1% for the Planet member Smock (and parent company Boxcar Press) make beautiful letterpress products using sustainable printing and business practices in Syracuse, New York. Printers have historically played a role in negatively impacting the environment through deforestation, which is why Smock wholeheartedly believes in making the planet a better place.
Earlier this year, Smock introduced the “Change the World” card series, with 100% of profits donated to nonprofit organizations focusing on critical environmental issues affecting our planet. For the series’ second card, Smock teamed with Earthworks to raise awareness of the impacts of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking).
All profits from these cards are donated to Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project, which reforms the oil and gas industry and supports affected communities. The card comes with a temporary tattoo that reads “Gas and Water Don’t Mix.” Both Smock and Earthworks are encouraging citizens to don the temporary tattoos in solidarity with the people living in 34 states where drilling and fracking is underway. You can join the dozens of people who have already shared their photos and personal stories by uploading yours to Tumblr. Here is a picture of the 1% staff with the tattoos on…
Why the focus on fracking? Smock is located in upstate New York, close to the Marcellus Shale, so the environmental threat that fracking presents hits close to home. Each month, around 2,000 new oil and gas wells are drilled in the U.S., and about 90% of these new wells are fracked. To get the natural gas out of the ground, each well requires anywhere from 3 to 15 million gallons of water and lots chemicals to extract the gas. A large percentage of this chemical laced water remains in the earth, threatening our clean water supply. Rarely do we know what these chemicals are: the oil and gas industry is exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Superfund law. This is a serious problem that puts the environment — and our drinking water — at risk. Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project is leading the way to protect public health, the environment and our climate from these dangers.
We’re excited about this partnership and hope you join their movement by submitting pictures for their Tumblr, or buying some cards!
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!
