Hip Hip Hooray! It´s World Vegetarian Day!

That´s right, my friends. I just heard the news myself. October 1st is World Vegetarian Day. And that is but the beginning of an entire Vegetarian Awareness Month! Lands! Can you believe it?

Turns out World Vegetarian Day was founded by the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) way back in 1977. The event was later endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978. I learned all about it at the website www.worldvegetarianday.org. Check it out!

Vegetarian Awareness Month is meant to encourage people to eat vegetarian meals and to spread the word about the movement through posters, books, promotions, and more. In past years, participants have included schools, co-ops, restaurants, colleges, and health centers. This year, maybe that list will include YOU!

You may not know this, but Glee Gum is actually certified vegetarian by the American Vegetarian Association (AVA). You might ask: isn´t ALL chewing gum vegetarian? Surprisingly, some gums really aren´t! That´s because certain gums contain ingredients such as glycerol monostearate or gelatins which are derived from animal products. Blech!

The AVA certification logo on Glee Gum lets gum-chewers know that Glee is suitable for vegetarians. For more info about the AVA, check out their website here. But vegans, steer clear! Glee Gum is not vegan because it contains beeswax and resinous glaze. Check out the FAQ´s on our site to lean more.

In the meantime, Happy World Vegetarian Day to all!

Glee Gum is all about eco-friendliness. But the makers of Glee factor environmental concerns into more than just ingredients, packaging, and business practices. For the last year, Verve, inc. has also been a proud member of 1% for the Planet. That means 1% of ALL sales of Glee Gum and Candy Kits are donated to environmental organizations. 

1% for the Planet (or 1% FTP) has a mission to “keep earth in business.” Since their inception in 2001, this novel non-profit has recruited over 700 businesses worldwide, all committed to donating 1% of sales to environmental groups. 1% FTP is particulary nifty in that it places the power of environmental change in the hands of its members, allowing them to send donations directly to the specific groups they choose. Woo hoo!

For the makers of Glee Gum, that means donations to organizations that we know and believe in. Locally we contribute to the Southside Community Land Trust, which provides community gardens, environmental education, and more in the same inner city Providence neighborhood where Verve, inc.´s offices are located. Love them!

We are also thrilled to support the Center for Creative Learning in Monteverde, Costa Rica. More info on this innovative school is written up on the About Us page of our website. Check it out!

And with the help of the Forest Foundation, we grant six academic scholarships per year to the sons and daughters of Mexican chicleros (the folks who harvest chicle, the key ingredient in Glee Gum!). The scholarships are for students to pursue environmental studies in the fields of biology, ecology, and/or sustainable forestry. 

We hope ALL businesses appreciate the relationship between industry and ecology, and find their own environmental agencies to support. As Yvon Chouinard, co-founder of 1% For the Planet as well as Patagonia, once said, you can consider it an “Earth Tax.” But we think it´s the kind of tax that EVERYONE benefits from paying.

P.S. Keep your eyes peeled for the 1% for the Planet logo on other products you enjoy! Lots of like-minded service providers are members too!

Gum chums!

How you be? I´ve been missing you loads, naturally! Now it´s not that I think you are round, but I want to share some info on diets I´ve found!

Diets in general sound pretty scary to me. I can´t imagine being full of Glee on a diet that restricts carbs and candy! But there´s one called the Feingold Diet that actually makes a lot of sense- especially since Glee Gum is Feingold Diet-approved!

According to the Feingold Association of America, the Feingold Diet is a food elimination program designed to help determine whether certain foods or additives affect people´s behavior and health. More and more studies find correlations between the intake of synthetic food additives and the increase in behavioral tendencies like hyperactivity. And when you read about what´s actually IN some of the artificial additives… well, talk about scary! 

For example, did you know that many artificial food dyes and preservatives are derived from petroleum (crude oil) – the same stuff that is in gasoline? Vroom vroom! Or that a common imitation vanilla flavoring called “vanillin” is actually a waste product from paper mills? Glee Gum is all for recycling, but golly, that´s taking it a bit far!

The Feingold Diet, in brief, suggests cutting out artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, aspartame (an artificial sweetener), and artificial preservatives BHA, BHT, TBHQ. Folks of all ages have found the Feingold Diet to be very helpful! You can read all about it on the Feingold Association´s website here now, or by visiting www.feingold.org later. 

And how does Glee Gum fit in? Well, it doesn´t contain any of the bad stuff! Glee Gum has NO artificial coloring, flavoring, or preservatives. It´s sweetened with natural cane sugar and rice syrup. Glee Gum´s natural coloring looks pretty as a picture, and it´s made from stuff you´ve actually heard of! For example, beta carotene (like in carrots) gives Tangerine its tart appearance, while red beets lend Cinnamon its rosy pink glow. What´s not to love?

So here´s wishing you all a happy, additive-free fall!