ECHOstore eView: November

First there was Gen X. Then Gen Y. Now, dare I propose Gen G? After a quick scan through the Internet and Wikipidia, I found a ton of materials about Gen X and Y commentaries by marketing groups, psychologists, economists, trend watchers, and readers.

The popular names of Gen X and Gen Y stemmed from studying generations born in specific periods defined by specific tastes, lifestyles, and core beliefs. In a nutshell, Gen Xers were identified as linked to the US presidencies of Reagan and Bush, Sr. Gen X (also often referred to as the MTV generation) witnessed the end of the Cold War and saw the fall of the Berlin Wall. This generation saw the inception of the home computer and, later, the Internet, as a tool for economic purposes. This was the group who rode through the dot.coms, MTV, and hip-hop. With the proliferation of technology, they use the Internet, beepers, and cellphones as social lifelines. They are technology-savvy, independent, resourceful, and strive for uniqueness.

Gen Y, on the other hand, pushes the use of technology further, being voracious consumers of electronic media. They use rapid-fire communication via the Internet and other peer-to-peer media to build a newly inclusive "one" from their wildly diverse origins. Gen Y-ers are also called the Millenials or the e-generation—individuals born between 1976 and 2003. Studies project that they will spend a third of their life online. When asked what their top life goals are, the answer is clear and resounding—to be rich and famous.

While X-ers are ultra-individualist, Y-ers are group-oriented. They are less interested in an "army of one" and more interested in the "watch me become we" alternative. And this is distinguished by the things or “stuff” they own. They pursue this identity through only one way: by climbing up the ladder of financial status to define who they are. While the predominant generation group seems to be all running the rat race to indulge themselves in the lifestyle of the financially wealthy, I see another trend arising. And so, my proposition of the Gen G-ers.

It actually started when Chit, Reena, and I were trying to identify our market for the sustainable lifestyle. Actually, it wasn’t really about marketing that had us talking, but more of trying to build a community of people who share the same principles of wanting to nurture and sustain the self, community, and planet. We define this sustainable community as people who are environmentally conscious, love Mother Earth, want to stay “clean” inside and outside, and chose to live more consciously due to the many problems brought by a materialistic lifestyle.

Gen G-ers want to live GREEN (recycle, reuse, plant and eat organic, cut down their carbon footprints, use renewable energy resources) and live GOOD (help the poor, believe in socially responsible actions, and uplift marginalized groups through livelihood, microfinancing, and organization). They are GRATEFUL, aware that they are part of a web of life and are thankful for the connection that links everyone to do more good. They are GIVING and GENEROUS, with many of them so willingly share time, resources, and talent to reach out to help those with less. They are GROOVY, assuming the look and feel of the new hippies reborn from the 60s, but now more GROUNDED. They are GROUPIES in knowing that they cannot effect bigger changes alone, but must volt in with like-minded people to make the force greater. They believe in GOD, or a supreme being or energy of life that brings all things into wonderful synchronicities. We can go on and on, naming all the G words we can think of….

In defining Gen G-ers, it’s not about a real generation in the sense of a group of people born in a specific period of time after Gen Y or Z. Instead, Gen G people can be from any age group, of any social or intellectual level. It’s about the consciousness that permeates this group. It is the mindset of wanting to consciously bring good change, it is the heart that is more open and compassionate to share, the desire to work together to make the world a cleaner place to live in and create a more humane society. This, I believe, is what Gen G is arising as.

Gen G is a young child planting a tree, a CEO deciding to start a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program in his or her company, an employee’s effort to volunteer, a housewife’s desire to start a feeding program, a person’s becoming responsible for his or her own healing, a farmer’s decision not to add pesticides to crops, a consumer who buys a fair trade product, a professional finding ways and means at using renewable energy, a grandmother preparing food the old-fashioned way with no preservatives, or a poor widow bringing other jobless women together to start a cooperative and a livelihood. How GREAT can this all be? Generation G embraces a lifestyle that sustains everything positively. GENERATION G is what we call ECHOstore’s community.

Giving Back or Paying It Forward

By Chit Juan

Reprinted from the author's article on ABS-CBN News Online on November 3, 2008

Sometimes it’s called giving back but, to some, it’s paying forward. Whichever the case may be, both or either acts indicate a feeling of selflessness and good vibrations wanting to find a place in another heart, another soul.

