Have You Hugged a Tree Today? Week 2, Volume 2

Go Green!  Recyclable! Renewable! Reusable! Sustainable! Post-Consumer!  If you aren’t excited enough by now, I just don’t know what to say, because there’s only so many exclamation points I can handle before I get worn out.  Which begs the ultimate question that is obviously on everyones mind…have you hugged a tree today?  

There’s been a whole lotta hoopla regarding how the industry needs to become more eco-friendly and more conscious of the environment.  Unfortunately, thus far I’m still absolutely confused as to how things are classified as “eco friendly”.   It just seems like around every corner someone slaps a recycled symbol on a tea-cozy and BAM! its eco-friendly. 

 

 

Well, being of a more curious nature, I wanted to get to the bottom of all this hype, and rip through the propaganda to see what’s actually out there, and what can actually help the environment.  I have decided to take it upon myself to sift through the hype with you.

 

Renewable/Sustainable Resource:
(Webster’s Definition) – A resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by humans or other users. 

(Bloogle’s Translation) – If its a natural resource, such as bamboo or maple, and it can grow or replicate itself faster than we can use it, then it qualifies as renewable.

Recycled/Recyclable/Recycling:
(Webster’s Definition) – Recyclinginvolves processing used materials into new products in order to prevent the waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air and water pollution by reducing the need for “conventional” waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.  Recyclable materials include glass, paper, metal, textiles, electronics, and plastics. Recycled materials are the end results of the recycling process.

(Bloogles Translation)- As much of a mouthful as webster’s definition may seem to be…basically if you can recycle it, it can be remade into something else which can then be used again.  If you ever hear Post-Consumer Recycled Product, is just a fancy way of saying the product was in someones house as something else and got recycled into this brand new product that will most likely end up in their house again. 

Carbon Footprint:
(Webster’s Definition) – A carbon footprint is a “measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.

(Bloogles Translation) – In lay-men’s terms…a carbon footprint is how much ”junk” you leave in your wake.  From how much energy you waste by leaving the light on when you fall asleep in bed, to how long you keep the water running to brush your teeth.  Each of these activities leaves your own indelible “footprint” in regards to your time spent on earth. 

Now, knowing these terms are just half the battle, there’s about 100  ump-tenth million buzzwords out there relating to the environment and the “Go Green” movement, but what are we doing about it? Of course, I understand that just one person or one company can’t possibly dramatically impact the world, but here at HG, we’ve done our research and I’m proud to say, have decided to introduce an entire line to do what we can to make Mother Earth breathe just that much easier.

 
Hirsch Gift launched the new line of Eco-Friendly products beginning of Summer 2008.  In an effort to bring some of HG’s more “green” customers a bonafide eco-friendly product and not just an old product with a recycled label pasted to the side. 

After some careful resource and quite a few tireless hours of sourcing materials, HG has put together the beginnings of a great line that not only has mainstream appeal, but also sends a message to the world that HG cares enough about carbon footprints, to help reduce yours.

T595

First up is the T595 Eco-Button, which is pretty darn cool in my opinion.  Basically, at the touch of a button you can put your computer into sleep mode and just leave it.  We all know what a pain it is to have to wait for your computer to start up, but it wastes too much electricity to leave it on all the time.  The Eco-Button solves that problem by simply putting your computer to sleep at the touch of a button!                                                                                    

T4709

 

Next up is the T4709, the Breeze Ionizer with USB Hub.  Not everyone’s too familiar with what an ionizer does, or what a USB hub is for that matter.  This device allows you to plug in all your computer peripherals into it, while it cleans the air around you.  It’s pretty nifty if you consider the fact that one small hub on your desk gives you your own personal “bubble” of fresh air. 

 

And finally, we have the HG I Ecolution’s line of eco-friendly flash drives.  Lets face it, everyone has a flash drive, but not everyone can say their flash drive is helping to save the world

T530

T512

T513

I seem to have rambled on just a bit today, but I have this bad habit of just talking and talking and talking when I get excited about a subject.  Granted the environment isn’t exactly my forte, and admittedly I had to go and look up quite a few terms   I guess that’s what learning is all about though, and if it wasn’t for HG I would’ve never even gave a second thought about using sustainable resources or even what a carbon footprint is.  Ultimately, I think if we all do our part, we truly can save the world, one eco-button at a time