As you might have heard, this year we’re celebrating our 10th anniversary.  One of our big anniversary events will take place right here in our home town. We have joined forces with the Mad Marathon in Waitsfield, VT to create the first ever 1% for the Planet Mad Marathon designed to support the nonprofits and partnerships that protect the places we play.

WE WANT YOUR COMPANY HERE. Come celebrate the planet with us!

Save the date: Sunday, July 7, 2013 - Race Day
July 6th, 2013 – Kids run and 1% for the Planet (1% FTP) network meet-up

The marathon is a way to:

• -Grow our movement
• -Celebrate your company’s commitment, and
• -Raise funds for environmental organizations

There are three ways you can get involved:

1. Sponsor the race
There are various levels of sponsorship available.  Your sponsorship is considered a donation and part of your 1% FTP commitment for 2013.

• -be included in a virtual bag and a physical bag for participating runners
• -be highlighted in the 10th Anniversary marketplace grand opening

2. Donate product
If sponsorship is not in your company’s budget for this year, product donations for prizes and raffles are a great option. Remember, 25% of your company’s 1% annual commitment can be in-kind donations and/or employee volunteer time.

3. Run for a cause
Your company can support a nonprofit team by either running for or donating to them. Last year one nonprofit earned over $27,000! 1% FTP will also have a team fundraising on behalf of high impact partnerships in the region.

Next steps:

• -Email or call us at 802-496-5408. Please let us know if you have any questions and/or how you’d like to be involved
• -Join our event page on Facebook
• -Stay tuned for other ways to participate over that weekend

We’re looking forward to celebrating all that you do to support our network. Start your training!

Along with keeping a close eye on the weather, we’re also staying busy enrolling new members.  In recent weeks, KLEBER Taschen and Verdical Group have both been welcomed into the 1% for the Planet family.

Based in Esslingen, Germany, KLEBER Taschen is a unique provider of protective cases for electronic devices.  According to the company, they operate on the principle that “we have just one planet.”  KLEBER Taschen provides these products for all folks beyond the mainstream who want to issue a statement. The freshly handmade pop couture sleeves for iPad, Macbook air and iPhone are all produced using environmentally practices. “We always set great value on using environmentally friendly materials like canvas and wool. We have just one planet, which we have to protect.”  In addition to producing sustainable products, KLEBER Tashen uses a portion of sales to support the nonprofits that are part of the 1% for the planet network. A key component of their business model will be using this contribution to help make the world a little better.

We really appreciate these sentiments and couldn’t be happier to have then in the network.  If you’re looking for a new cover for your Ipad or Iphone, you should definitely check them out!

Verdical Group LLC is a green building consulting firm headquartered in Los Angeles and that was founded on the principle “Do good and do well.” Verdical Group adds value to each client’s projects by using green building strategies to create operational cost savings (energy and water), provide brand and marketing enhancement, and mitigate risk.

At Verdical Group, the consultants think from the owner’s perspective. Sustainability isn’t about employing green strategies that don’t make sense for your specific project. Verdical Group drives value through cost-benefit decision making. They think about the project budget as if it were their own and make recommendations that are in line with the clients stated goals and aspirations.

“As a corporate citizen, Verdical Group is proud to join 1% for the Planet as a member company that walks the talk. We are happy to show our commitment to the environment by contributing 1% of gross sales (not just profits) to environmental organizations. In this way, Verdical Group’s commitment to the environment is woven into the company’s DNA and is a cost of doing business rather than an after thought.”

Verdical Group just produced this short video about their business.  It’s a must watch!

Needless to say, Verdical Group really gets it.  They are making a difference for their clients, the community, and the environment.  If you haven’t already done so, you should take the time to check them out, especially if your business is considering LEED certification for your building or related green building services?  In addition to their website, you can find them on Facebook and Linkedin.

Imagine a more just and vibrant future that integrates vision, systems thinking, reflective conversation, and creative expression. This could mean working with coffee growers in Central America, providing farm apprenticeships in rural Vermont, or promoting green chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry.

This is the world that the Sustainability Leaders Network is working to achieve.

