-- Find Thousands of Guilt-free, Locally Made Products at ecobly.com --

Seattle, WA, April 2, 2009 -- You can shop to support the U.S. economy and still celebrate Earth Day! Consumers and businesses can seek locally made, green products on the ecobly directory . Companies that qualify for the ecobly label sell "made in the U.S." products and choose to source their materials sustainably from our landfills, recycling programs, organic farms and other creative sources to make products for our every need.

Manufacturers that qualify for the ecobly badge meet the highest standards - a majority of materials sourced locally and made sustainably. The entire supply chain benefits communities, while helping to reduce the collective carbon footprint. The directory includes companies offering a wide variety of products - green toys, greenbuilding supplies, office supplies, home decor, jewelry, stationery, and more!

"Not only are these companies not harming the planet, they are actually restorative - working to provide benefits," said Kathleen Ridihalgh, president of ecobly.com. "Ecobly is the only verification company focused on sustainable products made of a mostly U.S. supply chain. Shopping from ecobly companies is guilt-free."

One example is Clean-Flame firelogs in California. They divert unrecyclable wax-coated grocery boxes away from the landfills and, in its local manufacturing plant, create firelogs that burn cleaner and more efficiently than conventional firelogs and wood. They are shipping their new packages with the ecobly local.green. badge to distinguish their product from the competition.

Clean-Flame CEO Kory Hamman's motto is, "Help us save the forests one log at a time."

By purchasing from ecobly companies, consumers support green initiatives and local U.S. businesses like:

• municipal and private recycling
• cottage industries and crafts
• organic cotton farmers and sustainable forestry
• local manufacturing
• small business entrepreneurs who are upcycling and repurposing

• A majority of content from within the region where manufacturing occurs (exceptions are made for reclaimed raw materials, which have such a small footprint, the shipping adds negligible environmental impact)
• A majority of eco-friendly content, such as post-consumer recycled material, reclaimed material, Forest Stewardship Council-certified or sustainably harvested wood, and organic agricultural materials
• Non-toxic finishes and glues
• Any non-local content adheres to fair trade principles, safe practice guidelines, child- and slave-free labor, animal cruelty-free and non-toxic

Find out the latest news on our local.green.blog.

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Give the gift of sustainability

Seattle, WA 2/05/2009

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Contact - Kathleen Ridihalgh, 206-356-2925, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

SEATTLE – A new online green directory features companies that source and produce goods locally. Find gifts made within your zip code or state, from recycled or sustainable materials.

“We’ve learned the benefits of eating locally – healthier, cleaner, and better for our communities. It’s time to expand that to everything we buy, and what better time of year to show you care!” says Kathleen Ridihalgh, president, ecobly.com. “Thoughtful, beautiful gifts can also reduce your carbon footprint and spur local economies. Shop the ecobly.com directory to find companies that produce gifts for everyone on your list.”

For jewelry, hats and scarves, home décor and lots of other gifts – here’s a sampling of what Northwesterners can find:

    • Alchemy Goods, Seattle, WA
    • Bedrock Industries, Seattle, WA
    • Bison Bookbinding, Bellingham, WA
    • Custom Handweaving, Seattle, WA
    • Glyptic Concepts, Ellensburg, WA
    • Other Worlds Windchimes, Tacoma, WA
    • Secondhand Saints, Eugene, WA
    • Wiser Jewelry, Cashmere, WA
    • Aurora Glass Foundry, Eugene, OR
    • Maple XO jewelry, Portland, OR
    • Old Imprints, Portland, OR
    • Resource Revival, Mosier, OR
    • Valley View Lavender, Buhl, ID

 

Sending gifts across the country? Search the website by state or zip code for companies located near your friends and relatives, and send them a gift from their own community!  There are ecobly businesses in almost all U.S. states.

 

Create a profile and download ecobly gift tags. Let everyone know you’re giving more than a present, you’re giving clean air, healthy forests, smart energy and sustainable, healthy communities.

 

Learn more at ecobly.com

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Here are examples of companies that combine green values with green revenues. Read on to learn about Terracycle (NJ), Green Toys (CA), Watson Furniture Group (WA), Acorn Designs (NY), Maple XO jewelry (OR), Stack and Stick (IN.) I thank them for their initial support of ecobly.com!

www.terracycle.net
Trenton, New Jersey
Press contact: James Artis, 302-858-8448

Tom Szaky, a 25-year old entrepreneur and Princeton University dropout, founded TerraCycle his freshman year. The company debuted its revolutionary worm poop plant food packages in reused soda bottles in 2005. TerraCycle products are the first consumer products to earn the right to carry the Zerofootprint™ seal. The seal signifies that the materials and manufacturing process used to produce its products have virtually no negative environmental repercussions. Terracycle is committed to local production, making most of its products in Trenton, New Jersey, supporting underserved communities with good jobs and reinvestments

Online directory launches, emphasizes local, green goods:
sets the Green Gold Standard!