Green Film Festivals

Green is the color of new beginnings, life, and renewal. That is exactly what the Going Green Film Festival and the Green Lifestyles Film Festival aim to promote. In essence, green filmmaking encourages filmmakers to produce films in way in which leaves less of a carbon imprint on the environment.

Applicants of the Going Green Film Festival are required to submit a green film ranging from the categories of green production, our planet, and hybrid and alternative transportation. The green production category requires applicants to make a film of any genre that specifically documents and explains the parts of the film which were considered to be green film making. The our planet category encourages filmmakers to make a film about a third world issue, ecology, nature, wildlife, or environmental. The last category involves making a film that features the uses of environmental friendly way of transportation such as a hybrid car or a bicycle.

The Green Lifestyles film festival on the other hand is a 501 © 3 non profit organization who aims to change the modern day message brought on by violent box office hits and encourage film makers to spread messages of inspiration within their films. Both festivals celebrate film makers who urine to make a difference, and leave the world a healthier and more conscience place. Watch for Maxim within the gift bag give ways of both festivals. For more information about green film festivals click here.

Healing The Great Lakes

Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, are known to the world as the Great lakes. These so called “Great” lakes have been under some extreme environmental stress lately. The lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes on the earth’s surface and, provide drinking water to billions of people within the surrounding area. So what’s the big deal?

In 2006, the United States Congress introduced the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act, which stated the many problems that are encroaching around the lakes such as, the deep pattern of irreversible deterioration, the closing of over 1,800 beaches, the huge dead zone in Lake Erie, and the $500 million dollar damage done each year due to invasive species. Today, the issue remains as a huge environmental threat.

On Sunday, February 21, the Obama administration revealed its own plan to rescue the lakes. The plan proposes $2 billion dollar budget over the span of five years to restore the lakes through a wide range of restoration programs from the federal to the state level all under the watch of the Environmental Protection Agency. The plan gives a very graphic view of the state of the lakes and also, outlines its major goals such goals, in being, the removal and prevention 45 million pounds of “e-waste”, pharmaceutical waste, and almost 5 millions pounds of household hazardous waste. Not to mention the restoration of coastal wetlands and rein in of pollution run off from farms and homes. Lastly, the plan addresses how it also seeks to stop the spread the vast presence of invasive species like the zebra mussel.
The start of the project depends on the final approval of this budget by Congress and the final “ok” from all the governmental agencies involved. Let’s hope that the Obama administration and the EPA can restore the greatness and natural beauty of these lakes.

A Natural Products’ Lover’s Dream

If you love visiting your local organic and natural store because of the pure enjoyment you getfrom smelling fresh pesticide free produce and reviewing the shelves for new and unique natural products, imagine walking a stadium’s worth full of natural products at one of the worlds most fun and top rated natural products trade shows – Natural Products Expo West 2010. This year’s show started today at its home location for the past thirty years in Anaheim California.

My experiences at Expo West are comparable to a child’s experience at a candy shop; major sensory overload in which I want to devour everything and talk to every booth vendor about their very unique products!!! Unfortunately Maxim had to sit out of Expo this year, but I am certain we will be back strong next year informing your store buyers of the need and importance of having Maxim stocked on their shelves.

Another unfortunate issue about Expo, outside of the fact that we will not be attending this year, is that it’s not open to the general public. It’s a trade show devoted solely to retail buyers and suppliers to scope out the latest in natural product innovations and opportunities. Since neither you or I will be able to attend Expo this year, as a token of our appreciation to your love for natural products, we’d like to extend to you a special opportunity – EMAIL US at info@maximhy.com by Monday, 3/15 at 6pm EST, with the key words “EXPO WEST” in the subject title and we’ll email you back a coupon for $5.00 off your next Maxim purchase at one of our valued online retail stores. This is our small gift to you to keep our minds off what we’ll be missing at Expo this weekend. Cheers!