How many eco-friendly consumers does it take to change a  lightbulb? How many to  change a life?

Purely Products makes it easy to help change lives. A national TV campaign for Healthy CFL  launched in December makes clean, healthy living easier for families and at the same time, makes it easy to help children in need – through diaperLove, a nonprofit organization providing diapers to children in need. Changing diapers. Changing lives.

Meet the hardest working lightbulb on the market.

Healthy CFL air purifier wrapped in a lightbulb

Healthy CFL, super energy efficient compact fluorescent lightbulb, saves consumers energy and money.

With the added bonus, of cleaning the air of allergens with a built-in ionizer.

And for an encore, it puts diapers on babies’ bottoms.  A percentage of every Purely Products purchase supports diaperLove. 

So consumers can change their own families’ lives with a cleaner, healthier environment in their own home. And they can help change the lives of countless children in need every time they shop online  or at national retailers.

What an easy switch to make. Every time you change a Purely lightbulb, you can help a change a life.

Ninety Percent of Consumers Want Companies to Support Causes

American consumers are huge supporters of cause marketing campaigns,  according to Allyson Kapin’s blog in care2.com. She cites the 2010 Cone Cause Evolutions Study that finds 90% of consumers want companies to tell them the ways they are supporting causes.

More than 278 million people in the U.S. want to know what a company is doing to benefit a cause.  Consumers are “primed, attuned to cause branding” and ready for “deeper engagement.”

Are those your feelings as a consumer? Are you more likely to buy from a company who is cause-focused?

As this NY Times article begins, Food scares, such as the latest salmonella outbreak and egg recall, often trigger a rethinking in cooking and shopping habits. Any kind of recall or universal food scare triggers a rethinking of our habits and sends us scurrying for fixes and remedies. For a while. Then, the scare moves out of the headlines, and how many of us slack off from our new clean and healthy living habits?  Too much trouble. Forgot to do it today. Just this once won’t hurt.

This full article on creating a clean kitchen, In the Age of Recalls, Tips for a Pathogen-Free Kitchen reminds us,  “This summer’s huge egg recall was the latest reminder that we do battle against dangerous pathogens like E. coli and salmonella in our kitchens every day. And the battle is expensive.”

Recently a nutritionist reviewed Pocket Purifer, the handheld UV germ-killer that kills 99.9% of germs that cause colds and flu, plus E. coli and salmonella, along with mold, fungus and MRSA (staph). Among several suggestions is using the right cutting board and keeping it sanitized.

“First a dietician, now a nutritionist, I used this product in the kitchen to sanitize the surface of my cutting board after cutting raw chicken and then switching to lettuce.”  

Ultraviolet light technology, a non-chemical approach to disinfection, is used in sewage treatment plants, hospital clean rooms and many other areas where killing bacteria, viruses and spores is crucial.

So how does UV light work?  UV-C light is germicidal,  deactivating the DNA of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens and thus destroying their ability to multiply and cause disease. Specifically, UV-C light causes damage to the nucleic acid of microorganisms, preventing the DNA from being unzipped for replication, and the organism is unable to reproduce. In fact, when the organism tries to replicate, it dies. A very satisfying thought for any chef.

After cleaning with your favorite eco-friendly cleaner, give those cutting boards and counters a once-over (15 -20 seconds over the surface at about a distance of 2-3 inches).  If you’re looking to green up your kitchen, cut down on your chemical exposure and keep your family healthier- this compact, lightweight, good-looking but deadly little germ-killer may be just the thing you want to pop in your kitchen drawer and pull out often.

We‘re looking for a few good foodies to try Pocket Purifier! Anyone game? DM us @purelyproducts and tell us what you think of kitchen germs.

We love any blogger’s post that includes the shout-out, “Purely Products is my kind of company.” But then able2able.com put Healthy CFL, the little air purifier wrapped in a compact fluorescent lightbulb, to the ultimate smell test – baby poo and doggie drool.

You can read her entire review including her passion for Pocket Purifier here, but check out her family’s bottom line on the bulb.

