The Buzz

Ecopixel's clients & friends are busy people

Congratulations to Stowe Land Trust! The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) made the decision to award $350,000 toward their purchase of the 260-acre Cady Hill Forest in Stowe. Cady Hill Forest is the land trust’s latest conservation effort. Located near the heart of Stowe village the forest is a prime area for recreation and supports critical deer wintering habitat. The property has 11 miles of existing trail – and nearly 20% of the total mountain biking network in the area. (December 2011)

One, two, three! That's how many Vermont land trusts we have now worked with to create their websites and help maintain an active online presence. At the end of September we were pleased to launch the new website for the Jericho Underhill Land Trust. We value the important work that land trusts do for our communities, so we are extra pleased to be able to assist them in meeting their goals. Check out www.jult.org. (September 2011)

The Town of Waterbury was one of the municipalities that was hardest hit by tropical storm Irene at the end of August. From a temporary office on higher ground, the highly dedicated municipal staff immediately started posting important and up-to-date flood recovery information on their CMS website, which was launched by Ecopixel last year. Ecopixel quickly responded to a request for an online message board for the website and the site soon hosted hundreds of messages of generous donations of goods and services for residents affected by the flood. (September 2011)

To usher in summer, one of our wonderful fair trade retailers, Dolma Fair Trade, introduced some new handmade fair trade cotton scarves to its collection of fair trade accessories for women. During a recent trip to India, they formalized a partnership with a women's empowerment center that trains women in creating these beautiful scarves. Check out the gorgeous summer colors! (July 2011)

Vermont artist John Anderson has added new materials to his website. They are photographs of yachting on the Mediterranean and photography of the American grasslands, as well as interesting artwork that is based on chance and statistics. Enjoy the artwork at www.johnandersonstudio.com. (June 2011)

Ecopixel worked with Clio Visualizing History in Shelburne, Vt., and filmmaker Richard Moulton to produce an online exhibit called “Creating History: Lowell Thomas and Lawrence of Arabia.” You may remember the film, but how well do you know the men behind the Lawrence of Arabia legend? And how did the American journalist Lowell Thomas and the British officer T.E. Lawrence have an impact on journalism and the shaping of the Middle East? Visit this interactive online history exhibit to find out! (April 2011)

The Town of Waterbury in Vermont is making the most of its new content management system (CMS) website that was built recently by Ecopixel. Staff members are posting timely announcements to the website and sharing meeting minutes and meeting dates online. Their new site has expanded the information that is available to Waterbury residents via the Internet. See the new site at www.waterburyvt.com. (February 2011)

The Vermont League of Conservation Voters has hired Andrea Stander as executive director. She is a longtime central Vermont activist and political organizer. Stander most recently worked under contract with the League to help organize the Get Out The Green Vote initiative. Previously, she served on the development team at the Vermont Public Interest Research Group and was the Central Vermont Regional Field Coordinator for Bernie Sanders’ successful campaign for the US Senate. Congratulations, Andrea! (January 2011)

Just in time for socially responsible gift shopping for the holidays: the new Dolma Fair Trade site has been launched! This Vermont-based business has relationships with artisans in India and Nepal who craft beautiful handmade, fair trade gifts. The materials that go into many of the personal accessory and home decor gifts are often sustainable and eco - friendly, as well. And Dolma Fair Trade donates 15% of her profit to schools in need in India. This is shopping that really has an impact! (December 2010)

Ever heard of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? Well the folks at the Vermont Association for Psychological Type explore this and all things related to type with several events and workshops through the year. Check out their new content management system (CMS) Web site at www.vermontapt.org for information on attending an event or joining the organization. (October 2010)

We work closely with Lola Van Wagenen at Clio Visualizing History in Shelburne, Vt., to create online American history exhibits. This month we were very pleased to see that the Journal of American History — a national publication — reviewed the Clio site. This adds momentum to our current Clio Web project, which is in the works this fall. Congratulations to Clio! (September 2010)

