Resent companies who say they care about the environment but are
not sincere: 72 percent
Because the custom-sized shipping boxes fit the SmartPaks so tightly,
there is no need to use fill, such as peanuts or air-filled bags, that
can't be recycled. Only recycled corrugated cardboard is used and
whenever possible the company reuses shipping boxes to reship to
customers.
The "barn buddies" program consolidates and ships orders for one barn
together on the same date, which saves on packaging and contributes to
significant fuel savings as the delivery truck has fewer stops, says
SmartPak CEO Paal Gisholt.
For more smart eco-friendly tips and SmartPak's environmental policy,
visit www.smartpakequine.com/environment.
An Eco-Friendly Equestrian Community
"I have been waiting for this day," says Mary Ann Simonds, a consultant
specializing in horses for 25 years. Simonds recently was hired to guide
the development of Saddle Ridge, an all-natural equestrian community
being built near the historic town of Sebring, Fla. "Saddle Ridge has
amazing potential for integrating an equestrian community with a
sustainable development."
The 1,200-acre community will have equestrian-friendly amenities
including miles of trails, a 20-acre equestrian center with a covered
arena, a dressage arena, a hunter/jumper field, a community barn and
acres of pastures and fields. Development will be limited to 96 homes or
horse farms on 10-acre parcels to preserve the natural state of the land
and ensure privacy for its residents. Saddle Ridge hired Simonds and other consultants to ensure that land conservation, building methods and horse-keeping practices coincide with a green lifestyle. Simonds' experience ranges from sustainable development and strategic planning to eco-tourism and equine behavior.
"Mary Ann has extensive experience with facility design, wildlife
protection, and equine management. These are critical issues for Saddle
Ridge to address while building a truly green and well-preserved
equestrian environment," says Janie Coffey of Papillon Real Estate, the
company marketing the project.
Coffey, a Green Certified Real Estate Professional, comes from a
hunter/jumper background. "We really encouraged the Saddle Ridge
developers to create a true equestrian center, and we urged them to
build a green development to preserve the land and protect the
environment," she said. "This is the first of its kind in the horse
industry with regard to its commitment and sustainability in development
practices, land conservation, building methods and horse-keeping."
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Saddle Ridge is a 90-minute drive from Tampa, about two hours from
Wellington and two and a half hours or so from Ocala, so riders on the
show circuit should have no problem traveling to their favorite shows.
For more information, visit www.SaddleRidgeFl.com.
G.r.a.s.s. is Greener
Two years ago, when environmentally friendly fabrics became more
available and the quality more consistent, Kerri Kent started planning a
new standalone division of Kerrits, her performance equestrian apparel
company noted for its popular riding tights. G.r.a.s.s. is a new
equestrian apparel company with a twist. "For g.r.a.s.s. everything has
to be as good as it can be environmentally, from zipper to buttons,"
says Kent, president. Eco-friendly details include vegetable-dyed labels
and rope hang-ties in place of plastic. Even the samples are shown on
recycled cardboard hangers.
There is no crossover in design between g.r.a.s.s. and Kerrits. "The
clothing has its own shape and fit. It was as if we were starting a new
brand or company," says Kent. Targeted to the 25-45 age group, the
styling is designed for a more body-conscious market ("not teeny
bopper") though still fitted and with some innovation in pocket style.
Kent thinks these products will appeal to women tuned into preserving
the environment and concerned about the future for their kids.
In developing g.r.a.s.s., there was a lot of learning and discovery
along the way, says Kent. "We had to learn to sew the new fabrics. Even
the thread is different," she explains. "Dover (Saddlery) was involved
in the process. We played with a few names, like 'eco-chic' and
'equi-chic,' and Dover suggested the name make more of a statement about
what it is." The final name, g.r.a.s.s., stands for "green riding
apparel for style and sustainability."
G.r.a.s.s. is part of One Percent for the Planet, a network of companies
that donate 1 percent of their sales to more than 1,800 environmental
organizations worldwide. G.r.a.s.s.' donation is earmarked for
Equestrian Land Conservancy to help it gain wider recognition and
support.
Kerrits also has an environmentally friendly mission. "We evaluate every
practice and how we can be better," says Kent. "We talked to Patagonia
about how to use better poly bags made of recycled and recyclable
material." Other green options include buying hybrid company cars, using
paperless statements and direct deposit, recycling, and installing a
water tank that employees use to fill up their cups rather than use
plastic bottles. Learn more at www.gra-ss.com.
Green vs. Efficacy
Why not have both? There's no tradeoff with Farnam's Equisect™ Fly
Repellent containing the new botanical repellent, PyGanic®, the
first pyrethrum listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute for use
in organic farming. It also contains natural oils of citronella, clove
stem, thyme and corn mint. Approved by OMRI and the EPA, it was tested
and proven effective against five types of flies, mosquitoes, lice and
gnats on horses, and fleas and ticks on dogs and cats. Packaging also is
green. Learn more at www.farnamhorse.com.
Eco-Friendly Fencing
Made with at least 60 percent recycled materials, LifeTime Lumber is an
eco-friendly wood alternative that has the look and feel of wood without
the maintenance requirements. Manufactured by Century Products LLC, it
is comprised of recycled fly ash--an inert waste product from electric
utility plants. With properties similar to wood, the material can be screwed, sawed and nailed together with regular woodworking tools.
According to LifeTime Lumber, its mission was to create a long-lasting
product that would survive the elements and support its mission to be an
environmentally conscious company.
The O'Connor Signature equestrian facility located at The Oaks, in Lake
City, Fla., uses more than 75,000 board feet of LifeTime Lumber for
fencing and its posts are used in the main barn.
The manufacturing process is energy-efficient and does not discharge any
residue that would be hazardous to the environment. LifeTime Lumber
products conform to recycled content criteria under the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating
System™. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design,
construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LifeTime
Lumber has also received recycled content certification, confirming that
the material meets the necessary criteria for recycled content claims
based on internationally recognized standards and guidance established
by the International Organization for Standardization and the US Green
Building Council.
More good news: LifeTime Lumber deters cribbing, is impervious to
attacks by termites, sea worms or barnacles and is covered by a limited
lifetime warranty when properly installed. Check it out at
www.ltlumber.com.
Greenerhorse.com
Greenerhorse.com
is a new blog filled with eco-friendly tips and techniques for all
aspects of horse keeping, including barn construction and maintenance,
manure and pasture management and the latest green products.
Green TV
Not exactly horsey, but a great source of tips and information on
working, eating, dressing and living green is Sundance Channel's The
Green, which returns this spring with new episodes of the award-winning
eco-series, Big Ideas for a Small Planet, new documentaries and new
episodes of Eco-Biz and Ecoists. Sundance is the first television
network in the U.S. to dedicate regularly scheduled programming
dedicated to the environment. Learn more at
www.sundancechannel.com/thegreen.com.