“I also reviewed the Healthy light bulb. This innocent looking compact fluorescent lightbulb actually has an air purifier in its middle. The Healthy CFL cleans the air of cigarette smoke, pollen, mold, germs, dust, odors, pet dander and other airborne contaminants. As it cleans, the built-in ionizer also counters the draining effects of positive ions emitted every day by items like computers, cell phones, televisions, and forced air ventilation, while flowing a steady stream of refreshing negative ions into the air to boost mood and energy. Yeah, I was happy to have two of these in my home!

So does the Healthy CFL work?

My Red Dog loves to sneak on the couch when we are out on Clara-Bear’s longer appointment days. I discovered he was drooling on my couch when I started coming home to a closed up house with a funky smell. Now I leave the living room light with the Healthy CFL bulbs in it and I no longer notice a dog smell or closed up stuffy smell, even with the a/c turned up to 79 degrees. Since the Healthy CFL uses 80% less energy than a traditional light bulb we have not noticed an increase in our electricity bill with the light on all day.

I also had to move my essential oil diffuser out of the living room since I could not smell my beautiful oils. And I put the Healthy CFL to the ultimate, grossest test yesterday. I changed a super-pooper diaper underneath it, turned the a/c temp up, and left the house for an hour. I was relieved not to smell poop when we returned!”

“Since we have a houseful of asthma, allergies, and exzema, I really like knowing that allergens and triggers are being cleaned by the Healthy CFL’s along with the funk.”

Got any household funk issues for the little light bulb that could to take on?  Two free  Healthy CFLs to the grossest funk challenge! Thru 9/15/10.

As the economy pushes families to scrutinize household budgets even more intensely, mom’s influence has solidly increased  in all family purchases, according to a recent report from Experian Marketing Services reported on by Media Post News.  69% of moms report being  “the most influential person in the household when it comes to making purchase decisions.”

And from organic milk to free range chicken, the trend is moving swiftly from thinking green to buying green. “The growth trend toward green purchases among younger moms, at this point, is outpacing the 35-and-older mothers by at least 5% a year.” The report  attributes it, especially with moms under 35, to “more information available about the impact of green choices on children’s health.”

Bloggers this summer reviewing Pocket Purifier, the handheld germ-eliminating UV light  from Purely Products, just  in time for the back to school germ wars bore this out.

Real Moms Real Views asked,”Why would you not avoid getting sick if you could?  Well…TADA!  You  can! Did I ever test it out!  I used it on my keyboard, my toothbrush, the sponge, my puppy’s toys, my cell…everything I could think of. Now you can kill germs without chemicals, isn’t that very green chic!?”

Or as RealMommy365 explained, “I have a large family with 8 children and that means I’m in a constant war with germs. I love that the Pocket Purifier is chemical free and so would my followers. Most of my followers are similar to me in that they prefer more natural choices when it comes to their families.”

After disinfecting stuff at home, it was time to take it on the road! First stop, the food court at our local mall. While the hubby did the ordering, I whipped out my new “toy” and began to sanitize the table. I had quite a few stares from people wondering what I was doing with that cool light.”

We have more reviews from Moms, on the watch for their children’s health and well-being, on Purely Products’ Facebook page. Go there to hear it straight from the source – out of the mouths of moms.

What steps do you take to protect your children from germs? And more importantly, tell us -  would you be willing to zap a fast food table with a gizmo that looks like something out of Men in Black?

The inspiration for Purely Products was the fairly unglamorous mission to offer the very best and most affordable UV replacement bulbs on the market. Less than five years later, Purely UV is the leading national brand with the largest selection of 100% quartz  ultraviolet replacement bulbs and sleeves, all guaranteed to fit.

The Purely UV bulb (which comes in all shapes and sizes to fit most manufacturers’ bases) may not be glamorous or breathtaking or inspiring, but what that little bulb keeps cleaner and clearer definitely is.

As homeowners turn to “staycations” and invest in expanding their living spaces beyond their bricks & mortar walls, all kinds of water features – water gardens, waterfalls, naturalistic streams, fountains, lily and koi ponds –  have dominated  the must-have trends in landscaping and gardening over the past few years.  (Maybe another reason is the positive effects of  negative ions, generated by water gardens and waterfalls are proven to soothe soul and spirit. Kind of been a theme here lately. We’re just sayin’ … )

So now, for a little cooling summertime inspiration in this scorcher of a 2010 summer, here is a stunning tour of some gorgeous water gardens from a more temperate summer, courtesy of a self-described “17th century frugalista on a modern suburban homestead,” the Empress of Dirt.

