Social Hybrid enterprise:  Part Business. Part NonProfit.  All Good!

Chain Reaction: America's Toxic Love Affair with Chain Restaurants

An informative overview of the many ways modern eating habits and our love for comfort foods are affecting obesity and the overall health of the average American. Many of our most beloved dishes act as toxic time bombs, contributing to an unsustainable health epidemic in our country. A recent study revealed that several chain-restaurant comfort-foods contain more than 5,000 calories in a single entrée, several times the recommended daily allowance.

We explain the risks and foods to avoid on your path back to a life and body in balance. 

 ÖKOLOGIE'S Book-a-Day series was developed to provided our readers with a knowledgeable, insightful and sometimes provocative perspective of issues surrounding environmental-health, sustainability, positive sexuality, and whole-body wellness. Each volume typically contains less than 20,000 words and is designed to be consumed in a single, one-hour reading session.

Developing and Implementing a community Action Plan

1          Developing and implementing a community health needs assessment to identify the most pressing public health issues in a specific area and develop a plan to address them.

            2          Providing technical assistance to local organizations working on public health issues, such as helping them to create effective health education materials or implementing evidence-based public health interventions.

            3          Conducting research on public health topics, such as evaluating the effectiveness of a particular intervention or studying the impact of a particular policy on public health outcomes.

            4          Developing and delivering public health training and capacity-building programs, such as educating community members on advocating for better public health policies or teaching local organizations how to implement public health programs.

            5          Advocating for policy changes at the local, state, or national level that will improve public health, such as supporting initiatives to increase funding for public health programs or advocating for policies that promote healthy behaviors.

Helping People to Age in Place

1          Developing a community-based resource directory: Many seniors want to age in place but may not know what resources are available to them in their community. A non-profit could consult with seniors and their caregivers to create a comprehensive directory of resources such as home care agencies, transportation services, and social support groups.

            2          Providing home safety assessments: Seniors may have safety concerns about their homes as they age, such as slippery surfaces or cluttered rooms. A non-profit could offer home safety assessments to identify potential hazards and suggest modifications to make the home safer.

            3          Offering technology training: Technology can help seniors stay connected and independent, but it can be intimidating to learn. A non-profit could offer classes or one-on-one training to help seniors learn how to use devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

            4          Providing transportation services: Transportation can be challenging for seniors who no longer drive or live in areas with limited public transit. A non-profit could offer transportation services to help seniors get to appointments, run errands, and participate in social activities.

            5          Supporting caregivers: Many seniors rely on caregivers to help them age in place, but caregivers may not have the support they need to manage their own stress and well-being. A non-profit could offer resources and support to caregivers, such as respite care, support groups, and training. 

Assists with Community-led Environmental Justice Plan 

1.     Working with community organizers and activists, this consulting project could involve helping a non-profit in San Francisco develop a plan to address environmental racism in the city. This could involve researching and analyzing the ways in which marginalized communities are disproportionately impacted by environmental harms, as well as identifying potential strategies for addressing these issues.

2          Promoting green infrastructure in underserved neighborhoods: Many low-income and marginalized communities in San Francisco lack access to green spaces and other forms of green infrastructure, which can negatively impact public health and quality of life. A consulting project focused on promoting the development of green infrastructure in these neighborhoods could involve working with local organizations and residents to identify and advocate for funding and policy changes that support the creation of more parks, gardens, and other green spaces.

            3          Advocating for environmental justice at the local level: Non-profits in San Francisco can play a key role in advocating for policy and legislative changes that address environmental racism and promote environmental justice. A consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a non-profit to develop and implement a campaign to advocate for changes at the city or county level, such as changes to zoning laws or the adoption of green infrastructure policies.

            4          Supporting the development of green businesses in marginalized communities: Many marginalized communities in San Francisco face barriers to economic development, including a lack of access to capital and other resources. A consulting project focused on supporting the development of green businesses in these communities could involve working with a non-profit to identify potential funding sources and provide technical assistance to entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a green business.

            5          Building capacity for environmental justice organizing: Non-profits in San Francisco can play a critical role in supporting the development of grassroots environmental justice organizing in marginalized communities. A consulting project focused on building capacity for this work could involve providing training and support to local activists and organizations, helping them develop the skills and resources they need to effectively advocate for environmental justice in their communities.

Benefits of corporate coaching

1          Developing a corporate wellness program: Many corporations struggle to promote the health and well-being of their employees, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a wellness program that includes activities such as health screenings, fitness classes, and nutrition education.

            2          Implementing a healthy eating policy: Many corporations have cafeterias or vending machines that offer unhealthy food options. A consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a healthy eating policy that promotes the availability of healthier options.

