Win a Trip to Finland

Contest announcement:

"The Essential Ingredients of Your Life" video competition by Lumene to celebrate its expansion in the United States.  

Consumers will be asked to submit a 1-minute video that details what they consider to be the essential ingredients of their lives, reinforcing Lumene’s dedication to using only the purest ingredients to illuminate one’s natural beauty. 

Based on consumer feedback and voting, a jury panel will select one grand prize winner, as well as three runner-ups.  

The grand prize includes: Round-trip flights for two to Finland, Hotel accommodations for 4-nights, Spa treatment for two at Kamp Spa, A year's supply of Lumene products.The runners-up will each receive a VIP gift basket filled with Lumene’s best-selling products.  

Winners will be announced on May 1^st, 2012. 

Check out the link for more info: http://www.facebook.com/#!/LumeneUSA

Brand Ambassador and actress/socialite Byrdie Bell has already created and uploaded her video to the Lumene Facebook page to serve as inspiration (hint: you need to "Like" the page to see her video).

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Point6 Announces Recipients of 1% for the Planet

Here's a press release from Point 6: 

Point6 Announces Recipients of 1% for the Planet
Organizations reflect Point6’s commitment to clean water, local conservation and outdoor recreation

Steamboat Springs, Colo. – (July 20, 2011) – Point6, designer and manufacturer of premium merino wool socks, is proud to announce the non-profit environmental organizations selected to receive the company’s annual contribution of 1% of company sales. Point6 became a member of 1% for the Planet in 2008 as part of their initial business strategy. The Point6 founders and employees feel strongly that it is necessary for businesses in the outdoor industry to back their dedication to the environment with financial support.

“The selection process was really daunting because there are so many good non-profits dedicated to improving the world around us. We chose to give back to our local community to by supporting organizations in our county and state that keep open spaces and trails accessible, healthy and open for recreation. The local organizations we’ve chosen to support include Colorado Trail Foundation, Yampa Valley Recycles  and Routt County Riders,” stated Betsy Seabert, director of international sales and marketing for Point6. “We are so fortunate to live and work in Steamboat Springs with clean air and fresh mountain streams. There is no shortage of clean water here, but unfortunately there are many places around the world where people do not have this luxury. Water For People is committed to developing water and sanitation systems in developing countries.”

1% for the Planet was started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard and Craig Mathews, two successful business leaders in the outdoor industry, who understood it was good business to protect the world’s natural resources.  “By partnering with 1%, we are able to leverage our commitment to environmental support and corporate responsibility through this incredible network of non-profits and committed businesses and individuals around the world. We are very proud to be able to include the 1% for the Planet logo on Point6 sock packaging,” said Peter Duke, CEO and co-founder of Point6.

The Colorado Trail Foundation maintains the 500-mile Colorado Trail, Denver to Durango.   The organizations overarching objective is to provide for and preserve The Colorado Trail’s primitive, long-trail, high mountain, non-motorized experience for people today and for generations to come. www.ColoradoTrial.org

Yampa Valley Recycles mission is to make recycling, reduction, and reuse in the Yampa Valley more convenient and cost effective in  order to increase the total tonnage of recyclable materials diverted from the landfill. www.yampavalleyrecycles.org

Route County Riders is a bicycle advocacy group that represents the interests of all variations of biking including mountain biking, road riding, youth cycling, downhill/freeride, year-round commuting, adaptive cycling, community cycling initiatives and advocacy, and bicycling events. For 2011 the group’s key initiatives include a focus on trail building and maintenance and support of youth cycling programs including Safe Routes to School. www.routtcountyriders.org

Water For People works with partners to develop innovative and long-lasting solutions to the water, sanitation, and hygiene problems in the developing world. The organization strives to continually improve, to experiment with promising new ideas, and to leverage resources to multiply its impact.   www.waterforpeople.org

About Point6
Point6 is a tribe based along the Yampa River at the base of Rabbit Ears Pass in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Their mission is to lead the way in the Evolution of the Merino Wool Movement. The merino wool sock, designed and manufactured by the tribe, is guaranteed to be the most comfortable and durable you can own. Point6 socks are made with state of the art knitting and spinning technologies to create a softer and more durable product. Sport specific designs and engineered fit ensure enhanced performance and ultimate comfort. Point6 is committed to environmental stewardship and strives to ensure all products, packaging and manufacturing processes adhere to environmental guidelines. For more information please visit us online at www.point6.com.

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Green Prefab Homebuilder, Blu Homes, to Preview First 3D Home Configuration Tool at Dwell on Design

A press release from Blu Homes:

Customize, Visualize and Experience Blu Homes in Vivid 3D with "The Configurator"

LOS ANGELES, June 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- What if you could walk through your dream home before the foundation was ever poured? Compare the way cabinet finish, site orientation, and siding choices impact the way it feels to live in a space? Experience light as it moves through a room? With "The Configurator," Blu Homes' online 3D customization tool, all this will be possible for the first time to homebuyers. Blu Homes (www.bluhomes.com), the largest green prefab homebuilder in the U.S., is offering previews of "The Configurator" at Dwell on Design (www.dwellondesign.com) in Los Angeles, June 24-26. "The Configurator" will officially launch later this summer.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click here. 