SLN Mission

The Sustainability Leaders Network trains both seasoned professionals and youth to be lifelong sustainability and social transformation champions. Members of the network are skilled in:

• - establishing alliances with diverse stakeholders
• - building shared vision for a just, sustainable, and peaceful future
• - identifying and addressing root causes of complex challenges

The Sustainability Leaders Network helps each individual work at their highest capacity over a lifetime and to deepen the impact of the network now.

Working on sustainability issues on a global level requires collaboration with a variety of partners.  The Sustainability Leaders Network collaborates with a range of organizations including: Cobb Hill Ecovillage, Cedar Mountain Farm CSA, Sustainable Food Lab, Biomimicry 3.8, and Climate Interactive.  Their key stakeholders are the members in their network and, by extension, members’ organizations and companies.

Photo Credit: Clemens Kalischer, 2009

Some of these include approved 1% for the Planet non-profit partners:

• - American Rivers - Protects and restores U.S. rivers, and the variety of life they sustain, for the benefit of people, fish and wildlife.
• - Center for Whole Communities - Leading a new movement for change – building healthy, whole communities by reweaving the connections among people, land and community.
• - Ocean Foundation – Supports, strengthens, and promotes organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world.

Successes to Date

Creating a more sustainable world is challenging, but the SLN is making progress.

• - The Fellows network consists of 80 professionals around the world, plus dozens of young leaders.
• - 90% report that the network has been essential to their professional growth.
• - 80% collaborate with other Fellows in their sustainability efforts.
• - Fellows work with and directly influence over 170,000 people and indirectly reach over 2 million through publications, presentations, and videos related to their efforts.

Success for SLN is a well-trained and connected network of diverse professionals and young people who increase their impact and effectiveness – individually and collectively – in bringing about the transition to sustainability.

For example, Fellow Tse-Sung Wu is leading GreenBioPharma at Genentech.  Drawing on his SLN training, he has helped lead a successful effort to reduce costs and benefit the environment in the research and development of medicines.

Here are just a few testimonials from SLN’s network of sustainability champions, participants:

“These practices have been phenomenal for me. This is probably the most caring, sensitive, deep thinking group I have experienced. The content regarding systems thinking, visioning, the area of coaching, and deep listening are my touch stones.”

“I still go back to the binder to look through and use the program material, both for my own learning and for training others. Mostly visioning, coaching, systems thinking and reflective conversation.”

“I see the fellowship as a continuing process, rather than something completed and over. I feel very appreciative of the ongoing learning, resources, and support in my professional life.”

Contact Edie Farwell, Executive Director, edie.farwell@gmail.com,  802-291-2896, with any additional questions.

With a carbon footprint comes a water footprint. Every time you turn on the light switch, not only are you consuming energy and adding to your carbon footprint, you are also increasing your water footprint. Electricity production requires tremendous volumes of water to power steam-generated turbines and to cool equipment. In fact, more than half the total water withdrawals in the U.S. each year feed our electrical grid. In some regions of the country, these withdrawals for electricity production are contributing to water stress.

The volume of water required depends upon the energy source. A recent study by The River Network, Burning Our Rivers: The Water Footprint of Electricity, estimates that it requires between zero and 231 gallons of water per megawatt-hour of electricity produced using wind and PV solar technology, and between 14,811 and 440,000 gallons per megawatt-hour for hydropower, coal and nuclear. On average, the water footprint of the electricity we use is about 42 gallons per kilowatt-hour (or 42,000 gallons per megawatt-hour), and the monthly energy use of the average household translates to nearly 40,000 gallons of water—five times the direct water use of that same household.

Conserving energy—turning off lights, insulating your hot water heater, and using Energy Star appliances—then, conserves water. This week’s Taking on Water Challenge is to switch out just one incandescent bulb for an energy-efficient LED or compact fluorescent one, saving about 42 gallons of water per week, or almost 2,200 gallons per year.

For more information see:

Burning Our Rivers: The Water Footprint of Electricity

See introductory information on the Taking on Water Challenge: Reduce your Water Footprint here, the Week 1 Challenge: Eat Less Meat here, and the Week 2 Challenge: Waste Less Food here. To enter to win the Taking on Water Challenge, pledge to decrease your water footprint by leaving a comment on Wendy’s blog.

