hellomellow - hello who?

      hellomellow.  Is this a new greeting?  A nickname for RUNKA?  The name of a new drink?  No!  hellomellow is a fantastic skin care line that RUNKA found at the San Francisco Green Festival.

hellomellow gift pack

      hellomellow products include body butters, scrubs, bath salts, lip butters, body oil, energy sprays and travel kits.  They are also the only avacado-mango based line of body care products available.  hellomellow chose these ingredients because they are known for their emollient properties, are a great source of essential fatty acids, contain natural antioxidants, are easily absorbed into the skin and are non greasy.  Can it get any better?

arouse body scrub

empower bath salts

     Yes, as far as RUNKA is concerned, and here's why:  Not only is the product excellent and the packaging looks great but hellomello uses only 100% recyclable plastic and FiberStone paper for their containers.  For those of you not familiar with FiberStone, there are no trees, waste products, water or bleach either used or produced in the processing of this paper.  FiberStone also uses only 50% of the energy required in comparison to the production of standard paper. 

kiddo diaper rash butter

preggo boobie butter

      In addition to their standard line hellomellow also has specialized lines for kids (kiddo), which includes dry skin eraser, diaper rash butter, baby oil, and sleepy time spray as well as for expectant moms (preggo) that includes lip butter, boobie butter, no itch and stretch mark butter, bath salts, body scrub and body oil!  

     We had a chance to visit briefly at the Festival with Tracy Feldstein, hellomellow founder, and Beth Mack, the National Sales Manager.  They are very committed to their skin care line and enthusiastic about the responses of their customers.  It really got our attention when Beth began to explain the benefits to breast cancer patients that were undergoing the difficult treatments involved with this potentially deadly disease.   Almost every one of us knows someone who has been affected by this disease - and the added complications of the side effects of treatment - so it was great to hear about a product that could bring such tremendous relief.

tracy (l) and beth (r) of hellomellow with dave from runka.com

unwind bath set

      Thanks hellomellow!  We love the line, what it comes in and - especially - the care and concern that you have put into your products.    

GREEN CALIFORNIA SUMMIT AND EXPOSITION

        On Tuesday April 19th at the Sacramento Convention Center is the 2011 GREEN CALIFORNIA SUMMIT AND EXPOSITION.  RUNKA.com will be in attendance and will bring you an update of the Keynote Speakers comments as well as full coverage of the Expo floor.  We will be looking for the newest sustainable, green, recycled and renewable products as well as information that may be helpful for all of us.  Here is some information from the GREEN CALIFORNIA SUMMIT website:

Green Paths to Economic Recovery

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Keynote Speaker

Terry Tamminen, President of 7th Generation Advisors, Keynote Speaker

In California the paths to recovery and sustainability are converging. The 2011 Green California Summit will highlight innovations in policy, practice and technology that can support green growth.

From building programs to workforce development, “green” is now a given. The focus now is on identifying strategies – and technologies – that offer both economic and environmental benefits.

Led by an Advisory Board that includes leaders from government and industry, the Summit brings to life the best in green policy and practice through education sessions, keynote presentations, an Expo featuring green products and services and the Summit’s annual Leadership Awards.

The theme of the 2011 Summit is “Green Paths to Economic Recovery,” a topic that will be addressed in a variety of ways – from sessions highlighting the savings attainable through energy and water efficiency to a keynote presentation on green job creation by venture capitalist Elton B. Sherwin, Jr., author of “Addicted to Energy – A Venture Capitalist’s Perspective on How to Save our Economy and Our Climate.” General session attendees will also have a chance to get an update on the Greenwise Sacramento intiative from Mayor Kevin Johnson.

California has abundant solar, wind and geothermal resources. It also has an unmatched combination of forward-thinking green policy, technology expertise, voter support and purchasing power. Even in recession, it is one of the world’s largest economies. The right partnerships between the public and private sectors can enable the Golden State to “seize the day” and develop a high-tech, high wage green economy.

  

There will be more than 200 exhibitors at the SUMMIT and RUNKA will visit all of them to see what we can find for our customers.

