Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Earthships Take Flight

About ten years ago I was in Colorado and one of my friends took me to see some alternative housing structures that were being built in the mountains. The first was an amazing teepee that had a woodstove and the second was an ‘earthship’.

I was blown away by the originality of the design and the ingenious idea of using recycled materials to build the home. The foundation was primarily compiled of recycled auto tires that had been cut in half and packed with dirt. Walls were plaster surrounding aluminum cans and bottles, solar panels were feeding batteries for power, and rain water was being filtered for drinking.

These homes are visually striking in their symbiotic relationship to surrounding terrain and can be completely off the grid. My husband and I fantasize about building one someday and there are seminars you can attend in Taos, NM to learn how to build your own from scratch or even retrofit existing homes.

Earthships are now sprouting up all over the world. Their ingenous co-existence with the earth makes them an intelligent alternative to exhausting the earth’s limited resources.

Head of the Interior heads for the Exterior: Gale Norton Resigns

Last week U.S. Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton resigned amidst rumblings of scandal regarding purported connections between her department and disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Many environmentalists applauded her departure due to her appalling record for supporting corporate interests and being unable to bridge the ever-expanding gap between big business and environmental advocacy.

While financial incentives encouraged private investment in land preservation and generated praise from The Nature Conservancy, Norton’s record is largely one of exploitation and promoting Right-Wing interests. Famous for opening Yellowstone to snowmobiles, her enthusiasm to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, and stripping protections for the Endangered Species Act, Norton’s conservative pandering will not be missed.

Of course, Bush will probably look for another James Watt clone, but perhaps his current realization of our ‘addiction to oil’ will encourage him to look for an individual whose interests align more with environmental ideals and sustainability than the almighty dollar. Doubtful.

 

Sticking it to the man…Hillary style

A couple of weeks ago the Bar Association of San Francisco held a fundraiser and hosted NY Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for a one-on-one interview before an audience. Jane Pauley conducted the interview and Hillary held nothing back in her critique of our current administration and the frightening movement away from scientific findings regarding climatic change. As Pauley asked Clinton about global warming and the current doubt some officials have regarding the human factor in climate shifts, Clinton showed her vivacious humor and biting wit claiming that “…only in Washington” could the scientific findings related to global warming be called “opinion” and the administration find “the five or ten people in the world who agree with him (Bush)” to come to the government’s aid. I may not always agree with some of Hillary’s decisions (ie: voting for war in Iraq), but her eloquence and humor is refreshing. The criticism that Senator Clinton has been receiving for her “anger management” problems only serves to illuminate the Right’s persistent reliance on the cult of personality to deflect attention away from the important issues. While some feel Hillary may not inspire passion among her listeners, her articulate and careful language reflect her grasp of some of the key issues we are dealing with today.

KTK Handmade

I have been a bag-lady for a long time. Often disappointed with the offerings at most retailers, I tend to look for more original pieces than the ususal fare. On a women’s camping trip I attended five years ago I met Kerrigan Kessler, a talented designer who was carrying a gorgeous bohemian bag that I instantly coveted. Once she told me she produced these wearable creations, I began to frequent her website where you can mix and match numerous swatches and straps to design your own completely unique piece. The bags are handmade using vintage fabrics, including some organic cotton canvases. Kerrigan is also a kundalini teacher and her spiritual practice permeates her work. Her bags are colorful and inspired. KTKHandmade

Nature Girl

Rich Hippie has a sister company called “Nature Girl,” a line of organic bath and beauty products determined to keep the eco-minded consumer free of harmful ingredients and smelling fresh and green.

There’s “Eco Chic” organic salt scrubs (nice name!!), “Nature Love” shea butter body balm, and “Green Queen” extra rich botanical body lotion. These are just three of the delectable body treats available from this line. The products are cruelty-free and full of organic, wild-crafted, ethically harvested goodness.