Are you looking for some weekend fun? This Saturday, May 5th, 1% for the Planet will be participating in 350.org’s Climate Impacts Day and we want you to participate too! Climate Impacts Day is a day to draw attention to and connect the dots between climate change and the extreme weather that the world has faced in recent years. There will be thousands of events around the world, click here to find one in your area. We are challenging all of our members to be involved in some way, by spreading the word, organizing an event, or attending one.
Photo courtesy of 350.org
Each event will feature different techniques of getting our message out. The gathering in our hometown, Waitsfield, VT, will feature a rally and speeches from Bill McKibben, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Governor Peter Shumlin. 1% is proud to sponsor such a great event and we hope that everyone within our network (and anyone else!) will have the opportunity to show up and help the world connect the dots!
If you’re a member or non-profit partner and have photos or stories from the event please feel free to upload them to our Facebook page, Twitter, or Pinterest afterward!
We are excited to introduce ioby, an innovative non-profit partner, to the 1% community! ioby – the opposite of NIMBY – was created to get people who want to do something meaningful for the environment involved with local projects. Read on to learn more about a great opportunity to support ioby!
ioby’s crowdsourcing platform exemplifies the local connection that we encourage all of our community to take part in! ioby.org combines the tools of social media with citizen philanthropy to power environmental action in urban centers. Since their founding, they have seen the successful completion of nearly 150 community-driven, neighbor-funded projects in NYC’s five boroughs. Their web platform is a groundbreaking tool for change and has been written up recently in Fast Company, Outside Magazine, Wall Street Journal and Mother Nature News.
On ioby, anyone with a good idea for change in their neighborhood can post their community gardening, bicycling, park or waterfront project online to collect tax-deductible donations, connect with local volunteers and share ideas in the likeminded community. On average, micro-donors contribute $35 to projects and live within 2 miles of the project site.
ioby is growing. This Earth Day, April 22, ioby is running a dollar-for-dollar match campaign for all donations to projects, in increments up to $22. There are currently 97 (and counting!) live projects on ioby, where organizations are fundraising for all kinds of local environmental projects, from open streets to park festivals to urban farms in vacant lots. This past Valentine’s Day, ioby ran a Neighborhood Love match campaign and raised $42,000 in matched micro-donations in 24 hours, these funds helped fully fund more than a dozen great projects.
ioby is looking for a business partner to help sponsor their Earth Day match, and they hope to work with a company who cares about the same mission, who loves the planet and its people and wants to help catalyze thousands of citizen projects in cities across the country. Ioby is seeking sponsors who can contribute $5,000-$20,000 to this campaign. Businesses that helped sponsor their Valentine’s Day match received a huge amount of publicity because of the almost 350,000 followers of ioby’s social media networks!
If you’re a business member and still looking for non-profits to give your 1% to, partnering with ioby would be a great way to support a broad range of projects that make a huge difference, and to get some great visibility too! Drop Erin (ED at ioby, erin@ioby.org) a line for more information about being a cosponsor.
We are excited to welcome ioby to the 1% Team and wish them a very happy (early) Earth Day!
Imagine a place where there are no roads, and instead people travel by water. A place where bears and wolves roam the land, while killer and humpback whales swim around the sea. This place, the Great Bear Rainforest, is home to communities whose cultures stretch back many millennia on this coast. This intact temperate rainforest is punctuated by mountains and fjords, and strewn with hundreds of islands along the western coast of British Columbia. Today, ecotourism is one of the leading elements of the emerging conservation economy in the Great Bear Rainforest and 1% member Maple Leaf Adventures has been leading the way since the early 1990s.
Tour companies in the region, like Maple Leaf Adventures, take small groups of guests for multi-day trips by boat among the fjords and islands. Bear viewing and whale watching with expert guides are key features, as is walking the rainforest and learning about the area’s natural and cultural history. This area is so rich with wildlife because of all the work conservation organizations do. Conservation focused businesses and scientists have a symbiotic relationship, because conserved areas allow ecotourism to bloom. At the same time, conservation groups benefit when coastal businesses can generate incomes without clear-cut logging, mining or otherwise destroying the Great Bear Rainforest.
