Archive for the ‘Green Media’ Category

• Ecover Celebrates David Suzuki’s Eloquent Eco-Leadership

  Date: 2012.02.27 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  When it comes to environmental champions, renowned Japanese-Canadian scientist and broadcaster David Suzuki is among the most renowned. But he isn’t a dry intellectual with only facts and figures. Even with his extensive awards and accomplishments (too many to mention), his greatest gift is his ability to make science more accessible, even compelling, as we — humanity — are single handedly altering the planet. Ecover takes a moment to look at this eloquent eco-visionary!

  An eminent geneticist who became a professor at age 33, Dr. Suzuki was one of the first scientists to discuss climate change. He’s still going strong in his 70s. Many people around the world have watched him delve into such contrasting topics as autism and the social world of elephants, featured on the program The Nature of Things. He has hosted this show, which has aired in some 50 countries, for more than 30 years!

  Dr. Suzuki’s personal story is just as dramatic as his environmental narrative. His biography is a triumph over early deprivation and growing up in an internment camp during World War II, where Dr. Suzuki tried to find solace and peace where he could. His many faces are sketched in the film Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie, where he explores stark truths about the state of the planet yet manages to imbue the message with hope.

  He believes that by taking better care of the natural world, we will improve the human condition. For instance he says we carry several pounds of plastic and dozens of toxic molecules dissolved in our bodies, a shocking fact. But by helping explain where we are, Dr. Suzuki helps us focus on where we want to go. Ecover is proud to align with his vision of a more sustainable future!    

  Photo via David Suzuki Foundation

• An Ecover Thumb’s Up to Brad Pitt’s Continuing Commitment To Environment And Community

  Date: 2012.02.20 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  To Ecover, we don’t see the talented Hollywood icon Brad Pitt as just a star on the silver screen. He’s also dedicating much of his life to making the world a safer, better place for communities in need.  This quiet-spoken man is compassionate and has an environmental conscience – as well as a passion for architecture. This became evident after Hurricane Katrina blew through New Orleans, causing devastation that left the jazz and blues Mecca ravaged; Brad kicked his architectural and building inclination into gear when he saw that many areas were still in a seriously dilapidated state a year later.

  After meeting with local community groups and families, Brad formed the Make It Right Foundation with the mission to build 150 ecologically-friendly and affordable homes for these displaced people.  New leadership from the Make It Right Foundation has been a major part of the success story in re-building New Orleans, one that continues today, keeping housing a top priority for New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

  

  In a CNN interview some years later Brad said “The goal here was…affordable housing that’s high-performance…“ Brad praised the architects, builders, and project volunteers: “These people are pioneers here, and they have built the greenest neighborhood in the world.”

  Now in 2012 Pitt credited philanthropist and U2 front man Bono with providing him important humanitarian advice which helped shape his attitudes and environmentally incisive direction. They say it takes a village to sustain a community after all! But, it also takes a leader who has vision, passion, and the wherewithal to get it done. Brad Pitt’s sustainability efforts are a part of the solution and the world is watching and following suit. Ecover applauds the effort!

  Images via trendhunter.com, and incaseofemergencyblog.com

   

• Protecting Aquatic Life Is A Mission That Ecover And Suzanne Chisolm Both Embrace!

  Date: 2012.02.06 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  Because the oceans and all that live there are so important to us all, Ecover has always had the goal to make sure our products have a minimal impact on aquatic life. So when we hear about others who want to protect the ocean, fish, coral reefs and all aquatic life—we want to spread the word! So let us share a bit about Suzanne Chisolm, co-director of The Whale.

  Ms. Chisolm is a British Columbia filmmaker who has filmed, directed and produced more than 20 documentary pieces for the National Geographic Channel. She’s explored subjects as diverse as puffins, melting ice in Greenland, rising sea levels in the Netherlands and ecological hotspots in the South Pacific.

  Her recent film, The Whale, is about an orphaned orca whale, and it features Ryan Reynolds as the narrator. Ms. Chisolm directed the movie with Michael Parfit, and they chose to premiere it in the Faroe Islands, a place known for the annual pilot whale hunt – during which close to 800 pilot whales are killed each year.

