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About Green Gorila
Meet Phil – founder of Green Gorilla
Becoming a father inspired Phil to think more about the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the other things we buy - and about how these things are produced. Phil simply wanted to give his kids a healthy start in life. He felt he should know what his kids were eating and what they were wearing next to their skin. Phil was shocked to learn that many of these things are made with a cocktail of chemicals which do incredible damage to nature, to wildlife, to the workers who produce them and often to the very people who buy them. This just seemed crazy!
Phil came to realize how little we really know about the things we buy every day and about the companies we support with our money. Why is that? And he felt that behind some of the glossy ads and slick marketing there seemed to be something entirely different going on. Phil was inspired by what he was discovering and he wanted to find out more. He wanted to find the good things for his family, the things made without all those chemicals, and so he decided to start doing things differently…
Living more sustainably
Phil felt a responsibility to live in a more positive way - a more sustainable way. He didn’t want his kids surrounded by chemicals. And he didn’t want his choices to hurt the planet or others we share it with. Phil started shopping for things produced more naturally, organically and ethically. He started finding out more about the products we buy and the companies we support. And he started looking for the brands doing things in an environmentally and socially responsible way. At first it was hard to find these products and brands. But it felt like the right thing to do – the only thing to do - and it felt really good! Phil felt sure that there must be lots of other people who want the same thing - to consume in a more informed and positive way that respects the planet, those we share it with and ourselves! The next step was a leap of faith…
Helping others live sustainably
Phil wondered how he could help other people find out about these things that had inspired him. It had been difficult for him to find the more responsible product and brands, so how could he make it easier for others to consume in a more positive way? Believing that business can be a way of doing something good, he decided to create a new shop to show brands and products that promote green and healthy living. It would be a place to tell their positive stories. Phil wanted to show people that it is possible to choose products with great design and fantastic performance that are produced sustainably. He wanted to tell people about the exciting, innovative and cutting-edge brands who are hidden behind the big corporations; the brands with honest and optimistic stories to tell; the brands Phil believes are shaping the future of consumption. And so, with this inspiration, belief and passion, Green Gorilla was born. |
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Our purpose
It’s very simple
Green Gorilla’s purpose is very simple - we want to inspire people to live in a more sustainable way. We want to help people choose products that tread more gently on the planet and on those we share it with. We know that great design, fantastic performance and sustainability can co-exist. There are some incredible products out there and they’re produced sustainably by some very exciting brands. Green Gorilla is about helping people find and enjoy the good stuff!
Innovative brands and cutting-edge products
There are some really exciting and innovative brands out there. They’re creating cutting-edge products made in a sustainable way. These dynamic brands are problem solvers and they want to do it all. They’re focused on great design and fantastic performance. They believe in making quality products that last. And they want to do it all in an environmentally and socially responsible way. It’s truly progressive and it’s really exciting.
We believe in smart design, good construction and quality materials. When a product has these things, it will perform well and it will last – and you’ll be really happy you bought it. The culture of fast and easy disposal makes no sense to us. There are always hidden environmental and social costs attached to the stuff that’s designed to have a short life. We believe it’s time to move in a better direction. That’s why Green Gorilla is about bringing you products with smart design, good construction and quality materials – made sustainably. We think this is the future.
We want to show you the brands that are re-writing the rules. The brands we work with see the world in a positive way. They know we’re all in this together and they work with nature rather than against it. They challenge us and they inspire us. Let’s see what they can do for you.
Our choices will define the future
We’re all buying stuff every day. And that means we can all make a difference every day. By choosing stuff that’s organic (made without chemicals); sustainable & recycled (gentler on the earth’s natural resources); Fair Trade (supporting others in a positive way); and good quality (it lasts) it becomes about more than the stuff we buy. It’s about how we see the world and how we want the world to be. Life definitely isn’t about shopping, but when we do shop, let’s do it in a good way.
Let’s inspire each other
There are some incredibly inspiring people, groups and organizations out there, and they’re doing some pretty amazing things in the name of the planet and those we share it with. We want to tell you about some of those people, because maybe they’ll inspire you too. Or maybe you’ll inspire them. Who knows what might happen? But one thing’s for sure - we’re all in this together, so let’s have fun and do some good stuff along the way.
