Going for the green

By Daily Press staff

Green seems to be the theme lately for the Santa Monica-based company CaseStack, Inc.

Employees from CaseStack, an integrated logistics provider, were among the 50 community members to win free Giant Cypress bikes from the BikeTown USA program, made possible by Bicycling Magazine, LA County Bicycle Coalition and the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Metro (MTA).

Along with their new bikes, each winner received their own cycling gear, apparel and/or support from Bell Sports, Camelbak, Canari Cycling, CatEye, Ryders Sunglasses and Saris Racks.

In an effort to promote a better environment and a healthier lifestyle for their employees, Jeff Albert, along with Roger Lum, Jason Wolfe and John Ondo, entered the contest. The participating CaseStack employees were asked to write about what they would do with the bikes if they won, and how they would use them to get to work.

Dan Sanker, CEO and president of CaseStack, encouraged the company’s involvement in BikeTown because “it is the perfect fit for the direction our company is headed.” CaseStack has also focused their efforts on improving the environment through the Green Rebate program, which encourages truck drivers to use environmentally friendly biodiesel fuel.

CaseStack, Inc. provides logistics outsourcing services to mid-sized consumer packaged goods companies that sell products to retailers, distributors and other manufacturers. CaseStack combines an advanced transportation and warehousing system with proprietary, Web-based software to provide end-to-end fulfillment services that enable customers to reap the benefits and economies of a sophisticated, global logistics system without all the infrastructure costs.



Vashon Organics births new Web site

By Daily Press staff

Although Vashon Organics is not a Santa Monica-based business, it is accessible to local residents and taps into Santa Monicans’ growing demand for organic and natural products.

Vashon Organics (www.vashonorganics.com), an Internet venture launched on July 7, offers natural and organic lotions, balms, washes, soaps, moisturizers, shampoos and conditioners, and other items such as organic cotton and pet care items.

In celebration of their launch, Vashon Organics is offering 20 percent off every customer’s second order. The offer is good until Jan. 1, 2007. Spokesperson Steve Reed said the promotion is designed to reward return customers.

“Loyalty to a healthier lifestyle is really what we’re promoting,” Reed said. “Our site will offer more than just high-quality, healthy products. We want to provide people with the information to make informed decisions for their own health. We will offer articles about health and beauty, and a blog for customers to share experiences, solutions and anecdotes. Our skin is the largest organ on our bodies, and some estimate up to 60 percent of what we put on our skin finds its way into our systems. We’d better start paying more attention to what we’re feeding our skin.”