When The Good Planet Company, a Victoria, BC all-purpose eco store, joined 1% this spring, they knew they had a great opportunity to inspire other local businesses to step up their support of environmental causes. Last week, in celebration of Earth Day and their new membership, they hosted 1% members, non-profit partners, and friends at their store for an evening of food, drinks, and conversation. When asked about their recent membership Co-Owner Ian Cromack says, “We are thrilled to be Victoria’s newest 1% For The Planet Member! To be working to along side other local businesses such as Hemp and Company and Not Just Pretty as well as environmental champions like Patagonia, Clif, and Jack Johnson is inspirational.”
Members, non-profits, friends, and other local businesses were invited to the event, which featured all organic food and drinks—including homemade, Earth-themed cake pops–that had been donated by various sources. Derek Juno of The Good Planet Company says, “We used the event as an opportunity to challenge other businesses in Victoria to step up and start doing their part for this environment in which they live in and utilize everyday.” The Good Planet Company also announced that they have chosen the Victoria Foundation to receive their donations.
This is a terrific example of how members can get involved and build relationships with one another and even connect and tell the story of 1% with potential members. We’ve been lucky to experience what happens when members connect—no matter what size or industry, they’re inspired and energized to be part of a group of business leaders with similar vision, values, and commitment to the environment. At 1%, we get very excited to hear and share stories like The Good Planet Company’s, and welcome accounts of events you’ve hosted or connections you’ve made with fellow members and NGOs! In Ian Cromack’s words, “If a small brick and mortar retailer [like The Good Planet Company] can contribute to making the world a better place, so can you! So why aren’t you?”
We were blown away by the response to our Earth Day music giveaway. Over 3,000 people worldwide downloaded the 41 songs of 1% for the Planet: The Music, Vol. 1 in celebration of the 41st Earth Day. With hundreds sharing on facebook, twitter, blogs, newsletters, and plain old email, we were psyched with the buzz around giving green. Thanks in particular to our members and non-profit partners who shared the music with their networks—in addition to dozens of social media posts, we were delighted to see blog posts from 1% members Ecomom, Not Just Pretty, Gary Bandy, Bamboo Bottle Company, Iron Lava, and Endurance Conspiracy.
We also wanted to share a few more Earth Day updates we received from around the network:
(photo courtesy of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign)
-We are happy to announce 1% member Sage Spa Living’s Earth Day event in Bozeman and Billings, MT exceeded expectations (read more about it here)! Close to 200 of the business’s patrons participated last Friday and with the help of the 37 Sage Spa employees who donated their time and services raised $4,200 for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.
-A new non-profit partner, Savannah Bicycle Campaign, also hosted an event this weekend, “The 4th Annual Earth Day Wheelie.” Dubbed a party on wheels, the ride enticed citizens of Savannah to join together for four mile roll through the city, eventually gathering to enjoy food and music in celebration of Earth Day and the joys of alternative transportation.
-We were pleased to hear an update from 1% recipient Plant With Purpose, an organization focused on finding environmental solutions to humanitarian problems. Plant with Purpose was one of our featured non-profits working on reforestation and sustainable agriculture in Haiti after last January’s devastating earthquake. For Earth Month, Plant with Purpose aims to plant 10,000 trees–check out their short video below that makes the connection between poverty and the environment, and consider helping them reach their goal by planting 10 trees for just $10.
With a year-long commitment to giving back, it’s safe to bet 1% for the Planet members, NGOs, and fans don’t need a holiday to remember the environment. But as Earth Day turns 41 this Friday, we noticed a coincidence that we couldn’t pass up: there are 41 songs on our compilation album, all donated to raise funds and awareness of environmental causes. We decided that was ample cause for celebration–today only, we’re offering the 1% album as a free download.
Our planet-loving album, 1% for the Planet: The Music, Vol. 1, was released just over a year ago with 41 rare and exclusive tracks from artists like Jack Johnson, Josh Ritter, Jackson Browne, and Grace Potter. The album sold over 15,000 copies, thanks in large part to the support of the 1% network. Now, let’s see how widely we can share 1% on Earth Day.
Here’s what you can do:
* Include the link and code EARTHDAY11 in your tweets and facebook posts today (don’t forget to tag @1PercentFTP)
* Use the image above in your newsletter or blog with a link to http://music.onepercentfortheplanet.org/redeem. Download it here.