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Eco packaging materials Excessive packaging is everywhere. It’s a big environmental problem that we at Green Gorilla don’t want to be a part of. And so we work hard to keep our packaging to a minimum and to use the most environmentally friendly options available. Our delivery bags are made from paper which is sourced from sustainably managed forests. These bags are fully recyclable. Even the tape we use to seal the bags is made from paper. It’s also sustainably produced and it’s fully recyclable too. This tape doesn’t use regular glue and so we have to wet it before it becomes sticky. That’s a little more work for us, but we think it’s worth it. We hope you do too.
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Supporting good causesGreen Gorilla was started to help inspire people to live a more sustainable life. It was also started to support good causes. There are some really inspiring people, groups and organizations out there. They’re doing some really incredible things and we want to help them continue their amazing work. Sometimes we’re only able to do small things to help, but it’s all the small things that add up to become big things, right? At Green Gorilla we have committed to donate 10% of our profits to good causes that help the environment and the vulnerable people and wildlife we share the planet with. We hope you’ll agree that this is what business should be about and it’s also a good reason to choose Green Gorilla.
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3 good reasons to shop here1. Fantastic products
Green Gorilla is about bringing you fantastic products. We love to show you the exciting, innovative brands that are making beautiful, cutting-edge products in an eco friendly and socially progressive way. And we love to tell you the whole story about the things you’re buying. For us, buying things that are environmentally friendly and that help others is so important. But we also understand that the things people choose to buy need to have great design, beautiful materials and they need to perform well. Green Gorilla is about bringing all those things together with a great story to show you the products of the future.
2. Great customer service
Green Gorilla is about giving you great customer service. As the world speeds up and things are forever changing, we want one thing to stay the same, and that’s why we stand by our commitment to giving our customers a service they will remember and a service they will be happy to tell others about.
3. Trust
Green Gorilla is about trust. We like to be open and we like to give honest information. We tell you about the products we sell and the brands that create them. When we tell you something, it’ll be the truth, plain and simple. No slick marketing or PR, just things we way we see them. Often we know almost nothing about the things we buy. Choosing to shop with Green Gorilla is a way of supporting the movement towards a more open and trustworthy way of living and consuming.
Ok, so we said 3 good reasons, but we came up with a few more – hope you like them too…
4. Respect
Green Gorilla is about respect. We sell products that are made in a way that respects the environment, respects wildlife and respects the people who make them. It’s about social and environmental responsibility. Often the issues we raise go unnoticed and the people who make the things we buy are invisible. Choosing to shop with Green Gorilla is a way of supporting the movement towards a more positive and respectful way of living and consuming.
5. Inspiration
Green Gorilla is about inspiring you. For us it’s about more than just shopping. It’s about how we all see the world and it’s about creating a movement of people who choose to consume in a way that creates positive change. At Green Gorilla we want to inspire you with the best, cutting-edge products from the most exciting, innovative brands. And we want to tell you the stories behind the things you buy so you get to see the whole picture. Choosing to shop with Green Gorilla is about seeing the amazing possibilities out there and using those possibilities to inspire each other.
6. Supporting good causes
Green Gorilla is about supporting good causes. We are optimists and we see business as a way of doing something positive together. We want you to know that when you choose to shop with Green Gorilla, you join us in doing something good for others.
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Stuff We Love
We love passionate and inspiring people who care, people who are true to themselves and who have something special to share. We love ideas that challenge us and inspire us to think in new ways. We love projects that bring people together to share their ideas, their energy and their passion. And we love stuff that’s made in a smart way that respects the planet and those we share it with. Oh yeah, and we love optimism, tea, lots of time out in the nature and laughter, lots of laughter.
