Eco-Chick Covers Project Earth Day Fashion Show

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:29:15 GMT

Photo by Starre Vartan
As we told you earlier this month, Allison Teich of AGaiN NYC went straight from London Fashion Week's Estethica exhibition to pulling together students and NYC green designers for a fashion-forward nod to Earth Day. Eco-Chick was on hand and has full coverage, including video and lots of pics! ::Eco-Chick, Project Earth Day... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Style.com Green Shopping Guide: Greenwashing a gogo?

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:19:06 GMT

It seems like we're over the hump when it comes to convincing influential consumers that green is sexy. You know about all of the green magazine issues and green fashion events. Now we're at that critical point where "green" needs to become integrated into our life-long consumer expectations, have actual meaning, and avoid becoming a passing fancy. This is why features like Style.com's spring Earth Friendly Guide to Green Fashion make me nervous. For fashion in particular, until we have a common vocabulary and system of standards, we have to go by what's not green. For instance, adding wooden stones to a leather clutch? Doesn't make it green. Canvas tie-back wedges? If the canvas comes from conventional cotton: not green. We love seeing organic Linda Loudermilk and Levi's, but a lot of the rest leave giant questions marks. Keep your eyes open as editors cast a wide, green net, and look for help from our How to Green Your Wardrobe. ::Style.com 50 Ways to be Green... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Alisha Trimble and Sarah Shears: Re-fashioning Williamsburg

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:54:02 GMT

It's spring, and you have choices: make last year's warm weather clothes work again, or go on a seasonal shopping spree. Alisha Trimble and Sarah Shears can help you with TreeHuggery ways of doing both. First, the duo will show you how to turn your played out fashions into today's looks with how-to sessions on Thursday, April 12, from 5-8pm. On Friday April 13 sip at a 7-8pm reception before catching the 8pm Premier Screening of "NY Fashion with Alisha," a new local access show featuring work of cutting edge emerging fashion designers, hosted by Alissa Smith and Alisha Trimble. Saturday, sip tea and nibble pastries while checking out Claire Stringer's art work from 1-7pm. Throughout all of the events, score ridiculous deals on Alisha's happy, re-fabuloused party dresses. It all goes down at Gitana Rosa Gallery, Williamsburg's "first green gallery." 15% of sales from the space go towards a revolving list of local and national environmental non-profits! ::Gitana Rosa, Alisha Trimble... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Vanity Fair Green Issue II: Bigger, Better, Longer Lasting

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:24:15 GMT

It's Vanity Fair, people. We could wax poetic about RFK Jr.'s two articles (one on the Bush administration's environmental decision-maker appointments, another on falconing) or E.O. Wilson's report on the state of the planet. Really, though, we don't get it for the articles. It's all about the activist porn. Page after page filled with rich renditions of "good fight" fighters, including TreeHugger's own green media super heroine Simran Sethi [See pic after the jump. -Ed.], and our friend Summer Rayne looking luscious in a Deborah Milner gown. Stay tuned for a more complex break-down. In the mean time, pick up a copy (Or look at it at the library! We know it's 2 lbs of paper!) and dog-ear your favorite exhibits of Green's staying power. ::Vanity Fair 2nd Annual Green Issue... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Slow Food, Slow Fashion

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:46:37 GMT

You don't necessarily hear "London" and think "culinary extravaganza." Imagine how surprising it was to find the food as engrossing as the fashion during February's London Fashion week (and we don't just mean potato chips). After sampling as many TreeHugger-recommended restaurants as possible, locally-focused Canteen, with all its ingredients sourced from England, and Konstam, which gathers everything from a 100-mile radius, stood out. How could we not draw connections between delectable slow food, and the slow fashion buzz inside the tents? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Project Earth Day Fashion Show

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:04:30 GMT

New Yorkers: o2-NYC and the New York chapter of Emerging Green Builders (part of the USGBC) want you to celebrate Earth Day by watching some of your best up-and-coming and established eco-fashion designers on the catwalk!... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Sharkwater: Demystifying Ocean Beasts

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 22:33:18 GMT

Can terror pass through amniotic fluid? My mother jokes that seeing Jaws at the height of her pregnancy transmitted the phobia that kept me from snorkeling in the open seas until age 27. Who knows? Certainly there are many of us out there whose greatest fear involves clinging to a flotation device, legs dangling, dorsal fins circling, with that indelible music accompanying the horror.... We've spoken of the disservice popular culture has done to our shark friends here and here. The new film Sharkwater, which opened in Canada on Friday and will premier in the States in September, gives them a new image, and explores some species' impending extinction:... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Burt's Chips During London Fashion Week

