household materials. For instance, regular newspaper can act as one of the best seed pot materials as it is biodegradable. Plants in growing in newspaper pots can also be easily transferred into the soil when the seed matures. Newspaper also allows the roots of the seed to break through it when they are strong enough. Coffee ‘to-go' cups, especially the ones with the transparent covers, are also highly regarded as options for seed pots. The paper cups are large and thick enough for you to use a lot of soil to plant the seeds. When you are transferring the sprouted seed to soil, you can even crush the paper cups and use them as part of your compost pile. Paper towels, yogurt cups and egg trays are also hugely popular for this purpose. Grow Plants in Seed Pots with Seed Paper While the most obvious advantage of using seed paper is that it is very eco-friendly, another advantage is that it is very customizable. Using seed paper is a simple and fun way to plant trees. There has been a major surge in the popularity of seed paper use in the US. Depending on the variety of seeds used, seed paper can be crafted to appear in different ranges of thickness, color and textures. Major conglomerates all over the nation have realized that seed paper can be effectively used for a variety of their stationary needs apart from eco-friendly causes, while also promoting the company as a green one. Source

In today's time, energy efficiency is an indicator of a responsible society. Eco-friendly products need not be limited to small items that can be carried, as proved by a new luxury eco-friendly apartment building in New Jersey. Eco-Friendly Apartments up for Rent Buildings are often an uncalculated drain on natural resources. While individual homes and tenants live a responsible life, the eco-cost of common utilities and facilities offered by the building are overlooked. A green building is not just one that offers a patch of lawn or outdoor areas. A green building is one that is as attuned to environment preservation as the individuals living in them. Some methods in which buildings can truly be green are by paying attention to the materials used for construction, by incorporating methods of lower energy consumption and by lowering their burden on the city resources. New Jersey Mayor Steve Fulop has been a champion of environmentally-friendly buildings. He had even asked the city-planning department to pursue this with dedication. To his delight, BNE Real Estate Group responded by building a luxury apartment building of 11 floors. The building Warren at York was built using recycled materials and has 139 apartments. Warren at York boasts of a green roof that enables the entire structure to cool down. As a result it will help in increasing efficiencies in the energy consumption of every individual unit, particularly in air-conditioning. Also, there is facility to collect rainwater in an underwater storm water retention basin. This seemingly small measure will help lighten the pressure in the sewage system of the city. Located in the Paulus Hook neighborhood at 120 York St., Warren at York is just a few blocks away from the Exchange Place PATH station. The rents range from $2,100 to $5,000 a month. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint in Your Eco-Friendly Apartment Eco-friendly products are the way of and for the future. Whether using eco-friendly promotional items or switching to eco-friendly lifestyles, creating a harmonious balance with the environment is essential. Ask yourself: would you rather use plastic that is currently choking the earth or would you use something that is environment-friendly and biodegradable? Undoubtedly, environment-friendly biodegradable products win hands down. Another question: would you rather work in an environmentally responsible organization or one that just gobbles up resources? The first option, right? Truly, unless mankind makes an effort towards conservation, it is likely that environmental resources may get so depleted that mankind cannot exist. Source

Thoughtless destruction of the earth led to a near apocalyptic situation. Awareness of the damage has birthed active efforts as well as movements to stem further damage and return its glory to the environment. Only going green can keep green going. A notable illustration of this effort is Plaza Tavern in Madison, Wisconsin. Plaza Tavern's Eco-Friendly Operations When it comes to businesses, active and widespread eco-friendly operations are often considered the domain of mega-sized corporations. Most local businesses do their bit by not using plastic, but are not aware of other ways of contributing to the larger cause. Sustain Dane, a non-profit organization, steps in to fill the knowledge and innovation gap in the area of sustainability. The eco-enthusiastic organization offers various solutions to local businesses to promote sustainable practices. A tavern is an unlikely suitor for sustainability practices, but Plaza Tavern is not your regular tavern. Constantly redefining itself, the popular hangout embraces responsible innovative initiatives. The owner, Dean Hetue, and staff of the Plaza Tavern adopted Sustain Dane's year-long MPower Business Champion Program that trains staff towards eco-friendly behavior. It also identifies specific areas in which a business can implement environment friendly changes. Using MPower training and guidelines, the Plaza executed a number of eco-friendly projects. It first switched to LED lights in the facility. LED consumes far less energy than fluorescent lighting. While the macro benefit of this change is a lower carbon footprint; the micro benefit is reduced electricity bills. The second project was encouraging local products. Under this initiative 85 percent of the Plaza's brews and foods are locally-sourced. The other drives that the Plaza has undertaken are waste-composting and evangelizing the mantra of sustainability. By composting its own waste, the Plaza will reduce 90 percent of the waste that it would add to the landfill. As a part of its evangelizing, new menus that showcase their partners in sustainability are in order. Why Companies Should Use Eco-Friendly Operations? Plaza Tavern and Sustain Dane are great examples of the revolutionizing the planet. The selfish use of finite natural resources has destroyed the environment to an enormous extent. The world has woken up to the need for conserving the environment for future. Green businesses are finding a greater number and more loyal customers. It is important that companies that use sustainable practices make this fact known by using eco-friendly promotional items also. Such items can range from packaging to giveaway products. The two-pronged benefit of such promotional items is that they establish the company as a responsible entity and promote green habits. Source

