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People Won't Change for the Environment (on my campus)

by Katie Kish · 09/03/09

A recent article outlines a pretty simplistic poll conducted in London about people’s willingness to change their behaviour for the good of the planet.

A straw poll of 15 British men and 15 British women between the ages of 25-75 in central London, showed all were willing to make small changes for the environment, such as recycling, but few would commit to more fundamental changes to behavior.

The outcome was pretty surprising. People will “try” to drive less, and others take a shot at proper recycling. But no one is ready for a change in their lifestyle. This inspired me. I was sure I could find better numbers and results here in Toronto, Canada. We are supposed to be eco-friendly up here, right?

bags, book, books, business, car, clothes, clothing, consumption, eating, Eco-Chick, electronics, Energy, Food, fur, Home, local, London, meat, News, plastic, plastic bags, plastics, Recycling, reduce, skin, style, Vote, women

How Sustainable is Your Favorite Wine? Greenopia Rates 25 Wineries

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by Starre Vartan · 07/29/09

kaikoura-vineyard

Greenopia has just rated 25 wineries for their environmental impact. Here’s why:

Any oenophile worth her spitting glass has heard the dire stories about how global warming will affect wineries, altering the very microclimates that make it possible to grow champagne in Champagne, France and enable growers to eke out a Pinot Noir under a very precise set of conditions. Wine production is a multibillion dollar-a-year industry in the United States, and wine-growing regions are set to migrate northward (or shrink- by up to 80%- disappear altogether) as warm days with moderating sea breezes shift with the increased temperatures, and general local and worldwide climate disruption alters the conditions and locales where grapes have been growing for hundreds of years.

So it makes sense that the wine industry (and vino lovers) would take action against climate change and environmental degradation.

business, car, carbon, climate change, Eco-Chick, emissions, Food, Global Warming, health, local, Organic, produce, rape, resources, spa, sport, style, sustainability, sustainable, Target, Tea, transportation, treehugger, water, weather, Wildlife, Wine

Housingworks Green Weddings Event with Leanne Marshall, Mary Cleaver, Danielle Venokur and Mireya Navarro

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by Starre Vartan · 04/28/09

Project Runway designer Leanne Marshall (Season 5) shows us the gorgeous ecofriendly wedding dress she whipped up for the event!

I had lots of fun at last week’s Green Weddings event put on by Housingworks in Manhattan. A lively panel discussion was moderated by author Mireya Navarro (who wrote the gorgeous new book, Green Wedding). Mireya was joined by Mary Cleaver of The Cleaver Company organic catering, Project Runway designer Leanne Marshall, and Danielle Venokur, of dvGreen sustainable events.

Old friends and new! Brenna McLoughlin of Elegant Bride magazine, Gloria Dawson of The Daily Green, Jessica Mischener of Portovert and Inhabitat and Rene Ebersole of Audubon Magazine.

Attendees included magazine editors, bloggers, ecofashionistas, fashion and graphic designers, brides-to-be, green enthusiasts and random passers-by, as well as the generous Housing Works staff and volunteers. Housing Works provides medical care, housing and legal assistance to people with HIV/AIDS who need help.

The panel, l to r: Mireya, Leanne, Mary and Danielle

Food was a hot topic for the panel, with Mary Cleaver telling the audience about how when she got her start, it was hard to find local food in NYC. “Food came from California, even in the summer. There’s been a tremendous growth in growing locally in the last 3-5 years. It’s not just the impact of shipping the food, it’s the flavor that’s so much better with local,” she said. She recommended Alice Water’s “The Delicious Revolution” to those who were new to the local/organic/seasonal food table. All the panelists agreed that local, seasonal food was the way to go for a wedding dinner.

Local, seasonal food was also served by the Housing Works Catering Company, who provided yum hors doeuvres

Danielle Venokur of dvGreen agreed that for some parts of a wedding, going green means it will cost more, but there are ways to integrate sustainability for a lower price tag. “You might have to be a bit more creative, or do more legwork, but sometimes it will actually cost you less–photography for example. Going digital and only printing the images you really want will save money and paper waste. A wedding website will cut down on paper and shipping,” said Danielle. Then you can use those savings towards more ecofriendly transportation options.

“For anything that’s a part of your wedding, you should be asking ‘Where did this come from? Where does it go when I’m done with it?’ If I can’t get to the bottom of these questions,” Danielle said, “I don’t want to get involved with it.”