LEAFWARE- Dinnerware from PALM LEAFS!

      RUNKA sees lots of dinnerware in his travels.  Some is made from sugarcane, some from recycled paper and all of it is great.  But LEAFWARE has taken dinnerware one step further.  They gather Palm leafs and make plates and bowls in all sizes from the leafs.  The products look fantastic and everyone who has bought them from us has given us very positive feedback.  Go to RUNKA.com and take a look at our selection of this beautiful and functional environmentally friendly product.

     Here is some information from the LEAFWARE website:

Many ancient communities in South Asia & South- East Asia have been for centuries using leaves of specific trees and vines, sewn together with bits of stem and fashioned into ‘disposable’, 'versatile' plates and bowls. This natural crockery easily decomposes, creating neither pollution nor garbage nor solid waste disposal problems! Such use of leaves inspired Leafware to produce disposable, environment-friendly dinnerware and dining accessories designed for contemporary use. 

  The fallen leaves are carefully harvested, hygienically cleaned and pressed to various shapes to form plates, bowls and trays. Usage of fallen leaves eases the economic pressure to cut down trees and therefore preserving our planet’s true identity. Leafware products are sustainably produced and providing source of living for many families in small communities of South Asia.

If used at home or for parties and festivals such as Christmas, Thanks giving, etc., just use and put them in the backyard compost or dispose them off as one would do with any other disposable product.

                                                                                                                                                   

 As each leaf is a singular creation from nature, their colors and hues range from whites and pearls to light beiges, browns with natural grains and silver strains running through them. Available in an assortment of shapes and sizes to suit all your food serving needs, their beauty will lend style and grace to any table or buffet. As our products are derived from a natural source, slight variations in color and thickness occur as each frond is different from every other one. 

      

LUNCHSENSE Lunchboxes - It Makes Sense!

                                                                                                   

       

      Lunchsense lunchboxes are a fantastic, practical and renewable product that RUNKA.com has been selling for several years.  We love the concept of a reusable lunchbox and containers - that come in great colors - for work, school and pleasure.  Our customers only have good things to say about Lunchsense and we have had numerous repeat purchases.  Here is the Lunchsense story, with some background on Nancy Myers, the founder and owner of the company, from the Lunchsense website:

Nancy Owen Myers, Lunchsense Founder

 

It all began with a quest for “the perfect lunchbox.”

 

Nancy Owen Myers, owner, founder and creator of Lunchsense, first hatched the idea of building a better lunchbox after a friend came down with a serious case of the lunch bag blues in 2006. Among other things, she complained about leaky lunch containers, smelly vinyl bags and a lack of alternatives to disposable bags and baggies.

 

Not one to sit by idly while a friend was in need, Myers did what any ex-bug-scientist-turned-accountant would do, she started a lunchbox company.

 

But first, Myers did an exhaustive search of the lunchboxes that were out there. After finding none that suited her needs and her friend’s needs, she started building prototypes, calling upon a lifetime of sewing skills. A half-dozen models later, Lunchsense came into being on paper in December of 2006. A month later, the company was born!

 

In creating and building her company, Myers drew upon her past experiences. Although entomology and accounting might not seem like the ideal career track for a lunchbox entrepreneur, there were some valuable lessons learned along the way.

 

“Accounting offered a great foundation in the language of business,” she explains.

 

And as a bug expert with a master’s degree in entomology, Myers worked for years to reduce reliance on pesticides in the field of integrated pest management. She says the process of designing and fine-tuning a lunchbox was not unlike dialing in the details of how to manage a piece of land and the creatures that inhabit the area.

 

“How do the natural sciences play into what I do, now?” Myers wonders. “It’s the same process of looking at whether something is living up to its expectations. If the results aren’t what I want or what I expect, then the process needs to change.”

 

While Myers’ professional career prepared her well for her current role, being a mother of three certainly didn’t hurt. Drawing on her family’s own experiences, she arrived at the perfect design for the perfect lunchbox. In 2007, she began testing the lunchboxes the best way she knew how – by sending her kids to school with them – and in 2008 she began selling lunchboxes online.

