Check out HGTV.com today (quickly) to see the nice write-up on our eco-friendly WaterWeek bottles. You get a chance to win the aluminum water week set! It’s posted under a fun section called Freebie Fridays and each Friday they feature a cool product with a chance to win! But hurry, you have to enter by THIS MONDAY, 2/8, at noon ET, so visit http://blog.hgtv.com/design/category/freebies/ as soon as you’re done reading this post!
Here’s what they have to say: “This week we’re bringing a little green to your weekend with some help from our friends at REDUCE. Their WaterWeek system brings an end to the wasteful and expensive habit of purchasing bottled water.” And we all know that not only does this save our landfills from unnecessary waste, but saves your pocketbook a lot too, about $500 a year! Not bad. Being green really can save you green!
HGTV.com also wants to know what other ways you are going green this year. So let them know (before Monday as well). Some of the things I’m doing are: buying energy efficient light bulbs instead of the cheaper ones, printing on the blank side of used paper (be careful, it can get confusing) and reusing foil (it washes up well!).
It’s a pretty fun blog. Check back each Friday to see what the next Freebie Friday will be. I know I will.
Rani Quirk
Marketing Manager
February 5th, 2010
Bamboo is really amazing. It has been around forever, yet, we have just begun to tap into its amazing abilities. Companies are incorporating bamboo into housewares, flooring, furniture and even clothing! Our Reduce™ Melaboo™ line of kitchenware is a mixture of bamboo and melamine, making it highly biodegradable and eco-friendly. And we just launched another bamboo product called Wild Bamboo™, a natural crushed-bamboo line of plates, bowls and serving ware. This relatively new process gives the pieces a raw and natural look, with light and dark shades of bamboo—no two pieces are alike!
Wild Bamboo 
Melaboo
Bamboo is so much more than just Panda fare. It is a tree-like grass, actually a woody perennial evergreen plant. There are over 1000 species of bamboo, with many in the U.S. Because it is the fastest growing woody plant in the world, it is extremely renewable and when treated, it becomes a durable and lightweight wood.
Here is a lowdown on why we should support bamboo-based products:
- Bamboo is VERY eco-friendly. It is highly sustainable, which means it grows quickly, takes less energy to grow than similar plants, and the grass can be harvested over and over from the same plant.
- Bamboo is durable and lightweight, making it ideal for housewares, home furnishings and flooring.
- Bamboo is versatile—some uses include clothing, building products, home furnishings, kitchenware, food, medicine, carpeting and the list goes on.
- Bamboo is inexpensive to use because it regenerates so often. Unlike other types of wood, bamboo can even grow from cut stems.
- Bamboo, because it is so fast growing, generates a lot of oxygen, which positively impacts other crops around it.
- Bamboo is allergy-free, which is a great benefit when used in products that come in direct contact with people like clothing, building products, housewares and carpeting.
So it is easy to see that it makes sense to buy bamboo-based products. It’s good for our environment, our checkbook and our quality of life. Check out http://www.americanbamboo.org/ for more info on bamboo.
Ken Kreafle, CEO of Base Brands
January 25th, 2010
Have you heard of 1% for the Planet℠? It is a bit different from your typical charity. It is a not-for-profit organization whose members pledge to donate 1 percent of sales to environmental causes. As a member, you can choose some well-known causes, and/or smaller local ones that may often get ignored.
We became a member in 2010 and will donate a portion of all Reduce brand products to support green causes. Of all the many cool things we have planned for 2010 (new products, international trade shows, etc.), this is the coolest in my opinion.
We chose this organization after looking at a wide variety of options. And what convinced us was the opportunity to make a difference not just on a broader scale, but also at a very local level—to impact the community outside our back door, so-so-speak.
Begun in 2002 by the founder of Patagonia, 1% for the Planet (1% FTP) is made up of over 1,000 businesses that donate over $12 million annually to environmental groups worldwide. Since it began, the group has raised over $42 million–not shabby! As our sales grow, we’ll help that total grow as well. And another benefit or joining 1% FTP is the opportunity to get to know other like-minded companies and share information on how we can all be better environmental stewards.