When it comes to the dress, Leanne suggested borrowing was an ecofriendly and economical way to go, in keeping with the ‘something borrowed’ theme of the old bridal advice quartet. “A lot of brides want new dresses though, and there are some great ecofabrics out there to design with,” she said.

The panelists came together to give a list of the three most important “To Do’s” for greening a wedding:
1. Food (local, seasonal, organic, veggie/vegan)
2. Flowers (local, seasonal)
3. Invites (recycled paper, websites, soy or nontoxic ink)

In addition to the panel, there were a number of NYC-based vendors who showed their wedding-appropriate wares:

Maryanne Loverme of Wabisabi Jewelry

Wabisabi Jewelry up close- this necklace is made from upcycled pennies with recycled images adhered to them.

I loved Lovely Day Designs’ soy candles that are poured in vintage teacups- they make perfect party favors and are upcycled to boot!

business, ecofashion, organic food, wedding

Brainforest: How Does Community Sustain Us?

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by Alicia Lubowski-Jahn · 03/03/09

Brainforest is a Chicago-based creative agency that has integrated an ethos of social service (people) and sustainability (planet) into the workplace (profit). The Triple Bottom Line seems to come effortlessly to a company that volunteers at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, dedicates pro bono service per annum to a specially selected client, including the Gilda’s Club Chicago, and established a non-proft organization Bfriend, Inc. to support charitable projects.

Most recently Bfriend, Inc. implemented a supply re-use program called Creative Pitch. Art materials donated by Chicago-area design and marketing businesses are gathered and distributed free of charge to neighborhood schools in need of art and educational supplies. Similar creative re-use programs have sprung up in other cities, including New York’s Materials for the Arts, Fort Lauderdale’s Trash to Treasure, and Oakland’s East Bay Depot For Creative Reuse. Unwanted and unused materials that would ordinarily be pitched in the dumpster, are creatively re-purposed and re-cycled to pitch in.

A reciprocal exchange lies behind Brainforest’s ”good works” initiatives, which are designed as “giving back to the community that sustains us.” As Dian Sourelis, a Partner at Brainforest and Founder/Chairperson of Bfriend, Inc, explains, the projects have grown organically from a wholehearted desire to serve others: “We are generous people. We think about what we can do for other people. People who work here really want to do that.” Behind Brainforest’s acts of giving back to the community, lies a message about the many returns of a circular sustainability. Through giving, lies the potential to receive again and again.

business, cities, community, creative reuse, design, Food, giving, Hair, Home, Organic, rainforest, reuse, schools, sustainability, trash

Eco Chick Third Birthday and Book Party: Fun for All (Species)!!

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by Starre Vartan · 12/17/08

Eco Chick is three years old! To celebrate her growing up (there are over 900 posts!) as well as the launch of my book, based on the blog, The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green, called for a kid’s themed party of course!

Eco Chick Founder and Editor, Starre Vartan, with Eco Chick Writer Kim Jordan Allen

I didn’t know how I was going to pull it together, but in just two days, the fabulous Kate McGregor, owner of Kaight, my favorite ecoboutique, and Arina Vikdorchik (AKA Arina Greenaholic for her eco party-planning fabulousness) offered me a venue, and some extra time and hands to help, and I HAD to go for it!

Kate McGregor and friend, and party guests!

I will, of course, be FOREVER indebted to Kate McGregegor of Kaight, for not only helping me dress fabulously, as well as GREENly but giving me such an amazing space to have my party. Thank you, thank you, thank you Kate! You are an honorary Eco Chick!

Singer/songwriter LiliAna Rose and art director for The Daily Green, Gloria Dawson

Soon, 360 vodka and Wolaver’s organic beer (both of which I buy, drink at home and serve when I entertain!) hopped on board as sponsors, which made me very happy since I consider them ‘my’ fave brands. Natura organic wines joined in with a delicious Sauvignon Blanc donation, and though I’d hadn’t heard of them yet, I was so glad they came to my party (with their wine!).

Ama the Bartender, and one of the many pooch attendees

Thanks soooo much to 360, Wolaver’s and Natura! A party without booze is no party at all (unless it’s a tea party, but this wasn’t).

Starre Vartan and Seth Leitman, author of Build Your Own Electric Vehicle, and Tiffany, Tatiana Gelfand and friend.

