It’s getting down to the wire for holiday gifts! When you’re rushing, it’s so tempting to just go to any store, buy the first thing you see that’s mildly appropriate, and be done with it. But that’s how you wind up kicking yourself saying “Why did I get that [insert word: unhealthy, energy-sucking, clutter-inducing] thing. What was I thinking!?!” Even if you’re in a rush, there are good, healthy, and green choices out there.
1. Look for new-to-you vintage goods on eBay. This doesn’t have to mean antique. We know of 3 PG team members who bought from eBay this holiday season: a stainless-steel Calphalon pasta cookset; Hanna Andersson kids’ clothes made from organic cotton; and, in a frenzy, a basket full of outstanding designer scarves and neckties in perfect condition. They all cost less and earn health & stuff points on Practically Green. And psst, this Mrs. Claus is a firm believer in picking up a little something for herself… found an amazing pair of Prada boots on eBay — and miraculously they fit!
2. Opt for durable, safe materials for clothes, including organic cotton or other natural fibers. It’s not just Hanna Andersson. Brands like Patagonia, Nau, Levi’s, and Eileen Fisher use organic cotton in some of their clothing. Seek out local designers using organic materials at holiday arts and crafts fairs in your area.
Nau vest has a recycled polyester shell
3. Towels and sheets come in organic materials, too, and they make lovely gifts. Gaiam is a trusted source, and The Company Store, L.L.Bean, and Target all offer versions.
Won't you sleep better on organic cotton? This bedding is from The Comapny Store.
4. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: a DIY seltzer machine is a gift that keeps on giving! Make your own sparkling water is a complete no-brainer once you’ve got a Soda-Stream penguin.
5. Stuff a reusable bottle into your beloveds’ (reusable) stockings! Have someone on your list who would switch, but complains about bulk? Check out Vapur’s foldable, flat, BPA-free water bottle — so easy! you can buy it or lots of other choices right from the PG action page.
6. Got kids? Give toys made from sustainably harvested and renewable wood. Our users have suggested several great options! One of our favorite playthings ever:
Wooden Play Kitchen from HazelNut Kids keeps children busy for days on end
7. Doesn’t your home deserve a gift, almost any day of the year? We fell for this Plumen CFL bulb. Magical! (… even though we do, philosophically, prefer LEDs.)
Plumen bulb transforms Restoration Hardware shade!
8. If your skin feels a bit dry and neglected after all this shopping, treat yourself to a fabulous Weleda product — or two: our favorite is a squidge of rose oil with a dollop of aloe cream, mix together in the palm of your hand and stroke your deserving epidermis.
9. We’ve said it before and we’re saying it again: Experiences make great gifts! Whether it’s a local theatre production, a day at the slopes, a membership to a museum, or a gift certificate for a local farm to table restaurant—these are low impact gifts that often can be ordered right from your laptop.
What a wonderful gift: ski trip to Sugarbush!!
P.S. If your gift recipient would like to get inspiring communiques like this one on a regular basis, please take him or her by the hand to Practically Green! Registered users receive a timely letter from our team every week. And thank you for subscribing to our blog!
We’ve already applauded Patagonia’s fantastic Black Friday ad on this blog: “It’s a classy reminder: Sometimes, the best Stuff is the stuff you already have. Which is why we have dozens of Stuff-related actions at Practically Green…” — and we loved the comments from readers:
Now two of our favorite and longtime deeply green friends have also blogged about Patagonia’s stunner message, and we wanted to capture them for you.
Wendy Gordon
First, from Wendy Gordon’s piece in The Huffington Post: “How I Spent my Black Friday Selling, not Buying, Patagonia Fleeces on eBay”:
….my plan this year for Black Friday was to sit out the retail game altogether. That was before I saw the ad… ”Don’t Buy This Jacket.” … It went on to encourage readers not to buy what they didn’t need and to sell their used Patagonia products on eBay…. So while I had promised myself I wouldn’t buy anything other than a quart of milk (we’d run out) on Black Friday, I made the transition effortlessly into über-cyber-saleswoman, posting every one of the fleeces my 20-something sons had outgrown on the retail site, along with all those shirts they’d really never liked in the first place.
Oh, it felt good. So good, in fact, that I ended up cleaning out three whole closets. What I couldn’t sell through the Patagonia initiative, I bundled up for the nearby thrift shop.
**************
Jeffrey Hollender
And, from Jeffrey Hollender’s blog, “Don’t Buy This: The Truth About Sustainability”:
Having not broken my obsession with the print version of The New York Times, I was thrilled to greet Black Friday by opening to a full-page ad from Patagonia that urged readers “Don’t Buy This Jacket.”
To the best of my knowledge, Patagonia has never purchased a full-page ad in the Times, and for this, the first time that they did, they are urging consumers to buy less stuff. This exhibits both true leadership and untarnished truth about what it means to be sustainable.
The copy reads: Don’t buy what you don’t need. Think twice before you buy anything.
Click here for Jeff’s complete post.
PGer Nick Rockwell (that IS a Patagonia vest?)
Thanks again to Chelsea stringer and Patagonia enthusiast Nick Rockwell, who told us about the ad before anyone else had mentioned it, and who caught a Cyber-Monday sequel in his email:
Sometimes when we want the advice of a chic, worldly, bossy big sister, and we mean that in the best possible way, we turn to blogs like Dominique Browning’s Slow Love Life, Zem Joaquin’s EcoFabulous, and Ronnie Citron-Fink’s EcoNesting, … and, Priscilla Woolworth’s Almanac.
These women are stylishly green, intelligently and brilliantly green: they’re strict about ingredients, family, and process; they seem to travel everywhere and know everyone; they always have fresh flowers; and they are ready with sharp poison daggers to stab greenwashers. Also, they almost always have a French grandmother.
From SlowLoveLife.com
We recently caught up with Priscilla for a Q & A. (The first in a series, if you like the idea!)
Q. How did you get started?
A. I started developing the concept for my store 6 years ago, when I couldn’t find the non-toxic cleaning products I needed when I was at my house in Maine in the summer. I started shipping them from Los Angeles to Maine a week before I was leaving! Just nuts! Also, my friends were always asking me where I bought things or asked for advice about my lifestyle. I never imagined having my own store, let alone online and I discovered it was the most natural thing for me to do. Maybe it’s in my genes…
(Ahh, yes… that Woolworth!)
Golden Rules painting by Priscilla Woolworth, 24" square, on wood
Q. What makes you bounce out of bed in the morning?
A. How did you know that I bounce out of bed in the morning?! I can’t wait to get to work, especially if I’ve just read something fantastic in the newspaper. I must share it right away. I am a compulsive sharer of good, inspiring, exciting information and all of it is connected to my mission of educating and inspiring the public to make changes they can feel good about.