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:08:39 GMT

As the Size 0 row raged on at London Fashion Week, we stuffed our faces. (How fun it is to use the TreeHugger Imperial We when writing about England!) That's right. At London's version of Whole Foods, Burt's Chips stood out as a cute, lightweight and pocket-book friendly gift for friends stateside (in addition to Duchy Originals and Green and Blacks goodies not available in the homeland). Our friend Lauren had just returned from Devon, the snack's birthplace, and said they were a difficult-to-find delicacy. She pointed out that each sack identified the field in which the potatoes sprouted and the person who hand fried them! We bought about 10 packs, all of which were grown in Field Foot and fried by Mike. None of them made it into our carry-on. Rather, between scintillating conversation with remarkable Estethica designers, they went straight to our stomach: Salt-less, Sea Salt and Vinegar, Salt and Pepper... As far as we can tell, the chips are not certified organic, but free of preservatives and fried in sunflower oil. Additionally, Burt's only uses seasonally available ingredients. The packaging features info from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, raising awareness about the orangutan/palm oil issue. More on local crisps here. Yes, we'll write about the clothes... ::Burt's Chips (The site seems to be down.)... Read the full story on TreeHugger

An Inconvenient Truth: Oscar Winner

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 01:18:53 GMT

AP Photo
Like nearly every Grey's Anatomy episode, the Oscars generally make me cry and laugh out loud at least twice. This year of feel-good internationalism and "every nominee is a winner" egalitarianism was no exception. However, a brand new, twist complicated the customary emotional roller coaster: greenness. An Inconvenient Truth (unsurprisingly) won Best Documentary. At the podium: Laurie David (producer), ecstatic, and Al Gore emphasizing the nonpartisan nature of the climate change threat. Additionally, the Academy seems to have teamed up with the NRDC to make Oscar's molten foot leave a lighter print, and teach viewers to tread softly as well. Wow. Weird. Love it that millions of people around the world saw that a chunk of Hollywood wants to do something about the U.S.'s imbalanced CO2 contribution. Not so happy that the running Gore candidacy announcement jokes make such an obvious Hollywood/Liberal/Environmentalism punditry target. None-the-less, an amazing night for the folks at Participant Productions and the climate change message. An Oscar win can only mean more people seeing what could have just remained a former Vice President's slide show. ::Oscars ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Britney Spears: Baldness is an Environmentally Responsible Choice

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 18:11:43 GMT

Ah, the good old days, when Britney's Zeitgeist-ing life choices centered around affecting a British accent and eco-mom-ing it. In case you're in some sort of subterranean bliss, Britney Spears went all Sinead on us this weekend. I'm choosing not to focus on the media's carnivorous appetite for the pretty women they've helped make "train wrecks" so far this year: pseudo-lesbian Miss Teen USA, Anna Nicole, Lindsey Lohan, Britney. Instead, I'll call Britney's new head a sound eco-choice. It must take far less water to scrub a scalp than to do what most of us do: stand under gallons of running water washing our hair. You go, Britney! More tips on greening your haircare here, here, and here. Learn about dyeing here. ::Defamer... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Citizen's Band: Get on Their Mailing List

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 11:38:45 GMT

Photo by Celene Ruben-Salama At last week's EDUN show, we were introduced to the Citizen's Band. The performance art collective deals with social issues through cabaret, employing original numbers and innovative interpretations. A sampling of their Chewing Up the Scenery meant beautifully staged song, dance and trapeze centered around an oil-fueled economy and global warming. We laughed, we cried, we wanted more. Believe it or not, the ditty, "Gasoline, gasoline, a cry that echoes through your dreams," stays in your head. Especially poignant was a rendition of "Where Have All the Flowers Gone"; the last song I ever expected to produce a lump in my throat did, when a mournful, darkly-dressed cast transcended any sort of 60's context, filling the house with mellifluous sorrow, and longing for a different version of this world. We advise you to find out about future performances and lobby for ones near you. ::The Citizen's Band... Read the full story on TreeHugger

charity: water. Give Clean Drinking Water Valentine's Day

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 09:31:45 GMT

At Sundance, charity: water raised $23,200, "Enough for 6 wells in Ethiopia, or 15 wells in Liberia." Today they're bringing on an e-greeting donation challenge:

We're offering $20 charity: water Valentine's Day cards until 7 p.m eastern time. You've donated enough e-cards to build almost 2 wells in Ethiopia so far! We'd like to keep it going, and fund 4 by the end of the day. Four wells, four villages, 4000+ people drinking clean and safe water.

