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FEBRUARY PROPS PARTNER: THEATER ACTION PROJECT (TAP!)

Theater Action Project is one of those things that make me so proud to live in Austin.   Powerful and caring individuals make it their business everyday to inspire young people to become creative, courageous, and confident leaders in their communities. Click on the logo above to read their mission statement and learn more about this terrific organization.

At TAP!, teams of artists and educators work in partnership with schools and communities to create arts programs that explore critical issues through creative expression.   Here is just a sampling of the tough stuff kids are talking about in TAP! programs:

BULLYING           DATING VIOLENCE            PEER PRESSURE LITERACY        GANG PREVENTION             HOMOPHOBIA      FOOD JUSTICE       CULTURAL AWARENESS   SEXUAL HARASSMENT   EMOTIONAL LITERACY         VIOLENCE PREVENTION

TAP’s programs reach more than 16,000 young people and adults every year with more than 480 hours of programming to youth PreK-12th grade.

 By raising funds for TAP! we help end these debilitating social ills.   5% of EcoClean’s revenue every Wednesday goes to a local non-profit.   We call this our PROPS! Program.  This month, visit us on one of the FIVE February Wednesdays to make a difference for TAP!  

Giving kids the tools they will need to fight detrimental social norms and stand up for what they believe in is such important work. Thank you TAP!!

New Research Links Dry Cleaning Chemical To Increased Risk of Mental Illness.

Boston University recently studied pre-natal/early childhood exposure to tetrachloroethylene (a.k.a. PCE or PERC), and the results are of great concern. It has long been suspected that dry-cleaning chemicals were linked to multiple neurological diseases and abnormalities such as schizophrenia.  In this study, scientists found twice the risk for bi-polar disorder and a 50% greater risk for PTSD in individuals with higher than average exposure to the solvent.  You can read the study for yourself here.  These findings coupled with another recent study on the link between PERC and Parkinson’s may spell bad news for traditional dry-cleaners but for us, are inspiring confirmations of the hard work we are doing here at EcoClean to offer an alternative that makes a difference for people now and in the future.  We are delighted to know that our staff, our customers and all of our families are spared the risks typically associated with the garment care industry.

The most common source of PERC/PCE today is dry-cleaning so your choice to use EcoClean, a professional wet cleaner, is making a significant difference.  Thank you! We are always surprised at how difficult it can be to convince some people to change their garment care habits.  Please consider sharing the bad news about dry-cleaning and good news about wet cleaning with your friends, family and colleagues. Because the impact of dry-cleaning solvents does not stop with the consumer – it contaminates the air we breathe and the water we drink – encouraging others to make a change (or take the plunge ) is more important than ever.

Shatia O’Leary and Kerstin Shoberg

Happy perc-free EcoClean staffers

Happy New Year Austin!

Happy New Year Austin! We are starting off 2012 by celebrating our beautiful clean city! This month’s PROPS partner, KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL, will receive 5% of our sales every Wednesday in January. Bring in your cleaning tomorrow and every Wednesday this month to support this great organization.  From neighborhood and waterway clean-ups to tree planting and community garden support this group inspires Austinites everyday to take pride in our environment.  Check out their website to see the impressive list of ways that KAB improves our community

DECEMBER PROPS PARTNER: The Save Our Springs Alliance

The Save Our Springs Alliance (SOS)  is grassroots power and Texas-sized passion at its finest!   Waaaaaaay back in the early 1990s a group of Austin citizens came together to fight a huge development that threatened the Barton Springs watershed. The resulting ordinance was a historic citizen’s success story.  Twenty years later SOS is still fighting  to protect the water quality and natural beauty of the Hill Country springs we love.  Every time you hike the greenbelt, take a refreshing dip in Barton Springs, or catch a glimpse of the tree-covered watershed that is much of southwest Austin, you might tip your hat to the S.O.S. 

The Save Our Springs Alliance works to protect the Edwards Aquifer, its springs and contributing streams, and the natural and cultural heritage of the Hill Country region and its watersheds, with special emphasis on Barton Springs.  If you are new to Austin or too young to remember, check out this Chronicle Award to understand the enormous impact this organization has had on the quality of life we Austinites enjoy.  

This month EcoClean is working to give a little back.  As this month’s ECOCLEAN PROPS PARTNER, SOS will receive 5% of our sales every Wednesday in December. With your help Austin we can really make a difference.  Remember, the more clothes we clean, the more money we raise for S.O.S.  

PROPS to you SOS, and we’ll see you Wednesday Austin.

PROPS to YOU EcoClean Customers!

In just two months EcoClean customers have contributed over $800 to our community via the PROPS program. 

In September we raised $399 for the Hill Country Conservancy and their efforts to preserve and protect land and water features in the Central Texas Hill Country. Their philosophy is simple. Once Hill Country land is gone, it’s gone for good. When HCC preserves it, it’s here forever.

In October we raised $403.10 for SafePlace who for over 35 years has been providing shelter, support and crisis intervention for families dealing with domestic and sexual violence.  Their commitment to end this violence through healing, prevention, and education is truly commendable. 