* Create buzz for giving green on Earth Day. Encourage friends, family, co-workers, and followers to pay it forward and support an environmental non-profit. 1% members have donated over $70 million to hundreds of organizations working to ensure a sustainable future for our planet–join them!
With the 41st Earth Day mere days away, innovative member and NGO partnerships have been streaming in. Here’s a few more to get you in the spirit…
-For 1% non-profit partner San Diego River Park Foundation, Earth Day is just business as usual. With park and river clean-up brigades canvassing local areas weekly, their volunteers have removed 1.3 million pounds of trash from the San Diego River in the past few years. In executive Director Rob Hutsel’s words “We are at it again on April 23rd as we tackle a new stretch of the river. We anticipate more than 100 volunteers joining us.” To join the April 23 San Diego River clean-up project on April 23, please visit their website for additional details (and get inspired by enthusiastic river clean-up volunteers below!)
-One of our newest members, Ohmlop, is debuting their 1% membership with a $1 donation for every connector cable sold in April to the Basel Action Network (BAN). An industry trailblazer, Ohmlop’s USB, iPhone, and iPad are completely free of PVC and are covered instead by braided cotton. Their partnership with BAN, whose mission is to end environmental degradation and social injustices caused by the electronic waste trade, is particularly well-aligned!
-Get a discount on organic, fair-trade, shade-grown coffee from 1% member Grounds for Change. Use coupon code PLANT-A-TREE-15 to save 15% and they will plant a tree for each order received using that code.
-Patagonia Footwear Advocate Weeks are taking place nationwide this week and throughout the rest of the spring. Inspired by the 1% for the Planet Advocate Moc, the Patagonia Footwear team has partnered with Patagonia stores and independent retailers to help raise awareness and funds for local conservation efforts. During Advocate weeks, Patagonia Footwear will donate $10 to local conservation organizations selected by the retailer. Check out the full listing of events to find an event near you!
From Fast Company to this morning’s edition of the Today Show, 1% member Eco Optics is making waves. Called “the most socially responsible eyewear on the planet,” Eco Optics‘ eyeglasses and sunglasses are made of at least 95% recycled content recycled steel and plastic, and for each frame sold, the company plants one tree through 1% NGO partner Trees for the Future. America’s #1 morning show featured Eco Optics in a special Earth Day segment, and today only you can try the stylish and green shades for $30–77% off retail pricing
For this Friday’s installment of 1% member Earth Day activities, we’re happy to share an event that will make everyone wish they were in Montana on April 22!
In celebration of Earth Day and in keeping with an annual tradition, 1% member Sage Spa Living will be offering salon and spa services for a minimum donation of $25 to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Both Sage locations in Bozeman, MT and Billings, MT will be hosting events, and 100% of donations collected for services will be donated directly to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition with a goal of raising at least $5,000. Sage employees will be giving back too—about 40 beauty professionals will donate their time on Earth Day. Justin Bigart, Sage Spa Living co-founder says, “We have been doing Earth Day events with similar formats since founding the company in 2003 and have raised a total of over $20,000. The event is so popular with our guests and in the Bozeman/Billings, MT communities that we typically have people calling to book on “Earth Day” as early as January in anticipation of the day.”
If you live near Bozeman or Billings (or want to share with friends who do), additional details on Sage Spa Living’s Earth Day Event are right here!
You don’t spend your first day at most jobs wearing a blue and purple tie-dyed unitard. And sweat stains and labored breathing usually aren’t the norm when you meet the boss.
But most jobs aren’t like working at 1% for the Planet.
This weekend’s Sugarbush Triathlon marked the official beginning of summer recreation here in the Mad River Valley, and coincidentally, my first day as an employee of 1%.
Participants from around the valley and the state were out in force to run, paddle, bike and ski their way to eternal glory. The 1% team, decked in hand-dyed one-piece spandex suits generously donated by We Love Colors and yowies crafted by 1% member company Outdoor Technology was ready to take on the four-leg “triathlon” under blue skies.
3:00:35 after Melody sprinted across the starting line our team had covered more than 24 miles to post a respectable 7th place finish.
Perhaps distracted by sunshine, free chili and beer, our dual canoeing divas Grace and Leah were surprised to hear the announcer call their names during the award ceremony. Check out the photos of their sweet trophy paddles, received for finishing with the fastest tandem female canoe time! We’re proud of you, ladies.
