Eco News | Eco-friendly Marketing Blog for Reusable Items

Ongoing Plastic Shopping Bag Saga Finds Toronto Bag Ban Overturned…For Now

When Toronto’s mayor, Rob Ford, attempted to do away with a 5-cent fee that was levied on plastic shopping bags handed out at stores within the city that set off a surprising turn of events. The mayor’s proposal to end the fee and just as quickly proposed and passed an outright ban on plastic shopping bags clearing the way for reusable shopping bags. The bag ban was scheduled to begin on January 1, 2013, but once again the plan has changed.

Plastic Pollution and the Impact on the Food Chain

Plastic bag recycling is often touted as a solution to the environmental damage caused by plastic bags, but it just isn’t that simple. Through increased education and outreach programs, plastic bag recycling is in fact on the rise. However, recycling plastic bags is not as efficient (they get stuck in the machinery) or effective as recycling other materials such as paper or glass. There are a wide variety of plastics out there and different types of plastic require different handling and processing for recycling. Throw into the mix the fact that plastic bags are often contaminated with food or other forms of waste, which complicates the handling and recycling process, and what seemed like a good idea, becomes a massive undertaking.

Get Organized and Promote Your Brand with the Bagonizer

Keep Reusable Bags Neatly Bundled and Ready to Go The Bagonizer is a handy device that makes it easy to grab your reusable shopping bags when you head to the store. Simply wrap up to 6 reusable bags together and clip them into the Bagonizer and you have a convenient bundle to toss in your […]

Happy Thanksgiving from Factory Direct Promos

In the spirit of the holiday we at Factory Direct Promos want to take some time to explain what (or rather who) we are thankful for. We appreciate all of the great folks we work with throughout the year because they help and inspire us to do the work we do.

Uganda Struggles to Ban Disposable Plastic Bags

Uganda has been waging a war against plastic shopping bags since 2002. In June 2007, the government banned importing, using, and distributing polythene bags less than 30 microns thick. Still, Parliament never passed a law implementing the ban, and plastic bag manufacturers found a loophole and continued producing and distributing plastic bags. The manufacturers thought they were being clever, but they were perpetuating the use of plastic bags and all of the harm these bags cause as opposed to reusable shopping bags.

Power Up with Green Energy

p>Green energy can mean a couple different things. Clean and efficient energy options fall under the definition of green energy, as well as sustainable options and combined heat and power. The advantages of going green are many – it allows you to stabilize or maybe even lower your energy expenses and the environmental toll is minimal to non-existent.

Green energy reduces the amount of power needed to create more energy units, so overall less energy is used. Using less energy reduces or eliminates greenhouse gas emissions which improve air quality and public health. Simple things like switching to energy efficient light bulbs can allow you to better use resources and save money, while bigger changes like using solar, wind or biomass power can have a greater impact not only on your bottom line but also on the environment.

How to Reach Customers through Slogans and Branding Messages on Reusable Bags

It would be great if you could start a conversation with your customers right? What would it be worth to your brand if you could sit down with prospects and customers and talk about what your company believes in and what you are doing to create a better product or to provide superior service? And what if you could outline your environmental goals and the steps you are taking to reach those goals? Wouldn’t that be great marketing? While it impossible even with social media, to chat with all of your prospects and customers, you most certainly can create promotional customized bags that will start and carry the conversation for you…and that is priceless.

Creating a Custom Bag for Your Brand

Printing your logo on a promotional bag is certainly a great way to increase your brand’s exposure and get noticed, but creating a custom bag takes things to the next level. Customizing a bag that best showcases your branding message and connects with your customers will create a lasting impression as well as brand recognition.

How Does Delhi Plan to Make Failed 2009 Bag Ban Law a Success?

Delhi passed a ban on disposable plastic bags in January 2009. Specifically the ban prohibited the production, storage, distribution, and use of plastic bags. Failure to adhere to this law was supposed to result in fines and possible jail time; however, the law was not upheld. Plastic bags were still manufactured, sold, stored and handed out. Many store owners claimed that they had to continue to use plastic bags because their competitors were and by not doing the same they would drive customers to shop elsewhere. Essentially, everyone justified breaking the law because everyone else was doing it.