So much for the inspiration. Now for the perspiration.  If you want some practical know-how on how-to build a water garden, read up on the basics  from a Purely UV customer, water garden guru, Trevor Cole with Across the Pond.

Send us a photo and your best story about building (or maintaining) your water garden by July 31, 2010  to patricia (at) purelyproducts (dot) com. We’ll post them. Best story gets two free Purely UV bulbs of your choice (because you need to replace your pond’s bulb at least once a year, right?).

That’s one of the conclusions from a mother with an environmental science background with an interest in brain chemistry exploring the contributing factors to ADD, attention deficit disorder.  In a blog on her website, Born to Explore, The Other Side of ADD, Teresa Gallagher details a plan to create balance with hormones that affect brain chemistry. 

Our ears perked up when she got to serotonin levels.

Serotonin is a hormone that is found naturally in the human brain. Serotonin can be considered a “happy” hormone, as it greatly influences an overall sense of well-being. It also helps to regulate moods, temper, anxiety, and relieve depression. It is also credited with being a natural sleep aid.

Gallagher lists stress, modern food processing, lack of exercise & sleep, poor nutrition, and deionized air as principal causes of  reduced serotonin levels.

21st century lifestyles take their toll even as they make life easier with all the eletronics that fill every possible crook and nanny (uh, that would be nook and cranny if I were paying attention) of our lives. Gallagher ticks off a top ten plus one list of proactive, non-medicating, more organic steps to take to create more balance in your brain’s lab.

Tips 1 through 10, you can incorporate some healthy new lifestyle habits right now, like more sleep and exercise, improve your diet, meditate or do yoga, keep cool, add in B vitamins, look for ways to relieve stress every day.

Tip No. 11?

“Buy an air ionizer. Yes, it sounds weird, but air with negatively charged particles appears to help out serotonin in the brain. Pollution and the modern world have nearly eliminated naturally charged air in urban areas. You can feel the pleasant effect of negative ions wherever there is running water, like an ocean beach or near a waterfall. The opposite – positive ions – are generated by warm winds moving over dry land, like the Santa Ana winds of California, which are known to increase irritability…”

Tip #11. Got that covered. Plug into Ionic Lifestyle. 

Negative ion generators that emit 2,000,000 negative ions (also known as anions) per cubic centimeter counter the energy-draining effects of positive ions emitted by electronics, household materials, and other trappings of modern living. In your car, at your computer, in front of your big-screen tv – wherever you are bombarded by positive ions, you can plug in an Ionic Lifestyle unit  from Purely Products, a leader in negative ion technology, and naturally charge the air, increasing “feel good” serotonin levels and improving oxygen flow to the brain. 

Check out this mom’s recommendations to engage the help of this hard working “happiness molecule.”  Can you see integrating any of these changes into your life to see the difference they could make?

Lots of things to think about here, before the big homecoming, including “Consider any allergies or health concerns, since many types of pets have fur that can aggravate allergies and asthma.“  And (imagine) we just happen to have some advice for you on that one. Clean, healthy (and odor-free) living with pets is not a contradiction in terms. 

New Pet CFL (how cute are those faces on the box?) helps remove pet odors and dander (an allergen that aggravates asthma and allergies), along with smoke, dust, pollen and mold spores. It’s got a built-in air purifier inside the energy-saving, money-miser compact fluorescent lightbulb. Which will come in handy when you have to get up a lot at night to soothe a crying puppy and take him ouside. So swap out your lightbulbs, take a deep breath and check out the Buttoned Up Way to greet the newest member of the family.  

How does your family handle  the “I WANT A  PUPPY!” campaign?

From Google reader, we found writer Chris Baskind, founder of Lighter Footstep focused on A Healthier Family. A cleaner planet. Making the most of your weekly budget. Chris counsels that “eco-friendly living is a process.” 5 Ways to Put the Joy Back into Going Green.  “Don’t be afraid to make mid-course corrections. There are more green things under the sun than you could ever do in one lifetime. Find the ones that make sense for you — particularly the ones you enjoy — and spend your time on those.” 

