sustainable style foundation*

I recently took part in the 2008 Paddle to Cowichan, BC, the destination for this year's Tribal Journeys event that takes place each summer in which Tribes from around the Puget Sound and Canada paddle traditional canoes to a host tribe. I was invited by Dannny Marshall, Tribal Leader of the Steilacoom Tribe to be part of their canoe family along with the Carver Camp Canoe Family headed by Phil Red Eagle. The group had just finished carving a hunting canoe called "Flicker" and were getting ready to take her on her first voyage. I've been volunteering with the Steilacoom Tribe for a couple years now, helping with the website and a ethnobotanical garden. Having grown up in Steilacoom, WA it's been great fun and very rewarding to help out since the Steilacoom are not a recognized tribe so have no state or federal funding sources. So it was a big surprise and great honor to be asked to help paddle. I met many wonderful people along the journey, took many pictures, and have many wonderful memories. One of groups that impressed me greatly was the Pink Paddle Canoe Family. They not only paddled many miles with the other 100 or so canoes on the journey, they did it to raise awareness for breast cancer and to honor the many people who have survived or have been lost to cancer of any type.

One of the first statements in our SSF vision is "seven generations" which honors the wisdom of native peoples to act today in ways that respect and benefit those who come seven generations after us. So the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Tribal Journey was very meaningful for me personally and for SSF. I am very humbled to have been part of the journey, to paddle alongside the Pink Paddlers, as well as the many other Tribes that took part in this year's journey.

At very long last I have found a solution to a dilemma greater than paper vs. plastic - what to clean your dishes with. Yes, I do use dish clothes but now and then you need something with a little more texture to get the caked on stuff off. Not being a synthetics fan I've steered away from some of the scary sponges out there. But oh how I've missed that green scratchy side. Now Twist has saved the day with their Loofah Sponge #50. It has a sponge on one side and a loofah on the other...just abrasive enough to get those stubborn scraps off your favorite kitchen kettle. I've had mine now for about two weeks and love, Love, LOVE it!!! Twist cleaning products have been around for a while but snazzy #50 is fairly new. I've now seen them at Whole Foods Market, coops, and local green markets so keep an out eye out for them.

This unique flooring made from discarded belts is simply beautiful. It was a find at the ICFF show, from a co-worker of mine. The luxury leather flooring, is a new re-working of vintage leather belts and no two tiles are alike. It's a glossy and hardwearing surface available by the square meter. It can be used for flooring, table tops, walls and feature areas. Check out the UK company Ting's website for more fashion products that are made from found seatbelts and strapping.

All the designers were in New York this weekend at the Javitz Center for the ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair). The celebrating of design continued on through Tuesday with lots of showroom parties for the creative set too! As usual there were beautiful and inspirational pieces from all over the world at the show. Sustainability was a big provoker of new thoughts about product design. One piece really stood out and it was the OZ Lowchair by Cate&Nelson Design a Swedish and Spanish design team. I just loved it and kept dragging all my colleagues over to see the chair. It’s a chair that you would never need to reupholster, because you can just flip over a piece of the layered felt to change the color. Very clever and with a painted white metal base, it’s a chair that you would never tire of and would always be in style in any setting…a product that’s beyond re-use it’s all about convertibility.

Our very own Shannon Perry chats with Seven Wonders for a Cool Planet author Eric Sorensen to get his thoughts on the little things we call can do to protect the planet. Read the full interview here.

To be a good environmental citizen—and I mean a good citizen, not just an OK-I’ll-turn-off-the-lights-when-I-leave one—requires commitment and some meaningful lifestyle changes. Many of us know the yo-yo-dieting style of eco-consciousness: we dutifully recycle everything that can be recycled until we find in the fridge an open jar of spaghetti sauce that we’ll either need to throw out or enter into the Antiques Roadshow. The idea of opening it up in order to clean it out sufficiently for recycling is simply too much for us to bear, and pushing our ideals to the side for a moment, we toss it in the trash. But to make the world a better, healthier place for all the critters that live on it, we can’t only be good when it’s easy.