Want the Stories Behind the Worldwide Plastic Bag Ban Movement?

Factory Direct Promos (FDP) recently launched an interactive map that lets you track the movement to ban disposable plastic bags all over the world. This in-depth map features color-coded pins that indicate whether a location has a ban on the books, where a ban failed to pass or if an area has a law mandating a fee be levied on bags at the checkout.

5 Ways to Remember Your Reusable Bags

When you’re tackling errands and taking care of all the things you need to on any given day, grabbing your reusable shopping bags may be the furthest thing from your mind – until you find yourself at the checkout lane with nothing to put your groceries in. Everyone has been there and it can be frustrating, but here are a few tips to help you remember your reusable bags.

5 Ways to Increase Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is a measure of the percentage of your target demographic that is aware of your brand. The logic is straightforward: the more of your ideal demographic that is aware of your brand, the more business will be directed your way. Getting your brand out there and getting noticed can seem like an imposing task, but it doesn’t have to be hard. A few key steps can help you increase your brand recognition, and by default, your customer base and sales.

Could New York City Be the Next Major City to Ban Plastic Bags?

A familiar group is working to ban plastic bags in New York City. The environmental group Clean Seas Coalition has opened an office in Manhattan. Clean Seas is looking to pick up the pieces of the failed bag ban after a brief campaign by Mayor Bloomberg’s office fell short in 2009. Clean Seas Coalition was the driving force behind the disposable bag bans and fees set up in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Since Los Angeles implemented a disposable plastic bag ban and a 10-cent fee on paper bags just over a year ago the city has seen a 93 percent reduction in waste.

A Welcomed Discourse

A recent eco-friendly infographic that was posted on Factory Direct Promos not too long ago has been making the rounds on the Internet. The good news is that the information presented in the graphic is getting out there and people are reading and learning and thinking about disposable plastic bags, reusable shopping bags and plastic bag bans. Unfortunately, some of the facts and figures were taken out of context and presented in an inaccurate and incorrect manner on another blog. Let’s set the facts straight.

What are the Pros and Cons of Banning Plastic Bags?

View our side-by-side list of the pros & cons of a plastic bag ban.

How Carbon Offsets Can Help You Go Green at The Office

There are the obvious suggestions to go green at the office like being more aware of energy consumption – turn the lights in the conference room off after meetings, change the settings on your computer to go into sleep mode after a period of inactivity and try to avoid unnecessary printing and paper use unless it’s eco-friendly paper. If you absolutely have to print, opt for recycled paper that features high post-consumer waste content and low chlorine content. These are great ideas and will most definitely help the cause in addition to your bottom line. Still, there may be one way you haven’t thought about when going green at work.

Store Employees Become the Face of the San Luis Obispo County Plastic Bag Ban

The San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority passed an ordinance back in January that banned disposable plastic bags in most retail outlets, specifically supermarkets, pharmacies, sporting goods retailers, and convenience stores with more than 10,000 square feet of retail space. The fine print also calls for a 10-cent fee to be levied on paper bags. It is hoped that the fee will also deter shoppers from using paper bags and go all the way to eco-friendly with reusables. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable grocery bags to carry their purchases home each and every time they go shopping.

The 100 Top Green Online Influencers of 2012: Inspiring by Example

The Internet is full of blogs and businesses promoting their brands and ideas while spreading a message of sustainability and environmentalism. The problem is that it can be tricky figuring out which people and web sites offer the best of the best of green news that is necessary for you to know. Well don’t worry because factory Direct Promos has done the hard work for you.

What’s The Life Cycle of a Plastic Bag?

Plastic shopping bags are such a ubiquitous part of everyday life, but most people do not know the full story concerning these disposable hazards. From the manufacturing process through disposal, plastic bags can cause a lot of harm. While reusable bags are a great solution, they do require some maintenance to insure they are clean and safe.

Make Your Brand’s Sustainable Mark Memorable with Eco-Friendly Pens

Custom pens imprinted with a company’s logo or slogan are a popular and handy promotional item for businesses, brands and associations. You can make your pen stand out from your competitors by selecting a pen with an environmentally friendly, custom design. Recycled and renewable materials give you a chance to spread your brand along with your message of sustainability.