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About B Lab B Lab is a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement to redefine success in business so that all companies compete not only to be the best in the world, but the best for the world. B Lab drives this systemic change through a number of interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between "good companies" and good marketing; 2) passing legislation to accelerate growth of social entrepreneurship and impact investing (12 states have already passed benefit corporation legislation); 3) driving capital to high impact investments through the use of GIIRS Ratings and Analytics (more than 60 investors with over $3B in impact assets under management use GIIRS); and 4) providing powerful tools for businesses to measure, compare and improve their social and environmental performance.

One more reason to feel good about this forest-more than one third of all Legacy Tree proceeds goes to charity. The HLH Legacy Tree program currently supports more than 240 charities worldwide--planting roots in the forest while planting roots in the community. Learn more about sponsoring your own legacy tree: www.legacytrees.org

June 10, 2013 -Honolulu, Hawaii-Pacific Edge Magazine, flagship publication by Element Media, Inc., has partnered with Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods (HLH) to become the first magazine in the United States to offset its carbon production, production footprint and wood usage by planting indigenous, tropical Koa trees through the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative.  Naomi Hazelton-Giambrone and Jamie Giambrone, co-founders of Element Media, Inc. and co-publishers of Pacific Edge Magazine, recently traveled to Hawaii's Big Island to purchase and plant 140 Legacy koa trees on the Hamakua Coast.  Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods was also a major sponsor of the 3rd Annual Pacific Edge Magazine Business Achievement Awards and presented the "Commitment to Green" Award.

Through the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, HLH is partnering with other like-minded organizations, including Pacific Edge Magazine, to restore 1,000 acres of historic koa forest on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii Island. Koa is one of the most valuable hardwoods on the planet and HLH is donating 1,000 acres of its sustainable koa project to help this reforestation effort.  According to the World Resource Institute, the current rate of rainforest destruction (50 million acres per year) will produce a global shortage by 2023. In Hawaii, agriculture and clear-cut lumber practices of the past century have eliminated over 90 percent of the koa forests already.

As Hawai'i's cutting-edge business and lifestyle publication, Pacific Edge Magazine routinely highlights sustainability efforts and environmental awareness through its editorial features and sponsorship of Green Drinks Honolulu. By partnering with HLH for its exclusive red carpet gala and providing each guest with a Legacy Seed Kit, Pacific Edge Magazine drew attention to the importance of HLH's mission and promoted the reforestation of tropical hardwood trees in Hawaii.

"Growing up surrounded by Hawaii's beauty, I'm acutely aware of the need to protect and preserve our environment," says Naomi Hazelton-Giambrone, co-founder of Element Media, Inc. and co-publisher of Pacific Edge Magazine.  "With this in mind, Pacific Edge Magazine is very cognizant of our environmental impact and we seek to minimize our carbon footprint.  So, by partnering with Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, we are brining attention to a cause that we care about deeply."

"Partnering with Pacific Edge Magazine and sponsoring its 3rd Annual Business Achievement Awards Gala highlights the importance of preserving indigenous hardwoods and the positive opportunity to be involved in this movement," adds Jeff Dunster, CEO of Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods.  "Pacific Edge Magazine is truly 'walking the talk' and serves as an outstanding role model for other corporations and organizations."

About Element Media:

Element Media, Inc. is a custom publishing firm that specializes in magazine publishing, integrated marketing and events. Element Media manages all aspects of publication production, from media sales and project management to photography, graphic design and writing and editing services. Other specialized company services include event management and social media marketing. Element Media currently publishes Pacific Edge Magazine, Las Vegas Bound and the annual Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Business Networking Directory. It also hosts exclusive events such as Green Drinks Honolulu and the West Oahu Women's Network. (http://www.thepacificedge.com) (@PacificEdge)

About Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods:

HLH is located 34 miles north of Hilo, above historic Umikoa Village on the slopes of Mauna Kea. This planting site was once a magnificent koa forest and the personal property of King Kamehameha the Great, the first king of Hawaii. This old growth koa forest was almost lost to a century of clear-cut harvesting and cattle grazing, but with the help of caring individuals is making a comeback.  http://www.legacytrees.org  http://www.hawaiianlegacyhardwoods.com  (@HLHardwoods)

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             From The Field          

Darrell Fox, COO        

View of Tomales Bay from Point Reyes

We live and work in a very beautiful place, but sometimes you have to go to someone else's forest to see the forest for the trees. A lot of very dedicated people are working in forests throughout the world to preserve what is there and to restore what once was. Our crew is deeply committed and rightfully proud of the work we do. Some are on vacation and those vacations are often busman's holidays as well. Their outdoor activities take them to many of the beautiful wild places of our country and as they come back to work you can feel the enthusiasm they bring with them as a result of realizing they are part of something bigger. They are part of the environmental consciousness that John Muir, Thoreau, Emerson and others awakened in the American soul.

It was a delight to come home and find that operations hadn't skipped a beat. Fertilization is almost complete for this season and crews are removing invasive plants from the fields targeted for reforestation this coming season. The nursery has been cleaned and we are accessing what additional native plants we can target for nursery propagation and reintroduction.  

We have been focusing a lot of energy on what can be done to get out the message that we are all part of the solution. If you explore the HLH website you will find a plethora of resources and links to like-minded organizations.  More will be added all the time. I think the unspoken message in the concept of the busman's holiday is telling us that deep down we love what we do when our leisure is more of the same. I need to thank the people of Wine Country Trekking (http://www.winecountrytrekking.com) for sharing a part of their world with people who love to walk. There detailed and customized hiking and nature guide enhanced the experience beyond anything we could have planned on our own. I also need to thank everyone who has encouraged us every step of the way. I hope you find the same joy in everything you do.

dfox@hawaiianlegacyhardwoods.com