Imagine a bag full of fresh juicy cucumbers, luscious tomatoes, vibrant leafy greens, robust onions, and some beautiful broccoli! Joining a CSA is a great way to be experience a variety of local foods and be introduced to new vegetables. Suddenly you’ll be expanding your palate, and embarking on new culinary adventures. With no choice but to explore whole new worlds of food, your creativity will be inspired. In your exploration, you will discover a whole new way to nourish your body and soul.

My good friends have been developing a special place called Growing Heart Farm for the past few years, located in Pawling, NY. They offer an awesome summer CSA and are registering people now!

CSA’s often have a drop-off location in the city, making local, fresh vegetables easily accessible to us urban dwellers. This model nourishes the farmer and the earth, and delivers vegetables of a much higher quality than what we buy in the store. CSA produce passes through far less hands, and carries much fewer food miles, making it a sustainable option for the future.

Often the farms providing CSAs refrain from using chemicals and pesticides. Even if the produce is not “certified organic,” (the certification is extremely expensive and unrealistic for these small sustainable local farms) the produce is of a much better quality than those stamped “organic” at Whole Foods. Vegetables grown with love, coming straight from the source, have a special quality that is impossible to get from any agribusiness produce.

When you receive your first CSA package, aside from the vibrancy and freshness of the veggies, you may notice that they look more “earthy” or real, as they have not grown in a monoculture system. Monoculture, the system used by big agribusiness, is designed to create uniform, plastic looking vegetables. CSA veggies are designed by nature, and will carry this beauty and intelligence in their form. Embrace the differences! Learn to love the diversity of nature!

CSA’s and other sustainable food system models are a key element to a healthy thriving collective future. CSA’s build community, connect us to the land and to those who grow our food. The beloved farmers are super courageous to put their hands in the dirt and fully commit to loving this earth and her people. CSA’s are an evolutionary way of nourishing our bodies, our communities and the planet.

The more local farms supplying NYC’s food needs, the healthier New Yorkers will become. To make these models viable, we must step outside of our usual pattern of going to Whole Foods where we buy produce that has come all the way from California, and try something new, something local, something revolutionary!

I’ve been visiting Growing Heart Farm for years, and I’m always rejuvenated by walking on the land, cooking and eating the amazing produce grown there. As a CSA member, you are invited to visit the farm, connect with the land, and participate in the growing of your food. Visiting Growing Heart Farm is a great way to take a break from the craziness of the city, walk barefoot on the earth, and be nourished by food that you can pull out of the ground yourself!

Aside from nourishing city people with the highest quatliy produce possible, Growing Heart Farm also hosts events and retreats, such as Farm-To-Table Yoga Dinners. I will be working my culinary magic in the Growing Heart kitchen for the June 30th dinner! Come practice, eat and play with us!

Being a part of this community is both an inspiration and an invitation to a more conscious way of living.

See their website to stay connected with the upcoming events!

Also check out the Growing Heart Farm facebook page

Before Margaret Lydecker founded Green Drinks NYC in 2002, there wasn’t a place for Manhattan’s like-minded, eco-conscious professionals to get their networking on. Margaret changed that, and now many of us wouldn’t know what to do without her monthly events.

Whether you’re a dedicated monthly green drinker or not, you’ve in all likelihood heard of Green Drinks NYC, even if you don’t live or work in the Big Apple. Over the years, Margaret has aided in the launch of 200-plus chapters globally (there are now 800-plus chapters worldwide). She’s helped build the global Green Drinks brand, in the coolest way imaginable: by connecting green businesses and professionals at the local level.

I went to the most recent Green Drinks NYC, and observed Margaret calmly and graciously working the room. She’s the face of Green Drinks– never letting a name or a face slip her, which is highly impressive considering she has literally met thousands of individuals at her events over the past 10 years. But Margaret also runs the show, delegates to her staff and Green Drinks volunteers, and ensures every minor detail goes off without a hitch.

