PLANT TREES, a new page on Project Put: Plant Upstanding Trees

I’ve gone on an unexpected journey this morning. I frequently scurry around rabbit holes. They are sources of creative inspiration and discovery. Much of my Sing Books with Emily work is the result of falling down rabbit holes, resulting in the creation of new repertoire, the discovery of illustrated songs, and even what lead me to write some songs myself.

The journey today has to do with the planting of trees.

There’s so much that I want to do, I’m a “Jack of All Trades,” with many interests and enthusiasms and curiosities. And I have a natural inclination to collect. Not things so much (though I do have some collections of things, like sparkly necklaces, I can’t help myself), but more ideas, resources, and information. For example, Sing Books with Emily blog and Project PUT blogs are really nothing more than souped up collections of ideas, resources, and information.

Along with this is a quote that means a lot to me in life:

“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” It is attributed to The Talmud

Feeling daunted is a way of life for me, no doubt. But sometimes I remember that “something is better than nothing” and I feel better about things. For example, with Project PUT, I like to say, “Every little PUT counts.” This means, if you pick up just one piece of trash, you’ve done a good thing. Just think, if everyone picked up one piece of trash a day, there’d be a lot less litter. Also, maybe those who litter would see people picking up trash and think, “Maybe I should save this bottle for the recycle bin” instead of throwing it out the window. Better yet, maybe more people would decide to bring along a reusable water jar from home instead of buying bottles. I remember reading in Uta Hagen’s great acting book RESPECT FOR ACTING, she makes a comment something like that she has to believe that if she wants to do good things, that sentiment must exist in others, too.

So, this all applies to the planting of trees. There are few things that have more impact on the global (and local) ecosystems than trees. We need trees. They are beautiful. They hold and filter carbon. They clean water. They clean the air. They are habitats for vast numbers of earth’s creatures. They prevent erosion. They are ecosystems unto themselves.

I love to take walks and I spend much of each one worshiping the trees. I know individual ones. When I see one of our neighborhood trees is cut down (as must be done, if it is old and would soon fall), I feel an authentic mourning for it.

This morning, there was an article posted about New Zealand planning to plan 1 billion trees to help stem the negative effects of climate change:
New Zealand Wants to Plant 1 Billion Trees to Fight Climate Change
https://www.globalcitizen.org/…/new-zealand-wants-to-plant…/

Interested, I shared it to my Facebook page.

My friend Miles Nelson commented with information about an organization that makes its business to plant trees:
TREES FOR THE FUTURE

Home

This reminded me that I’ve been very inspired by stories of tree planting. There are the two different men in India who have basically created rain forests near their communities and vastly improved life for the local people. There’s also that China has reassigned thousands of their military personnel to plant trees. The complicated (but still hopeful) efforts in Africa’s Sahel region to stop desertification by planting The Green Wall. And how cool is it that some people are rigging up drones to plant trees?

ALL this is to say, because I care about trees, because I care about the Earth, because I’m compelled to collect and organize things and information, because I’ve already got a blog to support environmental issues, and have created a Pitnerest Board for even easier collecting, I’m sharing with my friends this new page on the Project PUT blog:

Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees
A page is to collect a list of organizations that plant trees or support those who do. Here you will also find research collected on how trees and forests support life on earth.
https://projectput.wordpress.com/plant-trees/

And the Pinterest Board (which will probably have more information in it, just the info won’t be as organized as I’d make it on my blog):

Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees
This board collects organizations that plant trees or support those who do. Here you will also find research collected on how trees and forests support life on earth.

Please share with me everything you know about tree planting orgs. Share with me your tree planting experiences or your feelings about trees. And if you’ll allow me, I’ll post them on Project PUT.

One little thing at a time form lots of people can make a big, big difference. You don’t even have to drive yourself crazy. Just do the best you can. Set a good example. Get caught doing good things. I believe we can do Good and make lasting, positive change, just by trying our best and not giving up.

