Clean Conscience Goods

Eco-Friendly Lunch Bags With A Clean Conscience

2010-07-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

Clean Conscience packs a clean and green lunch with the Lunch Packer Lunch Bags made from plastic water bottles.

Consistent with Clean Conscience Goods’ mission, the Lunch Packer Lunch Bag is made using woven 100% post-consumer recycled plastic PET water bottles. Each bag uses approximately 3 plastic water bottles that were diverted from going into our landfills or polluting our precious oceans. Using a high-quality woven fabric, these lunch bags are washable and easily air dries. Unlike canvas lunch bags, Clean Conscience’s woven fabric have very little or no shrinking after washing. The Lunch Packer was designed not only to reduce litter from our lunches, but also to provide a means to repurpose our everyday trash to convert them into new and useful goods.

The Lunch Packer lunch bag is generously sized to fit school and office lunches. It folds easily when empty so it can be easily stored in a purse, backpack, or briefcase. It is designed just like a brown lunch bag, with double handles and a velcro closure on top. It comes in three great colors: signature clean green, berry pink, and forest green.

Best of all, the Lunch Packer Lunch Bag is made in the USA and helps support our domestic factories and jobs. These bags are truly eco-friendly, both environmentally and economically. These lunch bags are the smarter, cleaner and greener choice!

The Lunch Packer retails for $16.00 and can be purchased online through http://

www.CleanConscienceGoods.com.

Clean Conscience is a trademark of AAH HAA! Inc., San Rafael, Marin, CA. Shop online at: http://www.CleanConscienceGoods.com

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Clean Conscience stands for smart, clean and green products. We offer functional, eco-friendly, smart and earth-friendly reusable bags, grocery bags, shopping bags, lunch bags, shoe bags, totes and laundry sacks. Our products are made using re-purposed and recycled PETE plastic soda or water bottles, recycled cotton or a blend of both. We offer a variey of reusable bags that is ideal for carrying your grocery, produce, lunch, books, laundry, shoes, toddler or baby gear, and travel items. Clean Conscience reusable bags are also ideal for printing your custom logo for promotions, tradeshows, conferences, or fundraising events.

Clean Conscience reusable bags are truly green and eco-friendly. Using only recycled materials, we help clean our environment. Made in the USA, we help support our domestic jobs and factories to help feed our economy. Clean Conscience reusable bags give consumers a better choice and help make a difference for America!

Bacteria Growth In Reusable Bags - A Health Risk?

2010-07-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

Are reusable bags a health risk? They are if you don't wash them. In June 2010, a recent study was published titled “Assessment of the Potential for Cross Contamination of Food Products by Reusable Bags” conducted by Charles P. Gerba and David Williams and Ryan Sinclair, in partnership with the University of Arizona’s Dept. of Soil, Water and Environmental Science and the School of Public Health of Loma Linda University. Prior to this report, in May 2009, a similar study was conducted by the Environment and Plastics Industry Council of Canada, published a study titled “A Microbiological Study of Reusable Bags and ‘First or Single-use’ Plastic Bags”. The purpose of both studies is mainly to show proof of bacterial growth in reusable bags that are used for grocery shopping and whether or not reusable bags could pose a health risk.

Of concern was determining whether reusable grocery bags carry the risk of becoming a breeding ground for bacteria that could cross-contaminate food that is packed and carried home. There was no doubt that in both cases, there was laboratory proof that the eco-friendly reusable cotton bags tested showed bacterial growth in many instances. Some of the glaring findings showed that reusable bags used in food grocery shopping had become active microbial habitats and breeding ground for bacteria such as yeast and mold. Raw food or meat drippings that stay in bags that were left uncleaned are definitely unsafe. As for your eco-friendly lunch bag, those definitely need to be washed regularly.

This doesn’t mean we have to go back to plastic bags! Common sense dictates that anything that touches food has to be cleaned by simple washing, just like any other item that you use in the kitchen.

We, at Clean Conscience have focused on this issue since we introduced our reusable shopping bags. We have always informed our customers of the importance of washing bags regularly. One of the biggest advantage to Clean Conscience reusable bags is that our fabric does not shrink. Cotton canvas grocery bags, while very eco-friendly, unless is pre-shrunk, will shrink significantly since this is a natural character of cotton. Our reusable bags are washable, durable, keeps its shape longer and air dries easily.

Durability and washability are important features to look for in an eco-friendly bag whether it’s a shopping bag, grocery bag, lunch bag, or logo-printed promotional bag. Eco-friendly reusable shopping bags are a must-have in every household, you just need to make sure you wash it regularly, just like your kitchen towels.

Shop our wide selection of eco-friendly and washable reusable bags.

Environmentally Friendly Totes For Your Vacation Trips

2010-07-11T16:48:00.000-07:00

Packing for a day trip, cruise, summer camp, or a weekend getaway? Don't leave home without our Pebble Beach reusable day bags. A favorite of all ages, these reusable day bags are chic, colorful and fun. Made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles, they help divert about 5 PET water bottles from ending up in our landfills. You will love the fun colors with polka dot ribbon trims that come in pink berry with brown/pink trim, clean green with turquoise/green trim, lilac with pink/lilac trim and forest green with fuschia/yellow trim. These eco bags are generously sized to take along shopping, lug your book, sunblock, cosmetics, hat, shoes, beach gear, or your kid's stuff. Built with an inside pocket for your keys or smartphone. This environmentally friendly eco tote bag is made with a woven recycled fabric that washes easily, and air dries fast with little or no shrinking, unlike regular canvas bags that shrinks after washing. Best of all, these bags did not travel far to get here since they are made in the USA.

Buy Pebble Beach Day Tote now!

Eco-Friendly Reusable Bags Making A Difference For America!

