Allison McGowan (nee Teich) is one of the original leaders in the modern eco accessories design movement. I first became familiar with her work over four years ago when she started AgainNYC, an upcycled handbag collection. She got tons of press for her great designs, but as her own style evolved, so did her bags, which became sleeker, simpler, and more grown-up. Allison then changed the name of her company to her maiden name, Teich (which means “pond” in German) and a whole new era was born.

Now Allison sells her bags at boutiques across the country at in her very own shop, also called Teich, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Needing a great Does-It-All bag for my upcoming travels, I stopped by her store with a demanding list of must-haves. My bags need to be big enough for a laptop, a book, my makeup bag, a notebook, pens, and an extra layer. This one fit the bill, with room enough for a small umbrella. And I loved the neutral/simple yet still funky wide stripes.

The bag is made from charcoal grey hemp and deer skin which would otherwise have been sent to the dump from Upstate New York (a local resource). Allison also uses organic cotton and canvas, and other eco friendly materials in her designs. Check out Allison’s other bags incuding clutches, hoboes and totes.

I love the giant clasp detail that’s a signature of the Teich bags

I don’t know if it was purposeful, but my bag is totally reversible, and the cream and butter stripes that are the lining are perfect exposed for summer- or just for a change.

Sometimes you see something and you know it’s just exactly right for you; my new Teich bag

Ecco*Eco has a collection of inspiring friends and finery to get you through the remainder of Summer 2009.

Eco Fashion World scoops on some fabulous eco fashion sales!

Eco Diva has a  fun giveaway that will keep you cool this summer!

Ethical Style has compiled a list of sexy summer dresses that just happen to be on sale.

Feelgood Style is featuring the Necklush scarf/cowl/necklace…and I’m not really sure how I feel about it.

Green Lashes and Fashion has a wonderful post about the virtues of the maxi dress.

It’s never too early to start thinking about Fall!  Heart of Green has  discovered Ya Living scarves.

How Much Do Women Really Know About Our Energy Crisis?  Check out the survey results on The Green Girls.

Check out the spectacular collection of Eco Handbags from AmazonLife featured on Treehugger.

One of the first lessons we teach kids is to share, so you’d think our grown-up society would be all about give and take. In our super-consumer culture though, we’re all convinced by companies that we each need our own versions of everything. But do we? Maybe sharing is one of the keys to saving our own personal economies- and the planet. Since one of the main tenets of the environmental movement is to consume less, sharing is one way to have it all without giving up quality of life.

When I look around in my neighborhood I see every family has their own mower, multiple cars, and washers, and while some folks probably use these frequently, many don’t. (Hey, I’m guilty as well. I only do laundry twice a month and drive only on the weekends and I use my mower for a few months in the summer three times a month, but I own a washer/dryer, car and mower). After reading about the modern sustainable communities that are springing up around the country I realized that most of them involve collective use of resources in some form or another, from clothes washing centers (with washers, dryers, irons, sinks, etc.) to tool libraries and parent’s centers.

But I live in a turn-of-the-century neighborhood on the Connecticut shore- so how can I incorporate the concept of sharing without moving?

Handbags. Several companies with punny names like Bag, Borrow, or Steal or From Bags to Riches rent or borrow designer handbags so you don’t have to toss another purse just because it’s last season’s look. (To be really environmentally responsible, buy a gorgeous bag in a timeless style that’s made sustainably, and will last for years to come. Buying one thing that will last for years is easier on your wallet and the planet.) But if you’re an inveterate trendmeister, or need a bag for a special event, this makes so much sense.

Office Space. The NY Times covered the newly popular phenomenon of sharing office space a couple months back. In Good Company is an office space that’s set up so that multiple businesses (in this case, women-owned and run) can claim an office, complete with conference rooms, phone lines and meeting areas. E.B. Moss, who rents space from In Good Company says, “It fits in with the green division of my company. I like to keep my footprint small.”

Your Soul. OK, so this one takes the concept of sharing out of the box. At Rentyoursoul you “rent” your soul for a period of time in order to benefit the cause of your choice (a $10 donation). While the concept of the soul might be ineffable, there are people willing to pay to rent yours, and what could be more of a gift than your spirit? Give it away (just for a bit) to do some good and when it comes back to you it will be worth even more.

