Retailer hopes to really clean up -- the ocean
A Lake Oswego man's run-in with a Texas-size trash heap inspires him to start a business and donate a share of profits to environmental groups
The Oregonian - PDXgreen
By Holly Goodman, special to The Oregonian
Close encounters with flotsam in the Pacific Ocean inspired James Beriault to launch an eco-friendly clothing company and share the profit with activist organizations.
Last July, the Lake Oswego man opened Planet Protect, an online retailer selling a combination of original T-shirts and a selection of outerwear, shorts, skirts and sandals from green companies such as Anvil Organic, Ecolution, HTnaturals and Kuhl.
When customers check out, they choose a group to receive 10 percent of the sale: Earth Share of Oregon, a federation of conservation nonprofits; Oceana, an international ocean environmental advocacy group; or the Planet Protect Fund. The last group is Beriault's own nonprofit, which he hopes will fund beach cleanups and waste management, installation of cleanable screens on coastal drainpipes, and legislative campaigns to enforce environmental laws.
To read the rest of the article and see photos of Planet Protect's clothing and shoes, read the full article here.
