For Release
Lawn that doesn’t need water, fertilizer or regular mowing is gaining ground as landscaping of choice in health care & municipal facilities and by homeowners in Canada and the U.S.

TORONTO, ONTARIO- Marketwire- April 2008. Eco-Lawn, developed by sustainable landscape specialist Wildflower Farm, is a specially formulated blend of seven fine fescue grasses that thrives in all climates and conditions, including full sun, part shade and even deep shade. The lawn is virtually maintenance free as it germinates quickly but
turns into a slow growing grass once its takes root.
Environmentally Friendly: Eco-Lawn reduces green house gases, as it only needs to be mowed once a month at the most. Did you know that a lawn mower running for one hour emits the same amount of pollution as 40 automobiles running for one hour?
Economical. A real cost comparison. The cost of installing and maintaining an Eco-Lawn over at ten-year period is $1,499.75 including maintenance costs and mowing four times a year. A savings of $6,575.25 over ten years! (See cost comparison)

While the cost of installation and maintenance of a typical 1-thousand sq. foot traditional lawn is $8,075, over a ten-year period. This includes, site preparation, installation, seed and irrigation, as well as mowing ten times a year, fertilizer/herbicides watering and core aeration.

No Fertilizers or Chemicals: Eco-Lawn, has deep root systems that enables it to naturally source the nutrients it requires from the soil so there is no need to add chemicals or fertilizers. unlike traditional turf grasses. It will make roots up to 9 inches (22.86 cm) deep in hardpan clay soils and up to 14 inches (35.56cm) in deep in sandy soils.
Drought Tolerant: Eco-Lawn produces grass blades that are very thin; therefore it doesn’t require the amount of water that typical thick bladed lawn grasses demand.
Eco-lawn is perfect for areas where water conservation is important and is excellent in quickly establishing new lawns, or used as erosion buffers and for riverbank stabilization. It is also ideal where water conservation is a necessity.
Less Vulnerable to Grubs: Grubs are the larvae of June Bugs and non-native Japanese Beetles. The larvae live as grubs in moist soils for two years and then emerge as adult beetles in early summer. The adults only live for about 6 weeks, so their number one goal is to reproduce! The female beetle lays her eggs in the moist soils of pond edges and stream banks as well as in well-watered lawns. Since Eco-Lawn requires very little, if any watering once established, the surface of the soil is hard and makes it less attractive for the beetles to lay their eggs. So you will be grub free.

Too good to be true? See our photo gallery.

Who benefits. Municipalities. Companies. Homeowners. The Environment.
Proof positive that Eco-lawn is environmentally and financially effective comes from our many satisfied customer testimonials. Eco-lawn has been installed at a number of large-scale municipal projects throughout Canada states Miriam Goldberger, President of Wildflower Farm, the company that developed the sustainable Eco-lawn product, ten years ago.
“As more and more municipalities ban pesticides or institutions look for ways to reduce costs, sustainable landscaping is gaining ground.” Goldberger adds. Other facilities using Eco-Lawn include Toyota Canada in Toronto, the new Cirque de Soleil headquarters in Montreal and the Canadian Air force base in Shiloh, Manitoba. See o
More questions? FAQ
Did You Know? Eco-facts.
1. The typical lawn is Oil & Water. Our lawns were founded on a dream based on having two resources our world is rapidly running out of - Oil and Water. Keeping a traditional Kentucky Bluegrass or Perennial Rye grass lawn takes one to two inches of water per week; for the average 1,000 square foot lawn, that easily adds up to over TEN THOUSAND gallons of water a summer! Less realized is that, like a fully loaded luxury sedan, traditional lawns are dependent on fossil fuels. It takes natural gas to produce lawn fertilizers, petroleum to power lawn mowers and oil to keep the weed whackers, and blowers buzzing. (Excerpted from the book “American Green” by Ted Greenberg
2. Pesticides are big business. Did you know that in 2001 the U.S. Home & Garden market spent over 2 Billion dollars on pesticides! (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

3. Lawn Mowers are big polluters. Did you know that in one hour a conventional lawn mower pollutes as much as driving a car for 100 miles! (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency)