After two weeks meandering my way from Jackson, Wyoming (where I’ve spent the past two winters) back to my home state of Vermont, I can’t imagine a better first day as a member of the 1% Tribe.
I’m delighted to be joining a team that shares my excitement about creating mutually beneficial relationships between responsible businesses and the planet, and a team that has a heck of a good time doing it. I’m looking forward to getting to know the remarkable people behind the businesses and non-profits that make our work possible.
I’m also pretty happy not to be wearing my unitard on day two.
As promised, we write today to follow up with our network about the Japan relief efforts being carried out by our nonprofit partners. Despite the difficult times that Japan is enduring, our partners in that area have been incredibly diligent with their updates, and for this we’re very appreciative – thank you!
For 1% member companies looking to use their donations to support relief efforts in Japan, please consider these groups:
All Hands Volunteers is a nonprofit partner who has recently announced their Project Tohoku - a relief effort that shall focus on debris clean up, resource allocation and working with the local communities to repair the damage.
World Wildlife Japan has decided to base their work efforts around the communities most heavily impacted by the tsunami. Funds raised will go to support coastal areas of the Tohoku and Kanto districts to assist victims to restore their living spaces.
Friends of the Earth Japan (FoE Japan) is beginning a fund that will support clean up and reconstruction efforts of the devastated Japanese villages.
**Our Patagonia correspondents are actively seeking out additional groups to support, and as more options become available, we will add updates to this post.
UPDATE 4.19.11: Lisa & Kenji have been away volunteering in Ishinomaki – one of the worst hit places – and are now back online. They’ve helped us identify a new nonprofit partner to whom you may donate your 1%:
Mori wa Umi no Koibito (“The Forest is the Ocean’s Love”). This group is based in Kesenuma (one of the worst damaged places due to the fire that started from the leaked fuel from overturned ships) and is working on relief efforts in and around their community.
We were also excited to learn of a new Chari-tee, created through a partnership between 1% member companies Econscious and Endurance Conspiracy. 100% of proceeds from the sales of the organic cotton tee will support Friends of the Earth and the Japanese Red Cross.
We thank you greatly for your patience and support during this time. As natural disasters come unexpectedly and often times at humbling magnitudes, each entail unique and mindful responses. In light of this tragedy, we recognize that as majority of our members are not in Japan, it can be difficult to decipher how best to give your support. Rest assured that we’re diligently utilizing our incredible global network to most confidently guide our members about how best to leverage their donations. With a strong network, we’re most aware and proud of the great potential our member companies and nonprofit partners withhold to significantly assist in the recovery efforts in Japan. Thank you for your support and be sure to check back for updates.
Though 1% members are more likely to fall into the ‘Make Everyday Earth Day’ category, April is when much of the rest of the world tunes in to environmental issues. We’re fortunate around this time of year to hear from many members about their Earth Day initiatives, and wanted to share some of their great ideas. We’ll start with a few here member initiatives, and will have posts throughout the month about goings on in the 1% network and how you can support member businesses and their NGO partners:
Ecomom, online retailer of products for a healthy family and home, has just kicked off their Healthy Home Makeover contest. They’ve partnered with dozens of companies, including fellow member Q Collection Junior, to create a $75,000 package of ‘ecomom approved’ products for a healthier and environmentally safe home. Would you like a chance to win? To enter, click here, upload a photo of your family and say why you deserve the Healthy Home Makeover. The winner will be chosen by an expert panel of judges at the end of April
VeeV, purveyor of delicious Acai spirits, is partnering with New York Tree Restoration Project to accelerate their goal of planting one million trees in NYC by 2017. Join VeeV fans in planting a tree with the click of a button when you post your “Toast to the Planet” on VeeV Açaí Spirit’s Facebook Page. When 50,000 toasts have been posted VeeV will plant 500 trees in New York City. Plus posting automatically puts you in the running for daily prizes and a grand prize that includes a trip to the Big Apple to attend NYRP’s 500,000 Tree Planted Ceremony.
Are you a member with a fun Earth Day partnership to share? Send it our way!
In honor of Japan and our development manager, Leah Cameron, who everyday pushes the use of haiku (and who has an upcoming birthday!), we have gone ahead with a haiku theme to welcome our March members:
Have a 1% haiku? Post it on our Facebook wall! We’ll send a free pair of member company Point6 socks to the haiku that gets the most “likes” by April 30th! Cheers!
