The Ultimate Eco-Gift Guide

The National Retail Federation estimates that the 2009 holiday season will garner a 437 billion dollar profit from gift sales alone. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if a hefty percentage of those dollars also did some good for the planet? Well eco-friendly gift-giving is much easier than you may think, and can even save you money! This month, GreenShoots offers five key ways you can ensure your holiday purchases actually benefit the Earth. These are the gifts that keep on giving! Have a wonderfully green holiday season, and see you next year!

Gifting Goes Green!

1. Go Handmade – What could show you care more than a gift you’ve put your personal time into? Create hand painted flower pots and wooden picture frames, mini birdhouses, personalized snow globes, candles, indoor lanterns, and much more. For the especially artistic craftsperson, the Design Sponge blog is a great resource. For those who are less into the details and more into power tools, try Instructables.com. Teach others how to make your creations, and turn the gifting work into a great winter weekend activity for the whole family.

2. Go Local – Before resorting to the big department stores, pay a visit to your nearest farmers’ market or art fair for gifts that will support local businesses and in turn, make your community a more prosperous, vibrant place. Many of the gifts you’ll find at these markets are unique, homemade and green, such as jarred jams and honeys, custom jewelry, artwork, clothing and home décor. Add an extra touch by including a note telling the giftee where their present came from or how it was made. Most markets also sell small herb and vegetable plants which when transplanted into colorfully painted pots make great holiday gifts. Find your neighborhood farmers’ market here.

3. Go for Recycled or Eco-Materials – When shopping, be on the lookout for gifts incorporating recycled or other green materials. Bamboo, for example, can be used for much more than high-end flooring and fencing; plates, bowls, furniture and even clothing are now commonly made from this naturally green resource. Also, many goods can be made using recycled materials without sacrificing quality — jewelry, bags, frames, decor, glassware, journals and more. Check out National Geographic’s green buying guide and the EarthEasy blog for tips on navigating the green gift market.

4. Go Fair Trade – Use your purchasing power to help to end poor working conditions abroad by opting for fair trade goods. These items are produced under sustainable, socially-conscious circumstances, and are guaranteed to directly benefit small businesses and individual artisans in places like war-torn Liberia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Afghanistan to name just a few. Learn more at the World Fair Trade Organization and Fair Trade Federation sites.

5. Go Non-Profit — Perhaps the simplest way to guarantee your holiday shopping dollars go to a worthy cause is to support a non-profit organization. A membership with one of Cali Bamboo’s favorite non-profits like Surfrider, San Diego Coastkeeper, or Habitat for Humanity makes the ultimate green gift. Many non-profit websites also feature a shopping page where you can buy clothing, books, bags and more to support their cause. The Rainforest Site is a great resource, as are the Jane Goodall Institute site and the National Wildlife Federation online shop.

Project of the Month

Congratulations to December’s Project of the Month Winners!
Thank you to the over 4,000 people who voted!

1st Place Jan A. – Pensacola, FL

2nd Place Andrew M. – San Diego, CA

3rd Place Geri B. – Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Wishing You a Happy Holiday Season,

A World of Ways to Give Thanks

This November, GreenShoots takes a new look at how people show gratitude — how “thanks” can be put into action through volunteerism, and how holidays of expressing “thanks” are celebrated on every continent with different cultural interpretations and traditions. We also offer a quick and tasty salad recipe (using seasonal fruit) to freshen your Thanksgiving table. Enjoy your holiday!

The Perfect Match for Every Volunteer
November is the perfect month to remember what we’re thankful for, and what better way to say “thank you” than by giving back as a volunteer! Think about your strengths and favorite hobbies for inspiration on what you can do to best contribute to your community. There is something for everyone! Use the ideas below to find a volunteer opportunity that best suits your skills and interests.

The Outdoorsman – Are you happiest in the great outdoors? Organize a beach clean-up at your fave surf spot, or talk to the rangers at a nearby park or forest about helping with trail upkeep. There are also many environmental organizations like the Cali Bamboo faves, TreePeople and San Diego Coastkeeper that rely heavily on the work of volunteers to protect local natural habitats.

The Animal-Lover – Are your best friends four-legged and furry? Consider volunteering at an animal shelter. It’s not all clean-up work! Rescued dogs and cats are more likely to be adopted if they are trained and socialized, and volunteers are often needed to help with this challenging yet fun and rewarding process.

