12.05.2007 - 11:00am ET

(CSRwire) CAPTAIN COOK, HI - December 5, 2007 - Carbonfund.org in partnership with Tropical Traders Specialty Foods, LLC, today announced the launch of the first U.S. food product to be certified CarbonfreeTM - Royal Hawaiian Honey. All carbon emissions generated in the production and shipping of the honeys are calculated and offset through the support of reforestation, renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Carbonfund.org's CarbonfreeTM label designates products that have undergone a rigorous "life cycle analysis" to determine how much carbon emissions the product is responsible for, from the gathering of raw materials to the electricity used in production and the shipping of products to their final destination on the shelves.

In the case of the Royal Hawaiian Honey line, certification includes the energy used in the extraction of silica from the ground to manufacture its glass jars, the production and printing of its label, the amount of energy used in bottling the honey, and shipping from the Big Island to markets as far away as New York City. Royal Hawaiian Honey is distributed by Tropical Traders Specialty Foods.

"CarbonfreeTM certification for our Royal Hawaiian Honey line is a seamless extension of our commitment to organic agriculture. We are simply taking that dedication to the next level," Rebeca Krones, Co-Founder of Tropical Traders said. "By taking responsibility for its carbon footprint and investing in renewable energy sources, the Royal Hawaiian Honey line is an example of how the American food industry can make a difference."

"We are extremely pleased to certify the Royal Hawaiian Honey line as CarbonfreeTM," Carbonfund.org Executive Director Eric Carlson said. “Tropical Traders is at the vanguard of a huge transformation in the way consumers choose to spend their dollars, one that will see individuals looking for the CarbonfreeTM label on products just as they look for the organic label on food or the Energy Star label on appliances."

There is an enormous amount of energy used in the growing, packaging and shipping of food in this country. An estimated 17 percent of the energy consumed in the United States goes into getting our food to market - over 100 billion gallons of oil per year.

About Tropical Traders

Tropical Traders Specialty Foods, LLC, is a wholesale specialty food company focusing on hand-crafted, artisanal goods. In 2005, the company launched with its Royal Hawaiian Honey brand, a line of three gourmet and organic single-source varietal honeys produced on the Big Island of Hawaii. The company has offices in Captain Cook, Hawaii and Oakland, California. For more information visit: www.tropicaltradersfoods.com

About Carbonfund.org

Carbonfund.org is the country's leading carbon reduction and offset organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact. Carbon offsets enable individuals and businesses to reduce carbon dioxide emissions they are responsible for in their everyday lives by supporting renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects where they are most cost effective. Carbonfund.org works with over 300 corporate and non-profit partners including Discovery, Volkswagen, Dell, Orbitz, Environmental Defense, and Lancome.

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