However, in the new book Seven Wonders for a Cool Planet: Everyday Things to Help Solve Global Warming, author Eric Sorensen has laid out some lifestyle changes that are (1) very manageable, and (2) highly effective in the war on warming. Unlike many other books in the eco-ilk, this one is light on the gloom-and-doom, offering instead some exceptionally sensible ideas on how to reduce one’s contributions to global meltdown.

The Seven Wonders of Sorensen’s book are a bit like George Carlin’s Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television: we all know, or can guess, what they are, but we don’t like to say them out loud. Lifestyle changes are hard. Ride a bicycle to work? There are a million excuses not to. It’s too far; I don’t want to get all sweaty; I live in Seattle which is riddled with rain and really big hills; how can I carry my groceries, my kids, my laptop, my life? And yet, nearly 2 million Americans manage it every day, says Sorensen. We all know the automobile is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases (11,350 pounds of CO2 per American passenger car, according to Sorensen), but giving up driving seems impossible to most of us.

And herein lies the genius of Sorensen’s book. Not only does he present an array of cogent arguments in favor of abandoning the Beemer for the bike, he does so in a way that sounds imminently do-able. This isn’t just a call to action, it’s a (bicycle-friendly) road map. The same is true in all the other sections: here is something you can do, here are some very smart reasons for doing it, here’s the best way to go about it. (He is, thankfully, shy on details in the “how-to” section for condoms.) He makes the hard changes seem possible, even fun. How hard is it, really, to install a ceiling fan? Says Sorensen, a couple of hours’ work can net you 9°F (5°C) of cooling, and a one-third savings on your cooling bill. Wasn’t that easy? Don’t you feel better? Now, let’s talk about insulating your attic…

Sorensen understands the necessity of offering baby steps that go beyond the standard “buy the better light bulb.” Don’t sell your car, at least not yet, just substitute the bike for that trip to the post office or that one-thing-I-forgot run to the grocery store. You don’t have to pull up your air conditioner by the roots, just turn it up a little and make up the difference with a ceiling fan. Keep the dryer—but opt for the clothesline when you can.

This does not mean that Sorensen doesn’t have much bigger and more ambitious ideas—he certainly does, and they’re in here. It means he understands that a little improvement is better than none, and small steps often lead to big leaps forward. Changing behavior, even behavior we know is unhealthy, is hard: just ask the 62% of Americans who are overweight. A book that combines humor, accessibility of information, an optimistic outlook and best of all, baby steps, may just be the book to get us started on the path to sustainability.

Seattle-(Shannon)

Seattle is notorious for its coffee consumption. In the home of such illustrious caffeine pushers as Starbucks, Tully’s and Seattle’s Best Coffee, Seattleites are Buzzed by the Bean pretty much constantly. Walk around the downtown any time, but especially first thing on a rainy workday, and you’ll discover that cups of coffee are as ubiquitous as fleece, as numerous as raindrops.

Being the generally eco-conscious city that we are, many Seattleites carry their own travel mug to work and enjoy coffee that stays hotter longer without contributing to global warming. But what to do when you forget your travel mug at home? Or when you forgot to wash it out on Friday, and now, come Monday, you dig it out from the bottom of your bag only to discover that Horton’s Whos have built an entire civilization at the bottom of the cup?

Promising yourself that you’ll send a check to Greenpeace, you enter your favorite coffee establishment and order something complicated in a disposable cup. You reach for one of those cardboard sleeves that keep your fingers from roasting along with the beans—but wait! That beautiful, bird’s-eye-maple bangle you chose to accentuate your khaki capris and earth-toned tunic is also a java jacket!

Another sustainable brainchild from Vancouver, BC-based contexture design, the coffee cuff is both bangle and friend to the fingertips and is made from reclaimed veneer offcuts generated by furniture makers. Only $68 Canadian, the cuffs are satisfying in both form and function(s), turning the quotidian experience of a double-tall, non-fat vanilla latte into a sustainable, stylish statement.

