EFFECT is a proud partner in the Just Label It campaign. The goal is to get 500,000 people to comment on an FDA petition requiring labeling of GMO ingredients. This petition isn't trying to outlaw GMO foods. We are just trying to ensure that consumers have all the information available.

You have a right to know what you are eating! We are almost to 500,000 and want to get there before the end of the year. Take the time to visit the Just Label It website to comment and let your voice be heard.

I was sent to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana last week to represent EFFECT at the In Good Company trip created and conducted by the good people of Clif Bar. I knew there was a wetland land loss problem and I knew we would be planting. Aside from that, I was clueless to the reality and severity that surrounds these disappearing lands and the work it took and will continue to take to rebuild them.

Once in Louisiana, it didn’t take long to recall my fourth grade education of the Mississippi and the great Mississippi Delta. The largest river system in North America, the Aorta of our country. One would think I’d have had a more diverse education of the Mississippi living in Minnesota; home to the head waters and the river that divides our Twin Cities. What I saw occurring at the mouth of the river and our countries most diverse area of resources and wildlife was awful. A football field of land lost every 30 minutes. It’s because of this land loss that Katrina had the ghastly effects it did. A combination of man made channels, cuts and oil dredging has caused significant erosion of our wetlands and thousands of acres of lost land and vegetation due to salt water intrusion.

One mile of wetlands protects against a foot of storm surge. Each year, storms like Katrina will only become worse as the first line of defense, the wetlands, is quickly disappearing. There are MANY ecological and economic factors that should make the preservation and rebuilding of the wetlands a number on priority (ie; supplies 30% of North America’s seafood, supplies 25% of North America’s Oil, fourth largest port in the world and first in North America, contains 40% of the North America’s total wetlands). Unfortunately, it is not being seen as priority by many of us who benefit from the resources of the Mississippi Delta and the the Louisiana wetlands. This is why In Good Company invited us down there.

With 10 other like-minded companies we set out to plant over 4,200 burlap soil sacks that would each hold between 1-3 native wetland plants. The area we worked on was labeled the most crucial and high priority land loss area of the wetlands by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The hope is that after a few years, these plants will grow to replace 20 acres of lost land. These restoration efforts have been done a couple time previously this year by Restore the Earth Foundation and with huge success.

This was an extremely small step to rebuilding and protecting the wetlands, but one that we’re all hoping will bring attention to the work that needs to be done, and an example of how restoration efforts can be sustainably and successfully accomplished. It was more than a privilege to be in Louisiana last week and work side by side with the people behind the companies and brands that EFFECT so strongly supports. AND thank you Louisiana for the genuine hospitality, the music, the dancing, the food, and the chats.

Want to try the products for yourself? Check out the ONE Tour Schedule to see if ONE will be in your area this year!

If you are a CSR professional, have you thought about certifying it? Builders have LEEDS. Now CSR pros have a certification too, the IEMA-certified CSR Practitioner. You can start the process this September in San Francisco.

Our partners, the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE), is conducting an IEMA-certified CSR training workshop on September 21-22 in San Francisco, CA. Upon completion of the course, participants are able to effectively develop sustainability strategies, implement CSR programs, and communicate performances through Sustainability/CSR Reports. EFFECT will be there too, taking part in the CSR Marketing module.

For more information on the course, visit CSE's website.

To register, click here and use "effect" as the discount code to get 15% off the registration fee. Feel free to contact us or CSE at sustainability@cse-net.org with any questions.

Our Minneapolis Green Team of volunteers included 20 students from McNally Smith College of Music, whom successfully collected 1,008 lbs pre-show recyclables outside of TCF Stadium that night. Thanks to the fantastic operations staff at TCF Stadium, volunteers as well as the advancing skills of EFFECT’s Green Manager, Jim Beek; Minneapolis landed a spot as the 5th top show on the U2 360° Tour. Inclement weather and a torrential downpour didn’t deter fans, making this show a memorable event for Minneapolis and Effect Partners!

Joel Makower, sustainability business expert and founder of GreenBiz.com, published an article a couple months ago about green marketing being “over.” Needless to say it caused quite a stir. Being at the forefront of social change marketing, we had our viewpoint about green marketing needing a make-over (also published in GreenBiz). The topic led to an email conversation between Michael Martin, our Chief Effect Officer, and Joel, who also happens to be a longtime friend and supporter. GreenBiz just published that insightfull conversation today.

Clearly we all have some feelings about the subject. Lend us your expert voice! What are the next steps for “green marketing?”

SC Johnson provides a solid example of a company on the right track but without the correct voice. In 2008, the company began putting an internally-developed standards logo, Greenlist, on products that they deemed “less-harmful” to the environment. The issue was that the company was not clear enough about the criteria used in product vetting or that the standards were not certified by a third party. This lead to skepticism, which in turn lead to two class-action lawsuits, which just recently resulted in an undisclosed settlement.

Fisk Johnson, SC Johnson's current Chairman and CEO, tells GreenBiz, "The environment is something that I am incredibly passionate about. It's something we've been working on for literally four decades, and I have to say that when you're out in front of an issue like this, it means that you're not always going to get it completely right, as was the case with this particular issue."

Johnson's actions back up his words, as the company has continually reduced the environmental impact of its ingredients. This success is due in part to the Greenlist process, which has earned the U.S. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award. The moral of the story? If you come forward with a sustainability initiative, don't be afraid to fully explain yourself. While Greenlist's logo may not be the result of outside certification, the criteria and process is clearly meaningful both to the environment and to consumers.

Around 100 people attended the reception, which took place in at the University of Minnesota's Campus Club. Attendees enjoyed local and organic beer and wine and locally-sourced appetizers as they networked with others passionate about the environment and sustainability. The palpable excitement in the room spoke to the fact that there are many people within the Twin Cities and beyond who are ready to make a difference in their communities, the United States, and the world at large.

If you're wondering what cause integration may look like for businesses, picture this: Two cereal boxes sit side-by-side on a grocery store shelf. One has a burst on the front announcing that for every box sold $1 will go towards hunger relief. The adjacent box has a burst showing a partnership with Second Harvest Heartland, and asks consumers to hold a food drive in their schools. The school that receives the most donations will receive a garden where students can help grow food for their communities while learning where their food comes from.

Effect Marketing (see above, and our full website) incents consumers to become engaged with brands through social causes. Is this more work than simply buying a box of cereal so $1 can go towards hunger relief? Sure, but if the goal is to align brands with socially responsibility in a way that builds long-term loyalty, engagement through action is the way to go.