  

  Ecorazzi tells us that after the premiere, Ms. Chisolm said that many people, especially children, loved the story, and the whale “Luna.”  She said, “[The film ] The Whale doesn’t tell you what to do. It just tells a story about the strongest of emotions, about friendship across boundaries.”

  By making this movie about friendship between a whale and humans – and premiering it in a country where whale hunting is ingrained in the culture – Ms. Chisolm may have started a sea of change! Perhaps the next generation on the Faroe Islands will see whales in a different light because of this film. It just might foster in them an urge to protect these beautiful creatures. Well done!

  Image 1 via planetinfocus.org
  Image 2 via wegotthiscovered.com

• From Field of Dreams To Helping Save The Ocean Ecover Sees Kevin Costner As Celeb Worth Watching

  Date: 2012.01.30 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  
  

  Dashing Hollywood actor Kevin Costner has been in numerous movies with titles that sound pretty appealing to environmentalists, like Field of Dreams, Dances With Wolves and Waterworld (which looked at a future where the polar ice caps have melted and the world is desperately short of resources). Ecover has enjoyed Costner’s performances over the years, and now looks at the work he’s doing to help keep our planet’s water cleaner.

  The Daily Green recently nominated Costner for its 2011 “greenest celebrity” award. Here’s what they had to say about him:

  While many celebs spoke out against the Gulf oil spill, Kevin Costner took
  direct action through an innovative, science-based startup he co-founded,
  Ocean Therapy Solutions. Costner had spent the last 15 years supporting
  research on centrifuge systems to more safely and effectively remove oil
  from water … Costner also testified before Congress, not just as a
  concerned actor, but as an expert in marine cleanups.

  Now, through Blue Planet Solutions, Costner’s technology is being used as the first line of defense against disastrous oil spills. The devices collect crude oil as soon as a spill occurs, helping to avoid irreversible environmental damage to the world’s oceans. According to Blue Planet Solutions, Costner’s “vision and ultimate success with [the centrifuge] technology is its unparalleled efficiency and success in spill cleanup.”

  We love to see the impact that one person can have on the environment! Thanks to Costner’s dreams and his investment in this innovative technology, the Earth’s oceans are already safer from oil spills devastation.

  Image by BP America, via Flickr.com

   

• Ecover Looks At Halle Berry Beautiful Inside And Out

  Date: 2012.01.23 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  Halle Berry may be best known as a talented actress and a red carpet showstopper, but Ecover also knows that she’s stunning and special on the inside as well as she is committed to sustainable living and supporting a number of charitable and environmental efforts!

  When she gave birth to her daughter Nahla, Halle decided to use organic fabrics, cloth diapers and other ecological products that are safe both for her baby and for the environment. She said, “I’m working on the nursery, but it’s all going to be organic and eco-friendly. There are so many things out now…I’m going to really try hard to make it all organic!”

  In 2006 Halle and other celebs including Pierce Brosnan and Cindy Crawford gathered on a beach in Malibu to protest a proposed natural gas facility, arguing that the terminals don’t meet clean air requirements.

  In addition, she supports the Shaster Foundation’s Indlovu Project in Africa. The Shaster Foundation supports the Monwabisi Park community, helping build an eco-friendly clinic, youth center and soup kitchen. Eco tourists who stay in a dorm or guesthouse can volunteer with the Indlovu Project during their stay, and funds from those accommodations support the community project. When Berry visited in 2010 she was “so impressed with all the work that’s being done here. It makes my heart feel good. There’s sadness too…but I’m also inspired because I see that people care, and I think that’s what makes a difference in the world – that people really care and show up.”

  It’s wonderful to see this actress use her talents and financial standing to help make the world a little better. Just gives us another reason to smile when we see her in the movies or gracing the cover of another magazine!  

  Photo: Halle Berry visits the Shaster Foundation’s Indlovu Project, a squatter community turned Eco-village.

  Image via ShaneshirleySmith.blogspot.com

• Ecover Shares The Story Of “The Moneyless Man” And His Dedication To Getting Closer To Nature!

