Fashion is something many people are very conscious of; one moment something is “in,” the next it is “out.” Fashion, an ever changing cycle throughout the decades, sets generations apart from one another. It also allows individuals to set themselves apart from others by expressing who they are through materials, colors and styles.

To some, fashion is an art form, to others it’s a religion. No matter what your opinion is about fashion the majority of us prefer to wear some form of clothing (unless you live in a nudist colony!). The original purpose of clothing was to keep our ancestors warm and protected from the elements. Now that we have developed numerous amenities (houses, buildings, vehicles) to provide that protection, it has allowed our ‘fashion sense’ to expand. Fashion can be lifestyle, it can be fun, and it can be the first or the last thing on your shopping list. Regardless of your desire for fashion you can be more environmentally friendly simply by your purchasing habits in today’s retail stores.

Green (organic) being the new “black” is no longer an understatement; green clothing has recently taken off in the fashion world. The fashion industry has seen several start-up companies that offer green alternatives for fashionable clothing. It is no longer just for the free spirited earth lovers but has evolved into high fashion that appeals to everyone.

Although going green can add a few dollars to the price tag it is worth it. Many of the organic clothing found in stores are so fashion-forward that most don’t recognize they’re buying organic. “Whether shoppers are buying eco-friendly because it’s trendy or because they hope to preserve Mother Earth, they no longer have to sacrifice fashion for philosophy. With major retailers like Target, Victoria’s Secret, Banana Republic, H&M and Nike joining the green teams, there’s something for fashionistas of every price range.” (Dusil, 2007)

And as for quality, fear not my friend; materials like organic cotton are quickly phasing out chemically filled fibers found in most clothing. “Organic cotton is grown by farmers who have been growing cotton without harmful chemicals for years. Their yield is high and the quality of the cotton they grow is equal to or better than conventionally grown cotton. Their methods support biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, improve the quality of soil and often use less water. Growing organically takes more time, requires more knowledge and skill, and, for now, costs more. But it’s worth it.” (Patagonia, 2009) Not only is organic cotton described as “soft and fluffy” but it is helping the environment through green practices beginning from the very seed planted into the ground. Now how can you pass a rack filled with quality clothing that is organic and not only is fashionable but helps the environment? You’re going to spend the money one way or another so have the best of all worlds with quality organic clothes that’ll be “in” for the long haul.

Sources Cited

Dusil, Megs. 2007. Organic Clothing Enters Realm of High Fashion.

http://www.purseblog.com/fashion/organic-clothing-enters-realm-of-high-fashion.html
Patagonia. 2009. Fabric: Organic Cotton.

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?slc=en_US&sct=US&assetid=2077
Traylor, Eileen. 2008. Organic Materials Used in the Clothing & Fashion Industries. http://ezinearticles.com/?Organic-Materials-Used-in-the-Clothing-and-Fashion-Industries&id=1054541

Written by:: Brooke Davison

There are many simple things that can be done to achieve a sustainable household. One thing we all must do is eat, and even something like eating that we do several times a day can be made green. No, we’re not talking about your veggies, we’re talking about the green practice of eating locally grown foods. The common misconception about eating local is the confusion with the word “organic”. People often associate organic food as being very healthy but very expensive. In reality though, locally grown food can be rather affordable. Locally grown food, in the simplest of terms, means food that is grown closest to your home. You can support this movement by purchasing food from your local farmer markets and stands.

As farmer markets and localized food become more and more popular, the cheaper locally grown food will surely become. The farmers will have more money to produce larger and more diverse crops. “The crop diversity reduces dependence on expensive agrochemicals and other inputs, and provides resilience against major pest outbreaks or climatic shifts. And when farmers produce for local (as opposed to export) markets, their customer base diversifies considerably, encouraging them to plant a wider range of crops” (Halweil, 2004) Diversity of crops means a wider selection and colorful food that will draw in a larger crowd and encourage the purchase of naturally farmed food.

There are several steps you can take for consuming locally grown food. Ask the producer you’re buying from where your food is grown, what methods were used to grow your food, who is growing your food, and the travel life of your food. Did you know on average most food that you will find in your local grocery store has traveled over 1,500 miles from the place it is grown to your dinner plate? Not only does that require a significant amount of additives and preservatives to be put into your food in order to withstand the distance but it adds to the dependence of fossil fuels which leads to a large emission out put that contributes to climate change.

Also, did you know that half of the United States of America’s food system consists of ten multinational food and beverage companies lead by roughly one hundred and forty members (one hundred and seventeen men and twenty one women) of the director board? (Halweil, 2004) The corporate majority dominates half of our food system and packs the grocery stores full of highly similar, genetically modified and processed brands rather than a variety of true colorful agricultural food. This is not the food you want to be setting on the dinner table for you and your family to consume.