Filipinos are wont to say “may utang na loob,” or some deep gratitude for a good act one has done for someone else, and the recipient now wanting to share the feeling with yet another person. Funny, though, how we should not expect the same people we give help to to be the same ones to return the favor to us. But some kindred soul soon pops up into our life from out of nowhere, and gives us something in kind, or just a good pat on the back, a little push, or encouragement when we are down. Or someone just comes into our life with a present, unexpected, but pure and simple.

As persons or as companies, everyone wants to give back. It feels good and it is human nature. If we choose to forget who has done us good and, out of pride, we are embarrassed to even look back, we can go ahead and give the good vibes to someone else. Pay it forward. Give back. Whichever it is, it feels good.

Here comes the next question—how do we give back? Is it through money, donations, old clothes, or stuff we no longer need? Or do we give ourselves? Is it not more meaningful to give one’s time, experience, or knowledge? Not only has it more meaning, it is priceless. Find your purpose by looking into your heart. Who helped you when you were starting out? Who gave you your first break? Who helped you when you were down? These people have their names etched in your heart. If you wish to return the favor, or “tumanaw ng utang na loob,” the best is to be kinder to someone else. And when your patron learns about it, he or she will have that priceless smile on their face.

Another way is to give your time. Volunteer for causes you believe in. Offer your time to teach others. It does not remove anything from you, but it adds a wealth of knowledge to someone else. Yet another way is to give back through a simple act of kindness. Whoever you extend an act of kindness to will surely pay it forward. Then it will be a better world.

ECHOdesign Lab

Calling all professional graphic artists, designers and creative people who want to join…

ECHOdesign Lab is ECHOstore’s advocacy and CSR program focused on helping design and develop community products. ECHOdesign Lab is made up of a nationwide network of VOLUNTEER professional designers, graphic artists, stylists, and other creative people. Members volunteer their time and talent to a marginalized or indigenous community’s product to help refine its design, product development, visual identity, and packaging.

To sign up for ECHOdesign Lab and volunteer, e-mail us at echostore@echostore.ph. Please include your name, address, telephone and mobile numbers, e-mail address, and how you want to help.

And calling all groups who need help….

ECHOdesign Lab keeps a database of its design volunteers and is the central clearing hub for any requests from organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other social enterprise groups involved in developing livelihood products, but need help. Groups are welcome to contact ECHOdesign Lab to request for assistance, but must cover per diem, travel costs, and lodging of the volunteer designer.

For inquiries and to request assistance, e-mail Jeannie at jej@echostore.ph.

ECHOalarm! A Partner's Voice

By Joel and Violaine Magsaysay
Ilog Maria Honeybee Farms

Ilog Maria is one of the most popular items sold at ECHOstore, the only other place where the products are sold aside from Ilog Maria’s Magsaysay honeybee farm in Silang, Cavite. We repeatedly get requests to keep our shelves stocked with honey products produced by Joel Magsaysay and his family. But here is what Joel and his wife, Violaine, have to say…

Since September 2008, our virgin honey has not been available. Our customers are shocked. They have always been able to buy honey from us at any time. Now we find that we have a lot of explaining to do.

Like lanzones, mangoes, or mangosteen, natural honey is seasonal. We used to harvest it from late November to May. We used to harvest a lot. We have also been rationing honey, so all of our customers would be supplied with a few bottles each per year, enough for household needs. Our honey harvest season used to be predictable. We used to know exactly what to do, when the mangoes or coffee would bloom, where to bring our beehives, when to harvest their surplus honey. We even had mango, coffee, coconut, tamarind, avocado, wild vines, and sunflower honey.

In the 1990s, the weather started to change. It was no longer predictable. It would rain when the coffee was blooming. Mangoes stopped blooming every year; they would bloom every other year, if at all. Coconuts would just yield a little nectar. Some scientists have said this is due to global warming. Other scientists say that human activity does not create global warming, that it is a natural phenomenon.

Then why are bees disappearing all over the world? This phenomenon has been called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Bees are disappearing without a trace. The very few stragglers that have been found have a fungus growing out of their mouths and are afflicted with the bee version of AIDS. Experts are still trying to link these to CCD.

In fact, a plethora of theories abound—a weakening of the Earth's magnetic field and radiation from cellphone interfering with bees' navigation systems, genetically modified plants kill them through indigestion and constipation, they are rapturing into the fifth density and evolving ahead of us to assure continuity of the species when humans follow, etc.

Last year, there were no mangoes in Calatagan, Batangas. There was a small mangosteen harvest in Davao. Camiguin had a little lanzones harvest. We had no honey harvest.

