While the site layout and approach are a tad unsusty, if you want the real susty deal when it comes to eco products, then check out PeddlersWagon.com. The href=”http://susty.com/tag/Dervaes”>Dervaes (Dur-VAYS) family, who are urban homesteaders first and foremost, established this online store to leverage their experience in helping consumers make informed decisions about products. They declare Peddler’s Wagon™ to be “the first online eco-store operated by people who are truly living the urban homestead lifestyle.”

10% of profits are “tithed” back to people and the planet through Dervaes Institute™ (An Earth-care Ministry and a California Corporation Sole under California CORPORATIONS CODE SECTION 10000-10015 and is tax exempt under IRS Code § 508(c)(1)(A) ). This supports Path to Freedom’s™ community and online outreach and other non-profits dedicated to protecting the health of our planet and its inhabitants.

GREEN BUSINESS PRACTICES

SHIPPING PRACTICES
Materials used for packaging—boxes, peanuts, bubble wrap and newsprint material—are reclaimed post-consumer material and salvaged from shipments, other companies and individuals. The paper used for inserts, invoices, brochures, etc., is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper as often as possible.

CARBON FREE SHIPPING OFFSET
Customers may voluntarily choose to offset their shipment’s carbon dioxide emissions by clicking Carbonfree Shipping in their shopping bag prior to check out. This effectively offsets the carbon dioxide emitted by delivery vehicles (airplanes, trucks, etc.) The full proceeds from from customer donations are remitted to Carbonfund.org.

GIFT CERTIFICATES
Paper gift certificates are printed on and shipped in tree-free or 100% post-consumer recycled paper. It’s so natural, it can even be composted! But even the most eco-friendly papers use resources, so Peddler’s Wagon also offers downloadable and e-mail gift certificates!

ZERO WASTE
Peddler’s Wagon is a “Zero Waste” company, where any perceived materials that might be regarded as waste are either recycled, re-used, composted, reclaimed, or brought back into the production cycle. Everything is collected and sorted for proper reclamation including: the backs of labels, plastic bags, scrap metal from barrels, poly-woven bags, herbal refuse material, buckets, oil, and more.

COMPANY VEHICLES
The commercial fleet consists of approximately 10 bicycles, one Xtracycle, one Burley bike trailer, and a single vehicle that runs on homebrewed biodiesel made from used vegetable grease.

ENERGY USAGE
Peddler’s Wagon operates on 100% renewable energy. The company’s solar panels supply the electricity used in the office, which is sometimes supplemented by municipality provided green wind power. Wind and other renewable power sources run the website server. But, although the company uses only “green energy,” they have additionally instituted an aggressive energy reduction program with strict practices: The light in the office are used minimally—natural lighting in the day, no artifical light at night. If something requires the use of electrical lights, all lamps are either fitted with LED lightbulbs or CFLs that consume little electricity. Batteries for cameras or other necessary electronics are rechargeable. All electronics (with the exception of a low energy network/router, phones, and energy star certified printer/fax machine) are switched off when not in use or at night and phantom loads killed by the use of power strips. If anyone has to step away from a computer briefly, the computers are programmed to switch into low-energy use hibernation mode.

Other practices implemented in regards to office electronics are upgrades to LED flat screen monitors instead of traditional CRT monitors, which use about 65% more energy and generate nearly five times as much heat. All computer purchases are to EPEAT certified models which have been Gold Star rated for their environmental attributes, including energy conservation, the amount and type of packaging used to ship and house the computer, and the refusal to use harmful materials in the construction of the computers. The construction of these computers were offset through the carbon fund program.

Peddlar’s Wagon uses no other “extraneous” office electronics—that is, automatic stapler, pencil sharpeners, paper cutters, etc. Also, there is no air conditioning and, during extreme cold snaps, heat is generated with an EPA certified clean-burning wood stove fueled with scrap wood and logs from non-native trees obtained from local tree-trimmers.

MORE DERVAES URBAN SUSTAINABLE HOMESTEADING ON SUSTY »

SustyHack >> ONLINE» Carbonfund.org

Susty Basics » Zero Waste

ONLINE» PathToFreedom.com

Urban Homesteading Family: Susty Farming, Energy & Business on One-Fifth Acre

.: PeddlersWagon.com :.