We developed PROPS in the spirit of collaboration and gratitude.  We love Austin and believe that by working together Austinites can accomplish greatness! In addition to donating 5% of our sales every Wednesday of the month, we support and promote our partner organizations and the issues they address.  Look for the following organizations in the coming months:  Save Our Springs, Keep Austin Beautiful, and Theatre Action Project. 

It’s easy to find out who we are supporting each month.  You can follow the Blog , watch the “PROPS SPOT” in the Lobby of EcoClean, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. When you see your favorite organization in the line-up, please tell your friends and family.   The more people who participate, the more we give!

This month we are supporting Austin Lyric Opera and their efforts to keep opera alive for generations to come in our vibrant city!  Drop your clothes off this Wednesday to make a difference for ALO. We will do the rest. 

Our sincere gratitude and “proper respect” to our fabulous customers for doing their part,

P.S.  For those of you more Eco hip than Urban hip here is the 411 on the word PROPS: PROPS  is urban slang for PROPER RESPECT which was shortened to PROPERS in the 1960s. In the song  Respect, Otis Redding’s original line “… give me my proper respect when you get home” was interpreted by Aretha Franklin as “..give me my propers, when you come home.”  The further abbreviated version, props, was popularized in the 1980’s by hip-hop artists and fans.

Our November PROPS partner is: Austin Lyric Opera!

Austin Lyric Opera has been enriching Austin with critically acclaimed operatic productions and opera  education for 25 years. EcoClean is excited to support the work of these champions of the dramatic arts in central Texas.  A portion of our sales every Wednesday in November will go directly to ALO to fund the productions and programs keeping opera alive.  Thank you ALO, and thank you Austin for supporting the arts!  http://www.austinlyricopera.org/

FREE OPERA TICKETS!!  Don’t miss the opportunity to win free tickets to ALO’s upcoming Operas: Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, and Puccini’s Turandot.  When you come in to EcoClean this month, drop your business card to win!

EcoClean

EcoClean PROPS! Partner for October: SafePlace

 SafePlace is an Austin based nonprofit organization ending sexual and domestic violence through safety, healing, prevention and social change.  For over 35 years the staff, volunteers and generous supporters of SafePlace have worked passionately to help thousands of victims of sexual and domestic violence each year in central Texas.  PROPS to you SafePlace!

 How is EcoClean showing their appreciation? We are donating 5% of our revenue every Wednesday in October directly to SafePlace. So fill your laundry bags Austin and come in to EcoClean this Wednesday to make a difference!

How to Avoid Dry Cleaning Dangers

An easy-to read article about dry cleaning alternatives…  How to avoid dry cleaning dangers

Tony–our fabulous new manager–brought this article to my attention today.  I want to share it with you because I found it easier to read than most articles on the subject of Dry Cleaning chemicals and the available alternatives.  Like most industries, ours is rife with businesses trying to “green” their images with misleading names and claims.  Check out the article to get a quick lesson on what the word “organic” really means and find out more about products like “GreenEarth” and EcoSolv from Chevron-Phillips.  Of course I love the part about Wet Cleaning being a truly health-conscious, natural, and effective method of professionally cleaning garments!

-Kerstin

PROPS!

This Thursday September first EcoClean is proud to announce  the birth of “PROPS” , our community partner program designed to create positive change in the environment and social fabric of Austin.  By partnering with local non-profit organizations each month we not only give our customers an easy way to make difference, but we spread awareness of the issues facing our community and the powerful organizations working to solve them. 

Beginning in September, EcoClean will donate 5% of our sales every Wednesday of the month to a selected non-profit organization.  We will be supporting, promoting and otherwise acknowledging the programs and people that make our community strong, healthy and smart.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE by bringing in huge orders of cleaning every Wednesday!  5% of your EcoClean bill for that day will go directly to the non-profit.

Keep an eye on this BLOG to learn about the PROPS partner of the month and which organizations are coming up.   OK, drum roll please, our first ever PROPS Community Partner is…

Working every day to preserve open space in the Barton Springs Aquifer region.

HCC was founded in 1999 to preserve – forever – large strategic natural areas that conserve critical water features, preserve outdoor recreation opportunities, and help maintain the Hill Country’s unique quality of life. Their philosophy is simple. Once Hill Country land is gone, it’s gone for good. When HCC preserves it, it’s here forever.

PROPS TO YOU HCC!   

Love, 

Welcome to the new EcoClean website!

Our new site has many new features we think you will enjoy and lots of new information.  We have added a number of social media features so it is easier for us to stay connected.  On the home page you will be able to see our weekly Twitter promotions if you aren’t already following us.  We will also be streaming updates from our Facebook page and YouTube channel.  Most exciting though, is our new blog.  (Which you have obviously already discovered!) We plan to use the blog to post tips on cleaning and keeping your garments safe, to discuss important customer issues, to share news on the environment and keep you up-to-date on all things EcoClean.

We have also added the ability to see if your area is covered by our new delivery service.  If you aren’t getting your cleaning picked up and delivered, you should check it out. You can sign up right online.  There is also loads of new information on wet cleaning, garment care, our services and a little bit more about the team that gets your clothes so clean.  If there is something you think we missed with our new site, please comment on this post or send and email to info@ecocleanaustin.com.