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Organics Live: Organic Delivery Service + Franchise Opportunity in PA, DE, NJ
Post written in partnership with Philly Social Media Moms for Organics Live.
Enter below to win a Vitamix S30 Blender!

Imagine what it would be if, as a national policy,
we said we would only be successful
if we had fewer people going to the hospital
next year than last year.

How about that for success?

The idea then would be to have such nutritionally dense,
unadulterated food that people who ate it
actually felt better, had more energy, and weren’t sick as much.

Now see, that’s a noble goal.

~Joel Salatin

Trying to eat in a way that’s healthy and sustainable for your body, your lifestyle and the earth? Invested in preserving and improving the world we share?

A logical first step is to incorporate more organic fruits and vegetables into your diet.

Local peeps, huddle up. Today we’ve featuring a company that delivers locally sourced, organic food right to your door— for less than retail.

And they’re offering opportunities to become a partner, so you can grow your own business while supporting organic.

And there’s a chance to win a Vitamix blender at the end of this post.

Read on, friend.

So, raise your hand if you or someone you know is making more of an effort to eat organic fruits and vegetables.

We hear all the time about the benefits of eating organic and supporting organic farmers. But for many of us, shopping for organic food can be a timesuck and a chore, requiring a stop at the farmer’s market or CSA plus a grocery store or two just to get the foods we feel good about feeding our families. In addition to these reasons, many people feel eating organic is too expensive for their family budget.

What if I told you there was an easier way?

What if there is an easier way to get affordable, fresh, certified organic fruits and vegetables: delivered right to your door every week?

Organics Live, a company founded in Canada, is coming to our area and will be offering their popular weekly delivery service to homes and businesses. Organics Live delivers certified organic, sustainably produced, and locally focused food and groceries for less than the cost of shopping retail! That and their 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is part of their very successful formula.

Right now, Organics Live is looking for the right partners in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware Areas as they expand to the U.S.
- Have you always dreamed about being in business for yourself?
- Did you leave the workforce to raise your kids and are now looking for something to generate income and a different type of satisfaction?
- Are you already passionate about health and wellness and interested in partnering with a company that has the same values?
- Are you a go-getter who works hard and feels it’s time to personally reap the rewards of the success you generate?
- Are you looking for a way to achieve work/life balance?
If you said yes to any of the above, you may be the one of the partners Organics Live is looking for.

Why Organics Live as a possible business venture?

Organics is growing!

Sales of organic products in the United States jumped to 35.1 billion in 2013, up 11.5% from the previous year’s 31.5 billion. 81% of U.S. families now choose organic food at least part of the time.

You can join a rapidly growing company founded by concerned dads with a shared belief that strong, prosperous communities can be fueled by good clean food!

“At Organics Live, everything we deliver is sustainably produced with a heavy focus on supporting local growers and producers. We run a carbon neutral operation, offsetting all parts of the businesses, from field to plate. Our boxes are “best-of-season”, meaning that we source the freshest, highest quality fruits and vegetables available at any given time and deliver to homes and business weekly. Our mission is to build sustainable local food systems by providing our franchisees the support they need to move sustainably produced goods and services from makers to consumers with as little waste as possible.”

Corporate makes it easy

No inventory, warehouse space, or product management. No receivables, billing, or collection. No sourcing, buying, receiving, packing, or deliveries. Corporate even provides your website, IT, sales hotline, and marketing materials!

Not the usual franchise start-up costs

Territory ownership of households and businesses, full franchise status with resale rights, no royalties, and no brick and mortar required means your investment is 1/10 of a typical franchise operation start-up cost.

If any of this appeals to you and you want to learn more or claim your desired territory before it’s taken, please visit Organics Live to learn more at www.franchising.organicslive.com.

As for the rest of you, Organics Live looks forward to making it easier and more affordable for you to eat the way you want to! We can’t wait to show you the Organics Live difference! Stay tuned!

Follow Organics Live on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with happenings, expansion and seasonal recipes.

To celebrate the U.S. expansion, one of you lucky readers will win this beautiful Vitamix S30 Blender! It is a powerhouse! Good luck!

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April 13, 2015
Why We Become Environmentalists

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.

― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

The Washington Post ran a piece recently titled The surprising psychology behind why some people become environmentalists, but the takeaway wasn’t so surprising at all. The conclusion was that empathy was tied to environmental attitudes— “namely, a heightened sensitivity to the suffering of other people.”

