For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the details of 1% membership, it involves making a very significant commitment to the environment. Every business in our network commits to giving 1% of annual revenue to approved nonprofit partners. That’s right 1% of revenue, not profit. More so than most other businesses, these are the companies that are going above and beyond and creating positive environmental change that affects us all. Two companies that recently made this commitment are Away with Geese and Elusive.
Away With Geese is a family-owned and operated goose deterrent company that offers the only goose deterrent products on the market that are satisfaction guaranteed. Our products are environmentally friendly, humane, maintenance free, and covered by a warranty. They feature a solar-powered light that is scarcely noticeable to humans but is very disruptive to the sleep of the geese, causing them to find another habitat after just a few restless nights. We are excited to become a member of 1% For the Planet to support the work of organizations that are working to restore and preserve the natural habitats where geese can reside, free of human conflict. We are looking forward to building partnerships and bolstering the work of such important environmental organizations.
Independent clothing & lifestyle brand Elusive also recently partnered with 1% for the Planet.
Founder of Elusive, Nick Clewer states “It makes perfect sense to support 1% for the Planet. Knowing that a percentage of our sales goes towards the sustainability of our planet was a no brainer for us. It makes our commitment transparent and I’m sure more companies will follow. We are really excited to be part of this global network of likeminded organisations and the opportunities it will bring for our brand.”
Make sure to take a look at the great assortment of casual clothing and accessories available at Elusive’s website. We’re psyched to have them as part of the 1% family!
Thank you Pura Vida Bracelets! Pura Vida’s 1% for the Planet Love Blue bracelets are almost here and we can’t wait!
Pura Vida is producing our special edition, 1% FTP LOVE BLUE bracelet to anchor their ‘Enviro-Causes Line,’ with 50% of all proceeds from the LOVE BLUE bracelet being donated back to the organization. They even made a custom charm for it.
This is just one example of all the amazing work they do with their bracelets. Almost three years ago, two friends created Pura Vida Bracelets after stumbling across amazing hand-made bracelets in Costa Rica while on a surf trip. Each bracelet sold helps to provide full-time jobs to over 30 local artisans in Costa Rica. The hard work that goes into making each bracelet represents the dedication and respect for the beautiful land that we all live in.
But they wanted to do even more. In response they created the ‘Charity Collection’ to give back. “Our Charity Giving Program has grown enormously over the last year and we have no intention of slowing down. Our goal is to be able to support 100’s of additional organizations and share with the world our cause!” says Co-Founder Paul Goodman. To date, Pura Vida Bracelets has been able to raise thousands of dollars for over 150 different charities.
When you buy a Pura Vida bracelet, you are not just buying a product, you are buying a cause and a way of life. Enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune and not taking anything for granted embodies the Pura Vida Lifestyle
Visit www.puravidabracelets.com to get your very own Pura Vida Bracelet and learn more about their charity giving program, cause and story.
When I started Dawn Patrol back in 2010, it began with the idea of offering people a product that was smarter and better than what they were currently being offered. When it comes to marketing, surfers are often included with the ‘extreme sports’ crowd and I’ve always felt that was sort of off-the-mark. I feel we’re a different kind of athlete. Companies that market energy drinks and other energy products seem to do so in a general, all-encompassing, one-size-fits-all manner. They claim their product will make you ‘better’ at everything, whether a person skateboards, snowboards, surfs, rides a motorcycle, drives a race car, base jumps, etc. After hearing one-too-many of their marketing claims, I set out to create a product that actually did what they all claim to do, but backed up by science and results instead of commercials. By choosing scientifically-proven ingredients that specifically address the physical needs of a surfer, Dawn Patrol boosts performance, energy and endurance, without the questionable stimulants, sugars, and other ingredients found in other ‘energy’ products.
The appeal of joining an organization like 1% for the Planet is a natural one for me. Before I ever thought about trying to run a business, I was thinking about how I could help my local community. I learned from an early age that volunteer work, beach clean-ups, fundraisers, and petitions were all tools I could use to affect positive change in my community. It is also a great way to meet awesome people and get involved with great causes. Whether it was hitting the beach at dawn to clean up litter or transforming a beat-up patch of dirt at a local park into a fresh flowerbed, the fulfillment I gained from making a positive physical change to my community gave me such a valuable sense of purpose. It was like nutrition for my soul. Accordingly, when I started my company, my guiding mantra was “Save the Planet, Feed Your Soul”.
