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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
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
In honor of Halloween, one of my favorite holidays, I wanted to post some really scary and alarming facts that you probably aren’t aware of. I know I wasn’t! And hopefully, these spooky tidbits of information will get you thinking…about using reusable grocery bags, about recycling cans, bottles and all papers, about using reusable water bottles, about turning off those lights when you leave the room!
Scary Fact #1
Enough aluminum is thrown away to rebuild our commercial air fleet 4 times a yearScary Fact #2Every year enough paper is thrown away to make a 12′ wall from New York to CaliforniaScary Fact #3Making paper uses more water per ton than any other product in the world, even plastic.Scary Fact #4The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population but consumes 30% of the world’s resources and creates 30% of the world’s waste.Scary Fact #5Glass takes more than one million years to decompose in our landfills.Scary Fact #6About 1% of U.S. landfill space is full of disposable diapers, which take 500 years to decompose.Scary Fact #7Each American throws away an average of 100 polystyrene cups each year, which will take over 500 years to decompose.Scary Fact #8It takes about 4,776 gallons of water to raise a Christmas tree.Scary Fact #9Only about 12% of plastic water bottles are recycled, which equates to about 25 billion accumulating in landfills. The oil required to produce these bottles is enough oil to power 250,000 homes and fuel 100,000 cars. Research from Doug James, Cornell U professor.And Scary Fact #10Cairo may kill you. Breathing the daily air in Cairo, Egypt is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day.I just wanted to throw in that last point because it is fascinating…and begs the question, what’s it like if you live in Cairo AND smoke a pack a day? I guess that may explain their life expectancy of 60-65 years, compared to the rate in the U.S. that just recently reached 78 years.So, Happy Halloween. Don’t eat too much candy. And for goodness sakes, recycle all that wasteful plastic packaging!Thanks to the following sites for enlightening me.http://www.ecocycle.org/pdfs/Eco-facts_2004.pdfhttp://conserveplasticbags.blogspot.com/2007/03/some-interesting-and-alarming-facts.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/facts.htm
–Ken Kreafle, CEO Base Brands
October 29th, 2009
One day I read some startling statistics about how wasteful we Americans can be. As I thought about my own lifestyle, I wondered what I could do differently.
That’s how I came up with the concept for ReduceTM. I wanted to make it convenient, affordable and “cool” to be eco-friendly every day. Like most of you, I spend most of time at home or at work, so I started to brainstorm some ideas about new ways to reduce waste in these two places.
The idea for WaterWeek came to me as I thought about how many plastic bottles are sitting in landfills because people don’t make time to recycle. We know what we should be doing, but we’re not doing it. Why? Primarily because it’s not convenient.
With WaterWeek, you make a one-time purchase and re-use your water bottles as often as you’d like. When I tell people about this solution they “get it” and want one for themselves. It’s easy to use and we’ve got some great colors and patterns you’ll love. Let’s reduce bottles together!
What has been your motivation to “go green”?
June 20th, 2008
