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

Two Green Reasons I Love Brad and Angelina!

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by Danelle Brown · 10/21/08

First off, As a green doula, I have to applaud Angelina for gracing the cover of the new W magazine while breastfeeding. Awesome that the photographer just so happened to be her husband, Brad Pitt. Angelina is inspirational because she has confidently taken a stand and is sending a message loud and clear. Women who are mothers are naturally beautiful and breastfeeding is a normal natural phenomenon that should be accepted as a social norm.

Though the cover picture is just a simple black and white photo, and there were no fancy film crews in their home, there still remains evident a beautiful halo of motherhood.

Breastfeeding is healthy and super beneficial for mother and child. It is unfortunate that over the years, breastfeeding has been given a taboo cloak, though that does seem to be slowly changing. Because of these tainted views, many women aren’t given the freedom, encouragement and support that they need to give nutrients to their child, build their immune systems, reduce a their own risk of certain types of cancer, and more.

With this cover, a dialogue can begin again.

Secondly, Brad Pitt has collaborated with beauty brand Kiehl’s to create the first ever Cradle-to-Cradle certified beauty product (environmentally safe, healthy , designed for material reutilization,etc.)  The Aloe Vera Liquid Body Cleanser that Brad helped design and developed the scent, debuts this month.

He also wrote a little message on the label to inform everyone where proceeds from their purchase will go:

Despite the negative tabloidization of their lives, I think Brangelina are amazing and inspirational.

angelina jolie, brad pitt, breastfeeding, cradle to cradle, environmentally safe

Green Building 101

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by Starre Vartan · 01/07/07

This month’s WIRED and E/The Environmental Magazine both have great features on the many and varied ways of constructing an eco-home.

E Magazine’s coverage focuses on the history and current status of green building in the US, including lots of stats, facts and info (like that buildings consume 65% of electricity, 12 of drinking water and 40% of raw materials) emphasizing how new construction can drastically reduce those numbers (and how prices keep coming down for eco-friendly options). There are also excellent sidebars, including an interview with Michael Braungart, the co-author of one of my favorite books, Cradle to Cradle; a look at eco-construction around the world; a review/synopsis of Cradle to Cradle; and discussions with architects and how they have insinuated green design into their own homes and projects.

Not surprisingly, WIRED covers green home technology in a flashier and more superficial way, but is it fun to read/look at! Content will be available online on January 17, but it is well-worth buying the mag (which, as usual, has lots of super-fascinating content outside this section). The Green Home section features a main article on pre-fab green design (with an illustrated How To: Turn Your Grey Water Green) and a secondary piece on “Six Ways to Live Green”, which includes climate analysis for your home prior to building; renewing urban spaces to transform factory to fabulous loft; how to modulate temperatures whether it’s dealing with chilly winds or hot, hot, hot Texas climate; geothermal energy; and how to use as little energy as possible in your all-windows apartment with a view. Gorgeous photos and infographics will make even the Hummer-driving frat-boy-turned-investment-banker want a Green Home.

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