We developed the Reduce line of products because we wanted to make it a little easier for people to reduce their carbon footprint and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Take Reduce™ WaterWeek™—it is a very simple solution to a nasty problem. Keep the set of five water bottles chilling in your fridge ready to grab when you need it and you are no longer likely to buy the disposable water bottles (of which only about 25% end up recycled, the rest are washing up on shores across the world). It’s not rocket science, but it is a small step that if taken by many, results in significant change for the environment.
Learn more about 1% for the Planet at (http://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org) and check out other companies that have joined the cause.
Ken Kreafle, CEO of Base Brands
January 14th, 2010
Well, we have successfully said good bye to 2009 (good riddance?) and are looking forward to a happier and healthier 2010. January is the month to start anew by kicking some bad habits, and starting some good ones. One of my resolutions is to eat better and drink more water this year!
But it can be very difficult to drink the recommended amount of water each day–eight glasses or 64 ounces. That’s a lot of water! I will admit, before I became a more environmentally friendly consumer, I bought disposable water bottles and would grab one on my way out the door, because I know the important health benefits of drinking enough water:
- Healthy Bodily Function: We lose a lot of water during the day through sweating and breathing. If we lose even just 10% of the water in our body, we’re considered dehydrated—even losing 1-2% can cause us to feel tired, and get headaches. So drinking enough water helps us think better, feel energized and helps our internal organs just function better, which could ward off disease.
- Pretty Skin: This is related to #1 since our skin is our largest organ. With enough water, our skin will have luster, feel more pliable, less dry and just look healthier.
- Weight Loss: If we rob our kidneys of enough water, they have to work harder to rid our bodies of waste, which could lead to kidney stones. Ouch. Then, the liver might have to take up the slack and then can’t focus on metabolizing stored fat, which will ultimately build up more fat. You get the picture.
So, back to my lack of water drinking. I’m getting better. I keep Reduce WaterWeek in my fridge and always have a cold bottle of water ready to grab on my way out the door. They fit in my purse, are attractive and easily fit in my car’s cup holder (not true for many of my other water bottles). I’m still not up to 64 ounces, but I’m doing better and feel good that I’m not contributing to the wasteful growth of our landfills. This may be one New Year’s resolution that I can actually keep!
Check out our wide variety of water bottles at www.reduceeveryday.com and start drinking to your health too.
Rani Quirk, Marketing Manager
January 4th, 2010
All of us here at Base Brands would like to wish you and yours a very happy holiday season. It is coming down to the final stretch, and by the looks of traffic around here, people are busy with last minute shopping. Hopefully, you’ve been able to use some of our previous green shopping tips as you head out to the mall!
So, in the spirit of the holidays, we’d like to share some simple ideas to be a bit greener this holiday season, and start the New Year off right.
Buy in bulk or large packages: ‘Tis the season to cook and bake. Try to plan out your recipes so you can buy bigger containers/boxes and make lots of batches of your favorite recipe. Buying lots of little containers of ingredients creates a ton of extra waste.
Be stingy with the gas logs: Running a gas fireplace really eats up gas and costs a small fortune! Try to run it just for special occasions, not all day long, like the kids want. This makes it more special anyway.
Time those lights: Plug in a light timer for your outside and tree lights. It’s silly to waste electricity when no one is around to enjoy the pretty tree.
Recycle paper and ribbons: It’s amazing how much you can save and reuse if you’re careful. Especially gift bags; they’re expensive and a huge shame to throw out. And don’t put labels on the outside of the bag! Then they’re ruined for sure.
Say no to paper plates: Invest in cheap but attractive buffet plates and cups and ditch the paper plates and cups at your next holiday open house. Plus it looks so much nicer anyway.