Kathrin Griegel Business Consulting, owned by Kathrin Griegel, is a Frankfurt-based Consulting Company that provides sales support for entrepreneurs in search of new customers. Kathrin has 10 years of experience in marketing and sales. Her goal is to spread the idea that selling products and services does not have anything to do with forcing customers to buy.  “I really want to empower entrepreneurs to believe that you can be really successful in sales when you are using the right methods that correspond to your values and your experience. I offer day coaching to find out which sales strategy fits each individual entrepreneur best. It feels great to work with enthusiastic startups and see how their business grows and how quick they loose their fear of selling when they feel comfortable with their role as a sales person.”

Kathrin Greigel Business Consulting will be a wonderful resource for entrepreneurs in our network and beyond.  When the right sales techniques are blended with an emphasis on social and environmental sustainability, everyone has a lot to gain.  We welcome Kathrin to the network and are excited by the growing interest we are seeing from Germany based businesses.

Based in Courtenay, British Columbia, West Coast Expeditions is a marine ecology tour company with decades of experience.  West Coast Expeditions connects active minds and bodies with refreshing experiences on British Columbia’s rugged west coast. They do this specifically through sea kayaking and marine ecology tours in Kyuquot, a remote and little known gem off Northwestern Vancouver Island.  They are located beside British Columbia’s largest marine Ecological Reserve and share waters with Canada’s most dense population of sea otters.  Focused in this area for over 40 years, the wilderness retreat and tours are about the health and well being of their guests, the people of Kyuquot, and the area’s rich ecosystems and cultural landscape.

“We are excited to join the 1% for the Planet network – as a small ecotourism business it’s a natural fit and simply feels right:  West Coast Expeditions has long contributed more than 1% of gross revenues toward marine stewardship and wilderness conservation in coastal BC.  As part of the 1% for the Planet family, we will deepen our support for the vital work of the Wilderness Tourism Association of BC, Georgia Strait Alliance, Watershed Sentinel, BC Nature, Ecojustice Canada, and David Suzuki Foundation.  The threats and pressures to coastal environments seem greater than ever.  Our youngest guide, Morgan (age 5), succinctly makes the case: “I love nature and I don’t want it to ever, ever die.”  We feel privileged to offer wilderness experiences and financial support that helps to further embed Morgan’s innocently necessary wisdom in peoples’ hearts, minds, and actions.”

At the 1% office, we spent some time – maybe a little too much time – salivating over the amazing trips that West Coast Expeditions offer.  Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to get out and visit in the near future.  We love what these guys are doing and are thrilled to have them in the network!  Keep up the good work.

It takes tremendous volumes of water to produce our food. In fact, in the U.S., agriculture accounts for some 80 percent of our country’s consumptive water use. This means that when we waste food, we waste water. A recent study in the U.K. calculated that embedded water in food waste within the country accounted for one and a half times the volume of water people actually used in their homes.

Estimates of U.S. food waste range from 14 to 50 percent of all food produced for domestic sale and consumption. Much of this food is tossed in the garbage because it is past its sell-by date (which is often mistakenly believed to represent the date food should be eaten by), not as fresh as it once was, or because consumers purchased more food than they could eat and allowed food to spoil.

The implications of our carelessness are rather stunning: these foods end up in landfills, where they produce untold amounts of potent methane, a gas twenty-three times more effective in trapping heat in our atmosphere than carbon dioxide. (Indeed, landfills account for 34 percent of our total methane emissions.) Wasted food also means wasted money, with the average family of four losing $590 each year to food waste. We are also unnecessarily depleting soils and using tons of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides for foods that are never eaten. It is estimated that fully one-quarter of U.S. water consumption is used to produce this wasted food.

Finally, as estimated in a study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the energy required to produce this discarded food is on the order of three hundred million barrels of oil a year. As reported in New Scientist magazine, this is (now hold onto your hat!) more than is extracted annually from the oil and gas reserves off our shores.

You can change this by making a shopping list, buying only what you need, using up what’s in the fridge and the pantry (with lots of creative recipes available to use up wilting vegetables), and serving smaller amounts. For food that does go to waste, compost it to return nutrients and energy to the soil rather than sending it to the landfill, where it will decompose to methane and carbon dioxide, further contributing to global change.

