Green Spot

My colleague sent over a email newsletter this morning and in it there was a article titled ” FTC To Regulate Greenwashing “. I have posted the article in it’s entirety at the bottom of this post so that you can see for yourself why the FTC is planning on Regulating Greenwashing.

To start off I would like to talk about the what the FTC is and why they are important to all of us. After that I will talk about what Greenwashing is. Once you have those two pieces of information I will explain Simply Green Solutions position.

The FTC stands for The Federal Trade Commission. The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy. The FTC pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement; advances consumers’ interests by sharing its expertise with federal and state legislatures and U.S. and international government agencies; develops policy and research tools through hearings, workshops, and conferences; and creates practical and plain-language educational programs for consumers and businesses in a global marketplace with constantly changing technologies.

Greenwashing is the unjustified appropriation of environmental virtue by a company, an industry, a government, a politician or even a non-government organization to create a pro-environmental image, sell a product or a policy, or to try and rehabilitate their standing with the public and decision makers after being embroiled in controversy.

Simply Green Solutions completely and wholeheartedly supports and works within the FTC’s guidelines. The Article below talks about the FTC stepping in to create and regulate rules and standards to which our “Eco-Friendly” Industry grades, labels, and markets their products. In todays Eco-Friendly market there are numerous manufacturers and distributors who make claims of how “Green” their products are by misleading the consumer into believing the materials are what make the product “Green”. At Simply Green Solutions we promote the mindest of sustainability and reducing waste by replacing items with a reusable item.

The main point of focus with Simply Green Solutions’ Reusable Bags is the recycle-ability. We openly state that our Polypropylene Reusable Bags and Promotional Products are only recyclable if your county or township provides that service. There are numerous other companies that produce the exact same Promotional Products as us but they falsely claim that their Non-Woven Polypropylene Products can simply be thrown in the recycling bin. When the FTC comes in to regulate these claims that other companies make, the truth will come out.

At Simply Green Solutions we understand and base our business on the concept of sustainability. These Reusable Bags, regardless if Simply Green Solutions or our competition produces them, are Eco-Friendly because they support and promote the mindset of reusing 1 bag over and over rather than using a one time use bag that will end up in our landfills after a single use. We hope that our efforts will one day change the mindset of all consumers.

Stay tuned for updates from the FTC in the very near future.

Please read below for the full article.

ASI Newsletter Article:

In an effort to protect consumers from exaggerated advertising claims, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is considering tight regulations on how marketers use words like “recyclable,” “biodegradable” and “carbon neutral.” The rules, also known as Green Guides, could affect more than 300 environmental seals of approval on current products, possibly making those environmentally-friendly claims in violation of government standards. Besides updating those standards, the rules would also more clearly define how companies can back up their claims of environmental sustainability.

The updated regulations will continue a recent trend of more aggressive enforcement of eco-friendly-related advertising. During the past two years, the FTC has brought seven environmental advertising enforcement actions, compared to zero during the prior eight years. While the FTC cannot compel companies into adopting more eco-conscious policies, the agency is permitted by law to stop marketing fraud.

Before the FTC begins enforcing the new rules, the agency will first publish the Green Guides in the Federal Register and institute a comment period. The FTC is expected to announce the updated regulations within the next two weeks, likely issuing the most substantial change to Green Guides in more than a decade.

Hello All!

It has been quite a while since my last post but I am back in full-force!

I would like to send a huge “Thank You” out to our great friend and colleague Sasha for putting up some amazing and informative blog articles over the past few months.

For my first Blog back I would like to update you all on the progress Simply Green Solutions has been making over the past few months.

Updated Website:

Simply Green Solutions' Updated Site

We have made huge improvements in the navigation of simplygreensolutions.com ! We now feature specific sections of our website that cater to your needs.

We have split our website into 3 different sections:

1. Custom Printed and Customized Reusable Bags and Stainless Steel Canteens.

2. Blank Reusable Bags and Stainless Steel Canteens.

3. Retail and Individual Purchase Reusable Bags and Stainless Steel Canteens.

We have also updated our Reusable Bag and Stainless Steel Canteen Products Section:

Simply Green Solutions Reusable Bag and Stainless Steel Canteen Product Page

To improve our production section we have included :

1. Top Product Navigation Bar

2. Best Selling Section

3. New Products

Please stop by our site : www.simplygreensolutions.com and check out how we can help you go green!

