All You Need To Know about Vector Artwork for Promotional Products

Why do promotional products and apparel printers require “good” vector artwork? It is required in order to produce clean, non-pixelated output on items such as mugs, pens, t-shirts, bags, golf balls, apparel, etc.  Vector artwork provides sharper and smoother output.  It is the only file type for clean resizing.   Without vector artwork, most promotional products producers will not accept nor guarantee their work.   

What Is a Vector File? A vector file is made up of lines, curves, shapes and fonts all saved in outlines; different to files many people are more accustomed to via Microsoft Office   A Vector file is a graphics file that contains a vector image, rather than a raster, or bitmapped image.  Shapes and lines make up vector graphics, which are fully scalable images, while raster images are made of pixels and cannot be scaled up without loss.  Vector graphics appear smooth at the edges no matter how they are sized, whereas raster graphics appear jagged, or pixilated, when scaled up.  Vector files provide a high quality of reproduction based on their clean lines and curves.  
Vector files are usually created in dedicated vector graphics editing programs, such as Adobe Illustrator.  The acceptable output files from Illustrator saved in outlines are: .ai, .eps or .pdf. 
Example

If a file is saved in one of these formats (.eps, .ai or .pdf), that does not mean it is truly vector art. Only art originally created in a vector editing program, such as Adobe Illustrator, is truly vector art. The most common examples of file types people try to save as vector art -  .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .gif, .psd, .tif. These files cannot become vector art. 
If you had a professional designer create your artwork or logo, most likely they did this in vector art.  However, they may not have sent it to you in this format.  If so, ask them for the “native vector file” Even though you may not be able to open it, this will be good to send to your promotional products partners.   

What if I don’t know how to make my artwork into a true vector file?   Easy, for most artwork we offer this service for a small fee of $20. When completed we give you the file to own and reuse.  This is a tremendous savings of time and money.    Note – you must have the rights to the artwork being vectorized. 
For more information visit: www.ecopromotionsonline.com, email: info@ecopromotionsonline.com or call: 877.326.9467.

