Smokin’ Threads: Hemp Makes Fashion Sense
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Sustainable Style | Leave a Comment
Due to numerous stigmas surrounding the herb marijuana, hemp fabric has been a tough sell in the fashion market until just recently. Though “industrial hemp” is legal to use in the US, growing it is not. Hemp fabric is generally imported to the US by China, Hungary, Thailand, Romania and Chile. The farming of hemp requires no pesticides or herbicides, requires little water, and actually helps clear soil of toxins by a process called “phytoremediation,” making it far superior to cotton production. As sustainability struts to the forefront of fashion, designers have started taking note of this fiber, once thought of as the type of material found in flour sacks, not Sak’s Fifth Avenue.
During the California Gold Rush of the 1850’s, this extremely durable fabric was used for the very first pair of jeans by Levi Strauss. Even with all the cultivation challenges, hemp still makes its way into plenty of American closets today. Simple, Adidas, and New Balance are using this strong, biodegradable material for their super fly sneaker styles. Eco fashion lines like Habitude and Mountains Of The Moon have sexy, sophisticated dresses and tops of hemp and silk blends. Recent collections by fashion giants Armani and Dolce & Gabbana have featured fiercely taylored hemp suits. Green bag designers Helen E. Riegle and GreenOne utilize this fabric for their handbags and totes, and emerging brands like Hoodlamb are using uber warm hemp-based fake fur in their urban wear.
Continue reading Smokin’ Threads: Hemp Makes Fashion Sense at In The Loop…
Posted on June 30, 2008 |
Superfood News: Goji Berries
By Seth Braun
Filed Under Green Living | 2 Comments
Superfoods
A superfood is anything that delivers the power of several foods in one package. They contain significantly higher levels of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances than regular healthy food. We all need a little kick once in a while and superfoods are much better at filling in the gaps in our diet than vitamin supplements. Whether it is for aiding detoxification, replenishing reserves, improving immune system, increasing sex drive or generating energy, superfoods make up for the loss of quality (nutrients and vitality) in the commercial food supply.
Goji Berries
Also known as Lycium Barbarum, Chinese wolfberry, or go qui zi, are reknowned as a “supertonic” herb in the Chinese medicinal system. As a supertonic, there are few people that would not benefit from wolfberry as it benefits all of the following systems…
- Eyesight
Goji contain zeaxanthin, which the inner eye absorbs readily, helping prevent degenerative disease of the eye. - Longevity
Goji has long been considered a longevity food in Chinese herbal medicine. It appears that polysaccharides are the cause. Poly-what? Goji berries are sweet in part because of unique types of carbohydrates (polysaccharides) that boost the body’s anti-aging and stress management ability. - Energy Levels
Goji nourish the blood and build reserve strength. From an eastern perspective, it tonifies the liver and kidney and replenishes vital essence. From the western perspective, goji contain all 8 essential amino acids and a total of 18 amino acids, making them a rare complete protein fruit. Goji contain up to 21 minerals, high concentrations of vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, and antioxidants (mostly red-pigment caratenoids) as well as essential fatty acids. - Immune System
The presence of 5 distinct polysaccharides has been shown to improve immune function, strengthening the thymus while increasing “killer T cells.” - Healthy Skin
Beautiful skin is sustained by goji. In January 2005, Phytomedicine Magazine stated that goji “display an interesting array of antioxidant and anti-apoptotic (anti cell death) properties, which may be beneficial for human skin.” - Blood Sugar Levels
People with blood sugar issues such as Type II Diabetes and Syndrome X can benefit greatly from goji as well. Continue reading Superfood News: Goji Berries…
Posted on June 27, 2008 |
The Dark Side Of The Internet
By Greg Berry
Filed Under The Big Picture | 6 Comments
There was a day, back in the good ‘ol dot com era (and before, when computers were still new and offered unlimited promise) when we used to talk about the paperless office, and ultimately, a paperless life. One of the big promises of this paperless life was how many trees would be spared. And we felt good. Later we realized computers and the Internet enabled us to print many more pages than we ever could before, when it was just us creating our own documents. Good thing the Canadian Boreal Forests are so close. (Joking.)Fast forward 15 years, now more things run on the Internet than ever. Facebook, Salesforce, iTunes, YouTube, Maps, xBox, Skype. And on and on and on. Since most of us don’t immediately equate the bits and bytes with moving electrons, and moving electrons with burning coal, it’s easy to feel that this web-based lifestyle is pretty green. It turns out it’s actually not. Each and every move we make, the windows we keep open, the programs we run simultaneously-they add up…to a whole lot of electricity and hence, CO2 emissions. Continue reading The Dark Side Of The Internet…
Posted on June 26, 2008 |
Threadheads: Shytown Green Fest
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under eCo TV | Leave a CommenteCo Times likes to keep it light on “Hump Day” (why is it called that) with a little dose of eCo TV. Today’s edutainment is from the darlings of DIY, Rob Czar and Corinne Leigh of Threadheads. Why do we love Threadheads? Because they show us that not all goods have to come from a factory; we can actually make things ourselves with recycled and locally sourced materials.
