SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA, April 12, 2000 — Proving the value of environmentally conscious business, WorldWise announced today that sales since last April reached over one million units. Released in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of Earth Day, the numbers reflect a positive trend for all businesses that put the health of the planet high on their priority list.
“It is a wonderful reflection of the responsibility being taken by consumers in the choices they make,” said Aaron Lamstein, co-founder and president of WorldWise. “Awareness and concern for the environment have at last become major influences in mainstream America, and while it’s great for business, it’s even better for our planet.”
Lamstein, 32, has been at it for ten years with WorldWise, and the growth of the company has mirrored the rise of environmentally responsible business practices the world over. The company began in an attic, moved to an initial office down the hall from the FBI, and now headquarters are a spacious suite in downtown San Rafael.
“When environmental products initially began to creep into the market, people used to associate them with costing more, or not holding up to the standards of products that didn’t take the health of the planet into consideration,” Lamstein explained. “Our goal was to make it easy for people to make the right choice, to make the environmental choice.”
What WorldWise has done has turned normal industry protocol on its head. Instead of starting in small stores, Lamstein went for the biggest right off the bat. The credo was to take products that everyday people would use everyday, and to offer a choice that looked as good or finer, worked as well or better, and cost the same or less than the competition. New technologies, and hard work, made it possible, and now over 6000 stores across North America, stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Trader Joe’s, and Home Depot, carry WorldWise products.
“What’s great is that consumer choices are forcing companies to respond in every industry,” Lamstein said. “Look at the hybrid gas-electric cars from the auto companies, and pollution control in factories. Sustaining and supporting the environment is fast becoming a must for successful business, and everybody gains from that.”
Among other things, WorldWise currently makes pet bowls primarily from recycled plastic bottle tops, planters primarily from recycled stretch wrap, and cat scratchers with certified organic catnip from recycled corrugated cardboard. And with each item sold, more space is saved in landfills, and the cycle of sustainability progresses.
WorldWise is guided by the principle of sustainability: a step beyond conservation that maintains the planet’s natural functions, resources and beauty. We contribute to this global goal by educating consumers and providing useful products that enhance sustainable living. Please visit our web site at www.worldwise.com to learn more about our products and associated environmental issues. Or contact us at WorldWise, Inc., Dept. 61, P.O. Box 3360, San Rafael, CA 94912-3360. # # #
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