Green Spring Cleaning tips

25 Green Spring Cleaning Tips

Good for You, Your Home and the Planet

-- By Liza Barnes, Health Educator

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After being cooped up in a stuffy house all winter long, it’s finally time to fling open the windows, shoo away the cobwebs, and take on your annual spring cleaning. But often, the chemicals found in conventional cleaning products can be more dangerous than the dirt they’re intended to clean. And the way we clean (with lots of disposable paper towels) isn’t exactly earth-friendly. Thankfully, there are many alternatives available that can help you make your home squeaky clean—and green. Green cleaning products The last thing you want to do is dump toxic chemicals into the environment in the name of cleaning, right? These days, you don’t have to make a special trip to the natural foods store to seek out environmentally-sensitive cleaning products. Seventh Generation, Method and Biokleen are three companies that make full lines of household cleaners, and you can find them in just about every store. These products work just as well as their conventional counterparts. Or you can stock your natural cleaning kit with homemade cleaners—making them yourself is super easy. The basic supplies you’ll need to make your own green cleaners include: Distilled white vinegar (sold in the cooking section of most supermarkets) Baking soda Olive oil Borax (sold in a box in the laundry aisle) Liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's brand, found in most natural foods stores) Essential oils (super concentrated natural plant oils found in natural foods stores, usually in the cosmetics section) Microfiber cleaning cloths Newspaper Here are a few basic “recipes” and techniques to get you started: Glass: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray on glass and wipe clean with old newspaper or a lint-free cloth. Countertops and bathroom tile: Mix 2 parts vinegar and 1 part baking soda with 4 parts water. Apply with a sponge, scour, and wipe away. Floors: Mix 4 cups of white distilled vinegar with about a gallon of hot water. If desired, add a few drops of pure peppermint or lemon oil for a pleasant scent. After damp mopping the floors, the smell of vinegar will dissipate quickly, leaving behind only the scent of the oil. Wood furniture: Mix equal parts of lemon juice and olive and oil. Apply a small amount to a cloth, and rub onto the furniture in long, even strokes. Toilet bowl cleaner: Sprinkle a toilet brush with baking soda and scrub away! Occasionally disinfect your toilet by scrubbing with borax instead. Wipe the outside of the toilet clean with straight vinegar. Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 3 cups hot water, and 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use a spray bottle. Wipe clean. Mold and mildew: Wipe with straight vinegar. Air freshener: Sprinkle essential oil on a cotton ball, and stash it in a corner of the room. If you have kids, make sure it is out of their reach as essential oils are very strong and could irritate their skin. Lavender is a relaxing scent that is great for bedrooms, and cinnamon, clove, and citrus oils are great for the rest of the house. You can stash a few in the car too—try peppermint, which may help you to stay alert. And while you’re at it, consider these 6 additional ways to green up while you clean up: 1. Hang dry your laundry. Drying your clothes in an electric or gas dryer isn’t just hard on your clothes; it’s also hard on the environment. Don’t stop with natural laundry detergent. Stay green every step of the way and install a clothesline in your backyard. If space (or aesthetics) is an issue, look for a “retractable clothesline” like this one from Gaiam, which takes up virtually no space when not in use. Weather permitting, line-dry your clothes outside to reduce pollution, cut your energy bill, get more exercise, enjoy the sunshine, and extend the life of your clothes. Plus, they’ll smell like a clean breeze, not a fake “clean breeze scent.” 2. Add a little greenery. Install a living air filter—houseplants! Some of the most efficient air-cleaning houseplants include Spider plants, English ivy, rubber plants, and peace lilies. You’ll need 15 to 18 medium-sized (6 to 8-inch diameter container) houseplants for the average 1,800 square foot house. If that sounds like a lot, place a few plants in the room where you spend the most time. 3. De-clutter your wardrobe. Donate gently worn items to charity, where they’ll get a second life, and donate torn and stained items (if they’re made of an absorbent fabric) to your rag collection, where they’ll replace wasteful paper towels. And as you’re packing up your winter sweaters, replace those stinky mothballs with a natural and better-smelling version: Stuff a lonely unpaired sock with cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and whole cloves and tie it at the end. 4. Paint your walls green. If spring cleaning at your house involves a fresh coat of paint, consider the VOC content of the paint when choosing your paint. VOC's, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals that form vapors at room temperature. Some VOC’s, like the ones in many paints, contribute to smog and indoor air pollution, and can cause a host of short- and long-term health problems. The good news is that many paint manufacturers have started making low- or no-VOC paints. The bad news is that many of those manufacturers have simply substituted VOC's with other non-VOC-yet-still-toxic chemicals. For truly eco-conscious safe paint, check out these products: Eco-Spec, by Benjamin Moore; Clarity, by Dutch Boy; Enviro-Pure, by MAB Paint; American Pride Paint; and BioShield Milk Paint. 5. Swap out your Swiffer. Instead of continually buying expensive single-use mop pads, invest in a reusable mop. Casabella is one brand that’s widely available in health food stores and general stores. Their mop heads can be washed in your washing machine, hung dry, and used again and again—well worth their moderate price tag. 6. Ditch the paper towels. Save trees, cash and landfill waste. You can buy specially-made, washable cleaning and dusting cloths (in all types of fabrics from cotton to microfiber). But better yet? Use what you already have and give an old piece of cloth (stained towels, ratty sheets and pillowcases, too-small T-shirts, etc.) a new life. Simply cut or tear your old item into smaller squares (if you want to get fancy, finish the edges with a sewing machine), and voila! Pop them in the washing machine with your laundry to clean, and use them again and again. Cleaning up your home for spring doesn’t have to be dirty work. When you implement some of these ideas and products, you can rest assured that you’re benefiting your body, your home and the planet all at once. Many of these changes are small ones, but their impact on your health and the environment can really add up over time. Happy spring cleaning!

Some Interesting INFO from Healthy Dining Chicago: On the Road with Harry Rhodes As a long time fan of Charles Kuralt's "On the Road" segments on The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, I was thrilled to learn that Harry Rhodes, Executive Director of Growing Home, was going on the road and blogging about it as he explores urban agriculture throughout the US (MadisonWI, New York, NY), Canada (Toronto), Cuba and perhaps a few other places!   Join me in reading about Harry's travel adventures!      http://on-the-road-with-harry-rhodes.tumblr.com/     Did You Know? Tearing Romaine and Iceberg lettuce the day before you eat it quadruples its antioxidant content. The smaller the tomato, the more nutrients it contains. Deep red tomatoes have more antioxidants than yellow, gold, or green tomatoes. Beet greens are more nutritious than the beets themselves. As a nutritarian who strives for more micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals) per calorie and avoids unhealthy food choices whenever possible, I've included information like this for years in my book and presentation 100 Simple Ways to Eat Well for Less (aka Healthy Dining on a Dime). Now it's going mainstream in the forthcoming book Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health by Jo Robinson, an investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author who specializes in science-based health information.    This superbly-researched and illustrated how-to guide on selecting, storing and preparing the most nutrient dense produce items from your grocery store aisles, farmers' markets, home gardens and more is an important addition to your summer reading list! Best part! It's available at your local public library!   Must Reading if You Shop at Walgreens! In February, I commented on Twitter "At the Corner of Happy & Healthy? Come on Walgreens! You can't keep pushing soda pop, bottled water & canned soups and keep that slogan!"   Now, I see Phil Rosenthal is asking the same question. Below is a link to his great column in yesterday's Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ct-biz-0505-phil-20130505,0,6702990.column     Upcoming HDC Presentations New Dates and Times Added Shift Your Assets From Clutter to Cash (newly updated!)* Eat Well for Less (based on 100 Simple Ways to Eat Well for Less) Healthy Desserts in Under a Minute! To book a presentation for your community group, corporate lunch-n-learn program or local public library, e-mail Laura@HealthyDining.org    * George Carlin Talks "Stuff"        What's in Season in the Midwest in Spring Arugula, Asparagus, Lettuce, Peas, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Peas, Radishes, Ramps (Wild Leeks), Rhubarb, Scallions, Spinach, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turnips      Tuesday, May 21from 12-1 pm Final Re-Thinking Soup of the Season http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/_programsevents/_kitchen/_rethinkingsoup/rethinkingsoup.html    Healthy Dining Chicago has offered a steady diet of bite-sized, easy-to-digest morsels of practical information and valuable resources to help time-pressed consumers make informed choices that are kind to Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants since 2003.