Few people realize that in the small town of Richmond, Vermont, there is a nationally recognized flute maker. He is Jonathon Landell of Landell Flutes and he makes custom professional flutes for musicians around the world. There are over 180 handmade Landell flutes in silver and gold, and one prototype flute in titanium. What's more, Jon holds workshops to pass on his knowledge. You can learn to maintain your flute or build one from scratch. Read more at the new Landell Flutes CMS Web site, launched by Ecopixel! (August 2010)

Like to canoe or kayak? Ever consider paddling the waters of Lake Champlain and camping on the shore? Our clients at the Lake Champlain Committee publish an annual Lake Champlain Paddlers' Trail Guidebook and Stewardship Manual. You just have to become a LCC member to get the informative booklet. The 2010 membership and publication is available for order on the LCC Web site. (July 2010)

The Vermont League of Conservation Voters is helping to educate voters in the hopes of electing a "green" governor for Vermont in November 2010. We worked with them to launch www.VoteGreenVermont.org. It includes Q&As with the candidates for Vermont governor about environmental, conservation, energy, smart growth and green job issues. (June 2010)

Above the Clouds adventure travel has put pen to paper — er, fingers to keyboard — to launch a new blog. The travel blog is integrated right into their CMS Web site. Besides showing posts on the blog page, any posts that are relevant to Nepal are even displayed on the Nepal page, for example. Lisa and Steve Conlon, as well as guest bloggers, write about the culture and joys of traveling and trekking in the Himalaya, Patagonia, India and beyond. Above the Clouds leads group and private trips to these amazing corners of the globe. (April 2010)

Congratulations to our friends at the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) for earning their fifth consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, which measures the fiscal responsibility of US charitable organizations. This is quite a feat; only five percent of American charities attain this "exceptional" designation for five years or more. The rating indicates that HCP consistently executes its mission of eradicating preventable and curable blindness in a fiscally responsible way. (April 2010)

The Vermont skiing blog called Skimaven.com has been enjoying increasing readership again this ski season. The ski blog is published by Ecopixel and it features first-person accounts and news about skiing in Vermont and beyond. Among this year's advertisers on Skimaven.com were Bolton Valley Resort, USOutdoor.com, Wildflower Inn of East Burke, and SkiHeart.com. (March 2010)

We worked with our longtime client Julbo USA — makers of high-quality sunglasses and goggles — to launch a redesigned CMS Web site. The US operation of this French company is based in Williston, Vermont. Their eyewear is among the best for athletes all over the globe, with lenses that are tops in the industry. (January 2010)

New site launched! Ecopixel launched a content management system (CMS) Web site for the Vermont-based Adventure Spirit: Rock, Ice and Alpine Experiences. They offer customized trips for individuals and groups of all experience levels to create rewarding and memorable rock, ice & alpine adventures in the northeast and beyond. (January 2010)

Ecopixel recently launched a squeaky-clean new Web site for Clean Spaces, LLC, a Burlington-based eco-friendly cleaning service. Owners Johnny and Denise turned to eco-friendly cleaning agents after getting headaches while working with chemical cleaners. Now they use these products to clean other people's homes and offices. (December 2009)

Congratulations to our clients at the Himalayan Cataract Project for scoring the cover story of the December issue of National Geographic Adventure magazine! And they earned coverage in the December issue of Outside magazine! It is exposure that is well deserved for this international eye care foundation that has served thousands of people, trained eye doctors in other countries, and cured the blind . (November 2009)

Ecopixel has joined the nonprofit Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR)! We're excited to sponsor our first VBSR event — a green networking event on November 5 at the Green Mountain Club headquarters in Waterbury. Anyone can attend; just RSVP. Eat pizza, network and learn about the new GMC visitor center. More details are found on the VBSR site. (October 2009)

Skidmore College has been highlighting the latest Clio History and Ecopixel Web project on the college's homepage. We collaborated with a wonderful Skidmore professor — Greg Pfitzer — to create an online history exhibit about illustrated histories called "Picturing the Past." Skidmore featured the interactive exhibit in its Portfolio section. (September 2009)