About Wildflower Farm:
Wildflower Farm is a horticultural company specializing in innovative sustainable landscaping techniques, products and green solutions. Wildflower Farm offers a unique selection of hardy perennial wildflowers, native grasses, seeds, meadow mixes and Eco-Lawn, an innovative low maintenance turf grass.
Embraced by landscape architects, high profile corporations, municipalities and home owners, Wildflower Farm products are sold at selected retailers throughout North America and on-line at www.wildflowerfarm.com.
Sales to its many US customers are processed through Wildflower Farm’s warehouse and fulfillment facility in New York State. 1-866-476-9453 Wildflower Farm Is located near Orillia, Ontario, North of Toronto Canada.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Pollution Probe have cited Wildflower Farm as a Canadian business generating a positive impact on climate change and the environment by reducing greenhouse gases.
To learn more about Eco-Lawn and Wildflower Farm go to www.wildflowerfarm.com

October 15, 2007, Toronto, ON. cleanairpass, a North American leader in providing a practical way for individuals and businesses to help reduce their impact on global warming, has agreed to offset the C02 emissions required to stage the five-day event in Toronto.

“We are pleased to be a sponsor of L’Oreal Fashion Week” says CEO & Founder of cleanairpass inc., Bryce Conacher. “Not only are events such as this leading by example, it also highlights the enormous output of C02 emissions required to make clothing and ways manufacturers’ can reduce their ‘manufacturing footprint’.

While organizers of L’Oreal Fashion Week are making every effort to offer one of the most eco-friendly events ever held in Toronto-one hundred and seventy-six tonnes of greenhouse gases will still be emitted into the earth’s atmosphere. To ‘offset the carbon emissions’, cleanairpass will donate registered and verified carbon offsets that will ‘neutralize’ or ‘offset’ the equivalent amount of greenhouse gases associated with the event.

cleanairpass will be sourcing the carbon offsets from a tire recycling project in Quebec, which transforms used tires into rubber products rather than using newly sourced rubber or having used tires go to landfill where they will be broken down and release more greenhouse gases over time. The project is third party verified and meets the internationally recognized ISO 14064-2 standard. (see www.cleanairpass.com for project details)

All clothing has a carbon footprint from both manufacturing and shipping of products.
It is estimated that clothing is responsible for about one tonne of C02e emissions per person.

“Cleanairpass is also able to calculate the CO2 footprint of clothing.” adds Conacher, “We can calculate the CO2 usage of apparel and provide a cleanairpass tag to manufacturers who want to make a significant statement about their commitment to the environment.”

cleanairpass Fashion Tips on reducing CO2: Wash clothing in cool water to reduce the energy required to clean clothes, choose organic and sustainable fabrics-some designers are using used clothing as their feedstock for making ‘new ‘articles; use more recycled fibers, avoid dry cleaning- its becoming trendy to wear wrinkled shirts to demonstrate a commitment to the environment.
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For More Information Please Contact:
Marjorie Wallens, MJW Communications
O. 416-961-5924 C/ 416-708-3783
Email. mwallens@mjwcommunications.com
www.mjwcommunications.com
What is a carbon offset and how does it work?

A “carbon offset,” is a quantified unit of the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) equal to a one tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. When you buy an ‘offset’, the purchase goes towards reducing your emissions by investing in third party verified sustainable projects that are designed to reduce greenhouse gases. The number of carbon offsets required to achieve carbon neutrality is determined by the amount of carbon emissions a particular activity like driving a car produces. All carbon offsets purchased by cleanairpass are sourced from verified projects that reduce greenhouse gases and meet international standards including ISO 14064-2 and/or the Gold Standard. Cleanairpass will also source from the new Voluntary Carbon Standard when it becomes available in 2008.

About cleanairpass inc.

cleanairpass inc., is a leader in North America in providing a practical way for individuals and businesses to help stop global warming by reducing their carbon emissions footprint through offsetting. All carbon offsets are verified by a third party. Bryce Conacher, cleanairpass CEO & Founder has been instrumental in developing industry standards in both Canada and the U.S. He is also qualified to teach the greenhouse gas verification course offered by the Canadian Standards Association. For more information visit: www.cleanairpass.com

Cleanairpass offers a compelling incentive for businesses to get credit for going carbon neutral and help make a difference.