Books, DVDs and CDs. I predict that CDs and DVDs for sure (and books may be) obsolete in a few years, and I welcome the change. Printing, shipping, and discs and books uses plenty of energy in the form of fossil fuels and after a few listens (or even 50) or a read through, most media ends up gathering dust on a shelf. Downloading music, movies and books is a low-impact solution, but for now, these formats are rife with usage and transferability (not to mention legal) issues.

Until downloading a book or album becomes simpler, check into media sharing sites like Neighborrow and Swaptree, where you can trade a book for a book, a CD for a movie, or any other combination with your neighbors, cutting your carbon footprint. And unlike a library, you can keep that ‘new to you’ album as long as you want before passing it on again. Freecycle and Craigslist are two other sites to find free or almost-free stuff or get rid of yours.

Cars. I understand the attachment to owning your own personal car, but with gas prices hitting $3.40 a gallon in my neighborhood (and that’s at the cheap place with the huge line!) my car days are numbered. I just can’t justify it, especially since I use the car so little, and I know there are plenty of people out there like me (though I know for some a car is a necessity). So, when I make my next move in a few months, I’m getting rid of my old Saab and will sign up for Zipcar, a car-sharing service now available in quite a few cities. I will still have the freedom of a roadtrip (or a vehicle for a huge grocery haul) when I need it, but I won’t have the responsibility or expense of my own ride (not to mention no more carwashing!) If you live in NYC, Chicago, London, check out RideAmigos, a taxi-sharing service.

Tools. When I lived in Berkeley, California in 2000, the city had sensibly put together a tool-sharing library. It’s still going strong, and these borrowing schemes have popped up around the country, in nearby Oakland, Grosse Pointe, Kansas City, Missoula, Buffalo, Rochester, Columbus, Portland, Burlington, and Seattle. Do you really need a garage full of electric clippers, mowers, leafblowers, chainsaws and weedwhackers that you only use a few times a year? If you don’t have one of these centers in your community, how about getting together with neighbors on your own?

What can you share in your life? I kept myself motivated during my exploration imagining all the fossil fuels and resources I would be saving- and the extra space I’ll have in my office/garage/life when I share instead of hoard.

There’s the super-tough shopping/beach/carryall bags that you can have customized for fundraisers or an organization, or just use for shopping or the gym (made from recycled PET fabric with six outside pockets!)

And then there’s the amazing reversible bags which are soft and gorgeous. Literally two bags in one, which is eco-friendly in itself, these are made from low-impact, vegetable-dyed leather. 10% of profits from the bags go to groups that support women’s issues.

I chatted with the seller for a bit and he explained the process his partner went through making these. The idea was simple, really … recycled munitions pouches from the army surplus store were made to look pretty with ’60s and ’70s era material leftover from Scandinavian home goods stores.

I bought one, he handed me his card, and lo and behold – my unique Amsterdam find is also available online at Etsy. At first, I was sad to know that I’m probably not the only one carrying a Katrina Kaye handbag. But then I checked out the Etsy shop and discovered it’s filled with handmade goodies!

Basically, Etsy’s a creative community. Artists from 84 different countries use this platform to sell all sorts of clothing and housewares and just about anything else that can be hand made, including baby clothes, bathing goodies, journals, furniture, and Ts.

In addition to all the unique creations on sale, they’ve also got a group of sellers who call themselves Etsy for Animals and donate part of their profits to various animal rescue charities. It’s all so inspiring. I think I’ve found my ideal place for serious internet shopping.

If you were like me and did not want to brace the ‘black Friday’ shoppers, yet you wanted to find the greatest deals and holiday gifts, have I got a great holiday shopping site for you. SHIFT Media has introduced ShiftYourGift.com, a sustainable shopping site that allows you to do your holiday shopping, donate 5% of your purchase to the Non-Profit Organization of your choice, and promote a healthier eco-friendly and ethical lifestyle in one simple transaction.

Here is everyone’s chance to make a difference. It’s quite simple and only requires the click of your mouse and a credit or debit card.

Take a look at some of the innovative products you will find on line:

• The SOLIO Portable Hybrid Solar Charger allows you to save energy, save money, and avoid having to carry multiple chargers ever again. Small, light-weight and with a sleek modern design, the SOLIO charger allows you to store and use the sun’s natural energy to charge anything: IPod, cell phone, PDA, PSP and digital camera- anytime, anywhere. (www.solio.com)
• Awarded the 2005 Shiny Telewest “Green Gadget of the Year,” VOLTAIC Solar Bags are mobile power generators that integrate light-weight, tough, waterproof solar panels to the outer pockets of stylish backpacks and messenger bags. Good for travel, hiking, camping, or just walking around the city, each solar bag includes a Lithium Ion battery pack that stores any surplus power generated, as well as a set of 11 standard adaptors for charging common small electronic devices like: cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, and PDA’s. (www.voltaicsystems.com)
• Made in the USA, aGaiN NYC’s (fRoM JunK tO FunK) limited edition handbags and accessories are environmentally and socially conscious products made from rescued and repurposed materials (JunK) transformed into stylish accessories for modern life (FunK).