I am SO proud to say that all my food sponsors come from AMAZING women-owned businesses! Babycakes, which couldn’t be MORE local (it is about 3/4 of a block around the corner from Kaight) made up pretty purple and green vegan cupcakes, vegan and gluten-free banana bread, and brownie bites. They were so amazingly tasty I walked around with the box at one point but was just mostly eating them myself, hee hee. (I am NOT the kind of girl to skip eating awesome treats at my own party!) Babycakes was founded by the retro-cool Erin McKenna- thanks to Erin and her nice-as-could-be staff!

Brian Clark Howard, editor at The Daily Green, AKA DJ SocialPyramid

One of my favorite snacks, Laura’s Wholesome Junkfood, also supplied sweet vegan treats (their oatmeal raisin bitelettes are my fave low-guilt dessert when I’m at home of an evening). Laura’s is such a cool company, started by a doctor (named Laura!) who started her own good-for-you food biz. Thanks Dr. Laura!

Bonnie Hulkower and Emma Grady of Treehugger, and Boho Magazine‘s assistant editor Ashley Kittelsen and Boho fashion editor Margo Helliwell

SweetRiot, whose founder, Sarah Endline, I met years ago at NYC GreenDrinks holiday party, gave us lots of their directly-sourced, fair-trade, dark chocolate covered cocoa nibs in lovely martini glasses (I was so afraid there wouldn’t be enough chocolate!). And they were even nice enough to give me extras to take home after the party in their cute (recyclable, and original art-covered) tins. Thanks Sarah!

Guest, Elizabeth Harrington of Greenopia, and freelance writer Beatrice Aranow

Continuing with the women’s-owned theme, publisher and ecofabulista Gina LaMorte gave us a stack of Boho Magazines for our goody bags (My book is reviewed in the current issue-yay!!); the bags themselves were donated by Whole Foods (where I shop so much I feel like I practically earned those free bags, haha!). The bags are the cool new reusable Sheryl Crowe shoppers and so pretty! John Masters Organics, who makes my fave new haircare products, offered up samples for the goody bags (thanks!)

Arina Vikdorchik and Starre Vartan

I couldn’t have done this without the dogged persistence and unflagging energy of Arina Vikdorchik, who pulled all the nonsense together and made it make sense. Some unvarnished PR- use Arina next time you want to plan a party, green or not!!!

From left to right, Glenn Michael Gordon, Brook Wilensky-Lanford, Christina Rumpf and Rachel Carter, all of Columbia University’s MFA writing program.

From left to right, a friend, Josh Garrett-Davis, and Rob Verger, Columbia nonfiction MFAers

Thanks too, to all of you who came, including the incredibly supportive and loving cast of characters (I mean colleagues!) from Columbia’s University’s School of the Arts nonfiction (and fiction too!) writing program, my agent, Mary Ann Naples (didn’t get a snap of her, darn!!) of The Creative Culture, my publicity team, Emily Fry and Stephen Lee of St. Martin’s (who do a lot with very little!), Brian Clark Howard, my friend, DJ, proofreader for the book, and URTH Guy, my amazing girlfriend Cara Joy, who started off her day at her farm in Vermont gathering eggs and ended up at a book and blog party in the LES, and was indispensible the day-of, helping everything get done, and of course, Danelle Marqui Brown and Kim Jordan Allen, long-time Eco Chick writers, supporters, and fabulous, amazing, inspiring women all-around.

Shane McQuade, CEO of Voltaic systems and Margaret Lydecker, founder of NYC Greendrinks, and Meiling Chen, ecofashion designer

A big shout-out to my friends and colleagues at Greenopia, who are mostly on the West Coast, and whose NYC guidebook (and online listings) are indespensible for navigating this growing green world.

Arina Vikdorchik and Danelle Marqui Brown, Eco Chick writer

Starre Vartan, Michelle Legro, producer and host of Storyville and nonfiction MFA student at Columbia U. and James Yeh, fiction MFA student at Columbia.

Two people who could not attend but to whom I owe debts of gratitude are Dan “Mobius” Sieradski, Eco Chick’s webmaster, who’s single-handedly kept the site running all these years, and my Dad, who has supported the site since its inception, given me great ideas on how to promote it, and encouraged me to keep going with my ideas and aspirations.

Emily Fry and Stephen Lee of St. Martin’s, and Michael Schwarz, writer and animal advocate