Ban on plastic bags is getting popular nationwide as various counties as well as states have taken up eco-friendly practices. As plastic bags take hundreds of years to decompose, they are seen as a serious threat to the sustainability of the planet. What Is Causing the Custom Retail Bags Delay? The proposed ban is looking to, like most other states that have already passed the ordinance, reduce the over-reliance on plastic bags by the general public. Studies have shown that 40 million tons of annual waste in the US consists of plastic bags. Plastic bags are often used in landfills or are simply dumped into water bodies, causing a number of toxins to interfere with the quality of water. The aldermen of Chicago have delayed the imposition of the ban. Meanwhile, the plastic bag manufacturers are sharing information with them showing that plastic bags are used as garbage liners and for collecting pet litter. The manufacturers and their lobbyists feel that the percentage of waste attributed to the use of plastic bags is not very high. According to them, cities and states that have already passed the bill banning the use of plastic bags have seen it affect the current statistics only marginally. They also believe that the ban will cause a number of local merchants to suffer a loss in the business. Last year, the mayor also rejected a ban that proposed only the larger retailers, those with more than 5,000 square feet of floor space available, from providing customers with plastic bags. However, the most recent versions of the ban are looking to provide smaller retailers with some leeway or benefits when it comes to promoting custom retail bags. Custom Retail Bags Instead of Plastic Bags Custom retail bags are widely seen as the answer to any bag bans that will be implemented in the future. Custom retail bags have a number of benefits. The fact that they are manufactured with the intention of being used more often than in the few occasions that their plastic counterparts are made with, they are generally of much better quality and more durable. One should also not ignore the impact that custom retail bags made from recyclable material will have on the reputation of any business. They promote an eco-friendly image of the business. Promoting such bags makes consumers believe that businesses are committed to the sustainability of the planet. Source

New York City may soon pass a law that charges 10 cents for bags used at counters in retail stores. So, if one wants to be a tad kind to their wallet, switching to reusable bags would be the way to go. People Understanding Problems Related with  Plastic Bags The use of plastic has been a problem for decades. Other than the fact that they convenient though, the main reason plastic is used so often is because it's free. This also allows people to conveniently not hold themselves accountable for the sheer magnitude of plastic consumption to which they contribute. Let's face it. People are generally not going to give up on long-term habits unless they affect them directly. In today's consumerist culture, digging into people's pockets is a sure-fire way to get their attention. If this bill in NYC is passed, plastic bags will drop from their “free” status to being chargeable at ten cents apiece. Some might even say that that isn't much. Ten cents can't make enough of a dent to actually make one worry. Well, you may be right – if you only used a few plastic bags. Sit down for a moment and thoroughly consider how many plastic bags you use in a day, or in a week – everywhere. Now calculate how much that must mean you use in a year. Are you getting a clearer picture now? Good. Go pick up a few reusable bags and save yourself the heartache. On a more encouraging note, people have gotten more aware about the environment, often initiating environment-friendly practices themselves. Reducing the use of plastic bags is an easy way to help out – even if it will take some getting used to the habit. Most people are ready for the change. This law would merely provide an additional reason to do so. Using Promotional Recycled Plastic Bags for the Cause Plastic bags may be disposable, but people do not seem to realize how much better reusable bags are. One main advantage of reusable bags is that they're environment friendly and biodegradable. Other than that, reusable bags are also washable, much sturdier than plastic bags, roomy, and lasting – which make them cheaper in the long run too! Plus, promotional reusable bags also work as an effective marketing tool for businesses. Custom designs are a big feature of promotional reusable bags. Companies can actually up their goodwill value and positive PR by printing some neat designs on these reusable bags to promote environmental causes. Additionally, being seen with one adds your name to the great green revolution! Source: http://buffalorising.com/2014/04/the-beginning-of-the-end-of-our-plastic-bag-society/