Penguin egg cosy (or puppet?), made of carpet remnants. $12
Q. What’s your mission?
A. My mission is twofold: to provide my favorite practical non-toxic, organic, energy-saving, water-saving products in my store; and to be a trusted resource for information about living a more sustainable lifestyle. I am my own best customer and use most of the products I sell. The market bags, reusable produce bags, stainless steel compost pail, African kettle, olive soap, glass water bottles and Valentina outdoor composter are a few of my products I use every single day.
Here’s the “delightful Kettle”: “I keep it by my kitchen sink, where I pour water from unfinished glasses, or saved water from washing lettuce, etc. Do not put any soap in it, only water! When it’s filled up, I use it to water my potted plants outside my kitchen.”
African Water Kettle made of salvaged plastic. $12
Q. I’m interested in your big thoughts on why sustainable living is important. Why bother?
A. Sustainable living is the way we all need to live if we are going to have a chance at leaving our world a livable and hopefully better place for our children. People need to know that they don’t have to sacrifice their lifestyle but instead can transition easily to something as easy as using reusable market bags or water bottles. I have heard people say that anything we do won’t make a difference, and I strongly disagree. We all have the power to change the world by what we buy… if we all support, for example, the companies that make non-toxic cleaning products or the ones that use recycled paper for paper products, the more those products will become the norm rather than the exception. The awesome United States is a consumer society, so we as the consumers have a lot of power we don’t even realize. Everything we buy is tracked, and when more people spend their money buying non-toxic cleaning products rather than the traditional brands, those environmentally products will become more available and more affordable.
I am inspired so much by my French grandmother, who at 93 years old, has explained to me the way everyone used to live, decades ago: people bought local and produce in season, using market baskets or cloth bags. Very little was wasted and people lived more simply and were content with less. I feel there is a movement to aspire to this kind of lifestyle.
Priscilla's Valentina Outdoor Wooden Compost Bin
Q. We would love your personal recommendations for products and services that make the process easy and terrific.
A. The easiest recommendations are for things we do on a regular basis, such as shopping for food and personal care. Bring your own market bags with you, buy organic food whenever you can, and buy paper goods made with recycled paper. If you live in an area where water is getting scarcer, get in the habit of keeping a bucket in your shower to catch as much wasted water as possible and use it on your plants instead. EWG.org is a great resource when it comes to checking the safety of beauty products and suntan lotions. Check with your local DWP (Department of Water and Power) and find out what energy saving programs they are offering, and learn ways you can reduce the energy and water wasted in your home, and save money. Add indoor plants like a Spider plant, which acts as natural air cleaners, busting indoor air pollutants in your home or office.
Priscilla on a building, location TBA
Q. What are you doing posted on the side of that huge building?!
A. Just hanging around…
You can find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @ecowoolworth.
A Solidly Green PG-er from Chelsea called to point out this full-page ad in The New York Times on Black Friday; thank you, Nick Rockwell! Leave it to Patagonia to explain why Black Friday Shopping deserves a second thought.
The environmental cost of everything we make is astonishing. Consider the R2 Jacket shown, one of our best sellers. To make it required 135 liters of water, enough to meet the daily needs (three glasses a day) of 45 people. Its journey from its origin as 60% recycled polyester to our Reno warehouse generated nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide, 24 times the weight of the finished product. This jacket left behind, on its way to Reno, two-thirds its weight in waste.
It’s a classy reminder: Sometimes, the best Stuff is the stuff you already have. Which is why we have dozens of Stuff-related actions at Practically Green, including:
Give experiential holiday gifts (worth 10 points at Practically Green)
Attend a swap event or use a swap site (5 points)
Organize or join a neighborhood tool or equipment-sharing cooperative (10 points)
See all of them right here – and please suggest yours: http://practicallygreen.com/actions/stuff
Patagonia R2 Jacket
If you’d still like to get a Patagonia jacket, you might check the listings on eBay. We saw 205 pages of apparel there when we last checked 5 minutes ago.
Buy something used on eBay or Craigslist (5 points)
SmallBizSaturday falls on November 26, and we can think of at least 12 great reasons to participate:
Shopping street in Carmel, California
1) Pump your precious bucks into the indigenous economy: the cash register rings where you throw down; and it rings throughout the entire network behind the proprietor – think about the bookkeeper, the recycling service, shop employees, employees’ babysitters, coffee shops where you go to refuel while you buzz through your gift list….
2) Get to know your local retailers: the dogged and inspired people who work hard to make their establishments better than the ones you find at the big-box mall or online.
3) Save on shipping and transport expenses — yours and the merchandise’s!
4) See, touch, feel, sniff instead of going online and clicking.
5) Avoid the stress (and time-wasting, gas-guzzling jams) of snarling crowds focused on Black Friday.
6) It’s a party! Many local outfits have chocolatey goodies, music, and other fun enticements – at least, the ones we know do…
7) Uniqueness: if it’s one-of-a-kind you crave, your chances are improved by shopping a stand-alone, one-of-a-kind shop.
8) Three gifts for them, one gift for me…. Enjoy a tasty local lunch or mani-pedi as a reward during your errands.
9) Get outside!
10) Save money: many SmallBizSaturday participants offer coupons, deals and other incentives.
11) Enjoy ancillary activities that your ingenious local retailers dream up. For example, KaightNYC is hosting a Wool and the Gang Knitting Party: “The holidays are just around the corner, what better gift to give than to knit that someone special, something special!”
See? Told you local shopkeepers are serious about having fun this season (refer to point 6 above).
12) Shopping local gives you another reason to bring your reusable shopping bags (see the fab selection from BlueAvocado) and earn Practically Green’s Green Shopper badge!
For more info, including a ZIP-directory, visit the Small Business Saturday Facebook page. And please post your stories and recommendations for Small Business Saturday!
Most of these points hold true for the other 364 days of the year: Shop local businesses regularly!
Say you want to buy a new pair of jeans, and you’d like to be thoughtful about it. Consult the Good Guide, and you’ll find ratings for dozens of brands, from Tommy Bahama to H&M.
Top rank goes to Levi’s, so we called to find out more.
“Levi’s did its first lifecycle assessment in 2007,” Brianna Wolf told us. “We took two of our iconic products, 501 denim jeans and Dockers original khakis. Here’s what we learned: the greatest opportunity for improvement was at the beginning of the cycle – the raw materials stage — and at the end of the cycle, relating to consumer use.”
In the lifecycle of a pair of Levi’s® 501® jeans, we’ve found that the largest water impact comes from the cotton growing process and through the laundry habits of consumers, after they leave our stores. But we can’t ask our suppliers and consumers to change their behaviors unless we’re also willing to make some changes ourselves.