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Related Posts

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PLANT TREES, a new page on Project Put: Plant Upstanding Trees
https://projectput.wordpress.com/2019/04/30/plant-trees-a-new-page-on-project-put-plant-upstanding-trees/

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Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees Blog Page
https://projectput.wordpress.com/plant-trees/

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Project PUT: Plant Upstanding Trees
https://www.pinterest.com/singbooksemily/project-put-plant-upstanding-trees/

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Project PUT: Eco Friendly Products Pinterest Board
https://www.pinterest.com/singbooksemily/project-put-eco-friendly-products/

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Demand products and packaging made plastic free, or from 100% post consumer waste, and with carbon free methods
https://projectput.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/demand-products-and-packaging-made-plastic-free-or-from-100-post-consumer-waste-and-with-carbon-free-methods/

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@ProjectPUT

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Pinterest:

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Blog:
https://projectput.wordpress.com/

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Online:
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Advertisement

Writing Kraft/Heinz about their despicable packaging and use of palm oil (which destroys habitat of endangered species) as an ingredient

Kraft/Heinz made it difficult to find their Customer Service Email. They clearly don’t want to have to respond to actual human customers with actual human responses.  This disappoints me.  I filled out a form after googling “Kraft Customer Service Email.”  They required a phone number.  They’d better not sell my number to spammers. They’ve already made me suspicious of their intentions.

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On 4/29/2019, I wrote:

Dear Kraft/Heinz,

I like and use a lot of your products. And I believe in being both an informed consumer and good citizen of my country and of the Earth.

I have been doing the best I can to take responsibility for my consumption. But there’s only so much that I can do about what is available for purchase.

For example, we sometimes like to have CoolWhip as a dessert topping. But why, if we want to enjoy that product, do we have to participate in the spoiling, polluting, poisoning of the planet. And, in the case of CoolWhip, which has palm oil as an ingredient, I’m also participating in the destruction of rain forests (which are being deforested for farmers to create groves of plants for palm oil) which also ruins the habitat of orangutans.

Why do I have to kill an orangutan to enjoy CoolWhip? Why do I have to be responsible for validating your use of plastic packaging to enjoy CoolWhip?

Why do I have to enjoy these products and have a guilty conscious that I’m contributing to the climate crisis.

Could you please PLEASE PLEASE make ALL YOUR PACKAGING for ALL YOUR PRODUCTS with tree free, plastic free, compostable, plant based materials? Or, at the very least, make all your packaging from 100% post consumer waste. Or, do a combination of the two. Use tree free, plastic free, compostable, plant based materials to make some packaging and use 100% post consumer waste for others.

In addition, please use renewable, carbon free energy to manufacture all your products and packaging.

In addition, please do not use palm oil in your products, or any other ingredient that contributes to deforestation or the killing of species.

There JUST HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY than the way humanity is going about things. Plastic is useful, but it is a scourge. We all eat and drink micro plastics every day. This is not healthy.

When archaeologists dig for evidence of life on earth in the far away future, one of the layers of sediment is going to be the plastics we so irresponsibly used. And recycling is ineffective and not a good option or excuse. We can’t recycle our way out of this problem.

The answer is to STOP USING AND PRODUCING PLASTIC PACKAGING.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE find a better way. I want to enjoy your products but I do not want to contribute to the climate crisis in the process.

Can’t a way be found for us to have our cake and eat it, too? I think we can. But, it has to start with producers like you.

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash
Every little PUT counts
(link: http://ProjectPUT.org) ProjectPUT.org
@ProjectPUT
(Facebook & Twitter)
#ProjectPUTPickUpTrash #DontLitter #LoveMotherNature #ThereIsNoPlanetB #DemandEcoFriendlyPackaging #StopSingleUsePlastic #RespectNature #DontBAJerk #LeaveItBetter

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5/7/2019
This is their very unsatisfying response. I’m not sure how it came from the recipes, as it was their general customer service form. Maybe because I mention Palm Oil as one of their atrocious ingredients, an algorithm sent my comment to “kraftrecipes.” Regardless, the response is lame.  Probably, this was written by a computer.  I’ll try again another day.

Hi Emily,

Thank you for visiting http://www.kraftrecipes.com/.

I am glad to know that you are pleased with our COOL WHIP Products.

Thanks so much for taking the time to contact us with your suggestion. We’re always delighted when people care enough about our products and packaging to offer their own creative ideas.

We sincerely apologize – Kraft Heinz is currently not accepting ideas from outside our organization. However, we do want you to know that comments shared by our consumers can be very helpful to Kraft Heinz. Various Kraft Heinz teams do review comments such as yours, which help us identify consumer trends, preferences and needs.

Again, we appreciate you contacting us and applaud both your creativity and loyalty.

It was great hearing from you, and remember we’re always updating our site so visit us again soon!