Nor do you want to see your money go into the pockets of large corporations consisting of a few hundred people. Localizing your spending habits to food grown near your home supports a strong local economy. On average buying directly from a farmer means that 90% of your food dollars will go back to the farm which helps them strengthen their business and home. On the other end of the spectrum Americans consume more than $600 billion in food annually. In most communities today food is purchased entirely at a grocery store or market, with only about 7% of local food dollars staying in the community. While the other 93% of the modern food dollar travels to pay processors, packagers, distributors, wholesalers, truckers and the rest of the infrastructure that a global food system demands, a stark comparison to 40% in 1910 by contrast, 40% of food dollars spent remained in the local economy. When more food dollars stay in the community, through buying local, they are transformed into thriving main streets and local jobs. (Sustainable Table, 2009)

Basically eating locally cuts out the middle men and provides a strong and stable economy. So my question to you is: why not eat locally grown food? The benefits are endless not only will we have healthy bodies but a healthy and intimate local economy that is controlled by the local public. “No one will care about your town if you don’t, certainly not developers, chain-store corporations or state government. You don’t need a lot of money to start. Start small and be relentless - but polite. People will recognize quality and beauty, and we all have a primal need to belong, to be a local.” (Slotnick, 2004)

Here’s a few websites you can look at for more ideas and information on eating locally grown food:

http://www.sustainabletable.org/home.php

http://100milediet.org/why-eat-local

http://www.farmfresh.org/

http://buylocalfood.org/page.php?id=52

Halweil, Brian. Eat Here. Boston: W. W. Norton & Company, Incorporated, 2004.

Slotnick, Josh. 2004. Build it and they will come, and eat: The short story of Missoula’s food system. Staying Home: Reflections on food, farming, and place, edited by Kristi Johnson. Missoula, MT: Garden City Harvest.

Sustainable Table. 2009. Eat Local, Buy Loca,l Be Local. http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/whybuylocal/#econ

Written by:: Brooke Davison

Smaller and less obviously evil than you might suppose

This is timely. The Center for Public Integrity — the group behind the lobbying figures I recently summarized — has sponsored a series of “meet the lobbyists” investigative pieces, and they just ran one on the emissions trading industry.

A couple of passages jumped out at me:

“The traders are still an emerging force. “It’s a bit premature to talk about carbon markets gaining power at the moment,” says Henry Derwent, president of the [International Emissions Trading Association]. “Power remains in the hands of companies that need to reduce their emissions.”

This gets to the first point I made: the finance lobby is real and important, but still small potatoes compared to the groups who will be more directly affected by the carbon cap.

Then there’s this:

“Before lobbying the U.S. Congress, [Derwent] says, the traders have faced two major obstacles: first, challenging widely held beliefs that climate change isn’t really happening, and second, convincing lawmakers that the perilous financial industry is part of the solution.

This gets to the other point I made: at least Wall Street is an influential voice in favor of carbon legislation. They’re spending hard dollars trying to convince lawmakers that climate change is a problem. The second half of Derwent’s proposition, of course, is going to raise a lot of hackles in certain circles, which is too bad. Although markets should be properly regulated, carbon trading is just not the problem some people think it is.

Here’s a video that accompanied the article. I get the sense that we’re supposed to be somehow shocked or outraged by this, but really it all just seems pretty unexceptional.

http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/meet-the-wall-street-climate-change-lobby

by:: ADAM STEIN |

Halting progress on reducing emissions, as expectations outstrip reality

In last year’s retrospective, I wrote of the lags and leaps that characterize progress on climate change. It’s perhaps indicative of the knife’s edge precariousness of the current political situation that I’m not really sure whether 2009 counts as a lag or a leap.

On the leap side: the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill capping carbon emissions in the nation that has historically been the world’s largest emitter. It’s not a perfect bill, but it’s a good bill, one that lays a foundation for the decades of work yet to come.

Still open for interpretation: a fractious process in Copenhagen led to a last-minute agreement that even Barack Obama, one of the accord’s primary authors, described as “not sufficient.” Although activists are understandably upset at the slow progress, international politics is a long game, and Copenhagen may be more significant than many frustrated participants yet realize. In particular, the talks helped to formalize the notion that climate negotiations must primarily occur between a group of major economies that includes China, India, Brazil and other large emitters. The meeting also laid out a framework that will only be properly judged in hindsight.

