Wright Choice Promotions goes to Washington!

Julia Wright, MAS, owner of Wright Choice Promotions just returned from a trip to Washington DC to visit with both Arizona State Senators and two Representatives. She spoke with them about issues effecting the Promotional Products Industry and issues effecting small businesses everywhere.  Read more about it at http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=8072

Why Go Local With Eco?

"Eco-friendly" is the new black in the business world. You've probably seen cotton tote bags at a trade fair ... perhaps a bunch of recycled-cotton lanyards at a company function ... maybe a co-worker even won a solar-powered cell-phone charger in a company contest! Of course, this is good for our planet -- and your customers as well. However, there's one thing you may not have considered: Were those products purchased from a local company?

Many companies believe that ordering from a large national chain is good for the bottom line -- and this goes for eco-friendly products as well. While it's true that larger companies may offer lower prices, there are many advantages to going with a homegrown promotional-products company:

-- The business owner knows their suppliers well -- and can often get things done a lot quicker simply by knowing who to ask and where to go;
-- The business owner will work WITH you -- developing a bag or notebook to your specifications, explaining which colors would be best, showing you the best choices for your particular situation, delivering things on YOUR schedule;
-- You will receive more personalized service -- as well as easier access to a live person if your notebook's logo colors are wrong or those pens weren't exactly up to snuff.

In this global economy, it's important to remember that personalized service and local suppliers will pay off down the line in terms of increased sales, customer satisfaction, and knowing your message is presented in the best light.

20% off during Independents Week! (June 27 - July 4th)

That's right, receive 20% off your order when you mentioned the Local First Arizona Golden Coupon!  Please take a minute to check out the other wonderful local merchants who are participating!

Local First Arizona Golden Coupon

Bamboo - Not Just for Pandas Anymore!

Eco Fact:


Bamboo has been around for over 200 million years and is the fastest growing plant on earth. Some bamboo can grow 18 inches per day and reach a height of 100 feet. A bamboo stand generates more oxygen than an equivalent stand of other types of trees. *

Promo Fact:

The #3 reason for keeping a promotional product is that it is attractive. The #8 reason for keeping is that the product is perceived to be of high value. Bamboo products are attractive and classy! **.

Don’t just think wooden items. Bamboo can be made into a fiber that has a luxurious hand and is sewn into a variety of garments.

Bamboo Products Special:

Contact your Wright Choice Promotions representative by phone or call Julia at 602.795.7300, fax 866.711.2470, or email julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com for more information on bamboo options for your next promotion.

Place an order for bamboo products before April 15th and receive a 10% off.

* "Bamboo Facts." Bamboo Facts. 12 Jan. 2010. .

** PPAI Research. "A Lasting Impression: A Study Of American Consumers Reveals Promotional Products As An Effective Advertising Medium". December 2009.

The Buzz about Bees.

Special News From Wright Choice Promotions!

As an effort to support the environment as well as our committment to Social Responsibility, Wright Choice Promotions has donated our first hive of Honey Bees through Heifer International. Our donation will help a family in a developing nation provide an income from selling wax, honey and pollen.

As an extra bonus, as bees search for nectar, they pollinate plants. Placed strategically, beehives can as much as double some fruit and vegetable yields. In this way, a beehive can be a boost to a whole village.
We plan to continue to purchase bees throughout the year. We'll keep you posted!

SPECIAL:

A tube of lip balm will be used over 100 times - that's 100 or more exposures for your company logo or message!

FREE setup on all orders of Natural Beeswax Lip Balm through the end of the year! (A $45 value)

Bamboo - 7 reasons to look at bamboo

1, Bamboo grows rapidly and naturally without any pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers.
2, Bamboo clothing is 100% biodegradable and can be completely decomposed in the soil by micro-organisms and sunlight without decomposing into any pollutants.
3, Growing bamboo improves soil quality and helps rebuild eroded soil.
4, Bamboo grows naturally without the need for agricultural tending.
5, Bamboo plantations are large factories for photosynthesis which reduces greenhouse gases. Bamboo absorbs about 5 times the amount of carbon dioxide and produces about 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees.
6, Bamboo fabrics and clothing can be manufactured and produced without any chemical additives.
7, There are no known genetically modified organisms (GMO) variants of bamboo.

Provided by: http://www.curl.co.nz/2010/09/14/eco-friendly-bamboo-the-hard-facts-behind-the-fiber/

Plastic Bricks - Lost to New Zealand

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/121078/otago-man-makes-plastic-fantastic

What a shame the US missed the opportunity to work with this inventor. But I'm happy that New Zealand is supporting recycling.