Blu designs and builds eco-friendly prefabricated homes with the same state-of-the-art 3D modeling technology used by Boeing, Virgin Galactic, and Ford Motors. With "The Configurator," Blu will extend the same design capabilities to potential homebuyers, empowering them to personalize and experience their future Blu Home in a way never before seen in the homebuilding industry.

"For years, the car industry has understood the power of the motto 'try before you buy.' We want homebuyers to experience the same sort of convenience – and fun! – that car buyers have enjoyed for years," said Bill Haney, President of Blu Homes. "It's so exciting to actually 'walk' through your new home and feel confident in the decisions you're making. It's all part of Blu's commitment to simplifying the home building process through technology."

Within "The Configurator," customers will be able to choose from a variety of Blu home models and floorplans, and then personalize their home by choosing from thousands of combinations provided by Blu – from appliances and colors to window placement and siding. Each choice will render in real-time and in a stunning, realistic 3D environment.

Blu will preview "The Configurator" at booths 841 and 843 at Dwell on Design, allowing visitors to make changes to a sample home, and to virtually walk around the home they have personalized. Blu's digital tooling experts will be on hand to guide visitors through this state-of-the-art technology, and other Blu representatives will answer any and all questions about Blu and its unique building process.

Blu Homes has offices outside of Boston, Mass. and in San Francisco, and has recently expanded its presence in Southern California, with representatives in L.A. and upcoming events in the L.A. area as well as in San Diego, Santa Barbara, and San Louis Obispo.

Over 60 of Blu Homes' designs have been built to date across the U.S. The company has six home designs to choose from, including Michelle Kaufmann's iconic Glidehouse and Breezehouse. Thanks to proprietary steel framing and building folding technology, Blu's designs can be shipped conveniently and efficiently across North America. Click here to watch a video of a Blu home unfolding.

Blu recently raised $12.5 million dollars in additional capital from private investors, bringing total investment in the company to $25 million since 2007.

For more information on Blu go to www.bluhomes.com, follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/bluhomes) and Twitter (@BluHomes), or email us at build@bluhomes.com.

About Blu

Blu Homes, Inc. is a Massachusetts- and California-based builder of green, modern, prefabricated homes. Blu has built a variety of residential and institutional eco-friendly home designs for families and organizations across the U.S., from New York to the Colorado mountains and the California coast. Blu's proprietary steel framing and building folding technology allows for convenient and efficient shipping across North America. For more information on Blu Homes, contact build@bluhomes.com, or visit www.bluhomes.com.

SOURCE Blu Homes, Inc.

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More Bike Share Programs for Greener Cities

After reading about the cool bike share program in Minnesota, I had to find more.  What a great idea.  Save $, reduce the number of cars on the road, reduce pollution, get in shape.  Take the bus to the museum, pick up a bike there for the ride home!  Cool.

There are programs in  D.C., Capital Bikeshare, as well as Denver,  San Antonio, Nashville, and, coming in 2012,  New York.

Check out the Bike Sharing Blog for more info on bike share programs around the world. And read this NY Times article about successful programs across Europe.


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Share A Bike

So I'm here in Minneapolis, enjoying my vacation, and every time I walk around Lake of the Isles I see people riding along the bike path on these cool green bikes.  Turns out you can rent these bikes from Nice Ride Minnesota by the day, month, or year! 


With a subscription you get a key that gives you access to bikes in dozens of locations all over the city.  They're ideal for transportation (it's nice and flat here, so biking around is easy), for exericse, or for tourists like me who want to explore the lakes and parks!


What a great, GREEN idea.


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Real Food Movement

More than 750 schools across U.S. nominated in Annie's second "Root 4 Kids" contest encouraging kids to dig real food.

BERKELEY, Calif., June 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Annie's, Inc. today announced The Village School in Eugene, Ore. as the winner in its second Root 4 Kids contest encouraging kids to dig and plant new veggies. The Village School generated more sign-ups than over 750 other schools throughout the nation competing to win their choice of a Farm to School program or school garden.

Root 4 Kids, a cause-related campaign conducted in partnership with the National Farm to School Network, has set out to reach and celebrate one million kids digging and planting new veggies. To encourage participation and create friendly competition this spring, Root 4 Kids invited parents, teachers, administrators and community members to sign up at http://www.root4kids.com/join and commit to helping kids "dig" new vegetables by completing at least one activity, such as learning about, eating and planting new veggies, or working to get more fresh foods into schools.

After Camas Ridge Elementary School in Eugene, Ore. took top prize in Root 4 Kids' first contest earlier this year, the community rallied again, helping carry The Village School to victory. With its prize, The Village School will work with Farm to School to customize a combination of activities that best help its students become more deeply connected to real food.

