Category: Miscellaneous

Wanted to share a little something my son penned while we were flying to New York.
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Clouds. They are like icebergs floating in a sea of pollution.
I feel like I’m floating in the saturated water
leaving smoke clouds behind in a swirl of hate
toward our environment, toward our ecosystem,
toward our world Mother Earth.
Feeling like I’m dying and seeing the earth crying
maybe we can make a difference, as people,
as humans with flaws. She tries to sing out a sound
but only comes a hum. She’s dying, she’s crying,
she’s screaming out help.
But no one listens to her call.
As I rise higher and higher I see her tears flowing
down the river from the oceans, to the lakes,
her beautiful shining lakes.
But now they’re leaving us too
because of you, because of me, because of us.

eric hahn, age eleven
written on an airplane in-flight

– from cheryl

Well, it’s our special day… That is, all us folk involved with making the world a bit more eco-friendly. I never would have thought during my childhood that we would actually need such a day to think about our environment. A recent survey in Mother Jones magazine cites that kids today are more afraid of global warming than of terrorism. For the heck of it, I asked my 13 yr old daughter and she confirmed the answer. I was pretty shocked actually. Yes people, it’s time for us to be accountable for our actions and consumer purchasing is a HUGE part of the American lifestyle.

My last post talks about our “stuff” and how we need to start thinking how it’s made and where it ends up. So listen up: Forget styrofoam disposables that don’t biodegrade, stop using dangerous toxic household cleaners, ditch your incandescent lighting for CF’s, buy a car with good gas mileage (or vegetable oil consumption, even better), if possible go solar or wind for power, buy products made from renewable resources, recycle (it’s an insult to your intelligence if you don’t), reduce your consumption and purchase quality products that last, reuse and donate your items to local thrift stores or charities.

For the month of April all items in our store will be reduced by 20% OFF. Our website was unable to issue a “storewide” discount, so you’ll have to call for this offer 800.229.7571. Just mention the bloggin’ 20% discount and you’ll be good to go. We understand that many eco-friendly and organic items are usually more costly, and this is our way of celebrating Earth Day and thanking all of you for being mindful of your consumer consumption.

Happy Earth Day everyone!
Chill Out Naturally®

I received an email from CREDO Mobile – the greenest mobile phone company in America. As Earth Day approaches — just two more days! — we’ve been talking to our local customers about how our organic comfort products incorporate the 3 Rs: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. Having products made from renewable and sustainable resources is so important to our environment. Some people get it. Others are not quite sure — you can tell by the glaze in their eyes. The thing is, people don’t really think about how their stuff is made. When I read the email from CREDO, I just had to share it because it’s so easy to understand…. perhaps even the glaze-eyed folks out there will begin to have a better focus. Not only that, but CREDO is a great choice if you’re considering a new cell phone plan…..

Your stuff has a story.

The story of our stuff starts with the natural resources–coal taken from dynamited mountainsides, oil extracted from threatened habitats, or trees reaped from precious forests–to make the stuff we all consume.

The story of our stuff ends with waste–the stuff we tire of and eventually toss–which ends up in landfills, incinerators, or someone else’s backyard where they must deal with the devastating consequences of our wastefulness.

There are ways we can do better–for the planet and for our future–as consumers. Starting today, you can rewrite the story of your stuff.

This Earth Day, I ask you to consider a proposition from CREDO Mobile that will limit the beginning and the end of our shared story as consumers.

Switch to CREDO Mobile and you’ll get a free phone and an eco-package that only a company like CREDO can provide, including*:

A TreadTM phone case made from recycled tires that would otherwise end up in landfills or emit some of the most hazardous chemicals on earth when burned.
A free SolioTM Hybrid 1000 solar phone charger that uses the power of the sun–rather than coal-powered electricity–to charge your phone or mobile device.
Plus, we’ll pay to offset your direct carbon emissions for an entire year (up to $55) through our nonprofit partner, Carbonfund.org.
And every time you pay your bill, CREDO Mobile will donate a portion of your charges (totaling $60 million from CREDO customers so far!) to progressive causes like Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network and Ocean Conservancy.

