What happens when a mountain climber meets a fisherman? Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, who sells fly fishing gear through Blue Ribbon Flies, created “1% for the Planet,” an alliance of more than 700 for-profit companies — including MOTHER EARTH NEWS — who dedicate a percent of their earnings to nonprofit environmental organizations around the world. These companies recognize that environmental protection is tied directly to their business success.
So far, the group’s members have donated more than $50 million to help keep our planet healthy. To see a list of participating corporations or to find out how your business can become a member, visit 1% for the Planet’s website. In the same spirit, Simply Organic allocates 1 percent of its net sales — not profits — to groups that are dedicated to organic agriculture. So far, Simply Organic’s “1% fund” has contributed more than half a million dollars to education, research and grower development in the organic industry.