Toronto. ON. September 18, 2007 Cleanairpass is now making it easier for businesses to help consumers make a small but significant
difference to the environment, as a result of a partnership with two Ontario based car dealerships.

Oxford Dodge in London and Provincial Chrysler in Windsor, are the first car dealerships in Canada to provide a carbon neutral cleanairpass, for every owner that purchases a new or pre-owned vehicle, The ‘carbon credits’ will effectively offset the carbon emissions of the vehicle in the first year.

Cleanairpass Inc. President, Bryce Conacher, estimates the dealership program will offset 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in the first year and provide a way for consumers and businesses to become more proactive about environmental issues.

“We need to provide a practical way for companies and consumers to get involved and make a difference, says Conacher, “The cleanairpass program focuses on ways to reduce emissions from vehicles. I can’t think of a better way than for car dealerships and automobile manufactures to take a leadership role in this area. Dealership owners, like James an Elizabeth Bennett, are leading the way and are a good example of what individuals can do”

Through the cleanairpass program, carbon credits are purchased to ‘offset’ the amount of greenhouse gas of about 5 tonnes emitted by an automobile driven an estimated 20,000 kilometers a year.

“Our partnership with cleanairpass does three important things”, says James Bennett, President, Oxford Dodge Chrysler in London, “First, it empowers our customers to take responsibility for their personal vehicle’s emissions. Second, its adds significant consumer clout to the effort to stop major manufacturing emissions. And third, it financially supports renewable energy producers and other projects that reduce air emissions. As individuals and business leaders, we can make a difference.”

All credits are sourced and verified. Initially the credits will go towards helping support a tire recycling facility in Quebec, that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the transformation of used tires from cars and trucks into rubber carpets and other products rather than using newly sourced rubber. As the program grows, other Canadian projects will be selected.

About cleanairpass inc. www.cleanairpass.com
Cleanairpass, is one of the first companies in Canada to provide a practical way for individuals and businesses to help stop global warming and create a cleaner planet, through the purchase of carbon credits. All carbon credits are registered and verified.

What is a carbon offset and how does it work?
A “carbon offset,” is a quantified unit of the carbon dioxide equivalent equal to a one tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
When you buy an offset you are paying for someone else to reduce your emissions for you by investing in projects that are designed
to reduce greenhouse gases. The number of carbon offsets required to achieve carbon neutrality is determined by the amount of
carbon emissions a particular activity like driving a car produces. Carbon offsets are sourced from verified projects that reduce greenhouse gases.

Michelle Magnan, Calgary Herald Published: Thursday, March 22, 2007

The virtual fitness coach

Like fitness videos of the ’80s, audio workouts for your MP3 player are the latest thing … check out Toronto-based Yuri Elkaim’s new series of audio-guided workouts for MP3 players and iPods. A former professional soccer player, Elkaim is the founder of Total Wellness Consulting and the strength and conditioning coach for the
University of Toronto’s men’s soccer team.

The idea for his audio workouts came to him about a year and a half ago, when a client he was training told Elkaim he should record his instructions. He saw a good opportunity.“It’s definitely an up-and-coming trend. We’re at the forefront of a whole new movement, kind of like the whole ’80s fitness video era,” says Elkaim. “It will hit that tipping point where it’ll just take off, considering that so many people are using MP3 players and iPods nowadays.”Elkaim offers a few series. His Fitter U program provides 35 hours of circuit training sessions and is a combination of weight-lifting and cardiovascular intervals. It’s the first weight-lifting audio workout I’ve come across. All you need is a step, a stability ball, some weights and a cardio machine. And if you’re working out at home and don’t have a machine, skipping rope or jogging on the spot works, too.

The Fitter U program also comes with information on healthy eating, an Excel spreadsheet to help track your workouts and a reward points system. The package costs $134.

His second series is a three-volume running program called Treadmill Trainer. Each volume costs $12.95. And then there are the Elliptical Workouts, two 35-minute-long workouts for $12.95 each. Elkaim says people at all fitness levels can benefit from his structured workouts. To check them out, and other sites, see Where to find an audio trainer, above.