Protecting our planet takes the commitment of many, many individuals. What we’re doing to our environment with all the stuff we use is arresting: we’re harvesting, mining, transporting and discarding at a rate that is simply unsustainable. In the past three decades alone, we’ve used one-third of the planet’s natural resource space–space that can never be replaced.**

So join me in rewriting a chapter in the story of your stuff, and our planet, by giving CREDO Mobile a try. As a founder of CREDO (and the company’s biggest fan), I can tell you that you have nothing to lose, and a whole host of precious resources to start saving.
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For more information about the Credo Mobile plan, visit their website.

My son and I had the opportunity to ask a few Norfolk residents about quick tips for a more eco-friendly lifestyle. I was fortunate to have Senator Ralph Northam stop by our table and he contributed in answering the question, too. I’m glad we had the chance to meet with our community…. It was great 🙂

Our weekend in New York for the Go Green Expo was unexpectedly overwhelming! Wow it was great to see such a BIG crowd visiting the show and we ran out of catalogs by mid-afternoon the first day. Yikes! Guess we weren’t prepared for the huge interest, although in hindsight we should have been since New York is one of the top-three areas where our customers live. My 13 year-old daughter worked the booth with me, and she loved it and everyone was fantastic to her. Thank you all so much! Our table was busy the entire time, and unfortunately I didn’t even get a chance to walk the expo myself, so I’m pretty bummed about that…. although I did get to say Hi to our good friends at “E” Magazine because they were only a few tables away.

More than three-hundred people signed up for our Free Organic Pillow Giveaway, and we’ll be shipping ten lucky winners their goodies this week.

If the rest of America embraced eco-values the way New Yorkers do, then we’d be in really good shape. Oh yeah, I almost forgot…. a very long-time industry associate was there too – Howard (Howie) Gabe. Wow, he goes WAY back to the beginning of this eco-revolution, just like we do, so it was good to briefly reminisce and laugh about how both of us are still standing. I love seeing the original pioneers! I don’t know all these new green people and businesses (sob). Anyway, Howie is organizing an NYC eco-trade show in July, so maybe we’ll be back sooner than expected.

Our original song: “Chill Out Naturally” (TM)
Groove baby. Get ecosmart for perfect cool.
Hope you enjoy our funky and fun jingle!

You can’t get out of the right side of bed when you’re in the wrong mattress…
sleep well.
~c

We’re gearing up for our Grand Opening this weekend at our new location….
We’ll feature the many benefits of organic and untreated natural materials, with hands-on comparisons so folks can feel the differences. We’ll also focus on “body pollution” based on the popular “body burden” studies which show the average American has atleast 90 industrial chemicals in his or her body from common products, such as furniture (mattresses), and yes even clothing!

Our job is to educate folks above and beyond the apparent “BIG” environmental impact of our product choices — and show them how studies reveal these choices now affect the environment inside their home. Indoor air pollution is now worse than outdoor pollution. Yes, really! And how our bodies (mostly fatty tissues) absorb and retain these chemical pollutants.

I feel like it’s 17 years ago when I say: “Small choices, big difference”. Back then I referred mainly to our environmental footsteps on the planet, but now those choices also makes a big difference in your natural home zone.

If you’re in the Norfolk, Virginia area this weekend… please be sure to stop by for a visit with us. If not, come another time… we’ll be here and we’d love to meet you!

sleep well,
~c

The following fun tidbit is from the CozyPure® website and catalog:

It is said that an Indian woman once stumbled across a tree that had white teardrops. She believed that the tree was crying — but we know today that those tears were simply the natural sap seeping from the bark of the Rubber Tree. Early civilizations found many uses from the rubber sap, making waterproof clothing and shoes, and even little balls that would bounce, to provide hours of entertainment. Today, we’ve learned how to harness the natural properties of the rubber tree and create wonderful sleeping surfaces that are comfortable, durable, and naturally safe.

Sleep well 😉