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December 9, 2009 - Six of the
nation’s most eco-oblivious
citizens were chosen as
finalists this week to face off
in the
Hickory Springs “EarthCare
Challenge.” Finalists now
advance on a 45-day sustainable
lifestyle makeover for a chance
to win their own personal
collection of earth-friendly
home furnishings.
Hickory Springs announced the
final six on the contest’s
Facebook page on December 1. The
contest chronicles real, live
challenges facing the
contestants as they abandon
their old ways and adopt an
eco-friendly upgrade to their
home and lifestyle.
Taking place entirely on the
Internet on social networking
communities Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube and
EarthCareInside.com, The
EarthCare Challenge highlights
Hickory Springs’ line of
EarthCare Inside components for
upholstered furniture.
“From a 23-year-old aspiring
singer who doesn’t recycle to a
father of two looking to lower
the impact of his 3,000 square
foot home, each one of our
contestants can share a valuable
lesson about what it means to be
earth-conscious,” said Hickory
Springs Executive Vice President
Dwayne Welch. “Just as we’re
showing with our EarthCare
Inside components for the
country’s leading furniture
makers, positive change is
possible – from the inside out.”
The finalists are as follows:
-
Ray
Bariso, a business manager
from Warren, N.J., is
considering cutting-edge
products to make his home
more energy efficient, such
as solar panels and
geothermal heating.
-
My
Bui, from Highland, Cali.,
is a kinesiology major at
California State University
who wants to lead by example
by teaching her friends and
family about the benefits of
going green.
-
Idona
Cabrinha, a mother of two
from Los Osos, Cali., wants
to take her love of
gardening to a whole new
level by growing her own
food.
-
Laura
Dillon, a hairstylist from
San Bernardino, Cali.,
realizes she consumes more
than her fair share of water
and energy and wants to
learn eco-friendly habits to
help cut down on her cost of
living.
-
A
performer from Clifton,
N.J., who goes by “Justina,”
pays little attention to the
food she eats but wants to
change that for the better,
keeping the environment in
mind.
-
San
Francisco resident, Jackie
Walker, a recent graduate
from Cal Poly Pomona, wants
to practice eco-friendly
habits to benefit her
health.
The contestants are guided by
experts who specialize in the
areas of green lifestyle, diet
and eco-friendly home: Cindy
Ojczyk, LEED AP, owner of Simply
Green Design, a residential
design firm leading the interior
design field in sustainability,
and co-owner of Verified Green,
a green building consulting and
training firm; Michael Anschel,
a nationally recognized expert
on green remodeling, owner of
Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build, a
national award-winning firm
known for the ability to produce
high end design that is
sustainable, and co-founder of
Verified Green; and Amy Todisco,
a green lifestyle writer, life
coach and owner of
GreenLivingNow.com, a green
products ecommerce site.
Social media sites document
their progress through daily
tweets, photos, videos and other
activities, as the public is
invited to participate by voting
for their favorite contestant
and becoming a fan of designated
online sites for a chance to win
special discounts and prizes for
themselves.
Components from the company’s
EarthCare Inside line can be
found in products from some of
the country’s leading furniture
makers including Alan White
Furniture, Craftmaster, England
and H.M. Richards.
In January 2010, Hickory Springs
will award the grand prize to
the contestant who has made the
most dramatic makeover – taking
home the title of green champion
and a personal collection of
EarthCare Inside home
furnishings with a retail value
of $5,000.
For more information on The
Hickory Springs EarthCare
Challenge, visit:
www.earthcareinside.com and
click on “Take the Challenge.”
About Hickory Springs
Hickory Springs’ headquarters is
located in Hickory, North
Carolina, where the
international, privately-held
company was first founded in
1944 as a producer of furniture
springs. Hickory Springs has
grown into one of the nation’s
largest integrated manufacturers
to the furniture and bedding
industries with more than 60
operating facilities throughout
the United States. In 2008, the
company launched its EarthCare
Inside line of components for
upholstered furniture, including
the industry-leading Preserve®
bio-based foam, 100% recycled
cotton, recycled sinuous steel
and coils, among many other
sustainable options.
For more information, visit:
www.hickorysprings.com
and
www.earthcareinside.com. |