Life Cycle of a Jean
Levi’s came up with this consumer care tag, which points to four (ok, five) actions you’ll find on Practically Green:
Wash only full loads of laundry (20 points)
Wash laundry in cold water (50 points)
Donate clothes to a charity (20 points)
Line-dry laundry seasonally (25 points)
Line-dry laundry all year (50 points)
Levi's Customer Care Tag
“We identified another big opportunity area in the cotton field. We joined the Better Cotton Initiative, which makes positive change happen across the supply chain. Our goal is to get better cotton into 20% of our products by 2015. So far we’ve got it in 2 million pairs of jeans!”
This infographic illustrates the process:
Another great reason to wear Levi’s: the water-reducing strategies developed for the Water<Less collection.
Last year, we announced the Levi’s® Water<Less™ collection – denim finished in a way that uses significantly less water. Up to 96 percent less for some products.
As a result of this innovative process, we produced nearly 1.5 million pairs of jeans for this year’s spring line while saving 16 million liters of water.
But we knew we could do more. So we’ve been working with our suppliers around the globe to spread these water-saving techniques.
And we’re proud to say that the Levi’s® global collection now includes nearly 12 million jeans in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Since we introduced the Water<Less collection, we have saved 156 million liters of water around the world. That’s 60 million days of drinking water for communities in need.
Here’s something else you can do with old jeans: insulate your walls! (Levi’s estimates it has 25,000 jeans in the walls of its new San Francisco headquarters.)
Add insulation to your walls (100 points)
What do you think? Will you look for Levi’s the next time you buy a pair of jeans?
When we say Rodale is the grand-daddy of organic living, we aren’t kidding. Current CEO Maria Rodale is the granddaughter of founder J. I. Rodale. Rodale.com is tech-savvier than most grampys are: their first e-book is out just in time for back-to-school shopping: Rodale’s Nontoxic Back to School Shopping Guide: More than 200 Expert-Approved, Ecofriendly Ideas to Help Your Kids Focus on Their ABCs – without PVCs, VOCs, BPAs, and Other Harmful Stuff.
Maria Rodale
The bad news: lots of school products have controversial ingredients, “chemicals that scientists have linked to developmental and learning problems, among other ailments.”
The good news: “parents, public health leaders, and advocacy groups have been calling for safer products, and marketers are listening” – and easy resources like Practically Green’s Back-to-School badge and this new guide from Rodale can help you make smart healthy choices.
Buy it on Amazon or via Rodale.com.
Pop Quiz: What are Rodale’s 7 Guiding Principles for shopping?
Answer: 1) Demand organic, 2) Avoid Plastic, 3) Reject vinyl (PVC), 4) Reuse and buy used whenever possible, 5) Look for post-consumer waste (PCW) in paper products, 6) Avoid ‘antibacterial,’ 7) Be wary of waterproofing
Emily Main
Leah Zerbe
Co-authors Emily Main and Leah Zerbe are assiduous researchers, and we don’t think they forgot anything; chapters include Art Supplies, Backpacks and Bags, Clothing, Electronics, Food & Beverage Containers, Personal Care Products, Stationery, and Miscellaneous (including after-school ideas and fundraising ideas… perfect for your school green team).
“We wanted to do this book because more and more people are eating organic,” Zerbe says. “Studies show that now they’re going to the next level: they’re looking for safer products, especially for kids. This is a hectic time for parents — there’s so much confusion — and we wanted to create a products guide to help. I actually want a lot of these items for myself! The ecolunchboxes are really nice.” We absolutely agree:
Congrats to Rodale on this comprehensive resource! We raise our (recycled/vintage) glass to your venerable ancestry AND to your modern-day klout:
P.S. One of our other very favorite “if we had to live on an island with only 10 books” is Maria Rodale’s Organic Manifesto, which is less, well, fierce than the title suggests: it’s a reasoned, practical, and very engaging.
We’re just off the phone with Eliza Starbuck, creator of of Bright Young Things, where Wear-a-thon champions show how to dress stylishly green.
Here’s Eliza on day 1 of her Little Black Dress Wear-a-thon:
and here she is on day 30: 
Eliza’s mantra is to wear what you already have, sew your own, upcycle. In general, she says, use your noggin before you buy another cheap dress from H&M! She’s launched Forevermore, a campaign to stop clothing waste. Think you’ll enjoy the Forevermore team’s video entry for Yoxi’s Trim the Waste of Fashion contest… and if you do, why not throw it a vote!
If you ARE in the mood to buy eco-chic, we recommend Kaight, a NYC-based boutique dedicated to slow fashion: “meaning KAIGHT stocks emerging green designers from the U.S., Europe and Canada that make clothes that push the boundaries of fashion in an environmentally conscious and ethical way.” We’re hooked on owner Kate McGregor’s integrity – and her brilliant blend of practical and extravagant. Shops are located in Brooklyn and on Manhattan’s lower east side. We visited the online store and are in love with a bag and scarf we could not resist. Neither one was inexpensive, but we are using them both almost every day! (This is the Forevermore way to shop, after all.) We asked Kate for a Mid-Summer’s Treat: tips for feeling fresh and stylish when it’s torrid outside and you’re beyond bored with your summer wardrobe. Even if you’ve already blown your budget for August, we think you’ll enjoy Kate’s distinctly Kaight approach.
Most women don’t take dressing for warmer temperatures very seriously and opt for throw-away garments or simply anything that will keep them cool. This creates a lot of unnecessary waste, which we all know is not good! Below are a few key ways I recommend to keep you looking fresh this summer without winding up with a bag full of disposable clothing at the end of the season.
1. Invest in lightweight cotton or silk dresses that can also be worn with tights or layered with a sweater in the fall. I’m a big advocate of trans-seasonal dressing and always encourage customers to choose pieces that they think will work in various stages of their wardrobe. Some of my favorites for this are Thieves 5-in-1 dress and The Podolls Picnic Dress.
Thieves 5-in-1 Dress
2. Shorts have been slowly making their way into an urban summer wardrobe. I love this organic cotton version by Nau.
3. Accessorize with a great scarf. Scarves are great because they can enhance a somewhat lackluster look by adding some texture and pattern. Also, they come in very handy when you’re in a restaurant and the air conditioner is turned way up. [PG: Advise the manager that he gets 50 PG points when he turns up the A/C a few degrees?!] I suggest a great silk or cotton scarf and one that is big enough to wrap around your shoulders if you get chilly. I’m obsessed with JUMA’s laser printed scarves. Their images are a work of art and since they are laser-printed there is minimal waste in the dying process.
4. COLOR! Summer is the best time to explore and play with color. If you’re intimidated by a bright tomato red (which is everywhere this season), at least opt for a colorful bag, shoe or even a necklace.
5. Be kind to your toes. A good pedicure is a must in the summer. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) recently classified Formaldehyde a carcinogen. Almost all conventional nail polishes contain formaldehyde as well as other nasty chemicals, including toulene and DHB. Fortunately, there are lots of great alternatives, including PRITI, Acquarella, Scotch Naturals, and Strange Beautiful.
Get 10 PG Points for Using a natural nail polish!