Here’s hoping your time with friends and family is joyous and safe this year. We’re going to spend some quality time with our loved ones so we’ll see you back in 2010!
Ken Kreafle, CEO of Base Brands
December 21st, 2009
Not to sound old-fashioned, but most household products appeal to women, not men. Women buy them, use them, store them, throw them out when done, and buy new ones when they need them. This is a generalization, I know, but still very true. Any smart marketer knows this to be fact. So, at Base Brands, when we develop new and different household products, we talk to our consumer and listen to her too. But, one of our most recent product launches got me thinking. What makes a typical household product “crossover” to the other side? When does the male of the house start to notice a particular household item and care enough to give his opinion to the ultimate decision maker?
A friend of a friend’s husband, who is pretty traditional (not a lot of help with household or childcare chores), told his wife he wanted them to buy this well-known high-end vacuum cleaner. He doesn’t vacuum, has never vacuumed and probably never will. But he wanted them to have this vacuum. Why? Because it had a great design and looked cool. It had a “mechanism” to it that made it different.
And so it is with our new Reduce™ Compactor Can. It’s a kitchen garbage can that features great design and looks cool. And it has a revolutionary feature unlike any other can out there— it has a compacting feature built into the lid so you can compact 2 times your household garbage, all without plugs or batteries. You just push down on the lid handle and a compacting disc then squishes down your garbage. No more sticking your hand into the trash! So it is a sanitary solution to a common problem, that also saves money on trash bags, and sends less bags to the landfill, making it eco-friendly too. And to brag a bit, the Reduce Compactor Can, has recently been selected as a finalist in a housewares design contest! The 2010 Housewares Design Awards chose the Reduce Compactor Can as one of only 65 finalists out of over 300 entries because of its innovative and eco-friendly design. Check it out at http://www.housewaresdesignawards.com/hda/main.asp.
We have found that men really like the Reduce Compactor Can. It has man-appeal. Is it because men take out the trash? (Again, generalizing here.) Is it because they have a gadget to play with? Is it because it appeals to their ego because they can one-up the neighbors with the coolest garbage can in the cul-de-sac? Not sure here. Women still make the buying decisions no doubt, but with more and more household products, they may hear more input from their other half. The big question is will they listen. What other household products do you think have “man-appeal”? Let us know. We’re curious.
Ken Kreafle, CEO of Base Brands
December 8th, 2009
The holiday shopping season is officially upon us and if you haven’t crossed everyone off your list yet, we thought it would be helpful to share some tips on how to be a bit more eco-friendly during this yearly ritual of mass purchasing and consumption. And the good part, not only will these tips help you be more green, they may just save you some green too.
- Get organized: Write down all your gifts and consolidate your shopping trips. Don’t drive to far away stores to pick up one or two things. That’s a big waste of emissions. Plan to hit a few stores on one big trip.
- Bring reusable shopping bags. These bags are not just for the grocery store; why not bring them to the mall as well? Makes good sense.
- Shop online. This is a bit obvious, but it’s worth repeating. Because you are not driving anywhere, you’re saving on fossil fuels and emissions.
- Buy locally. Look for vendors who are local—farmers, craftspeople, etc.—and support them. You know their products didn’t travel across an ocean to get to you. Energy is saved and pollution is reduced.
- Green gift wrapping: Use recycled papers, newspapers or fabric to wrap and decorate packages. Make bows out of fabric ribbon instead of the plastic kind; these take a long time to decompose and can give off toxic fumes when burned.
- Rechargeable batteries: Consider buying rechargeable batteries and include a charger as part of the gift. This will cut down dramatically on the amount of discarded batteries that end up polluting the earth.
- Make it with love: Make homemade gifts, and if they’re edible, even better. This way, you are showing great affection (it takes thought and effort to cook/bake/assemble something) and when the gift is consumed, all that is left over is a handy jar or container.
- Save the paper: This is tough with kids, since they have very little patience opening gifts, but a lot of wrapping paper can be saved with a little careful ripping. Especially on big toy packages. There is easily enough usable paper to be saved for small packages next year.
