Archive for the ‘News & Politics’ Category

• Ecover Celebrates Healthy Moms This Mother’s Day And Every Day

  Date: 2012.05.11 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  

  As Mother’s Day approaches, Ecover wishes for all Mothers a precious day with their family (and we also want to share a special Mother’s Day 20% discount with you, just use promo code YAYMOMS)!  And we want to take the opportunity to shine a spotlight on Mother’s Day Every Day: The Campaign for Healthy Moms and Newborns – a global effort to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of mothers and newborns at risk during childbirth. It’s hard to believe that childbirth remains the leading killer of young women worldwide, taking a woman’s life nearly every minute of every day. But the good news is that this campaign brings together a broad range of influential people who work to make motherhood safer.

  Consider these compelling facts from The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood:

  • In 2008, an estimated 358,000 women died from complications developed during pregnancy or childbirth.  The vast majority of these deaths were preventable with health care access before, during and after childbirth.
  • Only 63 percent of births in the developing world are attended by skilled health workers (up from 53 percent in 1990).
  • Mothers play a vital role in the economic health of their families and communities. 90 percent of women’s income is reinvested with their families; with men it’s only 30 to 40 percent. Each year, an estimated $15.5 billion in potential productivity is lost when mothers and newborns die.

  Powerful statistics – and an additional incentive to celebrate mothers worldwide. Mothers and families are always on our minds here at Ecover; our vision of economical, ecological and social change ranges across society, working for a better future. We give you our best as we help make the world safer and healthier – that’s the heart of our business. So we salute the Mothers Day Every Day Campaign and wish everyone a healthy and happy Mother’s Day!

  Photo by riza via Flickr.com

• Ecover Celebrates Earth Month With The 2012 Mission To Mobilize The Earth!

  Date: 2012.04.20 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  

  If we had to pick our favorite month of the calendar year here at Ecover, we’d have to admit we’re partial to April …. not only is it springtime with that sense of new beginnings and renewal, but it’s also Earth Month! Since it began in 1970, the celebration of Earth Day has commemorated our planet and served as an invitation to all its global residents to help preserve the environment. In the past forty-two years the concept of Earth Day has grown significantly, and now the entire month of April is packed with activities and events where people show their dedication to a sustainable future.

  This year Earth Day is on April 22^nd– on that day more than one billion people around the globe, “people of all nationalities and backgrounds will voice their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection.” The theme of Earth Day 2012 is “Mobilize the Earth.”

  At Ecover we do our best every day to make the world a better place. From clean-running factories to our commitment to plant-based ingredients, to innovative concepts such as quick and complete biodegradability and PlantPlastic packaging: we take the environment and the earth’s health into account every step of the way.

  And we’re not alone. There are so many ways that citizens like you can take action and make every day Earth Day. We can’t help but smile as we celebrate Earth Day and Month, imagining people all over the planet working towards keeping the Earth clean. Yep, it’s official: April is our favorite month!

  Image by NASA via fotopedia.com

• Ecover Looks At Innovative Living Designs Of The Future

  Date: 2012.03.28 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  

  Imagine living with your family in the middle of a busy city, and harvesting your own vegetables and tending to your own livestock. That’s part of the vision displayed by eVolvo Magazine, architecture and design journal, from their 2011 Skyscraper Competition. The annual competition recognizes superb ideas from designers all over the world that redefine skyscraper design for modern living.

  For example, there is the Circular Symbiosis Tower, above, the vertical farm for livestock within a city. This avant-garde design consisted of spiraling platforms of grass fields where cows are free to roam. After 30 days of habiting the same pasture, they would rotate to the next level, so that other animals like chickens would then use the previous field until its grass has grown again.

   Skyscraper cube that design for Manhattan

  We’re blown away by the innovation of each the architectural renderings; all the imagination, attention to sustainability and living in a changing world. We wonder if these images are the future of family living at its best; the architectural designs propose exciting solutions to green living space, urban living, and options for all lifestyles.

