eco friendly
What is eco-silk?
Peace Silk vs. Eco-Silk
I have been trying and trying to find an eco-friendly wedding dress for my September wedding, and it was much much harder than I anticipated. There are a variety of organic companies that sell dresses, and a few designers have environmentally conscious choices, but let me tell you, the options are slim. Heaven forbid you want something that fits your body style, or that you’ll actually look good in! I finally found a few choices I was comfortable with on Etsy. I typed in “organic white dress” and found a myriad of pretty little options. Still not much compared to a bridal store, but it was something. It at least got me to the point where I realized I could get it custom made. Since I have such specific requirements I had to get it custom made. I chose a design I liked from the J. Crew Wedding catalog then set out to find an eco-friendly silk to have the dress made from. Little did I know how hard it would be to find an honest vendor that really knew what their stuff (and wasn’t trying to rip me off). I found the easiest choice was to find a vendor, and let them give me a price and to provide them with fabric I’d researched.
I originally asked for organic silk, and was startled to see the price and people throwing the word “peace silk” around left and right. I knew it was time for me to ‘get educated’ about the fabric I wanted for my dress. Peace Silk is a type of unbleached, natural silk, where the silkworms are allowed to live out the entirety of their lives. Ordinarily with silk, only a few of the worms are allowed to fulfill their natural lives and emerge from their cocoon. With Peace Silk, all of the worms are allowed to fulfill their natural lives, and the silk from the cocoons is harvested. It is also referred to as vegetarian silk or Ahimsa (non-violence) silk. Tussah silk is also very similar to peace silk, in that the moths live out their natural life and their cocoons are harvested after they’ve been vacated, however Tussah silk refers only to wild silk worms. The color of Tussah also tends to be a bit darker due to a different diet than cultivated silk worms.
Kanon Organic Vodka
A hot new introduction from a 400 year old distillery, Kanon Organic Vodka originates from the Gripsholm Distillery in Sweden. Dating back to 1580, this old world distillery with royal history was the largest distillery in Sweden supplying its foundry workers with high quality spirits from locally grown organic wheat. High quality organic vodka offerings from Europe are ever increasing with very little competition from state-side distilleries.
It is not just history which sets Kanon Organic Vodka apart from other organic liquor, it is also the unique organic process avoiding an ‘over-distilled’ vodka, providing a clean distinctive natural flavor without the typical vodka burn. I found it quite appealing on the rocks as well as paired with a mixer.
Going beyond just organic, the Gripsholm Distillery is run on wind and hydro power with all by-products being renewed. Even the Kanon bottle is made from 60% recycled glass giving it another bump on the eco-friendly scale. Locally produced organic wheat cuts down on transportation costs, and supports the local farmers.
GreenNote
Thinking of something to do for the weekend? How about spending your Saturday in the sun or in the shade of the Space Needle while listening to green music. Of course, the music itself cannot be green but the people, supplies, and purpose can be. At the Seattle Center this Saturday July 24th comes GreenNote, a celebration of sustainable music and culture.
GreenNote is an awareness festival consisting of of environmentally friendly products, sound, food, and people who are all there to spread the word of green while listening to the beautiful music that comes along with it. The festival features artists who are environmentally conscious and passionate about their music as well. › Continue reading
Solar Plane Begins 24-Hour Test Flight
Seven years of hard-work recently culminated in the beginning of a 24-hour test flight of the HB-SIA, an experimental solar-energy powered aircraft. This unveiling comes with a sigh of relief as the flight has already been delayed once due to technical issues with the communications equipment. The intentions of the team are to take the plane up to an altitude of approximately 28,000 feet after which the pilot will determine whether the plane can successfully fly during the night with the energy stored during the day’s sunlight.
Powered by 12,000 solar cells, the group hopes that the plane will be a harbinger of things to come – “to have a solar-powered plane flying day and night without fuel,” as the team’s co-founder Bertrand Piccard puts it. Though the group recognizes that solar airplanes won’t be replacing commercial airplanes with jet propulsion engines any time soon, the hope is that the project will be a means of moving towards a world with newer, cleaner technology.
Fair Trade Tea Tasting: Zhena’s Gypsy Tea
I wake up in the morning pretty groggy, and the shower’s enough to keep me awake for a few minutes after I step out but like much of America, I need something more than water to keep me going through the day. I’d like to think it’s not true, but I probably am a caffeine-addict with my own alternative to a five dollar cup of coffee every morning – I kick start my day with tea.