In this episode, Threadheads takes us on a spin through Green Festival in Chicago. They talk to some of our favorite people like Kevin Danaher and our friends at Green Guru Gear. After the tour of Green Fest, Threadheads will show you how to make something artful and edgy. Remember kids, DIY keeps manufacturing locool. Okaaay, let’s leave the questionable humor to Rob and Corinne-take it away Threadheads…
Posted on June 25, 2008 |
Green Screen
By Tommy Rosen
Filed Under Conscious Commerce | Leave a Comment
Not a single day has gone by in the last eighteen months when I did not struggle to come up with the words to describe the current global movement to address humanity’s biggest concerns, both social and environmental. The main problem is that the green business sector has not been successful at setting widely accepted definitions and standards for what it actually means to be “green,” “eco,” or “sustainable.” This has led to debate and controversy as governments, companies, organizations and individuals try to figure out what industry practices are truly sustainable. Continue reading Green Screen…
Posted on June 24, 2008 |
Hives For Lives: The Sweet Side Of Giving
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, Modern Philanthropy | 1 Comment
According to the American Cancer Society, one out of two men and one out of three women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. These are chilling statistics which have personally touched the lives of almost every person’s family in the US. Carly and Molly Houlahan were 9 and 11 years old when their grandfather died of esophageal cancer. He was their best friend. Devastated by their loss, they wondered how they could help keep other families from dealing with the horrors of cancer. Continue reading Hives For Lives: The Sweet Side Of Giving…
Posted on June 23, 2008 |
Ready, Get Set, To-Go Ware
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Green Living | Leave a Comment
Stephanie Bernstein went to get some ice cream with her sister. They went to a little ice cream shop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was 1997. They both ordered scoops in a bowl, no cone, and when they were served Stephanie got confused. Did they ask for the ice cream to go? Um, no. Why was the ice cream in a plastic bowl with a plastic spoon? To her deep disappointment, her local ice cream shop, along with so many other ice cream shops, coffee shops, and small restaurants around the country were starting to replace reusable dishware with paper and plastic single use containers. That day an idea was born.
A lot of university students carried their coffee mugs everywhere, mainly for the discount they received from the coffee shops around town, but also for the positive environmental impact. Stephanie wondered, what if we all just carried everything around that we’d need in a day-what would that look like?Seven years later, in Northern California, Stephanie sold her first set of utensils in their own handwoven carrying case. They were a hit. Her first generation To-Go Ware sets feature bamboo utensils in cloth carriers woven by a women’s cooperative of Burmese refugees called WEAVE. The women of WEAVE are able to care for their children and their homes, while also creating income for themselves and their families.
The second generation of To-Go Ware was launched earlier this month. These sleek sets have a firmer case made of recycled compressed plastic bags. The bags are collected by ragpickers in India and formed into the colorful polymer by CONSERVE, a recycling and waste management organization. CONSERVE’s collection efforts help to clean the polluted streets of New Delhi while employing hundreds of people in need of work. Continue reading Ready, Get Set, To-Go Ware…
Posted on June 20, 2008 |
(Don’t) Go Fish
By Scott Badenoch, Jr.
Filed Under The Big Picture | 4 Comments
As the environmental movement grows by leaps and bounds, conscious people are figuring out that a predominantly vegetarian diet is best for the environment and global food stocks. Why has fish not entered this equation? We’re still digging into our wild alaskan salmon and our yellowtail sashimi like they’re going out of style. Well, they’ve been going out of style-in a major way. Sushi lovers, marine life enthusiasts, fishermen, and any human with a pulsing heart-we have some very harsh news for you. The oceans are literally in a state of collapse.Continue reading (Don’t) Go Fish…
Posted on June 19, 2008 |
Conscious Living TV: Green Your Clean
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Green Living, eCo TV | 1 CommentIn this episode, Conscious Living TV first takes us on a frightening tour of conventional household cleaners, showing us what not to use and why. Then Bianca gives us the scoop on toxin free alternatives that we can find at our local hardware store, supermarket, or health food store. If you’re still using toxic chemicals to clean your home, this show could be the tipping point for you…
Ready to green your clean? Try out some of these eco smart cleaners…
- Biokleen offers a variety of super concentrated cleaners and detergents that really work
- Seventh Generation features cleaning products free of dyes and fragrances, as well as 100% recycled household paper products
- Try some biodegradable sponges and absorbent reusable towels by Twist
- Method and Greenworks can be found in almost any Target or supermarket, so no matter where you live in the country, there’s always a healthier choice for cleaning your home
Posted on June 18, 2008 |
Ted Ning And The Lohasian Nation
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Arts & Culture, Conscious Commerce | 4 Comments
Deep in the heart of Gaiam’s new corporate digs, behind the desk of a modest office amidst many modest offices, sat the Man Behind The Music,”Mr. LOHAS,” Ted Ning himself. His face was unexpectedly open and soft, his voice quiet and warm. This alleged powerhouse of a man was the kind of person you’d let look after your kids, or your money, or yourself. He appeared to be one of the new breed of executives, forgoing the old “greed is good” model of the 80’s and 90’s, for the refreshingly straightforward “good is good” model of the new millenium. Ted Ning, Director of eco-marketing giant LOHAS, was none other than a sweet and gentle guy. After realizing all this, I relaxed and sat down.Well, first of all, what is “LOHAS” anyway, I wanted to know. Is this a Hawaiian massage technique or the name of some airport in the Pan-Pacific region? No, LOHAS stands for “Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainability.” This marketing term, originated by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) in the early 2000’s marked the defining of an era…or at least the defining of a very powerful demographic. NMI realized that three seemingly disparate consumer groups-spiritual folks, environmentalists, and health fanatics-had very similar purchasing patterns. Once NMI pooled the buying power of all these groups into a study of one large consumer base dubbed LOHASians, the corporate giants of America finally realized there was real money to be made in doing right by communities, wildlife and ecosystems. According to NMI, that “real money to be made” was about 209 billion dollars worth. LOHAS was designed to help companies speak the language of this newly defined group. Continue reading Ted Ning And The Lohasian Nation…
Posted on June 17, 2008 |
- Biokleen offers a variety of super concentrated cleaners and detergents that really work
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eCo Times reports the latest on sustainable lifestyle choices and the new green economy. This online magazine brings you the best in cutting edge green media, organic and Fair Trade product reviews, and insights into viable planetary solutions.
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