Small steps, big difference is pivotal to Purely Products operating mantra. So when one of our customers, excited about his  new Healthy CFL’s  (Purely’s compact fluorescent lightbulb wrapped around an air purifier) emailed us to see if he could use them in ceiling fans, we gave him our opinion and then sent him to Chris’ blog 7 Tips for how to live with CFL’s. 

In this blog on Mother Nature Network, Chris offers an easy to understand overview of energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs that help the eco-leaning consumer become more CFL savvy. He covers options for proper disposal in Take the CFL Recyling Challenge.   And just fyi, Purely Products has a no-charge recycling program and you get 10% off your next bulb purchase. For details, click here and scroll down to We Recycle.

Thinking about the switch? Check out Chris’ 7  Tips to see if these energy saving light bulbs might make sense in more places in your home.

Any experiences with CFLs in ceiling fans?

160 kids decked out in Purely blue t-shirts with a custom Natalie Gulbis Youth Clinic design took over Gettysvue Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee on a hot Sunday May afternoon to kick off the inaugural Purely Products Golf Classic charity weekend.

Members of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley,  local chapter of The First Tee, Knoxville Challenger Sports and other young golfers from the area turned out for the golf clinic with LPGA Tour Pro and Purely Products spokesperson Natalie Gulbis. The charity weekend benefitted diaperLove, a non-profit providing diapers to children in need, and Boys and Girls  Clubs.

Natalie started off the clinic with a lively Q & A session, answering  any and every question about living her dream as a professional golfer including  far-ranging subjects like “Are you married?” (No. ) “Do you have a boyfriend?” (No.) “Then, are you lonely?” (big burst of laughter, No!) ” How many golf balls do you hit in one day?” (As many as 100, but not all at the same time.) And, just before her first drive of the clinic, “Can you hit a car?”

After answering questions, ‘Miss Natalie,’ as her students called out to her, conducted a golf clinic, demonstrated some power drives and autographed t-shirts and visors. Each child got a copy of group photos taken with Natalie. The afternoon’s events were emceed by Dino Cartwright from Knoxville CBS affiliate, WVLT Volunteer Television who kept the three age groups (9 and under, 10-12 yrs and 13 and over) moving smoothly from golf clinic to putting green contest to driving range practice to Spin and Win competition.

Fourteen local golf pros supported by twenty volunteers from the University of Tennessee Sports Management school made sure that each of the children enjoyed one on one instruction.

After putting in their time on the greens, 160 hot and sweaty kids headed for the country club’s pool to cool off and enjoy hot dogs, chips, sodas and ice cream at a poolside party.

Before heading to their buses, each child was given a Taylor Made Junior golf club, generously donated by Natalie’s golf club sponsor, Taylor Made. Four talented winners  (3 age groups and Challenger group) in the putting competition won a complete set of youth clubs.

It was the perfect kick-off to a charity weekend to benefit children. As one happy mom emailed, “Thank you so much for inviting the kids involved in Challenger Sports to the golf clinic.  My daughter had a WONDERFUL time.  Natalie was so gracious, friendly and a great representative of your company. It was a memorable day  – well-run, fun, and a great opportunity for our daughter (and her family)!”

We are so grateful to everyone involved, especially LPGA Tour Pro Natalie Gulbis, in the inaugural Purely Products Golf Classic to benefit children. We’ll let one of the first emails to come in speak for us.  

“I just wanted to express how impressive Monday’s Purely Products Golf Classic was. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that much fun in a scramble — and I’ve played in quite a few over the last handful of years. I never would have guessed that that event was put together in just a few months. It was well run and had all the amenities one could ask for.

I just wanted to say congratulations on year 1 and hope there are more to come.

Natalie’s involvement was top notch as well. I don’t think you could find a better ambassador. Given her travel schedule and LPGA schedule, she was able to still stay upbeat and work long days with the tournament both days AND still put up with the media! She handled it all with grace and class and made everyone feel like she was glad to see them.   Now I know first hand why you sponsor her.

More photos of Natalie and the event to come! Thank you to everyone for helping us help children in need.