Current Green Blog

Guy Toyama, executive director of  Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii Authority gives an introduction to the sustainability issues and innovations on the big island. It’s a fascinating weaving of science, innovation and “techno-tourism” (aka eco geek vacation destination)

Where does Hawaii stand on the sustainability? It’s all about geothermal on the Big Island:

Water and desalination:

The future of NEHELA shows us the solar focuser:

On a daily basis we are bombarded with information that tell us that we need to heal the planet. And yet, I find one of the reasons I have come to love the wilderness is because it (the natural world) heals me.  So while in Kauai, I wanted to take some time to connect in with some of the local healers and learn about their relationship to healing and if their is a practice of healing with the land. I ended up getting introduced to Kahuna Valley and  aqua craniosacral therapy.

The I worked with Kristen Lukus who worked in a natural salt water tub, who describes the technique below:

So how did it feel? What did Krsten do? She had me wear floats so I floated on the surface of the water and gently moved my body through the water. It was very different, and incredibly relaxing. We had been rushing around at full speed trying to interview as many people as possible about sustainability issues and I had wound myself up into a little anxiety ball and the next thing I knew I was grounded and had a deep sense of calm. I think the thing I remember most was this moment when I was breathing and all of a sudden I was taking a deep breath in and I could continue to breathe in and in, and in, and in, and it seemed like was no limitation to the amount of air I breathe in, it’s hard to explain to be true.

At the end of session, we talked about her teacher, Rebecca Geoff, who has special permits to work out in the open ocean and practice this healing technique in the presence of whales and dolphins (it is usually required that you leave the location and are not within a specific distance of whales). She authored the book, Kissing Whales Healing Dolphins. I was fascinated by the idea, and later met an amazing woman on the big island, who takes people out to swim with dolphins. The stories she told me were amazing stories about the healing abilities of dolphins (more on that soon).

Related content:

Eco Travel in Hawaii: the difference between being a tourist and a guest

What lies beneath: Diving into the belly of the planet

Yesterday was sustainability day at the [re]think hawaii conference. While the majority of the conference is tech focused, it was interesting to bring in local people working on sustainability issues to explore and discuss the issues they are addressing. I’m going to introduce you to one of the panelists,  Ramsay Taum, who spoke on the panel.

One of the things I am learning to love about the culture of Hawaii is that people answer questions through stories. Ramsay speaks about sustainability and tourism by talking about the tradition of giving and receiving when visiting, and the difference between being a guest and tourist.

I kept stumbling across No Impact Man (aka as Colin Beavan)  over the past few months. He was on Twitter, via his blog, and then there was the trailer to his movie. Each time as I skimmed the stories or posts at high speed I thought to myself, “Cool stunt, I should interview him sometime soon,” and moved on.

Then my dear friend Amy Wilson called me up and told me she was working with Collin Beavan while he was on book tour in the Bay Area, and said that he was “the real deal.”  Amy eluded to something that his critics have spoken to, which is that now that the main stream sees there is money to made in the world of green (aka people learning how to live a more sustainably), that there are a lot of people out there figuring out to make a buck on green.

With that said, I have yet to come across someone who makes an extreme “green” life style change who isn’t truly dedicated to the issue of raising mass awareness about the state of the environment.

And with that said, there is a place where the rubber meets the road, and there is a difference between people who preach green for their living, and those who actually live a sustainable lifestyle. Colin is a refreshing breath of air and embodies both.

I found Collin’s social experiment of unplugging from the grid fascinating. Mostly because all the people I know who made the choice to live off the grid live in Alaska or Northern Idaho or Northern California…you know…out in the boondocks. Colin chose to unplug, and stay right in the center of it all: New York City. And I agree with Amy, he is the real deal. Colin and his family invested a year of their life to showing the world there is another way, and confronts the most famous story of our time: that you need to buy more, do more, and work more in order to be happy. And he manages to tell the story in a charming, accessible informative manner absent of self righteousness.

