In honor of Earth Day, which always fills me with glee, I am taking this opportunity to post our company´s statement of commitiment to conservation. Why not make your own commitment to a greener lifestyle this year? From riding a bike to recycling, there are loads of way that you can help the earth on a daily basis! So Happy Earth Day to all my gum chums and candy comrades. And here´s hoping that we can celebrate it for years to come!
A GLEEFUL WAY TO GO GREEN: Verve, Inc.’s Environmental Mission
Verve, Inc. is an independent, family-owned business, dedicated to linking world communities and creating environmentally and socially responsible products. Verve, Inc. produces two all natural candy lines: Glee Chewing Gum and Make Your Own Candy Kits.
The Seeds of a Green Idea.
The concept for Verve was born in 1992, the year Deborah Schimberg and her family visited an economically depressed chiclé-producing community in Northern Guatemala. They learned that chiclé had been the basis of the entire chewing gum industry until synthetic resins became the norm. And that’s a shame, because the harvest of chiclé is sustainable and benefits both the rainforest and the economy. In an effort to help create a market for chiclé and to educate folks about it, Verve developed its first product, the Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit.
Green By Design.
Two more candy kits and five flavors of chewing gum later, Verve is still dedicated to providing a sustainable source of income for chiclé-producing communities, while simultaneously offering fun, educational, and eco-friendly products. And they are the only company in North America to do so! Verve also uses recycled cardboard packaging on its products because it is 100% biodegradable. The result is easy on the eyes, to be sure, but it’s also eco-wise!
Investing in a Greener Future.
Verve is a dedicated member of 1% for the Planet and Co-op America. Together with others, Verve works to further environmental and social justice. Accordingly, they donate 1% of all sales to organizations which help to conserve the environment. And, to help empower the next generation, Verve offers three academic scholarships per year to the sons and daughters of Mexican chicleros engaged in the study of environmental issues and sustainable forestry.
From Tree to Glee and Back Again.
New for 2008, Verve has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant trees in Central America. Trees for the Future is an agroforestry resource center that introduces sustainable land management programs throughout the world, primarily through tree planting initiatives. Since chiclé-harvesting can only protect the sapodilla trees which produce it, this program will help to expand other forests and create more opportunities for environmental sustainability.
When you give yourself a gleeful treat, helping the rainforest tastes so sweet!