By not wasting food this week, you can reduce your water footprint by about 667 gallons. By continuing this practice, you can save nearly 35,000 gallons of water in a year.

Follow these links for more discussion about:

The Implications of Food Waste

The Water Footprint of Food Waste in the U.K.

Ideas for Using Up Foods on the Edge:

9 Foods You Can Bring Back from the Dead

Recipes for Leftovers

See introductory information on the Taking on Water Challenge: Reduce your Water Footprint here and the Week 1 Challenge: Eat Less Meat here. To enter to win the Taking on Water Challenge, pledge to decrease your water footprint by leaving a comment on Wendy’s blog.

When we’re not negotiating the fickle New England weather, we’re also busy enrolling new business members to the 1% for the Planet network.  Neither sleet, nor snow, nor rain will keep the movement from growing.  During the last month, both Norwegian Flyfishers Club and Boldt Communications joined the ranks and we couldn’t be happier to have them!

Norwegian Flyfishers Club (NFC) is a flyfishing outfitter on the Gaula River in Norway.  They operate over 10 km of pristine fly water on the famous Gaula River. NFC was founded over 25 years ago and is considered to be the group that spearheaded catch-and-release fishing on the Gaula, with a C&R rate of well over 65%.  As of May 2012, Per Arneberg and Enrico Cristiani assumed NFC’s ownership and management. The Gaula is one of Norway’s last remaining wild, unregulated (undammed) big-salmon rivers, with an average salmon weight over 20lbs. NFC is committed to the protection of the river’s watershed as well as the wild Atlantic salmon stock which inhabit this river. The company’s aim is to continue to support wild Atlantic salmon conservation initiatives such as the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, Redd Villaksen, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.  In addition, the company will work closely with local conservation initiatives to implement stricter river regulations, to end the netting of wild salmon in the Trondheim fjord, and to help regulate the salmon farming industry. Per and Enrico believe that there is much hope for the continued survival and growth of the Norwegian wild Atlantic salmon population in the Gaula watershed.

The NFC is excited to be able to be a part of the 1% for the Planet team and excited to see what sort of environmentally active partnerships they will be able to establish through this connection.

Boldt Communications Inc. is a boutique marketing communications agency based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. As the firm likes to say, “while we’re not a sustainability consulting firm per se - which you can pretty much find around almost every corner in Vancouver – we’ve always lived our values in how we do business, and work with individuals and firms who share our values.

While we attended a seminar on 1% for the Planet about a year ago – and heard about it because our local sustainable cooperative, Mountain Equipment Co-op, was a member – the true inspiration to join the movement came around the holidays in 2012. When our company was smaller, we’d distribute holiday gifts in the form of handmade cookies – made with love to show love to those we work with. This year – with 26 clients under our belt in 2012 – the cookie plan wasn’t really viable anymore….so we needed to find another way to show our clients our appreciation while also showing them what we care about as a company.

With that in mind, we made a donation to the Georgia Strait Alliance (an organization our president Lesli Boldt is on the board of, and an approved non-profit with 1% for the Planet). And that got us thinking: instead of making a lump sum donation to a non-profit once a year, why don’t we join a larger business-led movement for change, while having someone else – in this case, 1% for the Planet – help do the work for us. And here we are, as new members.

We already work with a range of environmental non-profit clients, in addition to our private and public sector clients. And by joining 1% for the Planet, we’re sending a broader message to all our present and future clients about who we are, what we believe in and how we do business. And since telling that story is really what Boldt Communications is all about, we see 1% for the Planet as a perfect fit.”

We thank the folks at Boldt Communications for the kind words and we really appreciate the value they see in joining a movement of like-minded businesses that are trying to do what is right for the environment.  We realize more and more everyday that we can truly accomplish more together than we could do alone.

What goes around comes around. The Golden Rule. Karma. This basic tenant of the world’s religions and philosophers has translated into a business strategy that is driving strong financial success for more than 1000 companies that are members of 1% for the Planet.

Members of the global 1% for the Planet network commit to investing at least 1% of annual revenue with non profit organizations focused on environmental stewardship and sustainability.

