Goal For The Green

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walmart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The holidays are quickly approaching, times of merriment and gathering, reconnecting with those you love, and those in need of love. And, even though the spirit of Christmas may be some time off, opportunities to be charitable never take a holiday.

However, while the thought of supporting a local non-profit organization that strikes your fancy may come readily to mind, committing the actual act itself is another test of one’s generosity entirely. Money can be quite tight this time of year, even for the most charitable of individuals and families. Fortunately, the shopping industry giant Walmart has the monetary weight to throw around alongside its’ equally large heart.

It is with this virtuous goal in mind that a new charity drive under Walmart’s blue and yellow banner has been set into motion. Dubbed the “12 Days of Giving“, the shopping juggernaut is providing its’ customers a chance to be charitable without breaking their own bank.

Throughout the wintery chill of the holiday season, Walmart will be giving out $1.5 million dollars in grants, as well as various “basic needs” items such as food and clothing, to local communities and the eclectic collection of peoples that define them. But this act of selfless donation isn’t necessarily directionless; those armed with a basic Internet connection and a Facebook account can focus their attention towards non-profit organizations they feel warrant the support, ones with big ideas and goals but not the budget to match.

A chance to put a perpetually-struggling non-profit organization in the black for once?

Yes, it can be a reality, though for organizations that are more locally-oriented, the minds behind such righteous pursuits are seldom free of the looming threat of debt and potential bankruptcy on their way towards making the world a better place. But this is your chance to give a long-deserved sigh of relief to those who deserve it most.

Charitable opportunities such as this do not come around often, especially those which don’t cost your personal wallet a single dime. If you have a local non-profit organization you would like to support through these giving times, letting your voice and the story that accompanies it be heard is a super-simple process. All you need to do is visit Walmart’s “Live Better” application on their Facebook page, located here:

http://walmarturl.com/YSf01nJ.

Once on the page, click on the frosty “Nominate Now” button to open the respective 12 Days of Giving Nomination Form a little way’s down the page. The form itself is very brief, so don’t worry, you won’t be filling out paperwork all night to have your voice heard.

You will need to know the non-profit organization’s name, contact info, and website, so coming prepared with the right information can cut down a few minutes of potential research on your end. You can also include a photo related to the organization that you find best suits them, pinning a face (or perhaps just a building) to the busy men and women struggling to make the world a better place for all.

One of the final form sections to fill out is a bit more personal than the rest. It asks you how, exactly, your chosen non-profit organization benefits your community, and the impact they have on the lives they touch. I, personally, chose to direct attention to the ALS of Nevada society, largely due to the experiences a close friend of mine has had with her mother.

From what she has told me in the past, the responsibility of the wellbeing of all those with this utterly horrible illness in her area fell almost solely on the weighted shoulders of a team of three women. Due to truly hard times in Nevada, now there is just one woman covering the entire state.

Just think about that for a second.

One person to help hundreds if not thousands afflicted with an incurable, and ever-worsening disease. Every day could have been the last for ALS of Nevada, yet still endless hours each day are filled helping those in dire need. ALS of Nevada is praised by those they help, those they assisted; if only temporarily. For without their care and attention, these unfortunate souls would likely perish far faster if left without support.

A chance to grant a much-needed monetary boost to such an organization seemed like a sound investment to me.

As mentioned before, a Facebook account is required to pin a name and face to the yarns spun and companies suggested, but really, who doesn’t have a Facebook account these days?

This opportunity will only run until the 18th of this month, so don’t hesitate to have your voice be heard!

After you’ve finished casting your choice, be sure to come back here, leave a comment, and share the organization you’re putting your support behind.

Doing good always feels better when you know others are doing the same. Let’s make these holidays something to cherish instead of dread for the miracle workers of the world!

Photo “Atlanta Showroom” at Interface

According to Interface, Inc.  There Are Five Questions Businesses Must Answer in order to Advance Toward Sustainability. Latest Sustainability Metrics Beg Questions to Narrow Environmental Impacts Gap

Established in 1973, Interface, Inc. (NASDAQ: IFSIA) is the worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally responsible modular carpet, manufactured for the commercial and institutional markets under the Interface(R) brand, and for consumer markets as FLOR(TM).