   Delhi Recycling Center

  The winner of the competition, LO2P Delhi Recycling Center, revolutionizes living space and designs a cleaner air space. This design consisted of a giant wind turbine with a building wrapped around it – composed of old cars! The building was designed to function as a giant lung which would clean the air through several large-scale greenhouses that serve as filters. The waste heat and CO2 from the recycling center would be used to grow plants to produce bio-fuels!

  Bravo to all of the contestants who proposed out-of-the-box skyscraper designs that would surely better our world.  The future is now!

  Image one via treehugger.com
  Images two and three via treehugger.com

• NBC’s Today Spreads The Word About The Power Of Ecover Laundry Powder ZERO!

  Date: 2012.03.26 | Category: Green Media, News & Politics | Response: 0

  Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

  On March 19^th, Today on NBC televised an in depth piece on one of our favorite topics: getting the laundry clean! The folks at Today asked the Good Housekeeping testers to see how a variety of laundry detergents worked on a plethora of stains … and, we are pleased to announce that Ecover did amazingly well!

  As Today reported, the Good Housekeeping professionals tested a wide variety of laundry detergents on twenty different types of tough stains, including everything from gravy to lipstick to grass and blood.  After washing the stains in a variety of laundry detergents, including “one of [the] plant-based picks” Ecover Laundry Powder ZERO, the testers concluded that Ecover got the job done. “It did well!”

  During the segment, Ecover’s Laundry Powder ZERO detergent was highlighted as one of the best performers. And since people do almost 400 loads of laundry per year, this is big news. In addition to Ecover’s effectiveness, Today also noted that the testers found the laundry detergents to be effective in cold water. So, if our customers want to save energy … using cold water is another great way to start!

  Based on the Today segment, Ecover’s Laundry Powder ZERO is a top choice so we hope that more people will be interested in trying all of our powerful ecological cleaners for a clean that feels good!

   

• Ecover’s Natural Cleaning ‘Recipes’ Include A Dash Of Science!

  Date: 2012.03.12 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  

  Natural Home and Garden recently came out with a fantastic list of cleaning recipes you can make at home with natural ingredients and essential oils. Ecover understands that many people who appreciate natural cleaning solutions simply don’t have the time to make their own products. So we were delighted to see that the Natural Home editors also included a list of ready-made nontoxic cleaners – with Ecover right in the mix!

  We think our products are as close to what you would make yourself as possible, enhanced by some serious scientific know-how that takes DIY cleaning power up a few notches! In fact, Ecover has 31 years of experience developing not only super-effective natural cleaners, but also more energy-efficient production processes and sustainable factories. We know that you appreciate that – and the convenience of purchasing cleaning products on line or right off the shelf. And we never stop striving to improve on the mineral and plant-based ingredients in our products.

  All that being said, it’s also great to know how to make your own cleaning solution, and if you’re so inclined – go for it! Having on hand a combination of homemade cleaners and Ecover standbys just might be the perfect way to meet all your housecleaning needs. One Natural Home recipe that jumped out at us: “ready-when-you-need-‘em kitchen wipes.” Simply fill a jar with old pieces of cloth and add 1 cup water, 1 ounce liquid castile soap, and 6 to 8 drops of your favorite essential oil. What a great way to use old T-shirts or cloth diapers!

  Have fun experimenting with different cleaning recipes … but rest assured that Ecover is always there with the right ingredients list to tackle your toughest household chores!

  Photo by Thomas Gibson via Natural Home and Garden

   

• Ecover Products Make The Grade With Consumer Reports

  Date: 2012.02.29 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  
  

  Ecover vs. the mainstream brands? It’s no contest! We know that you trust Ecover’s mineral and plant-based ingredients to perform as well – or better – than those unnatural and unsustainable products. And we always love to hear your feedback about how well Ecover products work for you in your home. Still, we keep careful track of independent reports about how Ecover stacks up against other cleaning products on the market. After all, we want you to be a fully informed Ecover devotee! So in that spirit, here’s a roundup of recent tests by the highly respected Consumer Reports that included Ecover products, as well as mainstream brands:

  All Purpose Cleaner (January 2011) – Gets an overall score of “very good” for its ability to clean and degrease most surfaces, and is named one of only four CR recommended products out of the 16 tested!

