How Disney Does Green!

It's no secret that I have a child-like love of Disneyland®. It's really rather uncanny how much the place delights me, I may even like it more than my children do. It's such a nice escape from the "real world." It's the only place I know where happy music is always playing in the background, everything is cheery and colorful and people are paid to be nice to you!

Its always impressive to me how they pull off so much! So I got to thinking that the bigger you are the more responsibility you have--especially when it comes to our environment.

I recently had the pleasure of talking with the folks at the Disneyland® Resort in Anaheim. I wanted to know what Disney® does to make a positive impact on our environment. So here are a few facts:

Saving 2 MEGAwatts/day. You can imagine the amount of energy the Disneyland® Resort must consume on an average day. But in 2001 Disneyland® started cutting back on light, heat and air conditioning usage and replacing standard bulbs with LED lights. Since then they have reduced their power usage by two megawatts/day (that's about 400 houses per day of energy savings).

Old Skool Recyclers. Disney has been recycling since 1988 and that's not just bottles and cans! They recycle everything from shrink wrap to lumber. In a single day at the Disneyland® Resort 13 TONS of materials are recycled. Not to mention that the proceeds from bottle & can redemptions go to local charity.

Getting on the biodiesel train. All of the trains at Disney® now run on biodiesel that comes from cooking oil used at Disney®'s restaurants.

Finding Green. So we were all excited when the new Finding Nemo® ride came out in 07. What I didn't realize is that the subs are zero emission vehicles because they actually use magnetic coils to propel them through the water. They also used recycled glass and organic epoxy to create the paints used on the underwater ride. --Now they just need to make the Autopia® cars run on natural gas and I'll be happy. ;D

The Greenery. Part of the charm of Disneyland and California Adventure® is the elaborate landscaping. Well, you can breath in the florals a little easier knowing that Disney®, since the early 90s, has reduced is usage of harsh pesticides. They now make an effort to use more eco-friendly pest control such as soaps, oil sprays and natural predators to keep the bugs at bay.

The folks at Disney® assured me that they are also developing other exciting new ways to reduce their carbon footprint. So I'll let you know what they're planning when I hear the news.

Oh & I have a few humble suggestions for Disney® as well:

• instead of printing thousands of those daily schedule handouts, just post signs (like those stanchions and the mall) with the daily schedule. Think how much paper that'd save.
• Provide more organic food choices! Although I have noticed they do have organic carrots for the kids meals.
• Replace the conventional souvenir tees with more organic t-shirts! Oh yeah, and they should be from Pooka®! :D
  

Have any other ideas??

In the meantime, if you want to get all the details on Disney®'s Environmental impact you can vist their website at: http://disney.go.com/crreport/environment/legacyofaction.html

What Are You Waiting For? See "HOME" documentary

It's going to take a global village!
Today is World Environment Day. Home is a new documentary directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and produced by Luc Besson. Glen Close narrates this beautifully filmed flick features amazing, high definition footage from over 60 countries. It tells the story of our planet's interconnectedness and why it's so important that we change the way we are living. This documentary is being shown FREE across the world to help mobilize our communities. (They're even screening it at the Eiffel Tower in Paris)

From the Home Youtube site: "Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate.

The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being."

Let's save our planet. I hope this film inspires you to action!!

Here's the trailer:


To watch the full film (1.5 hrs), for free, in excellent quality go to the HOME website, here: http://www.youtube.com/homeproject

Our Own Little Piece of Heaven

It's funny how we get caught up in the "buy, buy, buy" message of our culture, when sometimes the simplest things make us the happiest. Previous generations were the original recyclers and re-users. And recently, due to my economic state I have been more in touch with that part of my roots.

Yesterday a used patio table reminded me that we create our own happiness and "new" is also a matter of perspective. On our way to the grocery store, much to my children's initial disdain, I picked up a "free" patio table on the side of the road. Little did I know that this table would become a small little lesson in the value of re-using/recycling.

I spotted the table next to an apartment complex, pulled over and asked my son to help me load my "treasure." My son was not thrilled to help me carry and lift the glass top table into the back of our minivan. After shopping he helped me unload the table and put it in our backyard.

While the kids were playing in the house I got to work assimilating the new table to our backyard. I scrubbed the dirt and dust from the table and set some patio chairs around it. I took our beach umbrella and dropped it through the center hole.

Satisfied with my arrangement I invited the kids to come outside and have a snack. They took one look and were bubbling with excitement. This once discarded, grungy table was now, to them, the perfect place to relax and have a snack.

Bailey, my son, actually said "Mom, it's like a piece of heaven fell down into our backyard!" Wow, I knew they'd like it, but his reaction was better than I could have ever hoped for. I have to admit that his exclamation really resonated. With the glow of the early evening sun filtering through the umbrella, I watched my two angels eat and chat, in our own little piece of heaven.

This was one of those rich moments I will always treasure. Thank God for that free table on the side of the road. Who knew we'd have paradise in our own backyard?

Healthy Home Video Contest!

Hey everyone,
One of our favorite charities is having a video contest. Come check it out and submit your own video--you might even win an Apple iTouch. woo hoo!

So share some of your great green tips!!

http://www.youtube.com/healthychild

we're working on our video...

It's Official: Pooka® is now a Registered Trademark!

It's one more step in building a national brand that will change the way people think about sustainable children's fashion! We are so excited and happy to let you know that after months and months of jumping through hoops and playing the waiting game it's time at last to announce that Pooka® is now officially a registered trademark in the USA!

Let me tell you how exciting it is to see your children's artwork become an official registered trademark!! As you know Pooka® is our combined passion to make the world a better place in our own special way. As many friends/family know the past year has been a difficult one with personal family situations, however, all though we've had to be a little creative with our plans we are stoked as we continue to move closer to being a nationally recognized leader in eco-fashion and a testament to the power of living your dreams.

Thanks for riding the waves along with us! You help make our dreams possible. Thanks for your support!!! And now, the first Pooka® logo with the official "R" symbol, da, ta, da, da:

Leading Moms in Business Competition

Well, yes we're doing another competition. This time it's a Mama competition! No there will be no bikini-clad moms wrestling in jello. This is an online competition where you vote for your favorite mom business owner (aka Andrea right?) :)

Anyway, if you would be so kind we'd really appreciate your vote! It will help us get the word out that kids can make an impact on our world!!

So please vote for me, Andrea Guevara Higham. (You can even vote once a day!)

Thanks so much for your support! We'll get the results in May, so we'll let you know how it goes.

Here's the link: http://www.startupnation.com/leading-moms-2009/contestant/3430/index.php
Thanks for helping us change the world and save the planet--one tee at a time!!

We Won!

Thanks to your votes and the confidence of the panel of judges at startupnation.com we won the 2008 Top Ten Greenest Home-based Business award!

We are so excited to be a part of the top ten greenest businesses in America! This award comes at the close of our first year of making eco-friendly children's clothing! What a great way to end the first chapter of our journey of style & sustainability!

Thanks for all of your support!

Check out the full article at Startupnation.com.