In a recent PRESS RELEASE in Atlanta, Georgia- by Marketwire, on August2,2012:

Interface, Inc. (NASDAQ: IFSIA), the worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally responsible modular carpet, has linked sustainability progress to inquiry since 1994.  At that time, a customer asked a question about the company’s position on the environment and Interface was not satisfied with its own answer.  Now, with the release of the company’s latest 2011 EcoMetrics(R) and SocioMetrics(TM) report, tracking annual global environmental and social effects, Interface today offers five questions in need of answers for sustainability progress.

“Disciplined measurement is one way Interface accounts for what it takes from the earth, and helps us to ultimately take less from the earth,” said Erin Meezan, vice president of sustainability for Interface, Inc. “And some of the questions that we’re asking as a result are not unique to Interface. Without a doubt, finding answers has universal meaning that can ultimately lead to a better future for the environment and for business.”

Since the initial environmental question was posed more than 18 years ago, Interface continues to move away from a take-make-waste industrial model, toward a sustainable business inspired by nature. The company considers indicators such as its physical waste, energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption crucial to understanding its progress toward sustainability and the challenges ahead.

Interface’s journey is guided by research and development in manufacturing processes and product innovation. Sustainability is linked to local, regional and global communities, including the companies, organizations, people, governments, schools, media and others that coexist. Interface also considers the significance of social capital and investment in people, including the company’s employees and local community members, as critical components for advancement.

Interface believes that answers to the following five questions can test any business’ approach to becoming a sustainable organization:

1. How can we increase use of recycled and bio-based materials? Evaluating material alternatives through compatibility and footprint analysis is one of the best ways to help answer this question. Interface is pioneering commercial carpet applications for bio-based yarn that is created from corn and soy. Last year, 44 percent of raw materials used were from recycled or bio-based sources. In the past eight years, the percentage of recycled and bio-based raw material use has grown from four percent to 44 percent.

2. How can we prevent our products from ending up in landfill? Understanding the full lifecycle of products from raw materials to production, distribution, use and end of useful life shows a well-worn path. Consider the best way to take back products from customers and extract further value from them. For instance, Interface’s ReEntry(R) 2.0 process reclaims old carpet and converts it into recycled raw materials. Interface is expanding an infrastructure for end-of-life carpet reclamation to recapture used face fiber to be reconstituted into nylon and convert used vinyl backing into new backing. Last year, ReEntry diverted 25 million pounds of carpet and carpet scraps from landfill. Since 1995, ReEntry has diverted a cumulative total of 253 million pounds from landfill.

3. How can we reduce greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time increase our use of renewable energies? Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that cannot be absorbed by vegetation are causes of increased global temperatures, acidification in oceans, and dangerous climate change, according to WWF’s 2012 “Living Planet Report.” For Interface, actual greenhouse gas emissions at manufacturing facilities have been reduced by 32 percent from a 1996 baseline. Interface’s energy efficiency and direct purchases of renewable energy have resulted in a cumulative reduction of more than 22,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from baseline. This amount is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by approximately 565,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years, according to the U.S. EPA’s “Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.” Energy from renewable sources accounts for 31 percent of energy used at Interface manufacturing facilities.

4. How can we reduce water consumption? Excessive water consumption by businesses and households threatens freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity globally. Finding ways to conserve water use in manufacturing processes is essential for lessening environmental impacts. Since 1996, Interface water intake per unit of production has decreased by 84 percent. Water intake includes all water used at manufacturing facilities, including administration buildings, customer support sites and warehouses.

