http://boxedwaterisbetter.com/

Plywood People:  Where did the idea to box water first come from?

Benjamin Gott: I can remember the day, being super excited, putting a lot of what you see today together within the first 24 hours of the idea – but to be honest I rarely can pinpoint the actual moment I had the idea.  I was grabbing lunch with my good friend Kevin who now runs operations for the company, and the topic of bottled water came up – how it had switched from being this fashionable/health accessory to a bit of a taboo from an environmental standpoint.  I did some research on how huge of an industry it is, $15-16B annually when we launched, and figured this was a behavioral thing that wasn’t going to just disappear.  So the idea was to simply take a different, new approach.

Plywood People:  Why did you feel it was important to start a boxed water company?

Benjamin:  I think its the job of creative people, and I think pretty much everyone is inherently creative, to come up with new, different, creative, unique approaches to problems. And its fun.

Plywood People:  How does Boxed Water Is Better give back, both environmentally and socially?

Benjamin: We wanted to keep it simple.  From the environmental end of things we work to be both more efficient and more sustainable/renewable.  Our container is 76% composed of a renewable resource, trees, that are from FSC certified forests, its recyclable, we can flat ship our cartons to our fillers – and we’re work to have local filling in each area as we grow.  From the giving end of things, we donate 10% to water relief and another 10% to reforestation efforts.

Plywood People:  How have people reacted to the concept of Boxed Water? Was the response what you expected?

Benjamin: We spent a lot of time on the design of the product – which is something I really enjoy doing.  I wanted to create something that was a pleasure to look at – something you wouldn’t mind having on your coffee table.  So when the design community responded positively I was really pretty excited about that.  But beyond that, I noticed pretty early on that we didn’t have a particular demographic – it seemed all sorts of different people purchased the product – we really enjoy that.

Plywood People:  What are the future plans for Boxed Water Is Better?  Where should we expect to see boxed water in the coming years?

Benjamin: The philanthropic end of things!  That has to be the part I’m most excited about.  Right on the back of the carton we state that even being able to purchase just one boxed water is a total luxury.  Point blank.  So I’m really excited about building a company that can give back – there are some great non-profits we would love to work with.

We were introduced to KIND a month or so ago, and have been mildly obsessed ever since.  To create their snacks, they use all delicious and healthy foods that are familiar, and you can actually say what the names of the ingredients!

KIND® was conceived in 2003 by Daniel Lubetzky, a social entrepreneur that TIME Magazine recognized in 2009 among “25 Responsibility Pioneers” and BusinessWeek named among “America’s Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs.”

In 1994, Daniel first founded PeaceWorks Foods, a “not-only-for-profit”® company that fosters economic cooperation among neighbors striving to co-exist in conflict regions worldwide. PeaceWorks® launched several award-winning healthy food products and its joint ventures continue to bring people together, but Daniel was still searching for that elusive snack that was wholesome and convenient, tasty and healthy at the same time.

They don’t just want to be a snack company, they also want to encourage acts of kindness by the people who consume their products.  Through an average workday each employee is encouraged to do acts of kindness.  They want their brand to exceed the expectation of just being a delicious form of nutrition, to also be a place that is ensuring kindness.

I tend towards the skeptical side of things most of the time.  If someone tries to convince me my happiness will be fulfilled, I immediately question the possibility.  It’s not that I don’t believe that there is happiness and hope to be found (because I do) it’s more that I don’t believe that the things that I’m told are going to bring it actually will.

We’re told all our lives to dream big, and I think it’s wonderful to dream big and wide and high.  When we work hard to accomplish those dreams, whatever they may be, and we are invited to experience the wonder of their reality, there’s a moment that we’re suspended and we couldn’t imagine anything better.

But then there is the inevitable dip afterwards.  It wasn’t entirely how we thought it might be.  It created more work than we were ready for; we’re slightly disappointed in our dreaming, because it didn’t feel how we thought it might, or we just simply couldn’t stay suspended past those first enthralling moments.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot over the last year or so.  How do we remain hopeful and yet realistic at the same time?  How do we keep our dreams from becoming disappointments, and our failures from somehow marking everything else we try?