One of the most instrumental organizations in this effort is 1% recipient Raincoast Conservation Foundation, which has made some substantial scientific discoveries regarding the Great Bear Rainforest. They have done research on the salmon-eating, ocean-swimming wolves of the area, the abundance of marine mammals in its waters, the discovery of hundreds of salmon spawning streams, and much more. Raincoast scientists are willing to meet Maple Leaf guests in the field and take time to discuss their research. Maple Leaf (and many of their guests) donate money to support the scientific, education, and policy work Raincoast does, along with its advocacy work.
Connections, like the one between Maple Leaf and Raincoast, are very important to this region because they help protect the land from potentially detrimental projects. There is a proposal to run massive oil tankers through the treacherous waters of the Great Bear Rainforest to “more easily” transport tar sands oil from northern Alberta to Asia. It is essential to the region that this does not happen because of the high likelihood of an oil spill that could be much worse than even the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989.
By signing up for a trip with Maple Leaf Adventures, you are helping Raincoast document what is at stake on this beautiful coast, educate the public, and evaluate and intervene in the process for this proposal! For every person who books selected* adventures from now until April 30th through 1% for the Planet, Maple Leaf will donate an additional $400 to Raincoast**! How can you say no to the possibility of seeing a bear in the Great Bear Rainforest or spectacular whales in Haida Gwaii?
Although I do not share an extreme interest in cycling with many of my co-workers at 1%, Cycle The Sierra sounds like a great event and even I would consider doing it! As you make your summer plans, you should consider taking part in 1% member event Cycle The Sierra from June 23rd to the 27th. It sounds like an awesome trip and surely should not be missed by all of you adventurers out there!
Cycle The Sierra is an annual cycling event that takes place in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California. This fully supported, five-day journey takes riders on a 300-mile loop through breathtaking country, beneath granite peaks, through evergreen forests and to alpine hot springs. The ride meanders through iconic locations like Lake Tahoe and the area where gold was discovered starting the California Gold Rush, over the 4th highest bridge in the US, and through numerous unique and historical communities along the way.
Each day cyclists will ride around 70 mountain miles for one of our non-profit partners like, 1% for the Planet, the League to Save Lake Tahoe, the American River Conservancy and SYRCL. At night, everyone will camp together under the stars. Camps will feature delicious food, live music, a beer and wine garden, massage therapists, bike mechanics and other cyclists letting loose on vacation from all over the United States. If you like truly beautiful mountain scenery, good food and live music, relaxing with a cold beer after a great ride, spending time with old friends and meeting new, Cycle The Sierra is an event you don’t want to miss! Space is limited, so visit their webpage to register today!
Since starting at 1% for the Planet, I have been introduced to hundreds of awesome non-profits and businesses. Each time I find one, I announce to the office how great they are, and we look through their websites, generally tempted to either donate or purchase something. Many non-profits seem to know that if you put a picture of a cute and fluffy animal on their “donation” page, it’ll work! Or if you have an attractively unique product, I’m likely to buy it. Anyway, when I was introduced to 1% member, Smock Paper, I knew I needed to get some cards!
Smock is a sustainable stationary company based in Syracuse, NY. They have come out with a new line of stationary, called the “Save the World” card series. These unique letterpress cards are made out of bamboo paper with 100% wind energy. The bamboo is grown without pesticides or fertilizers and is non-GMO, so it is a sustainable material to use in the paper making process. The first card is the series is the honey bee-inspired sunflower card, which is absolutely beautiful! I have already bought a set of six and used four of them! Anyway, back to business…
As a 1% Member, Smock donates 1% of sales annually to environmental initiatives but (lucky for us) they’ve added some beautiful cards to get their customers involved as well. Smock donates 100% of the proceeds from the “Save the World” series go straight to environmental initiatives. The money raised from the sunflower card goes straight to the Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA). PANNA is a 1% recipient who works to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives. They know how detrimental these chemicals are to many insect species and want to eliminate the use of them.
Honey bees are one of many species that are adversely affected by the use of pesticides. As a key indicator species, their health provides early warning signs for biologists regarding greater ecosystem health. These busy-bees play a crucial role in our global food system with 30% of our food supply depending on them. These important pollinators are in trouble, because many commonly used pesticides are toxic to them. One way we can help save the bees is to support PANNA in their movement to eliminate the use of these toxic pesticides! Another way is to grow certain plants (like sunflowers) that attract bees, so that their populations can grow in your region. Smock has done a great job to create a card that encompasses these ideas and best of all the funds raised go directly to PANNA. Check out their website to order a set of the sunflower cards that will support the reduction of pesticide use that is eliminating honey bees worldwide!