Got gear? If the answer is "not enough," you will surely be tempted by the top-quality gear that you'll find at the Climb High Outlet. Ecopixel created the new e-commerce site at climbhighoutlet.com, which offers discontinued, closeout outdoor gear at discount outlet prices. It's the online counterpart to the Climb High store that is located on Bank Street in Burlington, Vermont. If you regularly try to search out the best deals on outdoor gear from Mammut, Marmot, Isis, Metolius, Patagonia, Arc'teryx and more , you need to get over the the new e-commerce site and get your gear on! (August 2009)

History made interactive: We worked with our longtime client Clio Visualizing History to launch a new online exhibit about illustrated histories. With more than 60 images from mid-19th-century illustrated history books, visitors can zoom in on the depictions of Columbus, the Pilgrims, the Battle at Lexington and more. The interactive history exhibit was written by Skidmore professor Gregory Pfitzer and it explores the changing attitudes toward visual literacy and telling history's stories. (July 2009)

Got an itch for an adventure? Our new clients can help you get your fill of adventure travel! Above the Clouds has been leading treks and cultural tours since the early 1980s. Based in Vermont, they recently selected Ecopixel to update their online image. The Conlon family has been adding fabulous new Nepal, India, Bhutan and Patagonia treks to their menu of offerings. Above the Clouds knows the people and places where they go like the back of their hands. You can sense their passion for sharing their love of these amazing places. We were so pleased to help them create a new Web site, which features spectacular travel photography. (June 2009)

New site! For more than 20 years, the Charlotte Land Trust has conserved natural, scenic and agricultural areas in Charlotte, Vermont. Now, for the first time in their history, they're online! Ecopixel was tapped to create a clean, professional content management system site for the small organization. The board members wanted to be able to update the site themselves to keep the community informed of new conservation issues and projects. Most recently, the land trust worked with the Burleigh family to conserve 201 acres of farmland and forestlandoff of Spear Street. Hats off to CLT, its volunteers and its partners such as the Burleigh Farm! (June 2009)

Congratulations to the Lake Champlain Committee for their IPPY award! Our client's new book about the natural history of Lake Champlain won an award for being a top-rated independently published nonfiction book. "Lake Champlain: A Natural History" was published to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the founding of the lake by Samuel de Champlain. It earned a silver medal in the U.S. Northeast - Best Regional Non-Fiction category. Write on! (June 2009)

When Vermont business coach Diane Ravenscroft at Workplace Mastery, Inc. decided to exhibit at the Vermont Business Expo, she created a special marketing theme around becoming "fit to lead." She handed out postcards to the business people who visited her booth and the postcards direct them to a special landing page developed by Ecopixel. There the visitors could request more information about Diane's business coaching and obtain a special 50-percent-off offer for an initial coaching session or a learning program. Diane seamlessly integrated sales, marketing and the Web to promote her services. (May 2009)

We're moving closer to summertime, a time when many people realize that they need some sunglasses that are good for outdoor sports. The Julbo USA Web site makes it a bit easier to decide between their many high-performance sports sunglasses. Ecopixel wrote and optimized (SEO) new pages for the Web site geared toward sunglasses for different sports. They include running sunglasses, sailing sunglasses, mountain biking sunglasses, fishing sunglasses, rock climbing sunglasses and skiing and snowboarding goggles & sunglasses. Do take care of your eyes this summer, no matter what you do outdoors! (May 2009)

Have you ever heard of tagua? I must admit, I hadn't heard of it before learning that Hope for Women was offering beautiful, fair-trade tagua bracelets. The tagua jewelry is made from nuts found within the seed pods of the Ivory Nut Palm, a native species of the Colombian rainforest. Tagua is known as the "Ivory of the Rainforest" for its durability and beauty. The collection of this natural product helps provide incentive to protect and maintain the rainforest. What's more, each piece of fair-trade jewelry is made by economically disadvantaged women artisans and their families. Sounds like a gift that gives in many ways! (April 2009)

Spring has sprung and our friends at Didi Brush Landscape Design in Vermont are gearing up for a busy season. Brush works to transform her clients' landscaping hopes into beautiful and inviting outdoor spaces. Her Web site, designed by her son Nick, shows some of her work in landscape design, master plan and site design in Vermont and the Upper Valley of New Hampshire. Brush enjoys the challenges and opportunities that come with doing residential landscape design in Vermont. She says, "I have loved the structural quality of the New England landscape for my entire life, and have found a language and a profession that demonstrates a way to reveal nature’s power and beauty, and create spaces which allow human beings to celebrate nature’s genius and weave it into their own lives." Ecopixel assisted Brush with SEO tactics for her website. (March 2009)

