Can you imagine earning the right to adopt a llama by first finding perfect homes to take in 5 other foster animals in your temporary care? That’s what happens in the joyful and educational board game, EcoRanch. And then it goes much deeper than the ranch hand duties.
I first spoke with the Colorado inventor, Eileen Thournir, about a year ago as she brought her new creation to market and became a fellow business member of Green America (Co-op America). EcoRanch is the first of many games she has planned at her new company, Enlightened Play, and has already fast earned awards for this novel toy that requires no batteries or electrical outlets. “There’s a desire to give back, to create a more sustainable environment, to protect and nurture the planet,”
...
Only over the last few years have Eco Audits been used to show the public precise values in environmental protection and conservation.
The debate over paper vs. plastic bags was an interesting discussion for us to better grasp the front-to-back extent of our consumption habits. Talking about lost acres of clear-cut forests, or the massive accumulation of non-degrading, petroleum-based plastic bags in the oceans, waterways, and landfills, it painted a picture much more compelling to Mr. & Mrs. Joe Common. (You may recall one "winner" was Reuse, especially a natural fiber built-to-last basket.)
But planet-friendlier manufacturing choices are _not_ a new thing. We are simply expressing this in novel new ways that get more people to comprehend and respond.
After recent months of researching
...
WHY DO YOU?
Upon first being introduced to our earth-friendly products, people often ask me, "Why did you make these board games sustainable'," or, "Why do you use recycled paper in a board game'"
The quick, substantive answer from me would be, 'Because I want to show that a seemingly harmless and solitary board game could save 78,000 trees; 20 million gallons of water; 39 billion BTUs of energy; and 6.3 million pounds of greenhouse gases.? *
But the real answer is that this is a personal choice, a production value important to me.
Throughout my professional career, I supplied various products and services helpful to people in need. Despite the importance of these goods and sincere appreciation by customers, I often found myself questioning the environmental impact of different aspects
...