The Handyman – Do you have a knack for carpentry or love working with power tools? Put those skills toward a very worthy cause by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. The non-profit has been building homes for low-income families since 1976 and has chapters all over the world. Help add to their 300,000 homes and counting! Cali Bamboo has formed a partnership with Habitat for Humanity’s San Diego chapter, and recently donated bamboo flooring, fencing and decking materials worth over $15,000 to the organization. These bamboo products will be used to build LEED certified homes for local families in need.

The Bookworm – Can you still name the children’s books that first introduced you to the world of reading? Pick out a few of your old favorites to read to young kids at an inner-city school or a public library. You can even offer to tutor young readers. With budget cuts still on the rise, overworked teachers and librarians would be happy for the extra help.

The Master Chef – Always whipping up new creations in the kitchen? Take those foodie talents over to a local homeless or women’s shelter and offer cooking classes. Keep the recipes simple, and the staff may be able to provide the ingredients. Cooking is a great way to promote self-confidence and a budget-friendly, healthy lifestyle. Learn more about how nutrition and cooking programs benefit shelter residents.

A Global Thanksgiving
While it’s true that Thanksgiving (commemorating the 1621 meal shared by the English pilgrims and Wampanoag Native Americans at Plymouth) is an American holiday, harvest celebrations and the tradition of giving thanks can be found all around the world. Here are just a few examples of these international holidays of thanksgiving.

Chusok (Korea) is a widespread three-day holiday to honor ancestors who are believed to provide a bountiful harvest. As part of the Chusok festival, rice cakes called “Songphyun” are eaten, and special dances are performed in hanboks — traditional Korean outfits.
Sukkot (Israel) is a seven-day festival when Jewish families construct outdoor arbors decorated with harvest vegetables to mark the Hebrews’ pilgrimage through the wildernessto the promised land of Canaan, which is modern-day Israel.
Pongal (Southern India) is a time when Indian families celebrate a successful rice harvest by thanking the gods, the sun and cattle. Traditionally, on the third day of Pongal, cows are decorated with metal ornaments and bells and entered in ceremonial races.
Yam (Ghana and Nigeria) is held at the end of the July rainy season, when people offer yams to gods and ancestors to give thanks for the crop. In Nigeria specifically, ritual dances are performed to honor the yam god, Ihejioku.
Midsummer (throughout Scandinavia) is a major festival celebrated in mid-June with music and flower garlands to usher in a good harvest. In Denmark, the holiday includes the burning of straw witches in bonfires in memory of the Church’s witchburnings of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Pomegranate-Persimmon Salad
Try this tasty and very simple recipe for a salad that incorporates seasonal fall fruits!

Dressing: Whisk 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 finely minced garlic clove, 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar, and a dash of sherry vinegar together in a bowl.

Salad: Combine 12 cups of fresh spinach or lettuce, 2 fuyu persimmons, peeled and cut into small wedges, the seeds of one pomegranate, 4 oz of soft goat cheese, crumbled, 1/2 cup of toasted pecans or walnuts, fresh basil leaves, and ground pepper.

Toss salad ingredients in large bowl, add the dressing and enjoy!!

Project of the Month

Congratulations to November’s Project of the Month Winners!
Thank you to the 1,820 people who voted!

1st Place Joey P. – Quebec, Canada

2nd Place Kevin C. – Santa Cruz, CA

3rd Place Bill W. – Burning Man Festival

Your Friends,

This Month in GreenSpooks… Have a Green Halloween!

Which plant is best for Halloween? …Bam-BOO! In keeping with the season, GreenShoots offers a few tips for a Halloween that is better for the environment and your family’s health. For additional eco-holiday ideas, check out the site www.greenhalloween.org. Here you’ll find resources for less-sugary treats, environmentally-sound costumes and make-up products, green party activities and more. Have fun, and watch out for tricks!

Jack-O-Lanterns Glow Organic

Many store-bought pumpkins are shipped from far-off farms and grown using harmful pesticides like malathion and diazinon, which are toxic to the human nervous system. How to guarantee your family’s jack-o-lantern is eco-safe? Ask the grocer if your pumpkin (and other produce!) comes from a local, organic farm. Or, find out were you can purchase green fruits and veggies at localharvest.org. The Local Harvest site allows you to type in your zip code to find organic farmers’ markets, co-ops, grocery stores, restaurants and more right in your neighborhood!