I wanted to get to know the woman behind Green Drinks NYC who has effectively connected so many people. Margaret revealed the challenges she’s faced, how her passion for sustainability began, her thoughts on greenwashers, and how she manages to keep it all together.

Margaret:  I am most proud of having the opportunity to create something of value and meaning to people in the professional green field in New York City.  We have a tremendous community of incredibly diverse people!  Our networking events are lively and friendly and built around being open to new ideas, making introductions, giving people access, beefing up their rolodex of contacts, sharing ideas and being inspired by other people.  In 10 years, I’ve helped Green Drinks expand to 200-plus new cities and now we are in over 840 cities total worldwide.  I have also had the good fortune to travel to several chapters abroad – a real treat to drop into a local community of green comrades anywhere in the world and have them be just as excited to meet you.

Margaret with Sylvia Earle

Lindsay: Has Green Drinks surpassed your wildest imaginations, or did you always believe it would evolve into something so great?

Margaret: I had no idea it would grow into something so big and have such a far-reaching impact on people!  I think the turning point was when we were getting over 300 new subscribers joining our mailing list every month for a couple of years, we knew something was working.  It originally evolved out of my own interest in connecting with other-liked minded people. I felt, if I was this passionate about environmental issues, there must be others out there that feel the same way. … I wanted to surround myself with those people. I heard that voice, “If you build it, they will come”, and they keep coming.

Margaret: The biggest challenge has been finding a balance between Green Drinks being a charitable activity I do in my “free” time vs. taking it on full time. There is so much to do! We are an all-volunteer organization, but because of our size (largest of the 800-plus chapters world wide) and location, we have unique challenges and higher risks and costs than most of the other Green Drink chapters, which present more time-consuming problems. We also want to keep the events relevant, interesting and fun every month, so balancing all of the details of the monthly events along with my consulting work, exercise, and having a personal life, is challenging.

Lindsay: Can you tell me more about your consulting firm, Brite Green Sustainability Advisors? It must be thrilling to help companies evolve into more environmentally and socially conscious businesses.

Margaret: Brite Green grew out of the need for specific research and focus on greening specific things from my clients; whether they are designing a new consumer product and need ideas on green materials or packaging options, chain of custody research or retail challenges, I have been able to guide them to better options. My work also includes greening large scale television productions, award shows and red carpet events.

Green Drinks NYC event at Environment Furniture

Lindsay: What sparked your passion for sustainability? Did you grow up very environmentally conscious?

Margaret:  My spark came from several different points in my life growing up. First as a young child, having a resourceful family as my example who encouraged reusing, recycling, using hand-me-downs, with a strong focus on sports, gardening, nature and being outside. Then later when I was 20, I went on a 97-day NOLS backpacking semester, which influenced me greatly, and changed the course of my life! Hiking outside everyday, taking classes on glaciers, while sitting on a real one, sleeping under the stars every night, you can’t help but develop an intimate relationship with nature. You simply see things differently. I returned from that trip wanting to share what I had learned with everyone I knew. I was fiercely protective about conserving our National Parks, and beautiful places for future generations to enjoy. A few years after that, I rode my bicycle across America for 3 months, biking 4500 miles, biking each day through the changing landscape and colors of the sky, camping on farms, city parks and churches along the way. I really connected with farmers and rural communities. This also had a big impact on my life.

Lindsay: You must be a pretty organized person. How to you keep it all together, and find balance in your life?

Margaret:  I can always be more organized! I didn’t find my balance right away, and was frankly overwhelmed at time with all the people I was meeting on a daily basis in NYC, but over time you realize that no matter how much good you are trying to do for your community or the world, without regular exercise, healthy eating, drinking water, decent sleep and taking time for your friends and family, it won’t be worth it unless you can take care of YOU.  Balance is critical. I love to garden and cook, really helps me relax and be creative. Last summer I enrolled in an artisan cheese-making course at UVM! I volunteered on a farm making cheese, hanging out with cows and getting connected with more “real” things – not just life on the computer.