I like to think though that I’m not a simple addict, but instead, a tea-connoisseur (ah, the semantics of denial) and have always gone out of my way to drink teas that appeal to me instead of simply getting a regular morning caffeine fix. Generally, this comes in the form of a single-estate tea I’ve either randomly picked up doing groceries – or when I’m particularly feeling curious, over the Internet.
Courtesy of Zhena's Gypsy Tea
I’ve also, less occasionally, dabbled my hand in flavored teas, where the interest isn’t so much in preserving the unique taste of tea from a particular estate but instead in the actual additional flavoring. Although it would be a break from routine, a sampler tin of 16 tea-bags (of four different flavors) caught my eye when I had to pick up a few groceries last week. What particularly perked my attention wasn’t the variety of flavors, or the colorful nature of the stacked tins, but the catchwords with which this tea were labeled: “fair trade” and “organic”. As I turned it over to the other-side, I also found that the tea was kosher. I couldn’t really place my finger on the relevance of the ‘kosher’ tag though as I always thought that such a label would only be applicable to products in some way derived from animals and they haven’t started putting bacon in tea just yet. “Meh”, I thought, “I’ll give em a try.”
Eco Diamonds
You love the look of diamonds, but want a more environmentally and socially responsible alternative to a unknown origin mined diamond- enter eco diamonds. This phrase can be thrown around loosely, so the first and foremost thing to do when looking for an eco diamond is do your research!
Lets first dive into some of the terminology, pros and cons and what is available as eco jewelry.
-
1. Pre-owned diamonds
If you have some diamonds in your family (grandmothers ring, jewelry, etc), use them! Stones can be easily re-set into new rings, or jewelry. Beware of stores selling pre-owned diamonds as these can often be a way to get un-tracked blood diamonds out onto the market.
2. Cultured or Synthetic Diamonds
These are laboratory created diamonds. Don’t confuse these with diamond stimulants such as cubic zirconiums, these are real true diamonds with the exact molecular structure of mined diamonds. These are often totally flawless, so you can usually get a better diamond at a better price, without the environmental destruction.
3. Environmentally and Socially conscious mined diamonds
Now beginning to emerge are several types and variations of Eco mined diamonds. While many will argue the ‘Eco’ part since mining is so destructive, it can be much less harmful than traditional mining techniques. Canada has begun mining and selling eco diamonds, and some smaller operations in Africa have begun integrating environmental and social ethics.
Green Twitter Movers and Shakers
Twitter is a great place to learn, interact and stay up to the minute on local, regional and national news, events or just connect to the people and issues you care about. Here is a list of some of the biggest and best tweeters sorted by categories. Scroll down and find your interests and connect, or share your own favorites in the comment section below!
Green Living
- @inhabitat – Green design in your habitat
- @the_daily_green – Great daily green tips
- @dwell – Modern & green home design
- @renest – Home style and design features
- @jetsongreen – Green Building News and Features
- @OrganicLife – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
- @dannyjseo – Great DIY home decorating ideas
- @AltCon – Green living for the Alternative Consumer
Green News
- @grist – Independent Environmental Journalism
- @triplepundit – People, Planet and Profit, green business news
- @guardianeco – The Environment section of UKs The Guardian paper
- @HuffPostGreen – Green section of the Huffington Post
- @Greenopolis – Recycling news, features and more
- @current_green – Environmental news in video format
Eco Opinions
- @drgrist – David Roberts, Energy Politics blogger for Grist
- @derekmarkham – Derek Markham, aka Natural Papa
- @thegoodhuman – David, author and social media activist
- @AlexSteffen – Alex Steffen of worldchanging.com
- @KGeee – Katherine Goldstein, the Green Editor for the Huffington Post
- @FakePlasticFish – Beth Terry, living without plastic
- @TwilightEarth – Adam Shake, environmental discussion, advocacy and activism
Green Products
- @Urthbags – Beautifully recycled bags & totes
- @simplywoodrings – Rings made from re-purposed & sustainable wood
- @amenityhome – Modern home eco accessories & linens
- @tierraideas – Imaginative upcycled products
- @greenasweegrow – Organic baby clothing & bedding
- @CarlaRose – Eco + Chic bath and body
- @PeopleTowels – Your own personal traveling towel
Eco Fashion
- @FashionEthic – Eco fashion from Seattle
- @Ecouterre – Future of sustainable fashion
- @Ecosalon – Eco trends in fashion and life
- @ecofashionista – Eco fashion activism
- @ecofabulous – Sexy sustainable style
Green On The Go
With life becoming increasing more busy, many people simply don’t have time to think about what they can do to help the environment, or the steps they can take to start living green. Here are some easy tips and items for an on-the-go lifestyle that won’t hurt the planet.