Still unknown: the fate of climate legislation in the Senate. I’d love to express some optimism here, but…

On the lag side: China emerged as the clear villain in Copenhagen, in a way that foretells a long struggle ahead. China has always been a bit of a puzzle — the country is actually making a lot of strides on the clean energy front, even as it consumes staggering amounts of coal. Interpreting China’s bluster ahead of the climate talks was difficult, because everyone was jockeying hard for advantage in the upcoming negotiations. But the dust has now cleared, and basically it seems China did everything in its power to torpedo a meaningful climate deal.

As I’ve said before, solving climate change is a forty-year problem at least, and we shouldn’t expect especially rapid progress. It will be several years at least before the U.S. actually implements a strong cap, and it will be several years after that major emitters in the developing world follow suit. The slow progress in 2009 reflects that basic reality. In the meantime, a recent study suggests that fully a fifth of the global “carbon budget” for the first half of the century has already been spent in the past eight years. We still have time, but precious little to waste.

ref:: http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/looking-back-looking-forward-2009

By Amy Nutt

When making our lifestyle more environmentally friendly, a lot of attention is given to homes. Because people spend much of their time at work, greening an office is often just as important. Taking the time to save energy and use less resources at work will go a long way to protecting the environment.

Computer Energy Efficiency: Computers are a main fixture in every business and corporation. Business computers can waste more than one billion dollars worth of electricity a year. Cut down on energy use by turning off the computer at the end of business day. Throughout the work day, set your computer on sleep during short breaks and while you are at lunch. Employers should purchase energy-saving computers, monitors, and printers. Donate old computers to charity organizations. This will reduce the number of computers entering a landfill.

Air Quality: Make sure your ventilation system is working properly. This will result in less energy use and cleaner air.

Carpet and Paint: Purchase paint and carpet that do not contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which produce toxic chemicals

Lights: Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Buy energy star-rated light bulbs and fixtures. They use about two-thirds less energy than regular light bulbs. Install timers to shut off lights.

Paper: Try to reduce the amount of paper that you use. Whenever possible, post manuals and other policies online. Print on both sides of the paper and use the other side of old documents for faxes and scribble paper. When possible, print in black. Make it a policy to only purchase recycled paper. There are a variety of earth friendly paper products available which are made from either bamboo, hemp, organic, or cotton materials. Recycle ink cartridges and toner and only buy remanufactured products.

Recycle: Place recycling containers throughout the office. This will drastically cut down on the amount of paper and plastics going into landfills.

Use Green Products: There are a number of eco-friendly office products available. A few items include envelopes and papers, pens, toilet paper, paper towels, refillable pens and markers, biodegradable soaps, and biodegradable cleaners.

Reusable Kitchenware: Employers can make it a policy that only reusable dishes, silverware, and glasses are allowed. Switch to filtered water to reduce the use of bottled water.

Green Office Furniture: Purchase environmentally friendly desks, chairs, cabinets, and other furniture. Eco-friendly manufacturers are now providing a host of green office furniture. This type of furniture is made from sustainable harvested wood. For instance, furniture made from bamboo helps sustain forests because bamboo grows quickly. They are also made from recycled materials. There are industries that use recycled material in the manufacturing of steel, recycled soda bottles in chairs, as well as upholstery fabrics made from recycled soda bottles.

Traditional manufacturing processes create emissions of volatile organic compounds from glues, stains, and finishes. Eco-friendly manufacturing does not create toxic emissions. Refurbished furniture is becoming a very popular choice because they significantly reduce the amount of office furniture going into landfills Eco-friendly constructed office furniture are made with materials that do not give off toxins or strong odors. A few of these eco friendly materials include glues, paints, and foams.

We are now living in a time where both indoor and outdoor pollutants are affecting every part of our lives. Because we spend so much time at the office, toxins and chemicals in the air can greatly increase the risk of such health conditions as cancer, asthma, allergies, and respiratory illnesses. Chemicals may also end up in the environment where they contaminate groundwater and soil and harm plant and animal life. Greening the office is a great way to improve your health and protect the environment. Businesses will have happier and more productive employees.

Canadian retailer offering Global Office Furniture, Ergonomic chair fitting, Green Office Furniture and Office Workstation Furniture. Provides workspace layouts and an explanation of our recommendations to meet all of their functional needs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt
http://EzineArticles.com/?Creating-a-Green-Office-Environment&id=2088775

By Maya Couzins

Gift wrapping paper is one of the most wasteful aspects of Christmas. Every year we see ever more elaborate and expensive Christmas wrapping paper, it hardly gets looked at before it is torn open by eager hands and ends up as landfill. One of the biggest sources of waste each Christmas is gift wrapping paper, with more than 8,000 tonnes being used each year - the equivalent of approximately 50,000 trees {The Guardian UK].This is a whole forest cut down each year just to wrap Christmas gifts!