It has become more difficult to keep our honeybees. They are not multiplying as fast as they used to. Seasons are rearranging themselves unpredictably. Weather satellite pictures for today show clear skies over Luzon, yet it rained all night up to this.

For the first time in 11 years, we did not harvest any honey from our beehives.

It has been rainy and overcast this month, the opposite of ideal conditions for flower broom and nectar secretion. There are always flowers in bloom around our farms, but the nectar the bees are able to produce has been minimal. Our bees certainly convert their small harvest into honey—just enough for their needs. Honey is not yet in surplus.

We are praying for better weather. We are praying St. Benedict's prayer for honeybees. We are blessing our bees. We migrated our beehives to farms of friends in other provinces. We hope to harvest our first crop honey when beekeeping conditions improve around our migratory bee yards.

But La Niña has persisted into March 2009. It has been raining for the past few weeks, depressing natural blooms and nectar secretion.

Last year, we planted hundreds of kawayan tinik and rare native fruit trees. We are planting about four hectares of kapeng barako. We are planting hundreds of native hardwood this year. While we write, we are about to finish construction of our windmill as our main source of water. We are installing solar panels and wind turbines. We are pulling out all the stops to plant additional flowering plants and trees just to make our honeybees here more comfortable.

We are undaunted and determined to continue. We have thrown away all that we know about bees and beekeeping, and have started to study and learn again from present conditions. Right now, we are now finalizing plans to engineer a dramatic increase in our bee population, complete with a new approach to queen breeding. A better bee must evolve. This involves massive importation of survivor bee stock from approved sources in other countries.

We should be resting, relaxing, and enjoying the fruits of 50 years of unstinting labor, but we have decided to commit our remaining time, energy, and resources to our new "survival" honeybee operation. Our plans for retirement are put on hold indefinitely.

We are using our stocks of old honey for our other products. This honey is sometimes thin, has started to ferment, or has turned very dark with time. It is not fit for bottling. The good news is that we are still able to harvest a little pollen. We still have stocks of beeswax, propolis, and royal jelly, so we are still able to produce our other products. We will never change their formulations.

We do all of this, because we want to be part of the solution, which puts us further from being part of the problem.

THE POWER OF THREE

Me + Me

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.

Edward Everett Hale
American author

You + Me
= We

Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.

Norman Rice
Seattle's first African-American mayor

We + Planet
= Sustainable Lifestyle

Love the earth and sun and animals,
Despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
Stand up for the stupid and crazy,
Devote your income and labor to others...
And your very flesh shall be a great poem.

Walt Whitman
American poet, essayist, journalist, and humanist

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS

Malunggay Green Kids feeding program

ECHOstore launches Malunggay Green Kids, a feeding program of ECHOstore & Kabisag ng Kalahi Foundation to help address the new record high in our country’s hunger rate. Based on the latest survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS), an estimated 4.3 million households experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months as hunger hit a new record-high at 23.7%. “The latest hunger record is 11 points above the ten-year average of 12.6%,” SWS said in a statement released during the end of 2008.

The hardest hit are children, and this is where the Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation, established in 2001, works in full time partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government, and the private sector to give supplemental feeding (SF) for malnourished children six years old and below from the most impoverished communities in the country. This is the age that is most for the development of the child’s brain.

The SF program addresses the immediate nutritional and health needs of malnourished children through daily hot meals and milk, supported by medical checkup, deworming, and primary complex treatment. To date, 15,000 million malnourished children in approximately 500 feeding centers in impoverished barangays nationwide have since benefited from the program. 80 to 90% of the beneficiaries have recorded marked improvement in weight and health.

At ECHOstore, malunggay products (capsules, powdered food supplements, soaps, and body care products) in its various forms are fast becoming a favorite. Moringa is the scientific name for the humble malunggay, and of the 13 malunggay species, moringa oleifera is the most nutritious. Studies compare its nutritional value gram per gram: malunggay has quadruple the vitamin A of carrots, 7x the vitamin C of oranges, and thrice the potassium of bananas, just to name a few. Malunggay is especially good as a lactating agent for breastfeeding mothers. A powder form is now being mixed in baby’s first food like cereal and lugaw.

ECHOstore’s campaign will involve the feeding of a first group of 30 children from an impoverished community in Taguig, as well as help develop livelihood programs for some of the mothers of these children. A portion of the sales of malunggay-related products at ECHOstore will be given to the feeding program. Moringana, a brand sold at ECHOstore, will donate malunggay first food powder to the program.