What makes me stop in my tracks: he managed to stay in the heart of the city, but create a new pace of life that most of us are only capable of tapping when we leave the city.

Enjoy the interview (special thanks to our studio crew who wasn’t planning a drop in guest that day). You can follow Colin on Twitter @noimpactman, his blog, and on his impressive project website: NoImpactProject.org. Or just go crazy and read his book.

Meanwhile, I am posting this one week after meeting Colin, and the issues we discussed aren’t leaving. So I was thinking, what the heck, I’m going to take on just 1 of the things Colin did for a year: for 1 week. Starting tomorrow: I’m going to eat locally for 1 week. What the hell. Anyone want to join me?

In case you missed Wild Exposure with Ian Shive, a documentary of his experiences photographing the National Parks for “Photos Across America” on Current,  All is not lost.  Current Green caught up with Ian between signings (Literally. I think he was driving).

Current Green: How did you get into photography?

Ian Shive: It started as an attempt to share new experiences and places with friends and family when I first moved to Montana for college after growing up in New Jersey. Montana was so radically different that I had to find ways to send photos back home to “prove” to friends what I was seeing out west. Most of my friends back then had not seen the American West and once you see it – it never leaves you. I remember one experience in particular where I had photographed a scene in the Crazy Mountains of Montana and when I got the film back – the photos were so disappointing. I had failed to accurately capture what I was hoping for and so began an inadvertent journey of teaching myself photography. Still, photography wasn’t an obvious career choice for me, despite the fact that my father is a photographer specializing in architecture. I simply saw it as a means of sharing and that continues to this day.

Current Green: What came first? Love of wilderness or love of photography?

Ian Shive: My first experience of wilderness outdoors was in New Jersey, and so that’s pretty much where I spent all of my time. Most people don’t think of New Jersey as a place with great outdoors but it is and was amazing. We had wildlife refuges and parks that for a 5-year old up until my teen years, were more than enough to spark my interests. When I was 14 years-old, my parents took me on my first trip to a major National Park – the Grand Canyon. That trip left an indelible mark and opened my eyes to the immensity of the west and especially the magic of the national parks. When I returned to Montana for college, I was never in class because Bozeman was so close to Yellowstone National Park (only 90 miles north), so photography and the parks and the love of wilderness all started in earnest. About six years later, I was completely obsessed and engrossed in the outdoors and photography.

Current Green: You have said that there is a difference between nature photography and conservation photography. Can you explain the difference?

Ian Shive: Nature photography and conservation photography frequently appear the same. It could be a bird in the backyard feeder, a beautiful landscape of a national park or a great wildlife shot. The place where the two diverge is that nature photography takes no action – the image is for yourself or for a magazine. Conservation photography takes the process a step further by taking that same image and using it for advocacy, education and to bring awareness or aid to the subject or ecosystem depicted in the image. It’s sort of like giving back to the landscape that you’ve borrowed from as a photographer.

Current Green: How do you hope your work will influence the conservation of National Parks?

Ian Shive: “The National Parks: Our American Landscapes” was four years in the making. Climate change is having an incredible impact in the National Parks. Pretty much if you know what to look for: for instance the pine beetle attacks on pine trees is much worse than ever before because of the longer, warmer season and less cold winters. There are also air quality issues: 200 days were declared unfit for breathing in the Smokey Mountain National Park.

Conservation is a lifestyle. Lets not have these isolated islands: they are the only places in our country that are pristine; that are conserved without borders. The market place of the environment is filled with fear tactics: stories about wolves and polar bears in danger. While this is true – I don’t believe that tactic is inspiring people: I want to show people how amazing these places are, and tell them the story of why these places are so beautiful in the first place so they will want to step in and help out.

Current Green: What is one project you feel was very successful at accomplishing your larger goals of conservation photography?