Interested? For more on Kate and Kaight: KaightNYC.Blogspot.com, KaightShop.com. Join her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @kaightshop.
And, we’d love to hear what you’re wearing this summer!
How to be Fashionably Green: Buy vintage or consignment stores regularly- 50 points, Donate clothing to charity- 20 points, or Buy something used on Ebay or Craigslist- 5 points.
Berlin Designer Schmidttakahashi gathers worn clothing and reassembles garments into completely new and totally fabulous pieces:
It’s a curious and fascinating experience to slip into the external “skin” of another person. Even if the clothes are mass produced for an unknown number of consumers, each piece is affected by the individual as soon as it ends up in a the hands of that particular person. It is no longer an anonymous object. It stores aesthetic information unique to it’s owner including things like body shape, smell, posture, attitude and lifestyle.
(Thanks for pointing this out, Ecouterre.)
If you can’t get to Schmidttakahashi, Jenelle Montilone has advice on how to recycle your clothes locally. Jenelle blogs about DIY upcycled fashion at TrashN2Tees, which offers a sustainable alternative to funky, custom, and one of kind clothing and accessories handmade using 100% reclaimed materials.
Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do with your unworn, unwanted, outgrown, stained up, old, and out of style clothing? The average American throws away 68 pounds of clothing each year. Stop! Take a few steps away from that garbage can and listen up- 98% of clothes thrown into the landfills can be recycled, I’ll one up that – because 100% can be upcycled or repurposed.
There are companies and organizations that will take your unwanted clothing and some even offer pick up services at your doorstep! You might be surprised to find out that some Goodwill and Salvation Army stores also participate in clothing recycling. While they do not sell stained clothing, many locations do bundle up the unwanted unwearables and sell them to rag sorters. After the clothing is sorted and processed it may be shredded into fibers and made into new shiny new products like insulation for stereos, archival-quality paper, blankets and even plastic fencing or rubberized playgrounds. Clothing can also be shipped to Third World countries where they may have an extended life.
Here are some other options:
Patagonia’s Common Threads Garment Recycling Program accepts worn out fleece, cotton t-shirts and some polyester, and transforms the old fibers into new fashions, like this vest.
Dress for Success – This international not-for-profit organization promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire along with job counseling. Each woman “dressed for success” receives one suit when she lands a job interview; she can receive a second suit or outfit when she finds work. Since 1997, Dress for Success has served almost 300,000 women around the world. You can donate suits, blouses, pants, shoes, jewelry, briefcases, black tote bags, and other appropriate business apparel.
Soles4Souls - Providing free footwear to people in need around the world, this nonprofit organization startede after the Asian tsunami in December 2004, continued in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and today distributes shoes worldwide. It also partners with Dress for Success to provide career footwear.
One World Running – This Colorado-based non-profit organization ships donated running shoes, soccer gear, and baseball equipment to athletes in Central America, Haiti, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe – The program grinds up and recycles discarded shoe material to build playground mats, basketball courts, and running tracks.
To complete the recycling circle, it is also important to consider buying clothing secondhand or made using recycled materials.
* You save money: buying reusable, quality products is less expensive
* You conserve natural resources: decreasing energy and raw material consumption helps the planet
* You eliminate waste: sensible consumption frees up natural resources for other worthwhile purposes
Jenelle has an easy no sew tutorial that she says will turn your t-shirt into a scarf in 20 minutes! See the TrashN2Tees blog for more great ideas to consume less and recycle more.
Kids' t-shirt made using 100% reclaimed materials
TrashN2Tees also offers a TrashN2Cash Clothing Recycling Program to collect clothing for repurposing and ensures still usable items that are collected are passed on to those in need by supporting Dress for Success, The Goodwill Industries of KY, and local shelters.
Montilone supports Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the March of Dimes. Recently, via Craft Hope, she sent bracelets to orphans in Russia in honor of her Facebook fans. Follow her on Twitter @trashn2tees.
I can’t think of a better day to plant a tree than Memorial Day, can you? Trees are 99% permanent ideal markers for those we love who might no longer be around. My husband Jack and I planted three river birches this spring and on Memorial Day we’re going to decide who each tree is for!
Meanwhile, our amazingly creative friend Connie Carman has a guest post re: Plant a Tree or Bush, one of the 3 actions which contributes to the Grow Your Own badge on Practically Green.
I say amazing because Connie is the founder of CouturePlanet: her bags, made of curated newspapers, are nothing short of brilliant (see photo below). Love her historic take on our action, and her decision to make change happen in her town …. Please read on!
A Tree Grows in Lynn, Massachusetts, by Constance Carman
“We want a ground to which people may easily go after their days work is done…with a sufficient number of trees about it to supply a variety of light and shade… We want depth of wood enough about it not only for comfort in hot weather, but to completely shut out the city from our landscapes.” – Fredrick Law Olmstead
I admire Frederick Law Olmstead on so many levels. In addition to being one of our greatest landscape architects, he was a genius who spoke openly against the issues of his time such as slavery and civil rights. I am a native of Buffalo, and Cazenovia and Delaware Parks taught me about the beauty of nature and the importance of having a green space that belongs to everyone.
I now live in Swampscott, Massachusetts, a seaside town north of Boston where we are lucky to live in the Olmstead Historic District: a well-preserved, residential area designed in 188I, during the same time that Olmstead designed the Emerald Necklace and the Arnold Arboretum. And, I spend several weeks a year in New York City where I cannot imagine life without Central Park! Frederick Law Olmstead was indeed green!
I’ve always been concerned with the environment. One of the best things about starting Couture Planet™ two years ago is that I – and the whole Couture Planet™ team – have become far more concerned. Important sites like Practically Green give us the information and tools needed to make changes – large and small – in our personal lives, but we must take the initiative and carry them through day in and day out!
As we all know, it’s not always easy.
One of the things I plan to do as an outward display of my concern for the environment is to plant a tree in the community where my company is based. It’s an opportunity to both improve the look of the city and reap some energy benefits. Trees are a part of the infrastructure of our communities and a crucial part of our ecosystem. Especially in urban areas, trees can help reduce energy usage, heating and cooling by up to ten percent. Trees can transform streets and public areas. They are “green machines” that clean our air and water by absorbing pollutants and stabilizing soil. Planting a tree also provides the opportunity to raise one’s awareness of his or her surroundings. As each one of us should think of ourselves as stewards of our local environment, this is what I set out to do.
I called the Mayor’s office and was directed to someone who handles tree planting and the “adopt an island or container program.” I explained that I was hoping to make a contribution that would beautify a spot in the city but, moreover, have an environmental impact. (I even told them about the good work of Practically Green and directed them to the action!
Well, they promised someone would get back to me and I am patiently waiting to get more information. In the meantime, I went on a search to see how other communities are propelling their tree planting programs.