2010-07-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

Reducing plastic waste and pollution is just one of the goals of Clean Conscience eco-friendly reusable bags. Our high-quality green bags are made using woven 100% post-consumer recycled plastic PET bottles. These environmentally smart tote bags help divert plastic bottle waste from going into landfills or littering parks and beaches that eventually pollutes our oceans, and harming sea life. Best of all, Clean Conscience reusable bags are made in the USA, using our domestic factories, materials and labor. Less transportation fuel used means lower carbon footprint and more working dollars to help our green jobs and feed our economy. Our reusable bags come in many styles: reusable shopping bags, reusable grocery bags, lunch bags, shoe bags and custom logo-printed bags for promotional use. Clean Conscience bags help make a difference in America!

Shop our STORE now!

All American Reusable Bag

2010-07-03T18:19:00.001-07:00

We love celebrating the 4th of July! Everyone thinks of having a good time with family, friends, pets and all. Most of all, I enjoy seeing the celebration for America. This is a day when people in small towns have a parade, community bbq, festivals, and carnivals aimed at celebrating our country's independence. It gives a sense of togetherness and happiness for even the basic things we often overlook....our flag, town parades, picnics, hot dogs, hamburgers, and my favorite, the all-American apple pie.

When I started designing Clean Conscience reusable bags, it was mainly to raise awareness for helping clean and green America. In coming up for a reusable bag logo that depicted my emotions, I asked myself, what are the things that comes to mind when I think of America. For me they are: Coke, hot dogs, baseball and apple pie. Since the design was for a bag's logo, only one stood out: the apple pie. So that brought on some design charettes between my partner and I to come up with an "I'm Made In America" logo reusable shopping bag that became our first signature bag.

We continue to sell this bag online and we constantly receive acknowledgment from our customers. We thank you for patronizing our Made in America eco shopping bag - they help keep America clean, supports our green jobs and feeds our economy.

Go to Clean Conscience Store to purchase this 4-pc reusable bag set.

Eco Friendly Reusable Bags On Sale

2010-06-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

Our Summer Sale is now going on. Take advantage of 40% OFF promotion until June 30, 2010. Clean Conscience eco reusable bags are made in the USA using woven 100% recycled plastic PETE bottles. Choose from large size reusable shopping bags for department store trips, lunch bags, golf shoe bags, recycled cotton canvas grocery bags and many more styles.

Enter code: GREENEZ at checkout.
Click this link to shop now: Clean Conscience Goods.com

Valid until June 30, 2010 or while supplies last.

One more day till Father's Day!

2010-06-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

If you have not gotten a card or gift because you procrastinated, short on time, or just forgetful, don't fret. Father's Day is tomorrow, and granted it will be too late to send anything by mail, you can still do one thing that will make Dad happy. CALL! You won't have an excuse on this one since it seems that 99% of people walk around with a cell phone, and I am almost sure you are one of them. And make sure you dial that number, speak and have a conversation. No texting or emailing unless a phone a line is not available where you are.

The Dad in our household always says that Father's Day is not viewed as important as Mother's Day, judging from the fact that reservations for brunch has to be made weeks or sometimes months ahead of time, as well as paying dearly for flowers that seem be a "standard" Mom's day gift. I particularly have a rule at home not to give me flowers for this very reason, but I will not pass up a brunch with the family. My mother -in-law who is now in a senior home and cannot really get out, deserves to get the flowers.

Anyway, going back to Father's Day...yes, it seems that all these holidays have been concocted by the greeting card companies to keep their business going year-round. Well, I still have to say, taking a day to acknowledge and appreciate what we have in life, like our Moms and Dads who love us, is a worthwhile purpose. And one doesn't have to spend money to get the job done, either. You can make a home-made card, send a letter, make breakfast, wash the car, call, or give Mom or Dad twenty big hugs and kisses and tell them how much you love them..... now that is priceless.

Clean Conscience has a number of green and eco-friendly gift items that are perfect for Moms and Dads, if it is within your budget. Check our our chic day totes that Mom could use for when Dad takes her out for a weekend drive, or for their cruise trip this summer. For Dad, we have eco-friendly golf shoe bags, a book tote, and lunch bags. These were all made with 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles - so they will be helping clean-up our landfills. Even better, our summer sale is going on right now with a 40% OFF deal!.

Summertime Greening EZ

2010-06-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

It's summertime and we make greening EZ with our eco tote bags made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Choose from our wide selection of chic reusable shopping bags, lunch bags, shoe bags and laundry bags.

Our Pebble Beach eco totes (shown above) are ideal for ladies golf days, bridal party gifting or for lugging Mommy and child gear. Shop soon and save a bundle!

Go to Clean Conscience store.

California Assembly Bill 1998 - Bans Single Use Plastic Bags

2010-06-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

Below, we reference the latest Amended Bill Text as of May 28, 2010.

Original text can be viewed at this link: BILL NUMBER: AB 1998 AMENDED

As always, Clean Conscience has various selections of reusable carryout shopping bags that fits everyone's needs and styles. All you need to do is have a few in at home, car or office and you will never be without one. Clean Conscience reusable shopping bags are the smarter bag of choice since they are made with 100% post-consumer plastic bottles, produced in the USA, functionally designed for shopping, and made with fabric that has minimal shrinkage after washing.

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1998 AMENDED
 BILL TEXT

 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 28, 2010
 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 20, 2010
 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 5, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Brownley
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Leno)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Chesbro, DeB Leon, Evans,
Feuer, Hill, Bonnie Lowenthal, Nava, Ruskin, Skinner, Torlakson, and
Yamada)
   (Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier  , Hancock,   Liu,
  Lowenthal,  and Pavley)

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2010

    An act to amend Section 42257 of, and to add Chapter 5.3
(commencing with Section 42280) to Part 3 of Division 30 of, the
Public  An act to add Chapter 5.3 (commencing with
Section 42280) to, an   d to repeal Chapter 5.1 (commencing
with Section 42250) of, Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public 
Resources Code, relating to solid waste.


 LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1998, as amended, Brownley. Solid waste: single-use carryout
bags.
   Existing law requires an operator of a store, as defined, to
establish an at-store recycling program that provides to customers
the opportunity to return clean plastic carryout bags to that store.
This requirement is repealed on January 1, 2013.
   This bill would repeal those at-store recycling program
requirements on January 1,  2012   2011  ,
and would instead, on and after January 1, 2012, prohibit  a
store   certain types of stores  , as defined, from
providing a single-use carryout bag to a customer.  The bill
would, on and after July 1, 2013, prohibit convenience food stores,
foodmarts, and certain specified stores from providing a single-use
carryout bag to a customer. The bill would require a store, on and
after July 1, 2013, to only provide reusable bags, as defined, or to
make available for sale recycled paper bags at a reasonable cost, but
not less than $0.05. The bill would exempt the sale of certain
specified bags from the above prohibition and restriction. The bill
would, beginning January 1, 2013, require a reusable bag manufacturer
to obtain a biennial certification from the Department of Resources
Recycling and Recovery by submitting a certification fee and 
 a certification that its reusable bag meets specified
requirements. The bill would specify administrative civil penalties
for a person who violates the above requirements. The bill would
require the department to deposit the certification fees into the
Reusable Bag Account, which would be established by the bill in the
Integrated Waste   Management Fund, and to deposit the
penalties and fines collected into the Penalty Subaccount, which
would be established by the bill in the account. The bill would
provide that moneys in the account and the subaccount would be
expended by the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to
implement the above requirements.  
   The bill would require the department, on or before January 1,
2015, to submit to the Legislature a report regarding the
effectiveness of the bill's provisions and recommendations to further
encourage the use of reusable bags. The requirement for submitting
the report would become inoperative on January 1, 2019. 

   This bill would preempt local regulations on the use and sales of
reusable bags, single-use carryout bags, recycled paper bags, or
other specified bags at stores, as defined. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

*****VIEW FULL TEXT******

Green Gifts For Dads And Grads Sale

2010-06-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

Check out our Father's Day and Graduation green gifts and enjoy a 25% off Dads and Grads discount. Eco-friendly and truly green travel or shoe bags, lunch bags, book bags, reusable grocery bags and laundry bags, all made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. And, shipping is only $5.99 with no minimum purchase required. Shop soon!

Clean Conscience and Did You Know?

2010-05-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

2010 DigiCom Film and Video Festival - Best of The Fest

Did You Know? was one of the "Best of the Fest" films showcased at the Palm Springs Unified School District 2010 DigiCom Film and Video Festival.

Created by: Students in Liz Salazar's class at Desert Springs Middle School and Kathleen Pape's class at James Workman Middle School.

Did You Know? from Lee Grafton on Vimeo.

This video includes Clean Conscience Goods Green 101 website content.

Clean Conscience stands for smart, clean and green products. Our mission is to green America - environmentally and economically. Our eco friendly reusable bags and totes are made from recycled materials, which help conserve our resources and reduce the polluting trash that goes into America's landfills. Using domestically sourced materials and labor, we lower our carbon footprint and help support our local factories and our economy.

Our green living products include reusable bags and home goods made from 100% post-consumer recycled PETE plastic bottles, recycled cotton or organic cotton. Clean Conscience offers a wide selection of reusable cloth shopping bags, canvas grocery bags, fabric totes, eco friendly lunch bags, produce bags, table linens, reusable napkins and bags that can be personalized and printed with your logo. Proudly made in the USA.

Where Have We Been?

2010-05-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a long WHILE and we truly missed this blog. Spring has come and (almost) gone and we are excited to welcome summer! Business has picked up in the spring as a number of trade shows and events needed some logo printed promo bags. What was interesting, as well, was that we had to compete in pricing with a number of promo bag suppliers who were half the price of Clean Conscience bags, but we were pleased to say that our reusable logo printed bags were still the bag of choice. When our clients realize that we use 100% post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles, which happens to be a big polluter of our environment, coupled with our reusable bags being made in the USA, the choice comes easily. Naturally, our local factories that make the fabric, sew the bags, and print the beautiful logos were all ecstatic, to say the least.

Happy Easter

2010-04-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

Green egg-dyeing tips here:

http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/03/31/green-egg-dying-eco-friendly-ways-to-dye-your-eggs/

Cure For Cabin Fever

2010-02-19T19:45:00.001-08:00

This was a day worth writing about!

Cabin fever! Winter has really dragged us down and we can't wait to have sun and warmer weather. But who are we to complain here in the San Francisco Bay Area, when we see storms hitting the eastern states. A really boring friday got us motivated to go outside despite the dreary weather. So off we packed up a lunch and thought we could just drive to Fort Cronkite. Sure enough, Mother Nature never seems to let us down. The weather was just right, no sun - but not very cold. So we were able to enjoy a light walk on the beach and watched a few (bored) people like us get out of hybernation, and even a few surfers to keep a few eyes entertained.

We were pleasantly surprised that the beach area was reasonably clean - we found a handful of what else? ... plastic debris, a plastic fork and some plastic bags floating around. I guess the "keep our environment trash-free" awareness and messaging has worked in some parts. How can it not when there is have a huge recycling bin greeting beachgoers at the onset.

Few as these trash may be, they account for a number of injuries of sea mammals. Since plastic does not photodegrade, they end up in our oceans where animals could mistake them for food or they get trapped in nets and unable to feed themselves.

With that thought in mind, we headed on to The Marine Mammal Center, which is a hospital for injured sea lions and seals that were rescued along the pacific coast all the way to Monterey/Carmel. We were introduced to Sgt. Nevis ( named after the Sgt. that brought him to the center). Sgt. Nevis is a California adult male sea lion weighing 358+ lbs. He was rescued on Dec. 5, 2009 from Stingray's Beach near Sacramento - he had a gunshot wound to the face that damaged his nasal bones and skull. His prognosis is guarded because of the severity of the damage to the nasal area. Really heartbreaking!

The hospital was quite busy with another 7 sea lions under medical care, none of them were as serious as Sgt. Nevin, though, and hopefully they will all be released back into the ocean soon.