Find out more about charity: water here, and send a little liquid love here. If you'd like to see red, learn about the true cost of bottled water. Then cool down with tips on how to green yours. ::charity: water... Read the full story on TreeHugger

EDUN: Intriguing. But How Green? How Fair?

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 09:30:44 GMT

The Citizen's Band at The Box, February 4, 2007. Photo by Celene Ruben-Salama Over the last week you've likely seen photos of darkly clad crooners along with headlines about "Green fashion" and "Fashion getting its conscience" and "Indie film stars" modeling EDUN's fall line. While on one level this seems like eco-fashion wet dream territory, much of the coverage has lacked details. And although the performance art collective Citizen's Band show provided my most substantive and enjoyable Fashion Week experience, when it comes to the clothes they wore throughout, I'm left wondering who made them and which are organic. Not what we expect from the highest profile "fair" and eco brand, right? EDUN, we want to love you. Help us.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

"So Ethic" at Salon Pret a Porter Paris

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:34:39 GMT

Don't you wish you could clone yourself sometimes? This week, TreeHugger Celine Ruben-Salama and I are covering NY Fashion week, filling you in on the millionth of a percent of eco and ethical fashion on the runways. If we were in Paris, we'd be at the "So Ethic" wing of the Salon Pret a Porter, where over 40,000 international buyers, press and gawkers get to sidle up to nearly 70 self-proclaimed green and socially-minded brands. You know about many of them already: Del Forte, Deborah Lindquist, Rachel F, Veja, g=9.8, Junky Styling... How exciting is it to see so many happy designers get so much exposure? ::Salon Pret a Porter Paris via Sophie... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The North Face/Lexus Ice Lounge at Sundance: Celeb Offsetting Bonanza

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 02:07:02 GMT

Justin Timberlake at the Ice Lounge In addition to making Project Greenhouse happen, Lexus partnered with The North Face to create the Ice Lounge. Am a bit tardy reporting on my Ice Lounge excursion. Though I had to scoot in and out to get to an interview, the winter wonderland vibe impressed me more than my Grist counterpart. The Lexus Hybrid SUV picked me up just on time and we disappeared up circuitous roadways to the ultra-secure frozen structure. Inside, Dennis Hopper chilled on some Q Collection while Rick Fox and other famous athletes I can't name mingled. I got to chat with folks from The Conservation Fund and Ski Green who were there to let the entertainment community know about their efforts. Through on-site fund raisers, the Ice Lounge peeps tell me they raised enough for The Conservation Fund to offset more than 10,500 tons of CO2. From the sounds of it, The North Face will soon impress it with its eco-innovation! We're eager to see what sorts of sustainability plans they roll out. Additional guests included celebs like Justin Timberlake, Sienna Miller, Josh Hartnett, Heather Graham, Tom Arnold, Danny Masterson, Joe Pantoliano, Justin Theroux, Katherine Heigl, and Timothy Hutton. ::The Conservation Fund, Ski Green... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The Unforeseen: Smart, Beautiful Sundance Documentary Explores Residential Growth

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 22:17:09 GMT

Though it draws from a rich cast of Austin, TX characters, Laura Dunn's The Unforeseen could have been set just about anywhere in the U.S. Most of us know what it's like to see residential real estate development radically transform the landscape we have always known. For me, this happened when what was a rural community became incorporated as various suburbs north of Denver, CO in the eighties. My mother and I eventually lived in a new, dysfunctional development called "Hunter's Glen" complete with a nitrate-rich golf course, pool, and a "marina" on a shallow, stinking, algae-covered "lake." Poor planning meant that to leave our glen for another (you know -- when occasionally needing a break from hunting the few remaining prairie dogs and rabbits) necessitated a car. The developments didn't intersect, there was no mass transit, and we had to drive to a mission-style mini mall to meet any consumer need. Building stopped during the recession and never picked up during our Glen time. On a return trip, however, I saw that the vacant field outside our back windows, with the iconic snag I stared at when ruminating on current anxieties and future hopes all throughout Jr. High and High School, had succumbed to condos. Sound familiar? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Lexus Hybrid Living's Project Greenhouse at Sundance