5. How can customers make decisions about our products based upon trustworthy environmental facts? Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are a leading-edge methodology for consumers and businesses, like nutrition labels only much more detailed, to make comparisons when purchasing products. EPDs offer detailed product “ingredients” and environmental impacts that occur throughout the entire life of a product. EPDs are based on life cycle assessment, which details the resource use and environmental impacts of products. EPDs follow standardized product category guidelines that are verified by third parties to provide full disclosure. In 2011, Interface developed EPDs for more than 90 percent of its products, globally.

Individuals, businesses and organizations can learn more about Interface and how the company is tracking its environmental impacts and progress by visiting interfaceglobal.com

Quit the green way!

No, I’m not quitting blogging but, I did quit smoking 30 years ago!  I never bother anyone who has the habit, because I know first hand, how difficult it is to quit smoking.  It took me three different tries to conquer the habit.  Back in the early 80’s there weren’t near the helpful options that there are today, to help you quit smoking.

Click the picture

I tried the gum, but to me, I may as well have licked the ash tray.  I thought it was horrible! There were NO pills that I recall being on the market at the time. So, what worked for me was Lemon Heads hard candy.  I just wish there would have been e-cigs back then, I think it would have made the process much easier.

You may have noticed that, the use of electronic cigarettes has recently grabbed the attention of countless tobacco users worldwide. But, are they really a healthier and cheaper alternative to traditional cigarettes?

The answer is,Yes!  Creators and product users claim you can enjoy a cheaper, healthier cigarette without the bad smells, second-hand smoke, or cancer causing chemicals, found in regular cigarettes.

In fact, a study by researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health in 2010, concluded that electronic cigarettes were safer than real cigarettes, and may aid smokers in breaking the habit of smoking.

“Electronic cigarettes were found to be “much safer” than traditional tobacco ones, and had a level of toxicity similar to existing nicotine replacements.” In the report, the level of carcinogens in electronic cigarettes, was found to be up to 1,000 times lower than regular cigarettes. The report also said, that electronic cigarettes may actually help people to stop smoking by simulating a tobacco cigarette.

Doctors have even suggested, that while utilizing the electronic cigarette, that there is virtually no risk of getting cancer.  These studies also show that the real harm in traditional cigarettes comes from the tobacco smoke, second hand smoke, and the hundreds of additional added chemicals found in each regular cigarette.

“The Electronic Cigarette gives you nicotine, but it doesn’t give you any of the other 4,000 chemicals from a cigarette that can cause cancer, among other problems..” – Dr. Travis Stork from “The Doctors”

If you are a  smoker looking to lead a healthier lifestyle,  then be sure to take advantage of the Memorial Day Sale going on at v2cigs and get 20% off.

Join V2 Cigs in our Memorial Day celebration on Monday, May 28th, 2012 we are slashing prices store wide.  Enjoy 20% OFF all V2 Cigs Starter Kits, Flavor Cartridges, Platinum E-Liquid, V2 Disposables, Accessories and Clearance items.  This is your day to enjoy the sun, relax and stock up on your favorite V2 Cigs goodies. The hard-working customer service team at V2Cigs, will be available Memorial Day, during regular business hours to assist in any questions you may have or help you place an order. V2 Customer Service can be reached via email, live chat, or just pick up the phone!

MEMORIAL DAY HOURS: 10:00AM – 11:00PM EST

You can even get an additional 10% off by adding goalforthegreen or bzgrl in the referral box. Keep in mind, this coupon code is valid for ALL V2 Cigs merchandise, including kits, cartridges, and accessories. That’s a healthy 30% off your total price! So,come back here on May 28th, and kick the habit!

V2cigs offers a non-tobacco product that only contains nicotine. The nicotine is delivered in the cartridges. They are available in full strength, light and non-nicotine. So, you can gradually decrease the nicotine levels, at your own pace, until it’s completely non-nicotine. Non-nicotine E-cigs, are much easier to quit than regular cigarettes, trust me, I know on that one.  Millions of smokers have already successfully quite smoking using Electronic Cigarettes. You can be next.

With the high cost of smoking traditional cigarettes, and the danger that cigarettes cause to your health, give yourself a “thumbs up” and give v2cigs a try, for your health.