• Other featured products will be Citizen Solar Watches, Heavenly Touch Soy Candles and Lotions by EO Products, Forever Flashlights, Recycled Leather Bound Journals from ScribesDelight.com, Organic Cotton Stuffed Bunny from PeaceToys.com, and more.

Have fun shopping and making a difference in many people’s lives this holiday season!.

Not too long ago, Starre asked me if I would do a Q&A with Los Angeles-based green interior designer Deana Bracken. Honestly, I felt a little skeptical at first—if only because I consider milk crates furniture. (As long as I can set my book or my beer on it, what does it matter?) But then I checked out some of Deana’s work and I have to admit that I’m warming up to the idea of “home,” especially if that home is green. Plus, I discovered that Deana and I share an affinity for Johnny Cash and, if you ask me, an appreciation for Henry David Thoreau’s idea of “living deliberately.”

Q: Here’s a cream puff question to start off with. How would you describe your work and what has led you to it?

A: I would say my work is the marriage of high style and sustainability for homes big or small, sleek, glam, gothic, mid century – whatever. As I design, I never, never stay within one era or “established” style – that’s a total yawn. And I infuse as much eco-friendliness as my client will allow. Some clients come to me knowing that protecting the planet is one of my greatest concerns. Some don’t initially consider the “sustainable” side of my work relative to their project, but in the end I think each has walked away with a greater understanding of and respect for our environment.

I’ve always been drawn to design elements from the past. I grew up in Chicago surrounded by the feats of Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, and David Adler, so pretty early on I was exposed to some of the best modern, traditional, and downright revolutionary works of architecture and furniture. That’s not to say there aren’t some brilliant contemporary architects and designers forging their own exemplary paths today—Philippe Starck, for one—but I’ve always cozied up to seasoned pieces. My passion is to restore heirloom or even discarded items – and once I got hip to eco-friendly finishes, everything seemed to fall into place.

Q: It seems like one of the environmental movement’s handicaps is that people associate it with deprivation and guilt. If you buy a new pair of shoes, Al Gore will haunt your dreams. What are your thoughts on that and how does your work challenge that notion?

A: Al Gore doesn’t haunt my dreams—though, that is quite an image!—and I live a fairly “glossy” lifestyle. I think it’s all about making responsible, informed choices. A lot of us walk around in a haze not knowing or caring about what we consume, where it’s coming from, and who it might be harming in the process. It’s willful ignorance – and it drives me crazy! I’m bent on proving that any lifestyle or aesthetic—except for those few who enjoy being absurdly toxic and wasteful—can be achieved while still being environmentally mindful. If a bike or electric car, used Levi’s, and Patagonia aren’t for you – the highest of the high-end department stores sell some organic and fairly-traded goods, convenient stores are stocking organic snacks, lexus makes a hybrid… I mean, come on! It’s out there. And once we create a solid market for responsible retail, more and more companies will turn to “greenifying” their goods.

Personally, I prefer to re-use – especially furniture and home décor. Most of what’s in my home originally had a life somewhere else, but I do totally support those who are pioneering new sustainable goods and methods. In fact, I’ve designed a pillow line that employs gorgeous, organic textiles from Mod Green Pod contrasted with hemp fabrics, kapok inserts, and are hand-crafted by my neighbor and artisan, Elizabeth O. And if I do say so myself, said pillows are pretty darn chic!

Q: Along those same lines, I laughed out loud when I read on your website that your mother thought nothing of driving 45 minutes to recycle a sandwich bag full of AA batteries, but I think that it also goes to show that we all live with contradictions. Any thoughts?

A: I guess I did phrase that carelessly…I don’t think my mother ever made a specific trip to recycle batteries – she would carry them around until she was in the vicinity of the area’s only drop box.

