Ah, a trip to the farm. If I could, I would live on a farm among the animals. And, if I could pick a farm, I'd probably pick the Straus Family Creamery on the Tomales Bay. Those cows have it good. The Clif Bar crew took a tour of the dairy farm earlier this week and got a look at the ins and outs of what makes their family-owned dairy farm churn (pun intended). We visited with the calves and hung out with the cows lounging in the sun who were taking time off from getting milked. They were so…

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Even though Earth Month is wrapping up, these are a few simple things that are still relevant. And don't believe the hype—the little things really do matter. All you've got to do is start here.... Keep recycling and reduce plastic use if possible—still one of the things we can each do to have an enormous collective impact. Change those lightbulbs—cfl’s are still better—the mercury comes in very tiny amounts, our energy use comes in very large amounts. Think about your spending patterns—buy less for just for 2 weeks to start—see what happens—remember The Story of Stuff? Consumption has big impacts.…

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We are so lucky here at Clif, I swear. I guess I occasionally take for granted all of the programs and interests that CB&C fosters. Last week, however, I was quickly reminded when I brought in Emily Colwell and Lola the Ambassa“dog” for a volunteer orientation from the Berkeley Animal Shelter, located just a few blocks away from our office. The shelter does so much great work on a limited budget and Emily runs an awesome volunteer program. I’ve been trying to get Clif Bar people down there so that they can help out the animals and get their 2080…

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As the year comes to an end, I begin to feel the pressure to buy, buy, buy! When this happens, I like to think about some of the less ordinary things I can "buy" or other ways that I can vote with my dollars during the holiday shopping frenzy. If you wait until the last minute like me for holiday shopping and you want to buy sustainably, this guide might come in handy. Below is just one of the many definitions of sustainability to kick start you thinking while on your own sustainability shopping journey: Meeting the needs of the…

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Did you know that in addition to the 15th being payday for some of us, it's also America Recycles Day and it just so happens to be the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Make a recylcing pledge and tell your friends what you've learned. Also, see the list below, courtesy of Co-op Americafor ways to recycle things you never even dreamed of! Visit stopwaste.org to learn more and make the pledge. For all of you in the Bay Area, here's a really handy tool that gives you information on how…

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People are always looking for extra desk space around here; when one person decides to move desks, it opens up a whole can of worms with other people snagging up the vacancies. This morning, I walked into the office to find one of the six desks in our Pod covered with things other than Noreen's neatly organized piles of paper. I was quick to realize the truth—Pod One had been victims of another pod shuffle. Noreen, the newest member of our pod had gone and moved herself to the next pod over. We knew the day would come but we…

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We've been victims of another pod shuffle. People are always looking for extra desk space around here; when one person decides to move, it opens up a whole can of worms with other people snagging up the vacancies. This morning, I walked into the office to find one of the six desks in our Pod covered with things other than Noreen's neatly organized piles of paper. Noreen, the newest member of Pod One has gone and moved herself to the next pod over-Pod Two. We knew the day would be coming but we didn't know when. She's been replaced with…

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If you haven't seen these numbers before, you have to read them now. Nobody's perfect, I drive a car too. But, these stats make ya think a little more about that trip to the corner store...and how you're going to get there. From our friends at Environmental Defense: Check out our list of facts on cars and global warming. Then, take action in support of national global warming action! 232 million—Number of registered vehicles in the U.S. That's almost one per person! 600 gallons—Average amount of gasoline consumed by one U.S. car each year. 12,000 pounds—Amount of carbon dioxide emitted…

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Haven’t yet made the jump to organic? Does Whole Foods intimidate you? Are health food stores too crunchy or just too confusing? Well, understanding the benefits of organic and finding ways to incorporate organic food into your life has just gotten a whole lot easier. Take a look at one of the most user friendly programs that I’ve seen in a long time—Mission Organic 2010 from The Organic Center. Yep, that’s right; it’s a pledge to eat organics—simple as that. Once you make the pledge, you’ll find tips, recipes and links that’ll make your move to organic easier than ever.…

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Valentines Day is just around the corner. Are you thinking of buying a treat for a loved one? If you are, you might want to take a look at a few tips from the folks over at the Organic Consumers Association. They provide lots of nice eco-friendly gift ideas that have less of an impact on the earth. Did you know? Valentines Day marks the biggest shopping day of the year, when it comes to chocolate and flowers. But did you know that by purchasing organic and Fair Trade chocolate and flowers your consumer dollars will no longer be going…

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It's that time of year again when we search high and low for the right gift for that special someone. I get so tired of the gift rat race. I like to give things that a person needs or wants. I know this approach isn't that extravagant, but at least I'm not just buying to buy. This also means that I think more about the impact that the particular gift will have on the environment, which ends up making me feel good. These days, there's no shortage of gifts that give back in some way or another. You know what…

