Why bamboo is so cool.

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

Add comment January 25th, 2010

Buy Reduce™ Products—Help Support Green Causes

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

Add comment January 14th, 2010

Happy New Year and Please Drink to Your Health! (8 times a day)

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

Add comment January 4th, 2010