I was recently talking with a friend who told me she started a gratitude journal.  She wanted to begin to shift her focus to the everyday beauty that she knew she was taking for granted, so I decided to join her.  Every morning I write down a thought about gratitude that someone wise before me has said, and then I write 5 things that I am thankful for.

It sounds a little trite, and it honestly some days feels mechanical and ritualistic. In my skepticism I keep questioning when I’m going to tire of the routine, but for now, it’s transforming my perspective.  Instead of focusing on the negative, my failures and disappointments, or even the twinge of disappointment when the heights of something good have taken a bit of a plunge, I’m learning to see the everyday wonders that inhabit my life.  Some days the things for which I’m grateful carry a weight to them that I can’t name, some days they’re lighthearted and silly, and others I have to think real hard to find 5 things that I’m truly thankful for.  But all in all, I’m finding that having something good to keep my eye out for, really is helping me to seek and find goodness.  It’s much more prevalent than I was giving life credit for.

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We’ve been planning and preparing for our first ever Plywood Presents: Making Ideas Happen event.  We’ve been meeting and talking with our presenters, and interacting with those participating.  We’re excited to be moving forward on an idea we’re passionate about: Collaborating and networking with people in our city who are also passionate about making the world a better place with their good ideas.  We’ve been blown away by the quality of those registering, and know it’s going to be an unforgettable day of both content and networking.

Don’t miss your opportunity to secure your spot and meet other people in the city working hard with similar passions directed in various fields.  We are confident that it’s going to be the social innovators event of the year in Atlanta, and would love to have you join us for the day!  We still have seats available, so register by August 1st for a lower rate if you’d like to join us!  Please let us know if you have any questions!  We’d love to answer them for you!  You can email gisele@plywoodpeople.com.

How big is your home?  It seems to be something we talk a lot about.  ”I got a GREAT deal on this house…” and the question that follows is “How big is it? How many rooms does it have?”  Jay Shafer has rethought this idea.  He’s opted to live in a home that is 89 square feet.  Take a second and wrap your mind around that number.  I’m pretty sure my master bathroom is 89 square feet, give or take.   Jay thought about how much space he actually needed to live in, versus the size of the home he had, and then downsized.  Drastically.  He makes use of all the space in his 89 square feet, and has enjoyed living simply.  He doesn’t buy what he doesn’t need or have room to put somewhere, and has made quite the business out of his simple living.  He was concerned about his impact on the environment and the pursuit of “The American Dream” and decided to do something about it, instead of just feel guilty.  This is what he has to say about his homes,

My houses have been composed with meticulous attention to light, warmth, energy efficiency, and proportion. I have made the most of each cozy interior by minimizing transitional areas like hallways and stairwells and by using otherwise unusable space as storage. The simple, formal designs that have resulted are the best way I have found to order most any space and make it beautiful.

He now builds small homes for others.  They’re called Tumbleweed Houses.  They’re adorable, cottage looking homes ranging in size from 89 to 837 square feet.  What if you could reduce your expenses to $15,000 a year, and utilities to $75 a year.  Would it be worth it to you?  Small living certainly isn’t for anyone, but it kind of makes one wonder how much room we really need.

We wanted to share another list of some people doing really amazing things in their field of interest and expertise.  They are people who have shown creativity in meeting needs around the world.  They are actively working to address issues that have previously either not been given attention or have been ignored.  These are people and organizations that have inspired us, and spurred others to action by their innovation.

Help LiNK Global get $.26 per view!

The Freeconomy Community was started by Mark Boyle based on his desire to live Ghandi’s quote to “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  He wanted to go beyond just addressing the myriad of bad behaviors that activists tend toward. He wanted to seek out the root causes of behind the injustices that are taking place in the world.  Instead of treating symptoms he wanted to become a “social homeopath,” looking for solutions. To start, he decided he needed to give up spending money for a whole year.  He would grow his own food, make the things he needed, and depend on his community around him.

Out of this venture, he’s created a free online resource for people to learn the same communal dependance.  The way it works, is you register on the website the skills, tools, space etc. that you’d have to offer.  As others have a need for what you have, they will contact you.  Likewise, as you find yourself in need, you can also access the online community to request help or the use of what others already have.  It’s all free, and as the website is called, it’s just for the love of it.  All things are shared, and no money changes hands.  We find it an intriguing community, and great practice in dependance on neighbors.