Those of you who know me, also know that I’m big on ethics and business practices, especially when it comes to affiliates and sponsorship on PPnG. You also might notice that our top banner placement happens to be occupied by ING DIRECT– an online bank with a consumer advocate philosophy–and there’s a very good reason why. After I read the book ‘Mavericks at Work - Why the Most Original Minds in Business Wins’ I was so impressed with ING Direct and their business practices, that I opened up an Orange Savings Account 3% interest with no fees or minimums. Here’s why as explained in an exert from the book:

“At times, Arkadi Kuhlmann (President and CEO, ING DIRECT USA) can sound a lot like consumer activist Ralph Nader or crusading attorney general Eliot Spitzer. He rails against the banking industry’s exorbitant fees. He expresses contempt for the needless complexities and hidden charges that infect the home mortgage business. And don’t even get him started on credit cards. He’s fed up with a financial culture that encourages people to save too little, invest too recklessly, and spend too much.”

As I read this I thought in Spanish and as my ex-husband used to say, ‘Chau, radical.” Translation, ‘That’s a radical idea.” Ever heard of a bank that actually cares about the consumer? Well, ING DIRECT does. When George W. Bush passed the bankruptcy reform bill in 2005 which cracked down hard on cash-strapped individuals and families seeking protection from creditors, (thanks George) Kuhlmann “was the only CEO of U.S. Bank to oppose the bill publicly, comparing to ‘using a cannon to kill a mosquito.’ He submitted written testimony to a U.S. Senate Committee and took out a full page ad in the Washington Post.” -Mavericks at Work

As Kuhlmann says, “People want to do business with companies that share their values. We speak with a new voice—a different kind of voice for business.”

We agree. Plus, banking with ING DIRECT is convenient, easy to navigate, transferring to and from your other accounts is simple and there are no hidden fees. You guys rock.

Okay, just scroll down to see what adorable sweet animal this is. And then feel your heart melt.

One day old.

Three days old.

Seven days old.

Twenty five days old.

Twenty five days old.

Eighty-five days old.

One hundred and twenty days old.

Kissey lovey and smoosheees. Thank-you Philip.

Source: http://blog.photoshelter.com/2008/07/morning-quiz-guess-the-mammal.htm

We recently started a series of interviews with individuals who are living with focused passion and working towards a global change.

Here’s the PPnG interview with author and sustainability advocate Mary Clare Hunt whose blog, In Women We Trust rocks! Check out the end of the post for more on Mary’s bio.

PPnG: Can you tell me about In Women We Trust and how you got into it? Was there a specific moment in your personal life that led you to this path or was it an evolution?

MCH: By the time I was through writing In Women We Trust, listening to what made women tick, I could no longer be a “pusher” of products. The planet doesn’t need more stuff for the sake of stuff. It needs smarter consumers and sustainable products. That led me to SMaRT, the Sustainable Product Standard and then my personal blog connected me with the women’s blogging world.

PPnG: I’m really inspired by your philosophy around sustainability and the power we all have to make responsible choices. Can you elaborate on that in your own words and give some suggestions on how both women and men can begin to incorporate some of that in their personal and professional lives? What’s the first step?

MCH: We have serious economic times ahead. Our society is based on buying stuff and we have to start transforming profits from stuff into profits from services or consumables as well as make sure the things we are buying are certified as sustainable. If you’re in business, get your building LEED certified and your products SMaRT certified. As a citizen and consumer do what we did 40 years ago, buy things that last and stop being part of the throw-away society. Live simply and well. Change that mindset first and other decisions about having a greener home, car or food will be easier to make.

PPnG: I understand the importance of the new social media and how women are at its core. That is also reflected in the philosophy of women’s business networking group Ladies Who Launch which I belong to. I also know that women do business differently than men. How do you see that trend growing and contributing to social and environmental consciousness?

MCH: If you’re speaking of how women connect and reach across departmental and social lines, I definitely see that trend growing. Blogging enhances and enables that trend and male bloggers have to be as open and approachable as female bloggers. Companies, however, only care what their majority customer thinks/says and therefore they are paying more attention to what women are saying. if companies want to be their “best friends” then they have to walk the same womanly walk, which is greener and more socially conscious than what men walk. Until men buy more consumer goods than women, that trend will continue.

PPnG: In your experience, can the qualities that you talk about, i.e.women feeling more comfortable with other women in business practices, somehow be translated to men? Is it possible for men to develop a more female side and therefore connect more with women in a different way. How do you feel about this?

