Archive for August, 2009
DJ AM Tragedy In Manhattan
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On Friday August 28, Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein died at the age of 36. This tragic event occurred almost one year after the plane crash where he and Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, were the only survivors.
Goldstein, was as well known internationally for his skills as a DJ as he was for the women he has dated, notably Nicole Richie and Mandy Moore. What you probably didn’t know was he also an urban environmentalist. He was promoted and stood for eco friendly living and was one of the celebrities on the Board of Directors at the Environmental Media Association (EMA).
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Cross The Finish Line With Stainless Steel Bottles
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Last Saturday on August 22nd, 2009, Planet Forward sponsored the Annual Midsummer Night’s Run which is organized in support of the Department of Rheumatology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
Planet Forward was thrilled to participate as a Sponsor by providing sustainable stainless steel bottles to each of the participants that finished either the 30 k or the 15 k route. Stainless steel bottles filled with cold water were handed out as participants crossed the finish line, along with a medal of achievement. Other sponsors of the event included New Balance and Nicholas Hoare.
Features of the event included the Steamwhistle Midsummer Beer Garden, a B.B.Q. by Dangerous Dan’s, a DJ and a winner’s ceremony.
Most notable, however, was the good spirit and positive energy that was brought in by all of the volunteers and participants. Many dressed in twigs, blossoms, ribbons and bows, and posed to have their picture taken at the costume corner, qualifying them for the costume contest.
The event was a great success and the Planet Forward Team was thrilled to donate their stainless steel bottles to help raise money for the Hospital for Sick Children.
We would like to thank everyone for their emails and kind words. We will be appearing next at the Live Green Toronto Festival on Sunday August 30th as an exhibitor and the Earth Matters Showcase on September 9th, 2009 at Sunnybrook’s Health Sciences Centre and at the Conscious Food Festival at Toronto’s Historic Fort York on September 26th & 27th. We hope to see you there.
SIGG Reusable Bottles Contain BPA - Buyer Beware
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SIGG bottles old vs. new interior lining
The affects of exposure to BPA is under constant scrutiny and analysis for links to health issues including breast cancer, obesity, hormone problems, reproductive health challenges, early puberty, depression, and IQ reduction.
SIGG revealed that their proprietary ‘water-based epoxy liner’ which coated the inside of every SIGG reusable bottle made before August 2008, contained trace amounts of BPA. Then, in August 2008, SIGG inaudibly launched its new EcoCare liner, which features a “special powder-based co-polyester liner certified to be 100% BPA and Phthalate Free.”
SIGG CEO Steve Wasik released a bulletin that you can read here, dated August 2009. August 2009? Haven’t you known for a year now? Why mislead customers so drastically? “Prior to its transition, SIGG utilized a water-based epoxy liner which contained a trace amount of BPA.” ‘Prior to its transition’ seems like a soft way to put it. Why not issue a bulletin a year ago when you actually switched to the new BPA-free liner? Wasik goes on to say “I am proud to say that SIGG took action quickly back in 2006 to begin the development of a high performance bottle liner that is BPA free.” So you started working on it in 2006 and your definition of ‘quickly’ includes announcing BPA content publicly in 2009?
Natural Disasters And The Impact Of Social Responsibility
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F2 tornadoes are arbitrary predators
As was already blogged about, there were a series of F2 Tornadoes, which hit the greater Toronto area last week. What you do not know is that I live very close to one of the areas hardest hit. It is quite humbling to see a house, that have been there for 40 years, be reduced to a pile of rubble. This one area in particular was the kind of neighborhood everybody knows of – a quiet residential quarter with an elementary school at the top of the street. It is the kind of place where the parents who have now become grandparents take their grandkids to the same school that their children attended. Everyone knows their neighbors, and even though some have moved away they all seem to keep in touch; so it was not surprising that when this disaster hit no one had to say “where am I going to go now?” A myriad of family or friends were just a few blocks down the road.
The shocking reality about an F2 tornado is that it is so arbitrary. The devastation does not make any sense. In this winding street three houses in a row could be destroyed and then a few fine then another demolished. I always heard that it made no sense but seeing the damage up close and personal is alarming. What is impressive is the way that the community is banding together, in the past the impact of social responsibility has always been visible in our community as we have been among the first to send aid to disaster areas in developing countries or anywhere else for that matter. It is very different to see people band together for their neighbors and it is a beautiful thing to see the impact of social responsibility.
Home Depot understands the importance and impact of social responsibility as they have donated the wood to patch roofs temporarily. This is for homeowners who have roof damage but no structural damage so they do not have to worry about further water damage. Local churches are making second collections to help rebuild out broken community. But what is most astounding are the volunteers that are spending their free hours boarding up homes and cleaning the area. When you have visited the area now, almost a week after the devastation, you can see the impact of social responsibility, as members of the community have worked shoulder to shoulder with the Red Cross and Salvation Army and are making a real and tangible difference.