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Writing and Calling Companies About Their Packaging
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https://www.pinterest.com/singbooksemily/project-put-eco-friendly-products/

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Demand products and packaging made plastic free, or from 100% post consumer waste, and with carbon free methods
https://projectput.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/demand-products-and-packaging-made-plastic-free-or-from-100-post-consumer-waste-and-with-carbon-free-methods/

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@ProjectPUT

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Eleanor Picks Up Trash to Clean up a River on Earth Day 2019

Way to go Eleanor!  Thank your for taking real ACTION to make your planet a better place for all its creatures!

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash
Every little PUT counts
(link: http://ProjectPUT.org) ProjectPUT.org
@ProjectPUT
(Facebook & Twitter)
#ProjectPUTPickUpTrash #DontLitter #LoveMotherNature #ThereIsNoPlanetB #DemandEcoFriendlyPackaging #StopSingleUsePlastic #RespectNature #DontBAJerk #LeaveItBetter

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PROJECT PUT PROGRESS AND PERFORMANCE
https://projectput.wordpress.com/put-achievements/

 

Writing Olay Company about their despicable packaging, 4/29/2019

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4/29/2019 I wrote:

Dear Olay,

I like your skin care products. But why, in order to access your skin care products, do I have to be forced to contribute to Earth’s climate crisis?  

Please start making your packaging out of tree free, plastic free, compostable, plant based materials.  Or at the very least, make your packaging out of 100% post consumer waste. And please use renewable energy in your manufacturing process.

I have here an empty jar of Fragrance Free Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream.  What am I supposed to do with this jar?  Why, if I wanted to use micro-sculpting cream, do I have be be responsible for a jar that will still be polluting some landfill or body of water until long after both of our great great grandchildren are dead? IS THAT THE LEGACY WE WENT TO LEAVE BEHIND?

I believe in my heart of hearts that it is possible for you to distribute your terrific face cream without destroying the earth. How about being an industry leader and give it a try? 

Make Olay an environmental hero instead of an environmental villain (as you are now).
Thank you,
Emily Gleichenhaus
Arlington, VA
 
Project PUT: Pick Up Trash
Every little PUT counts 
(link: http://ProjectPUT.org) ProjectPUT.org
@ProjectPUT
 (Facebook & Twitter)
#ProjectPUTPickUpTrash #DontLitter #LoveMotherNature #ThereIsNoPlanetB #DemandEcoFriendlyPackaging #StopSingleUsePlastic #RespectNature #DontBAJerk #LeaveItBetter

PS:  It STINKS that your CONTACT US comment box has a character limit of 275.

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Their (LAME) response ON 4/29/2019:

Dear Emily,

Thank you for contacting Olay.

I have already shared your feedback with our management team.

Thanks so much! It will help us to further improve.

We will happily assist you in the future. Hope you will give us another opportunity to serve you. Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Courtney

Olay Specialist

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Project PUT: Eco Friendly Products Pinterest Board
https://www.pinterest.com/singbooksemily/project-put-eco-friendly-products/

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Demand products and packaging made plastic free, or from 100% post consumer waste, and with carbon free methods
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Asutra Mist Your Mood Lavender & Chamomile (to reduce stress), frustrates and stresses and comes in plastic

Asutra Website: https://asutra.comAsutra
Astura Contact Email: support@asutra.com

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Hello,

I bought some of your Lavender & Chamomile Mist Your Mood. The pump stopped working and the bottle is still 7/8s full. I like the product. The non working pump frustrates me. I do not want another bottle as I’m attempting to reduce my use of plastics. I wish you didn’t package your product in plastic and that the pump worked.

Just saying, this is frustrating.

I like our product. It is a worthy product. But there HAS TO BE a better way to distribute products than in plastics which are RUINING LIFE ON EARTH. The bottle with the pump that doesn’t work will probably NOT get recycled. I will put it in my recycle bin, of course. However recycling is ineffective and NOT the answer to the plastics problem. Very few places on earth take the post consumer plastic materials anymore and nobody seems to bother to use the materials for repurposing them to new products. Although, that is something you could consider doing. If you insist on using plastics, at the VERY LEAST, you could package them in bottles comprised of 100% post consumer waste.

So, here I am as a consumer with a dilemma. A dilemma that almost every producer of products that I like puts me in. I want your products, but I DO NOT WANT THEM TO COME PACKAGED IN PLASTIC. In addition, I wish the packaging worked properly for dispensing the product (which the bottle I have for the Mist Your Mood Lavender & Camomile does not do.