Here are some of the people, ideas, projects and other stuff that we love. Hope they inspire you too. |
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Websites
TED
TED a non-profit committed to sharing ideas - their mantra is ‘Ideas worth spreading’. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, but their scope is now much broader. Along with two annual conferences - the TED Conference in Long Beach and Palm Springs each spring, and the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh UK each summer - TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Project and TED Conversations, the inspiring TED Fellows and TEDx programs, and the annual TED Prize. The TED Talks will inspire you!
ted.com |
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Avaaz
Avaaz is a global web movement to bring people-powered politics to decision-making everywhere. Avaaz - meaning ‘voice’ in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages - launched in 2007 with a simple democratic mission: organize citizens of all nations to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want. This amazing people movement is now over 10,000,000 strong and growing!
avaaz.org |
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SLOW Food
Slow Food was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. It now has more than 100,000 members in 150 countries worldwide. SLOW Food was the catalyst for the entire SLOW movement.
They promote food that is Good (a fresh and flavorsome seasonal diet that satisfies the senses and is part of our local culture); Clean (food production and consumption that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health); and Fair (accessible prices for consumers and fair conditions and pay for small-scale producers).
SLOW Food is an inspirational movement of people who love good food, who respect the environment and who love what happens when good food and good people come together.
slowfood.com |
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People
Sarah Kay (spoken word poet)
We first saw Sarah on the TED Talks website. Her ‘How many lives can you live?’ talk left us speechless with its beauty and wisdom. Then her ‘If I should have a daughter…’ talk did the same. Sarah is: a New Yorker; a poetry writer and reader; a spoken word poetry teacher; the founder and co-director of Project V.O.I.C.E. and so much more… When we think of Sarah Kay, we see inspiration and beauty. What do you see…?
kaysarahsera.com / project-voice.net / ted.com |
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Ideas
These are just some ideas that we love. They’re all about optimism and being the change you want to see in the world.
Random acts of kindness
This is the simple idea of doing something kind for someone without the thought of getting anything in return. There are lots of groups supporting this idea worldwide. It doesn’t have to be a stranger, but being kind to a stranger is kinda cool because in our fast world people don’t really expect random kindness, and it makes the gesture stronger. And it doesn’t have to be something big – clearing the snow from someone’s car, helping someone out when you can see they could use it, letting someone step in line… The possibilities are all around us every day; we’ve just got to look for them. The idea is about slowing life down a little and connecting with each other. Doing something kind sends out a positive ripple and good intentions and kind acts definitely encourage others to do the same. Imagine it happened to you…
Check out this guy who’s doing it every day for a year. Why? He wants to be a better person. He’s got our respect…
366RandomActs.org |
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Guerrilla gardening
Guerrilla gardening takes place in countries all over the world and there are numerous websites dedicated to it. Its motivations are varied but we just love the idea of nature bringing people together to hopefully do something positive. Check it out. Maybe you’ll become a guerrilla gardener too.
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Take 2
We’re obviously not the only ones doing this, but it’s just our small way of living with nature. Every time we go out to a beach, a forest or some other place, we pick up two pieces of garbage (usually more) that we see. Sometimes we recycle them when we get home and other times it’s just for the garbage. Now our kids remind us to do it! That’s the whole point, right?
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Good causes
Mary’s Meals
This amazing Scottish charity has a wonderfully simple idea. Provide a hot meal to hungry children in school and the children will be nourished and educated. This is a fantastic way of addressing global poverty. Mary’s Meals is a small charity operating out of very basic offices, but their simple idea and total commitment is now feeding over 600,000 hungry children every school day. They rely entirely on donations and they spend the money very wisely – 93% of all donations get to the people who need it. And the average cost for them to feed a child for an entire year is: £10.70 / €12.40 / $16.80 - that’s amazing! These guys are an inspiration!
marysmeals.org |
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Books
These books continue to inspire us. The make us think about the world we have and the world we want. It’s in our hands…
In Praise of SLOW: how a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed - Carl Honoré
Under Pressure: putting the child back in childhood - Carl Honoré
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Films
These films challenged us and inspired us. If you love life, you’ll love these films too.
Evolve Love Trilogy - Scared Sacred / Fierce Light: when spirit meets action / Evolve Love - Velcrow Ripper
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