Stonyfield Entrepreneurship Institute 2013

eco-kids attended the Stonyfield Entrepreneurship Institute this week.
To say it was inspiring and educational would not be saying enough.

 We came and displayed...

  We kept the panel entertained with eco-dough...

Kip participated in a rapid fire case study...

 And, we walked away with a new found energy to take us to the next level.

Thank you to everyone who organized, advised and inspired.
eco-kids 



One thing we are learning, as this business grows, is that we have to take steps to bring the safest environmentally sound products to market.  Although we wish we could change the world overnight with eco-kids, the realization is that people are still going to buy products and items in this world based on price alone.  It is very hard to compete with products made in China that sit on the shelf next to eco-kids products and sell for a fraction of the price.  The average consumer is not going to ask where and how the box is printed, how the product is made or what type of plastic and dyes are used.  The consumer will see a big colorful "thing" and know it will resonate with their wallet. 
 

There are many times when we are short on money and we need to reorder vegetable extracts, cover payroll, weekly expenses, and somehow stay sane!  What if we did follow the advise of many of our business colleagues and outsource the company?  We could sell all of the products for less and mass consumers would buy more.  In fact, that is what BUSINESS is all about.  Sell more for less!  As we grow we will consistently try to improve our product line and lower our price point to compete.  We will also STAY accountable, do the best we can, and answer the phone when someone has a suggestion on how to improve. 

What would happen if we called up Monsanto?  Would there be anyone for us to talk with?

(Transition happening........NOW)  
Accountability is an important thing.  It defines who we are as a company and as people.  For those of us who want to live as natural a life as possible, we want to know what is in our food and have it labeled properly.  We don't want to be forced into a monopoly of consumerism by a company that is out for one thing only...their bottom line.  Their bottom line is at the cost of the environment and our health.   Monsanto genetically alters their seeds, they produce the chemical pesticide that works hand in hand with their GMO seeds, they have evaded proper FDA testing and they bully farmers who have no control over cross pollination.  Monsanto buys the companies that make the processed foods that line our grocery stores all around the country stating "naturally flavored".   We, at eco-kids, don't want genetically altered vegetables in our bodies or our children's and we don't support products that damage our environment.

So what can we do?  We can March!
On Saturday May 25th you can join the worldwide March against Monsanto.  

We let our individual voices come together to be heard.  
We can start a dialogue with one another about how to increase public awareness concerning this issue.  
We can demand accountability from companies using GMO's.
We can demand the government label products that use GMO ingredients!

 If our country doesn't care to change policies or if a company doesn't care to be accountable...who are we to trust?

Thank you - from all of us at eco-kids
Kip, Cam and Nancy

 

For more information regarding Monsanto:
monsantofacts.com

List of the companies and brands Monsanto owns or controls:
paulshort.com/other-stuff/list-of-monsanto-brands-companies-to-boycott 

List of verified GMO free products:
www.nongmoproject.org/find-non-gmo/search-participating-products




Spring Fever

Spring has finally come to Portland, Maine.  Today, we should reach a high of 64 degrees.  Trees are starting to show a true commitment to budding and soon the lilacs will be in full force.  Kids are in shorts with no jackets!  To say it was a long winter would be an understatement.  We're so happy to have the windows open and the kids OUTSIDE!  

It is time to climb trees, plant gardens and go to the beach.  With this new season also comes a new breath of fresh air for eco-kids.  We are at it developing four new products to introduce this August at NY NOW.  Like life, this business is in a constant cycle.  It is this time of year that we pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off from our busiest time of the year.   Now we get to the art of bringing concepts to life and eco-kids products to shelves.  We have always been blessed with the constant support of locally owned toy stores and boutiques.  This past year we have started to find eco-kids products on shelves in larger chain stores.  Growing is the goal.  More USA made products, equals more USA jobs.  The more support and shelf space eco-kids takes up means the less room for "other" products that are not made with our environment in mind.  It is also important to remember that we are not all environmentally conscious.  For some people, it was just a matter of growing up without the environment being an important subject.  That being said, when a new customer picks up our products in a small store or a large chain, hopefully they read the box, see our ingredients, notice the responsible packaging and a change can start to happen for them on the way they view our planet.  

One individual change of perception is not only a change for them, but its one more person who cares about the environment for all of us, regardless of what store they found us in.  


earth day ~ every day