Most of the wrapping paper cannot be properly recycled as it is often coated in metal foil or plastic laminated. Think also of the toxic inks and dyes used in the manufacture and you could easily see how the seemingly innocuous Christmas paper is very damaging to the environment.

There are many creative ways to wrap your Christmas presents and save the environment as well as give a green message.

Here are ten ways you could use to make an environmentally friendly Christmas wrapping for your presents:

1. Use a pretty scarf as a wrap and tie it like a normal parcel or bundle it up and tie it with a fabric ribbon.
2. A piece of fabric which could be reused as something else.
3. A funky tea towel made of organic cotton for edible presents or recipe books.
4. Recycle and reuse last year’s paper wrapping.
5. Paint a plain pillow case for several small presents for children.
6. A reusable shopping bag with handles made out of cotton, hemp or bamboo .
7. A cardboard box or a tin that could be used as storage for other goods.
8. Recycle old boxes or paper bags with cut out pictures from old magazines.
9. A Tshirt can be used to wrap a present for a teen.
10. Purchase fair trade recycled paper printed with eco friendly ink if you are too busy to make your own.

There are so many ways to avoid the waste of Christmas wrapping paper, get the children involved and they will have hours of fun devising ways to save the environment.

For more ways to save the environment this Christmas go to: http://www.greenlivingtemple.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maya_Couzins
http://EzineArticles.com/?Green-Christmas-Gift-Wrapping&id=3109400

By Kathy Runyon

With all the news in the media about global warming, and the economy still trying to rebound, everyone is trying to find ways to save money and more eco-friendly. One way to contribute is in the kitchen, and it’s easy to be green in the kitchen.

Reduce the amount of meat and poultry you eat. The more we cut back on these foods, the more we can better use the land they live on and reduce water pollution caused by their by-products and chemicals used to raise them.

Buy fish that are not harvested using drag nets. Drag nets are indiscriminate of what fish or water mammals they harm or kill. If the fish are farm raised, ask your fish dealer or fish monger where they were raised and what kinds of chemicals are used in raising them. If he/she can’t tell you, find a new place to buy your fish.

Check out your local farmers markets. Not only will you be buying fresher vegetables and fruits because they have traveled a shorter distance than the produce you get in your local grocery store; but farmers markets generally have an abundant number of farmers who practice organic farming. Organically grown produce has been grown without any pesticides and organisms that have been genetically altered. By patronizing local farmers markets you are also helping to support your local economy.

If you are concerned about your water quality, install a water filtration system. You will not only save money by not having to buy bottled water, but also being green by saving the environment tons of discarded plastic that never biodegrades.

Use cloth napkins. They are far more environmentally friendly than paper napkins and they are much more durable. You can find cloth napkins that are more eco-friendly than others by checking out what they are made of. You want organic cotton or hemp to really be green in the kitchen.

We all love take-out every once in a while, but everything about the packaging is very NOT green. If you do succumb to take out food and are having it delivered, make sure you make it very clear the order-taker that you want NO utensils, condiments, or napkins. If you frequent one particular restaurant, then ask the manager if you can even bring your own container for the food and let them keep that nasty Styrofoam box.

When washing fruits and veggies, fill a bowl with cold water to wash them in instead keeping the water running in your sink.

Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge to use to refill glasses throughout the day as opposed to running the faucet every time you want a drink.

Buying in bulk will not only save you money, but you are avoiding all the excessive packaging that comes be buying smaller packages.

Cook in bulk whenever possible. You are using less heat by cooking things at one time, and you can then package your leftovers to store in the fridge for lunches, or store in the freezer for future use.

If you are cooking in bulk, you are not going to have a problem keeping your refrigerator full; this is a good thing to do since it cuts down on the amount of energy your fridge needs to use to keep cold.

It’s easy to be green in the kitchen, you just have to stop throwing away as much as you used to, and buy wisely when it comes to the food you are putting on the table.

I have been writing articles and publishing commentary for several years that cover a number of popular topics of interest from different walks of life. Recently, my interests have turned to cooking and I needed to find a way to clean or exhaust my kitchen cooking air with a set of high quality range hood filters. I learned that cooking is a major source of indoor air pollution. Since I have just remodeled my kitchen and installed a cooking island, I started researching island range hoods and found out a lot about cleaning your cooking air and removing indoor air pollution.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Runyon
http://EzineArticles.com/?Its-Easy-to-Be-Green-in-the-Kitchen&id=3320553