Until next time,  Laura Bruzas Healthy Dining Chicago founder Website: www.HealthyDining.org

Eco-Friendly Super Bowl Party

Eco-Friendly Super Bowl Party (via Green Living Ideas)

Hosting a Super Bowl party can be fun, but it can also be very green. Why not allow your football festivities showcase your green living? Here are just a few ideas for throwing an eco-friendly Super Bowl Party. Homemade Chips Think of all the snack bags thrown away at the end of Super Bowl Sunday and…

Washington Green Schools

Welcome!

Take a look at the what the state of Washington is doing with their efforts to make schools Green.

Washington Green Schools challenges students and school communities to create a sustainable region through educational experiences that transform school environments. Schools that certify engage students, conserve resources, and save money. Explore this website to learn how to get your local school involved.

• Read about Washington Green Schools success stories on the Case Studies page.
• Visit the Program Info page for details on how the program works.
• Explore our 2011-2012 Annual Report or recent news articles to read stories about successful projects led by teachers and students.
• Learn how the Washington Green Schools program addresses WA State Learning Standards.

About Us

Washington Green Schools is a nonprofit program supported by government agencies, individuals, businesses and foundations. Its robust educational resources are available to all public and private K-12 schools in Washington state.

Our Mission

Washington Green Schools challenges students and communities to create a sustainable region through educational experiences that transform school environments.

Our Vision

Every school in Washington will teach, model, and practice environmental sustainability, serving as centers for change throughout the region.

Contact Us

For more information about Washington Green Schools, please use the contact us form here.

Awards

2011 - Washington State Recycler of the Year from the WA State Recycling Association

2010 - Organizational Excellence from the Environmental Education Association of Washington (EEAW).

“I’m monumentally excited. This is not a burden. Even without the recognition rewards, we are being given so many resources to make a change. This is great!”

Teacher, Everett School District

What's New in Recycling in Lake County?  SWALCO has launched a brand-new recycling campaign, “Recycle First. Trash Last.” The campaign encourages all Lake County residents to place a priority on recycling first, and trashing what’s left.  Instead of immediately thinking about throwing away that empty shampoo bottle, for example, ask yourself “is that recyclable?” (The answer, by the way, is yes!) For a full list of what is accepted in Lake County, click here.  While many residents in Lake County already do a good job at recycling, we can always do better. Check out the campaign atwww.RecycleFirstTrashLast.org and learn more about curbside recycling in Lake County, the campaign and what you can and cannot recycle.

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Declutter the Eco Friendly Way - Secrets to Sanity in 2013

Eco Promotional Products, Inc. – Written by Laura Mathews


If you’re like me, you don’t need to wait until March to do some spring cleaning.  With the New Year upon us the decorations come down and you’re left with a great opportunity to organize and declutter your home.