            3          Implementing a smoke-free workplace policy: Smoking is a major public health hazard. A consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a smoke-free workplace policy that prohibits smoking in all company facilities and outdoor areas.

            4          Implementing a mental health support program: Many corporations struggle to address the mental health needs of their employees, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a program that provides resources and support for employees experiencing mental health challenges.

            5          Developing a workplace safety program: Many corporations have a need to ensure the safety of their employees in the workplace, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a safety program that includes training, hazard identification, and risk assessment.

            6          Implementing a substance abuse prevention program: Substance abuse is a major public health issue, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a program that promotes the prevention of substance abuse and provides resources for employees struggling with addiction.

            7          Developing a work-life balance program: Many corporations struggle to promote work-life balance among their employees, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a program that includes activities such as flexible work schedules and work-from-home options.

            8          Implementing a vaccination program: Many corporations have a need to ensure that their employees are vaccinated against preventable diseases, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a vaccination program that includes education and resources for employees.

            9          Developing a corporate social responsibility program: Many corporations have a desire to have a positive impact on the world, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a corporate social responsibility program that includes activities such as charitable giving and sustainability initiatives.

            10        Implementing a stress management program: Many corporations struggle to address the stress levels of their employees, and a consulting project focused on this issue could involve working with a company to develop and implement a stress management program that includes activities such as mindfulness training and relaxation techniques.

Social responsibility & Philanthropy  

Social Responsibility Statement

As a leading provider of health education publishing, environmental-health research, and sustainability advocacy, ÖKOLOGIE formerly UrbanSculpt is committed to making a positive impact and promoting social change. Being an active part of the community is important to our organization, and we take that stellar reputation seriously. In fact, ÖKOLOGIE considers the trust and confidence it has earned from customers and suppliers among its most valuable assets. The company makes every effort to maintain this trust, demanding the highest ethical standards in all of its business activities.

To better guarantee these standards are upheld, ÖKOLOGIE has put in place an ethics policy, which outlines its core values, as well as its approach to doing business. At ÖKOLOGIE, integrity is a prerequisite to everything the company does, leading to successful and sustained business relationships.

ÖKOLOGIE'S goal is to focus on meeting customer objectives while sustaining environmental responsibility. Each product sold through the company’s retail arm is certified cruelty-free, sustainably manufactured, and free from harsh and dangerous chemicals. In addition to this focus on environmental responsibility, ÖKOLOGIE makes every effort to manufacture or procure products and services that provide fair, safe, and consistent value. In order to continually meet or improve those standards, UrbanSculpt employs a combination proprietary business process and the best green supply-chain technology available today, passing the benefits of this technology onto its customers, and ultimately to our community.

ÖKOLOGIE'S operations are specifically designed to have a minimal impact on the environment. As such, the company encourages communities to follow the internationally established environmental objectives of:

• Reduce • Reuse • Recycle

In the course of daily operations, ÖKOLOGIE formerly UrbanSculpt seeks to identify opportunities to reduce the consumption of energy, water, and other natural resources.  Our main distribution channel and local corporate offices are both located in LEED Certified buildings that boast the following features:

• Energy Modeling and Calibration for 100% of Building(s)

• Deployment of water reduction and flow controls throughout the buildings

• No CFC-based refrigerants used in the building's HVAC and refrigeration systems

• All building energy-related systems professionally calibrated and professionally monitored.

• Significant vegetated open space.

• Secure bicycle storage in both the warehouse and corporate headquarters to encourage use of alternative transportation

• Warehouse carpets made from 100% recycled materials

• Improved indoor environmental quality

Through the development of educational media & seminars, eco-friendly products, and health education publications; UrbanSculpt works to spread the word about the importance of combining a healthy lifestyle, sound mind, and environmental sustainability.

Systems theory tells us that maintaining balance requires achieving parity between our sociological and ecological environments.  These systems cannot survive as silos and must be viewed within a global context.  - At ÖKOLOGIE,  we are passionate about improving living conditions for people around the globe by reducing social stratification, bigotry, and protecting the most vulnerable members of society.  To that end, a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of materials published through our subsidiary, ÖKOLOGIE Press, are donated to the social justice and community outreach organizations cited below.  

If you have any questions regarding our community outreach, education, or philanthropy efforts, please contact us a brendabillings@okologie.org. 

Becoming the Difference - Bren’s Story

The youngest of four children born into a lively Mexican-Italian household life for Brenda, or “Bren,” was never what you would call “dull.” Stable? Yes. And also full of the joys of youth. Growing up in the largely working-class neighborhood, she would run around and play outside for hours, safely and energetically developing a unique zest for life. 

This was common for children of the time. Today, her and her friends’ playful, active games are in marked contrast to those of today’s youth, many of whom have swapped their gift of boundless energy for non-stop gaming, web surfing, and channel-hopping. Back then, Bren and her siblings were dedicated to getting the most out of their days, fueled by the same freshly cooked food that fed many other blue-collar families of the time. 