Shortly after I joined 1% FTP, I was contacted by the Ocean River Institute. They provide individuals around the world with specific opportunities to make a difference saving wildlife, protecting ecosystems, in environmental education, science, and conservation. They mentioned at the time they were working on legislation in Florida to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous pollution in its waterways. More specifically, the Indian River Lagoon. That happens to be where I grew up. I spent a lot of my childhood fishing, boating, and wakeboarding in the Indian and Banana rivers. This group was doing the same work that I used to do locally, but in a bigger, better, more effective way. ORI works with local lawmakers and representatives to positively influence legislation that brings healthy change to these affected areas. They do the same for ecosystems and wildlife all across the country. Supporting ORI with my 1% FTP membership gives me the same sense of purpose and fulfillment I get from helping my community locally. I had their logo added to our label in efforts to raise awareness and support of the organization and I always enjoy a new opportunity to spread the good word about them.
Thank you 1% FTP for giving me the opportunity to discover and support such a great organization. (You’re welcome- thanks for your support!)
Natasha from The Organic Whey painted a beautiful picture of why they are committed to our network…
The Organic Whey decided to give 1% of our revenue to the Agricultural Institute of Marin because their mission is completely aligned with ours. Since most of the founders of The Organic Whey come from a family of farmers, our company was started with two objectives:
1) Supporting small family farms who have dedicated their lives to sustainable farming and being the stewards of the soil which gives us our food and even has the potential of taking care of excess greenhouse gases.
2) Help in creating consumers who are concerned and aware of their food sources and those who are involved in growing it. This would eventually reduce the prices of organic foods and making nutritious food available to everyone.
After doing a lot of research, we found that Agricultural Institute of Marin was the closest regional organization which was bringing consumers closer to nutritious food available at their 8 farmer’s markets. What was crucial in this decision was that they accept food stamps (WIC/EBT) at all of their eight farmer’s markets. We feel that it is very important for people using WIC to have access to the most nutritious food available. Women, infants and children are the future of our society.
BottlesUp is glad to be part of the 1% for the Planet community. We believe that environmental initiatives start right at home, one step at a time. With our 75% recycled glass water bottles that contain no plastic in the product or packaging, we start to help reduce the 38 billion(!) single use plastic water bottles used in the US each year. Our beautiful and sturdy bottles help make the pledge of awareness about how we impact our planet.
Glass designer Laurel Herter knows about the importance of biodiversity. Her own commitment as a steward of our natural world began at a very young age, spending thousands of hours haunting the rivers and streams of New England with an obsessed fly fisherman father.
As a former graphic artist for hydrologists in the Bay Area and The Habitat Restoration Group in Santa Cruz, Laurel knew about Save Our Shores and the great work they do.
Our 1% FTP contribution to Save Our Shores was a natural choice.
Save Our Shores is the Central Coast leader in caring for the marine environment through ocean awareness, advocacy and citizen action. Their core initiatives are Plastic Pollution, Clean Boating, and Ocean Awareness. Over the last 30 years, Save Our Shores helped to establish the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and worked to prevent offshore oil drilling and cruise ship pollution. Today they focus on educating youth about local watersheds, tackle pollution on our beaches and rivers, and advocate for plastic-free communities.
Save Our Shores is an advocate in the community for local bans on single-use plastic bags and polystyrene containers, and work to protect the most valuable resource on the Central Coast – the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Charles, David, Karen, and Joanna from czb, LLC explain why their urban planning and neighborhood development consulting firm joined 1% for the Planet…
At czb, our clients are cities trying to become healthier, both fiscally and otherwise. For strong cities we advise, like Boulder, Park City, and Santa Fe, the work is about becoming more equitable, and in the process of addressing affordable housing needs, reducing congestion and commuting impacts on the environment. For struggling clients, like Bridgeport, CT, Stockton, CA, and Canton, OH, it’s about becoming more competitive and retaining strong households, which involves adaptive reuse of materials, working within a finite boundary, and growing demand.