Bisphenol-A (BPA), the plastic-hardening additive that leeches from containers such as water bottles in to our bodies and environment, is now under investigation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Although most studies concur that the leeching affects us negatively only when we are in infancy, as of the last few years, agency bodies such as the National Toxicology Program, the U.S. National Institute for Health, the Endocrine Society and many more have found links between BPA and brain development issues.

Found in nearly all plastics (but not our post-consumer PET, PPP or our other products), this component of plastic has been in plastics ranging from baby bottles, sporting goods, CDs, and dental fillings, to name a few, for the last 50 years. It is most commonly found by consumers in over-the-counter water bottles.

Here’s some advice: Now is a good time to get a Reusable Canteen.

The EPA suggest that 100 Million pounds of BPA are released in the ground and surrounding air each year. The agency will begin testing substitutes for BPA and looking at the chemical’s levels in our groundwater and more, but in the mean time, call on us to provide you, your friends, family and company for reusable bottles now.

Post-Consumer Reusable Canteens for Custom Printing (BPA Free!)

Many internet users have Google or Yahoo! set as their home page upon opening their browser. This is only natural as most users scour the web for information. That information must be sought out and that’s done by, yes, you got it - a search engine. Sometimes research and looking through search results pages for downloading music valuable info takes awhile. If this sounds like a habit you’re guilty of, check out Blackle.

Blackle is a tongue-in-cheek spoof of Google, but with good intentions. Upon loading up that page, you’ll notice that it’s basically Google, but black and sexy, just like my morning coffee and probably just as powerful. By ensuring the screen and page appear black, a bit of energy is saved. Whether it’s your laptop battery, monitor, or overall electric bill, loading up Blackle is a reminder that a little bit can go a long way. Their mantra is: “Blackle.com - Saving energy one search at a time,” and they’ve got a point.

As we know here at Simply Green Solutions, the little adjustments we make in our lives to consciously work towards a more sustainable future add up. If we all participate, whether its reducing plastic waste, or saving energy with an all black search engine, it not only sets a good example but can become a green habit and a healthy, simple solution.

Blackle Search Engine

We were very fortunate to be invited by Disney to their Green Products Fair at their Glendale Consumer Products Headquarters in Glenadale CA.

Many thanks to Karenna Mazur & Mark Spears for organizing this great event that gave us a great reason to get out of the office and make the small trek out to Glendale!

This event was filled with great Green Vendors and Services. Some of the other vendors there were; The Home Depot, The Disney Store, Mitsubishi Electric, Helio Power, Tree People & ABC. This was not only a great opportunity to get our message out there but it was also a great way to make some great connections with our fellow Eco-Friendly Crusaders!

Disney has recently taken upon themselves to re-vamp their outlook on eco-friendly options and for that we applaud them! This small event was just one of many events that Disney will be throwing to raise awareness and provide green solutions to their employees and families.

Here are some quick snapshots of some of the other vendors and cool things that were there with us!

Please stop by and follow us!

http://twitter.com/SmplyGrnSltns

Hi I’m Stanley. I love recycling, more than I like crossword puzzles.

I wanted to give you some ideas both inspirational and proactive to help you get to a point where you know that you can and should make a difference.

First off, I use recycled bags. One thing that I will keep doing while I still can in this economy is shop. Everytime we shop, we get bags, we don’t even notice them. We just take the bags with our newly bought items from store to home. Essentially the bag has a lifetime of a few minutes or hours while it transports our goods most likely, just a few miles from store to home. What do you do with them then? Do you reuse them? Is the life of that bag extended? And if so, is it extended past just one additional use? Is it used for your pet as you walk them and pick up their, eh hem, “left overs?” Is the bag just left in a drawer, or another bag to get overloaded until you throw it in your city recycle bin? Also, did you know that most traditional plastic bags that are placed into city/county recycle bins just go straight to the landfill? They require special handling which is why most super markets take them as they will pay the pennies it costs to have them sent back and remanufactured into new  matierials.