Unfortunately, that all changed when Bren hit her early teens. 

That was when the family she had come to rely on so much began to change. As her father lost his job and began to struggle both emotionally and financially, Bren, as a child, could only sit back and watch. Try as she could in hopes the family would stay together, eventually her mother’s only option was divorce. And though Bren survived this rocky time, it left an indelible mark on her that she will never truly forget.

Today, Brenda Rivera-Billings serves as the Executive Director and Principal Health Education Practitioner for ÖKOLOGIE, a San Francisco-based hybrid social enterprise that combines the benefits of a charitable-nonprofit 501(c)(3), with the social change directives of a low-profit public benefit L3C. The organziation’s social and charitable mission is to democratize public health education while empowering those in underprivileged communities to overcome the debilitating effects often associated with ageism, environmental racism, and discrimination based on sexual orientation.

However, the great thing about life is that it is always changing. 

The years passed. Brenda grew up, met a man, married, and embarked upon her career. All was well enough for a while. However, Brenda found herself looking to reclaim that zest for life she had known as a child. She wanted more for herself. In quick succession, she sold off her interest in the fledgling Silicon Valley-based business and began paving a path toward a new, remarkable goal: obtaining her fitness and nutrition certifications.

And so, an altogether new journey began.

Brenda expanded her studies, earning first a Bachelor’s degree, an MSc, MPH, and a DrPH(c). Never one to forget where she came from, the majority of her casework focused on the health and environmental factors affecting minority communities in San Francisco’s Bay View Hunter’s Point region. Community – the way Brenda saw it – was more than just a place. It was a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself. 

When the time came to get her master’s degree in public health, Brenda found herself needing to choose a community-based agency for her practicum. To the surprise of no one, she chose the Community Living Campaign (CLC). In her six months with the CLC, she developed a fall prevention program which she presented at the Cayuga Community Connectors, and worked with CLC Executive Director Kate to produce an evaluation of the community connectors’ program. Community, once again, called to her. 

In addition to her professional experience, Brenda is also a founding board member of HCAA, a non-profit organization founded in cooperation with the City of San Jose. Among its many goals is to improve legal rights education, reduce inner-city blight, increase volunteerism, further encourage urban renewal.

Since making her big career change, Brenda has received the Community Living Campaign Good Neighbor Award. Among other things, the award seeks to honor dedicated neighbors who volunteer their time to help seniors and people with disabilities get the resources and support they need to age and thrive in their own homes and neighborhoods. She recently completed her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) with distinction and MPH degree from Walden University and graduated with honors from Touro College. Additionally, she holds a degree in Humanities / Art History from CCSF and honors certificates in both Nutrition Counseling and Multimedia & Digital Arts from SJCC.

Brenda has been on an incredible journey, and she wants to share the path with others. Not only can she help you make a difference, but you, like her, may find that you become the difference that changes your life.

Bren through the years….

Dr. Brenda Billings, Dr.PH, MPH, M.Sc - Founder & Principal Health Education Practitioner

 Brenda Rivera-Billings is the CEO and Principal Health Education Practitioner for Ökologie. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.Sc in Health Science Education / Environmental Health, Cum Laude with an M.Sc in Health Science, and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH). She holds an undergraduate degree in Humanities / Art History and also earned certificates in both Multimedia / Digital Arts and Nutrition Counseling. She's a recent Doctor in Public Health (DrPH) graduate. Brenda's research interests include empowering seniors and adults with disabilities, environmental-racism, social change, wellness counseling, positive sexuality, and women’s self-empowerment issues.

Meghan Stone, MSW, MEd - Staff Writer

Meghan Stone earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work and Master’s of Education in Human Sexuality from Widener University. She has worked as a therapist, social worker, teen counselor, and sexuality educator. She currently resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she writes, teaches and volunteers with the local community. Her passions are social work, travel, photography, art, and learning about other cultures.

Victoria Froud, MA - Staff Writer

Victoria is a writer, philosopher, wife and charity shop manager all rolled into one. She studied Philosophy in Cardiff and then at post-graduate level in London, but she now lives in a large seaside town and pursues her love of writing in her spare time. She loves to walk along the beach with her husband and her dog whilst dreaming up new ideas.

Leslie McIntyre - Staff Writer

Leslie is a writer and urban farming enthusiast currently living in New York City. Her work has appeared in Performer Magazine and eHow.com. She is a fiction reader for Ploughshares Journal and a contributing writer at Atlas Obscura.

gOVERNANCE & lEGAL

pRIVACY

Protecting your private information is our priority. This Statement of Privacy applies to okologie website, and OKOLOGIE, INC and governs data collection and usage. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, unless otherwise noted, all references to OKOLOGIE, INC include www.okologie.org, OKOLOGIE, Okologie L3C, OKOLOGIE.ORG and www.okologie.org. The OKOLOGIE application is a OKOLOGIE Website application. By using the OKOLOGIE application, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.