But where do you begin?  Let’s start with things that are frequently coming into your home, and then leaving in short order.  Two main culprits for most are mail and packaging.  The average American receives about 41 pounds of junk mail a year, a statistic you can likely appreciate after just getting through all the holiday mailers.  By going to the National Do Not Mail List & Direct Marketing Association’s website, you can set preferences to get off unwanted mailing lists.  You can also set up online accounts to handle all your bills electronically.  It’s fast, easy and you’ll save a few bucks every month on postage.  Moving into the kitchen, let’s talk about packaging.  With all the serving size food options available to us at the grocery store, convenience can seem tempting and worth the price.  But all those single use 8 oz. yogurts and 12 oz. water bottles are part of the 200 billion pounds of plastics that are produced every year.  I challenge you to go green and save yourself some green by purchasing bulk sizes.  It may require you to actually portion out your own on the go snacks, but pre-portioned items can easily cost two to three times as much as their larger container counterparts.  Another great place to eliminate packaging is in the bulk dried goods area.  Beans, rice, flour and granola are some of the most common items that can be purchased in bulk and can save you around 30%.  You can even bring your own container from home to fill up.  That brings me to a key point I’d like to make about eliminating packaging.  In order for this kitchen transition to be a success, you must have proper reusable containers at home.  If you don’t, you’ll get frustrated and just buy smaller portions.  Start by saving glass containers from things like preserves, honey or pickled items.  Also invest in some larger containers.  When I made this transition in my kitchen, I purchased a case of pint and quart mason jars.  It’s made it easy to see what I have, they stack, they’re easy to clean, they work for saving leftovers and it makes my food more visually appealing and all the more enticing to cook.  A lighter option for foods you’ll be taking on the go are BPA free plastic containers.  And let’s not forget drinks.  Investing in a quality water bottle and coffee mug is going to make it easy for you to bring filtered tap water or home brewed coffee with you as you leave.  Perhaps your company hands out reusable water bottles.  Put the money saved from bottled waters and coffee shop coffees in a fund for next year’s Christmas presents or a vacation!  You’ll be amazed how much you’ll save.  Reducing the amount of things coming into your home is a great start to decluttering your life. 

 

But what about all the items that have already gotten into your home and are staying there?  They are necessary items being stored where they should be but every time you need something, you know it’ll be a battle.  I’m talking about your clutter hiding spots - the closets.  To begin, just start folding.  What started as being in a rush while putting laundry away can often become an “Oh, just shove it in” situation.  Take back your closet and fold!  The next step is to get containers that can easily store items that can be grouped.  The possibilities are endless but here are three scenarios in which containers will help.  If you’re an avid camper but all your camping stuff is strewn across various closets, purchase large storage containers with lids and keep everything stored in one place.  You can do the same for holiday decorations also.  A solid colored container will give off a cleaner appearance than a clear one; choosing different colors for each storage category will help you distinguish which is which.  Second, a better solution to having all your medicines, lotions, and extra toiletries standing on a shelf in the linen closet may be to keep them in an open container on the shelf instead. This way, you can slide the container out rather than

reaching behind various bottles to get what you need, being at risk of knocking all the other containers down.  Third, if your beach towels, bathing suits, scarves and mittens are taking up valuable closet space that could be storing something you use all the time, get an under bed storage container for season specific items so they can be alternated out twice a year and free up space in the closet.  Just by investing in some smart containers, your closets will go from disaster zones to the awesome storage spaces they were meant to be. 

 

Finally, the part that is often hardest for us all.  Be honest.  While you may not be the next to appear on an episode of Hoarders, that doesn’t mean you’re not hanging on to an item or ten that you’ll realistically never need again.  You’ve lessened what’s coming into your home; you’ve organized your clutter danger zones, now all you have left to do is take a good look at what you don’t need anymore. I strongly discourage haphazardly throwing stuff out.  However, for those items that are still perfectly good but just not needed anymore, maybe it’s time to donate them, (companies like the Purple Heart actually do scheduled pickups), repurpose them (turn an old vase or colander into an outdoor planter) or, if you have a lot of items, host a yard sale.  Decluttering is an amazing feeling.  Treat yourself to a more Zen-like home this New Year.

 

 

About Eco Promotional Products, Inc.:

Eco Promotional Products, Inc. (EPP) is a certified woman owned company providing a full-line of eco- friendly promotional products. EPP helps organizations promote their logo, brand and message in a “green” way.  All products are made from either recycled, organic, biodegradable, rapidly renewable resources, promote conservation, made in the USA or a combination of these qualities. Eco Promotional Products was born out of a passion for the environment, with goals of reducing landfill use, respecting our non-rapidly renewable resources, providing exceptional service at affordable prices and being an active advocate for human rights issues.

 

For more information on Eco Promotional Products, Inc., please visit:

www.ecopromotionsonline.com , call local: 847.520.1771, toll free: 877.326.9467 or email us at info@ecopromotionsonline.com  .

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0j0BbRaEjOOazRneVM3THJSRWM/edit

Waste Free Lunch - Give it a try!

What a waste free lunch looks like:


Waste-Free Lunch Tips

It has been estimated that, on average, a single school-age child generates 67 pounds of lunchtime waste per school year, or 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for one average-size elementary school. Why use educational dollars to pay for trash disposal? Every single piece of packaging or excess food that we eliminate from the waste stream makes a difference. Please do your part to help!
Everybody Needs to be “On Board"A waste-free lunch program is a process of educating students, school staff and parents.
The first step is to weigh or measure the garbage on any regular school day. The result, in pounds or bags, will then be used to demonstrate that by packing waste-free lunches, less waste will be generated. Post results on a common-area bulletin board on an on-going basis.
The next step is to explain to everyone how all the wrappings of a sack lunch add up and end up in a landfill, as well as food that is brought to school and not eaten. Have an all-school assembly to highlight the criteria of a waste-free lunch. Emphasize that the reusable containers do not have to be bought at a store. Any plastic food container with a lid will work. Show examples of the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for reinforcement.
Encourage students to communicate with their parents what they like to eat for lunch. A student with missing teeth is going to have trouble eating an apple that is not cut up. Some children only eat a half of a sandwich, while others need two. Also, food that is not eaten during lunch should go back in the reusable lunch bag to be eaten later, perhaps as an after school snack.
Visit wastefreelunches.org for the following information:

• Waste Audits
• Sample Parent Letter
• Cost Comparisons
• Display Ideas
• Lunch-Time Activities
• Educating Your Family
• Success Stories

Sort Lunchroom Garbage – segregate the garbage as follows:

• one bin for food leftovers only
• one bin for all tree packaging (brown bags, cardboard, napkins, etc.)
• one bin for oil packaging (plastic wrap, baggies, straws, bottles, etc.)
• one bin for metal (foil, cans, etc.)

Labeling the bins is a good way for students to understand the natural resources that are used for packaging and what material makes up the largest part of the waste stream.

Follow up with the “Garbage Pizza” activity (make a pizza (pie chart) that categorizes materials in our garbage by percentages).
Sort Untouched Food – after lunch, go through the garbage and separate the whole, uneaten food. Weigh it and put it on display for a curriculum night or at a PTA meeting. Add a sign that says, “Do you recognize your child’s lunch?” You can also put it on a tray and walk it through classrooms late in the afternoon. Not knowing were the food came from, students will ask for an item because they are hungry. Inform them why it cannot be given away.
Compost – set up an indoor worm composting bin or an outdoor composting bin. Organic food scraps can be used to feed the worms, and from waste comes a nutrient-rich soil. Small branches, paper and landscape waste can be put in the outdoor bin. Please be mindful of any municipal restrictions.
Compare Products – Have the students do a cost analysis of single-serve drink boxes vs the same product in a powder form that gets mixed with water, or a favorite snack packaged individually vs a larger bag of the same product. How much of a cost or savings does buying in individually-wrapped products/vs bulk come out to over a week, month, school year? After the research is complete, chart and graph your findings. Post your findings in a newsletter or on a bulletin board.

Download Waste-Free Lunch Tips.
Source:SWANCC

Declutter for the New Year!

As we start the year it is always good to look for new ways to Declutter our lives and our Inbox!

Here are some helpful sites to get you started!

Junk Mail Opt-Out Lists

• National Do Not Mail List
• Credit Card and Insurance Offer Opt-Out
• Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference 

Phone Book Opt-Out

• Yellow Pages
• Dex

4 Tips to Declutter Your Inbox

Despite the galactic rise in social media usage, email is likely still a big part of your every day life. Many of us have been using email for over a decade which has led to disorganized, cluttered, and productivity-killing mailboxes. The following tips focus on using features in Outlook to clean up your email clutter, but a lot of these tools can be found in other email platforms as well.

1. Set Up Rules
Outlook’s Rules feature offers a quick way to organize emails on a number of criteria, without having to manually move each and every message. Simply create a Rule, set your criteria and what action you want Outlook to take with any email that meets that criteria, and hit run. For example, you could have Outlook automatically move all emails from a specific sender to a specified folder. For Outlook 2010 instructions, click here. For Outlook 2007 instructions, click here.

2. View Emails as Conversations
Outlook 2010 offers a Conversation View so that multiple emails on the same topic are placed in one single conversation thread. This can really de-clutter your inbox in a hurry. Simply click the “View” tab and select “Show as Conversations” in the Conversations group.

3. Use Smart Contacts
Smart Contacts categorizes your contacts into three categories: Recent, Frequent, and Favorite. This makes it a lot quicker to find the person you’re trying to email when you have too many contacts. To download Smart Contacts, click here.

4. Set Up Junk Filters
97% of emails sent are junk. And even if your email host provides great spam protection, you still might see an occasional junk email find its way into your inbox. Outlook has a built-in junk filter that you can tweak to catch most junk emails. To learn how to adjust the Outlook’s Junk Filter, click here.

And if you’d like personal help cleaning up a cluttered, over-sized, or slow Outlook account, we’d be glad to help.
Contact Us >>

Source: Small Business Technology

Save Money While Saving Energy

So what do we all do before we leave our house or apartment?  Well, first we forget everything we are supposed to bring with us, rush back in, get the infamous supplies we forgot in the first place, and now we’re all set.  We feel good, even accomplished, and then what happens? We realize we forgot to turn the lights off…

Well, this may help ease your pain at running your energy bills sky high.  Recently, I was sent an article, featured in a financial magazine. I was pretty stoked when I realized not only could I understand what these financial geniuses were saying, but I could actually follow their advice!