  Dishwashing Liquids (May 2011) – Make the list of recommended products rated “very good” at removing food and grease.

  Stain Remover (July 2011) – Gets high marks for removing blood and grass stains from clothes and ranks overall as “very good.”

  Of course, there are other important benefits to Ecover products, such as their minimal environmental impact. All are completely biodegradable, never tested on animals and are safe for septic tanks. But it’s their fume-free cleaning power that really makes the grade – with discerning folks like you (and those independent consumer groups)!

  Photo via Consumer Reports

• Portland, Oregon, Puts a Tasteful Spin on Sustainability

  Date: 2012.02.22 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  
  

  What’s for dinner tonight? Well there’s delicious evidence that Portland, Oregon, which reigns as America’s most sustainable city is on the job; with its profusion of food carts along main thoroughfares, artisanal food specialists and farm-to-table enthusiasts, Portland takes fine, fresh food seriously – as was recently detailed in Cooking Light magazine. Hey, even the mayor has laying hens and a vegetable garden!

  It’s all part of Portland’s emergence as a city that truly walks the “green” talk, an attribute that Ecover admires and always seeks to encourage. In fact, the city’s planners have been thinking green since the ‘70s, according to SustainLane, which has twice ranked Portland the nation’s most sustainable city, based on 16 criteria, including reliance on local food and agriculture. Mindful of the threat of urban sprawl, the city enacted strict land-use policies that have set a strong precedent for sustainable development. Today, cutting-edge green ventures and ideas seem to flourish everywhere you look in Portland. The city is known for its green building initiatives (only Chicago has more LEED-certified buildings) and Green Street Program.

  The city provides the perfect home for an ecologically progressive foodie culture. From the Portland Fruit Tree Project, which helps to harvest and distribute 21,000 pounds of urban fruit to local food banks, to the Southeast Portland Urban Food Co-op that feeds 120 people each week, to popular specialized eateries like Pine State Biscuits, Portland sets a great example for how to live and eat well in harmony with the environment. Portlanders have even managed to turn their notoriously wet weather into a positive. The perpetual drizzle contributes to the lush green landscape, allows for bountiful farmers’ markets and nurtures all those fruit trees!

  Put it all together, and Portland is Ecover’s kind of town!

  Image #1 by Christine Rondeau via Flickr.com
  Image #2 by Phillie Casablanca via Flickr.com

• Ecover Says ‘Happy New Year’ with a Sweepstakes Featuring Sheets from The Clean Bedroom!

  Date: 2012.01.11 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  

  Ecover is celebrating a sustainable new year with a fantastic new sweepstakes! We’re thrilled to feature our friends at The Clean Bedroom, who produce the finest organic mattresses and bedding, and have store locations all across the country. You have until January 16th to enter to win one set of 220-thread count organic cotton percale sheets by Coyuchi, which uses only handpicked certified organically grown cotton, without harmful chemicals, dyes or fabric finishes. Now these are the kind of sheets we like to slip between!

  And we love the fact that The Clean Bedroom carries such a wide assortment of hard-to-find organic products, including those for the bath and baby nursery. Also among the offerings are air purification systems and even a line of organic pet beds! Hey, our beloved pets deserve a sustainable place to lay their heads, too!  The one lucky sweepstakes winner gets to choose one of the following:

  1 Coyuchi Organic Cotton Percale Sheet Set, Queen: 60 in. × 80 in. × 15 in. (1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet and 2 queen pillowcases); color options: ivory or white.
  Total value: $232

  OR:

  1 Coyuchi Organic Cotton Percale Sheet Set, King: 78 in. × 80 in. × 15 in. (1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet and 2 king pillowcases); color options: ivory or white.
  Total value: $264

  To enter, “like” us on Facebook, then click on the sweepstakes tab to the left under our profile picture and follow the instructions. The sweepstakes ends at midnight, January 16th. The winner will be selected at random on January 17^th! Good luck … and as The Clean Bedroom says, “You deserve a healthier night’s sleep!”