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 01:58:58 GMT

Ok. There was a lot of criticism of non-film-related marketing at the Sundance this year. It's super easy to approach eco-SWAG and marketing with cynicism. But, guess what? In an all-around optimistic frame of mind, I found myself feeling like that much overused term "tipping point" applied. Here were the Lexus Hybrid Living folks, who clearly know their audience, creating a smart venue for luminaries get to know eco-stylish businesses, as well as Former Director of the United Nations' Environment Program Dr. Noel Brown, while allowing the likes of me to "cross-pollinate". Both the smart marketing and the rare opportunity for conversation with multiple businesses we've covered on the TH pages, thrilled me. Those representing included some of the Hybrid Living family: Kenneth Cobonpue, Paula Hayes, and Q Collection. We also had the chance to get cozy with Lush soaps and body bars, Fairmont's new "Mayan Riviera" property (more about those later!), Yolo Paints, and extraordinarily promising Nau active wear (more on Nau soon!).... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Freedom Fuels: FREE, Downloadable Alternative Fuels Doc

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 10:57:37 GMT

Have you wondered about the differences among biodiesel, vegetable oil, and ethanol? Curious about why we're using gasoline when there are so many cheap and easy alternatives available? At around 45 minutes, Freedom Fuels is a quick and painless way for anyone to get informed. Download it! Pass it on to your friends and neighbors. "With our distribution system primarily Internet-based, we've bypassed normal methods," remarked producer and director Martin O'Brien in a thick, Irish brogue. "It's like, boom! Kick it out when it's 18 and, you know, let it out into the Internet world and we'll move on and make another film about an important topic."... Read the full story on TreeHugger

The TreeHugger Interview: Ed Begley, Jr.

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 20:11:13 GMT

As we mentioned last week, Ed Begley, Jr. kicked it at Project Greenhouse to promote Living With Ed during the Sundance Film Festival. We chatted a bit about his show, and the role of activist celebs, before I had a chance to see it. I loved everything Ed had to say, but after screening the first episode wonder about its potential to reach TreeHuggery ideals of pushing sustainability into the mainstream, and showing how easy it is to lead a green, aesthetically-oriented life? In Ed's world, conservation seems difficult and unappealing. I hope that the gaps the show relies on, between eco-friendliness and attractiveness or convenience, narrow as the series continues. KS: Who do you hope to reach with the show? EB: That's the great thing about HGTV: it has a wide audience. And it's a whole demographic that we're not reaching with E Magazine or the many solar festivals I go to like Hopland. That's one crowd, and a good crowd, and they're our base in many ways -- they ARE our base in every way. But then there are other people out there who might be inclined to try something environmental if it makes sense to them economically and stylistically. That's what we're trying to do with our show, show that there's stuff that you can do and you don't have to go for the big ticket items like solar or a hybrid car or an electric car. You can start small and build. You can pick the low-hanging fruit first: compact fluorescent bulbs, energy-saving thermostats, good insulation, a bicycle for transportation, public transportation. All of these things are good for the environment and they're really cheap. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Manda Bala: A Sundance Doc Guaranteed to Freak You Out

Sat, 27 Jan 2007 20:08:26 GMT

UPDATE: It was announced Saturday evening that Manda Bala won the Grand Jury Documentary Prize, as well as the Excellence in Cinematography Award! At the end of our interview, Jason Kohn let me know that he wants a hybrid convertible and he wants it now (are you listening, Lexus?). Ironically, it would be suicidal to drive one in Manda Bala's (Send a Bullet) Sao Paulo. Does your Brazil free association involve Carnival and boob jobs? Try bullet-proof cars and a growing specialty ear replacement surgery for kidnap victims. Instead of capoeira, imagine the rich safely flitting from rooftop to rooftop via private helicopter. Rain forest-friendly economic development? Think "sustainable" money-laundering frog farm. Kohn's kinetic and brutal tour of decadence, wealth and corruption will appeal to a wide audience -- not just those who go out of their way to see "socially relevant" films. It will leave you spinning -- just like Kohn was as we sat a few tables away from Dakota Fanning at a restaurant-turned-press room on Main Street in Park city Tuesday afternoon. Torn in a thousand directions, on the verge of a cold, and fresh from an audience Q and A, he discussed his reasons for focusing on the powerful, and why disparity spells doom for Brazil and its ecosystems.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Everything's Cool: Global Warming Action at Sundance