Here are some steps to follow to decrease your energy bills, while at the same time being energy efficient and eco friendly!

First:  Get Audited!  It’s worth checking out why your bills are so high.

Costs about $250 to $800, but if you check with your energy provider you may be eligible for  a rebate! 

Second:  Caulking (one tube is $5) up leaky panes or purchasing an energy efficient window (only $5 to $10 dollars more than a regular replacement window) will save you about 20% on your heating and cooling bills.

Third:  Work on sealing your ducts with Aeroseal.  This seals up all cracks in your ducts, but  it does cost $1,500.  Fear not, take comfort in the fact that it cuts your annual utility bills in half! 

Fourth:  Try to save money while washing your clothes. Either purchase a front-loading machine ($500 more), or a more reasonable solution, wash with cold water. Why, because it costs more to heat the water.

Fifth:  Heating brings up costs but if you purchase an energy saving heater, like an Energy Star Heater, you could be shedding $200 off your bill per year.

Sixth:  Insufficient insulation in your attic and other key places could be a big cause for high energy bills. , So, look to see if you need better insulation and spend $1 per square foot to insulate with fiberglass. It will pay for itself in no time.

Seventh:  Water heating takes up about 15% of your bills. A good  soltion would be to turn the water heater’s  thermostat to 120 degrees and use an insulating blanket ($25) and insulation for the pipes to keep the heat contained.

Eighth:  Alert NO COST SOLUTIONS!  If you turn down your thermostat while you’re out or asleep you will be saving $200 annually off of your heating bills. FURTHERMORE! If you turn down your fridge to 35 degrees to 38 degrees cuts down costs as well.

See attached article to get more information, but seriously let us get on this!! 

Stars and Their Sustainability Drive

Stars and Their Sustainability Drive By: Caitlin Presberg, Eco Promotional Products, Inc., www.ecopromotionsonline.com We get our popcorn ready, we sit down in the comfy lounge seats and wait with baited breath until the crystal clear screen shows the faces of our most beloved stars. To some they are crushes, for others they are an inspiration for something magical. They light up the screen with their heroics, comedic banter, and inspiring displays of survival, but when the screen goes black, that is when the real stars emerge. Celebrities like Jessica Alba, Ian Somerhalder, Brad Pitt, and Livia Firth have inhaled their fame and have exhaled beauty into reality by creating eco-friendly businesses, foundations, and challenges that instill the belief that you don’t have to be a superhero to save the world. Jessica Alba, now a mother of two, has taken her role as a mother and has become a supermom. She started her business The Honest Company, an eco-friendly line of baby products, because she wanted her children, and the children of the world, to have the safest, cutest, and healthiest start. She produces eco-friendly products that allow parents to be confident about their children’s future. The journey to the future is happening and Brad Pitt has already been a pioneer on this voyage, as the creator of the Make it Right Foundation. This foundation started after Hurricane Katrina, in hopes of rebuilding the damaged land and homes. However, Brad went further than just rebuilding and began creating an energy efficient community recognized and praised by the U.S. Green Building Council. Not only is he rebuilding the fallen homes, he is building a foundation for the future, and setting a trend of heroism among the people of today. One actor, that has recently been honored for his green efforts, is Ian Somerhalder, known as "the dead guy on LOST now undead on The Vampire Diaries", has used his name to create the IS Foundation. This foundation focuses on saving the environment in every aspect by: raising awareness of global conservation, green energy development, and how to end deforestation. This foundation has targeted the youth as the portals to the future, for within the youth lies the key to change. The future never stops, and apparently neither does this earth warrior. Recently Ian Somerhalder has stated that he is trying to make his character Damon, on The Vampire Diaries, go green by trading in his gas guzzling Camaro for the same classy and sleek Fisker Surf, incidentally the same car that Leonardo Dicaprio drives. This earth warrior is on the move, from the red carpet to the green carpet of the earth. The Red carpet became an inspiration for some, like Livia Firth, Colin Firth’s wife. She has set the challenge to the Hollywood stars to create a Green Carpet Challenge, a challenge that started up about three years ago, and still thriving, and taken up by stars such as Meryl Streep, and Cameron Diaz, and even designer Giorgio Armani. Livia helps challenge and create original, one of a kind clothing, that is eco-friendly and fashionable. Livia explained her passion by stating, "Fashion is a brilliant communicator. The fashion we communicate through the GCC promotes social justice, environmental integrity and the very best in design". This challenge is certainly bringing truth and awareness to the most popular carpet around. The vibrant red is now appearing as the birth place of these beautiful gown creations, setting the stage for future stars to follow. All of these celebrities and many more have incorporated Green Living into their everyday life and mission. Their fame is the foundation on which their missions are built, and upon the earth their fame was born. It is clear, that Livia, along with other celerity pioneers and leaders have found a drive that completes them, and thanks to their efforts the road to the future is slowly clearing.