It was natural for us to join 1% for the Planet. When we see what 1% FTP members are doing and what beneficiary nonprofits are able to do with 1% proceeds, we could not not join! The inspirational work of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, River Keeper, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and so many more organizations not only compliment our work, but also reinforce our values at czb and extend our reach and impact. As planners and strategists, we can accomplish many things for communities. In planning for and then executing an annual contribution to 1% FTP, we deepen our impact.
2013 is the fourth year that czb has been a proud member of 1% for the Planet. Small as we are, we think every bit counts, and we are exciting to keep adding a little bit at a time.
John from The Crash Pad tells us why he is committed to the 1% for the Planet network…
The Crash Pad: An Uncommon Hostel is a small, 3000 sq. ft hostel, tucked away in the bustling Southside neighborhood of Chattanooga, TN. Our 24 Super Bunks and 6 private rooms can only generate so much revenue per night, but we make it a point to contribute to the 1% for the Planet program.
We first heard about 1% for the Planet in Yvon Chouinard’s memoir, Let My People Go Surfing. We were inspired by his story, his philosophy on business, and the ways that businesses should interact with the resources and the community around it.
Since our founding in June 2011, our 1% for the Planet contributions have gone to Wild Trails, a Chattanooga-based non-profit. Their mission is to protect, foster, and educate people about one of the things that make this town so special: our trail systems.
To understand why we give to Wild Trails, one must first understand the history of The Crash Pad. Our first 4 staff members are all transplants from the northeast, and the reason why we all moved down here was for limitless rock climbing and how close it all is to city living. We leave the hostel, and in 10 minutes, we’re at Sunset Rock. 25 minutes, we arrive at Stone Fort (Little Rock City, as it’s locally known), a world-class bouldering destination. 45 minutes, we could find ourselves at Foster Falls and the Fiery Gizzard Trail, home to some of the South’s most classic sport climbing lines and incredible hiking trails.
We participate in 1% for the Planet because we can further engrain ourselves into the Chattanooga community. We do it because it fits right in line with one of our core values: to give back to the communities in which we serve. We give because we want to make the world a better place. We do it because it’s the right thing to do.
Thanks for sharing your story, John, and providing an awesome place to stay in Chattanooga for everyone who LOVES BLUE!
Mel Badgett, 1% COO, Charles & Ali Banks of Cultivate, Dick Parsons of Il Palazzone, and Terry Kellogg, 1% CEO
As a beautiful May day drew to a close in Manhattan, 1% for the Planet hosted a wonderful event for its NYC area members, partners, and supporters. The event highlighted delicious wines made by two of our member companies, Il Palazzone Vineyard and Cultivate Wines, and engaged the ninety folks in attendance with the inspiring stories behind those companies.
Dick Parsons, formerly CEO of Time Warner and Citigroup, has now moved on to greener, more satisfying pastures as owner of Il Palazzone Vineyard. He spoke to the crowd about realizing that the seemingly inconsequential honeybees and butterflies were absolutely critical to pollination of the plants providing grapes for his wines. Giving back to the environment was a simple decision for him and he liked how he got to pick The Pesticide Action Network as a recipient. 1% for the Planet provided “a perfect marriage of the opportunity to put something back into the environment and a business story.”
Charles and Ali Banks, the founders of Cultivate Wines and previously the owners of Screaming Eagle wine, also told a compelling tale. After selling Screaming Eagle, they asked themselves: “What do we want to cultivate in our own life? What do we more of? The answer was more love, more joy, more celebration around the table, and we want more time with our friends and our family. Isn’t that what everyone wants? Out of that question, Cultivate was born.” Charles said that at the core of Cultivate was a decision to give back to the world and make it a better place and that lead to the impressive decision to build a 10% of sales donation into the Cultivate business plan.