Ian Shive: I worked on the border fence issue and it’s impact on the environment along the entire US/Mexico border. Myself and a team of other photographers and filmmakers drove the entire length of the border from California to the southernmost tip of Texas. This was an initiative started by a great Washington D.C. -based group called the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP). Afterwards, we took the photos of the area to congress as part of a much larger effort to halt construction of the fence – which bypassed over 30 laws, many environmental – and educate people about the ecosystems and migration corridors along the border. It was also a goal to help show support for new legislation that would benefit this cause. A lot of people think of the border as a wasteland, but the truth is we saw herds of migrating Sonoran pronghorn, jaguars, bears, dear, birds, in a place where most people thought is a lost cause Any effort is part of a cumulative effort, I’m not hell bent about it being all about me which is why groups like ILCP work so well. It felt successful because we did something that not has done before, documented an area most people know nothing about. I see myself as an educator, helping people make informed decisions.

Current Green: What is it like being in the field all the time; what is the cost to life?

Ian Shive: What life? [Laughing] This is what I do. I’ve made friends all over the world, so I have friends everywhere. I get to meet a lot of cool people who are doing amazing things with their lives. That has been one of the coolest experiences. Its an unusual life, no doubt about it.

Current Green: Most unexpected moment?

Ian Shive: FLASH FLOODS in the Desert! There are more really awesome moments. There were places that I thought was going to be a bore, like Big Bend. I spent 10 days there on assignment, and that place unraveled before me. It took time, it took getting off the trail, and then I understood why it was a National Park. It is it was the equivalent of Glacier National Park.

Current Green: Is it hard reintegrating into the day-to-day life after spending that much time in nature?

Ian Shive: I go through a reentry, especially if I am on the road 24 weeks. I was on Mt McKinley, and was embedded with a search and rescue crew, and it was a really intense experience. And then I got back home, and I don’t know what to do with myself. Its a slower pace, and I try to get back in the rhythm with friends. It takes a few days, sometimes a week but it’s always nice to be home but I look forward to going back out on the road, too.

Current Green: Can you name your favorite top 3 places?

Ian Shive: My favorite places have more to do with an emotional attachment or experience that I had there: Acadia National Park in autumn, the Everglades in Florida in August when it’s hot and massive thunderstorms roll through or right here at home in California at the Channel Islands which are fun anytime of year and a quick escape from Los Angeles.

Current Green: Advice to budding young photographers?

Ian Shive: I made a very measured and calculated decision that was years in the making. I was saving money, establishing myself, getting constructive criticism, trying different things. Then I also developed a business plan. It’s just like the music industry: a lot of people with great voices trying to get seen. I don’t want to glamorize it because it isn’t to be romanticized: you have to have money for the next gig. I knew I could leave my job because I had too many gigs. You have to be prudent. I work hard, twenty hour days, its hard work, but its always rewarding, and that’s what people see the reward – swimming with dolphins, a great sunset, etc.

Want to stay in contact with Ian Shive? You can find him on Facebook on twittter at @IanShivePhoto.

The following is a guest post by Apple Levy of The Green Girls, and provides a perspective on what goes into greening events. You can also follow Apple and The Green Girls on Twitter.

Who knew renewable energy can be so sexy?! More than 1,600 dignitaries, celebrity supporters, guests and EO members from around the globe were in attendance at Hef’s house last Saturday.  Watch the video as we catch up with VIP guests on the carpet then headed inside to find out what the buzz was all about. Watch More Green Girl Videos

Besides benefiting IREO (Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Organization), the EO (Entrepreneurs Organization), team & everyone involved worked hard to make this an Eco friendly event.