One of the most ambitious programs I came across is TreePeople, a highly organized Los Angeles-based group that has planted over 2 million trees in the LA basin. TreePeople’s mission is to inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun and sustainable and to share the results as a model for the world. Phew! I love people with lofty goals! They have a terrific website with everything you need to know about forestry, including a list of the Top 22 Benefits of Trees.
Here are a few of my favorite reasons to “plant and care for trees or defend a tree’s standing”
- Trees combat the greenhouse effect
- Trees clean the air
- Trees cool the streets and the city
- Trees help prevent water pollution and soil erosion
- Trees mark the seasons
- Trees create economic opportunities, and
- Trees add unity. As landmarks, they can give a neighborhood a new identity and encourage civic pride.
The folks in the UK also take their trees seriously. The Woodland Trust, England’s leading woodland conservation, has a nifty feature called MyView that allows one to see how a street or neighborhood might look with the addition of trees. Take and upload a photograph of your local environment that would benefit from the addition of trees. Their web gizmo then allows you to drag and drop trees onto the photos of local streets and parks. Very cool! Check it out!
Well, it seems the East coast is lagging beyond the West coast (don’t repeat that!) and well behind the UK, as I’m still waiting for information on where I can and will plant my tree. I understand, all local government is overworked.
So, not only will I make this public promise to plant a tree, I also vow to speak to the powers that be about helping to facilitate the process for others in the future.
Sounds like my new cause! My dream is to plant a Saucer Magnolia tree in front of the Lydia Pinkham Building, the present home of Couture Planet™. (Lydia Pinkham, born in 1819, was an entrepreneur who made home remedies for “women’s ailments” — a worthy topic for another day!)
Magnificent Saucer Magnolia in bloom
Couture Planet's Headquarters
This magnolia is a spectacular specimen that gives us her show of fragrant pink blooms in late April. The tree matures to 20’-30’ with a 25’ spread – making it perfect for the busy streets of Lynn. The waft of its heavy perfume will intoxicate passers by for 14 glorious days! Thereafter, she shows her greenery and serves as a home to many of our favorite songbirds.
I’ll fall asleep tonight dreaming of my magnolia.
While reading about trees for this blog, the fact that astonished me the most is that in one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles. Wow! I can’t wait to plant my tree!
Author Bio:
Connie, a graduate of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, is the Owner and President of Couture Planet™, a Lynn, Massachusetts-based Company that manufactures handbags and accessories from 100% post-consumer newspaper. In addition, Connie is the buyer for the Shop at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, where she is the also the Chairman of the hotel’s “Green Team” that aims to increase recycling and reduce waste at the Boston hotel. 
The idea for Couture Planet™ was born after seeing piles of newspapers in the hotel: “Newspapers are history; newspapers are iconic. Why not repurpose the images into fashion pieces?” Couture Planet™ combines Connie’s concern for the environment and entrepreneurial spirit. Couture Planet’s™ interests and activities extend beyond recycling and the company is constantly seeking ways to be “more green” and more responsible citizens of the world.
Find Connie via email: Connie@mycoutureplanet.com, on her site, www.mycoutureplanet.com, and on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter: @coutureplanet and via blog: http://coutureplanet.wordpress.com/
Action of the Day: Purchase eco-friendly shoes
In the world of green fashion there’s a reigning czarina, and her name is Zem (bio here). Zem’s ecofabulous is widely regarded as the go-to for “celebrating high style with low impact.” (Click here for the ecofabulous manifesto.) So we asked Zem and her team to comment on Practically Green’s eco-friendly shoe action:
Can you please help us find some gorgeous shoes that don’t make a sizable footprint on the environment (pun intended)? Do they exist?
After all, as our action page explains,
“Many resources are used during production, and large amounts of pollution and toxic waste are created…. many shoes contain harmful glues and synthetic, petroleum-derived materials, ranging from polyurethane to PVC. These may release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere during production…. Leather tanning also produces pollution and toxic waste.” And on top of all that, many shoes are not recycled or disposed of properly.
Zem’s team leapt to the challenge, and here’s their advice:
Stylish moms and parents need not throw out their eco consciousness when it comes to footwear. ecofabulous uses these easy tricks when selecting our favorite shoes:
- Keep it classic. We love these organic cotton Keds flats from the company’s new green label, mostly because they remind us that buying looks that last can often be the most sustainable choice.
- Choose wisely (and widely). As Practically Green suggests, vegetable tanned leather is a great option for friendlier footwear – it means that the leather is treated with plant-based ingredients rather than harmful conventional tanning methods using formaldehyde and chromium. See what we mean with the collection from Tashkent by Cheyenne.
Tashkent by Cheyenne
- Know what you’re getting yourself into. A read through shoe materials can show some not-so-nice contents. Not with these natural rubber boots from Aigle. Natural rubber is a renewable resource tapped from the rubber tree (much like maple syrup). [PG Note: we love ecofab for taking a stand, e.g., “At ecofabulous, we feel very strongly that you’re never too old to go puddle-jumping.”]
Aigle rubber boots
- One road, many paths. Look for styles that let you dress up or down accordingly. As an added bonus, we love Tia’s Freestyle Sandals for their interchangeable recycled silk straps. One base, endless possibilities!
Tia's Transformable Sandals!
- Go old school. Zem’s recent purchase of vintage Derek Lam boots not only gave them a second life but created a reason for alternate eco packaging from eBay.
Green Box from eBay
Thankyou, Team ecofabulous!
P.S. Just have to say: at Practically Green we admit to being slightly [okay absurdly] interested in shoes. We won’t go into all the reasons here … but there are many — and we aren’t alone!! For a fascinating analysis, see this Cosmo article.
Credit: James Westman/StudioD, Cosmopolitan.com
JOIN PRACTICALLY GREEN on EARTH DAY EVE!
Share ideas for living healthy & green with smart tweeters and win incredible prizes!
If Friday is Earth Day, then Earth Day Eve is this Thursday, April 21.
We’re going to celebrate with a Twitter party @practicallygrn from 9 to 10 EST.
And YOU are invited!
Here’s the conversation starter:
What are some fun easy ways to celebrate Earth Day EVERY day?
What healthy green changes have you made? What’s on your plan?
Please use hashtag #practicallygreen and insert @practicallygrn on your tweets.
PRIZES
We’re awarding these amazing items to our partiers!
NOTE: Real live people from these companies will be at the party AND there may be some last-minute additions to this list
Yummy treats from Late July Organic
Couture Planet bag (lucky winner chooses which one)
Beautiful candle gift set from Big Dipper Wax Works
Designer beverage accessories from Strawesome
Life’s a Picnic basket organized by Fabkins (featuring LUNA, Cleanwell, Plum Organics, and Green Toys!)