Since there was not enough sun today, the solar panels were definitely hard at work at The Marine Mammal Center.

We should keep this place as a treasured secret so it doesn't get too crowded... but we are not selfish. If you are ever wandering around San Francisco, this is a not-to-miss place to visit.

Hey Marinites - Get your 15% discount on Reusable Shopping Bags

2010-01-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

Eco-Friendly Recycled Canvas Grocery Bags - 4-Pc. Set

HEY MARINITES - GET YOUR ECO REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS READY!

You may need to get yourself a well-made reusable grocery bag because paper and plastic bags may not be offered by stores anymore come Earth Day. Marin County has launched a campaign to ban single-use bags in retail outlets starting April 2010. It just makes a lot of sense to bring your own eco-friendly bag when you go to the store, so get a few so you'll always have them at home or in your car. Plastic bags are very harmful to our environment, they are made from petroleum, they take centuries before they decompose and a huge percentage of these bags are made overseas, creating an even higher carbon footprint.

Get yourself a well-made cloth shopping bag. Our best-seller are these affordably priced recycled cotton canvas shopping bags We have custom-designed these reuseabe bags specially for packing boxy groceries (like your cereal and cookies) and for deli or restaurant take-outs. The Take-Out Reusable Grocery Bags comes in a 4-Pc Set for $22.00. Our Clean Conscience bags are made from recycled materials and made domestically using our trash and our labor.

For a limited time we are offering a 15% discount - just enter MARIN-611 as your Coupon code at checkout. So get yours soon and start doing your share! Shop at: http://www.cleanconsciencegoods.com/.

Rethinking Plastics 201 Conference - Green Sangha

2010-01-15T23:08:00.000-08:00

Join Green Sangha in a 3-day Rethinking Plastics 201 Conference in San Rafael, Marin County. Learn more about how plastics have plagued our lifestyles and our environment, and what you can do about it.

Thursday, Jan 21, 7:00-9:30 pm. Symposium: Awakening the Dreamer: an introduction to the challenges and opportunities of our age. Led by the Pachamama Alliance. Environmental Classroom, Marin Sanitary Service, 535 Jacoby Street, San Rafael, CA. Donation requested (all donations over $10 will receive a copy of the newly released Sustainable World Sourcebook published by Vinit Allen).

Friday, Jan 22, 7:30-9 pm. Public lecture: Rethinking Plastics, Rethinking Our Lives. Sponsored by Whole Foods Market, San Rafael. Free.

Saturday, Jan 23, 10 am – 5 pm. Workshop: Ending the Plague of Plastic Pollution. Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership, 555 Northgate Drive, San Rafael. Fee: $50.

Read more about the conference here at:
http://greensangha.org/rethinking-plastics-201/

Live in Marin? Get your reusable shopping bags ready-

2010-01-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

I'm A Green Shopper Reusable Canvas Shopping Bag

Marin County is taking a stand on banning the use of single use plastic and paper bags at stores. Supervisors Susan Adams and Charles McGlashan are among those proposing this ban when they recently launched the campaign to ban retailers and stores from giving out plastic and paper bags to shoppers. In November 2008, Fairfax voters approved to ban the use of plastic bags at restaurants and retail stores and became the first municipality to enforce this ban.

If you live in Marin, you've got to get in with the program. Get your durable and well-made reusable grocery bag ready and start being a greener shopper! Check out our Clean Conscience selection of reusable eco shopping bags that's made for every shopper in mind. Visit our website and find out why "all bags are not created equal".

http://cleanconsciencegoods.com/products/all

Greener 2009 with our eco-friendly reusable bags!

2010-01-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

As we ended 2009 last year, we are proud to say that we were able to divert at least 20,000 post-consumer plastic bottles that would have gone into the waste stream - by repurposing recycled plastic bottle fabric into our beautiful reusable bags. A number of lucky people received greener presents as we merrily packed holiday presents with our eco lunch bags, reusable shopping bags, shoe bags and even eco-friendly laundry bags. And these bags were all designed, sourced and sewn in the USA - so thank you for all who helped support our local jobs and factories.

At Clean Conscience, we continue to create smarter, cleaner and greener products to help make it easy for you to make smart sustainable choices.

Thank you and Happy New Year!

LAST MINUTE GIFTING?

2009-12-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

25% OFF

Enter HOLIDAY2009 at checkout.

For a flat rate of $3.99 we ship Priority Mail

HURRY-SHOP NOW

http://cleanconsciencegoods.com/products/all

Casual Shopping Totes, Golf Shoe Bags for him/her, Laundry Saks,

Canvas Shopping Bags, etc.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2009-12-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

Cheers to all for a very happy holiday season!

from

The Clean Conscience Clean and Green Team

Holiday Shopping Tips

2009-12-10T17:32:00.000-08:00

Goodness gracious how time flies! Thanksgiving, family, kids, grandkids, life, etc. We're still around hustling and bustling and getting all excited around the holidays.

Here are our holiday shopping tips:
1. Buy recycled products and help close the recycling loop. There many choices that are fashion friendly and kinder to the earth.
2. Shop online - reduces stress, prevents impulse buying and lowers your carbon use. Take advantage of on-line deals and free shipping offers.
3. Regifting is the new trend, or donate unusable (or unwanted) gifts to charity.
4. Reduce the amount of packaging waste. Save and reuse old wrappers, avoid styro fillers, and say NO to plastic bags and wraps. Remember plastic is made from petroleum so think of your carbon footprint.
5. Be a prudent gifter. Everyone knows how hard the economy is. A phone call, a visit or having a meal together are wholesome gifts that everyone will cherish.

We don't want to be a party downer, so if you can't resist the christmas shopping, take a large shopping bag when you go to the mall and avoid bringing home more paper and plastic bag waste. Our Rodeo Drive Tote is perfect for serious department store shopping!

Cheers!