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL, pronounced “circle”), was formed in 1983 to oppose the construction of two dams on the river. Along with successfully halting the construction of the dam, 39 miles of the South Yuba has since been permanently protected. Although SYRCL started as just a small group of concerned citizens, it has evolved into a vibrant community organization. SYRCL’s mission is “to protect and restore the Yuba River and the Greater Yuba Watershed.” They do this to support the native fish that have lived in the river for many generations and also to make sure it remains a clean, recreational area for many years to come. SYRCL sponsors many events and programs annually, including one that we’re excited to highligh today: the Wild & Scenic Film Festival!
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is the world’s largest environmental film festival. This year is the Festival’s tenth year in existence and will include over one hundred films! The festival kicks off every January in Nevada City, California where they show environmental films for three straight days. Last year, 1% for the Planet released [one percent] of the story at this festival, and it was a hit. Our video was well received, received the 2011 Award from EthicMark Certificate, showed at numerous Wild & Scenic Film Festivals around the country and was the reason for a large amount of new membership inquiries. Thank you Wild ‘n Scenic! If you’re wondering if your nonprofit is a fit for this festival, take note that these films encompass a wide range of environmental topics – adventure, conservation, wildlife, climate change, environmental justice, community activism and agriculture, just to name a few.
After the festival’s first year, SYRCL was so pleased with the turnout that they decided to take the show on the road and offer it in communities across the country. Throughout 2012, the festival will take place at over one hundred venues, including Antarctica! Eighty percent of the venues are hosted by community organizations that have applied for grants through Wild & Scenic, with help from Patagonia. The basic guidelines require that grant recipients use the festival as an outreach tool to increase membership. This allows for smaller communities to increase involvement and learn about a number of environmental issues without doing all of the organizing themselves. Wild & Scenic will supply the films, PR materials and planning guides, while the organizations just need to secure the venue and organize the local marketing.
(The previous video features The Edible Schoolyard Project, which is a 1% recipient!!) Check out the Wild & Scenic Film Festival’s calendar to see if any venues are nearby, or apply for a grant to host one! We’re thankful for all of the hard work that SYRCL and Wild & Scenic have done over the last decade and are proud to be part of the movement!
Here at 1% for the Planet we appreciate a quality septic system. Prior to the Irene flood we never really had to think about where our waste went – a flush of the toilet and it was out of sight, out of mind. Well, thanks to the flood, we had the opportunity to get much more familiar with our effluent. It was in the office and better yet, in our water supply! So, we’ve learned firsthand how damaging and smelly sewage can be.
Although septic systems can be smelly, they’re necessary if you don’t have access to sewer pipes. Septic tanks work something like this, and if not properly taken care of, sewage can make its way into the water table. Sewage is full of nitrates and phosphates that can cause eutrophication – or an overload of nutrients. Over time this eutrophication leads to hypoxia, or the creation of anoxic dead zones in marine ecosystems.
Since 1998, Heal the Ocean, a 1% for the Planet partner, has focused on ridding 7 miles of beach and 171 homes on the Santa Barbara coast of their septic systems. The beach starts at Rincon Point, a world-class surfing destination, and continues up the coast to Sand Point and Sandyland, much of which is sandwiched between the ocean and a saltwater marsh.
Happily, construction of the sewer lines is expected to start sometime this year following a long, hard fought battle where 1% is happy to have played a role. Congratulations to Heal the Ocean!
P.S. – After our third water test, we’re clean! The test came back negative for coliform and ecoli! Thanks Hurricane Irene.
One of the most amazing facets of working for 1% is learning about diversity among our member companies. No two companies are quite the same, except when it comes to their dedication to protecting our planet and promoting sustainability. This point is exemplified with two of our newest members, Four Crows Photography and Polar Pillow.