Julbo USA, based in Williston, Vermont, has unveiled its 2009 sports sunglasses and eyewear line and it's being noticed by national media such as Women's Adventure magazine and Rock and Ice magazine. These publications have recommended the Run model - performance sunglasses for active outdoor sports. The Bivouak are Julbo's newest mountaineering sunglasses for high-altitude and extreme conditions and they are the first sunglasses with magnetic sideshields. (February 2009)

Ecopixel launched a new Web site for the Lake Champlain Committee. LCC is making use of content management system (CMS) features that include a news system and an e-newsletter that's customized for LCC. The Lake Champlain Committee is the only bi-state organization solely dedicated to protecting Lake Champlain’s health and accessibility.  They use science-based advocacy, education, and collaborative action to protect and restore water quality, natural habitats and recreational access. They are also home to the Lake Champlain Paddlers’ Trail. Check out LCC's new site to learn about some of the challenges facing the health of Lake Champlain. (January 2009)

Ecopixel worked with the Himalayan Cataract Project, a longtime client, to revamp its Web site at the end of 2008. The content management system-based site allows HCP to update text, images, pages and more on their own. HCP does incredible work that impacts the blind in the Himalaya and also in Africa. They've devised methods for cataract surgery that only costs $20 per surgery! They deliver direct eye care services to the poor in remote areas and they are creating infrastructure and training for eye doctors so future generations don't have to go blind due to cataracts. (December 2008)

Our friends at the Lake Champlain Committee have unveiled a new book called "Lake Champlain: A Natural History." Written by LCC staff scientist Mike Winslow with photographs and pen and ink illustrations by Libby Davidson, the book helps people discover and understand the lake's rich and diverse resources. Why do clouds hang low over the lake on autumn mornings? Where do invasive species come from? How might global warming affect Lake Champlain's future? How did the lake get here? And the book comes highly recommended by well-known author and environmentalist Bill McKibben. "This book goes a long ways toward educating anyone who loves the sight of Lake Champlain. This is less like a field guide, and more like having a wise naturalist along with you on a trip." Hmm, I'm thinking this is a good holiday present... (November 2008)

Early October brought the timely launch of the new Vermont League of Conservation Voters Web site, which is built on Ecopixel's content management system platform. VLCV provides an important service to the environmental community by being their voice in Montpelier and around the state. Check out the Vermont environmental scorecards that are now online. You can see which legislators have been pro-environment, and which have not. Look for a list of endorsed candidates very soon; just in time for the November election. (October 2008)

Vermont-based Clio Visualizing History has added an online American quilt exhibit to its informative Web site which explores American visual history. Directed by Dr. Lola Van Wagenen, Clio develops innovative American history projects to engage students, to assist educators and researchers, and to appeal to a wide public audience through documentary films, the Internet, and other new media. If you haven't seen Clio's online exhibits about early American women photographers, take a moment to take a look; you are sure to recognize some famous faces. Clio employs Ecopixel's content management system Web platform to present these engaging history exhibits. (September 2008)

The Stowe Land Trust, one of our longterm clients, continues its conserving ways as it enters into a purchase and sale agreement that will permanently protect 25.6 acres on Maple Run Lane in Stowe, Vermont.  SLT will donate the land to the town to be managed as part of Sterling Forest, which abuts this land.  Our friends at SLT say that if you've hiked, biked, hunted or skied in the town-owned Sterling Forest, you've been on this land — and you probably thought it was already protected from future development! The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board provided $106,000 for the project, and now SLT aims to raise $55,000 through private grants and donor contributions to close the books on the sale. (September 2008)

Ecopixel worked with Vermont artist and architect John Anderson to create an updated and expanded Web site using the Ecopixel content management system platform. It features online art galleries that really showcase John's eye-catching artwork. John Anderson Studio produces a variety of fine art, architectural murals and custom art tables, while also taking on creatively challenging residential architecture projects and product design work. Do check out this talented Vermont artist, and drop him a line on the contact form to tell him what you think of his new site! (September 2008)

