For Immediate Release
Media Release (1 page)
April 26, 2010

CONTACT: Charisse McAuliffe
GenGreen LLC
(970) 775-0179
Charisse@gengreenlife.com

GENGREEN LAUNCHES THE “BIG GREEN DEAL”

Fort Collins, CO – The newest platform to be launched by the team at GenGreen is a really big deal, a Big Green Deal, to be exact. On Monday, April, 26 the BigGreenDeal.com goes live and consumers everywhere will be able to get some of the best deals on green products and services available online.

BigGreenDeal.com is a ‘Deal of the Day’ type of platform that was built to give GenGreen certified companies the opportunity to offer amazing deals but for only a limited time. Initially the Big Green Deal will have products and services that will appeal to their national audience, but are currently developing their local version that will be rolling out over the next few months.

The Big Green Deal was created in early 2010 by the team at GenGreen. After three years of growing their core website, GenGreenLife.com, into the largest directory of verified green businesses and organizations in North America, GenGreen felt primed and ready to offer this new way of reaching their environmentally conscious consumer, and help their businesses in the process.

www.BigGreenDeal.com  www.GenGreenLife.com

Genetically engineered animals are nothing new, but “Enviro Pig” is about to change the game. He is genetically designed to create earth-friendly poop, with the sole intention of helping off-set the waste produced by mass production of these animals for consumption. But the real question remains; is this science solution a band aid, or just a warped perception of “doing good” with science?

Define “Enviro Pig” and its Benefits…

Canada recently approved limited production of “Enviro Pig”; an animal that is genetically modified in a way that makes its urine and feces 65 percent lower in phosphorous. Why is that a big deal? Researchers feel it will help reduce bacteria build up in lakes, rivers and ocean deltas. Animal waste can collect in these areas from rain runoff, and often leads to the development of algal blooms (large population of algae in an aquatic system) that can sometimes become toxic. These algae are also known to rapidly suck up the oxygen in the water, creating vast dead zones for fish and other aquatic life, according to National Geographic.

You Are What you Eat, So What Exactly is a Pig’s Diet?

Farmers currently feed pigs corn or cereal grains which contain phosphorous, but their digestive systems do not manufacture phytase, the key enzyme necessary to digest  phosphorous. To combat this problem farmers must also feed pigs phytase as a supplement, but the pigs don’t do a super great job of digesting that either. As a result, a large amount of phytase is expelled as part of pig waste and often gets washed out into the general water supply.

Enter in mad scientists, tinkering with the swine’s genes in a way that enables the pig to produce  phytase in their own salivary glands, and is present throughout the digestive process. Now “Enviro Pigs” are able to break down previously indigestible elements, while at the same time saving the farmer money on feed supplements. In addition, this super swine may also help farmers more easily comply with the “zero discharge” rules that forbid pork producers from releasing nitrogen or phosphorous run off into the environment.

The test group of these special pigs will be raised in a controlled research environment in Canada and face years of safety trials. Experts say consumers do not have to worry about these pigs showing up in the food circle any time soon, and that the new breed will undergo several years of safety trials before approval for commercial production or consumption.

Why Mess with Genetics Instead of a Pig’s Diet?

My main question is, why not change the pig’s diet to make the waste more environmentally friendly in the first place? I am not sure if that was an option at one point and then ruled out, or if it has even been considered.

I am all for scientific research and development, but this option just seems a bit drastic. It may even set the stage for further genetic tinkering to suit the human lifestyle, while also trying to combat pollution without making changes to HOW humans consume. Changes definitely need to be made in how we combat waste due to mass consumption, I just don’t think this is the best possible route. What are your thoughts? Do you think this option is a great idea, or extreme measure?

Katrina Pfannkuch
Buzzword Communications, LLC

About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications, LLC to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit. Buzzword is also a participating member of GenGreen.

Will pigs ever fly? Will pigs ever fly?

In 401(k) circles there is a saying; Educating employees on investing is like teaching pigs to fly; They will never fly, and get sick of being thrown off the roof.

Now before you think this is rude and elitist let me explain.