Ironic, isn’t it? A product I bought to make me feel happy and relaxed has frustrated and stressed me and forced me to write this note?

Maybe, as a seller of a product, you could figure out a better way to do things.

Thanks,
Emily Gleichenhaus
Arlington, VA

Here’s an article:
Recycling won’t save us. Let’s phase out the scourge of plastic pollution.
https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article229467489.html

Project PUT: Pick Up Trash
Every little PUT counts
ProjectPUT.org
@ProjectPUT
(Facebook & Twitter)
#ProjectPUTPickUpTrash #DontLitter #LoveMotherNature #ThereIsNoPlanetB #DemandEcoFriendlyPackaging #StopSingleUsePlastic #RespectNature #DontBAJerk #LeaveItBetter

*********************

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Writing and Calling Companies About Their Packaging
https://projectput.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/writing-and-calling-companies-about-their-packaging/

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Project PUT: Eco Friendly Products Pinterest Board
https://www.pinterest.com/singbooksemily/project-put-eco-friendly-products/

*
Demand products and packaging made plastic free, or from 100% post consumer waste, and with carbon free methods
https://projectput.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/demand-products-and-packaging-made-plastic-free-or-from-100-post-consumer-waste-and-with-carbon-free-methods/

*
Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ProjectPUT/
@ProjectPUT

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Pinterest:

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Blog:
https://projectput.wordpress.com/

*
Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Online:
ProjectPUT.org

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Twitter

PUT Plastics Letter to BRANDLESS 4/24/2019

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Brandless

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Brandless Website
Brandless.com

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Brandless Contact
help@brandless.com

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Dear Brandless, 

I discovered that you sell tree free paper products and immediately signed in to your site to make a purchase. I was delighted that you sell lots of organic products, too. My household is about to receive our third order. 

We have been very happy with the things we’ve purchased. My son really likes the beef jerky, for example. The apple sauce is tasty. I love the tree free tissue boxes and toilet paper. I appreciate the tree free paper towels and will continue to use them based mostly on the fact they are tree free. 

The tree free paper towels are a product you could improve, though. I’m writing this because the tree free paper towels is a primary reason I’m buying g from Brandless. And I will continue to use them based on the fact they are tree free (even if the product is not as good as the conventional product). As paper towels go, they are not very good. For example, their durability and perforation really stink. When you go to tear off a sheet, inevitably, it rips off snout 4/5ths the way down, leaving a trailing tail off the end of the roll. The towels just can’t cope with being pulled off the roll.

The other issue I’d like to discuss has to do with plastic packaging and non-recyclable packaging.

If you are going to offer organic foods and tree free paper products, how about go all the way for planet earth and stop wrapping the products in plastic or materials that cannot be recycled at all?

We know that plastics are polluting our land, water, and air. We are literally eating and drinking plastics every day.  In addition, many people don’t realize that the recycling system is ineffective. Until there are markets in the USA for recycled materials as a raw material (especially now that China and India are no longer taking our recycled materials), this will continue to be true. In addition, the making and use of new plastics is unhealthy and polluting. Humanity’s best option is to significantly curtail the use of plastics (especially those mage is virgin materials).

Consumers will continue to need and want  to purchase products. For example, we can’t stop buying eggs, but we can chose ones packaged in paper trays as opposed to plastic and sellers. Sellers should sell the eggs in paper trays! Manufacturers, makers, and sellers can make a conscious (and conscientious) choice to package and sell products in plastic free, tree free, packaging that itself has been sustainably manufactured and, as often as possible, with 100% post consumer waste. 

Even worse are packages that cannot be recycled at all. The apple sauce is delicious, but those packets they come in are horrible! The apple sauce gets consumed in minutes and the package it came in will last to pollute a landfill for decades after our great grandchildren are dead. Is that the legacy we want to leave behind. Is there really no way to sell your apple sauce except for in packages that kill wildlife, pollute landfills, and leach micro plastics into the water all of us drink. Really? You can’t do better than that? I sort of think that if humanity can walk in the moon, humanity can find a way to distribute apple sauce in a way that doesn’t poison, pollute, and kill. 

I sincerely hope you agree.

It would be wonderful if Brandless would be an industry leader and abandon plastic packaging all together. 

Thank you for you consideration. Thank you for caring how the way you package your products impacts the earth and the health of all of us who inhabit this planet.