Ecovations also sponsored the event & shared with us some Green features of the evening:

• Plates made out of fallen leaves that are compostable, instead of paper or plastic which are difficult to recycle once mixed with food waste

• Utensils are compostable and made in a plant that runs on hydro-electric power, instead of energy intensive plastic pieces that usually end up in landfills

• Cups were made from a bio-polymer and fully compostable, instead of plastic cups that are made out of petrochemicals, which contain OIL

• Food waste from the event was made into renewable energy through a gasification process, at Liberty Composting Facility

• By making all food service items compostable, we are able to convert the food waste, cups, plates and utensils into RENEWABLE ENERGY without generating any landfill waste. Food in landfills accounts for 20% of the average waste stream, food waste can be a resource of nutrients in soil and bio-mass for electricity

Playboy’s Chef Carter is one of the Greenest Chef’s around, he’s been supporting animal husbandry and sustainable fishing practices for nearly 20 years.

Other fun eco facts you may not have known about the Playboy Mansion:

• The Playboy Mansion has maintained a pesticide free grounds for 15 years

• Playboy Mansion Pool and water features on the grounds are Ozonated, minimizing the use of chlorine and making the water safe and fun to be in

• Playboy has agreed to allow Ecovations to replace and test out an additional 125 light bulbs with new LED bulb’s, for the opportunity to save 204,600 lbs of CO2 annually at a potential cost savings of $137/mo or 1,644 per year.

• The Mansion now utilizes some LED and efficient lighting Technology, reducing electricity usage while delivering a high-quality lighting experience.

• Step and Repeat banners by Mozaik, made out of 100% post consumer recycled content, utilizing an environmentally-friendly process to eliminate the use of chemical pollutants and wasted water

Today’s guest blogger is Chef Mark Tafoya, a world traveler and self-taught gourmand.  Mark has learned about many world cuisines first-hand, and mastered many of his recipes at the source. As Executive Producer of the Culinary Media Network, Mark brings a unique specialization in micro-cuisines to our repertoire, expanding our flavor horizons ever farther as we explore foodstuffs from around the globe. Recently returning from Hawaii, Mark will be joining us as a guest blogger to share his eco eating finds. You can follow his podcast at: ReMARKable Palate.

While in Hawaii  I spent the afternoon with Lani and Ali’i, co-owner of the Ali’i Kula Lavender Company in Maui’s Kula “Upcountry” area. They gave me a tour of their lavender farm, which looks more like a zen mediation garden!

Learn more about Mark on his how turf: culinarymedianetwork.

It’s Spare the Air Day in San Francisco.

Spare the Air Every Day is the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s call to action asking the public to consider clean air choices every day.

Single occupancy vehicles are the largest source of summertime air pollution. Sharing a ride and carpooling to work will help the Bay Area achieve clean air AND reduce travel time by unclogging our freeways. Rethink your drive and carpool, take transit, bike or walk to help reduce smog pollution.

Designed to educate about alternative ways to commute to work, they used to provide free passes on public transportation systems. But no longer. What do you think? Do public campaigns like this influence your daily travel habits?

Related links:

Paris on two wheels a day (video)

Foldable Electric Bicycle for Your Urban Commuting Needs

Free Bike Cages Offer Safe Parking for Commuters

San Francisco’s mayor Gavin Newsom just announced the world’s first airport carbon offset kiosk at San Francisco International Aiport. The Climate Passport Program kiosk will allow travelers to calculate the carbon impact of their flights and purchase offsets.

While I like the concept of carbon offsetting, in everyday practice it feels like a scam. It seems like the first place entrepreneurs go to hijack the term “green” to make a buck off off of people’s green conscious (sometimes known as guilt). Not to mention it’s a high-speed vehicle for loopholes in legislation designed to protect against pollution. With that said, not all programs are bunk, and you can check out an old post for suggestions from our community about carbon offset programs they love and trust.

“The Carbon Offsets purchased through the Climate Passport Carbon Footprint Calculator are sourced from the Garcia River Forest, a conservation-based forest management project located in Mendocino County, California. The project achieves multiple goals including: increased sequestration and storage of carbon in native redwood forests, wildlife habitat restoration, and a sustainable supply of certified wood products.”