Top 5 Tips for Green Company Picnics

It’s that time of the year again; businesses are getting ready for their annual company get-togethers. Here are some must-have tips for keeping them green.
1. Buy Bulk. Reduce waste and expenses by eliminating individual cans, bottles, condiments and individually wrapped cutlery. Large coolers and bulk dispensing is the way to go.
2. Stay local. Don’t make people drive long distances to get to the picnic spot. You’ll save gas, time and minimize pollution. If you have to drive far, then carpool. Give incentives to those that ride their bike.
3. Recycle. Seems simple enough but most people don’t want to walk the extra 10 feet to put something in the recycling bin. If you are going to have a lot of aluminum cans and plastic bottles at your picnic make sure you have multiple, noticeable, recycling bins. Even better, set your goal to have a zero-waste event with everything reusable. Frisbees make a great plate and wonderful gift.
4. Use natural and organic food. Bring foods that are locally grown and feed money into your community. It is usually cheaper and better for the environment because no pesticides or additives were used.
5. Clean up. Clean up and make sure that nothing was left behind. Leave your picnic ground the way you found it.
By: Rachel Thomas, Eco Promotional Products, Inc.
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/eco-friendly-picnics.html
http://humanityy.com/ecology/four-eco-friendly-tips-for-picnics-and-outings/
www.ecopromotionsonline.com

Earth Hour 2011

One day out of the year people around the world are asked to switch off phones and lights for one hour. Earth hour 2011 will take place on Saturday March 26 at 8:30 p.m. Since 2007 Earth Hour has grown from one city to 128 countries and continues to grow. Join Eco Promotional Products, Inc. and turn your lights and phones off for one hour; see how much one hour can do and find other ways to make an environmentally conscious difference every day.

High Lead Content in Grocery Totes

In an effort to go green many grocery stores are opting for reusable grocery totes rather than landfill bound plastic bags. The problem with this eco-friendly switch is that the lead content in some of these bags has been found to be high. The group Center for Consumer Freedom tested bags and found that 30 percent of those tested had lead content higher than the norm. “Consumers should not be scared,” the group said but the Federal government needs to extend standards on lead to products other than children’s toys and paint.
A test was done by TEI Analytical, Inc., a laboratory that does chemical testing; found that some bags made with Non-Woven Poly Propylene contained a large amount of lead. The study included bags from national chains such as Walgreens, Rite-Aid and Harris Teeter. CVS Pharmacy was found to be one of the retailers with the most amount lead in their bags. They had up to 500 parts per million (PPM) of toxic heavy materials in their bags, which is 5 times the allowed amount.
The lead on the bags does not easily come off but with the common wear and tear of everyday use, paint flakes can dislodge or threads can fray which then releases the lead. Eco Promotional Products, Inc. recognizes the harmful effects lead can have and only works with suppliers with products that have been test and checked. One of EPP’s suppliers has installed XRF Heavy Metal Detectors to scan,” ‘every batch and every color for lead and other heavy materials.’” The November, 2010 recall of reusable bags only allowed this supplier to market their bags, “they met a higher standard” than what already existed.
Another supplier EPP works closely with purchased the XLT Niton Analyzer Gun “to randomly check products before they get out our doors into your customers hands.” This device allows the supplier to make sure their products are compliant with hazardous substance standards. EPP is making more strides to ensure their products are safe. Lead products go through a third party to certify the lead content; there are also random lead spot-checks of products coming into the U.S. EPP also provides good alternatives to traditional grocery totes, ones made of cloth.
By: Rachel Thomas, Eco Promotional Products Inc.
Sources:
• http://dailycaller.com/2010/11/12/study-shows-reusable-bags-contain-high-levels-of-lead-content/
• http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/01/24/consumerwatch-study-finds-high-lead-levels-in-some-reusable-bags/
• http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/11/17/reusable-shopping-bag-ban-proposed-after-lead-discovery
• http://www.ceh.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=354&Itemid=259
• www.counselormag.com

Greening Our Government

The first-ever GreenGov Supply Chain Summit, hosting 150 different companies from all over the county was held in Chicago on November 16, 2010. The summit was held to announce a voluntary collaboration between the Federal Government and vendors and suppliers to create a greener and cleaner supply chain. Michelle Sheldon, President of Eco Promotional Products, Inc. was invited and gladly attended the the sumit. Certainly, the opportunity to contribute towards a greener and cleaner supply chain has been a long standing goal of Sheldon’s company. And there is a clear opportunity to participate in sales to the Federal Government, a purchaser of some 500 billion in goods and services annually.