Carewell Community Foundation

Cancer Resource and Wellness (Carewell) Community Foundation is a nonprofit foundation that provides support, education, and hope to persons with cancer and their loved ones. Profits from Carewell products help provide free resources, services, and activities to its members.

Invisible Institute

The Invisible Institute was founded by artist and activist Ann Wizer. It provides training, materials, and marketing to groups of poor women in Manila. Working with existing NGOs and other willing groups, it is a member-run cooperative managed by the women themselves.

Products are made from trash and newly discovered creativity. Plastic bags, computer wires, old CDs, and metal guts from appliances are handspun and reused to make and accessories. Made by mothers and grandmothers tied to the home, these women have had little income and no opportunities to develop their innate talents.

The Invisible Institute enlivens the nearly lost hand of crochet with training sessions that teach new ways of seeing that waste is useful once we have the confidence to work it with our own hands. The aim is to create high-value, one-of-a-kind, handcrafted goods that rival new products. This responsible design project reduces waste and creates confidence and income possibilities.

PinoyME Foundation

PinoyME (Filipino Micro Enterprise) was organized by former President Corazon Aquino to wage war against poverty through microfinance. Its goal is to harness the energies of individuals and institutions widen the reach of microfinance to five million poor households and raise P5 billion for microlending in five years.

EVENTS HUB

EONSphere discusses CSR in times of crisis

Dec. 19

EON Stakeholder Relations Firm held a small roundtable discussion as part of its EONSphere Conversation series last December 19, 2008. With “Building Trust through CSR in Times of Crisis” as the roundtable’s theme, former EON Deputy Managing Director Robert de Quelen led the discussion.

CSR, as defined by Anne-Maree Huxley, the founder of Models of Success and Sustainability and director of the CSR Summit 2005 in Australia, “is a continuing commitment by businesses to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.”

CSR has become a vital way for rebuilding trust. More than just extending financial assistance or supporting advocacies in a rather sporadic way, CSR requires the commitment and willingness of the company to be a sustainable avenue for a mutually beneficial relationship with the community within which it operates. More than providing business solutions to social problems, CSR is a valuable and effective means for the company to build and nurture trust-based relationships with its stakeholders. CSR should be part and parcel of the business plan.

Building trust-based relationships is even more vital now that the world has been hit by global financial turmoil. In this age of readily accessible information via Internet, trust-suspicious stakeholders can now easily look for information 24/7. More and more citizen journalists who can openly write about their opinions about anything online. The top-to-bottom model, which used to be the approach marketers used to cascade information down to their stakeholders, slowly crumbles along with the apparent erosion of trust. There’s greater need for trust-based relationships between corporations and its stakeholders.

Contrary to how corporate reputation is driven by high-quality products and services, people are now looking at a company’s real, tangible, and measurable contributions to the community. This feat earns the trust of the company’s stakeholders and seals itself as “a socially responsible company.” It is in this light that CSR in the Asia Pacific is rapidly changing in parallel with the increasing influence of various stakeholders—employees, customers, government, NGOs, and others—towards the demands of companies to win their trust. There is increased demand for companies to constantly dialogue with their stakeholders on relevant issues to keep their social contract and corporate reputation. Thus, companies must develop policies that will enable them to build sustainable trust-based relationships with stakeholders. There is no better way to build trust than CSR. There is no better time than now.

Good News Kapihan is back!

The Good News Kapihan was born in 2005 when University of the Philippines graduates Tina Arceo-Dumlao and Chit Juan thought there was a dearth of good news in the media. In their small way, they organized breakfasts at least once a month on various topics, so long as there was nothing on politics or religion. The advocacy is now on its fourth year and, though it has been difficult doing it monthly like before, it still remains as the only forum where only "good news" is promoted, and where the media come as part of their personal advocacies, and not because of assignments or beats. ECHOstore is happy to give a home to this regular event!

For media inquiries about Good News Kapihan, e-mail Chit at puj@echostore.ph.

Coffee seminars a big hit

Every month the Philippine Coffee Board puts on a successful series of coffee seminars as part of ECHOteach's mentoring program. The afternoon seminars, talks, and workshops, which are held in ECHOstore, draw in coffee enthusiasts and budding entrepreneurs who learn to all about coffee, from farming to brewing.