The authors conclude that “compassion elicits moral judgments and actions across different moral domains” — in effect, that it’s infectious.

Is this surprising? Dr. Seuss nailed that years ago. Environmentalists care. They care about people, and the world around them, and how their actions affect both.

This of course invites that whole treehugger thing, the idea that people who care about the environment are overemotional bleeding hearts. This has never bothered me. I’m sensitive, and I’d like to stay that way.

(Sidenote: nature lovers also tend to be healthier and to be more open to new experiences. All good things.)

I’d also say, without any scientific backing whatsoever, that most environmentalists are dreamers that can envision a better world of our own making, while also being practical folks who are always looking for the next steps to make that world happen.

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau

All in all, a group of people I’m fairly proud to be associated with.

Raise your kids to be environmentalists as soon as they’re old enough to hug a tree.

Compassion is infectious, and it reaches into all aspects in your life, if you’re doing it right.

P.S. This photo was one of the first on this blog, back in 2003. Where does the time go?

April 9, 2015
Share Your Pics to Help Bring Families Access to Clean Water
If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.

-Loren Eiseley

Water. It’s vital for our life and our health, and we take it for granted.

According to the World Health Organization: 683, 967 deaths per year could be prevented if people had access to clean water. How can we help?

[Tweet “683, 967 deaths per year could be prevented with access to clean water. How can we help?”]

Water For People works towards providing sustainable and reliable access to water and sanitation to every family, school, and clinic that needs it. They’re currently active in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and India.

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Share a photo showing how you appreciate water on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook using the hashtag #iheartwater and tag @WaterforPeople. For every unique photo publicly shared through the month of April, ICF will donate $5 to Water For People.

[Tweet “Share a pic showing how #iheartwater and $5 is donated to Water For People. Details here:”]

Be creative! Do you love water most while cooking? Enjoying a cup of tea? Jumping into puddles? Hydrating after a long run? Tag me too (@robinelton) so I can see.

Help out at home during Earth month and every month with these 10 tips from ICF. (Bonus: you’ll save green by using them too.
1. Install aerators to reduce water and watts. It takes energy to heat and deliver water to the bathtub, faucet, and other fixtures in your home that use hot water. Installing aerators in these fixtures can reduce the amount of water needed by 30%, and reduces the amount of energy required to heat and deliver the water.
2. Save water with low-flow toilets. Consider installing a low-flow toilet, such as WaterSense labeled toilets that use 20 percent less water. If your toilet is from 1992 or earlier, replacing it with a high-efficiency model would use 60 to 80 percent less water.
3. Garden with care. Grow plants that are native to where you live and that don’t require irrigation. Collect rainwater and use it to water your houseplants and garden.
4. Make it a full load. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full. Don’t prerinse dishes—tests show prerinsing doesn’t improve dishwasher cleaning, and you’ll save as much as 20 gallons of water per load. When you buy a new dishwasher, look for one that saves water. Water-efficient models use only about 4 gallons per wash. Learn more about using water wisely here.
5. Wash your laundry in cold water. Most loads don’t need hot water, and 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating. The higher the water temperature, the higher the cost to you and the planet.
6. Lower the temperature on your hot water heater. Many manufacturers set thermostats at 140°F (or 60°C). Most households can save energy and money by turning the temperature down to 120°F (or 49°C).
7. Dry clothes naturally. A clothes dryer requires a lot of energy. Save money and energy by hanging your laundry to air dry. When you do use your dryer, clean the lint filter thoroughly after each load and don’t over dry the clothes.
8. Enjoy natural light. Resist turning the lights on for as long as you can during the day. Instead, open your curtains to enjoy natural light.
9. Replace light bulbs with LEDs or CFLs. LEDs use 80% less energy than incandescent lights and could last 10 years or longer. CFLs use approximately 30% less energy than incandescent lights. Several major retailers recycle CFLs, so now you can conveniently recycle at the end of their life.
10. Truly turn off electronics. When plugged into an outlet, electronics and appliances use energy, even when turned off. Some electronics use the same amount of energy when on “standby” as when in use. Plug your devices into a power strip. One flip of a switch on the power strip lets you turn everything off when not in use.
How do you conserve water and energy?

Don’t forget to tag me in your water photos!
April 3, 2015