   

• Win A Holiday Smile Package In This Month’s Ecover Sweepstakes!

  Date: 2011.12.07 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  

  Ecover has an exciting sweepstakes that is sure to make you smile this holiday season! Enter December 7-12 to win a Holiday Smile Package featuring the entire line of all-natural oral care products from Vitacare – an amazing (and new) brand that Ecover can really smile about.

  All Vitacare products are enriched with vitamins and calcium plus we are sure you will love the lip-smacking toothpaste and gum flavor combos of mint + key lime, mint + acai, and  mint + pomegranate along with mint + key lime mouthwash. Vitacare even makes eco-friendly toothbrushes from 100% biodegradable and recycled materials!

  And we know that you’ll also appreciate the company’s “No Way” policy, which promises that Vitacare products are not tested on animals and contain no fluoride, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, SLS, sulfates, artificial colors or flavors, and artificial sweeteners. It’s always great to discover other businesses that are in sync with Ecover’s commitment to sustainability!

  In total, one lucky sweepstakes winner will receive the following with a total value of $44.90:

  • 3 toothpastes – 1 of each flavor, 3.4-0z each
  • 3 toothbrushes – (1) green, (1) purple, (1) white
  • 1 mouthwash  – 12-oz
  • 3 gums – 1 package of each flavor, 12 pieces per package

  To enter, “like” us on Facebook, then click on the sweepstakes tab to the left under our profile picture and follow the instructions. The sweepstakes ends at midnight on December 12^th, and the winner will be selected at random on December 13^th.

  Good luck, and keep smiling this holiday season!

   

• Ecover Looks At Air-Filtering TREEPODS For Urban Dwellers!

  Date: 2011.11.25 | Category: News & Politics | Response: 0

  

  It’s no secret that carbon dioxide is building up in our atmosphere and we’re seeing the impact of climate change on people and countries. Like Ecover, some scientists have decided to take matters into their own hands, developing clever ways to resolve this problem. TREEPODS, for example, are artificial air filtering trees designed to give Mother Nature a hand. Trees are natural filters: they take in CO2 gases from the air and use them during the photosynthesis process – a byproduct of photosynthesis is oxygen. But in larger urban areas trees are becoming scarcer.

  So French-based designers Mario Caceres and Cristian Canonico created these beautiful and unique TREEPODS for the SHIFTboston urban intervention contest. The TREEPODS harness biomimicry to duplicate the carbon filtration that trees carry out. The systems will cleanse the air by removing the carbon dioxide and releasing the oxygen, using a carbon dioxide removal process called “humidity swing.” The branches of the trees even work as tiny carbon dioxide filters!

  That’s not all: in addition to removing the toxins from our air, the TREEPODS function as a playground for children! Solar panels on the TREEPODS will channel kinetic energy through seesaws at the tree’s base, so visitors can have some fun while powering the air-filtration process!

  

  Nighttime TREEPODS, Artist’s View 

  The air-purifying trees will be made using recycled plastics from bottles, and will fit nicely into any urban neighborhood.  Not only do the TREEPODS serve a multitude of purposes but, they’ll be fine pieces of public environmental art for citizens to admire. And as day becomes night, the TREEPODS illuminate the sky in an assortment of mesmerizing colors.

  Urban dwellers and their children can rest (and play!) comfortably under the “tree,” knowing they’re breathing in fresh, purified air with clean energy.

  Images:1.bp.blogspot.com