A one on one session explaining principles of asset allocation, market dynamics, efficient frontiers and time horizons leave most casual investors confused and bored. Try doing that in front of a group of distracted employees, with no experience in mutual funds. Add language barriers and distrust of banking services and you have an understanding of how flawed this process can be  by no fault of the employer or employee. The Dept of Labor (DOL) has struggled with this. Even the 401(k) provider powerhouses have not been able to properly convey these principles, no matter how many color-coded brochures they print and deliver.

As a result the DOL made changes to ERISA rules guiding how a plan should be run. Auto enrollment has become an option. Even with the best employee education and enrollment meetings, many well-intentioned employees never get through the paperwork to sign up. Ill tackle that next week, becomes a constant (and expensive) refrain. Then once they sign up many stop with choosing a money market for safety or lack of time to decipher the prospectus outlining each fund available in the plan. Sure, a money market is safe, but an investment that doesnt keep pace with inflation over a thirty of forty-year time frame is not an appropriate investment.

Investors want safety but there is a floor on how low return rates can be. Auto enrollment with Qualified Default Fund, think of a balanced fund, has become an option. You put in a plan for your employees, hold the enrollment meetings, hope they all enroll and choose appropriate investments.

Or: You put in a plan, hold the meeting, and announce everyone is enrolled for 3% of salary, will be matched dollar for dollar on that 3% and the money is going into a balanced fund; part stocks part bonds. Anyone who wants to change investment options, change amount deposited into the plan, or opt out is welcome to do so. Now with the same amount of work as before, employees can customize their portfolio, but no one is left out in the cold if they cannot marshal the time to do so.

Pigs dont need to fly when there is a nice soft landing for them.

Article courtesy of: Rob Thomas of Social(k)

We’ve come across a startling statistic that might deter any of us from getting a good night of sleep. Ironically, it’s related to the very thing you sleep on – your mattress. Woman Tribune recently relayed this no-snooze news:

“About 20 million mattresses are thrown away every year just in the United States and for every 10,000 people that either donate or recycle their mattress, it would save eight feet of landfill space – An entire American football field.” (http://womantribune.com/donate-recycle-mattress:  “Donate or Recycle Your Old Mattress.”  December 12, 2008 by Holly).

The key to sweeter dreams and a sweeter environment is simple:  donate or recycle your used mattresses once you’re ready to replace them with new ones.  As added incentive to take this approach, keep in mind that many waste management companies won’t accept your old mattresses anyway.

Unfortunately, donation centers aren’t always accepting of this particular item either because of sanitation concerns.  However, because of mere need, halfway homes and crisis centers will be more likely to accept what they can get.  Additionally, Craigs List shoppers might be eager to accept a mattress they have no problem cleaning themselves.  If you attempt to give your mattress to other charitable organizations beyond those mentioned, clean the mattress yourself.

We provide a chemical-free cleaning solution below, but always consult the organization you’re donating to, as they might have a preferred way of mattress cleaning. When you call to see if your mattress will be accepted, the proposition of accepting a used mattress will be more appealing if the mattress is clean.  The Instructables website served as a helpful resource for the best way to clean a mattress.   These instructions follow:

1.    Gather items you need.  They include: bicarbonate or soda (available in your local grocery store), a sieve, and vacuum cleaner.

2.    Poor the bicarbonate or soda into the sieve and simultaneously sift it onto the mattress.

3.    Let the bicarbonate or soda settle onto and into the sofa for a whole day.

4.    Vacuum the mattress thoroughly. (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-clean-a-mattress_1/:  “How to Clean a Mattress.”)

When donating isn’t an option or recycling seems like a better one, Colorado does have local resources.  Or, just be more mindful of the components of a mattress.  While separating materials within your mattress might seem daunting, you might be able to get money for some of the products that make up the whole.  Green Living Tips describes some of these components as fabric, foam, cotton, wood, and steel springs.  They go into additional detail about what can be done with these items:

“The used foam can be turned into carpet underlay or insulation.  The wooden frames can be chipped and used as fuel, the cotton is used in industrial machinery oil filters and other textile applications.  The springs, made from steel have a high market value as scrap . . . .” (http://www.greenlivingtips.com:  “Mattress Recycling.”  December 27, 2009.)