Happy Mama Hand-to-Toe Wash (with refill)
SodaPop earrings from Proxy Apparel (lucky winner chooses color)
Fabulous green group gift for baby, arranged by Inlu
Got Questions? Send us a tweet @practicallygrn or email Samantha: intern@practicallygreen.com
One of the most eye-opening actions on Practically Green: Check your cosmetics against the Skin Deep Cosmetics or Good Guide Database. If you’ve been zooming through life responding to every pretty cosmetics ad and celebrity beauty-secret pick, you might, as I did, experience a gradual horror to discover that some ingredients in popular make up and personal care products are simply NOT SAFE. Today we have two experts to explain. Both of them are gorgeous examples of women whose beauty routines ONLY include safe cosmetics.
Corey Colwell-Lipson gives a quick introduction, and Stacy Malkan shares her recent interactions speaking at a high school kids in the Bay Area, San Francisco. Scroll down for Stacy’s TED presentation on safe cosmetics. Check your family’s body products against the Skin Deep Cosmetics or Good Guide Database and earn 5 points now!
*****
You are what you eat… er…wear, by Corey Colwell-Lipson
Up to 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Toner, perfume, nail polish, foundation, shampoo, eye-shadow, sunscreen–you name it, a majority of body/beauty products enter our bodies (tissues, organs, etc.) via our skin, our largest organ. (Sorry, guys, it’s the skin).
All OK if the “skin food” you are wearing is safe. All less OK if the skin food you are wearing is not.
My family has a fun ditty. It goes like this: If you wouldn’t eat it, it doesn’t belong on your skin.
How to know if your lip gloss is body-safe gourmet? Look at the ingredients. If they are listed. If not, that might be a clue. Can you pronounce them? Do they sound like terms you’d need a PhD in chemistry to decode, or names that come from nature? You know: animal, vegetable, mineral.
For example, the following ingredients, commonly found in body/beauty products, are toxic. Not ideal skin food:
- Parabens – Hormone disrupting
- Diazolidinyl Urea/Imidazolodinyl Urea – Releases formaldehyde, a carcinogen
- Synthetic fragrances – Linked to damage in the brain and nervous system
No, thank you.
Another easy way to assess whether your fave lotion or potion is safe enough to eat: Go to www.CosmeticDatabase.com or www.GoodGuide.com and type in the name of your product. Then hit “enter” and cross your fingers (and toes).
Here’s how the ratings break down:
- Skin Deep Cosmetic Database: 0-2 rating is low hazard; 3-6 is moderate hazard; 7-10 is high hazard
- GoodGuide: Broken down into three areas (health, environment, society) averaged for an overall score of 0-10 (10=best)
How does your skin food score?
Corey Colwell-Lipson is a clean-living expert, author, radio host and licensed psychotherapist specializing the transition to parenthood. She and her mom, Lynn Colwell, are the mother-daughter team who launched the green holidays revolution. Connect with Corey and Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at CelebrateGreen and on their website at www.CelebrateGreen.net
*****
The Healthy EcoSystem of You, by Stacy Malkan
How many personal care products does the average teenager use in a day? I asked this question of hundreds of students at an Earth Day event at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, California. After counting up their hair care products, lotions and different types of make-up, many of the girls answered right on: 17 products!
The boys guessed much lower, but even many young members of the male species — what with the Ax Body Sprays and Old Spice guy — are using upward of 17 body-care products, according to the New York Times.
Since the typical grooming product contains a dozen or so chemicals, we can do a quick calculation to learn that the average teenager is exposing him or herself to more than 200 chemicals a day before even hitting the school yard.
Are these chemicals safe? I asked the kids at St. Francis if cosmetics companies are required to safety test their products before selling them. About half the students got this one right: No, they are not. Companies are allowed to sell personal care products containing nearly any chemical in the U.S. without conducting any safety assessments. (We’re working to change the law to fix this problem.)
So why should this matter to your typical teen? For one thing, most would be shocked to learn how many skin-care products contain chemicals that are actually toxic to the skin! (Break outs, anyone?). Many body-care products also contain carcinogens and chemicals that can scramble the hormones, which can be particularly problematic during the critical windows of development in the teenage years.
The good news is, safer alternatives are available that work just as well if not better than the chemical stuff. The challenge is, you have to do some research to find them. Here are five tips for greening your daily grooming routine and taking good care of the environment of you:
Buy in the Green Zone: Many companies are already making safer, non-toxic products, though these are not the products you see in the glossy magazines hawked by celebrities who don’t really wear them. To find the best products, and see how your favorite brands rank, check out the Skin Deep Database and choose products in the 0-2 green zone.
Avoid the Dirty Dozen: How about a little coal tar, petrolatum, phthalates and formaldehyde before breakfast? Um, no thanks! Here’s a handy list of cosmetic chemicals to avoid that will have you passing by most of the body-care products on the shelves at Walgreens.
Go Fragrance Free: What’s so sexy about a bunch of chemicals that disrupt hormones and trigger allergic reactions? Not so much! Yet product tests found chemicals linked to sperm damage in men’s products like Old Spice and Fierce by Abercrombie & Fitch, and a whole bunch of nasty chemicals in celebrity perfumes. Similar chemicals are found in fragrance-containing shampoos, deodorants, etc., so it’s best to choose products with no added fragrance (check the labels because even “fragrance free” products often contain masking fragrances).
Less is More: The greenest option is to just say no to unnecessary products. Companies love to make us think we need a different lotion for every part of our body and a different cleaning product for every room in the house. Air freshener? Open a window. Bubble bath? Not so good to sit for an hour in a tub full of chemicals. And here’s a tip for reducing toxic exposures while saving lots of time and money: Bye bye hair dye (see my Facebook page on this topic).
If you do just one green thing: switch to all natural hand sanitizer. There’s no need to rub a toxic pesticide all over our hands before we eat, yet many people do so thanks to all the marketing hype about how germs will kill us. Many conventional hand sanitizers contain triclosan, a chemical that is not only dangerous but unnecessary. Safer alternatives are available, including plain old soap and water, which is just as effective at killing germs, according to FDA.
Happy Earth Day Everyone! Here’s to a healthy ecosystem of you.
Stacy Malkan is co-founder of the national Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of the award-winning book, “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry.” Watch Stacy’s presentation at TED a few months ago:
There are millions of products out there marketed towards parents and families, but certainly not millions of good ones. So, how do you know when a product is good? Everyone knows that the best advice comes from the people you can trust, hence, the incredible value of diapers.com’s 2011 Cribsie Awards! Created to recognize the “best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots,” the Cribsies are a great resource for every family! The best part? Every product was chosen by people like you (who have actually used the products, might I add)!
Here at Practically Green we’ve taken it a step further and combed through the great nominees to find our personal favorites, meaning of course, some of the greenest options!