White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley participates in the GreenGov Supply Chain Summit


Section 13 of Executive Order 13514 Made by President Obama on October 8, 2007 requires the General Services Administration, the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, and others to provide the Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy with recommendations on the possibilities of tracking and ultimately lessening greenhouse gas emissions from the Federal supply chain and improving sustainability of suppliers. Essentially the government is trying to control and ultimately lessen the greenhouse gases emitted from its supplier community. This is the government’s attempt at managing supplier and supply chain sustainability.

Some recommendations taken right out of the order are:1. Requiring vendors and contractors to register with a voluntary registry or organization for reporting greenhouse gas emissions
2. Requiring contractors, as part of a new revised registration under the Central Contractor Registration or other tracking system, to develop and make available its greenhouse gas inventory and description of efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions
3. Using Federal Government purchasing preferences or other incentives for products manufactured using processes that minimize greenhouse gas emissions
4. Other options for encouraging sustainable practices and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

The government along with the GSA and other agencies are trying to stop greenhouse gases by tracking how much their suppliers are emitting. If businesses all did this and became aware of how much they were endangering the environment, improved eco friendly practices such as paperless companies would grow and become the norm.


http://image.exct.net/lib/fefd167774640c/m/1/Executive+Order+7.13.2010.pdf

http://www.wileyrein.com/resources/documents/GSA%20Recommendations.pdf

http://www.wileyrein.com/publications.cfm?sp=articles&id=6242
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/11/18/greening-supply-chain

Michelle Sheldon from Eco Promotional Products

The Younger Generation of "Green"

The 2nd annual Cantigny Green Festival in Wheaton, IL was held Saturday, September 25, 2010. The fair, co-produced by Cantigny and School and Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting (SCARCE), celebrated, “what’s working in our local community—for people, business and the environment.” Promoting a green and safe environment the fair had activities for families, a fashion show, and booths set up to buy and sample green products.

The fair showcased the “Going Green” phenomenon that has been taken up by celebrities and large corporations. The question that arises is who is really being affected? Is this recent “fad”, celebrities and CEO’s have jumped on, really changing the view of future generations?

Richa Bhargava of Naperville, IL is one example of a member of the younger generation not getting lost in the “fad” and is actually learning what it means to be environmentally smart. “I think my generation is really the one affected by “going green,” Bhargava said. Bhargava, who attends Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, heard about the Green Fair from her school’s environmental club but was prompted to go by her AP Environmental teacher for extra credit.

The Green Festival showed Bhargava a number of organizations and companies going green. Bhargava said that corporations advertised a great deal about “going green” but with little results. She was comforted with the fact that other companies, along with Eco Promotional Products, Inc. were doing more. “Seeing recycled t- shirts, purses, jewelry and an electric car really emphasizes how we can actually change and truly go green,” Bhargava said.

The younger generations are catching on quicker than people think and really want to do what is right by the environment. The Cantigny Green Festival in Wheaton promotes awareness and fun for all generations. Bhargava feels the same, “It’s good to know that someone is taking the first step to change.”
Written by: Rachel Thomas from Eco Promotional Products, Inc.

The Impact of Choosing Made in USA Products

In tough economic times, Americans consumers are presented with a paradox – to seek out made in USA products to support our national economy or to purchase items manufactured overseas at a discounted price. There are few made in USA products currently on the market that are less expensive than imported goods. However, price is not always the most important factor to consider when making a purchase.

Consumers must support the national economy, or made in USA products will continue to decline and possibly disappear. Conversely, if consumers use their buying power to indicate that they are willing to pay a slight premium for American made items, domestic manufacturing will thrive and expand. The more USA made products American consumers purchase, from made in USA water bottles to organic apparel, the more products will become available.

Supporting the national economy goes beyond patriotism – buying made in USA products is the “green” choice as well. When consumers purchase items imported from other countries, they rarely take into consideration the carbon footprint of that item, i.e. how it was manufactured. For example, if you purchase made in USA clothes you are guaranteed they came from somewhere in the 50 states. Depending on where you live, there is a good chance your clothing item was manufactured and shipped to the end consumer less than 3,000 miles away. If you purchase an article of clothing made overseas, it’s possible that the fabric came from one country in the south Pacific and the item was assembled in an entirely different country then shipped to the United States. When all is said and done, one article of imported clothing has most likely travelled tens of thousands of miles before it ends up at your door. And even if the clothing is organic apparel, the environmental footprint may be quite large.

Additionally, there’s a reason that it is cheaper to manufacture items overseas. Many other countries have less stringent policies regarding labor laws and manufacturing best practices. So the less expensive items that are exported into the United States come at a price – generally at the expense of foreign laborers and increased pollution in developing nations.

In the current economic climate, it may be a challenge to find made in USA products, particularly organic apparel, grocery totes, stainless steel water bottles and electronics. However, if consumers begin to question where items are manufactured and choose to buy made in USA products when available, the impact could be staggering. The end result will be increased availability of made in USA products which support both the national economy and the environment.