Lindsay: Over the years, you’ve met thousands of green businesses. Have you noticed an increase in companies “greenwashing,” or purely painting a picture that they’re eco-focused simply for marketing or even networking purposes?

Margaret:  Unfortunately yes. There is a disconnect between the marketing aspect of green products and the actual problem companies introducing these green products are trying to solve. Americans are heavy marketers, and despite the good intentions, they are often, instead, contributing to the problem. It is easy to use language to sell “values.” We need to work closer with our scientific community, non-profits, and other groups to get to the heart of the problem we are trying to solve, and be honest about it.

Lindsay: If you had to choose one motto with which you live by, what would that motto be?

Margaret: Oh so many good ones, but I love this quote: “What we think, or what we know, or what we believe, is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.”  —John Ruskin

 

For more information on Green Drinks’ next events, or their upcoming Green Festival which will be held at the Javits Center in NYC, visit their site! 

 

As we say goodbye to winter and welcome the new season with al fresco cocktails, spring cleaning, woolens storage, and a new eye towards our sandals, don’t leave your bedroom out. Usually around the same time that I put my sweaters in their zip-up bags that slide under my bed for the summer, I wash and store my heavy winter bedding, and break out something fresh.

Especially because I – like my German ancestors – believe it’s healthier to sleep in a cool room, and because it saves energy (meaning fossil fuels, carbon emissions, and money!), my bedroom is about 58-60 degrees all winter, which is perfect for sleeping – as long as you have plenty of good blankets and the right layering system (mine is flannel sheets, wool blanket, duvet with cover, and a thinner wool blanket on top and snuggled around my head and neck).

So as soon as it warms up, I strip the bed down, put the flannel sheets away and replace them with crisp cotton, then layer a simple cotton-batting filled quilt on top.I keep an extra blanket at the foot of my bed for cooler spring evenings. It’s a veritable bed makeover! It not only welcomes the season, it looks lighter and brighter too.

I love quilts, and learned to make fairly simple ones with my grandmother; they are some of my favorite pieces now. If you are feeling like it’s time for a spring bed change-up, check out these lovely handmade, organic, vintage and otherwise sustainable blankets and quilts. Sweet dreams!

How bohemian-romantic is this handmade cotton blanket colored with natural plant dyes? Available on Etsy from Rose James for $108.

This modern style handmade quilt features, “…Joel Dewberry fabric circles appliquéd onto a cream background which is quilted with a meandering pattern.” Via Issabella the Cat on Etsy for $88.00.

What about a totally pristine vintage quilt from the 1960′s that’s still as bright as the day it was put on the shelf? What a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind (and very large – it’s King sized) find! Available from Bahar on Etsy for $249.99.

ABC Carpet & Home has a number of super pretty handmade quilts (my favorite are the woodblock printed ones) for sale. The image above combines several layers of quilt, which just seems insanely decadent and cozy. Monaco wood block print quilt at ABC for $430.


Berber wedding quilts have been featured recently in several design mags and decorating books, and the reason why might be obvious; beautiful minimal designs, with a bit of shimmer via hand-sewn sequins. Called handira, these quilts are made for a bride before her wedding, to bring her luck. “For Berbers, objects and visual motifs contain myriad meanings and purposes. The process of hand-weaving, itself, when undertaken mindfully, is thought to endow the textile with baraka, or blessings.” Quilt via Boucherouite on Etsy for $330.00.

Vintage, handmade quilts like this one from Indiana (probably originally from Pennsylvania), can be hard to find at lower prices (that’s because they take many hours of handwork!). This gorgeous, graphic one has a few worn spots, and is a bit less expensive – nothing a few pillows can’t disguise! Available from Cindy’s Antique Quilts for $295.

For another version of the modern quilt, Pottery Barn carries a number of organic cotton coverlets (both the exterior fabric and cotton batting is organic, and the dyes are natural), including this handmade beauty; matching shams are available. At Pottery Barn for $199-$299, depending on size.