Photo Credit: Happy Solez Organics
Nursery:
California Baby (Skincare)
Halo (Organic fabrics)
Aden + Anais (Organic cotton muslin wrap)
Seventh Generation (Diapers)
Nature Babycare (Diapers)
Under The Nile (Security blankets)
MiYim (Security blankets and toys)
Best Way To Recycle Used Baby Stuff (GREEN GREEN GREEN Category!)
Most Comfy Way To Wear Your Baby: Ergo; Baby K’Tan; Moby Wraps; BobaPine; Sleepy Wrap (All have an organic version, which is the greenest way to go.)
Fashion:
Photo Credit: Hank & Jojo
Play:
BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance (Organic cotton version)
Mealtime:
Happy Baby, Earth’s Best, Tasty Baby, Sprout, Ella’s Kitchen, and Nurturme (All organic!)
The Think Baby (Stainless steel)
Green Sprouts (Glass cubes)
Annie’s, Plum, Little Duck Organics (Choose the organic options which are much healthier and don’t contain the yucky stuff)
Born Free, Dr. Brown’s, Green To Grow (These companies make glass bottles which are safer than and therefore preferable to plastic)
Remember: The more legitimate certifications, the better, and always read the product information.
We look forward to hearing the winners announced on March 25th!
News Picks:
Photo Credit: Leah Nash for The New York Times
In New Food Culture, a Young Generation of Farmers Emerges: I love love love this article from Isolde Raftery of The New York Times! Featuring Tyler Jones, 30, and his wife Alicia, 27, of Corvallis, Oregon, this article examines a new generation who has chosen farming as their livelihood. With better agricultural practices driving their passion, the Joneses represent a much larger demographic. Read this article and learn more about the driving force behind a profession rising so quickly in popularity.
30 of the Best Garden Designs: Looking for a little motivation to get your garden going? Believe it or not, it’s not to early to start planning, raking, and hoeing. These absolutely beautiful gardens featured by iVillage will have you dying to get started. Pictured to the right is my personal favorite, #9. Check ‘em out and get started on those PG Points!
Apple Unveils Thinner, Lighter iPad 2 – But is it Greener?
This is a great article from Diane Pham and Mike Chino of Inhabitat, and as you might imagine, very timely. It seems as though everyone I know, whether they own one or not, is talking about the iPad and iPad2. But are they green? Pham and Chino break it down nicely. Check it out!
Multi-Media Pick:
‘How to recycle rain water for use at home’ by SmartPlanetCBS is a great video, featuring a husband/wife team that changed their lifestyle to save water. With commentary from their own rainwater expert, and great footage of their home, the type of rainwater harvesting system this couple used might be exactly what you and your family were looking for! Remember: this one can get you 150 PG Points. Wahoo!
New and Cool Pick:
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a sweet new bag, and have I got a good one for you! Boston based Couture Planet makes their handbags out of old newspapers, that way your handbag is always one of a kind! They have tons of different styles and you can actually tell them if you prefer The New York Times, or The Boston Globe as well as your favorite section! Personally, I’d go for the Clutch in The New York Times Travel section, how about you?
This week's PG Picks created by Sam Roach
News Picks:
Toxics Leaching from Plastic Food Packaging & What You Can Do: This Great article from Jenelle Sorensen (one of our wonderful inspiring action planners!) of Healthy Child Healthy World is helpful and informative. Jenelle offers solutions that remind us to make smarter choices in our everyday lives. Remember, earn your PG points for packaging-related actions!
I recently discovered an awesomely refreshing blog that I just had to share. If you’re looking for something to lighten the environmental mood, you have to check out Laugh Green! With pictures, videos, jokes, and witty cartoons, you’re bound to find something to share with your friends.
Herman Miller’s GreenHouse Factory Generates 15 Pounds of Landfill Waste Per Month: Sound crazy? It’s true! This article by Lloyd Alter of TreeHugger is one of the more inspiring things I’ve read in quite some time! Read this article and learn more about what makes it so efficient. I’m hopeful that Miller’s recipe for success becomes commonplace. 
Photo by Sara Hurt
Just when that post-Valentine’s Day lull was moving in, a great article from the TreeShagger column on Grist by Holly Richmond: 10 great green date ideas. These ideas are a must try, and some great excuses for a date night! My favorite? The photo scavenger hunt! Remember: use these titillating ideas as an excuse to earn your Date Night Badge!
Multi-Media Pick:
Michael Pawlyn: Using nature’s genius in architecture: This recent TED Talk is a good one! I’ve always believed that in order to maximize benefit and minimize harm to the environment, we must look to nature itself for help. Michael Pawlyn is astute and creative. The projects that he explains, which focus on resource efficiency from nature, are inspiring and eye-opening to say the least. Enjoy!
New and Cool Pick:
Stuff We Love: 30 Fantastic Green Finds: This great slideshow from Erin Renzas of iVillage is packed with cool, new, green products you must see. I found myself writing down a bunch of things I want to order ASAP. From ventless fireplaces to eco-friendly dog beds, this article has it all.
This week's PG Picks created by Sam Roach
News Picks:
Cambridge, MA. Photo by reachisles via Flickr.com.
Too Much Snow? Dumping it in Waterways Is Not the Answer: This article from Andrea Donsky and Randy Boyer of NaturallySavvy.com (featured on Treehugger this week), addresses some of the weather-related issues facing the Northeastern United States (and other areas for that matter). I can’t help but wonder: where is all of this snow going? We’ve got quite some time before it melts (yikes, can you say FLOOD), and we’re simply running out of places to put it. The simple answer may be “waterways,” but there are some serious consequences.
If you haven’t heard of Let’s Move, the First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to end childhood obesity in the United States, you’ve got to check it out. It’s only been a year, but the progress they have made is astounding. Combining good nutrition with physical activity, Let’s Move is changing kid’s lifestyles for a healthier future! Watch the introduction video with Michelle, and learn how she was inspired!
If you’re like me, you have about 10 phone books in your house, most of which are out dated and covered in dust! They end up being one of those permanent (unwanted) accessories that I’m not quite sure what to do with. That is, until I found out about The National Yellow Pages Consumer Choice and Opt-Out Site. How to recycle your Yellow Pages Directory, the 2010 Sustainability Report, and Customize or Opt-Out of Directory Delivery are just a few of the features provided!
Yellow Pages Association
Looking for a cozy spot to hibernate until Spring? I came across a great article on Whole Living: 13 Ways to Cozy Up at Home. From adding textured fabrics to strategically placing furniture, these tips will give you a warm and welcoming place to call home. Whether it’s 20 degrees or 80, you’ll find these homey tips worth your while!
Multi-Media Pick:
This week from Daily Grommet: a great video with Wendy Chandor and Jeanne Connon, Healthy Living: Ways to Stay Healthy. Featuring several cool products that will he
lp you live a healthy lifestyle, this video is informative and fun. From an exercise monitor to a neti pot, Daily Grommet has the latest gadgets to keep you going!