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LUNA's gone organic! How cool is that? We're very excited, but all those differing labels, logos and certifications can make it quite challenging to choose the right food for your body. A girl could go bonkers trying to figure out what it all means. That's why I was so happy to stumble across this list from the Organic Consumers Association (OCA). In light of LUNA going organic, take a moment to educate yourself about the label mayhem that awaits you at the supermarket and be better informed when making your food choices. P.S. LUNA contains 70% USDA Certified Organic ingredients.…

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Are you ready to eat a lot? Are you learning more about where your food comes from everyday? Maybe trying a new recipe? Perhaps visiting new friends and family that you've never met before. Now's the time to spread word about how we can as individuals help change the food system for the better. Try to incorporate one organic dish into your Thanksgiving meal. Even better, buy ingredients or a main dish that's traveled no more than 150 miles. Mind boggling isn't it.... Each of us has to make a small change that will most definitely make a big impact.…

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Sometimes things are just out of our control. I've never been a very controlling person, I like to go with the flow, that's why, when they told me sustainability was moving, I was like cool, no biggie, where to? Little did I know our new space was going to be the talk of the town, the crème de la crème. We really just moved over to the northwest side of the building (where We Be Bop used to live) right near accounting and finance. The way I see it, this means access to money, fast reimbursements and everything like that…

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After much planning, packing, vaccination-taking and anxiety (perhaps just on my part), Bryan, Bentley and I are headed to India tonight! We're going to build houses with Habitat for Humanity in Pondicherry as part of CLIF's International 2080 volunteer program. I'm sure Bryan and Bentley's heads are spinning as they tie up loose ends in the office on their last day; I know I've been terribly busy trying to rush around and finish everything before I leave. I guess I need to remember that even if I don't finish, it will all be here when I get back. I'm certainly…

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I often get asked about organic food and why it's so much more expensive. Though I don't claim to be an expert in this area, I have experience with organic food through work, through my own personal choice and from my good old mom as she tried with all of her being to feed us food that was whole, healthy and affordable. In the old days, access to healthy food in a small town was pretty easy. The Patch was an on-your-honor farmer's market—toss in a few dollars and pick your own fruit and veggies straight from the source. We…

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I thought I'd pass this along in the spirit of Earth Day (Saturday, April 22nd!). Our ecologist, Elysa wrote this a while back. These are pretty realistic changes that can make a big impact. Check them out and see if you can institute them in your workplace. From Elysa: "Environmental problems and the most effective ways to tackle them will continually change, so you need to create a business green up program that has both lasting power and adapting power. Moving toward sustainability is a journey of learning and action that should involve the whole company."  Elysa's 5 Things You…

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Every Wednesday, when the organic veggie boxes arrive, one can hear squeals of delight and surprise throughout the office as employees open their boxes and discover the contents. I can only imagine what went through this little guy's head when his dad, Chris R., the CLIF Shot master, dropped this thing on the couch. Here's my guess: Yeah right, this thing ain't organic; it's got conventional farming written all over it! Did you raid Barry Bond's garden again dad? Perhaps you misunderstood; I said more SHOT BLOKS and recovery drink. And lastly...I'm smiling, but I know this means pureed cabbage…

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Every Wednesday, when the organic veggie boxes arrive, one can hear squeals of delight and surprise throughout the office as employees open their boxes and discover the contents.   I can only imagine what went through this little guy's head when his dad, Chris R., the CLIF Shot master, dropped this thing on the couch. Here's my guess: Yeah right, this thing ain't organic; it's got conventional farming written all over it! Did you raid Barry Bond's garden again dad? Perhaps you misunderstood; I said more SHOT BLOKS and recovery drink. And lastly...I'm smiling, but I know this means pureed…

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If you're like me, you've heard the buzz about organic cotton clothing. Some of it's cute, some of it's expensive, some of it's scratchy and most of it's still hard to get. Well, the almighty gods of all things organic smiled upon us at work last Thursday. Nicole, this super cool chick who is totally in the know about fashion, hooked us up with a visit from Moose, her super cool friend from Loomstate who came to 1610-5th Street to our office with Loomstate jeans in tow. Thanks to them, we all spent way too much time out in the…

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We're gearing up for our annual company ski trip this weekend. Everyone usually heads up on Friday afternoon and most people ski or snowboard Saturday and Sunday. The office is buzzing with snow-related happenings. I, for one, am totally stoked on this trip because, while I fancy myself a snowboarder, this usually ends up being my only trip for the season. I get warmed up on Saturday after not having been on the slopes for a long time. I go real slow so I don't hurt myself (unlike some other Kamikazes, Angie!). By Sunday, I'm a ripper just when it's…