Ecopixel's client Hope for Women unveiled via their customized e-newsletter a new line of cards made by an artisan group located in the highland cloud forests of El Salvador. In 2001, massive mud slides and a devastating earthquake left many families in the highlands of El Salvador homeless and jobless. With their fields destroyed, many people began traveling to low-paying jobs in the capital. An enterprising group of women, however, formed an artisans’ organization that handcrafts stylish designs from native flowers and plants. These women now work locally, caring for their families and saving for their future, while Hope for Women brings their handiwork to the US. Check out the new line of fair-trade greeting cards at www.hopeforwomen.com. (July 2008)

The Catamount Trail Association (CTA), an Ecopixel client and the caretakers of Vermont's 300-mile bottom-to-top ski trail, is in the running for a major grant. Recent e-newsletters from CTA ask members and friends to vote every day on a special Web site so that they can earn the top prize of $50,000. Second place comes in at $10,000. The nonprofit skiers association reports that they would use the funds toward permanently conserving the final 90 miles of unprotected trail. To cast your vote of support for the Catamount Trail in this national contest, visit www.catamounttrail.org for instructions. (July 2008)

Smart Growth Vermont has been selected by the Town of Warren to assist citizens with developing a strategy and revising bylaws to promote the construction of affordable housing.  Warren has been actively investigating and seeking ways to meet the housing needs for the central Vermont community in a manner that enhances its village center and preserves the rural countryside.  Noelle MacKay, executive director of Smart Growth Vermont says, "There is a critical shortage of moderately priced homes in Vermont, and local policies and codes are sometimes part of the problem." (June 2008)

The Stowe Land Trust in Stowe, Vt., one of Ecopixel's longtime Web clients, is bringing the community together on Saturday, May 24. That day they'll hold their Green Flea Market, which encourages residents to dig out household items that aren't in use anymore. Instead of heading to the landfill, folks will bring their items together to sell at rock-bottom prices. One man's trash is another man's treasure, eh? (May 2008)

The Catamount Trail Association issued an online survey for members and friends of the 300-mile ski trail that crosses Vermont from top to bottom. If you have an opinion about snowshoeing on the Catamount Trail or want some input on upcoming activities, you should log on and be heard. (April 2008)

In a recent Ecopixel-hosted e-newsletter, Smart Growth Vermont reported on new sections of its Vermont Community Planning Toolbox. They added information on  housing and apartments to provide communities and citizens with information and resources about one of the most important issues facing Vermonters - housing.  They also included a new case study on a  Road Corridor Visual Analysis Tool that was used to protect the viewsheds on Route 7. (April 2008)

Climb High moved its Shelburne, Vt., store to a newly renovated and expanded outdoor gear store on Bank Street in Burlington, Vt. This store is located across from City Market and the Marketplace Garage. Not in Burlington? No worries. Check out the closeout deals on outdoor clothing and gear (Mammut, Raichle and more) at www.climbhighoutlet.com. (March 2008)

Our friends at Pika Works added some more animals to their line of colorful animal paintings, prints and greeting cards. Some of the wildly colored and beautiful creatures include elephants, giraffes, horses, cows, zebras and lions. (March 2008)

The Himalayan Cataract Project is nearing completion of a major expansion to the Tilganga Eye Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal. Tilganga is the hub of high-quality eye care in the Himalaya. HCP is at the forefront of international organizations working toward the eradication of preventable and treatable blindness in the developing world. (March 2008)

Judy Phelon at Law, Phelon & Associate Real Estate was on hand when NBC's "Today" show filmed at Sugarbush ski resort. Matt Lauer and the gang jumped on skis and snowboards and even learned about maple sugaring. It was tremendous exposure for Sugarbush and the Mad River Valley, where Phelon's real estate office is located. (February 2008)

Julbo USA offered ski goggles for the first time this winter. Julbo goggles have been sold before in Europe, and they finally made their way over the big pond. Check out the new line of Julbo ski goggles and the other 2008 models of Julbo sports sunglasses. (February 2008)

Maintained by Kris Surette, Ecopixel