A lovely video about the American tradition of quilting by Pottery Barn.

Main image via Flickr User Reid Kasprowicz

Some think hankies are old-fashioned. I find that they are one of the most useful things I carry – and not only are they a sweet style statement, they are there to address the inevitable messes of a life on the go. Here’s just a short list of what I use my hankies for:

-For patting perspiration from my upper lip and forehead
-As a ‘fabric bracelet’
-Around the neck for color (and to absorb sweat or keep warm)
-To blow my nose
-To wrap cookies, granola or fruit in lieu of a plastic bag
-To wipe my hands on after eating
-As a face cover while catching some rays on my body
-To cover a sneeze
-As aromatherapy – just douse fabric with two to three drops of your favorite essential oil, then place over your face and close your eyes (I do this with lavender in the middle of the workday – magic!)

ThirtySomethingFashion blogger Carly shows us how to wear a Happy Hanky – nice!

Hankies are much better at dealing with messes (and are less wasteful) than carrying around a bunch of napkins from the coffee shop, or disposable tissues which never seem up to the job. Hankies can be washed with a bit of handsoap or shampoo and left to dry – it usually only takes an hour or so because they are made from very lightweight fabrics (often cottons, but sometimes blends).

Handmade Modern Hankies:There are a few craftspeople making modern updates on the traditional hankie, so if vintage isn’t your style, or you want something more graphic, a new hankie is the way to go (look for organic materials where possible).

Happy Hanky has a supergraphic sensibility and a huge collection of fabrics to choose from. I love their unabashed appreciation of all things hankie! They make hankies for men, for wedding favors, and the hilarious “I’m Not a Tissue” hankie. Hah!

To read more, click over to our sister site, Eco Chick Escapes, all about travel and style.

I’ve romanticized the idea of making my own all-natural soaps for a while now, even giving them out as gifts, but the problem is that I can’t seem to find the time to do it! Making our own cleansing products after work probably isn’t going to happen for most of us.

But you can’t just grab just any old soap off the shelf either. The majority of the soaps and body washes you see perusing the personal care isles don’t seem to give a hoot about your health. They’re laced with synthetic lathering agents, artificial colors, and harsh chemicals which bioaccumlate in our bodies. The chemicals get stored in our fat, and when there is enough accumulations of toxins in the body, illness can occur.

Our skin is the largest organ of the body, and it’s both porous and absorbent. What we’re sudsing ourselves up with every day matters.  What we put on our body, is as import as what we put in it.

When I was little girl, my Mother would encourage me to wash up while having fun in the bathtub by telling me to make myself into a soapy snowman. I know, it sounds strange but, it’s a fond memory. Now you can lather up and have some fun, even make yourself into a soapy snowgirl if you wish, with these healthy soaps that will leave you feeling so fresh and so clean.

Wembe’s Cleansing Blend for body, face and hands. My favorite is the mango (above), but you can choose from several different blends.

I wash my face with Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree Liquid Soap. (Just three drops will do the trick!)

 

Wembe’s Loofah Acai exfoliating bar is a dream come true for your skin. The loofah comes from a plant that looks similar to a zucchini, and this bar will help remove dead skin cells and stimulate blood circulation.

Right now I have Ecover’s hand soap next to my kitchen and bathroom sinks!

I use this cute L’Occitane’s soap dish in my bathroom to hold my favorite soaps!

For the girls who want to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their friends and have a fun night in, I have included a party plan to help celebrate a holiday that is notoriously for couples, in a way that celebrates their independence and zest for life! Decorate with Orange and Turquoise, rather than Pink and Red, or any other colors that make you happy and enjoy a night of gal-pal bonding!