Extra Green Trick: When it comes to processed food and products, hazy regulations make it ok to label something organic even if only some of the ingredients are actually organic. Always check for the USDA certification seal to be sure you’re getting the real deal.

Roast Up Some Pumpkin Grub

Removing the orange pumpkin glop is half the fun of carving a Jack-o-lantern. If your kids are playing with it anyway, have them pick out the seeds to use in the following quick, tasty and healthy recipe. First, boil the seeds in salted water for about 10 minutes to soften and clean them. Then drain, and spread them out in a non-stick roasting pan before sprinkling with olive oil and salt or another seasoning of your choice. Roast in the oven at 400°F for about 20 minutes or until the seeds start to brown. Be sure to let them cool, and enjoy by the handful or in a salad!

Extra Green Trick: You can also let some pumpkin seeds dry out and scatter them around unused sections of the yard to grow your own vine!

Illuminate Your Recycling

Attract a little extra attention for your finished Jack-o-lantern by surrounding it with glowing aluminum can lanterns. Remove the labels and wash old cans inside and out before using a hammer and nail to punch holes in fun patterns and designs. Fill the bottom of the can with a little sand or other form of weight so it doesn’t blow over, and finish off with a lit tea candle. Get more Halloween art projects ideas here.

Extra Green Trick: Opt for soy or beeswax candles which are clean-burning and petroleum-free!

What Autumn Means for Bamboo

As bamboo experts, Cali Bamboo is careful to harvest their bamboo in a way that is most beneficial to the plant’s overall health and structural quality. Fall is the ideal time to harvest bamboo for construction and design materials. Most new bamboo growth occurs during the wet season, so disturbing the plant during this phase could jeopardize future crops. Also, during the rainy season sap levels are at their highest, while during the dry season they are very low. Therefore, harvesting is best at the end of the dry season, a few months before rain arrives. Once harvested, our bamboo undergoes Sigma 7™ Quality Control Processing to increase the overall quality and appearance as well as ensure the bamboo fence will be the most durable and lasting.

Project of the Month

Congratulations to October’s Project of the Month Winners!
Thank you to the 4,444 people who voted!

1st Place Mark L. Corona, CA

2nd Place Jim J. Chula Vista, CA

3rd Place Diane T. Wapole, MA

Your Friends,

How Our Bamboo Gives Back

Cali Bamboo was founded on a philosophy of environmental protection and we incorporate this belief in everything we do. We feel it is important to give back to the planet that has given us so much. That’s why we participate in the 1% for the Planet program where companies donate 1% of their gross yearly revenue to organizations that keep our Earth and its people thriving. Read on to discover how various non-profits benefit from your Cali Bamboo bamboo purchase.

Cali Bamboo Raises Roofs

This fall, Cali Bamboo will be partnering with Habitat for Humanity’s San Diego Chapter, and donating bamboo flooring, fencing and decking materials worth over $15,000. These bamboo products will be used to build LEED certified homes for local families in need. “Cali Bamboo provides top-of-the-line products, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to use them in our continued efforts to provide affordable housing to San Diego families,” says Elizabeth Neubrand, Director of Development and Community Affairs for Habitat for Humanity. After the materials are delivered, there are plans to have Cali Bamboo employees assist with home construction and installation of the bamboo products. Stay tuned for more Greenshoots updates on their exciting new volunteer work! Click here to find out how you can get involved with Habitat for Humanity in your area.

Catching and Protecting the Wave

Cali Bamboo was a proud co-sponsor of Surfrider’s 18th Annual Paddle for Clean Water festival in Ocean Beach on Sept. 13, 2009. Cali employees turned up in wetsuits to join the paddle and support this cause. Cali Bamboo’s booth allowed visitors to learn more about the company and bamboo as a natural resource.

Founded in 1984 by a group of So Cal surfers, the Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to ocean protection around the world. Through their efforts, Surfrider has managed to pass several environmental protection laws, prevent harmful construction near beaches and wetlands, convince cities to drastically cut down on water pollution, and educate and inspire thousands of people to love and protect our coastal habitats. Visit www.surfrider.org to lend your support to this great organization.

Other Organizations We Support
Through the 1% for the Planet program Cali Bamboo also makes monetary donations to the following organizations.

