Sixth Annual Polar Bear Plunge the Coldest Ever!

I did it! On Saturday, January 22, I plunged into 30-degree water in 20-degree weather and raised over $1,523 (and counting!) thanks to nearly 50 friends, family, colleagues and clients.

I had an amazing time at the Plunge! I bundled up (8 layers on top, 3 on the bottom if you count my suit) and looked a bit like the Michelin Man and didn’t feel cold at all – even when I took off all those layers to get in the water. In previous years, I actually felt sick as soon as I hit the water, but not this year. I kept charging forward, full speed ahead and had the most amazing time! Everybody is ALWAYS in such a good mood and so many people really get into the spirit of the day.

lori hill event productions helped out with some of the logistics and in recruiting the day’s sponsors who also helped out a bunch. Be sure to give these folks you attention and business if you can.

Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company
            












 Not only does Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company produce some of the region’s finest coffees (if you were at the Plunge, you know!), they do it with modern eco-technologies. But more importantly, they are devoted to making the world around us a better place. CBRC pledges 2% in support of their H2O-Initiative that contributes funding to local organizations devoted to restoring our regional treasure, the Chesapeake Bay. Visit their web site to find out how you can purchase them at a store near you.

New Leaf Vegan Society
For three years in a row, Dale Ball from New Leaf Vegan Society has baked her buns off to provide the most delicious vegan muffins, cookies and brownies. We are confident she shocks skeptics when they realized they are eating vegan treats! New Leaf believes in a tasty plant-based outlook towards a more compassionate and sustainable future for ourselves, the animals and the planet. They are a valuable resource for delicious recipes, tips and hot topics.


Perfect Settings
A rented table looks pretty naked without a beautiful linen to adorn it and we are grateful that Perfect Settings, a party rental company with one of the most extensive product lines in the area, helped us adorn our tables with beautiful grass green linens. There are many party rental companies out there, but Perfect Settings makes every effort to reduce their carbon foot print. Furthermore, they recycle all plastic linen bags and cardboard, offer recycling services to events through the rental of recycling bins, purchase 100% wind power and have the most environmentally friendly tables and coverings in the special events industry.

Waste Neutral Group
We wouldn’t walk the talk if we didn’t dispose of our Plunge waste responsibly, so for the past three years, Waste Neutral Group has taken our compostables (all food, coffee cups and collars, wooden stirrers, napkins, paper waste) and recyclables and diverted them from the landfill. Whether you are planning an event, or are a commercial business or institution, Waste Neutral will come up with cost effective alternatives to help you divert needless waste from going to the landfill.

lhep Helps Green the Plunge ... and Raises Over $1,100

I did it! Thanks to my generous contributors, I exceeded my $1,000 fundraising goal and raised $1,100 for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. We had a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures in the high 30s and a comparable water temperature. Quite frankly, I could have stayed outside in my bathing suit, basking in the sun for a bit longer than I did.

lori hill event productions helped make this NO BUDGET event a GREEN event with the assistance of several generous sponsors:

Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company provided organic, fair trade, locally roasted coffee for all the plungers and watchers. They pledge 2% of every can of coffee we sell to go back to support the Watershed Preservation Fund which supports the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

New Leaf Vegan Society provided delicious vegan cookies and muffins and showed us that eating vegan can not only be tasty, but it is also better for the planet, the animals and our own health.

Perfect Settings, a very eco conscious party rental company, provided us with beautiful linens to make our Plunge look polished. If you rent linens from Perfect Settings, just return their hangers (they will reuse them) and bale and recycle the plastic used to protect the linens. They also rent recycle bins for your event!

Waste Neutral Group helped us make this a zero waste (or nearly zero waste) by recycling and composting our waste. Our biggest bin was the compost bin, followed by the recycle bin and then the SMALLEST container of them all was the evil landfill bin.

Thanks again for your support! Now go out and support CCAN and our generous sponsors at your next event!

