Make Your Global Warming Actions “Count” at We Add up
Even after making small changes in my day-to-day life, like changing to CFL bulbs and taking reusable bags to the store, I often find myself feeling a bit defeated when I see so much random garbage on the streets of San Francisco, especially fast food cups and plastic bags. The mother-daughter team who started I’m Organic have recently launched We Add Up with the hopes of changing that displaced mindset.
From their first press release: WE ADD UP is a global campaign using organic cotton t-shirts that literally “counts you in.” Every shirt is printed by hand with a unique number. YOUR number represents your place in the sequential global count of all the people who are taking steps to help stop climate change. As the count grows, we demonstrate to the world that “WE ADD UP.”
On the back of each shirt is a word or phrase that describes an action almost anyone can take to reduce their carbon footprint – the contribution their lifestyle makes to greenhouse gases – such as, Unplug, Lights Off, Carpool, Hybrid, Bike, Buy Local, and 18 others. You choose which action you are committed to doing and get counted in.
WE ADD UP also offers organic cotton reusable grocery tote bags that say “Neither” (the answer to the paper or plastic question), and recycled plastic sports bottles and stainless steel coffee mugs that also promote the WE ADD UP message.
“The mission of the campaign is to spread the message that each of our efforts do matter, because collectively, we add up,” said Jill Palermo, marketing director of I’m Organic, the messaging company that developed the campaign. “This is a global issue, and our goal is to get millions of people worldwide counted in and committed to taking action to stop climate change now. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”
A certified carbon-free business via CarbonFund, We Add Up is hosted via a carbon-free website company; offers consumers the option to offset the carbon from shipping their order (also via CarbonFund); and is a certified green business with Co-op America (Victoria-E.com is as well). If that isn’t enough, We Add Up also offers fundraising opportunities to all schools, colleges, community groups, and non-profits. No start-up costs and no set number of minimum orders, groups earn 20% of all sales they bring in.
Is a group of consumers in organic cotton t-shirts going to change the world? No, but that’s not what this campaign is all about – it is about being a part of a community and being counted; knowing that your lifestyle changes are truly making a difference for the planet. With the threats of environmental degradation bombarding us daily from various news outlets, it would be nice to see some smiling people while wearing their own hand-numbered shirts that every so gently remind others of what needs to be done.
[...] Ron wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptEven after making small changes in my day-to-day life, like changing to CFL bulbs and taking reusable bags to the store, I often find myself feeling a bit defeated when I see so much random garbage on the streets of San Francisco, … [...]
[...] paidtwice wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptOn the back of each shirt is a word or phrase that describes an action almost anyone can take to reduce their carbon footprint – the contribution their lifestyle makes to greenhouse gases – such as, Unplug, Lights Off, Carpool, Hybrid, … [...]
That is so cool! I’m going to get one. There are so many small things we can all do help these days. I’m actually working with a group now to get an energy bill through congress that would include a provision for a fuel economy standard of 35 mpg for new cars by the year 2020. The petition is here if anyone wants to check it out http://energybill2007.us We really can all make a difference, even if it is something as small as buying a t shirt or signing a petition.
Hi Pat,
I’m so very close to getting one as well; I can’t help but be curious about what number I would get. Small things all add up – we all have to keep reminding ourselves of that. Just like a gardener who plants their seeds at the beginning of the season, it is not until months later that we see all our hard work come to fruition.
VE