MCH: I’m praying that men will pick up the silk glove and try to be “better” than women in the communication game. If they do, then both genders win. Is it possible? Well…we were able to learn how to speak in corporate bullet points to fit into big business in the 80s. Men will have to learn how to carry on a stream-of-consciousness conversation without getting bugged. It’s easier for us to say less than it is for them to say more, but if there is a will and a dollar…

PPnG: Who is your hero?

MCH: My Mom for her creative use of money, time and materials. She stretched a dollar by valuing “homemade” as a sign of pride vs. no-cash and that value was transferred to me. A non-made gift was just being lazy. Due to my sister’s illness, we had very little money and yet I never had any idea of how close to the line we lived until many years later.

PPnG: What’s your favorite green lifestyle practice that you personally embrace in your daily life?

MCH: Eating fresh organics instead of the canned and questionable.

PPnG: What’s the best (or most inspiring) story you’ve heard from a woman?

MCH: It was one I needed at the time. I was 50 and had moved to Southern California after a divorce when I met Judy Rosener. She was 75 and a professor at University of California at Irvine. What impressed me is that she didn’t get her PhD until she hit 50 and then went on to write 2 books and teach. She put the wind back into my can-do sails.

PPnG: What’s your favorite treasured item in your home?

MCH: In all my moves (7), I keep bringing along a gallon jar filled with buttons from 4 generations of women who can’t bear to throw them out. Sometimes I run my fingers through them as if they were gold coins. I love the eras, the clothing the people they represent… and you never know when you might need a replacement rhinestone button!

Mary is a consultant for Sustainable buyer/seller engagement through women’s social media networks. She’s also the author of In Women We Trust and Ecolutionary Selling - Taking the Confusion out of Sustainable Furniture and the editor for Smart Solutions for Sustainable Business and the blog for The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability. Mary’s background includes a rare blend of consumer goods and intangible services anchored with manufacturing processes. She’s created print, TV and Radio campaigns for the largest retail mall in SW Michigan, and later managed over 200 industrial accounts while with (now) www.ThomasNet.com who is a “connector” and public speaker on consumers and business having a shared vision of Sustainability. She believes that every woman should have a blog and every business should read it. Mary raises organic vegetables in Orange County, CA and lives online.

We knew we were in trouble when bald spots began to appear. Pale, patchy, dead bald spots. Despite my husband’s best attempts to revive our struggling front lawn, we finally realized it was time for something new. We pondered replacing the old grass with new but instead rebelled against our long-held notion that all American homes must have a green front lawn. Our back-to-nature instincts kicked in and we got busy creating a front yard free of lawn but full of natural beauty.

Our first step was to kill what was left of the lawn. It didn’t make sense to spray Round-up on our grass only to replace it with eco-friendly native landscaping. Instead we spread out black garbage bags and tarps (shown below on right) and then waited over a month for the grass to die on its own.

Once the grass was truly dead we broke it up with picks and shovels and worked healthy compost and rich soil into the grass - turned -mulch to create a living, breathing foundation for our new yard. Next we brought in local river rock and pieces of dead wood to create a walking path and add textural interest to the garden.

Then the fun part began – plants! Plants are expensive but we found we could fill a lot of space just by moving around what we already had shoved into flower beds. We took some plant starts from my parents’ fabulous garden. Free plants are the best plants! Now we’re starting to fill in with native grasses, roses, lavender, coriopsis, and native trees to complete the space.

We’ll continue to fill it in gradually as we find plants or shrubs we love at the local nursery. The birds and butterflies are already enjoying our new garden and so are we. We’re the only house on our street without grass in front but it feels so good each time I drive home and see my front yard in full bloom.

–Beth Sethi

I sat at the table and looked around at the other women in admiration. It was a Ladies Who Launch Advisory Board meeting at member Chrys Hutching’s house (more like a retreat center really) and I thought, “Wow, these ladies are really doing it — successful entrepreneurs, raising kids, managing their lives, and with focused passion.” I mean, yeah, we all have challenges, right? But here I was in the grace of these females that bring it all together beautifully and support each other in the process. I was inspired and suddenly I remembered, “Hey I’m also part of this fabulous network.” And yes I was grateful.

Ladies Who Launch members (above photo) from left to right: Prema Niham of Rivers Grace, Sabine Welling, Cindy Aggson of Carpe Viam Group, Chrys Hutchings of Eco-Luxury Fur, Rebecca Shapiro of Gallery Verno and Rebecca Shapiro Art, Cheryl Janis (that’s me!) of Planet Pink n’ Green and Cheryl Janis Style, Ericka Dickey of Social Enterprises and Krista Colvin of Organize In Style.