By withdrawing and recycling certain packaging materials during 2009, Neways achieved a CO2 emission reduction of 20 tonnes, which is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of nine VW Golfs traveling an average of 10,000 miles.

Neways’ achievement was endorsed by a team of independent experts from the Institute for Energy and Environmental Investigation in Heidelberg, Germany. According to this organization, “Neways has again played a pivotal role in reducing the use of raw materials and energies in the production of its new products and, as a consequence, made a valuable contribution to climate protection.”

Brian Slobodow, COO and President of Neways, said, “We realize the importance of being environmentally conscious in our operations, and we are proud to be recognized for our achievements.”

Landfill airspace saved (cu yd)      29,120
Number of mature trees saved    142,014
Gallons of oil saved                     3,865,883
Gallons of water saved                  452,388
Kw-hr of electricity saved          34,112,000

“Recycling has allowed us to cut our waste pickup from five times weekly to two,” said Neways’ Facilities Manager, Mel Sevy. “This actually represents a cost savings to Neways and underscores our commitment to contribute to a healthy planet.”

Sevy indicates that plans to expand the recycling efforts are in process.  Most recently the number of plastic types that can be recycled has increased from two to seven, and methods to make individual recycling more accessible to employees are forthcoming.

About Neways

Neways is dedicated to helping families transform their homes into Healthy Homes. With dozens of safe, effective nutritional and personal care products that are free of more than 3,000 questionable ingredients, the company has strived since 1992 to make the world a healthier place, one home at a time.

In addition to providing exclusive products, Neways enhances people’s lives with a home-based business opportunity. About 400,000 active Neways distributors share the products in 28 countries, with nearly half of the company’s annual revenues paid back to distributors as commissions.

In Salem, Utah, where Neways maintains a science and manufacturing facility, more than fifty employees worked together to clear a 400-foot walkway that was overgrown with weeds and stickers. The overgrowth was so severe that children riding or walking to school could not comfortably use the sidewalk—instead, most of the children would walk along the busy street.

After the project, Neways received a phone call from a woman who works as a crossing guard for the nearby elementary. “She wanted to say thanks for Neways’ efforts,” reported Neways human resources director Kris Hunter. “There are many happy parents who are excited they won’t have to check shoes and socks for stickers before their children enter the house.”

In Springville, Neways has adopted part of a highway near the company’s headquarters building, and twenty-five employees recently picked up litter on this stretch of road. “Neways takes pride in being a good corporate citizen of our local community,” said Neways human resources generalist Donna Durand. “We’re committed to helping out in whatever ways we can.”

SPRINGVILLE, UT (July 20, 2009)—By participating in the Grüner Punkt (Green Dot) recycling program during 2008, Neways Europe BVBA reduced greenhouse-gas output by 26 tons of CO₂, approximately equal to the annual CO₂ emissions of 12 midsize vehicles traveling 15,000 kilometers per year.

German company Duales System Deutschland GmbH recognized Neways Europe with an official certification, which was verified by independent experts at the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IFEU) in Heidelberg, Germany.

The organization lauded Neways Europe for “continuously and significantly reducing the use of primary resources and energy in the production of new products, making a valuable contribution to climate protection.”

 “We realize the importance of being environmentally sensitive in our operations,” said Neways, Inc. president and COO Brian Slobodow. “We are proud to be recognized for our efforts.”

More than 70 volunteers planted several hundred trees in the Diamond Fork Youth Forest at the Diamond Fork Group Campground. According to a Forest Service representative, “The campground is new and needed landscaping to stabilize soil, add habitat and vegetation, block the canyon road from campers, and make the campground look nice.”

Neways employee Donna Durand adopted the Youth Forest about four years ago, with Neways as a corporate sponsor. Since then, Neways has donated bottled water to volunteers working on the forest and has also provided volunteers.

“We are teaching children,” Donna said. “Twenty years from now, they will be able to come back and say, ‘I helped my dad plant this tree.’ Wherever they go, this will stay in their memories. They helped reforest the earth.”

The Neways Healthy Homes initiative includes four main goals:

Healthy bodies with safety-conscious Neways products
Healthy finances through the Neways business opportunity
Healthy communities through humanitarian efforts
Healthy planet through environmental responsibility

The main solution to this problem is providing wells that draw clean, safe water. However, building reliable wells is expensive. In April 2008, Neways started raising funds to help build wells in Cambodia.

“Our goal as a company is to help people around the world create healthier homes for their families,” said Neways CEO Eric Larsen. “We do this in numerous ways, including participating in worthwhile humanitarian projects that benefit people in less-prosperous circumstances.”

To date, Neways has collected donations of more than 1,250,000 yen, and these funds have helped build 30 wells in common areas, making safe water available to everyone living in surrounding villages and settlements.

“This effort represents wonderful cooperation between the Neways Japan office and many of our independent distributors,” said Larsen. Including 717,404 yen from distributors and 532,596 yen from Neways Japan, the company’s initial donation was presented to Cambodian prince Sisowath Sirirath. Donations continue to be accepted at six Neways showrooms throughout Japan.

Working together with a volunteer organization called Group MATE, Neways Japan staff members and independent distributors have been collecting and sorting the caps at several Neways showrooms. The plastic caps are then sold for recycling to Tokyo Mokkosho, and the resulting funds are donated to the Japan committee of a nonprofit organization called Vaccines for the World’s Children. Out of 1,930 participating organizations, Neways Japan has collected the second-highest number of caps.

In addition to providing vaccinations to needy children, the Eco Cap Project is also providing environmental benefits. By recycling the caps instead of incinerating them, air pollution has been reduced by nearly 30,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide to date. In addition, the collection bins in Neways showrooms are made of Eco Ply, which contains recycled material from caps that have been gathered.

“We greatly appreciate all the Neways distributors and staff for your generous help in collecting and sorting the caps,” said a representative of the Eco Cap Project.

“We are very pleased that our Japan partners have taken the initiative to get involved with such a worthwhile project,” said Neways CEO Eric Larsen. “It’s inspiring to see Neways employees and distributors combining their volunteer efforts. I would like to see more of this kind of activity around the world, both within Neways and wherever people are blessed with the prosperity to help those who are less fortunate.”

“The human losses are unimaginable and a real tragedy, and our hearts go out to their families,” said Andy Kirss, managing director of Neways Australia. “People have also lost their homes, their clothes, their cars, their livestock, and their pets, and all their worldly goods. Their lives will be affected for a long, long time to come.”

In response to the tragedy, Neways Australia issued a call to Neways distributors across the nation to help render assistance through the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. In addition, the company donated $10,000 in cash to support the relief efforts. “Neways distributors have given generously to the appeal, as have most Australians, which is very heartening,” said Kirss

While no Neways distributors are known to have lost their lives, one distributor lost a brother, and some distributors lost their homes and possessions. “We are making arrangements to send them some Neways products to keep them going in the short term,” said Kirss.

“We want to recognise the outstanding efforts of all the volunteers who have willingly given of their time and energy to fight the fires and support the work being done in so many other ways,” said Kirss. “There are many heroes out there, and we sincerely hope they get the praise they deserve. Neways joins in giving a big thank-you to all involved.”

Bushfire relief donations can be made to the Red Cross Appeal at www.redcross.org.au or via the Salvation Army at www.salvationarmy.com.au.