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I can't believe I'm off all next week! I have friends who are working the whole entire week! I know for the majority of the working stiffs out there, that's normal, but not for us CLIF-ians. We leave on Friday and we will not be back until the New Year. We're not spoiled, I swear. OK, maybe just a little bit. People keep asking if I have plans and it's sort of embarrassing to say that I'll be in Sonoma, Los Angeles, then Tahoe. On the other hand, I guess its good I'll be traveling around like a chicken with…

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A week ago I was ready to stow away my shorts, tanks and flip flops and pull out my boots, jackets and sweaters, but then it got hot again. Thank goodness! We used to call it Indian summer when I was little. There’d be a few weeks of cloudiness and breeziness and then wham, the heat would be back. This is my new favorite season. My little nephew just started 1st grade, we’re gearing up our 2080 program for the last push of “fun in the sun” volunteer opportunities for our employees and everyone around the office seems so happy.…

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I'm back from Puerto Rico and back (finally) to reality. It took about a week and a half to get into the swing of things. I swear, it seems the older I get, the more I need a vacation from my vacation! A friend at work, we'll call Peaches, says she always takes an extra day off. She's from South Carolina, so imagine this being said in a southern drawl: "I always take a day off to sleep in, run errands and get a manicure and pedicure before returning to work." Smart girl. P.R. was pretty cool. Volunteering for part or…

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Live internet feed from Vieques, Puerto Rico where my friend Tiff and I are vacationing and volunteering for the Humane Society on the island. Well, not really a live internet feed, but I'm here. I had to run out of the office on Wednesday and I forgot to write. This little island has big problems with stray dogs, cats and horses. Tiff found the opportunity online and she asked me to come along. So far, it is hot, hot, hot and, of course, beautiful. There are two horses that seem to live across the street from where we're staying. Our…

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So, it would be great to have enough money to buy a hybrid right? Though, I agree that the Prius is kinda 90’s now that everyone has one, but it’s still a great regular car alternative. And what about that slick Honda Civic Hybrid that nobody pays any attention to? What about all of those fancy, schmancy hybrid, dare I say it, SUV’s coming to a car lot near you? I love my old Honda Accord. It’s reliable, I keep the trunk empty, the tires inflated and the engine tuned up, so I feel ok about it. Would I love…

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All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz and I'm fine. --Jeff Spicoli While you may not know our Geoff, I had to dedicate this entry to him because he’s leaving "the Bar" and I’m bummed. Geoff is my favorite green counterpart, the office surfer (with the lingo to match) and he's super nice to boot. A while back we had a Clif Bar softball team, (we sucked, but we had fun) Geoff was one of our best players and I remember a girlfriend of mine who came to play. She was all up in my grill, asking,…

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Hesterama, one of my most favorite people at Clif Bar sent this email to the company a few days ago. I thought I should pass it on. I guess she’s trying to keep me on my toes… As Hester suggests below, check it out: ------------------- Hello All, The first-ever United Nations World Environment Day will be hosted by the city of San Francisco. Events are going on June 1st through 5th. It’s open to the public, so if you want to just check it out or go and show your support, follow this link: www.wed2005.org/ On a side note, Bruce…

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The hubbub of the actual Earth Day is over, true. The need to continue to act on behalf of the earth is not. It doesn’t get any easier than this… Thank you, Environmental Defense. Send a message to car makers. Cars are one of the biggest sources of global warming pollution. California's ground breaking new law cuts global warming pollution from cars. But the auto industry is suing to block the law. As a potential customer, your voice matters. On Earth Day, take a moment to tell carmakers they should build less polluting cars instead of suing:  actionnetwork.org/campaign/car_company_lawsuit/855xsx4h5738be Earth-friendly seafood…

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If you’re interested, Jennifer (in Finance) sent out this very comprehensive list of popular food brands that contain Genetically-Engineered and non-GE ingredients. Just click on the food description and then you’ll see the brands with and brands without. The most common GE crops are corn, soy and canola. FYI, it's good to know that all certified organic food is supposed to be GE-free. All private label foods from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Wild Oats are also GE-free. Happy and informed eating!

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A couple of weeks ago, Elysa (my manager, our company ecologist) called to tell me about and how they’ve agreed to allow Monsanto to begin genetically modifying their corn. I’m pretty sad about this. Here’s an article from the Organic Consumers if you want to learn more. For now, I don’t think there’s much we can do, but watch for developments. Elysa worked for many years in studying food systems and she's really upset. I just hate the fact that the corn will be forever changed and we may never be able to get it back to its true and original form.

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Did you know that April 22nd is Earth Day?

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Anyone who knows me, knows I love horses. Like dream about them kinda love and not just when I was a little girl, but now as an adult. That’s a little bit embarrassing, but whatever. I love horses so much, they litter my desk and when I don’t have Marky Mark up as a screensaver, obviously I have a horse picture. Anyway, the spring has a way of presenting new opportunities and fresh beginnings, doesn’t it? For me it did, in the form of a horse lease. Many people ask, what exactly is a lease on a horse? Basically a…

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