“A key pillar of the Patagonia Footwear brand is our commitment to sustainability,” said Sue Harvey Brown, Marketing Manager for Patagonia Footwear. “We’ve taken our membership in 1% for the Planet to another level by also creating the Advocate collection of 1% for the Planet co-branded footwear which has been very successful. Our Advocate Weeks program empowers the employees of our retailers to select local environmental organizations that receive funding from the program, which in turn has helped to engage consumers and help our participating retail partners achieve significant sales increases over comparable periods. It’s clear that our 1% for the Planet commitment resonates with the consumers and employees that we reach through these programs.”

Between 2009 and 2011 companies that were members of 1% for the Planet saw a combined revenue growth above 20%, compared to less than 2% growth of US GDP over that same period.

“As 1% for the Planet enters its 10^th year and celebrates more than $100 million given to environmental causes by member businesses, we are also celebrating the financial success of our member companies,” said 1% for the Planet CEO Terry Kellogg. “Our global business movement is proving that giving back to the environment is a sound business strategy that inspires consumers and employees while addressing critical environmental issues.”

Why does giving money away to environmental causes drive financial success for a company? There’s no single answer, as every company approaches sustainability in different ways.  Many companies focus on cleaning up their internal operations and supply chain, others focus on supporting community organizations that their employees and customers care about. The best follow both of these paths.

“Klean Kanteen was founded in response to an environmental issue, namely pollution from single use plastic food and beverage containers, so it was a natural fit for us to join the 1% for the Planet movement as a way to ensure our stakeholders of our level of commitment,” said co-owner of Klean Kanteen Jeff Cresswell. “We know that consumers are skeptical of environmental claims with so much green-washing in the marketplace, but we also know that consumers are looking for the business world to provide real solutions to environmental issues. Our membership in 1% for the Planet is one of the ways we inspire our employees and consumers to be the change they wish to see in the world. We’re convinced that we’re on the right path, and the success of our company and the 1% for the Planet movement are strong testaments to that.”

But whether a company focuses their sustainability investments internally or externally, a critical factor is credibility. If the customers and employees are convinced that a company’s environmental commitment is solid, instead of an attempt at green-washing, consumer and employee loyalty and engagement can become fundamental drivers of business success.

“A consumer is smart enough to know that when he buys a bottle of tropical fruit juice and on it is says a percentage of the price of this product will go to saving the rainforest, what does that mean?” said 1% for the Planet co-founder Yvon Chouinard. “What does a percentage mean? It means nothing. And they know that. But when you say 1% of sales, you can’t fake it.”

It’s not quite a 30 second spot during the Super Bowl, but we wanted to provide some super promotion to new 1% for the Planet member businesses Ethan Abramson and Happy Yogis.

Ethan Abramson is a New York based furniture company founded in 2008. Using Traditional and Modern techniques it produces its own line of furniture as well as builds custom commissions for people and pets. Whenever possible, wood from reclaimed sources or sustainable foresting is used. Designs and shop techniques are built around the idea of minimal waste, re-purposing, and environmentally conscious production methods.  Ethan Abramson is proud to join with 1% and the 1% community to help better the world we live in.

We also want to welcome Happy Yogis, owned by Elle Griffin.  Located in Fairfax, California, Happy Yogis provides the support and training that it takes to improve personal wellness.  In her own words, Ells says, “I am a wellness coach and yoga instructor on a mission to improve health and happiness the world over. It starts with my business, through my three-month wellness revolution, yoga where you want it, and my blog: HappyYogis.com. But I also want health for more than just my clients. My goal is to contribute to the health of our community at large by eventually donating 10% of my revenue to the causes I support. One percent for the Planet is the first step for me and I’m so excited to give some love to the earth we live on! This beauty is worth preserving and I’m so excited to be part of that!”  We love Elle’s commitment to both people and the planet.  That is an amazing goal and we hope you’re able to achieve everything your striving for.

Thanks again to super new members Ethan Abramson and Happy Yogis.   We look forward to building these partnerships through 2013 and beyond.