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:19:26 GMT

Just met super-cool "Everything's Cool" makers Daniel Gold and Judith Helfand, (mentioned here). More on the movie to come. For now, check out Monday's visual event, linking Park City and Arctic students! Local coverage here. 800 Park City students, along with the cast and crew of "Everything's Cool" formed a message with their bodies spelling out "Step It Up". The words morphed as the students changed positions to form "Go Carbon Neutral." The image also contained a circle with bear paws, representing carbon neutral footprints and a word in Inuktitut meaning "I hear you and I am doing something about it." Local youth were answering the Arctic Inuit Community, who are featured in "Everything's Cool" laying on the Arctic Sea ice on Earth Day 2005 in 30 below temperatures warning the world about the devastating impact the melting arctic will have on the rest of the world. Working Films teamed with John Quigley of Spectral Q, who directed the human aerial image. Naysayers: these people are offsetting like crazy, so let's let the visual impact counter balance the helicopter carbon! :: Working Films, Everything's Cool... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Sundance Panel: How "Movies That Matter" Can Matter

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 03:54:04 GMT

We would like to believe that "socially relevant" films have some effect outside the theater, right? You must be able to name a few that have made you write a letter or change some habits? Feel free to comment below. Directors, writers and producers on Monday's Movies that Matter Panel have influenced everything from AIDS policy, to the phase-out of PVC packaging, to the global warming debate. Participants included: Sean Fine (War/Dance), Judith Helfand (Everything's Cool), Rory Kennedy (Ghosts of Abu Ghraib), Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Gayle Smith (The Center for American Progress), Diane Weyermann (Participant Productions) and Brian Steidle (subject of The Devil Came on Horseback). Helene Cooper of the New York Times (who became an anti-Apartheid activist after seeing Cry Freedom) moderated. While everyone agreed that the movies can matter, there were a variety of approaches to how and why.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Sundance: Quick Eco Celeb Notes

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:25:02 GMT

My first day here and no films viewed, but many incredible companies to tell you about in the days ahead. You will be proud to hear that I did not screen global warming doc Everything's Cool because it would have involved driving an hour each way... Seemed to defeat the purpose. Tomorrow, tomorrow... Bites: Ed Begley, Jr. and his wife Rachelle were interviewed by Fox this morning about Living with Ed at Project GreenHouse. Their bickering "ball and chain" shtick seemed perfect: what better way to lure a nice demographic chunk into green living than through seemingly universal Everybody Loves Raymond-esque domestic squabbling? Stay tuned for our TreeHugger interview with Ed as well as details on HGTV's expanding green programming. Kevin Bacon, in town promoting his Sixdegrees.org network, dropped by as a guest at the GreenHouse... Most recent Survivor runner-up Ozzie partook of the Global Greenhouse (yet another eco suite!) goodies and then joked about his post-apocalyptic spear-fishing skills as we shared a van ride... He can catch a fish for me any day... ::Sundance Film Festival... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Sundance: What Do You Want To Know?

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:32:02 GMT

Starting Sunday, I'll be your Sundance avatar, a vicarious conduit to Park City's eco films, celebs and SWAG. Since the Lexus Hybrid-sponsored Project Greenhouse will offset its guests' travel, I can feel like a less indulgent celluloid-marinating avatar. The "eco-conscious lifestyle suite" will feature an array of destinations and products that you'll soon know all about, as well as a couple of green-minded projects. Frequently sighted biker Matthew Modine will preview his pedal-related pic. Ed Begley, Jr. will be on hand to chat about Living with Ed. Any questions for these guys? As Simran pointed out earlier, all of this is just the beginning. You'll get the skinny on films and filmmakers with planet-happy ambitions, other eco suites, and the Sundance Channel's new green programming. What else would you like to know? Tell me. And if you're a TreeHugger in Park City, drop me a line! ::Sundance Film Festival... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Let Hot Men Sell Environmentalism