"Winning the Root 4 Kids prize adds a vital third layer to our work already in progress to be more green, sustainable and to serve healthy food," said Bob Kaminski, Principal of The Village School, a public charter school. Kaminski is working closely with Executive Director Andy Peara and a group of dedicated staff and parents to start the school's own locally-grown, organic food service for its 212 K-8 students.

"We thank everyone who supported our efforts and Annie's leadership to promote kids' interest in healthy, natural and organic foods," said Peara. "Annie's message truly resonates in our community."

To help generate sign-ups, staff and parents spread the word far and wide via emails and phone calls. Following the lead of parent Abra Cooper, they also held a screening of the film "What's on your plate?" to educate both kids and parents on the importance of connecting families to where food comes from.

"After two successful contests, thousands of teachers, parents and community members have demonstrated a commitment to teaching kids about growing and eating more real food," said Aimee Sands, Marketing Director at Annie's. "The Village School and all the participating schools deserve recognition and support for their efforts. We wish we could award the prize to all of them."

Annie's will award Root 4 Kids merchandise, Annie's product and grants toward a garden or Farm to School program to all schools that finished in the contest top 10, including Hayhurst Elementary School, Portland, Ore.; Lakeshore Elementary School, Mooresville, N.C.; Anthony Elementary School, Anthony, Fla.; Greenwood Elementary School, Seattle; Somers Elementary School, Kenosha, Wis.; NICE Community School, Ishpeming, Mich.; Memminger Elementary School, Charleston, S.C.; Seven Generations Charter School, Emmaus, Penn.; and Hampton Elementary School, Hampton, Conn.

For more details about The Village School, visit http://happyvillage.org/. To learn more about Root 4 Kids, and to commit to helping kids dig and plant new veggies, visit www.Root4Kids.com.

About Annie's

Annie's is dedicated to nourishing families with delicious natural and organic foods made with the highest quality ingredients. The line includes cheese, pasta meals, crackers, cookies, pretzels, cereals, fruit snacks, salad dressings, BBQ sauce and condiments. Since its founding in 1989, Annie's has been committed to social and corporate responsibility. The company believes in the importance of sustainable farming practices that respect the earth and its inhabitants. Annie's products are available nationwide at major grocery stores, natural food stores and club stores. For more information, visit www.Annies.com. Follow Annie's on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/annieshomegrown) and Twitter (@annieshomegrown).

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SkinCareIngredients2011: the First Ever Virtual Trade Show for the Cosmetics Industry

MONTPELLIER, France, June 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 15th 2011 CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com and CosmeticsDesign.com USA will launch the industry's first ever virtual trade show (VTS) focusing on the industry hot topic, skin care.

Skin care continues to be the most innovative category in the cosmetics and personal care industry and in 2010 the global market was valued at $80bn. This is forecast to increase to $91bn by 2014, with growth in the emerging markets set to be particularly strong. Big rewards await those who can capture these consumers, with continuous innovation key to staying on top.

SkinCareIngredients2011 (http://www.skincare-ingredients.com/index.php) will focus on the very latest opportunities in this sector, including the ever-expanding natural and anti-aging categories, the use of pre- and probiotics in skin care products, the complex area of green formulation and detailed information on the emerging markets with a particular emphasis on opportunities in the BRIC markets.

Not only is SkinCareIngredients2011 ( http://www.skincare-ingredients.com/index.php) free for visitors, but the best part is that you don't even have to leave your desk to attend the show! The event is paperless and with no travel required the carbon footprint involved is also reduced to a minimum.

The event starts at 2pm CEST, which is 8am EST - a time that allows for the maximum number of industry professionals from the major European, American and Asia-Pacific markets to attend at any time during the day.

SkinCareIngredients2011 (http://www.skincare-ingredients.com/index.php) will consist of an exhibition hall with 15 sponsored booths occupied by some of the biggest players in the skin care ingredients business, including Cognis (BASF), Symrise, Evonik Goldschmidt, Croda, ISP, Dow Corning and Lipotec, as well as a comprehensive conference program featuring presentations from leading industry experts.

More information and free registration to this ground-breaking event can be obtained here (http://www.skincare-ingredients.com/index.php).

CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com (http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/) and CosmeticsDesign.com (http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/) USA provide free, cutting edge daily news on all aspects of the personal care industry to cosmetics manufacturers and developers in North America, Europe and beyond.

The CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com team and CosmeticsDesign.com USA is led by award-winning journalists who scan all available scientific, technical and industry sources and seek out previously unpublished material, primary data and expert opinions in all areas of significance to its readers.

SOURCE CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com and CosmeticsDesign.com USA

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Organic Strawberries

It's almost strawberry season.  Yum!  So, do you spend extra for the organic berries?  I do because according to the Organic Consumers Association, strawberries are high in pesticide residue.  (So are cherries, apples, and peaches.)  

If you just can't bear the cost of organic strawberries, The Organic Consumers Association recommends substitute fruit choices (non-organic fruit with lower pesticide residue) that provide similar nutritional benefits.

Want to learn more about how organic berries are produced?  Check out the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service site.

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