In this case, The carbon offsets will go towards the Garcia River Forest which (with your purchase) will be supplied with new Redwood and Douglas Fir trees that absorb and store carbon dioxide. A minimal amount of the kiosk’s offset sales also go to the San Francisco Carbon Fund, which works on local carbon reduction projects like a publicly-owned biofuel filling station.

It just turns out that my coworker Andrew Fitzgerald mentioned that he and his girlfriend are flying to Boston tonight, so I thought I would help them out and test out the system for them.

I entered San Francisco to Boston, 2 passengers, and Viola! It is ready to accept my credit card payment of $48.77 ($24.38 per person).

“No one is saying this is the silver bullet or justifies air travel; having kiosks at the airport mainstreams the idea that you can contribute to environmental projects. We worked with 3 degrees (one of the most well respected offset providers in the US and abide all of the verification and protocols that have been developed. We wanted to bring basic and easily consumable information to a captive audience (in the airport) where they can contribute. -Wade Crowfoot, former mayor advisor now West Coast Political Director Environmental Defense Fund

Ok, so you’ve got to hand it to them, for the cost of an airport dinner, you can rid yourself of some guilt. But really, when you’re rushing through the airport trying to catch a flight do you have time to feel guilt or socially responsible?  Time will tell…

What is Carbon offset?
“A Carbon Offset, also known as a Verified Emission Reduction (VER), represents one ton of greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon equivalent prevented from being emitted into the atmosphere. Carbon Reductions allow you to “balance” your emissions by supporting GHG reduction projects across the U.S.”

Related Content:
Guilt for sale! World’s First Airport Carbon Kiosks in San Francisco
Artificial Trees To Cut Carbon Emissions
Eco-Question: Carbon efficiency or carbon offsetting?

In addition to that offset program, we are working to create a localized carbon fund, so you can contribute to a fund that affects carbon rates in your local region. Earlier in the year we passed an ordinance that all city travel must purchase or contribute to 13% of the cost of the trip to the carbon fund.” -Wade Crowfoot, former mayor advisor now West Coast Political Director Environmental Defense Fund

Every week Current Green features a business or organization that we are Saying YES! to for their leadership in the sustainability arena. Our hope is that this series will not only give credit where credit is due, but will also shed light in the fog of the wild world of green washing.

This week we are featuring To-Go Ware,  for their ongoing dedication to raising awareness about over consumption, reducing  garbage in landfills, and educating about how we can reconsider the way our society uses (or abuses) plastic.

We also asked a few coworkers to take To-Go Ware  out for a test run, you will find their photos and reviews sprinkled throughout.

Current Green: How did you come up with the idea?

Stephanie Bernstein: It was back in college. I was at an ice cream shop with my sister, and we were served our scoops in a plastic bowl with a plastic spoon.  Perplexed, I remember asking, “Did we say To-Go?”  Now you don’t think twice about being served in disposables regardless if it’s for take-away, but it was at a time where that transition was first happening.  We diligent college students carried our reusable coffee mugs around campus (mostly for the discount), but I wondered why we couldn’t carry everything we’d need.  And we should call it To-Go Ware, I thought.  The entire concept came in a few minutes — then I sat on it for around 7 years until I launched the company.

Current Green: Can you measure the impact of your business? (and/or the individuals who use your business?)

Stephanie Bernstein: Well, according to estimates,  Americans throw out enough plastic cutlery each year to circle the equator 300 times.  25 million trees are destroyed each year to make 45 billion disposable chopsticks. While it’s hard to quantify exact numbers of plastic fork usage per individual, we believe that one person has a rather hefty “forkprint,” seeing as how it is nearly impossible to never have an on-the-go meal, where you are handed extra forks, napkins, chopsticks, etc.  Let’s say on average (and I’ll go to low end of spectrum), one person throws out 3 forks a week.  That’s 156 per year — how many folks are there in the US?  Do the math an it boggles the mind that one small behavior change can have such an immediate impact, if done cumulatively.