  Date: 2012.01.16 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  Mark Boyle, an economics grad and former businessman, gives the adage “less is more” a whole new meaning! Inspired by Gandhi’s call to be the change you want to see in the world, and being disillusioned by society’s emphasis on materialism and consumerism, Mark set out with empty pockets and resourceful ambitions to become “The Moneyless Man.”

  He sold his houseboat to live closer to nature without a penny to his name. He found a place to live where he could barter labor for accommodations; he set up a “rocket stove” made from two old catering tins, feeding it with old wooden boxes. Then Mark made his own solar shower – a black plastic bag suspended from a tree and warmed by the sun — and his meals consisted of produce from his organic farm and wild food he foraged. Mark even created his own compost toilet!

  Money, in Mark’s opinion, is the proverbial root of all evil. “The degrees of separation between the consumer and the consumed have increased so much that people are completely unaware of the levels of destruction…in the production of the food and “stuff” we buy. The tool that has enabled this disconnection is money,” Mark maintains. Mark’s lifestyle allows the opportunity to reconnect with “life,” and he discovered that not only could he eliminate bills and burdensome accoutrements of modern day living, but that he was healthier, happier and more productive without money.

  In his book “The Moneyless Man,” Mark shares his journey, useful tips, and relays the philosophical lessons he learned. Profits from the book are invested in buying land to create a “Freeconomy community,” where people can experiment living close to the Earth and far from finances. At Ecover we admire Mark’s simple and sustainable philosophy on life…we think he’s onto something!

  Image via Wikipedia

   

• Ecover Meets a Mom Who Knows that Veggies & Kids Belong Together!

  Date: 2012.01.09 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  Getting kids to make healthy food choices is not always easy, but it can be accomplished by taking small steps in the right direction.  Sarah Creighton, who writes the Veggie Kids blog, is a mother of three (ages 2, 5 and 7) whose passion is “coming up with plant-based recipes that my kids (and husband) will eat!”

  A vegan who eats “lots of raw fruits and vegetables,” Sarah believes that modeling healthy eating for your kids is the number one thing parents can do to encourage healthy food choices. “There are numerous studies and articles written about the amazing effect a parent has when they choose to grab a handful of raw veggies versus a handful of chips,” she told Ecover recently. “Our children watch us more intently than we think. It’s important to strive to become better role models in the eating habits and health of our kids. Getting the entire family involved in a healthier lifestyle is even more beneficial.”

  So Sarah recommends teaching children where their food comes from: plant a garden, start composting and buy locally. “I know with my own kids, they are always amazed when they plant a tiny seed and out grows a tall plant bearing food that they can pick and eat!”

  Other ways to encourage healthier eating? Sarah suggests cooking meals together and making fun and appetizing foods like these Crispy Veggie Curls! It’s all about taking small steps, she says. “If parents can get their kids to replace one piece of junk food with one piece of raw fruit or veggie, that’s a step in the right direction!”

  

  Sarah was inspired to start blogging on this topic when she had her first child. He loved his veggies, and broccoli in particular. So she wrote a book called The Boy Who Loved Broccoli, which was just published. Bottom line, says Sarah, “instilling good habits in our kids when they’re young will not only give them a better start on life but they will become healthier adults.” Ecover couldn’t agree more!

   

• Ecover Celebrates Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart’s Green Love Connection!

  Date: 2012.01.02 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  There’s nothing like a great eco love story to satisfy us hopeless romantics here at Ecover! So we congratulate HGTV’s Carter Oosterhouse and actress Amy Smart on their recent marriage – and for their shared efforts to live more sustainably. According to Us magazine, the two met at an environmental charity event in November 2010 and bonded while working on a project together. Sweet!

  Amy tells People that she doesn’t watch much TV and didn’t recognize Oosterhouse, who hosts the home improvement shows Carter Can and Red, Hot and Green on HGTV. By chance they were assigned to work together on an adopt-a-school-garden project for the Environmental Media Awards, and sparks flew. Carter is known for promoting green building practices and conservation on his shows, and she is one of young Hollywood’s eco-up-and-comers. Amy says she adores her hybrid car and that buying eco-friendly cleaning products is a “go-green no-brainer.” Be still our beating hearts!

