‘Tis the season of giving. With the holidays and the end of the tax year lined up, this adage might strike you as being true in more ways than one.
A new study by our friends at Network for Good shows that online giving is at its strongest in the month of December. In fact, over 20% of online giving to non-profits happens on the last two days of the year! Not surprisingly, 1% members also give the most in December even as most members give incrementally throughout the year.
With giving on our minds, this is a great time of year to share your favorite causes with loved ones (read: friends, family, and colleagues). Below, we have compiled nearly 60 video stories from a breadth of approved 1% charities, many of whom have received funding from 1% members. Enjoy!
We released our debut album, co-produced a short film, and touched 100 million people with our message through web, media and product presence. We also added a record-breaking 486 new member companies. And despite the challenging economic backdrop, 1% member companies donated more than $20 million to approved environmental non-profits, a 30% increase since 2009.
In 2011, we will focus on deepening connections between companies, environmental organizations and individuals in the 1% network. We will build tools to help 1% members and NGOs connect and share resources. We will also pilot new programs including regional network expansions and additional issue-based funds.
To continue our momentum, we need your help.
Your financial support will help us reach our ambitious 2011 goals while continuing build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet.
To further engage with the international presence of our members, we at 1% are going to begin working on our language skills. With members in 41 countries, we will start practicing our linguistics now – beginning with welcoming members in their native tongue! This month we “welcome” new members from France, China, Germany and several English speaking countries:
While purchasing any 1% member product ensures a ecofriendly contribution of at least 1% of the sale going back to support a healthy planet, member company Eco Shirt Shop has taken it a step further to offer a bit more transparency about just who and what your purchase is supporting! Eco Shirt Shop has teamed with nonprofit partners, Ocean River Institute and The Dusty Camel, and designed ecofriendly apparel to help raise awareness about these organizations. The shirts have a most responsible life cycle, beginning with sustainable cotton growth, extending through consumer education, and ending with a donation to the planet with their every purchase. To order your t-shirts, click here!
Hot diggity – October has come ‘n gone in no time at all! A most beautiful and brilliant month for 1% FTP filled with birthdays, champagne, Mad River swims, sunny warm days, Glee Gum, and multiple colorful humidifiers!
But what’s more is that we averaged nearly 2 new members a day in October! Please welcome to the 1% crew:
4R Planet Products, Vernon, BC
A Serious Production Seattle, WA, Marketing, Research, Web Development, Analysis
Last year, we started writing down ways to tell 1% for the Planet’s story through video, to show the breadth of businesses types and depth of members’ commitments to giving back. As it turned out, all we needed to do was turn to our members. Check out [one percent of] the story as told by a handful of amazing 1% members: Sweetpea Bicycles; artist Jack Johnson and his label Brushfire Records; craft beer makers New Belgium Brewing; Clif Bar, energy food company and Forbes’ 2010 top break-away brand; Texas-based organic blueberry farm, Chickamaw Farm; and 1% founders Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies. Enjoy, and as always, thank you for sharing liberally.
Presenting this on a big screen? Cruise over to our Vimeo page to download the HD Quicktime movie, or stream the film in HD.
Here in Vermont, we’re taking in the vibrant fall colors, drinking warm apple cider and enjoying the familiar feeling of cozy sweaters, while our UK counterparts were busy scrambling, climbing and traversing their way around the rocky coastline of Wales, all in the name of 1%.
1% member and professional play advocates, TYF Adventure, organized a gathering for our UK members to get to know each other, share ideas and have a good time. “We popped everybody into a wetsuit, helmet and buoyancy aid and made our way down to the bottom of the sea cliffs with our experienced guide and then ‘Coasteered’ our way around the stunning coastline,” said TYF staffer and event organizer, Ross Beese.
UK Members Cliff Jumping in Wales
With hearts racing from the morning’s coasteering adventure, our 1% members moved on to the beach to try their hand at surfing, (Yvon would be proud!). “The waves were fantastic and the kids made it look easy, popping up and cruising down the line with smiles on their faces,” said Beese.
The weekend of fun in the sun brought about new friends, new hobbies, and a stronger 1% network throughout the UK. “It was fantastic to find out more about the other businesses and where their passion lies,” said Beese.
Alice, Ross, and Nayfe of TYF Adventure.
We’re sad to have missed this great gathering and can’t wait to try coasteering at next year’s event. Thank you to TYF Adventure who hosted the event and a special thanks to all our members in the UK who are helping create a healthier planet.
P.S. Watch out France, the UK 1% network is gaining on you! The UK is currently 68 members strong and growing quickly. We recently celebrated the 100 member mark for France and are gearing up to welcome our UK 1% network into the club.
The geese are heading south, the sun is setting sooner, the cider is freshly pressed, and the Mad River Valley (our home!) is now vibrant with shades of yellow, orange, & red. September has fully come and gone and with all these changes, we also wish to welcome our latest crew of new 1% members! This month, 1% welcomes businesses from 11 different countries!
From Canada to Kenya, please welcome:
Bamboo Village: Clothing, homeware & furniture all made from sustainable bamboo, Collaroy, Australia.
Bark4Green: Eco-friendly dog retail store, Doral, FL.
1% for the Planet has a new home on Bridge Street in Waitsfield, Vermont. We recently moved our office down the street into a traditional Vermont farmhouse, originally built in the late 1800’s and recently renovated. With views of the Mad River, the Northfield Range, and the Waitsfield Common, our new office is feeling like home. The 1% crew can often be seen bounding across the street for a quick dip in the river or out for a trail run or bike ride.
To all those considering sending care packages to the lovely 1% crew here in Vermont make sure to get our NEW shipping address. (PS we love baked goods and member products!)
Our new shipping address…
1% for the Planet
45 Bridge Street
Waitsfield, VT 05673
USA
Moving day lunch break for the 1% crew
Membership Maven, Chrissy didn't miss a beat with the move...unpacked and ready to go!
Jake can sing and dance and now...Hula Hoop!
Our mailing address remains the same…
1% for the Planet
P.O. Box 650
Waitsfield, Vermont 05673
USA
Here at 1%, we are beaming with pride for our members and the financial commitment they have made in creating a healthier planet. However, one day not too long ago, we realized we’d been remiss in proclaiming this good news to our loyal followers. We apologize for this temporary lapse in good manners!
First, a hearty thank you to our over 1,300 current members. Your commitment to supporting the planet inspires more that one new business a day, on average, to pledge one percent of sales back to the environment.
To kick off our new series, Monthly Member Updates, we’re proud to announce all members that joined in August. They are reflective of our 1% network as a whole: diverse, creative and across the board dedicated to supporting the work of environmental non-profits!
Drum Roll Please…
East River Creative:Website design and content development located in Crested Butte, Co