Green America Business Conference Gets A Clean Conscience

2009-12-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

Green America Business Conference was again held in beautiful San Francisco. This year Green America even got a cleaner conscience .... using Clean Conscience reusable conference bags made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles. These printed logo bags helped divert about 1,500 post-consumer PETE water bottles from ending up in our waste stream, and made in USA with a much lower carbon footprint! Our US factories thank you and the Bay Area thanks you for repurposing waste.

And we just learned that the Green Festival will be back in April - just in time for Earth Day celebrations! See you next year!

SALE! Free Logo Printing on Canvas Reusable Bags

2009-10-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

Pre-Holiday Sale - Be Green, Promote Green, Give Green!

Eco-friendly reusable tote bags are the new "it" give-away. Print your logo on these recycled cotton bags and get more exposure for your marketing dollars. We offer free printing for a minimum order of 250 bags.

Reusable Bags For a Flat $3.99 Shipping - No Minimum Order

2009-10-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

Clean Conscience Goods.com Shop

Shop our online store for eco friendly, clean and green reusable bags, totes and sacks. Pay only a flat $3.99 shipping anywhere in the continental USA with NO minimum order required. Choose from a number of fashionable and functional styles, colors and features. Made from repurposed and recycled cotton or post-consumer PETE plastic soda and water bottles. Clean Conscience bags are ideal for shopping, grocery, produce, school, books, laundry, gym, yoga, beach, resort, golf, travel pack or baby gear. We offer custom logo printing for corporate promotions, fundraising, tradeshows or events. Our recycled fabric is durable and washable with little shrinkage. Clean Conscience bags help conserve the use of natural resources and reduce waste going into landfills, ocean and the waste stream.

Shop early for your holiday eco-gift giving! http://www.cleanconsciencegoods.com/

LET'S HELP THE UNEMPLOYED FIND JOBS

2009-10-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

I was recently talking to a few parents and realized that we all share the same predicament lately. We have college-graduated children who have been displaced from their jobs and who are having difficulty finding employment out there. It is a hard position for both parents and children to go through this period and very emotionally taxing on families. Despite the new jobs brought in by the green economy, the number of applicants far outnumber the available jobs when you have hundreds, if not thousands of applicants, for every position listed. According to the latest report, the nation's unemployment rate rose to 9.8% in September, showing an increase from prior periods. Some analysts predict that we may even hit 10% in the coming months.

Read article: September Non-Farm Payrolls Plunge 263,000

We aim to use this blog in a way that will better serve our readers by focusing on the important issues facing us. There are certainly a number of important environmental issues that we can continue to blog about, but right now, we believe that it is about helping the unemployed find jobs.

We want to help. We will start gathering and compiling job sites and job listings and we will be posting these in our blog as fresh as we can get them. With all the communication means and technological gadgets that we have out there, we hope to help gather and distribute information as quickly and to as many people possible.

If you are a company that has a job opening, please send us the info at ccinfo@cleanconsciencegoods.com with your information and link. We will post it in our blogsite and feed it to all our webaccounts.

If you are looking for a job, check our blogfeeds regularly for the latest job feed, and pass this on to your friends.

Let us all work together to make America $$green again! Good luck and be well.

CONFERENCE VIDEO - LEAN AND GREEN PRODUCTS FOR LEANER TIMES

2009-10-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Great video - talks about green products being cost-effective in the long run.

http://www.ktvu.com/video/19510920/index.html

GREEN IS HERE TO STAY AND GOING MORE MAINSTREAM

2009-10-01T09:43:00.001-07:00

Franchises Can Win Customers by Going Green Posted using ShareThis

Mainstream businesses are now realizing that eco-awareness has caught on with many consumers. In order to compete in business, going green plays a strong role in customer attraction and retention. As a consumer and shopper, we will always choose an eco-conscious merchant that gears their business towards sustainability, conservation, waste reduction and a lower carbon footprint - over one that is not. The green-mindset is catching on and it is definitely here to stay!

MYSTERY OF THE WHOLE FOODS "THE BETTER BAG"

2009-10-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

Link to article: Mystery Surrounds New Whole Foods Reusable Bag

From Sustainableisgood.com

Whole Foods' The Better Bag- certainly a fashion friendly bag. But what makes it a better bag? The colors? Good looking bags that are 100% from recycled bottles are available and made in the USA. Do we need to always buy from overseas companies when we have factories and companies that can be sourced domestically? The fact that these bags used waste materials that did not come from America's landfill -doesn't help our waste problems. Bags made by companies outside of the USA, does not help our domestic workforce and contributes to a higher carbon footprint. Factories that do not pay into the American tax system does not help our economy. So why is this a better bag? We have companies that are going out of business in North Carolina because of the flood of imported products (Bloomsburg Mills) Is this what Fair Trade is all about? I hope Whole Foods, which I have a lot of respect for, can give domestic businesses a chance to market their products more. A made in USA bag that supports our economy and takes trash from our own waste stream, to me, is the Better Bag!

GOOGLE EARTH LAUNCHES CLIMATE LAYER | MNN - MOTHER NATURE NETWORK

2009-09-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

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Google Earth launches climate layer | MNN - Mother Nature Network

For those of you who haven't seen the article the link is above. This is so awesome! Leave it to Google to be the major lead for spreading more knowledge and information to everyone on this planet. They have partnered with the Danish government and the United Nations Environment Programme to create this application with the goal of taking our climate challenge database to the next level, just in time for the upcoming Climate Change summit.

How many times can I say awesome?

Thank you, Google!

CLEAN CONSCIENCE LOGO BAG TRAVELS TO UGANDA

2009-09-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

In February 2009, Dr. Ewa Z. of EZ-Rehab/Mill Valley joined a team of volunteers from the Friends of Ruwenzori for their mission trip to Uganda, providing free medical services at the KIDA HIV/AIDS Clinic. Here we see our Ewa with her Clean Conscience logo-printed reusable bag, as she tours the area with some locals. Keep up the good work - we love you Ewa!