This week I've been focusing on materials research as I've been working in my office to update our NBBJ NY Studio Resource Library with innovative and sustainable materials. One great resource is cradle to cradle materials - which is great! A few of the intriguing ones were: beautifully etched concrete, coated offset paper that's more sustainable, particleboard that's formaldehyde free, beautiful cork disk floor, acoustical wall fabric 100% wool, and drapery with natural fibers. Another great resource was developed by a former colleague of mine at NBBJ, Blaine Brownell. It's called Transmaterials. His second book, Transmaterial 2: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine Our Physical Environment, was just printed at the beginning of this year, and has a greater emphasis on materials with qualities that make them healthier than others. Have fun exploring...

I had the great honor of MCing a fashion show for the 2008 Seattle ZTA Day last Saturday. It was a fun and educational event that I think really opened the minds of the ZTA girls (that ranged from age 20 to 70) to the opportunities they have to make more sustainable personal lifestyle choices. ZTAs and many sororities are well known for being very active in the community, so I was really impressed that they chose to focus on environmental issues and action for the 2008 event.

I was invited to MC by good friend Cynthia Lu Levine who recently started Echo Road, an innovative retail concept that gathers women together to shop and socialize at private events, small gatherings, or even personal appointments. By taking this approach, Cynthia enables her clients to focus on the garments that really speak to them rather than having to spend hours shopping. Cynthia did all the work for the actually fashion show and her choices were right on. The models, all ZTA girls of course, looked fabulous and you could tell they loved being in the clothes. My job was to not only highlight the garments but to tell the important stories about the many social and environmental connections to the fashion world, from organic cotton and overconsumption to repurposed items and textiles like Tencel. Cynthia put together a great script so my job was very easy. The show featured fashions from Seattle's own Prairie Underground, New York based Stewart + Brown, Loyale, Moral Fervor, Bahar Shahpar, LA based Undesigned by Carol Young, Virginia based Green Label Organic t-shirts, and shoulder bags from local Seattle company Alchemy Goods. Here we see Marsha on the left in a Bahar Shahpar Pleated Poppy Top, Lynsey in a white cloak hoodie by Prairie Underground and Liz in a long dark grey cloak hoodie also by Prarie Underground. Many thanks to Cynthia and Mardee Austin, the greenest ZTA girl of them all that organized the whole event.

What was I wearing you ask? I sported second hand Donald Pliner shoes, Giorgio Armani black hemp jeans, a Green Label Organic "Bummer" t-shirt, a second-hand Kenneth Cole dress shirt and a "Make it Right" paperboy hat.

That's right, on Thursday, April 17th, 6:30-8:30pm at the fantastic Sole Repair Shop private event space, Seattle's popular Girl Power Hour goes green. Presented by none other than The Finerie.

Just when you think green roofs are catching on, an innovative architect gives us green walls. Mass Studies' principle Minsuk Cho recently designed Belgian fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester's new store in Seoul with forests, ferns and lizards in mind. The latest of six projects that incorporate living surfaces, Cho feels this is his best yet.

Are you ready to be a world class eco-designer? Now's your chance to be featured on Treehugger, Inhabitat, Western Interiors, and in a variety of other press outlest. The Sustainable Furniture Council and World Market Center have combined forces to sponsor a design competition "One Good Chair". Designers are invited to contribute their vision for a new kind of eco-chair, one that focuses first and foremost on form, that minimizes resources while maximizing comfort and enjoyment, that truly combines great design with ecology and ergonomics. Designs should demonstrate a new attitude toward an old problem. A cash prize of $4,500 will be awarded to a designer or design team (of 2-5 designers). If all goes well, the award is intended to support the fabrication of a prototype of the winning design. Registration ends May 16, entries are due June 9 and the awards will take place Las Vegas Market, July 30. Check the website for more details.

Simply put, Gorgeously Green is fabulously fun. The book and the accompanying website are packed full of fun and valuable information that prove that the saying is true, it really IS easy being green. I can honestly say I don't think there's a better reference for fulfilling SSF's mantra "look fabulous, live well, do good". In the forward, Julia Roberts calls the book a "bible of hope and help (not to menteion a good cleansing mask andn source for eco-cashmere). Author Sophie Uliano makes making greener personal lifestyle choices fun and accessible to everyone. She makes it irresistable.