  The couple’s September wedding took place in Carter’s hometown of Traverse City, MI, also the current home of Amy’s parents. Even with more than 200 guests in attendance, Carter and Amy were able to keep waste to a minimum, generating just one bag of garbage! Now that takes some serious green planning!

  Cheers to the happy couple … and to sharing a passion for all things green with that special someone in your life. Do you have your own green love story to share? We’d love to hear about it on Facebook or Twitter!

  Photo by Byron Purvis via People.com

   

• FIRST Magazine Recognizes Ecover And Mick Bremans For Responsible Business Practices!

  Date: 2011.12.26 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  What a night! More than 300 prominent business and government leaders were on hand at Marlborough House in London recently, to see Ecover Chairman Michaël (Mick) Bremans receive the 2011 FIRST Award for Responsible Capitalism!

  FIRST’s Award honors business leaders who have excelled in achieving both commercial success andsocial responsibility. This has Ecover written all over it! FIRST is an international affairs organization that works to enhance communications worldwide between leaders in industry, finance and government.  Rupert Goodman, Chairman of FIRST said, “We … believe that commercial success can be assessed in terms of standard criteria, but that social responsibility involves a greater sense of the needs of the wider community…the well-being of groups in need, care for the areas in which the business operates, environmental initiatives, and support for the arts and culture.”

  When awarding Ecover, the judges looked at our business leadership and our consistent demonstration of social accountability. It’s all about how we interact with the environment and in the communities we operate!  Lord Woolf, Chairman of The FIRST Judging Panel said this: “Bremans has, through sensitive and positive leadership of Ecover International, demonstrated what can be achieved through innovation and research, based on sustainability.” 

  

  When Mick Bremans spoke, he said that he was “deeply honored and grateful” to accept the award on behalf of Ecover. “When Ecover started more than 30 years ago, we would never have imagined being where we are today.  From an artisan activity in the early ‘80s, Ecover has become a producer of sustainable household products and a leader in sustainable practices. Ecover is about our customers: As a company we deeply care about the needs of our customers.  We are passionate about improving people’s lives by offering sustainable and healthy ways of living.”

  Thank you to FIRST, for recognizing us and continuing to encourage socially responsible business practices!

  Photo: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne MP presented the 2011 FIRST Award for Responsible Capitalism to Mick Bremans, Chairman, and Ecover International BV.  

• Ecover Goes Phish-ing For Eco Rockers!

  Date: 2011.12.21 | Category: Green Media | Response: 0

  

  Well let’s see; in previous blog entries we’ve given recipes for halibut…and talked about the health of our oceans … and today Ecover is looking at Phish – but it’s the band, not the aquatic animal! There are many reasons we love Phish, and their cool music is just one of them. They’ve got a great attitude towards sustainability as they help to promote living in a way that keeps the environment safer.
  It’s no surprise that Phish got its start in the green mountain state, Vermont. The guys in the band met at Goddard College in the late 1980s and began performing in and around Burlington, VT, an idyllic village situated away from the hustle and bustle of the world. Their music is filled with spontaneous jams and a bit of humor, with song titles including “Fluffhead” and “Golgi Apparatus.” Rolling Stone describes Phish as incorporating “diverse elements of barbershop, bluegrass, jazz fusion, funk, folk…and, yes, even Broadway” into its songs.

  When Rolling Stone made its list of The 15 Most Eco-Friendly Rockers, Phish was featured because they “…have used their influence and extensive touring schedule to bring awareness to environmental issues.”  For one thing, they have a group they call the Green Crew; volunteers who keep parking lots and entry areas clean and overall help keep the venues clean. In addition, Phish encourages carpooling to their concerts and have a foundation called WaterWheel, which has donated more than half a million dollars to various charitable organizations, with a focus on urban gardening, clean water and land conservation.

  Great music, a cool attitude and respect for the environment. That’s what makes Phish, in our book, a band worth admiring!

  Image by hlkljgk, via Flickr.com