PLASTIC BAG SIGHTINGS

2009-09-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a plastic bag that was blown around on the freeway and ends up getting caught on the Benz' emblem. Couldn't pick it up since we were travelling on freeway speed. Arrgh!

COASTAL CLEAN-UP DAY POINTS TO THE BAY AREA'S 10 HOT SPOTS FOR PLASTIC LITTER

2009-09-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the large group of volunteers who headed this weekend's Coastal Clean-Up Day. It is with this dedicated group that we are so grateful for helping keep America clean and litter-free. Without a doubt, plastic bags and other plastic debris remain the most problematic litter along our coastline. Save The Bay, a local San Francisco group, reports that they have identified 10 hot spots along our coastline that are of most concern.

Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment
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SAVE THE BAY NAMES TEN BAY TRASH HOT SPOTS BLIGHTED BY PLASTIC BAGS

Save The Bay Urges Bay Area Cities to Pass Legislation to End the Distribution of "Free" Plastic Bags to Protect the Bay and Wildlife

OAKLAND, CA - September 15, 2009 - Save The Bay's 4th annual list of Bay Trash Hot Spots underscores the pervasive and growing problem of plastic trash in our waterways. The 2009 Hot Spots are ten San Francisco Bay shorelines and creeks where volunteers removed the most plastic bags on Coastal Cleanup Day in 2008. On this day alone, volunteers picked up nearly 15,000 plastic bags from these locations - a shocking number given that only a small portion of the Bay shoreline and its tributaries were cleaned up. Save The Bay estimates that more than one million plastic bags wind up in San Francisco Bay each year where they smother wetlands, degrade water quality and harm animals. (A map showcasing the ten hot spots can be found at: www.saveSFbay.org/baytrash)

Go to article...

ATTEND THE 3RD ANNUAL MARIN GREEN BUSINESS FORUM

2009-09-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

This year's 3rd Annual Marin Green Business Forum will be held on Wednesday, Sep 23 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Mill Valley Community Center, Mill Valley, CA.

Presented by the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce and MarinLink. This year's line-up of speakers include renowned environmental activist, author and educator Hunter Lovins, President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions to talk about Green Business Leadership in Marin — Taking Local Action for Sustainable Economic Renewal.

Learn more and get tickets at http://www.maringreenbusinessforum.org/

Clean Conscience is providing its clean and green tote bags for the event, of course.

LOS ANGELES COMPANY RECALLS LEAD-LACED MASKS, PENDANTS..

2009-09-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission advised consumers to immediately stop using the recalled items..

Follow this link to read more...
LOS ANGELES COMPANY RECALLS LEAD-LACED MASKS, PENDANTS..

STOP! BEFORE YOU SHOP OR THROW AWAY STUFF - CHECK THIS OUT FIRST

2009-09-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

This is a great guide sponsored by Yahoo! Green. Find a Reuse Group near you. Follow the link below for a free guide to other people looking to get rid of items or needing items. Just think about how much trash we can all reduce from entering the waste stream - if we just all reuse!

http://green.yahoo.com/earth-day/find-a-group.html

3 Suspect Plastics to Avoid in Baby Bottles, Water Bottles, More

2009-09-14T17:51:00.001-07:00

3 Suspect Plastics to Avoid in Baby Bottles, Water Bottles, More

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PAPER or PLASTIC? AN OVERUSED QUESTION

2009-09-14T09:52:00.001-07:00

I know this question is old and overused and so it still surprises me that some folks still do not get why we need to be more eco-sensitive in our living habits - even in simple things like grocery bags. Here's an older article that I have linked that explains the pros and cons of paper or plastic, as choices. Obviously, both options present an environmental impact in terms of depletion of our natural resources and the energy consumed to make them. In the end, having your own durable reusable bag that did not travel far to get here is still the best choice.

Paper or plastic? How about a Clean Conscience reusable bag instead?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/10/03/GR2007100301385.html

THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER GETS CLEAN CONSCIENCE BAGS

2009-09-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

We are very proud to provide the custom logo bags for The Marine Mammal Center located at the Marin Headlands. Located in Sausalito, California, The Marine Mammal Center is a non-profit group whose work is dedicated to rescuing and treating stranded or injured marine mammals. Seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, whales and sea otters are their regular patients. They cover the 600 mile stretch of coastline from Mendocino County through San Luis Obispo County. A number of programs and activities are available for families at their facility. Find out more at: http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/

NON-SHRINKING WASHABLE BAGS

2009-09-08T10:20:00.000-07:00

We received a few emails about washing reusable bags and the news circulating around regarding the risk of unhealthy bacterial growth in reusable bags. If the bags are used for food and grocery shopping, it is highly recommended that they are washed regularly - this is the best way to prevent any food debris from rotting and developing into an unsanitary condition. If there are any meat drippings, the bags must be washed immediately.

Wash bags with laundry soap either by hand or machine in cold water. For our bags, we recommend air drying only. Spot clean any stubborn stains. For shoppers who use 100% cotton canvas bags - expect a bit of shrinkage after washing. If you own a cotton canvas bag with pretty prints and designs, we recommend saving those for non-grocery shopping trips since cotton canvas tends to lose its shape and size after washing. A few bags we tested shrank by about a third and looked like rags afterwards.

For a food shopping reusable bag, we recommend our Suburban Shopper - this is our grocery shopping workhorse. Our woven fabric made from 100% recycled plastic bottles is durable and can be washed with very minimal shrinkage. This bag was made using approximately 7 post-consumer recycled plastic bottles diverted from entering our waste stream.
Visit our online store to view our line of smarter, cleaner and greener reusable bags, casual day totes, shopping bags, shoe bags, laundry bags, and produce bags. We can also custom print your logo for your promotional or corporate event. Our product line focuses on repurposing trash and making them here in America. When looking for reusable bags remember - all bags are not created equal(tm).