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 21:30:39 GMT

Last week, in an interview about eco-fashion, I was asked how it related to womens' positive body image. Given that some of our most popular fashion posts have featured busty, near-nude models, I had been mulling it over and answered that the best we can hope for in the foreseeable future is equal opportunity objectification. "Sustainable" textiles becoming mainstream means selling them in the way the public expects: preying on all of the hopes, fears and longings of consumers through image-making. Do men with Photoshop-enhanced six packs and Marky Mark-like endowment sell conventional underwear? Well, then, let them sell organic cotton and bamboo.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Shame is Good? Christina Ricci "Tisked" Out of Fur Worship

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 04:40:39 GMT

Fur, fur. Our readers recently feverishly debated its re-use, and particularly the "fur is ugly" rhetoric -- you know, the strategy of making any use of fur completely unfashionable and repulsive to stem demand. Now our friends at Ecorazzi tell us that Christina Ricci has denounced past fur flaunting after a PETA wag of the finger and a fan site shut-down. Given Ricci's indie fan base, her public fur-love always seemed a bit surprising. Perhaps this niche makes her more susceptible to PETA's admonitions? Since we TreeHuggers are in the business of making "Green" fun and friendly, the fur conversation brings up the role of shame in this "environmental lifestyle" world we inhabit. Many of us have escaped environmental communities defined to a large degree by guilt and condemnation. Conversations like that around the recent NY Green Drinks party feel alarmingly familiar. As eco-issues ease further into the mainstream, what's the right balance when we want to make a long-term impact and convince people that conventional cotton is dirty, SUVs are lame and McMansions are dumb, for instance? How much shame is too much? ::Ecorazzi... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Ethical Fashion Forum's Conscious Christmas

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 03:20:51 GMT

All right you Christmas-celebrating Londoners! Our friends at Tonic Tees have filled us in:

The Ethical Fashion Forum is hosting an exclusive evening of fashion and ethics to celebrate the Christmas season. Come along to learn about the latest in conscious style, including a seminar by leading ethical style gurus, and a chance to buy the hottest values-led fashion labels, have a colour and style consultation, and meet pioneering designers in the sector. Tickets are 8, or 5 if you donate a high quality second hand fashion item, and are by invitation only - email info@ethicalfashionforum.com for more information.

The fund raising event will go down 19th-20th December at the hub on Torrens Street in London ec1. Have fun! ::Ethical Fashin Forum viia Tonic... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Gifts of Compassion from ABC Home and Planet

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 15:33:35 GMT

Our gift guide provides lots of ways to give back. So does the ABC Home and Planet Foundation. Givers can choose among sixteen specialized gift packages priced from $40 to $1000, supporting efforts ranging from Dr. Wangari Maathai's Green Belt Movement International to Maya Rainforest protection, to Pet Rescue New York City. The recipient gets a sweet, embroidered silk pouch fashioned from a vintage sari along with a "Gift of Compassion" certificate fully describing the offering made on her or his behalf. Gifts of Compassion may be purchased at ABC Carpet & Home's landmark retail venue in New York on Broadway at 19th Street, or online. ABC via Erin... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Airlines Toss Enough Cans Each Year to Build Fleet of Airliners, NRDC Says

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:50:50 GMT

As if there weren't enough reasons to feel guilty about flying, a newly released NRDC study highlights airline industry and air port wastefulness. Some nuggets:

Airlines in the U.S. throw away enough aluminum cans every year to build 58 new 747s.
The airline industry threw out 9,000 tons of plastic in 2004, and enough newspapers and magazines to bury a football field more than 230 feet deep.
Nationwide, U.S. airports generated 425,000 tons of waste in 2004 -- a figure expected to increase nearly 45 percent by 2015.
Each passenger today leaves behind 1.3 pounds of trash. Seventy five percent of this waste is recyclable or compostable.

Not all of the news is gloomy, however. Airports like Seattle Sea-Tac and Oakland have shown that recycling and composting lead to major savings. Read the summary or download the full report. NRDC via GreenBiz... Read the full story on TreeHugger

This Into That: Recycled DIY for Kids from Tiffany Tomato

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 23:33:14 GMT

Great gift alert! Where we see trash, Tiffany Threadgould sees ingredients for household items and clothing. Her new This into That book series imparts this design eye to everybody 8 and up with Fabric Fashions, Garbage Games, and Plastic Pizzazz. Each book features 15 projects with well-illustrated, step-by-step instructions, and any new materials needed. Readers supply only the garbage and DIY enthusiasm! $12 at Target and specialty retailers. ::Tiffany Tomato Designs, via Tiffany... Read the full story on TreeHugger

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