the case for standing for something

i don't even know how to introduce mike swenson, other than letting you know his opinion matters. he just posted some great thoughts on brands and what they stand for. follow his blog here.

mike cites the PR Week/Barkley Cause Survey. it's worth downloading if you care about the good work brands can do, the whys and the hows.

you know "green" is mainstream when...

...This Old House provides tips to go green. Kudos.

Planet In Peril

there are few times i wish i had cable television. this is one of them.

via ecorazzi, planet in peril, from cnn. check out the trailer.



say what you will about anderson cooper. some call him a shallow opportunist, some credit him for demanding lenses are pointed and dedicated to an issue. i applaud this effort based solely on what i've read in the publicity phase.

on a side note, the trailer gets me pumped for R.E.M's new album, also reminds me to grab the double-disk live album. my very hip dad scored a moral victory over me by downloading this and burning it before i knew it existed. hat tip, dad.

safety in numbers and in the cold

it's the time of year when bike commuting drops off sharply due to cold and incliment winter weather. i'm trying to increase my commutes to work and moreover, my time on the bike to hit errands or social events.

couple good resources:

from bikehugger, a report on safety in numbers (plus, it's just more fun to cycle with friends).
winter weather riding and maintenance tips.

An argument for action

debate. arguing. politics. money. red and blue. aisle and aisle. hippies. alarmists.

i've watched this three times and believe it's the best reason we have - and most bipartisan - for taking action against global climate change. it will take 9 minutes for you to watch, so make sure you have time. it's worth it and it will make up your mind on the next step toward saving our planet.

New Threads! And a darn good deal.

life is busy in my corner of the world. new shirts, photoshoot, a few charity events that will include Interwoven Threads and a big bump in sales this week, probably due to a little promotion i'm running to kick-off the new shirt (designed by seth gunderson): while i'm waiting to get the new shirt on Interwoven Threads.com and looped into the merchant service for online orders, all purchases between now and the time you can buy it online will be free of pesky shipping and handling costs!

that's right. for those of you in KS, you'll pay a bit of sales tax, but for the others, you can dress yo'self in the latest design for just 25 bucakroos. simply shoot me an e-mail at andy@interwoventhreads.com and give me your size. what a deal.

here are some more photos from the shoot - check 'em, order 'em, rock 'em. and remember each purchase creates a donation of one shirt to reStart, where it will be given to someone that truly needs to be clothed.

Al Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize

i was bleary eyed when i took a spin through my blog feeds this morning and didn't get the news of Al Gore receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in conjunction with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. it's nice when things work out the way they should. this is a well-deserved award, and one that underscores the power one person can have on a very daunting issue.

even better, Gore will donate his winnings to the Alliance for Climate Protection. follow the link for great info on a powerful (and now a bit better funded) bi-partisan non-profit.

Escape Adventures sustainable travel

one thing I consistently aim to do with Interwoven Threads is talk about our process. from design to shipment, materials, vendors, and how we make that process better and less harmful. part of doing better as a business means facing the shortcomings. naming them. and then fixing them.

just read an inspiring post at the Cannondale blog on Escape Adventures, and the tremendous effort it's taken to reduce and offset its environmental impact. as a cyclist and endurance athlete, i often notice how much damage events truly cause their environments. it's a growing movement around event organizers and it will take transparent, passionate leaders like Escape Adventures to help participants see the light and demand a better way.

man...i think i'd like to sign up for some of these getaways. what a company.

Obama swings for the fences with greenhouse gas policy

i'm excited to see green issues coming to the surface of the presidential race. it's no secret that i choose Obama in 08, and this introduction of surely debate-worthy policy further solidifies my respect for the contender.

So then I'm in the middle of a photo shoot...

met a recent Interwoven Threads customer over lunch yesterday to exchange some sizes and I found out that she owns a photography studio (Rebecca Peters Photography). she mentioned that she likes to feature people on her blog and then whipped out her camera for an impromptu photo shoot. her request was that i make faces in "photobooth" style for her to create a montage. not sure if my weird looks are going to help sell shirts, but here's the blog post she did yesterday.

check out her site and her portfolio. she's very talented and even better, a supporter of Interwoven!

thanks Rebecca!

Gen Y buying with an environmental eye

Noticed an article this weekend citing polling done on Generation Y's propensity for buying environmental products from environmentally-responsible companies. Good news for better retailers and kudos to these better consumers.

50% say environmental messaging influences purchase decisions.
46% would shop at a retailer more if it were environmentally friendly.
47% would pay more for products and services that are environmentally friendly.

"Talkin' bout my generation...."