News Releases
FIFTEEN-CITY TOUR ALSO PRESENTED BY PELLA WINDOWS AND DOORS
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Better Homes and Gardens magazine (circulation 7.6 million) and Green Works™, a new line of natural cleaners that are made with plant-based ingredients and work as well as conventional cleaners, are launching The Living Green™ Tour and Exhibit. This 15-city program will promote resourcefulness, energy efficiency and everyday environmental practices to help consumers save money, live healthier and conserve natural resources. The Living Green™ Tour will also feature green products from presenting sponsor, Pella Windows and Doors and contributing sponsors Bosch, Kohler and LEE furniture. The tour, which launches February 2008, will be hosted by one of the nation’s most renowned renovation specialists, Steven J. Whittle.
“Our consumers are passionate about home and keenly interested in everyday practices for living green,” says Gayle Butler, editor in chief of Better Homes and Gardens. “This exhibit extends our green coverage beyond our magazine pages and Web site, offering consumers a hands-on opportunity to learn realistic steps to save money, save energy, and minimize their impact on the environment.”
Better Homes and Gardens and The Clorox Company, the makers of Green Works™ products, will kick off the Living Green™ Tour and Exhibit at key home shows around the country. The tour will feature a traveling 2,500 square foot Better Homes and Gardens “Living Green Home” highlighting four functional eco-friendly rooms, integrated throughout with green products, materials and appliances. Environmental experts will be on hand to share how small changes can make a big “green” impact.
Interior designer and lifestyle enthusiast Libby Langdon is responsible for the "Living Green Home" exhibit design. A commentator and design expert on HGTV’s Small Space Big Style and currently shooting an upcoming show for the network, Langdon’s home expertise and creative insight bring a smart solutions on how to live beautifully and “green” to the exhibit.
As the title sponsor, Green Works™ natural cleaning products will be integrated into the exhibit. Some of the design elements and products featured in the “Living Green Home” include Pella’s energy-efficient triple paned Designer Series Windows and Doors, LEE furniture’s Natural LEE line, Bosch ENERGY STAR appliances, Kohler water-conserving kitchen and bath fixtures, Bertch bamboo cabinets, EnviroGLAS countertops and surfaces crafted from recycled glass, bottles and toilets, Natural Cork sustainable cork and bamboo flooring and Susan Jablon Mosaics tiles that are made with old car windshields.
The first stop on this 15-city, seven-month, tour is Hartford, CT. Tour markets include New York, Los Angeles, D.C., Miami, Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.
In June of 2007, Better Homes and Gardens’ premiered a monthly feature, “Living Green.” This special in-book section focuses on quick, convenient options for the home, garden, and garage that will save money and time and make a difference in readers’ lives and the environment.
A viral “Go For the Green” campaign, hosted on BHG.com and sponsored by Green Works™ natural cleaners, will encourage consumers to commit to simple changes they can make in their homes weekly. An electronic petition confirms readers’ eco-commitment and allows them to pass on the Go Green campaign to a friend for a chance to win a Green Home Makeover including many of the Bosch appliances, Pella doors and windows, Kohler fixtures and LEE furniture featured in The Living Green Exhibit. Also, a customized calculator tool tracks savings on “green” practices around the home and reader involvement.
Better Homes and Gardens’ magazine content forms the nucleus of the new BHG.com Living Green micro-site as well as regular segments on the one-hour Meredith-owned daily television show, “Better.”
“Through the addition of Green Works to our brand portfolio, Clorox is making natural cleaning more accessible and affordable to consumers who are transitioning into a more ‘natural’ lifestyle but don’t want to compromise performance,” said Jessica Buttimer, director of marketing for Green Works™ natural cleaners. “Our partnership with Living Green gives us the perfect opportunity to spread the word to consumers who are ready to make that commitment.”
“Environmental stewardship has been firmly rooted in Pella Corporation’s culture, since the company was founded in 1925, so we’re pleased to partner with the Living Green program to help today’s consumers learn how to use resources responsibly,” said Pella® Windows and Doors Spokesperson Kathy Krafka Harkema.
It is anticipated the Living Green™ Tour and Exhibit will reach over one million show attendees.
About Better Homes and Gardens
Better Homes and Gardens is America’s largest shelter enthusiast magazine, fueling and satisfying readers’ desire for improving their home and their lives. With a circulation of 7.6 million and a readership of nearly 38 million, Better Homes and Gardens is a vibrant down-to-earth guide for the woman who is passionate about her home and garden and all they encompass.
About Green Works
Clorox has set a new standard in the natural cleaning category with Green Works™ natural cleaners. Green Works™ products are made using plant-based ingredients like coconut and lemon oil. The cleaners are formulated to be biodegradable and non-allergenic, never tested on animals, and are packaged in recyclable containers. In lab and blind in-home consumer testing, all Green Works™ products performed as well as, or better, than leading conventional cleaners.
The Green Works Natural All-Purpose Cleaner, Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner, Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner, and Natural Dilutable Cleaner products have been granted the “Design for Environment” certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
About Pella Corporation
Pella Corporation is a leader in designing, testing, manufacturing, and installing quality windows and doors for new construction, remodeling and replacement applications. Pella earned the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year award for windows in 2007 for its leadership in manufacturing energy-efficient windows and educating consumers about them.
As a family-owned and professionally managed privately-held company, Pella is known for its 82-year history of innovation, making outstanding products, providing quality service and delivering on customer satisfaction. Headquartered in Pella, Iowa, the company is committed to incorporating new technologies, increasing productivity, and practicing environmental stewardship to create satisfied customers. Pella is recognized as one of the nation’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” overall and the “Top Company for Leaders” in the small-to mid-sized category by FORTUNE magazine.
Pella manufactures quality windows, patio doors and entry door systems sold through a Direct Sales Network operating Pella® Window & Door Showrooms across the United States and Canada and select building materials retailers, including Lowe’s,® which features the Pella Design CenterSM, a “store-within-a-store.” For more information, call 888-84-PELLA or visit www.pella.com.
CONTACT:
Patrick S. Taylor
Meredith Corporation
212/551-6984
patrick.taylor@meredith.com
Aileen Zerrudo
Clorox
510/271-3075
Aileen.zerrudo@clorox.com
Kathy Krafka Harkema
Pella Corporation
641/621-6971
krafka-harkemakk@pella.com