For more details contact us at: ccinfo@CleanConscienceGoods.com
http://www.cleanconsciencegoods.com/

USA IS NOW LEADER IN WIND POWER

2009-09-07T18:05:00.000-07:00

According to a report published in the Grandforksherald.com, as of 2008, the USA leads the world in generating wind power. The top five countries based on their rankings of wind power total capacity are (in megawatts):

U.S. - 25,369

Germany - 23,933

Spain - 16,453

China - 12,121

India - 9,655

This is an impressive accomplishment for America. As our population grows our need for power generation also grows. We need to really work hard to ensure that our future energy needs are met not only for our generation but also for our children's and their children's generation. Wind power is just one of nature's gifts that we can harvest as an alternative energy source. I personally think that we should invest in more wind power sources since wind is free and the technology is here - what more can we ask for?

SIGG BOTTLES AND ANGRY CUSTOMERS

2009-09-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

Many customers who owned a SIGG water bottle are very angry about the latest news that was published by Sigg Switzerland that the bottles made before August 2008 had "trace amounts" of BPA in the epoxy liners. A procedure for bottle replacement has been announced and can be found at their company's website.

Read more of this article...
Anger uncorked at bottle maker Sigg over BPA

DEMAND IN GREEN JOBS SECTOR SEEN RISING

2009-09-03T09:15:00.001-07:00

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The green economy has certainly caught on. According to ECO Canada, a national environmental careers organization out of Calgary green jobs have grown and they still foresee it growing.

Read more of this article.... Demand in 'green' job sector rising

ROWAN PUBLIC LIBRARY GOES HYBRID WITH OUR BOOK BAGS

2009-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you Friends of the Rowan Public Library. Your readers will be happy to have their new book bag made from our Hybrid material using 70% recycled canvas and 30% recycled PET bottles. This bag is larger than most tote bags so more books can be checked out.
Happy reading!

WHEN YOU THROW THINGS AWAY - WHERE IS AWAY?

2009-08-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

A must see video:
The Synthetic Sea - World biggest garbage dump - plastic in the Ocean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxNqzAHGXvs

From Capt. Charles Moore's findings way back in 2001. Studies and researchers have since followed his expeditions to explore the Pacific plastic vortex that has continued to grow through time.

Up-cycling our waste instead of letting it enter our waste stream is the basis of our Clean Conscience goods line. The more we reuse, recycle and up-cycle used materials, the more we can help clean our environment.

Find out more about Capt. Moore's research at http://www.algalita.org/.

IT'S SO EASY TO BE GREEN

2009-08-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

Can you tell we love colors and polka dots? Green bags don't have to be plain vanilla anymore. We believe that the best way to incorporate green-thinking into our everyday lives is to offer eco-friendly products that are fun, stylish and functional. The Pebble Beach casual reusable eco-tote was a favorite for Mother's Day gifting. Our customer's love the colors and with a price of under $30 each, it is easy to have more than just one. Generously sized, inside pockets, easy wash and dry makes it ideal for a variety of uses.

CLEAN AND GREEN FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

2009-08-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Pamela from http://www.marinmommies.com/ for acknowledging our clean and green Lunch Bags!

"Clean and Green for Back to School—Win a Clean Conscience LunchPacker!

August 10, 2009
Posted by pamela

While reusable bags are a great idea that cuts down on waste, not all of them are created equal. Local Marin company AAH HAA! Inc.'s line of Clean Conscience bags don't just take the place of disposable shopping and lunch bags, but are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and are (amazingly, in this day and age) made in the USA! Also, unlike many eco-friendly bags out there, Clean Conscience bags are available in fun designs and colors, not just the plain-vanilla unbleached look. Read more of her blog....."

BING NOTE GETS A CLEAN CONSCIENCE BAG

2009-08-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Bing Note creates products that help build your child's self-esteem through activity books and songs. Clean Conscience Goods provided Bing Note with clean green recycled canvas book bags.

Learn more at their site: BingNote.com

ITALIAN STREET PAINTING FESTIVAL - 2009

2009-08-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Youth In Arts - Italian Street Painting Festival 2009. San Rafael, CA.

It was a successful and impressive event again this year. Lovely weather, music, food and a huge turnout - it was a breath of fresh air considering the depressing economy that surrounded us. Clean Conscience provided the festival with clean green tablecloths made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

OUR POPULAR GRAD PRESENT

2009-08-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

A few college-bound kids left home with our eco-friendly laundry sack - and not without bragging rights. They will be proud to show off their WASH ME PLEASE! Laundry Bag made from 10 recycled plastic bottles rescued from going into the waste stream. Hopefully they'll use it, too.

Thanks, Mom!

YOSEMITE DIVAS WITH HYBRID REUSABLE BAGS

2009-07-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Our specialty is to create logo bags for all types of customers. We made this bag for a small women's group for their annual weekend at Yosemite National Park this spring. I bet they had fun!

AAH HAA! SHOWS THE WAY TO A CLEAN CONSCIENCE - Press Release

2009-07-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

AAH HAA! Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of its Clean Conscience line of eco-friendly casual bags made from up-cycled 100% post-consumer recycled plastic water and soda bottles using our trash and domestic labor.

July 1, 2009 – GREENBRAE, CA -- In the effort to clean up the environment and invigorate American businesses, AAH HAA! Inc. is proud to announce the birth of its Clean Conscience™ brand of eco-friendly, casual reusable bags made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic water and soda bottles. Unlike the majority of bags in the market, Clean Conscience reusable bags are made using America’s trash and domestic labor.

All bags are not created equal™. Corie Thornton, Founder and Chief Clean and Green Designer of AAH HAA! Inc., is passionate about her mission to help consumers be more mindful and conscious of the waste that gets thrown away in our everyday living. Headquartered in Marin County California, AAH HAA! Inc.’s mission is to put what people had always considered trash to good use while keeping the material sourcing and production here in America. “Aside from ensuring that we clean-up our environment, our other big mission is to re-hire American businesses to help invigorate and support our jobs and economy. It is our goal to help clean and green America, both environmentally and economically,” Thornton states.