- Give green gifts: Help spread the word about the importance of saving our earth. Look for gifts with eco-labels, made out of recycled products or that help people become more green. Reduce WaterWeek bottles are attractive and giving them will encourage the recipient to stop buying wasteful disposable water bottles.
- Gift Cards: There’s the constant debate whether gift cards are the lazy man’s way out, with that aside, it is a great green solution. Your loved one gets to pick out what they really want, reducing the amount of unwanted items ending up in the Goodwill bin.
That’s it. No doubt, there are many more ways to be green this season. Hopefully, we can all keep some of these tips in mind as we hit the stores, whether brick and mortar or online. Keep thinking green and you may save some green.
–Ken Kreafle, CEO of Base Brands
November 30th, 2009
Check out the following blog for a recent review on WaterWeek.
http://www.greenmamaspad.com/2009/11/reduce-waterweek-review-giveaway.html
November 20th, 2009
I recently attended a very fun and creative school event that was filled with trash. Garbage everywhere: used cans, boxes, plastic bottles, egg cartons…you name it. The event: a Trashy Art show! In honor of America Recycles day (November 15th), my son’s elementary school decided to show their green spirit by hosting an art contest for the eco-friendly. It’s part of our school’s ongoing and growing environmental efforts to help us all be more green. Just a couple of years ago, they “politely” suggested that we not send in those nasty disposable plastic water bottles for snack and lunch. It’s worked….most kids bring in their reusable bottles and fill it up from the fountain. Pretty simple, huh?
Back to Trashy Art. The kids were very creative and used a lot of things I would have never have thought of. My son created a cute, but simple creation called “When Pigs Fly” using an Ovaltine can, a used sponge brush, egg carton, warped playing cards and left over Erector Set pieces. I thought it was extremely inventive…until I saw the rest of the entries! Kids made creations with engine pieces, soda cans and bottles, golf clubs, old windows, the list goes on. Really cool stuff.
But even though this was a fun time for the kids, they really did get the message about the importance of recycling. We (adults) can print flyers and talk about being good environmental stewards until we’re blue in the face. Sometimes, to break through the clutter, you have to kick it up a notch and our little Trashy Art show did just that.
Take a look at some of the entries. You may just get inspired to create something interesting with your trash…..
When Pigs Fly Bottle Top Creature Soda Can Wreath w/Golf Balls
Rani Quirk, Marketing Manager
November 17th, 2009
Being green is certainly in vogue these days. Unlike some fashion trends, being green needs to become a way of life, and not go out of style. But like many things, becoming more environmentally friendly is overwhelming if taken to an extreme. So start out small. Take baby steps, just like we teach our children. Come up with small, simple goals, and try to reach them. Here are some ideas that are simple and easy to do:
- Print on both sides of the paper: It takes a little patience, but just print page one, then put it back in right side up and print page 2. Simple. I’ve been doing this for awhile and it is now second nature. Theoretically, this will cut my paper use in half, but I’m not totally diligent yet.
- Rip paper towels in half: I admit it, I love using paper towels instead of sponges because of the germ factor. So, I just fold them and rip them in half for simple jobs. My kids are trained this way too.
- Collect leftover drinking water: My kitchen is littered with cups filled with 1-2 inches of water. I pour them in an attractive pitcher by the sink and water potted plants with it.
- Buy reusable water bottles and keep them accessible: That way, you are less likely to buy wasteful plastic disposable water bottles for convenience sake only. Reduce WaterWeek was designed exactly for this purpose and they work great for us.
- Buy large boxes and bags of food: Instead of buying small packets of crackers and snacks, buy bigger containers and put in little baggies.
These are just five simple tips, but there are so many more simple and easy ideas out there. Do you have any eco-friendly tips you’d like to share? We’d love to hear.
Rani Quirk, Marketing Manager
November 9th, 2009
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