Buy in bulk – Buying in bulk and stocking up on sale items saves money and decreases the amount of packaging used. Also, you won’t be scrambling to buy new paper towels or soap when you frequently run out. Of course, make sure you have places to store all of your bulk items!
Totes Eco-brella - This umbrella is made with 70% recycled materials and is great 
for rainy Seattle weather. The canopy is made from 100% recycled PET bottles and the frame is made form 70% recycled aluminum. The Notch/Runner is made from 100% recycled Nylon. The handle is made from bamboo and has a waxed hemp strap for holding. For an added bonus, it comes in environmentally friendly packaging and proudly displays the recycled symbol within a raindrop on both the canopy and tie strap and can be purchased in many different colors! › Continue reading
5 Easy Things You Can Do For The Environment.
- Show your friends. Actions speak louder than words, and that’s certainly true of environmental issues too. You can talk all you want about helping the environment, but if your friends see your gas-guzzling Hummer parked in your driveway, all that talk isn’t going to do any good. You can show your friends by suggesting restaurants that serve local or organic cuisine for your next luncheon, or bring local wine to your next dinner party. Give them green gifts. If your friend is having a baby shower next week, purchase organic cotton onesies, or paraben-free baby cream. There are a million ways to demonstrate your environmental lifestyle to your friends, and to show how it’s benefiting your life. Be careful though, your goal is to make environmental decisions enticing, not ram it down their throats. No matter how frustrated you may be with your friends environmentally damaging decisions, slapping them in the face with a Go Organic sticker won’t achieve the desired results.
- Sign up for renewable energy through your utility provider. Call your utility provider and inquire about renewable energy. Most companies have some program to help you go green with your energy consumption, but unfortunately many of them don’t advertise it. Supporting green energy initiatives locally helps show your utility provider that you are committed to renewable energy, and you want to see those types of positive changes take place in your community.
- Identify your environmental saboteur. All of us have an area where we know we should be more environmentally conscious, but we don’t for whatever reason. For me, it’s clothes. I am horrible at buying clothing that is good for the environment. I see the $1 flip flops, and the 2 for $10 tank tops, and I can’t resist. I justify it since I’m so good about buying local and organic food, and I only buy green body products or cleaning products. But at the end of the day, no matter how good I am at all those things, I’m still supporting sweat shops that produce synthetic clothing that are damaging to myself and my environment. Take stock of your habits and find your environmental saboteur. Be rid of it. Take the initiative to cut back on whatever is keeping you from respecting the planet. You don’t have to do it overnight. Obviously I’m not going to go replace my entire wardrobe, but I can make the commitment to only buy reused or new clothes that are made with the environment in mind.
Green Festival Seattle 2010
My favorite thing about eco-friendly products and green living is that there are so many expos, conferences, and events that provide fun and easy ways to learn more about green companies. I was really excited when I saw a flier for the 2010 Seattle Green Festival and just completed my registration to volunteer for the event. Green Festival also takes place in San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington DC and struck gold when it was here last year.
The festival is a joint project by Global Exchange which aims to create green economies that embrace diversity and Green America which promotes economic power and sustainability around America. The festival is Saturday and Sunday, June 5th and 6th. Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.
Environmentally Friendly Golf Goods
A while back, we had a piece introducing the Mirimichi, the first American golf course to be declared a certified Audubon International Classic Sanctuary. An eco-friendly golf course, backed up by the good name of a popular celebrity. There are of course other golf courses that hold the distinction of being considered as eco-friendly in one way or another across the United States and internationally, and an eco-friendly golf course would strike anybody as a great idea, but what about all those people who want to play but don’t intend to fly to Tennessee or the few select locations that boast their connection to the environment? It can’t be expected that every game be played at a location that meets some picky qualifications, and it needn’t be so.
Biodegradable golf balls and tees made from recycled material give people the ability to at least make an individual effort towards the same ends. With tees that biodegrade within a year or so, and aren’t made of wood, an individual effort can be made to the preservation of trees. And balls that quickly biodegrade in water, instead of leading to the deaths of sea-animals that mistake them for something a little more edible, go a long way to the preservation of marine wildlife. What follows than are a few resources for the avid golfer to upgrade his/her collection: › Continue reading