– The San Diego Coastkeeper aims to protect sensitive coastal ecosystems through education, intense water monitoring, and by identifying sources of pollution so they might be stopped. As one of the many great non-profits which lost its government funding this year, SD Coastkeeper has been relying on its dedicated, trained volunteers to collect, analyze and document water quality samples in order to track coastline health.

– Folks at REVERB have no problem getting the environmental movement to rock. This organization mobilizes musicians and their fans to go green by hosting carbon neutral concerts, touring in clean, biodiesel-fueled vehicles, selling eco-friendly merchandise and encouraging recycling and energy efficiency. What better way to amp up some eco-spirit!

–The Los Angeles-based non-profit TreePeople knows that loving trees goes far beyond giving their trunks a hug. This organization keeps urban environments green and leafy by training communities to plant and care for trees in their cities. They also work with civic leaders to solve water issues and promote sustainability.

Project of the Month

Congratulations to September’s Project of the Month Winners!

1st Place Michael Meyer

2nd Place Rick Cyburt

3rd Place Julie Ternan

Your Friends,

Improve Your Well-Being with Bamboo!
Discover a few ways sustainable bamboo products help us to live healthier, happier and more comfortable lives.

END OF SUMMER
BAMBOO FENCING SALE!!
10% OFF all Fencing
with Coupon Code: EOS9
Sale ends Sept. 22nd

Cut Down on Urea Formaldehyde in Your Home

Formaldehyde can occur naturally or be industrially created. Most modern homes contain at least trace amounts of the chemical — usually in cloth and wood adhesives. In higher concentrations (anything above 0.1 parts per million) formaldehyde can cause negative health effects such as difficulty breathing, throat irritation, and possibly cancer. Homes with recently installed pressed wood products tend to contain higher amounts of the chemical – typically 0.3 ppm. However, going green and cutting down on health risks is easier than you think! When selecting new plywood and other pressed wood products, opt for those which are made without urea formaldehyde such as Cali Bamboo plywoods or decking. Using dehumidifiers and creating good ventilation will also help get urea formaldehyde out of the house. Learn more at the Environmental Protection Agency’s site.

The Smart and Green Fabric

Bamboo fabric is made by weaving the silky threads of fiber that come from pulping the plant’s stalks. Unlike synthetic fibers which contain petroleum additives, bamboo cloth is 100% biodegradable and can be discarded without harming the environment. Because bamboo fabric is so easy to dye it requires no harsh chemicals and much less water than more common dyeing methods. Porous bamboo fibers make the fabric extra breathable and four times more absorbent than cotton. They also contain a natural anti-microbial agent called “kun,” which prevents bacteria from forming, making bamboo clothing ideal for light, odor-free sportswear.

A Healthy New Supplement

New studies have shown there may be health benefits in consuming the extract from Moso bamboo leaves. (Moso bamboo is the variety which yields very strong, thick poles, used in many Cali Bamboo construction projects.) After receiving a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers at the University of Hawaii Medical School ran tests on the extract and found it to contain substantial anti-oxidants, proteins, micro-nutrients, trace minerals, amino acids, carotenoids and soluble and insoluble fiber. The Hawaii scientists published a paper asserting the Moso leaves may inhibit breast cancer and relieve lipotoxicity – which can lead to diabetes. Other studies have shown the leaf extract to increase energy, aid in the prevention of heart disease, boost the immune system, and cleanse the colon.

Beyond the Bamboo

Cali Bamboo and the Deep Blue Sea
Our dedication to the environment goes far beyond the sustainable bamboo products we provide. Cali Bamboo will be channeling its surfing roots and longtime ties to the Surfrider Foundation next month by co-sponsoring the 18th Annual Paddle for Clean Water Festival in San Diego. At 10am an expected 2,500 participants (including all Cali Bamboo employees!) will be circling the Ocean Beach pier on surf boards, body boards, kayaks, and even outrigger canoes in order to raise awareness for coastal pollution problems. The event takes place on September 13th and will also include eco-vendors, local artists, free surf lessons, live, solar-powered music, and a Stone Brew beer garden for the 21 and over crowd. Hope to catch you there!

Project of the Month

Congratulations to August’s Project of the Month Winners!

1st Place Central Michigan University

2nd Place Pat Verlotti

3rd Place Jared Wright

Your Friends,