Four Crows Photography is dedicated capturing the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us, and those moments of serenity that too often go unnoticed in the frantic pace of daily life. Photographer Dave Mangels launched Four Crows with the mission to practice mindful photography, as well as contributing back to the planet in which inspires him. Shedding his life in a cubicle and armed with a camera and an amazing eye, these photographs capture the majesty and beauty of the world that we strive to protect.
“As someone launching a new business, I thought it was vital to build an ethical and moral foundation to Four Crows Photography. My participation in 1% For The Planet is an essential way to demonstrate my commitment to the environmental causes that are so important to my artistic inspiration. Four Crows Photography plans to support a variety of causes as it grows, but foremost among them will be the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance for its work defending the Redrock wilderness, and the Trustees of the Reservation for its preservation of open spaces in my home state of Massachusetts.”
1% also welcomes PolarPillow to our family. As a person who is all-too-familiar with erratic sleep patterns and insomnia, I was fascinated to learn more about this company and what it offers for people who cope with the same issues.
PolarPillow is an award-winning cooling pillow that uses specialized gel technology to generate coolness. By bringing science-based innovation to the pillow market, the company aims to help its customers sleep better and live healthier. The pillow itself is kept cool, which in turn promotes a better and more restful night of sleep.
The PolarPillow team has joined the 1% movement to demonstrate their belief that the health of the planet is critical for entrepreneurship to thrive. PolarPillow has identified Philippe Cousteau’s EarthEcho International as its first beneficiary. EarthEcho creates programs that empower youth to restore and protect our oceans.
From breathtaking natural photography to pillows that help people rest better and promote health, our members continue to be as diverse as the planet that we share. Aligned by their dedication to protecting the world around us, we welcome these amazing companies to our 1% family and are so happy to have you!
If you’ve ever watched professional cycling, you’ve undoubtedly seen those “pedal dancers” protecting their noggins with some stylish headdress. Now, I’m a cyclist, so I know how important it is to be wearing something that looks good, but boy, it also pays to wear something that protects well. That’s one reason I was so excited to see Lazer Snow Helmets become a member.
Lazer, established and headquarted in Belgium, has been designing brain-cages since 1919. Ever heard of a guy named Eddy Merckx? Maybe not, but Lazer teamed up with “the Cannibal” in 1987 and developed the first specific hard shell bicycle helmet. Essentially, they’ve been innovating for almost a century and keep expanding their reach into new markets.
With the launch of its new Lazer Snow Helmets, Lazer has partnered with Protect our Winters to raise awareness about climate change. Together they will work to create programs that engage the wintersports community around an issue that dramatically affects our enjoyment of the mountains and the future of the snowsports industry.
Although Lazer snow helmets are not yet available to consumers, Lazer is starting its support of POW from day one of the new products, and in conjunction with the launch of the entire snow helmet collection at the Snowsports Industries of America Snow Show in Denver. Hans Dyhrman, Director of Marketing for Lazer Snow states, “Even though we are a new brand in the snowsport business, we feel it is important to take a leadership role within the industry, and this is one of our actions.” Woah, keep track of these mold breakers, they’re going places – albeit safely.
Meet the Moment is a program started by 1% member Clif Bar in the spring of 2011 to encourage the sharing of inspiring and adventurous moments. Whether you took an awesome trip, skied somewhere new, ran your first marathon, or hiked somewhere with a beautiful view, they want to hear about it! For every Moment that an individual uploads (in the form of a picture or story) to the Meet the Moment webpage, Clif Bar will donate $5 to one of five organizations.
One of these organizations is our non-profit recipient the Winter Wildlands Alliance. The Alliance (along with help from the US Forest Service) played a major role in helping organize volunteers for the National Day of Action which happened last October and was sponsored by Meet the Moment. The nationwide preservation effort brought together more than 1,200 people who contributed more than 4,500 volunteer hours to protect and preserve the land that is important to them.
The Winter Wildness Alliance, based in Idaho, organized three different volunteer events near the Idaho-Wyoming border. They included digging holes to set boundary markers in the Winegar Hole and Jedediah Smith Wildernesses, and placing a winter kiosk sign on Glory Peak, which included a fun 2-3 hour hike. We are proud of all the work that our non-profit recipients have been doing and are thankful for the support that is given by our members! Stay tuned for more information about this year’s National Day of Action, or just get out there on your own to protect the places you play!