The other day at the gym, I listened to volume two of Elkaim’s Treadmill Trainer program. While there is continuous music throughout, Elkaim provides a lot of instruction.

“I try to provide a good amount of structure,” he says, “and, on top of that, provide ongoing motivation. It helps the individual push beyond what they thought were their limits.”

He estimates he talks for 60 per cent of the time. “Imagine yourself running with a running partner or coach, without (the person) actually being there.”

Having a virtual running buddy sounds good to me. The only downside I can see with these audio trainers is having no excuse to skip a workout.

Where to find a virtual trainer: www.myfitteru.com

Food for Thought

BY ANNA PIEKARSKI - Toronto Star

Fast food franchise Extreme Pita was ready to launch four new sandwiches, but they had one problem — they had to simultaneously teach their employees at 200 locations how to make the perfect pita. The Canadian fast-food franchise has stores across the continent and, with each restaurant employing 12 to 20 people, trying to get everyone to make identical sandwiches is a daunting task. “Our challenge was to communicate that message to 200 franchises from San Diego to St. John’s Newfoundland,” said David Newcombe, chief operating officer at Extreme Pita.

Newcombe has been working in the fast-food industry since the 1960s. He said training employees is a difficult — and frustrating — task. “I’ve seen more four-inch (training) binders sitting on a shelf in the manager’s office that have never been cracked open,” Newcombe said. But Extreme Pita employees never had to study a manual to make these new sandwiches. Instead they watched videos on the Internet. The new technology was designed by Toronto company, Metrick Entertainment. The Metrick Training program is a Web-based learning system that helps companies improve the performance of their employees without the high costs of on-site training. Employees can watch a video that shows them how to make a product, then they take a quiz and the results are automatically sent back to head office. This allows executives like Newcombe the opportunity to track which stores have completed training and which skills employees need to improve. “Up to a year ago, two years ago, this wasn’t possible,” said creative director Laurence Metrick, explaining most people now have high-speed Internet connections that allow them to watch videos easily. “It’s the next best thing to being face to face with every employee in the organization,” Newcombe said. The technology is saving companies a lot of money. Newcombe said Extreme Pita recently estimated a new marketing manual would cost the company $75 a copy, plus shipping — more than $15,000 to send a binder to every store. The Web-based system can be created for $7,000 to $10,000 depending on the company’s needs, Metrick said. “There was a prohibitive cost to (manuals),” Newcombe said, especially when there is no guarantee the manual will be read. The quizzes ensure employees are being trained. Metrick said saving businesses money was one of the goals when creating the system. Before they made the online program, his company created videos and other creative applications both for advertising and for businesses to use internally. But creating one VHS tape cost about $10 and Metrick said he knew there had to be a more efficient way to communicate a message. A year ago the Metrick team started working on the online training system. The first training program was launched six months ago. “I think I’ve taken the test 500 times. I know most of the answers by now,” Metrick said, explaining the team wanted to make sure the system worked correctly. “I can make a mean pita at home.” While saving money is always attractive, other elements make this system ideal for franchises. Some of Extreme Pita’s employees do not speak fluent English, so video is a great teaching tool. “We’re dealing in places like California, Arizona. We work in Quebec. There are language difficulties,” Newcombe said. The system is good for part-time employees because they often work shifts and there isn’t time to train them properly, especially when businesses have a high turnover rate, Metrick said. “It makes a lot of sense for franchising. Retailers have to bring in a lot of part-time people.” Newcombe said many of their employees are high school students who enjoy using the new training system as they are comfortable learning online. While it is being embraced by franchises — other restaurants have bought the system — Metrick said he has also been approached by different organizations. A Washington pollster inquired if a system could be designed to teach people how to conduct polls. A Chicago fitness club has also contacted Metrick. Extreme Pita is expanding quickly. Newcombe said 30 more restaurants will be running by December. In 2007, the company is planning to open two new restaurants each week. One of the other benefits of the training video, Newcombe said, is an increase in product uniformity. “It’s been absolutely tremendous. We have consistency from coast to coast.