Chicobag And Green Halloween Revive Trick Or Treat Design Contest

PRLog (Press Release) - Jun 22, 2009 -
CHICO, CA - ChicoBag, the leading U.S.-based reusable bag company, and Green Halloween have reteamed to promote safe, healthy and eco-friendly Halloween festivities for children nationwide. Last year's contest to create a special Halloween bag proved so popular that the special edition bags sold out faster than you could say "Trick or Treat." Therefore, ChicoBag is hard at work producing more bags for Halloween 2009, and holding a new contest for the next green-spirited bag design. Green Halloween, a non-profit, grassroots, community movement created to inspire healthier and more planet-friendly holidays, will select the winning design.

Each ChicoBag Trick or Treat bag is made from lightweight, but sturdy fabric, is machine washable, and holds up to 25 pounds of candy and goodies. The bags can be used year after year, eliminating environmentally-threatening single use bag options. Once the goodies have been gobbled up, the bags can be stuffed back into their self-contained pouch for storage, where they'll take up the same amount of space as the average cell phone.

Children ages 1-13 are encouraged to enter the contest by submitting an original drawing best depicting the spirit of a Green Halloween. Artistic talent is not the focus of the contest, but the design that best captures the "spirit" of a Green Halloween is. The hope is that participating children will be inspired to make greener choices for Halloween and other celebrations throughout the year.

All entries must be received at Green Halloween's offices between September 1, 2009 and October 24, 2009 by 5:00 PM Pacific Time. The winning design will be announced on October 31, 2009.

The winner will be notified by November 5, 2009. Design entries must be black and white only and may be submitted via digital file (jpg, pdf) or 10 x 10 piece of white, unruled paper. Entries can be sent to: "Green Halloween Design Contest," 381 NW Dogwood Street, Issaquah, WA 98027. Entrants must submit their name, location, age and a parent's contact information - including their address, as well as a telephone number and/or e-mail. Contest details are available online (http://www.greenhalloween.org/chicobag). Contest questions can be directed to Corey Colwell-Lipson of Green Halloween (corey@greenhalloween.org).

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Treeswing, a nonprofit organization that promotes healthy eating and lifestyle habits for children.

In addition to the pride derived from creating art that will become a treasured part of Halloween traditions for thousands of children throughout the country, the first place winner will receive a shriek-worthy prize of $500 and a ChicoBag full of green goodies. Second place will take home a $100 gift card to a "green" toy store and a ChicoBag full of green treats. Third place will snap up a green goodie bag as well. Green goodie bag contents will be announced throughout the summer.

About Green Halloween (www.greenhalloween.org): Green Halloween is a non-profit, grassroots community movement to create healthier and more sustainable holiday traditions, starting with Halloween. Founded by Corey Colwell-Lipson, a licensed marital and family therapist and mother of two, Green Halloween began in the Seattle area in 2007 and, this year, is going nation-wide. Green Halloween just one of Treeswing’s innovative programs to improve the lives of children for generations to come.

About Treeswing (www.treeswing.org): Seeking to address the alarming trend towards childhood obesity and its devastating physical, social and societal impacts, Treeswing’s mission is to create balanced, healthy environments for children and foster a lifetime of healthy habits and healthy families. Treeswing’s focus is on education, collaboration and creating positive social change. Treeswing works to foster healthy environments for children and families by partnering with other organizations and utilizing a research and results-based model for measuring impacts and effecting change.

About ChicoBag (www.chicobag.com): ChicoBag’s reusable shopping bags provide one of the most convenient and affordable solutions for breaking the single-use bag habit. The company is widely respected for its dedication to environmental preservation and it has instituted a recycling program through which its bags can be returned after they have finished their service. ChicoBag is also leading the charge on encouraging bag ban legislation to help limit the amount of single-use bag waste in the retail cycle.

ChicoBag has been featured in Real Simple, Entrepreneur, Fortune, Natural Home, InStyle, PARADE, Natural Health, Money and many other print outlets, in addition to a variety of broadcast and online media. Its bags are in the hands of a host of eco-minded celebs : The Black Eyed Peas, Ed Begley, Jr., Amy Smart, Hilary Swank, Liv Tyler, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Carmody, Ty Pennington, Patrick Dempsey and many others.