Anyway… yes, my mother, myself – we do all live with contradictions. I encounter them more in my work than anywhere. The majority of my clients are not as eco-focused as I am, so I consider a large part of my job is to present them with environmentally sound options. Every one of them has taken to using earth-friendly paints – which is fantastic. I buy for them as much vintage & antique furniture as I can, my upholsterer uses kapok filling, rather than synthetic, we use organic textiles when possible, but do they always go for the “green”?… No. Does it kill me a bit when a client insists on new leather sofas rather than recovering a thrift store find with a deadstock fabric?…Yes. But as long their decision is made after assessing other, more “thoughtful” options, and in the end their living space looks and feels incredible – I have done my job.

Q: Los Angeles has this reputation of being an environmental black hole. Do you think that’s valid? How is your work informed or influenced by the city? Or, how does your work inform and influence the city?

A: If I understand the question—black hole referring to “sorry state of” rather than “vacuum”—I disagree that Los Angeles is a black hole. In fact, I would say some of the greatest green design pioneers are based in L.A. When I first learned of the work of architect David Hertz—6ish years ago– I was blown away. His buildings are so stylish and responsible at the same time – truly inspiring. And Marmol-Radziner is creating ground-breaking sustainable pre-fabs. These people are the “Schindlers,” “Neutras,” and “Lautners” of today. Not to mention THE “ecohome” is a handful of blocks from my house.

Also, I am a true eastsider – I’m surrounded by people driving vegetable oil cars & hybrids, farmers markets, community gardens – and incredible music—which is in it’s own right—totally inspirational. That’s not to say there isn’t major room for improvement in my neighborhood, but being around progressive, environmentally-focused people, who, by the way, are pointedly non-hippie-ish, seems to resonate positively.

That being said, the down-side to Los Angeles would definitely include ridiculously oversized houses, the obscene amount of solo people driving gargantuan SUVs … and the massive amount of consumption overall. I’m personally embarrassed for those who brag about having 60 pairs of the latest jeans or 25 current handbags. Collecting is one thing, consuming another.

The irony is that a solid portion of what inspires me visually comes from the bravado of that Zsa-Zsa Gabor/Ira Gershwin/Edie Goetz-type westside style. It reminds me of my grandmother—my style icon. It’s an elegant, yesteryear approach to living (let me remind that I’m waxing nostalgic visually, not socially.)… when entertaining was an art form and mixing aesthetics was thoughtfully executed. I’m obsessed with well-designed vintage furniture, china & pottery, textile patterns, and landscaping. Los Angeles has historically drawn risk takers in every capacity and their imprints are not only prominent all around the greater area (from the Watts Tower to the Chateau Marmont), but the physical evidence of their style still exists. In scouring the thrift stores, auctions, and flea markets around here, I find an incredible wealth of brilliant – and discarded—pieces. I’m a great proponent of “re-use” and my clients reap the benefits of the style-driven Angelenos from the past.

Q: Let’s talk about Johnny Cash.

A: When I boil it down, I realize that what truly draws me to Johnny Cash is the texture of his voice (and the power of his conviction – whether it’s with humor, tragedy, or love. I then realized he was at his best when he shared the stage, harmonizing that booming, gritty voice with others. One of the best songs he ever recorded is a duet with/written by Will Oldham called “I See A Darkness.” It’s so beautiful. Another song of his I particularly fancy is “Jackson” which he sang with his beloved, June Carter. Another, “I’m Leaving Now” with Merle Haggard…I’m all about juxtaposition.

I knew that the October British Vogue was doing a whole green feature, but I had heard nothing about the US version covering any such territory. Lo and Behold, I’m contemplating the resort collections and too many metallic handbags when I come across pages labelled “Earth Days”.

Included under the apple-green corner banner is an health and beauty piece on upscale organic products like Dr. Hauschka’s, John Master’s, Jurlique, Origins and Patyka. Next, a health-based article entitled “Toxic Overload” which analyses the sources of toxins in our everyday life and their possible connection to breast cancer. Finally, writer Marina Rust goes to an outdoorsy spa in Connecticut where $6,700 buys a week of eco-bliss.

So, Vogue, is this Earth Days feature going to pop up randomly in future issues? In every issue? There’s no clue in the editor’s letter, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…

Continuing on the theme of fun repurposed stuff is Againnyc, a NYC-based (duh!) online store that sells sweet handbags, yoga bags, and even a funky laptop bag, all made of vintage fabrics and hardware. They even donate a portion of their profits to environmental groups.

It’s so great that designers and ecoistas are embracing all the parts of the mantra, reduce, reuse, recycle.