Supporting healthy waters is critical to protecting public health, the economy, the well-being of people, and the environment.  The work being done in New England is a testament to how successful these efforts can be.  Renowned for its spectacular scenery, recreational opportunities, and significance to regional communities, Lake Champlain is one of New England’s most valuable treasures.  Resting between New York and Vermont, Lake Champlain supports an invaluable natural ecosystem and is an essential component of the region’s economy.  Lake Champlain International (LCI) motivates people to take actions that protect these shared water resources throughout the Lake Champlain watershed.

 Lake Champlain:

• The sixth largest freshwater lake in the country
• Collects water from Vermont and New York, and spans into Quebec, Canada
• Supplies drinking water for more than 200,000 people
• Supports 81 fish species, 300 bird species, and is a world-class fishery; named a top 5 bass fishing lake in the country and is renowned for its lake trout and salmon fishing
• $3.8 billion in tourism expenditures within the Lake Champlain Basin

LCI Mission

Lake Champlain International (LCI) is actively involved in shaping the future of Lake Champlain’s water and fisheries health for the well-being of the people who depend on it today and tomorrow.  To protect, restore, and revitalize Lake Champlain and its communities, LCI educates, advocates, and motivates to ensure that Lake Champlain is swimmable, drinkable, and fishable, understanding that healthy water resources are essential for a healthy economy and a healthy community.

 Successes to Date

• Received the prestigious EPA Environmental Merit Award for continuous Lake Champlain protection successes

• Played a major role in acquiring nearly $3 million of federal funds for Lake Champlain conservation projects
• 31st Annual Father’s Day Fishing Derby brought nearly 5,800 anglers from 24 states, resulting in millions of dollars in economic activity within the Lake Champlain Basin community
• Reached thousands of Lake Champlain Basin residents to participate in the nationally recognized and ongoing BLUE^® certification program, resulting in the prevention of urban water pollution runoff
• Established the Blue Coalition, a statewide and growing collaborative of diverse interests promoting the urgent need for investments in clean water

Challenges to LCI’s work

• Agricultural and urban runoff continues to be the primary sources of excess phosphorus
• The spread of non-native nuisance species degrades fisheries and recreational opportunities
• Antiquated dams block fish passage within our rivers preventing natural reproduction
• Lack of public knowledge and awareness of Lake Champlain’s threats causes insufficient public participation with solutions and involvement with the issues

Call to Action

• Just BLUE^® It!  The BLUE^® Certification program works directly with homeowners, businesses, and institutes to certify their homes, properties, products, and services as river and lake friendly through adopting simple practices that reduce water pollution runoff.

• Join the Coalition.  The statewide Blue Coalition is a united collaborative of a diverse array of nonprofit organizations, businesses, and private groups that broadcasts the need for strong investments in Vermont’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and water protection.

• Let your voice be heard. LCI frequently leads meetings and events with elected and appointed officials that focus on specific issues and solutions resulting in changing priorities in favor of protecting our society’s basic need for clean water.  LCI’s leaders educate community groups through interactive presentations about the importance of clean waters and healthy fisheries. You can learn more here.

Supporting a healthy lake, water resources, and fisheries will help to ensure that the wide-ranging benefits of these resources will remain viable for generations to come.  Please consider donating directly to Lake Champlain International if clean water and healthy fisheries are your concerns.

Contact Ross Saxton, LCI’s Director of Conservation & Education, ross@mychamplain.net, 802-879-3466 with any further questions

“Lake Champlain International has been instrumental in securing the future of Lake Champlain.  All of us who enjoy its waters every year are very grateful for your dedication…Many thanks for the work that you do.”  -Senator Patrick Leahy

“I want to extend my appreciation to you and your team at Lake Champlain International for the tremendous work you have done in promoting, advocating for and defending Lake Champlain, and the many benefits it provides to the State of Vermont.”   -Governor Jim Douglas

“Lake Champlain International is thinking creatively about how to engage the community in protecting water quality, making the lake safe for recreation and fishing.”   -Senator Bernie Sanders

“Lake Champlain International does a tremendous job promoting and encouraging the care and conservation of Lake Champlain … Your efforts will help ensure Lake Champlain remains healthy for future generations.”  -Governor Peter Shumlin