To paraphrase Charles Banks: “There is a whole new generation of businesses that have something more at their heart and soul than just a drive for profits. And in the wine business, we talk about sustainability all the time – without all those bees and butterflies we aren’t sustainable, but we need to make a profit too, so the two concepts are intertwined. 1% for the Planet provides the bridge between the two worlds. When Yvon Chouinard tells you that what you are doing is cool, there is nothing more amazing than that!”
In addition to these speakers, there were many representatives from the 1% network including folks from Harney and Sons Fine Teas, Make Things Matter, Juice Generation, Caudalie, Nature’s Equity, Scenic Hudson, Waterkeeper Alliance, La Matera, Green Bronx Machine, Flavorpill, Apartment Therapy Media, IOBY, and many other.
The wines were fabulous, the appetizers locally sourced, the setting was lovely with evening sunset streaming in, and the audience was abuzz with conversation and inspiration.
It is difficult to fit all of the reasons why I have partnered with Endangered Species International and 1% for the Planet into one short story, but I will give it a go.
1% FTP gives businesses an opportunity to contribute to organizations that are truly making a differences by evaluating their performance. There is a sea of organizations and we cannot possibly evaluate each one. The service that 1% FTP provides is invaluable. Thank you! (You’re welcome!)
Partnering with ESI was easy, my interest is in saving endangered species. I am a biologist by training, but have been interested in the natural world since I was very little, selling wild flowers for a quarter and fishing in the lake with a string on a stick. I want future generations to have the same opportunity to explore our natural world. We are only a part of the greater organism that supports us. The most vulnerable species are telling use we are endangering ourselves and we must make changes.
Rain forests are being cut down at a rate of about 1 1/2 football fields per hour for the production of palm oil. Nearly every soap product is manufactured with plantation palm oil, even ‘natural’ soaps that claim to be made from sustainable ingredients. Sandalwood trees harvested for essential oil production, for scenting soaps and cosmetics, have become nearly extinct in India. Rosewood trees in Brazil and the Cedar Atlas trees in Morocco are in a similar situation. The Argan trees are threatened due to oil production for the cosmetic industry. Clay is mined from sensitive ecosystems for the soap and cosmetic industries. The common link to these and many more similar issues is that they are causing the disappearance of many amphibian species that are the indicators of our environmental health. About 40% of amphibians are threatened or endangered.
What is the true cost of the products we consume? I believe the one thing I can do to make a difference is to educate the consumer about the impact their use of soap has on the ecosystems where the ingredients are harvested. ESI and 1% FTP have given my business the opportunity to provide value beyond just a bar of soap.
David Simms, the president of ElectionsOnline.us weighs in on why he has supported Trout Unlimited for years! Thanks for your commitment to our network!
As a native of Charleston, WV, I attended a Fly Fishing School sponsored by the West Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited in 1979 when I was only 13 years old. Three days of instruction culminated with our instructors taking us onto a local trout stream. In my case, Shavers Fork of the Cheat River. One very willing brook trout later, and I’ve been hooked, pun very much intended, ever since. “Very willing” because as a neophyte I was not quite so adept at setting the hook as I would become after years of experience, but this particular brook trout seemed very forgiving and kept coming back until I was able to set the hook and land him.
That experience led to me becoming a lifetime member of Trout Unlimited and participating in the many projects spearheaded by their Kanawha Valley Chapter (KVCTU) based in Charleston, WV. Such projects included stream cleanups, habitat restoration, and their flagship program of fingerling brown trout stockings managed in close cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources. When I moved to Washington, DC in 2000 to accept a job as the web developer for the District of Columbia Bar, and soon thereafter founded ElectionsOnline, I no longer had the ability to contribute time to the KVCTU‘s mission. What I did have though was a company with the means to contribute 1% of its revenue to help fund the many projects to which I had for years been participating. When I learned about 1% for the Planet, I think on the NBC evening news, I thought it would be the perfect vehicle through which I could continue to contribute to Trout Unlimited while also having a formal program through which I could demonstrate corporate responsibility to my clients.
ElectionsOnline continues to be an industry leader with a bright future and looks forward to many more years of donations to the KVCTU which has recently undergone a name change to the Ernie Nester Chapter of Trout Unlimited. So named for one of its founding members who dedicated his life to the organization’s mission.