Post courtesy of: Gone for Good in Littleton, Colorado

Cheap recycle cloth bags are not easily found but they are available. Cotton cloth bags are biodegradable but also recyclable and cheap. Normally we think it would not be cheap enough and we focus on other options which are often non-biodegradable and made of synthetic material.

Canvas bags or cotton cloth bags are durable and fashionable too. Our society already got the awareness of stopping single use plastic bags. So there are many companies who offer reusable bags. Unfortunately the Non Oven Polypropylene bags took place initially. But it did not last long. Now everybody understand that the big mistake were about to happen in accepting those Polypropylene bags as a green change. So, we started to look for a biodegradable bag. But still our concern is how affordable that could be. Actually the good product is not expensive all the time. Sometime it is opposite.

Cheap recycle cloth bags are available. The fact is the cheap recycle cloth bags will continue to be cheaper, because our society started to use them. And that will eventually replace the nasty plastic bags.

Post courtesy of AmeriGreenBag.com

The term “litter bug” has been part of mainstream culture for years now, but an innovative take on traditional packaging in the candy industry may change that meaning altogether. Two innovative companies are taking on the task of  making their candy wrapping and packaging truly biodegradable, as in, you can toss the wrapper trash into your home garden or compost pile.

The new line of Ananda dark chocolate bars from Amigo International is now using compostable nature flex NK material to replace the traditional foil wrapper. Its a transparent, high barrier, heat sealable compostable film that provides a moisture barrier using an additional unique clear coating. Made out of wood pulp and cellulose, it is certified to European and American standards for composting in home and industrial settings.

In addition, boxes for Ananda chocolate bars are printed with vegetable-based inks and made using fiber sources that meet Programme for the Endorsement of Certification (PEFC) standards — the world’s largest non-profit non-governmental forest certification system dedicated to Sustainable Forest Management. What does all of this really mean? That candy wrappers and packaging for these particular Ananda chocolates are considered “safe” litter.

Marks & Spencer , a second green-minded company based in the United Kingdom is using a different approach to disposable packaging for their milk chocolate treats. Their materials are infused with seeds for Candytuft Plants to encourages people to plant the packaging after use. The plants sprout flowers within a few weeks of planting and also attracts butterflies – further enhancing the eco-benefits. The candies come with complete instructions for proper planting and will be available for Mother’s Day this year.

Green Trend or Flash in the Pan?

I would love to see more companies following suit and finding ways to make their packaging process more sustainable. Considering the amount of trash created with individual wrapping by the day, think of what could be accomplished with a few changes in process by large food companies. Even better, I would like to see more manufacturing companies create basic alternatives for packaging that can be utilized across multiple industries. It could transform the way we manage our carbon footprint all around the world.

Katrina Pfannkuch
Buzzword Communications, LLC

About the author: Katrina Pfannkuch is a writer, Reiki Master and entrepreneur who lives to write and create. She started Buzzword Communications, LLC to pursue her passion for excellence in communication and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit. Buzzword is also a participating member of GenGreen.

Reusable shopping bags in bulk is one of the many ways to change our long time habit of single use plastic bags.

Still many of us forget to bring the reusable bags while shopping. If we buy the reusable bags in bulk quantity we can have a very good deal. Let say, we get 50 bags for the price of 10 bags. So the purchase of Reusable shopping bags in bulk already gives us the price benefit. Now the most important point is we will have enough bags to keep some at Kitchen, at Garage, in the Cars, in the pocket and everywhere. So we will have a reusable bag while shopping.

The super markets are not offering the Reusable shopping bags in bulk. Also most of their bags are their logo printed. But you can find online the reusable bags in bulk at very low price and printed with general art prints, not any super market logo. See, how easy and cost effective is to change our habit and demonstrate our green support.

Article courtesy of: AmeriGreenBag.com

I wish I could just *bleep* my eco blunders from my life. But I can’t. Instead, I’ve decided to confess a couple to you in an effort to free myself of the haunting guilt.

