Green Products Introduced at Times Square

Eco-friendly enthusiasts showcased their green and ecologically sound products exclusively to the media this Thursday.
Green Products Introduced at Times Square
2/18/2010
Updated:
2/18/2010
NEW YORK—Eco-friendly enthusiasts showcased their green and ecologically sound products exclusively to the media this Thursday at the Green Products Expo at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

Many exhibitors proudly displayed their products and boasted about their company’s ability to provide healthier and greener alternatives to many everyday products.

Grace Jeffers, a materials expert representing Columbia Forest Products, spoke about the dangers of formaldehyde, a carcinogenic substance found in the glue used to put plywood together. The substance is often the cause of headaches and asthma, she said.

“The problem is that a lot of people don’t know [the dangers],” said Jeffers. “People want to do the right thing but don’t know how.”

The company produces plywood made with PureBond, a natural, edible, soy based glue. Todd Vogelsinger, the company’s director of marketing, said the company has converted all of its mills to produce formaldehyde-free products with this new substance. He said that the wood doesn’t cost more than the average wood and is now available in stores across the country.

Green entrepreneur Chantal Plamondon was also concerned about harmful chemicals when she started her company with her husband four years ago. “We started in 2006 when we had a child. We tried to be informed parents and read about the dangers of plastic but we had a hard time finding non-plastic products, especially for children,” said Plamondon.

Plamondon’s company, Sanctus Mundo, offers alternatives to plastic kitchen products like food containers and children’s dishes. She travelled the world looking for alternatives to plastic that she said often leech harmful chemicals into food. She notes that chemicals in plastic are especially likely to leech when food is hot, greasy or acidic. Her products are made of wood, stainless steel and glass.

The wood dishes offered by Sanctus Mundo are in the higher price range. The wooden products are coated with the sap of urushi trees grown in Japan, which seal the wood and prevents bacteria from leeching into food.

Green products weren’t only on display. Gillian Christie, the founder and CEO of Christie Communications has been helping many green and sustainable companies become successful and mainstream.

“We make ethical companies successful,” said Christie. “My method is I want to make the world better. We have to do it together through business channels.” Her marketing strategies use limited resources to promote fair trade, organic, ecologically sustainable, and ethically sound products. Her logo is “make peace profitable, from dream to mainstream.” She markets everything from organic bamboo t-shirts to all natural pet food and free trade chocolate.

The effect of plastic waste on the planet was a major concern for Body Glove, an environmentally friendly company created in the 1950s. Its founders Bob and Bill Meistrell invented a product in 1990 used to absorb oil from feathers of animals affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

They have recently teamed up with Water Inc. to create a recyclable water filtering cartridge and a portable water bottle designed for water filtration on the go. The goal is to eliminate the use of plastic bottles, whose waste, according to the company, kills over 1 million sea birds each year.

The bottle contains a filter to remove impurities, chemicals, as well as bad odors and bad tastes. The bottle is geared toward those concerned with the quality of water, world travelers, those leading active lifestyles, and is useful in the event of natural disasters and whenever else water quality is questionable.