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

Escapes Giveaway! Gorgeous, Recycled Plastic Heys Suitcase

Heys has long been known for producing quality suitcases and travel gear. And now their new eco-friendly line, EcoCase (they are made from 100% recycled plastic) proves they are conscious too. (And I think the hard-case style is pretty cool.)

So naturally, we are giving one away to Eco Chick and Eco Chick Escapes readers!

(Heys does make a soft fabric suitcase, also made from recycled polyester fabric, as well.)

The giveaway would be for ONE Turquoise EcoCase carry-on piece, pictured above.

To win: You have the chance to win the prize. How? Simply like the Heys Facebook page and Eco Chick Escapes Facebook page and let us know you have done so in the comments below. Easy!

Deets: Eco Chick does not sell or lend email addresses we collect. One reader will win the prize. Entrants must be 18 or older and located in the US or Canada. Submissions will be collected until February 15th at midnight eastern standard time. Good luck!

Flickr Image via TheeErin

Heroines for the Planet: Anna Getty

One could peg Anna Getty any number of titles — holistic lifestyle expert, author, entrepreneur, yoga teacher, heiress, and environmental activist among them. But each come in a distant second to her most cherished roles, that of mother and wife.

What I found infinitely charming about Anna is that she doesn’t care how she’s labeled. Her main objective is to be of service to others and the planet, and so long as she’s doing just that, she’s at peace.

I asked Anna about her latest endeavors, how she helps others live more consciously, and whether being an heiress to an oil fortune has affected her environmental activism.

Lindsay: What compelled you to leave the glamour of Hollywood to pursue an interest in cooking?

Anna: To be honest with you the life I was living as a struggling actress was not very glamorous at all. I was working as a yoga teacher, a messenger and in a catering kitchen while pursuing my career. I did get the odd job but it was not consistent. I felt very insecure about myself and my future and ultimately when I thought about what I was doing studying for auditions, working my way through hours of traffic across Los Angeles to get to auditions only to be analyzed by a bunch of strangers in a room, I personally had not felt that I found my service or my calling in the world. Although I pursued an acting career for almost ten years, the shift came very easily once I made the decision. My goal was not to pursue my interest in cooking. I wanted to help people make more conscious choices about their lives, what they ate, how they took care of themselves, their families and children and the planet. I continued teaching yoga, took part of what I knew and loved ( cooking) and started forming my career. I feel like I cut and pasted or collaged together the work that I have come to do. The acting training did however bring me the confidence to do public speaking or work in front of a camera so it was not for nothing.

LB: What was the inspiration behind your cookbook “Anna Getty’s Easy Green Organic?” What about the process of creating the cookbook did you enjoy most?

AG: It’s already a few years ago but looking back, I was approached to write the book by my publisher. I had not intended writing a book, let alone a cook book. I had been a freelance writer writing for a couple different magazines and had been working with various non-profits in the green and organic movement so it pretty much fell together. Writing the book was very challenging because at the same time, I was offered a second book deal to write an eco-Christmas book that needed to be finished within a month of the cook book. So I had double the work. The best part was recipe testing and developing, experimenting with flavors, picking through the fresh locally grown, organic produce at the farmer’s markets and building a recipe around what I came across. I loved having my friends over for taste tests. We would open a bottle of organic wine and eat what I had made and I would get notes from them. It was a very fun and creative time in my kitchen.

LB: Are you a vegetarian now? What was your relationship with food like growing up?
More »

We’re Loving: ReuseThisBag.com

You know the story: Disposable shopping bags are evil for many reasons. Of course, we never fail to leave home without ours, and we’ve become fond of ReuseThisBag.com, a serious source for reusable shopping bags. From grocery and lunch bags, to all sorts of wine totes and woven bags, each is made from 100 percent recyclable materials and can be imprinted to suit you or your organization’s needs.

 

 

 

Eco Chick Debates: Celebrities and Green – An Endorsement Made in Heaven?

Chloe Sevigny, above, endorses a limited edition cream by Keihls benefitting Oceana.

Celebs; love ‘em or hate ‘em, they impact how we feel about products and politics, and as much as we’d like to deny it, in recent tussles over Planned Parenthood and the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, plenty got involved, speaking out about their convictions. And some say it made all the difference.

I asked Kate Dillon, a top model who supports eco fashion designers (she has walked for the UN’s EcoChic runway showin Geneva, and The Greenshows, as well as done campaigns for Gucci, Chanel and Missoni), Michael d’Estries, the editor of the go-to site for green celeb gossip, ecorazzi.com, and Sydney Sadick writer and blogger at stylesolutions to share opinions on this question, which is the first in our new series, Eco Chick Debates.

“Does celeb endorsement make an eco product more viable? Does that product become “cool” in such case?”

Kate Dillon, Model

“Celeb endorsements help to bring attention to products, issues, people, etc making them “cool” in the short run, but they aren’t sustainable or even sufficient.  In order for an eco product to be viable or cool in a lasting way, it has to actually be a high quality, and yes cool, product regardless of its eco or celebrity cred.”  -Kate Dillon

Michael d’Estries editor of ecorazzi.com

“Celebrities have been hawking products for companies since the dawn of advertising, but their opinions are often just another layer of marketing – a recognizable face that draws you in. That’s not to say that some aren’t genuinely behind a particular green product, but in order that item to have a long shelf life, whatever its selling must shine beyond the sparkle of a Hollywood smile.” – Michael d’Estries

Sydney Sadick, blogger at Style Solutions

“Celebrity endorsement makes any product, eco or not, more viable.  Once a celebrity name is associated with a product, a customer is more eager to buy it because he or she feels like they have a relatable factor with the celeb.  Kim Kardashian is a perfect example of someone who is extremely successful in being popular from endorsements and making the product popular itself.” -Sydney Sadick

H&M’s Spring 2011 Conscious Collection: Eco Fashion Breezes into April

H&M is making good on its promise to continue expanding their commitment to using sustainable fabrics. Their upcoming Spring, 2011 collection, Conscious Collection is the follow-up for Spring 2010′s Garden Collection. Utilizing organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester, the all-white collection means that it will work with everything from denim to silks.

“It’s no longer just about organic cotton. The possibilities for creating a complete fashion statement with eco smarter materials are huge now. By designing recurring Conscious Collections we have the opportunity to show in a variety of ways what’s possible using more sustainable fabrics,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M head of design. “Shades of white are the season’s biggest fashion trend. White creates a romantic feeling with lace and broderie anglaise, but it is also the basic color in a sporty, relaxed style and in a preppy tailored look for men.”

More »