While the fight against the use of ecologically harmful elements has been brewing for some time, the battle against plastic has only recently come into focus. As a result, the future generations seem to be leading the way to protect the environment. All over the country, and other parts of the world, the youngsters are making people more aware of the dangers of the irresponsible use of plastic bags. No More Plastic Bags When You Have Recycled Shopping Bags Eco Action, founded in Penn State, works closely with students and has taken the issue seriously to make people understand the issues that crop up due to excessive use of plastic bags. One problem that the organization has noticed is that it is hard to get people to change their ways. The ease with which plastic bags can be used and discarded is something that most people are used to and getting them to give up on the habit has been hard. Eco Action has developed an action plan to help it realize its goals faster. One major part of this plan is the fact that Eco Action campaigns very stringently for more serious policies that prevent convenience store employees from handing out extra plastic bags. Their another method is to hand out new reusable bags to freshmen entering stores to encourage them to make use of these eco-friendly bags instead of the ecologically damaging plastic versions. While the biodegradability of plastic bags is at the root of the issue, one must look at an even larger picture and see that excessive use of plastic bags is damaging the environment significantly . Plastic bags are usually discarded after just one or two uses - meaning that they frequently line the landscape as well as clog the waterways. Stick to Custom Recycled Shopping Bags Custom recycled shopping bags have a number of subtle, but very effective advantages to a number of business owners. For instance, being eco-friendly is held in high esteem by a number of next generation shoppers. Custom recycled shopping bags can be seen as marketing symbols that send a message to the shoppers that your business is eco-friendly. Also, the same bags can be printed with your logo and name to promote the core competency of your business. While the production cost of these bags may cost a little more than their plastic counterparts, the enhancement to your businesses reputation is significant. Source

The fight against excessive use of plastic bags is taking on greater proportions with every turn. While the ill effects of plastic bags on the environment are widely known, very few people (as a percentage) seem to be taking the effort to switch to more eco-friendly ways of transporting their goods. While some cities have taken significant steps in making sure that their residents are mindful of the problem with plastic bags, others have been slow to react. Rincon, a rather popular tourist town in Puerto Rico is now close to becoming the very first municipality in the island to ban plastic bags. First Town in Puerto Rico to Go Plastic-Free The proposed regulation looks to ban the use of plastic bags in the state by February 2015, with defaulters facing fines of anywhere between $100 and $500. The seriousness of the ambition should not be scoffed at as a number of states in the US have not yet come close to achieving this feat. The primary reason believed to be at the root of this bold move in Puerto Rico is said to be the excessive use of plastic bags, which is affecting the aquatic life in the region. Also,plastic bags are very frequently used just once or twice and then discarded, often anywhere. This hampers the beauty of the region, which eventually affects the tourism industry. Since its is a popular tourist destination, the officials need to be mindful of these problems. Businesses, which are considered to be at the forefront of feeling the blow of inconvenience caused to shoppers, will offer their clientele reusable paper bags at a very affordable price. Customers are however, urged to carry their own reusable shopping bags,. Custom Recycled Bags Imprinted Hit Puerto Rico Custom recycled bags imprinted with the logo and name of the business have been adopted as a good method of marketing in the region. Not only do they promote the name of the business, but also assure clients that the core business model of the firm is eco-friendly. Custom recycled bags imprinted may be a little costly to produce, but can do wonders for the reputation of your business. The fact that they are also reusable means that the bags can serve as a long-lasting advertisement for your business as opposed to the short staying power of printed disposable plastic bags. Source

The suggested and mostly anticipated ban on lightweight, single-use plastic bags in Provincetown, Massachusetts would have made it the first town in Cape Cod to establish such a warrant. However, in an unexpected result, the Provincetown town meeting ended with the voters opting for a postponement of the ban rather than its implementation. Provincetown Has Unclear Language in the Warrant At the Provincetown town meeting where the voting on the ban was to occur, the main reason for the warrant's postponement seemed to be the language of the article that detailed the ban. For one, the type of plastic bags that were exempt from the ban were not clearly defined, leading to practically every type of plastic bag (except, specifically, the plastic bags supplied by Marine Specialties) to be subject to the ban. Replacing plastic bags with paper bags in general, and to have people carry reusable bags of their own, seemed to be the alternative solution proposed by the ban. However, Pat Patrick, the owner of Marine Specialties, pointed out that such vague outlines would cause more harm than good. Using paper bags in the generally unpredictable rainy weather of the area seemed impractical. Apart from creating inconvenience to the people of Provincetown in general, he vocalized that it was especially unfair to businesses. Laura Ludwig, a member of the town's recycling and renewable energy committee, stated that people and businesses would have had a chance to get used to the changes as the ban, on its passing, would have only come into effect the following year (2015). She further stated that it was only the lightweight plastic bags – which easily caught the wind, clogged trees, and were often mistaken by sea creatures as food due to their flimsy appearance – that were subject to the ban. Sturdier plastic bags would actually be exempt from the ban. Why Provincetown Needs Wholesale Reusable Bags? A supply of wholesale reusable bags, is the need of the hour. Paper bags are a common replacement in such cases. However, in areas and circumstances where they are not practical, cloth bags or even sturdy bags made of other reusable, biodegradable fibers can be an effective replacement to plastic bags. Source