Uliano hits all of the big lifestyle categories too: apparel, food, beauty, gardening, travel, weddings, etc. And yoga poses! Yes, sprinkled throughout the book are yoga poses and other activities to invigorate the mind, the body, and the soul. Best of all, her motto, "one change makes a difference", confirms that you don't have to be perfect...one small step here and there can add to a big difference over time, especially if a lot of us make the same small steps. The way she presents her ideas and solutions is what really sets this book apart...its fun, its positive, its interactive, its educational, and I have to admit - its completely girly. But that's OK! Her concept of becoming a 'green goddess' is exactly what the green movement needs. As I said before, she makes going green irresistible. The fact that she provides a definition and discussion of 'gorgeousness' says it all.

On the website you can find some videos as well. After watching them you sense her passion, commitment, and excitement in every page of the book. Don't miss GGTV on the website, and the 'Girls Club' must be a lot of fun too. Probably most important though, is that she takes providing background information and resources on key issues very seriously, toxins in cosmetics for example. I don't think I've come a cross a better treatment of the subject or a better collection of green options to address the issues. There are literally easy to understand definitions and website links everywhere.

Gorgeously Green is a great read, an invaluable resource, and as Julia Roberts put it, a true bible of hope. What other green resource book leaves you with the feeling that you just solved some of the world's problems over a cocktail with a girlfriend? Hmm...none. But that's exactly what Gorgeously Green does. Cheers Sophie, you and your book are fabulous!

Available at your local bookstore and online at: Amazon | Barnes& Noble | Powells

Portland Fashion Week organized a great opportunity to educate folks at the Better Living Show about the sustainable stories behind the landmark designers/brands showcased this weekend. Nau, Lizzie Parker and Anna Cohen all have one thing in common and that is, they are pioneers in the industry. With limited resources in the past available to fashion designers, each of them have been innovative in their use of and sourcing sustainable options. With great design that is appealing and yes, even stylish and sexy, consumers have options now more than ever to make a sustainable choice with the clothing they wear. My favorite quote to this end of the evening was Lizzie Parkers observation that "in the end, it's about a hot chick in a dress."

The Eco - Panel was a well attended event that garnered many excellent questions and observations from the attendees. We can look forward to future practices by the fashion industry that will help consumers make sustainable choices by a seal of sustainable approval by Sustainable Style Foundation, as well as, a standard by fashion designers that includes a baseline of sustainable business and design practices. The lively discussion led by myself and Leslie Hoffman (Earth Pledge/Future Fashion - NYC) had a honest and open tone that led to sharing and creating a sense of community that will be necessary for us all to make sustainability a mainstay in our world.

Stopping in Barneys NY on a quest for some new candles I saw a beautiful display of Cire Trudon candles. It wasn’t just that the candles have been being made since 1643 in a shop on Saint-Honore, or that the 100% vegetable wax candles smelled beautiful, or that they had a candle called “Trianon” inspired by my favorite fashion guru, Marie Antoinette; it was the clever display. They had small cloches (bell-shaped glass domes) over each candle to preserve the fragrance. Apparently, just as they did in the original Paris boutique - tres chic! I loved the idea as much as the candles.

On my way to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum with weekend visitors, I found the cloches. What luck! They were in the old Tenement Museum gift shop that’s been repurposed into an Earnest Sewn shop on 90 Orchard. In the back of the store there’s a cool little florist shop called “Flower Girl” that’s run by Denise Porcano. She had several glass cloches protecting tiny gardens and arrangements – beautiful and perfect for a small apartment. I’m not houseplant kind of person, but love this fresh take on an old French starter garden tradition. Plus it’s a great way to connect with nature in a modern way. Now I am totally intrigued with this idea and am going to check out a Paula Hayes exhibit. She’s a Manhattan artist who’s taken this idea of the mini-garden further with her organic shaped cloches and modern terrariums.