According to CRI’s (Container Recycling Institute) February 2007 Report, America is compounding its accumulation of plastic litter and waste because of the popularity of beverage drinks packaged in PET (polyethelyne terephthalate) plastic bottles. In 2005 they estimated that 37 billion non-carbonated, non-alcoholic beverages purchased were packaged in PET plastic. Due to low recycling rates, a large amount of the discarded bottles in the USA that did not get recycled were sent to landfill or left littered along our roadways, parks, rivers and beaches. Thornton says, “Trash is a terrible thing to waste. Since we cannot stop population growth we will need to find ways to manage the waste we create. Clean Conscience is about un-wasting, recycling, and up-cycling plastic trash to convert them into beautiful and durable products that consumers can use.”

In addition, plastic has also been found as a heavy pollutant in oceans that is harming sea life, according to the studies made by the Algalita Marine Research Foundation that discovered the huge patch of plastic debris floating in the Pacific Ocean. PET plastic is a petroleum-based product that does not decompose easily. If not collected for recycling, they would remain polluting and littering our waste stream for centuries. Thornton’s goal is to encourage eco-awareness among consumers by educating them about where and how these reusable bags are made, which presents an economic and environmental impact in our daily living.

Unlike most eco-friendly bags which come only in unbleached vanilla, Clean Conscience products encourage people to have smarter choices as they are designed for both function and style for every type of shopper. Clean Conscience reusable bags come in stylish shades of clean green, berry pink, or lilac - promoting a fashionable and attractive way to integrate up-cycled products in our daily living. They haven’t forgotten the traditional or male shopper, either. Their Suburban Shopper is a heavy-duty reusable shopping bag that is designed with a classic gender-friendly look. Clean Conscience bags use between four to ten recycled plastic bottles that were once trash. Bag styles are identified with the estimated number of plastic bottles that were used to make them, to indicate how users are able to offset their landfill footprint™.

Clean Conscience’s up-cycled product line is expanding. They are developing more casual bag styles for different uses. They also offer custom logo printing on promotional bags for businesses and trade shows. Best of all, the Clean Conscience brand dispels the popular myth that “made in the U.S.A.” has to be expensive. “We aim to make US-made eco-friendly products affordable for American shoppers. We have generated a buzz since we started this concept three years ago. If we can generate more demand for domestic products, our US-made goods will become very competitively priced with their imported counterparts. Clean Conscience goods are the smarter, cleaner and greener choice for businesses and consumers”, Thornton says.

They are available for wholesale, custom printing, and online retail through their website at http://www.cleanconsciencegoods.com/ and on Amazon.com. In California, their unique products can be found at Woodland’s Market in Kentfield, The Marine Mammal Center’s Gift Center at Pier 39 and Sausalito, EcoGoods in Santa Cruz, June Marie’s in Mendocino, Wind and Sea in Trinidad and Sensui Spa in Seal Beach.

AMERICA'S FAVORITE REUSABLE BAG

2009-07-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

"I'm Made In America" Cotton Reusable Bags

As American as apple pie! Three years ago I started with a concept of reusable grocery bags that were made in the USA. I was laughed at by the people that saw my designs. They thought it was too patriotic. So - what's wrong with that? I also happen to like apple pie (the one that you eat) so it was easy for me to create this logo. This has since become our legacy. We created a buzz for Made in the USA reusable bags. A year ago, a Japanese buyer bought out all our apple pie bags to sell in Japan. Nowadays, we are happy to see that there are more bags claiming Made in USA - a lot more people are dancing to our tune. We have raised the awareness among businesses as well as consumers that we can make a difference, even in small and simple ways.

Our AAH HAA Moment!

2009-07-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

Three years ago I started with a simple idea: to design beautiful casual bags and compete with names like Kate Spade - quite ambitious! We called textile and bag companies in North Carolina, New York and Los Angeles only to find out that a large number of family-owed business have shut down due to foreign competition. The response from the majority of people we talked to was: "we don't make things in the USA anymore and most production have shifted overseas". First of all, with a bad back, I really couldn't handle the travel. Most of all, I was hearbroken. I looked around department stores and all I could find were imported merchandise. To sympathize with the companies that went out of business, I started shopping around to look for Made in USA bags. That was a challenge. I couldn't find any in stores. And it hit me - what is the economic impact of importing all these goods? What is the carbon footprint of bags that travel thousands of miles to get here? Most of all, what will happen to this country if all the products we bought were imported? Will our children and grandchildren still have jobs 10-20 years from now?

I grew up in a country where there were limited job opportunities and people had to leave their families to go to other countries to find jobs. Will my grandchildren have to do this, too? This was when I had my AAH HAA! moment. I decided to create a line of casual reusable bags that were made in the USA. People laughed at my idea. I started a small line of canvas bags with a logo that is true American - the apple pie. We gave the bags to our friends and families and for a while they were even embarassed to use them. I couldn't even sell them because they thought it was too American. That was 3 years ago. Last year, a Japanese buyer bought all our I'm made in America bags at a Gift Show. They get it.

Today our line has grown. Our following has grown. We launched the Clean Conscience™ brand to take the product line to the next level. Using recycled materials and keeping all sourcing and production in America - we are offering consumers a smarter and greener choice. We believe that maintaining a healthy balance between supporting emerging economies and our domestic economy - should be our ideal goal.

Our products are made using America's recycled trash; factories, textile mills, fabric dyers, weavers, label makers, webbing makers, cutters and sewers from all over the USA. We realize we are just a small fly on an elephant carrying out a very simple goal. But we believe we have created a buzz for the past 3 years. You see, we are not only green - we are also red, white and blue.

Welcome to our Clean Conscience Blog!

2009-06-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings to our Clean Conscience community!

It took us a while to figure out the blogging world, but we're slowly getting the hang of it. Like they say - it's never too late.

So welcome to the Clean Conscience blog. We have a lot of stories and information to share with you as we work our way to helping make America cleaner and greener. Check back with us often and send us any information that you would like to share with our clean green friends.
Green wishes to all!