Sincerely,
Emily Gleichenhaus 

Project PUT: Pick Up Trash
Every little PUT counts
ProjectPUT.org
@ProjectPUT (Facebook & Twitter)

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BRANDLESS has been very responsive and I appreciate that very much!

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4/24/2019 Brandless Representative Responded:

Hi Emily,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your feedback on our products and packaging. We sincerely appreciate your input and take it seriously. In an effort to improve as we grow, I have shared this information with the appropriate teams.

I am happy to hear that your son loves the Organic Beef Jerky and Organic Applesauce pouches.! For our knowledge, which varieties does he like?

I have shared your feedback about the Tree Free Paper Towels with our Product team.

In regards to your concerns about the plastic packaging and non- recyclable packaging, we are always trying to find a balance between the materials we use to protect our products and to not be wasteful. It is important to us that our products arrive not only intact but also clean and in the best condition that you deserve. As we continue to improve our products, and their packaging, the impact they have on our earth is a top priority for us. While we don’t have a solution for our tree free products just yet, please know that we are focused on quality and are always open to feedback and new ideas. To note, the packaging around the tree free bath tissue, travel facial tissue, and paper towels products are recyclable – LDPE 4.

We are working on packaging using more recyclable alternatives on products such as our apple sauce pouches.

I hope this information is helpful. We are here to help should you have any more questions, concerns, or feedback.

Thank you for being a part of the Brandless™ community,
Leah
Brandless™

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4/25/2019 I Responded:

Thank you! That is good to know. I especially hope the applesauce pitches can be replaced with a better alternative: something sustainably sourced and which composts.

I didn’t specify my daughter )both kids are teens) but she is the apple sauce consumer and really likes the strawberry best. The plain is acceptable and I get that for variety. I’ll have to look I’d you have it, but other co’s make mixed berry and she likes that, too,

Inforgot to mention a couple other products that I’d love (and surely others would, too):

I would love if you would offer plastic free/tree free refills for swiffer products. I like swifter mop (used for both wet and dry cloth refills) and swiffer dusters. But I feel horrible about the plastics they are made from and the hard plastic packaging the swiffer wet refill cloths come in. Amazon sells a dry refill cloth version made of bamboo. Maybe Brandless could sell a like product and package it in a box made of 100% post consumer waste. The same for the wet mop refills. Could those refill sheets also be made of bamboo? And maybe they could be saturated in an eco friendly cleaning solution.

I bought your baby wipes. I like that they are made of plant based fiber and that they are packaged in a thin plastic film instead of a heavy plastic box. I would like to buy your surface cleaning wipes, but it does not look like the wipes are made of plant based fibers. And they come in that hard plastic tube.

If you made surface cleaning wipes with the same eco friendly solution, but packaged them in a thin plastic film (comprised of 100% post consumer waste would be best or from s bio material) and made the wipes themselves from plant based fibers, I would be delighted and would buy them. Right now I clean up with your tree free paper towels and Mrs. Myers cleaning spray. That works, but can be cumbersome. Sometimes it would be a delight to clean up with convenient wipes that I didn’t have to feel bad about using.

Thank you

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4/25/2019 Brandless Representative Responded
Note: I didn’t mean to correct her on which of my kids liked the apple sauce. It’s just a reminder that emails can be misinterpreted or misunderstood when talking in person is better for precise communication. The downside to that is time and energy and that you don’t end up with a record.

Hi Emily,

My apologies- I see that you did not specify whether you were referring to your son or daughter.

Thank you for all of the product recommendations that you have shared! I have forwarded them to our Product team.

Here is a link to the product information page for our Lemon Verbena Surface Cleaning Wipes. https://brandless.com/products/lemon-verbena-surface-cleaning-wipes

Feel free to reach out with any other questions, concerns, or feedback.

All the best,
Leah
Brandless™

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Related Posts

 

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Writing and Calling Companies About Their Packaging

https://projectput.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/writing-and-calling-companies-about-their-packaging/

*

Project PUT: Eco Friendly Products Pinterest Board

*

Demand products and packaging made plastic free, or from 100% post consumer waste, and with carbon free methods

https://projectput.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/demand-products-and-packaging-made-plastic-free-or-from-100-post-consumer-waste-and-with-carbon-free-methods/

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ProjectPUT/

@ProjectPUT

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Pinterest:

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Blog:

https://projectput.wordpress.com/

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash Online:

ProjectPUT.org

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Project PUT: Pick Up Trash on Twitter