Thank You Governor O’Malley

On Wednesday night, I attended a Climate Victory Celebration hosted by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN). lori hill event productions was honored to serve on the host committee. Since we strive to make all our events sustainable (and any events we partner in producing), we provided eco friendly name badges (which we of course collected at the end to reuse again!) and asked our friends at Geppetto Catering to donate corn-based cups, napkins made of recycled content and plates made of bamboo. The bamboo plates were a huge hit! I was surprised that many of the guests in this room full of environmentalists had not yet seen this product which has been on the market for years.

The caterer at the venue offered plastic cups and plates that would be recycled, but we couldn’t stand the thought of CCAN using plastic -- even if it would be recycled. We just need to get away from plastic PERIOD, but that is a topic for another blog.

The purpose of the event was to honor climate heroes who helped Maryland pass the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act--the strongest climate action protection bill ever adopted by a U.S. state. Go Maryland! Governor O’Malley was one of those heroes. His speech was incredibly moving. You can tell he really cares about our future and protecting not only our shores – but our entire environment -- so that his kids and their kids and the generations that come after us have a beautiful planet that they can live on and enjoy. He even read some incredibly thoughtful and beautiful poetry. After he spoke, he stepped down into the audience and since I was standing by the stage, he came over, shook my hand, and said sincerely, “I really loved giving those remarks!” and I replied, “We really loved HEARING you give those remarks!”

We needed to pass this bill. Climate change is making Maryland one of the top 3 states (next to Louisiana and Florida) at risk of coastal flooding (basically, it’s going to happen). We MUST do something NOW and we have, but we still have a lot of changes to make. We need to change the way we conduct our business and our personal lives to cut down on green house gases which cause climate change that leads to flooding.

Read more about the others who were honored that night.

A Report from the Polar Bear Plunge and Eco Friendly Pens

I cannot thank you enough for supporting me in the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge! It means the world to me. Attached are some photos. I'm the gal in the black bathing suit with the toboggan, the black boa and pink gloves.

I'm happy to announce that I raised over $1,305 thanks to the generous donations of 40 family, friends, colleagues and clients.

About 200 people and dogs of all ages plunged. Despite the call for rain or snow, we had great weather. It was sunny and in the mid 30s and the water temperature was about 35 degrees. Last year, the air and water temperature was in the 40s (we also held the plunge in December).

I have to confess that as soon as I got in the water this year, I felt immense pain as my feet went numb and started to tingle in a scary way! It was all I could do to run into the water and quickly turn around and head back to the beach. All I could thing about was getting OUT of the water and putting socks ON my feet which felt like a block of ice! The whole water experience lasted probably 30 seconds or less. This was much different compared to last year when I went back in a SECOND time since I felt I hadn't spent sufficient time in the water.

Nonetheless, this year I had a great time and plan to do it again next year! I'm eternally grateful to the following companies who helped me make this a green event!

Rick Erber from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company provided the coffee and tea and all the fixings, including soy milk for the vegans! They are a local roaster (support your local economy and buy coffee that isn't shipped cross country) that offers fair trade/grown coffee/organic coffee (better for the Earth and the workers in the fields). They also contribute proceeds to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Dale Ball from New Leaf Vegan Society got up at 4 a.m. to make vegan applesauce oat muffins, corn muffins and chocolate chip cookies. The food was a hit (there were no leftovers!) and she proved to us that vegan food can be tasty and not scary! My non vegan boyfriend Jeff, who is a chocoholic, ate about ½ dozen of the chocolate chip cookies!

Peter Grazzini from Perfecting Settings provided me with beautiful, ocean-water colored, shimmery linens for our food buffet as well as recycling bins. Yes, if you place an order with them, they'll rent you recycling bins, too! They also take back the hangers and plastic wrap that linens come with and reuse the hangers and then bale and recycle the plastic wrap as well as the shrink wrap that is wrapped around their rental items.