The local Thai restaurant knows us by name (prior to my husband’s layoff just over a year ago, take-out Thai was a weekly routine). It will come as no surprise that each take-out meal is packed into individual plastic containers–styrofoam (double-cringe) for the appetizers, which they insist on including free (we are very grateful for their generosity)– then loaded up in a plastic bag fully equipped with utensils and napkins.

Where do they think we’re taking this? Some deserted road where utensils and napkins can’t be found for miles? It’s not their fault–it is the take-out tradition.

Over time, these very kind people learned that a “Hass” order meant no rice, no utensils, no napkins and absolutely no plastic bag. Certainly less impactful; HOWEVER, the plastic containers make me feel as though I’m committing eco-sacrilege. At least the containers our Thai restaurant use are recyclable, but wasteful all the same.

And what if they leach the hormone-disrupting plastic chemical bpa into our food?

Multiply our take-out by the millions of orders that probably occur in a day, and you’ve got quite a heap of plastic, much of which is not recyclable. And if it is recyclable, there’s no guarantee it’s tossed into the recycle bin. Each time I picked up the order, I vowed to myself–and affirmed to my husband and son–that I would bring our own glass food storage containers for them to use. It took a while for me to finally remember to put in this special request which was, I think, a first for the restaurant. Quite possibly, it was the most ridiculous request they’d ever heard. I had to repeat myself several times before they got it. “I’ll come before it’s ready,” I explained. “Uh, okay… come in twenty minutes,” was their response as I imagined them pouring the contents out of their plastic containers into our reusables back in the kitchen, giving the cooks a “don’t ask” look. I struggled to get into and out of the car with four glass containers–all different sizes–only to find the order ready-to-go, stapled shut in a paper bag, upon my arrival. The last time I remembered to make this special request, the same thing happened.

Oh well.

Then there’s the drive-thru ice cream place. While my husband and son prefer a shake or root beer float (plastic cup and straw alert!) I’m a cone-kind-of-gal. But even the cone comes standard with a plastic spoon. I got into the habit of requesting no spoons, napkins or straws (we have reusable glass straws) when, suddenly, they presented my cone in a plastic cone holder/drip collector. An upgrade from the previous paper cone sleeve. I’m convinced the cone manufacturer came up with this novel idea as an additional revenue stream, possibly even creating the need by making waffle cones with holes at the bottom. You can’t even imagine the response I got the next visit when I said, “Hold the cone drip whatchamacallit.” Hesitation. “But it comes with it.” “I don’t want it.” “O-kay-ay,” the girl said in a you-are-crazy-lady tone. Of course, it dripped out of the bottom, as promised.

Luckily, both of these joints are within a mile from home, so the impact isn’t as bad as it could be. When I drive-thru, I shut off the motor while waiting for the order. Ahhh. I feel a little better now. A quote by Theodore Roosevelt–our first conservationist president–makes me feel even better: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

Article courtesy of myEARTH360.com

Your government wants you to save energy and they are getting ready to help you do it.

The buzz from Washington is a “Cash for Caulkers” program that puts your home front and center, and you can bet the Energy Audit will be a central part of it. Many local utilities and cities have already made energy audits available. A home energy audit provides an invaluable diagnostic of the two largest energy and comfort issues of a home: air infiltration through the air barrier and heat loss/ heat gain through insulation. The homes shell and its insulation are very important, but for years now have not been properly regarded.

Things have changed and with building science and good diagnostic tools we can find where your home is not performing so we can then do something about it. Energy Audits will be free (or close to it) for almost anybody in the states in the coming year. You call up your local utility or municipality and they will happily send out a RESNET or BPI certified energy auditor to your home. The auditor will schlep out a big fan which slips into an adjustable frame that fills the front door. In short order they will adjust the fan to create a precise pressure difference (50 pascals as the control) between the outside and inside.

Now the science begins.

What they are looking for is the volume of air entering your home through all the hidden holes in the outside walls. They measure the air changes per hour and use this to tell how leaky your home really is. Congratulations you now have a number. This number doesn’t mean much though until you find those leaks. This is where building science meets building sleuth. A well trained auditor has a lot of tricks on how to find those holes, missing or inadequate insulation, and other building envelope problems.