Current Green: You describe yourself as a yogini, renegade herbalist,  and entrepreneur: can you speak to how these carrying backgrounds influence your business decisions?

I’ve owned a lot of lunchboxes, but what I really like about the To Go Ware 3 Tier Action Pack is both the amount of food you can fill it with and the high quality of the product, I feel like I could take it on any adventure and it would hold up. My favorite part is that it easily converts so I can pack a nice big lunch for two by filling up all 3 containers or break it down into 2 for a perfect solo lunch! -Seana, Online Creative Designer

Stephanie Bernstein: I see you’ve been snooping on my Facebook page.  Yes, there is a great deal of myself that loves the healing arts, which is essentially what led me to the Natural Products Industry.  I became a yoga instructor in 2001 while living in New York City, and immersed myself in all things naturally good for you.  I was also a wellness chef (specializing in raw & macrobiotic foods) and had a penchant for herbal medicine.  I met the most wonderful people with the most amazing companies that were Fair Trade and Organic teas, chocolates, bodycare . . . All very inspiring and I believe at the core of what guides the template of how To-Go Ware operates.  I really believe in doing things that are good for you and allow people to participate in the solution, at a time when the problems can seem overwhelmingly daunting.  Conscious Consumerism isn’t about the things you sell:  it’s about the ideas and inspiration that every product carries, and that the consumer is causing positive change in the use and purchase of that item.  I suppose the “au natural” part of me just believes in helping people feel good in a way that works in harmony with our own nature, and that fosters long-term health in an intuitive and joyful way.

I still teach one yoga class a week, which is my favorite hour and half I get for myself outside of To-Go Ware . . . A great balance to some of the intensity that running a small business can present.  It brings me back to the truly important things, and allows me an opportunity to share what I’m learning with others.

Current Green: What are the hardest parts of developing a sustainable supply chain?

Stephanie Bernstein: Well, there are always lots of factors.  We’d love to source domestically, but at this time the facilities and materials we work with (bamboo, stainless steel, etc.) simply do not exist in the states.  We became an importer somewhat by default — in looking for the safest and sustainable goods to eat with, we were led to Asia for the goods, as well as the quality of goods they create.  This has the obvious upside of lowering our cost of goods, but the challenge it brings is maintaining oversight of production, labor standards and factory conditions.  Packaging can also be a challenge, and lining up boxes that 100% post-consumer, inks that are soy, having them pack without polybags (Asia LOVES polybags), etc., must constantly be sought out and not always available.  Then there’s the matter of carbon footprint of production and shipping — we work with Big Tree Carbon Fund to offset the impact of this aspect.  We try to bring in everything via seafreight, since that creates the least carbon footprint.  So the big challenge really is taking extra steps all the time — 3rd party verifiers, paying living wages, sourcing sustainable materials — and also amounts to the extra costs those extra steps take.

Current Green: Can you explain the supply chain of To Go Ware and how you choose the materials you use?

I was pleasantly surprised when the restaurant had no problems using my container, and it was easy to carry. And the bamboo knife? MUCH better than corn or plastic—it actually cut chicken! The only drawback is that it’s a little bulky, but I think that just means I have an excuse to buy a new purse that it will fit into! - Stephanie, Online Community