What a cool concept. I would guess we have decades worth of "fuel" stored in our landfills!


http://www.greenlaunches.com/recycle/japanese-machine-converts-plastic-into-oil-a-recycling-marvel.php

Goodwill, better business grow from going green

Goodwill, better business grow from going green

I love doing business with local and eco-friendly businesses...but we live in a Big Box world. As long as we are going to have Big Box and chain stores, it's wonderful that some are following green practices. For ecological or economical reasons - the result is the same. Change a lightbulb, change the world:)

Popping Up with Great Ideas

http://www.helium.com/items/1927270-packaging-materials-that-are-safe-for-the-environment

The way you decide to package your mail could harm the environment as well as yourself. This article brings valid points about Styrofoam and bubble wrap being toxic to the earth and humans. If you plan on using popcorn the next time you send a package, like this article comments on, there are a multitude of ways for the recipient to reuse the all natural, biodegradable and delicious stuffing!
*Use for composting
*Food for birds or pets.
*Use for Holiday decorations (Christmas stringing, filling for a Halloween ghost or a glove for a creepy hand)
*If you are really brave you can put some butter and salt on and eat away.

Next time you send a package think twice about what you are using for a filling. :)

Special - Eco Pen/Pencil Set

Place your order for this awesome pen and pencil set by Sept 1st and recieve a 20% discount. Normally $2.70 at 100 piecies, on sale now for only $2.16! Set up of $56.25 applies. 24 hour rush service available at no additional cost!

You're invited - 4th Annual Client Appreciation Day!

It’s the 4th Annual Wright Choice Promotions Client Appreciation Day!

Mark your calendar for Wednesday September 1st.

We will meet at Diamonds for some great bar-style food, sodas and mingling at 12:00. At
1:00 we will walk over to the Mesa Convention center (very short walk!) to go to the premier promotional products show in Arizona. It is the largest show of its kind in the state and the only show open to promotional product buyers.

It’s by invitation ONLY, so please let me know if you can attend and if you will be joining us for food before the event.


Food: Diamonds Sports Bar (Formerly Sluggo’s Sports Grill)
161 N Centennial Way, Mesa AZ
12:00pm – 1pm

Show: Mesa Convention Center
200 N Centennial Way, Mesa AZ
1pm – 4pm

If you have any questions please call your Wright Choice Promotions representative or feel free to contact our corporate office at 602-795-7300 or 928-525-9012. You can also reach us by e-mail at julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com

If you are coming from Northern AZ and would like to carpool just let me know and I’ll do my best to connect you!

Fill Your Life with Happiness... and Fill Your Ruler with Sawdust!

Eco Fact:

Currently only 3.5% of all plastics generated are made of recycled materials compared to 34% for paper, 30% for metals and 22% for glass. At this time, plastics recycling only minimally reduces the amount of virgin resources used to make plastics. Fillers in typically all-plastic items reduce the total plastic needed to produce an item. *

Promo Fact:

Many promotional products traditionally made with plastic (rulers, pencils, pens) can also be made with filler products. Recycled fillers that can all be used to replace some of the plastic include denim, electronics, cardboard, sawdust, currency, yellow pages and newspaper. **

Filler Product Special:

Pens, pencils, pencil boxes, rulers, flower pots, buckets, and coffee mugs are just a few examples of products that can be made with filler materials. Please contact your WCP Promotional Consultant or contact the corporate office at 602.795.7300 or Julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com for more information on specific filler materials and products available.Place an order for a filler product before April 1st and receive 10% off!

* "Tidbits and Facts.” Eco-Cycle: Working to Build Zero Waste Communities. 2 Jan. 2010. ** "PPC/Greatstuff!” PPC/Greatstuff! 2 Jan. 2010.

Are you wearing my bottle

Eco Fact:

It takes 25 two-liter plastic recycled soft drink bottles (PET) to make one sweater and 2 bottles to make a baseball cap. The manufacture of one sweater and one hat from recycled PET keeps 27 soda bottles out of the landfill! *

Promo Fact:

In polls, more than half the people say that they keep a promotional product anywhere from 1 year to more than 4 years. Even if the recipient uses the item only once a week (as may be the case with a jacket or hat) that’s a minimum of 52 impressions made each a year with the possibility of more than 208 during a five-year window. And, this doesn’t factor in the countless number of impressions made by others who view the promotional product when worn by the recipient. **


RPET Wearables Special:

Recycled PET is used to make a variety of wearables including: sweaters, fleece pullovers, jackets, beanies, hats, and much more. For more details on specific Recycled PET wearables or for more information about RPET please contact your WCP Promotional Consultant or contact the corporate office at 602.795.7300 or Julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com. Place an order for RPET wearables before March 15th and receive Free Digitizing, up to a $100 value (up to 7000 stitches, 12 piece minimum order).


"REPLANET - Plastic Recycling." REPLANET - CRV Redemption Centers. 21 Dec. 2009. .
** PPAI Research. "A Lasting Impression: A Study Of American Consumers Reveals Promotional Products As An Effective Advertising Medium". December 2009.

I'll Drink to That!

Eco Fact:

Typically, plastic products take between 80 and 450 years to break down (not biodegrade) in a natural environment. Biodegradable plastic water bottles biodegrade in 1-5 years if properly disposed.