Keith Losoya from Waste Neutral Group is composting all of our waste. We were able to compost the food waste as well as cups, wooden stirrers, napkins, etc. We had 2 bags of compost, a small bag of waste for the landfill and 1 PLASTIC bottle was placed in the recycling bin (I guess everybody else knew better than to bring plastic to an environmental event!). By composting your waste, you reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our already over extended landfills.

Our after party was at The Rockfish Restaurant, a green restaurant in Annapolis which offsets its energy consumption with wind power. They also recycle, utilize sustainable seafood, and have an organic herb and vegetable garden on their roof!

I hope you'll support these folks who have gone green.

Thanks again for your help and I hope this inspires you to live and work green!

Lori

Hear Lori talk about her plunge experience on NPR affiliate WAMU! Click here and listen to "Environmentalists Participate in Polar Bear Plunge".



Green Tip:
Eco Friendly Pens

When purchasing disposable pens (I prefer non-disposable Cross pens and just purchase refills) for the office or a special event, use a brand that is made of recycled content. The ECOAd^TMBio Pen is 95% biodegradable and will produce no toxic residue. The bio-polymers used in molding come from renewable U.S. grown resources such as soy proteins or starch from potatoes, corn, wheat, tapioca or beets (I just got hungry!) versus evil, traditional plastic. It is reinforced with less than 5% synthetic polymers and the plastics are 100% biodegradable.

Join Me at the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge! and Green Scissors

I'm doing it again! I'm taking a cold plunge to fight global warming.

THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 10th, I'm going to jump into the icy Chesapeake Bay for a cause I am extremely passionate about: the fight against global warming.

I'll join hundreds of other crazy folks in the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge.

The event, organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), is meant to raise awareness about the growing crisis of global warming and to raise the funds needed to continue the fight against it.

The basics are right below.

The Basics
Last year, I had a blast plunging AND I raised over $1,200. My goal this year is $2,000, but I'm only at $980! Help me out! Last year, my friends and family pledged anywhere from $25-$100 each. I realize that with the current economy, you may not be able to pledge that much, so GIVE WHATEVER YOU CAN GIVE! $5, $10 or $20 is fine by me. Give up one of your vices for a week and put it towards a good cause! Contributions are tax-deductible.

Also, I'm donating my event planning services to ensure that the plunge is a green event!

How to Make a Pledge
It takes about TWO MINUTES to make a pledge! IF you pledge, I promise to email you photos of me plunging!

Credit Card
Donate via secure webpage.

If you pledged last year, you'll be happy to know that it is MUCH EASIER to pledge this year!

Check
Make your check out to "CCAN" and mail to

P.O. Box 11138
Takoma Park, MD 20912

On the memo line, write Plunge/Lori Hill on the memo line, so they know who your pledge is supporting.

Watch Me on the Video!
Watch the video of last year's plunge. That is me at the 1:40 mark – the gal with the toboggan.

Thanks in advance for your interest and support in the fight against global warming - and for supporting me while I turn a little blue in the process!

If you're not busy, please consider coming out to join me I the plunge or cheer me on this January 10th - it's a really fun event!

Thanks for helping CCAN save the world!

Warmly (but not in the global sense),

Lori

Green Tip:
Green Scissors

The folks at Ideal Bite sent me this tip about scissors from Klean Earth that have handles made of 70% recycled plastic and cost from $6-$14.

Join Me at the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge! and Wine Cork Recycling

I'm doing it again! I'm taking a cold plunge to fight global warming.

In less than one month, on January 10th, I'm going to jump into the icy Chesapeake Bay for a cause I am extremely passionate about: the fight against global warming.

Yes, I, Lori Hill, the one who is ALWAYS cold in the winter time (I'm sitting in my basement office right now wearing 3 layers of clothing and fingerless gloves as I write this!), will be plunging right into the water near the headquarters of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation which happens to be one of the greenest building the country!. I'll join hundreds of other crazy folks in the Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge.