I personally was sick of them. It took me a while to get onto the band wagon. My first complaint about using recycled bags is remembering them. I would keep them in my car, drive to the store, go into the store, get to the checkout and remember, they’re still in the car… Sometimes, I ran out and grabbed them, but mostly I just took the store bags. My own guilt got me to remember them. They’re like clipping coupons, you can reap the savings if you just do it. It’s like a green lottery with dividends that will pay off in the future. So note to selves, clip coupons (the savings are great!), insert coupons into envelope, place envelope in bag containing other bags, place in car in an easily accessible location. Job done! I remembered the bags, I used them, and I didn’t need any traditional thin plastic bags. I did my little part. People always say if everyone just did something little, you could make a big difference. Well, this is my chance. It makes me think differently, and makes me think of other small ways that I can minimize my impact on landfills and the environment. Now, I just have to remember to put the bags back into my car immediately after unloading them, with my coupon envelope. Yes, I’ll have to grab it again, but thats the foot power that I should be using more as well!

Alot of times, I use different bags for what I’m doing. I’ve found that if I purchase a new bag from stores that are selling them, whether they’re new and fancy, or funky with new patterns, I like them. One may work well for groceries, one may work well for Target, one is really good for the big box stores or boutique shops. Some are just meant for food so if they leak, then so be it. I know thats the one I have to clean out. They are easy to clean, sometimes just some Simple Green, or Fantastic does the trick or sometimes the milk leaks everywhere and into the wash with it. They do fine in my cold water loads and then I just hang it from the shower head for an hour and it’s done! Good as new!

I’ve realized that I have so many that I often don’t use all of them very much. Thats okay, as sometimes, they give in. Those pesky grape nuts boxes and their sharp rigid cardboard corners have cut through a couple of my bags, so I have learned how to pack them and make sure that items such as this are placed into the proper bags. I should be watching this right? Either way, it’s made me a bit more aware as to what I am buying and what I’m consuming. The better part is, I know that when I put this ONE bag into my municipal recycled waste bin, then it will make it’s way back from where it came and likely become the cap to toothpaste, or the top to Tic Tacs, or another bag! Either way, that one bag saved me from using about 50 regular grocery bags. I know that the bag that floats by me on the road wasn’t mine and if I can’t grab it as I drive by ( I have successfully caught 5 bags so far with minimal distraction to my driving).

I’m glad that I can do this but I hope for the youth who increasingly are picking up these practices. Kids aren’t set in their ways. They’re building new ways. They have to inherit this planet and undo a lot of what we and our forefathers and mothers have left us, which hasn’t always been good. I see that kids create their own artwork on bags. It’s cute and more useful than the traditional tsotchkes and candy that I usually buy and leave unopened and unconsumed. I’m a kid-selling-stuff junkie. If they’re selling it, I’ll buy it. I usually ask what it’s for and then ask how far are you from your goal. I’ll usually offer more than I have to or buy additional items, but for kids selling something that they helped design AND are doing it for the environment?!? Sign me up for four! See a similar story here.

In closing, there are alot of references and sites that help you change your thinking and give you new, and greener products. Check this one out here. Pretty handy and fun to look at while you’re at work. I mean it’s better than online games and you can tell your boss that it’s something you’re looking at to help “green” your office! You won’t get written up I promise. And if you do, you may want to look into a job search!

Whats a 7 letter word for reinventing the bike wheel? Recycle!

Welcome! and Thank you for visiting our Green Spot!

This is the first official blog coming directly from the minds behind Simply Green Solutions. You may find yourself asking ” What is this blog about?” Well to answer your question; we created this blog so that we can spread eco-friendly ideas, products, fashion, and movements from around the world.

In this day and age everyone has a blog, so we felt that we can contribute to the Green movement by sharing our eco friendly ideas and finidings via this blog. Eco friendly products and ideas can be found any and everywhere. Rest assured that when we stumble upon some eco friendly nuggets of gold we will immediately be sharing the wealth with you.

Within Simply Green Solutions we have a amazingly diverse group of individuals. All of us here started as designers in some way, shape, or form. When we brought all of those creative juices together it exploded into innovative perspectives on green living, marketing, and technology. You can look forward to posts about eco-friendly fashion from our Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Alum, emerging green technology and energy from our Art Center of Pasadena and University of Washington Alums, and environmentally conscious design from our Cal State University of Northridge Alums.

So please stay tuned for updates and great green ideas!