First thing they need to do is ask about your experience of comfort in the home. A cold or hot room, a noisy furnace, drafty stair wells are all signs of the hidden life of wasted energy. Your experience of discomfort is a great indicator of what the problems are. A good building scientist knows what to test for but a good energy sleuth knows how to extract the critical information. The auditor then will walk through the home looking for air infiltration building issues. The big problems are usually where you never are, the attic and basement or crawl space. If you set the blower to blow air into the home and stick your head into the attic you may see insulation dance around the holes in the ceiling or top of the walls. A smoke stick in the basement can quickly show the rim joist leaking air, even if they are insulated. Electrical outlets are a prime candidate for cold air to make a break for it. This is good news. “Cash for Caulkers” implies that we are not just testing a home but doing something about it. Foam, caulk and air barriers are extraordinary but humble guards on the quest for energy efficiency and comfort. Now that the crime scene is laid out they go into attics, crawl spaces, electrical boxes and hidden corners across America to protect you from high energy prices and according to some politicians, “To stop the terrorists” (ok, whatever it takes.)

A good energy auditor is now not just a scientist and sleuth but also the judge- laying out a sentence to ban the infiltration of air into the home. Maybe you already heard the news about our president recently calling insulation “sexy”. President Obama exclaimed “Here’s what’s sexy about it: saving money. Think about it this way: If you haven’t upgraded your home yet, it’s not just heat or cool air that’s escaping- its energy and money that you are wasting. If you saw $20 bills just sort of floating through the window up into the atmosphere, you’d try to figure out how you were going to keep that. But that’s exactly what’s happening because of the lack of efficiency in our buildings.” Energy Auditor, patriot.

Article courtesy of Baosol Adaptive Sustainable Building Consulting

THIS IS A TIME FOR RENEWAL.

This is a time when we discard our failures and frustrations of the past year and start over. So for all of you out there who want to renew your commitment to greening your life, GO FOR IT.

Let me help you, let all of us at EcoPlum help you. Send us your questions, concerns, let us help you find resources, tell us what you would like to read about, to have us investigate for you, tell us what kinds of products you would like to access, think of us as your personal green trainers. Let’s start by giving you a list of ways to start: Here are 10 suggested Personal Sustainability Practices (PSPs) with some resources to get you started. Make a pledge to take on one, or more, of these for 2010. Or make up your own.

PSP #1: Stop buying plastic disposable water bottles. Carry around your own reusable bottle in your backpack, briefcase, shoulder bag, or purse.

PSP #2: Stop using disposable plastic shopping bags. Carry around at least one Chicobag with you – these definitely fit easily into your pocketbook, briefcase, even pocket.

PSP #3: Recycle at home and at work. Check out our “What do do with your stuff” page for where and how to recycle different types of materials.

PSP #4: Stop using disposable coffee cups. Carry around your own reusable coffee mug. Ask for a ceramic “for here” cup if you plan to hang around the coffee shop to enjoy your coffee.

PSP #5: Stop buying wrapping paper – use colorful newspaper, children’s art projects, reusable gift bags or cloth for your gifts.

PSP #6: Stop using disposable wrap and bags for your kids’ lunches. Instead purchase reusable bags and lunch materials.

PSP #7: Eat less meat. Reducing the amount of meat you eat can have a significant impact on the environment – methane from cows is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

PSP #8: Take public transportation whenever you are in a city. Check this out for a guide of public transportation options in your city.

PSP #9: Ask yourself “do I really need it?” when you are about to buy a new appliance. If you do need it, make sure it is Energy Star rated.

PSP #10: Stop using paper plates and utensils. If absolutely necessary, buy ones made of recycled and biodegradable material.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful. We are here to help you every step of the way. Please share your PSP pledges with us. And stay tuned for ways to measure your progress. HAPPY NEW YEAR. Hoping you find a good balance of peace, happiness, contribution to society and personal fulfillment in 2010.

Post courtesy of EcoPlum in New York, NY