The event, organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), is meant to raise awareness about the growing crisis of global warming and to raise the funds needed to continue the fight against it.

The basics are right below. To read more about CCAN, see further below.

The Basics
Last year, I had a blast plunging AND I raised over $1,200. I'd like to nearly double that this year with a goal of $2,000. In addition, this year I'm donating my event planning services to ensure that the plunge is a green event!

Last year, my friends and family pledged anywhere from $25-$100 each. I realize that with the current economy, you may not be able to pledge that much, so GIVE WHATEVER YOU CAN GIVE! $5, $10 or $20 is fine by me. Give up one of your vices for a week and put it towards a good cause! Contributions are tax-deductible.

How to Make a Pledge
It takes about TWO MINUTES to make a pledge! IF you pledge, I promise to email you photos of me plunging!

Credit Card
Donate via secure webpage.

If you pledged last year, you'll be happy to know that it is MUCH EASIER to pledge this year!

Check
Make your check out to "CCAN" and mail to

P.O. Box 11138
Takoma Park, MD 20912

On the memo line, write Plunge/Lori Hill on the memo line, so they know who your pledge is supporting.

Watch Me on the Video!
Watch the video of last year's plunge. That is me at the 1:40 mark – the gal with the toboggan.

Thanks in advance for your interest and support in the fight against global warming - and for supporting me while I turn a little blue in the process!

If you're not busy, please consider coming out to join me I the plunge or cheer me on this January 10th - it's a really fun event!

Thanks for helping CCAN save the world!

Warmly (but not in the global sense),

Lori

*More About CCAN and How I Got Involved with the Plunge

Not too long after I saw "An Inconvenient Truth", I went to a clean energy open house at the home of CCAN's executive director Mike Tidwell. That was the impetus that began my quest to be as green as humanly possible.

By making a pledge to support my playful suffering, you'll help CCAN fulfill its very serious mission of educating and mobilizing the citizens of Maryland, DC and Virginia to take concrete steps to protect our climate. We are particularly at risk of the effects of climate change – Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, DC and cities in Virginia could be under water if we don't act soon.

CCAN is an extremely reputable, nonprofit organization with an emphasis on community-based, grassroots organizing. They have been central to every major fight on global warming in the Maryland/Virginia/DC region, and are currently leading the charge for comprehensive global warming legislation in Maryland, for no new coal in Virginia and, as part of 1 Sky, for strong federal legislation in 2009. You can learn more about them at www.chesapeakeclimate.org.

Green Tip:
Wine Cork Recycling

Instead of pitching your wine corks in the trash (who would dare do such a thing?), send your corks to Yemm & Hart Ltd.

They are collecting wine cork stoppers with the goal of converting them into a useful self sustaining product (Y&H are all about converting recycled materials into something new).

Another alternative is to make your own cork board. Hot glue corks to a piece of plywood and attached photos, notes, etc. You can place the corks round side up and/or cylindrical side up.

Getting Cold to Fight Global Warming and What To Do With Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

On Saturday, December 8th, I jumped into the icy Chesapeake Bay for the Third Annual Polar Bear Plunge. The event was organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to raise awareness about the growing crisis of global warming and to raise the funds needed to continue the fight against it.

Thanks to supportive friends and family, I raised over $1,300! I had the best time the day of the plunge. Over 200 men, women, children and dogs took the plunge in 49 degree water on a partly sunny 40 degree morning.

View a completely fun, totally inspiring two minute video of our Plunge (keep your volume turned up!)

I hope you'll join me next year!

Green Tip:

What To Do With Your Christmas Tree After the Holidays

Don't leave your Christmas tree for the trash collector (unless your jurisdiction has a special pick up for trees).

Cut it up and use the needles as mulch, the branches as kindling and the trunk as firewood (after it's dried out).

If you don't have a wood burning fireplace, give your wood as a belated holiday gift to your friends and family!

Source: ehow.com