Promo Fact:

When polled, participants picked coffee mugs/drinkware as the third ranked product category (behind only pens and calendars) to have the greatest advertiser/message recall due to usefulness or uniqueness.


Special: Save $40!

These water bottles are made from biodegradable plastic that will decompose in as little as 5 years. Even in a landfill setting! They come in a variety of colors and both a 20 oz and 28 oz size. For more information of this product, or to learn more about other environmentally friendly drinkware, contact your WCP Promotional Consultant or contact the corporate office at 602-795-7300 or julia@wrightchoicepromotions.com. Place an order for environmentally friendly drinkware before March 1st and we’ll pay the Setup (a $40 value).

"e Volve." e Volve. 2 Jan. 2010. www.ecobottles.org PPAI Research. "A Lasting Impression: A Study Of American Consumers Reveals Promotional Products As An Effective Advertising Medium". December 2009.

The Green Room Exhibit

We are so excited to be a sponsor of the Green Room at the Arizona Science Center! This room was put together by members of the Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce and will be open until the first week in January. It's a great display of GREEN building materials, office furniture, cars, artwork, and promotional products. Click here to view our pdf.

Wright Choice Promotions Joins Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce

We are pleased to announce that we have joined the Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to being a part of thier organization which links green-minded businesses together.

AZ Biz Weekly, an online weekly video blog, recently hosted Wright Choice Promotions’ owner, Julia Wright. To see the interview, please copy and paste the link below.
http://www.thinkbigworksmall.com/mypage/player/114/13634/1168176

New Fax Number

Wright Choice Promotions is proud to announce our new ELECTRONIC fax number…
866-711-2470
The new fax number was established in an effort to better serve our clients. The electronic faxes do not require the use of paper for printing. Rather, they come across as emails on the computer, and are more environmentally friendly!
We will be phasing out the old fax number over the next few months.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Consumer Report on Reusable Shopping Bags

When it comes to choosing the perfect reusable shopping bag, the options can sometimes overwhelming. Wright Choice Promotions will help youpick the right bag to represent your business. We can provide technicalinfo on our bags as well as actual samples for you to test.
Keep reading to find out which shopping bags Consumer Report preferred!
The following is an archived version of a report that appeared inMay 2009 Consumer Reports Magazine.
The Environmental Protection Agency says 3.8 million tons of plastic bagsand wrap and 720,000 tons of paper bags ended up as waste in 2007. You caneasily keep bags out of landfills and incinerators by bringing your own tothe supermarket. To point you toward good choices, we tested eight bags soldby national chains and regional stores (usually near the checkout line).Most cost $1 or less. Many other choices are out there, including tote bagsyou might already own.
The Consumer Reports National Research Center also conducted a nationallyrepresentative survey of 1,000 households to assess Americans’ use of andattitudes toward reusable shopping bags. Among the findings: 61 percent ofrespondents use only grocery-supplied bags. But among those who don’t usetheir own bags, about a third would consider doing so and might thereforebenefit from the findings below.
What our tests found
Strength
We filled each bag with 28 pounds of packaged flour and tomato cans, toppedoff with a 2-pound weight. A mechanical arm lifted the bag by its handlesoff the floor a few inches, then set it down again, and repeated that action500 times. All bags survived intact.
Size
Trader Joe’s bag has the smallest capacity, about 0.6 cu. ft., and WholeFoods’ A Better Bag has the largest, about 0.9 cu. ft. Most of the testedbags measure about 0.7 cu. ft. All can hold much more than the throwawayplastic bags they replace. Bear in mind that bigger may not be better,because the contents can become quite heavy.
Leaking
We poured a tablespoon of milk into each bag, and most contained the leak tosome extent, except for the Walmart bag, which leaked like a sieve. WholeFoods’ A Better Bag worked like a magic trick: The milk disappeared insidethe lining, where it could eventually have created a sour odor. The A&P bagand the Whole Foods Foldable Tote were especially good at repelling leaks.
Washing
The five bags with care instructions specify hand-washing, and all eightbags survived that fine. During machine-washing, some faded slightly orshifted shape.
What our survey found
When asked the usual checkout question, most Americans say “plastic.” Of allrespondents, 80 percent use grocery-supplied plastic bags at leastoccasionally; 34 percent, grocery paper bags; about 40 percent, cloth,string, or laminated bags of their own, for which most spent less than $2.Almost half of all respondents use more than one type of bag. The good newsis that 94 percent of respondents using grocer-supplied paper or plasticbags told us they reuse them (to line wastebaskets, say, or pick up after apet).
Bottom line
Any of the $1 point-of-purchase bags we tested are good alternatives to theusual paper or plastic bags; the $4 tote is useful if you want a less bulkybag. You might already have other good alternatives sitting in closets. Andit may be easier to choose a reusable bag than to use it: Forty-four percentof respondents said they forget to take it to the market more than once amonth; 39 percent said they almost never forget. Here’s a tip we heard fromshoppers: Consider stowing bags in your car.