Stephanie Bernstein: To-Go Ware is all about life cycle.  When thinking about new products, obviously we want them to be functional, innovative, ecological and safe.  But the process of manufacturing goods is intensive, and we want to make sure that anything we are taking the time and energy to produce is worth the amount of time it will be in use.  Bamboo for instance is a fabulous option, because it grows so rapidly and without the need for pesticides.  It also needs very little processing to transform it from its raw state into our utensils, and its natural durability gives it a very long lifespan.   As for stainless steel, it is likely our most energy and resource intensive raw material, and requires mining, and being turned into sheeting.  However, we are producing these goods as an alternative to plastic containers, which also has a very energy and pollution intensive process — but its life cycle is very short. Since refillable plastic containers can be reused about 25 times — if they are reused and not simply tossed out — then it seems quite wasteful of our natural resources.  Since our stainless can last for decades we take this into account.  Of course we always look for ways to minimize impact . . . And we love to repurpose materials!  Our RePEaT utensil sets have a carrying case made from recycled plastic bottles (RPET) and our carrier bags are made from recycled cotton scraps.  And, our CONSERVE wraps are made from recycled plastic bags.

Current Green: How do you audit the companies you are work with?

I used it to get soup from a local grocery store, but I found out the hard way that it is not watertight. Also, with this particular model, each section cant be carried individually so its heavy. But there are major pluses: the carrier bag, the bamboo-ware, and the over all design. This is going to be a great addition to my car camping gear, but I wont be bringing lunch in it. -David, Post Production

Stephanie Bernstein: We are a Green America certified business, the process of becoming certified put us through rigorous due diligence around our social and labor compliance.  As mentioned, we work with third party auditors in all the countries we source from, and have created a code of conduct that we are requiring our manufacturers to adhere to.  The good news is, as you grow your company, you have more leverage with suppliers to have them adopting certifications and methods of practice.  Most of the manufacturers we work with are ISO9001, ISO14000 and SA8000 compliant.

Current Green: You posted the following two quotes on your facebook page:

“Incrementalism is innovation’s worst enemy” -Hunter Lovins.

and “As the stakes get higher, so do the merits of our practice . . .”

Current Green: Can you expand on either of these thoughts and if/how they refer to your experience as a socially responsible entrepreneur?

Stephanie Bernstein: Ha — you have been lurking on my Facebook page . . .;) Well, the former addresses some of the biggest obstacles we face in almost all aspects of our world: bad habits.  It is the condition of clinging to the familiar, or the fear of taking big steps, that sometimes keeps crucial progress from being implemented.  I’ve always been a bit of cliff jumper myself, love taking giant leaps in life to find change.  But knowing that is not always as enticing for the population at large, I look at my role as someone who is trying to encourage people to become more comfortable with change, by packaging it in a manner that feels comfortable, that enhances their quality of life, rather than detract from it.  As for the latter, comes from my yoga and mediation practice and how it is a great pairing for life in the CEO lane.  Over the years, you wind up interfacing with the most incredible of obstacles at times, and having to find your way through.  It’s amazing to watch the evolution of the response, and how faith and stillness seem to do the trick time and time again — never panic and anxiety (which is not to say they do not surface, they merely lack efficacy.)  The more intense things become, the better I get to know myself.

Current Green: Where do you want to go next? Or what do you want to do next?

Stephanie Bernstein: Right now, To-Go Ware is all about innovation.  Working on some new designs to introduce in 2010 to better serve the needs of the growing number of folks using our products.  We want to better serve moms and kids both in product offerings and to help inspire nutritious eating (which bringing your own lunch will inevitably leads to).  We are also focusing a lot of our social mission on this issue as well — and have growing concerns around nutrition and food justice.  We hope to announce a new partnership with some fantastic non-profits devoting themselves to these causes shortly.

__________________

For the sake of transparency, I will share that I am avid user of  To-Go Ware.  As we live in a time when we know that a significant component of solving the sustainability issues involves consuming less, I value my To Go Ware because more than anything, I have a daily reminder of my commitment to consume less, produce less garbage, and value that it’s an easy and fun conversation starter to discuss the topic of over consumption and waste.

Do you know of a company you think should be featured in our Saying YES! series? Tell us who and why at llamb@current.com with “Saying YES! in the subject line.”

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Giant plasma TV’s banned in Britain due to climate change

South Korea announced plans to construct a sustainable super-city