New and Cool Pick:
Photo Credit: Marielle van Leewen for Oat Shoes
Oat Shoes – Sneakers You Can Compost: I want this product! Featured in an article from Colleen Vanderlinden of Treehugger, Oat Shoes are 100% biodegradable! I don’t know about you, but I would feel much better about shoe shopping if I could just bury the old ones…literally! Check ‘em out!
This week's PG Picks created by Sam Roach
News Picks:
Photo Credit Bart Nagel
The (not so) New Agtivist: Organic movement leader Bob Scowcroft looks back: This interview from Samuel Fromartz of Grist gives some great insight into the world of organic farming and food. Bob Scowcroft, founder of the Organic Farming Research Foundation, tells us a lot about where we’ve come from with organics, and where we should go next. Reading this interview reminded me of the importance of eating organic, and getting PG points while I’m at it!
Photo: The Daily Green
12 Natural Ways to Prevent and Cure the Cold and Other Seasonal illnesses: It seems like everyone I know is sick this week! So, I had to include this article by Dan Shapley. Hopefully it’s not too late for some of you! There are some great tips here, including carrots for headaches (who knew?) and some of the old stand by’s (oranges to prevent colds).
City Is Looking at Sewage Treatment as a Source of Energy: Check out this great article from Mireya Navarro of The New York Times; looks like we’re finally thinking outside the box! New York City is beginning to look at their sewage treatment system as a potential resource for renewable energy. This is definitely a topic to keep your eye on!
Photo Credit Raymond McCree Jones/The New York Times
Multi-Media Pick
I recently watched a very cool video on TED, that is a must-see! Architect Kate Orff explains her dream of “oyster-tecture,” a method of oyster farming that filters water to create the urban landscape with endless environmental benefits. I haven’t heard an idea this cool and innovative in a long time! Check it out!
New and Cool Pick:
Photo: Proof
Sustainable Wood Sunglasses Support Eyesight Surgery in India: I bet we will be seeing this awesome product, (featured in this article by Emma Grady of Treehugger), everywhere! You can buy Proof’s awesome do-good/sustainable eye wear here!
This week's PG Picks created by Sam Roach
It’s one of those Separated at Birth stories.
Amy and Melissa, the Swapaholics
Melissa Massello and Amy Chase grew up within 50 miles of one another. Unbeknownst to either of them, they both loved shopping and being fashionable — so much that they began swapping their clothes and accessories with friends at a tender age. This continued in high school and college. When a mutual acquaintance introduced them two years ago, Melissa says “I felt like I’d found my long-lost sister.” The Swapaholics were born.
Swapaholics’ first event was a smash success: “It was amazing. We sorted 2 tons of clothing for that first swap! We really hit a nerve, and it’s grown like crazy. The age range is from 13 to some people in their eigthties. 90% are women, and we’ve seen sizes 00 to 28.” Melissa and Amy have helped host fifteen events all over the U.S. since then. “We had 400 people come to our event during Boston’s Fashion Week in September – that was a big success.”
“Swapping is the most social of shopping experiences,” they say. “People LOVE knowing that their favorites things are going to have another life. All the leftover stuff goes to Goodwill. They are a great partner for us…. Anyone can get involved! Get in touch with us and we’ll give you everything you need to host a successful swap!” – anyone from “the girl who wants to get 5 friends together in her living room to the guy who wants to host a 500+ person public book swap.”
Swapaholic event
Next Friday, January 21st, is National Swap Day, with a kick-off event in Somerville, near Boston, on Thursday the 20th. YES, that’s next Thursday! The Swapaholics are supporting twenty swaps nationwide – and counting. The campaign is planned to go through February 15th. If you want to go to a swap or host your own, click here, or email Melissa and Amy at swapaholics@swap.com.
It didn’t take long for Swap.com, with one million members, to notice Swapaholics and acquire the company. Presto! They’ve become “the spokespeople for modern swapping.”
The Swapaholics are the official in-person event hostesses for Swap.com, and are national sustainable style and collaborative consumption experts based in Boston, MA. The Swapaholics are dedicated to reviving the age-old clothing swap, spreading the love for secondhand style, and sharing their trendsetting take on budget fashion with modern swappers nationwide. By fusing each event with a fresh and fashion-forward take on recycled fashion, accessories and beauty products, co-founders Melissa Massello and Amy Chase are leading the retail revolution of swapping before shopping.
Follow them on Twitter @TheSwapaholics, and follow @NationalSwapDay. Join National Swap Day on Facebook. See them on You Tube and review photos on Flickr! FYI Melissa emailed us, “Pfew! We really are taking over the interwebs. :) ” We love these enterprising swappy women.
For more clothes-related ideas, visit Practically Green! And look for a Swapaholically Inspired action to join our database of 400+ green and healthy suggestions soon.
News Picks:
19 Easy Home Winterization Projects: The Daily Green gives some great tips on warming up your house this season without turning up the heat! From the draft snake to caulking and weatherstripping, this article provides lots of energy-saving ideas to help you save money and earn PG points at the same time!
Rhoost Baby-Proofi
ng Products: This video from Daily Grommet introduces a line of child-safety devices made of recycled materials with no screws or adhesives, without BPA, PVC, lead, or phthalate. The line, Rhoost, was created by Vianka Perez Belyea and Tavinder Phull, two mothers sick of the traditionally complicated baby-proofing methods. The products are also portable: perfect for visits to Grandma’s!
BaaLLS: Another great alternative to traditional dryer sheets! These reusable, handmade, wool dryer balls reduce drying time for a full load by 40%! They are also unscented, use no chemicals, soften clothes, and reduce static. Made in the U.S. of 100% pure virgin wool, these dryer balls are a great way to earn PG points!
Multi-Media Pick:
Air-Powered Car, AirPod: The Future Of Urban Transportation? This article and video from The Huffington Post covers the latest invention in transportation. In the UK, a tiny car was created running on — that’s right, you guessed it — compressed air. Emitting nearly nothing, with speeds up to 50 mph, this little car could be the future! It may seem out of reach for the average motorist, but for now there’s always the hybrid! Purchase or lease one today and earn PG points!
Interested in fashion? Sheila Viswanathan of The Good Guide gi
ves a great interview with Howard Brown, co-founder of Stewart+Brown on his sustainable clothing label. The interview discusses Brown’s reasons for creating a sustainable fashion brand, what we can look forward to in the 2011 collection, and the importance of product transparency when promoting sustainability.
New and Cool Pick:
On cold winter days like these that we can’t help but dream of our next vacation. How about instead of a regular hotel or resort, yo
u look to something different. The 5 Cool Eco Friendly and Green Hotels, from Montana to Botswana, chosen by the Travelphant Travel Blog are just the tip of the iceberg. Next time you schedule a trip, look for hotels like these! From organic food, to recycling waste, these destinations have it all when it comes to green.
This week’s PG Picks created by Samantha Roach
Back to top