The coffee seminars continue to be a big hit with visitors. Attendees leave the sessions with detailed handouts, a certificate, and a greater love for the world's most popular beverage.

PRODUCT FEATURE

Something for everyone!
Home décor * gifts * fashion accessories * health and wellness * body, beauty, and nutritional products * food and beverages * environment-friendly products * books * music ... and so much more, all showing Filipino design ingenuity and creativity.

Malunggay body and wellness products

Moringa oleifera is the scientific name of the humble malunggay plant, which is packed with nutrition and medicinal value. It is said to have

*    4x the Vitamin A of carrots

*    7x the Vitamin C of oranges

*    4x the calcium of milk

*    3x the potassium of bananas

*    2x the protein of yogurt

It is also a natural source of phytonutrients, fiber, and multivitamins.

The malunggay tree grows rampantly here in the Philippines. ECHOstore carries a variety of malunggay products, such as powders that can be mixed with food, capsules, tea, coffee, and other healthy drinks with or fortified with malunggay, and a line of foodstuffs containing or fortified with malunggay. Malunggay's emergence as a multivitamin tree that can easily grow and be found in any tropical country makes it a feasible investment for a sustainable wellness product.

Malunggay body products
by DS Organics

Moringana capsules

New malunggay menu

To support out Malunggay Green Kids feeding campaign, ECHOstore will serve additional food with the nutritious malunggay! Starting Febrruary 26, you can order

Malunggay pesto pasta	Malunggay pan de sal with malunggay aioli dip
Malunggay chips with malunggay aioli dip	Malunggay banana walnut loaf with brewed coffee
Malunggay sampler

Remember, part of the proceeds from any malunggay purchase goes to the feeding program!

Plus, ECHO Pasta for Lent, Holy Week, and thereafter! We now offer Puttanesca, Amatriciana, and Mushroom pasta.

HOW TO HELP

Hold your seminar at ECHOstore

Our store space is open for use by groups and individuals who need space for lectures and workshops related to the sustainable lifestyle, or even just a social gathering.

Please e-mail Stephanie at steph@echostore.ph or call us at 901-3485 for details and to block off your preferred schedule.

Volunteer with us

We’d like to acknowledge the efforts of our first batch of volunteers—Xeng Zulueta who helped us develop our Facebook page and Bea Osmeña who is helping out at the store until June.

Volunteer with us! Help us write articles, tell us your opinions, and even help us in our campaigns. To volunteer for ECHOstore, e-mail Stephanie at steph@echostore.ph.

Buy ECHOstore gift certificates

Give GIFTS OF HOPE all year round with ECHOstore gift certificates.

PERFECT for people who have everything, people who love receiving gifts with meaning, people who understand what sharing means, people who love to buy their own gifts, and for people to give to others!

Visit our store at Serendra to purchase or ask about our gift certificates. Available in P500 denominations.

Thanks for your old tarps!

We’d like to say a big thank you to Rupert Salas of Rupert Signs, who donated 800 kilos of used tarpaulin banners which we will recycle into new usable items. Rupert Signs & Display Services produces signage and booth displays and prints banners, posters, and other graphic needs. Call 330-1538 to 9 or e-mail Rupert Signs at rupertsigns@yahoo.com or rupertsigns@gmail.com.

Thanks also to the Philippine Coffee Board, which donated its old tarp banners from previous Coffee Month events.

SIMPLE GREEN STEPS

Shower once a day

If you shower every morning and then shower again after your gym workout, consider switching to a morning workout and showering just once a day. You’ll save about 200 gallons of water for each shower you subtract from your daily schedule. Over the course of a year, you can save more than 3,000 gallons of water—enough to fill a 20 x 40-foot swimming pool.

From The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen

Subscriber Info

ECHOstore eView is the bimonthly e-mail newsletter of ECHOstore* Sustainable Lifestyle.
*ECHO: Environment & Community Hope Organization STORE

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ECHOstore shares space with Kape Isla, Home of Philippine Coffee
G/F Serendra Piazza
McKinley Parkway
Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Tel: 901-3485
www.echostore.ph

E-mail feedback on ECHOstore eView to Jeannie Javelosa at jej@echostore.ph.
E-mail inquiries about products to Reena at rsf@echostore.ph.

ECHOSTORE eVIEW

EDITOR  Jeannie Javelosa
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS  Chit Juan
LAYOUT  Carla Martinez

IMAGE CREDITS
Courtesy of Getty Images: Green mouse on white desk.