Plastic bag usage and the harm that it does to the planet in the long run is a serious issue. Studies have shown that about 5.2 million plastic bags are used in New York alone. About 93 percent of the huge sum is considered to be single use plastic bags that are discarded after one use. As a result, plastic bags make up a huge part of the waste and the fact that they take millions of years to biologically decompose means that they do more damage than good in the long run. Fees on Bags When Shopping without Recycled Bags Due to excessive usage of plastic bags and the well-documented evils that the habit involves, the city of New York has now decided to follow other parts of the country in rolling out a tax on bags. Areas like California and Santa Barbara have already successfully incorporated a bag tax and are considered to be better places in terms of being eco-friendly. The fact that discarded plastic bags usually litter the landscape means that they have the ability to block waterways and cause serious havoc with the functioning of our cities. Also, a lot of end up filling the landfills. While this does seem to be a way of simply burying the trash and allowing it to decompose, the fact that these plastic bags are not allowed any sunlight means that the photosynthesis process is significantly slowed down. In addition to that, the decomposition releases toxic chemicals in the form of bile that can damage the land it seeps into. A fee on bags will play a significant role in preventing people from using plastic bags too liberally. It will help in making them substantially more conscious about the environment. Custom Recycled Bags Eco-Friendly for Fighting Plastic Bag Issues Custom recycled bags eco friendly can help in fighting many plastic bag issues. As reusable bags can be used several times, they prove to be better than plastic bags, which are usually discarded after a couple of uses. Custom recycled bags can also be used as a very influential marketing tool by businesses. While people, in general, are becoming more aware of the environment that they live in, they are also considering switching to businesses that follow environment friendly operations. Simply offering reusable bags instead of plastic bags at the cash counters can help businesses. Source

With the number of single-use plastic bags circulating around the world touching billions, the menace to the environment is enormous. In a bid to somewhat tackle this problem, a ban or a fee on using these bags has been proposed in New York City, which is a welcome move. Shoppers to Be Subjected to Bag Fee without Using Recycled Tote Bags Though plastic bag manufactures claim that these bags are inexpensive as well as useful for carrying stuff, we all know how harmful they are for the environment. They cannot be recycled, fly away to every possible nook and corner, litter beaches, streets and parks, hang on trees and fences, choke sea animals and wild animals and even in landfills, they take years to decompose. The New York City Council reached this step after much deliberation on the matter. The city uses more than five billion plastic bags annually. You find them everywhere - grocery stores, pharmacies, supermarkets and retail stores. After you are done carrying your stuff home, you just toss them into trashcans and then they get carried away to landfills. But most of the times they fly away and create nuisance. Almost 150 municipalities in the US have imposed bans or fee on these bags and this has helped reduce the number of plastic bags in circulation. A 10-cent fee on plastic bags would be sufficient to make people think whether they really need a bag or can do without it. Buying a lot of stuff would mean more bags and more fees, which would make them remember to carry their own reusable bags to stores. It is time citizens realized their responsibility towards the environment and acted in tandem with administrative authorities to reduce plastic waste and keep their environment clean and green. They can switch to using custom printed tote bags which are environment friendly as well as stylish. Custom Printed Tote Bags Any Day Better than Paper or Plastic Bags The most obvious option for those who don't want to pay up for using plastic bags is to avoid using plastic bags altogether. They can rather buy some custom printed tote bags – they are trendy as well as eco-friendly. They are easy on your pocket, too. Avoiding environmental hazards caused by plastic waste is something that needs proactive thinking as well as action from administrators and citizens also. Ditching plastic as well as paper bags and using reusable bags is the wisest choice for those who care for the environment and want to pass on a clean and green planet to future generations. Source