 

Today, thousands of Lunchsense lunchboxes are in use – not just by kids, but by business professionals, active people, travelers and others looking to make sense out of making lunch. And to think it all started with a simple desire to help a friend!

      Like we said - RUNKA loves 'em and so do our customers.  Check Lunchsense out on RUNKA.com and let us know what you think.  If you already own a Lunchsesne lunchbox please leave a comment for everyone about your experience with them.   THANKS!
  

GREEN FESTIVALS - Coming To A City Near You!

        RUNKA.com just visited the San Francisco Green Festival (www.greenfestivals.org) this past weekend (April 9 - 10) and, as always, we had a great time.  Many of the Expos and Conferences that we attend are closed to the public but Green Festivals are open to everyone.  Here is the 2011 schedule for upcoming Festivals:  Chicago - May 14 and 15; Seattle - May 21 and 22; New York - October 1 and 2; Los Angeles - October 29 and 30; San Francisco - November 12 and 13.

      With 10 years of history and over 1,000,000 attendees during that time hosts Green America and Global Exchange do an excellent job of presenting a fun, educational and sustainable event.  There is a Sustainable Home and Garden Pavilion, Green Building and Renewable Energy Pavilion, Community Action Pavilion, Mother Earth News Pavilion, a Green Business Pavilion and a Green Kids Zone.

  

       At the San Francisco Festival people enjoyed their lunch while music groups played in the Food Pavilion all afternoon.  The food and the music was fantastic - make sure you don't miss the Organic Beer and Wine Garden!

       With 125 speakers and 10 stages there were plenty of seminars and discussions to choose from as well as several book signings.

   








       The best part for RUNKA was the 300 green exhibitors to speak with about products to bring back for our customers.  We found several great new items that should be available in the next few weeks.  Check back and we will blog about the new products listed from the Festival.

      If you attended this event or have ever been to a Green Festival please leave a comment with your experience.  We want to know if you enjoyed it as much as we did.  Thanks!

The International Green Industry Hall of Fame Ceremony

Master of Ceremony Bob Hilton (Voice of The Price is Right, The Newlywed Game and Let's Make a Deal) gets the festivities rolling

    RUNKA.com had the pleasure of joining about 200 attendees and nominees at the inaugural International Green Industry Hall of Fame ceremony at UC Merced at the end of March.  The theme for the day was "Honoring Green Heroes" and everyone had a great time.  The event was an excellent opportunity to meet and speak with many eco friendly business owners and fellow "greenies". 

Larry Morris of RUNKA discusses our products with the attendees...

...and answered lots of excellent questions

    As one of the finalists for induction  RUNKA.com hosted a booth at the Hall of Fame  Expo.  We were visited by quite a few attendees and had a great time meeting and talking with so many people committed to a healthy environment.  It was very encouraging to see the large number of young adults from the local high schools interested in an eco friendly lifestyle.

Getting ready for the Big Moment!

      UC Merced Campus Architect Thomas Lollini spoke on the Universities commitment to achieving Zero Net Energy, Zero Waste to Landfill and Zero Carbon Emissions by 2020.  Mineta Transportation Institue Executive Director Rod Diridon gave an excellent speech on the status of High Speed Rail, both internationally and within California.

     

Hangin' with the Greenies

Thanks to Shauna, Brenna and Ashleigh for making it all work so smoothly

After the ceremony everyone went back to the main area for lunch and more viewing of the Expo.

Congratulations to the winners of the RUNKA.com give away!

     RUNKA.com held a drawing and gave away several prizes to attendees including the Grand Prize, a backpack made from hemp!

Sam Geil, IGIHOF President, presents David Nuss of RUNKA.com with the Award of Excellence

      Finally - the drum roll please - was RUNKA.com inducted into the International Green Industry Hall of Fame?  Not this year - but we are very proud to announce that we did receive the IGIHOF Award of Excellence.  

      Thanks again to Sam Geil, the IGIHOF Board of Directors, staff and Sponsors for a fantastic event and congratulations to the inductees.  We can hardly wait until next year!