 Collection of your Personal Information

In order to better provide you with products and services offered, OKOLOGIE may collect personally identifiable information, such as your:

      - First and Last Name

      - Mailing Address

   - E-mail Address

      - Phone Number

 If you purchase OKOLOGIE's products and services, we collect billing and credit card information. This information is used to complete the purchase transaction.

OKOLOGIE may also collect anonymous demographic information, which is not unique to you, such as your:

      - Age

      - Gender

      - Race

 We do not collect any personal information about you unless you voluntarily provide it to us. However, you may be required to provide certain personal information to us when you elect to use certain products or services. These may include: (a) registering for an account; (b) entering a sweepstakes or contest sponsored by us or one of our partners; (c) signing up for special offers from selected third parties; (d) sending us an email message; (e) submitting your credit card or other payment information when ordering and purchasing products and services. To wit, we will use your information for, but not limited to, communicating with you in relation to services and/or products you have requested from us. We also may gather additional personal or non-personal information in the future.

 Use of your Personal Information

OKOLOGIE collects and uses your personal information to operate and deliver the services you have requested.

 OKOLOGIE may also use your personally identifiable information to inform you of other products or services available from OKOLOGIE and its affiliates.

Sharing Information with Third Parties

OKOLOGIE does not sell, rent or lease its customer lists to third parties.

OKOLOGIE may, from time to time, contact you on behalf of external business partners about a particular offering that may be of interest to you. In those cases, your unique personally identifiable information (e-mail, name, address, telephone number) is not transferred to the third party. OKOLOGIE may share data with trusted partners to help perform statistical analysis, send you email or postal mail, provide customer support, or arrange for deliveries. All such third parties are prohibited from using your personal information except to provide these services to OKOLOGIE, and they are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information.

 OKOLOGIE may disclose your personal information, without notice, if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on OKOLOGIE or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of OKOLOGIE; and/or (c) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of OKOLOGIE, or the public.

Right to Deletion

Subject to certain exceptions set out below, on receipt of a verifiable request from you, we will:

  • Delete your personal information from our records; and

 • Direct any service providers to delete your personal information from their records.

Please note that we may not be able to comply with requests to delete your personal information if it is necessary to:

  • Complete the transaction for which the personal information was collected, fulfill the terms of a written warranty or product recall conducted in accordance with federal law, provide a good or service requested by you, or reasonably anticipated within the context of our ongoing business relationship with you, or otherwise perform a contract between you and us;

  • Detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity; or prosecute those responsible for that activity;

  • Debug to identify and repair errors that impair existing intended functionality;

  • Exercise free speech, ensure the right of another consumer to exercise his or her right of free speech, or exercise another right provided for by law;

    • Comply with the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act;

  • Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws, when our deletion of the information is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of such research, provided we have obtained your informed consent;

• Enable solely internal uses that are reasonably aligned with your expectations based on your relationship with us;

• Comply with an existing legal obligation; or

• Otherwise use your personal information, internally, in a lawful manner that is compatible with the context in which you provided the information.

 Children Under Thirteen

OKOLOGIE does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under the age of thirteen. If you are under the age of thirteen, you must ask your parent or guardian for permission to use this application.

E-mail Communications

From time to time, OKOLOGIE may contact you via email for the purpose of providing announcements, promotional offers, alerts, confirmations, surveys, and/or other general communication. In order to improve our Services, we may receive a notification when you open an email from OKOLOGIE or click on a link therein.

 If you would like to stop receiving marketing or promotional communications via email from OKOLOGIE, you may opt out of such communications by unsubscribe button.

External Data Storage Sites

We may store your data on servers provided by third party hosting vendors with whom we have contracted. 

Changes to this Statement

OKOLOGIE reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you about significant changes in the way we treat personal information by sending a notice to the primary email address specified in your account, by placing a prominent notice on our application, and/or by updating any privacy information. Your continued use of the application and/or Services available after such modifications will constitute your: (a) acknowledgment of the modified Privacy Policy; and (b) agreement to abide and be bound by that Policy.

Contact Information

OKOLOGIE welcomes your questions or comments regarding this Statement of Privacy. If you believe that OKOLOGIE has not adhered to this Statement, please contact OKOLOGIE at:

OKOLOGIE, INC

301 Executive Park Blvd. Suite 410

San Francsico, CA 94134

Email Address:

brendabillings@okologie.org

Telephone number:

877 530-5507

Effective as of October 04, 2022