For starters, here are two quick and easy appetizers to get the party started that anyone can make and are tasty as well:

Artichoke and Olive Dip:
1 Cup Pitted Olives (I suggest Kalamata Olives, the purple of them will give it a nice Valentine’s Day pop of color)
2 Jars of Artichoke Hearts, drained
1 Tablespoon of Capers
1 Garlic Glove
A Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
Sea Salt to add a little flavor, but the Olives should help out!

Mix all the ingredients in the food processor, but make sure to keep it chunky and serve with pita bread. Or if you want to really be healthy, serve with carrot sticks, cucumbers and celery sticks!

Mushroom Caps stuffed with Eggs and Spinach Tartlets

Mushrooms
Olive Oil
A Bag of Spinach
6 Eggs, beaten
A few Strips of Fakin’ Bacon

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
Brush Olive Oil on both sides of the Mushroom Caps, lightly sprinkle with Sea Seal and Cracked Lemon Pepper
bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes

While the Mushroom Caps bake, sauté the Spinach in a little Olive Oil, add diced Veggie Bacon until it is cooked, reduce the heat, add the Eggs and scramble until done.

Fill the Mushroom Caps with the Egg, Bacon and Spinach combo and you have Bite-Size deliciousness!

If your are celebrating with the girls, you’ve got to have dessert, so here is a fun idea that is colorful and healthy!

3-Berry Cobbler
1 Cup Blackberries
1 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup Raspberries
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cups Almond Meal
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Raw Honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pour all (3) berries in a pie pan

In a bowl, mix the Egg, Almond Meal, Coconut Oil, and Cinnamon. Stir together until the ingredients start to create a “Crumble”

Drizzle the Raw Honey over the Berries

Cover the Berries with the “Crumble” and bake for 35 minutes and serve with a dollop of Whipped Cream (see below for a healthy version).

Whipped Cream
2 Cups Vanilla Low-Fat Yogurt (drained overnight)
1/2t Teaspoon Cinnamon
1Teaspoon Stevia Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Drain yogurt overnight in a strainer lined with a coffee filter.

Add the yogurt and remaining ingredients to a bowl and whip with electric mixer and serve!

Specialty Cocktail for the Evening:

It seems that a nice glass of wine is always on the menu when a group of girls are gathering, but if you want to be creative and create a specialty mocktail, here’s one that I suggest:

The Swinging Single Valentine: (and it is Orange!)
What You Need:
3 qt. (12 cups) Cold Club Soda
1 can (12 oz.) Frozen Limeade concentrate, thawed
Fresh juice from two organic lemons
1 qt. (4 cups) Raspberry Sherbet

Add Club Soda and lemon juice to punch bowl; stir.

Scoop Sherbet into punch just before serving.

To Halve:
This recipe can easily be halved. Prepare as directed, cutting all ingredients in half. Makes 9 servings, 1 cup each.

Garnish with a Turquoise Rock Candy!

Outdoor party inspiration for the color theme suggested for this party.

One of my favorite weddings that I have ever designed was Orange and Turquoise and every time I look at the pictures from that wedding, it makes me happy! There is just something about pulling colors from opposite ends of the color spectrum that works. So hang some Turquoise and Orange lanterns, make some Turquoise and Orange Hearts out of construction paper and hang them on the walls and serve your guests on Turquoise Plates with Orange napkins and you are all set for you Girls Night “IN” party.

With these ideas you are sure to create and extraordinary experience!

Follow Brian on his site, Facebook page and Twitter feed for more great party (and wedding) ideas.

About Brian: Brian Worley, co-owner of YourBASH! Event Production, has over twelve years of event experience to his credits. Brian’s extensive background in event production in combination with his unique sense of design has allowed him to work on a multitude of events, coordination, design and “hands on” knowledge have elevated his resume of events, including VIP parties and movie premieres for top entertainment networks, celebrity and high profile weddings and product launches.

Recently, Brian has been working on some outstanding projects, creating an absolutely astonishing premiere party for FOX’s new show “Alcatraz,” working with “Operation Shower,” a charity that provides baby showers for military wives, as well as a lounge and gifting suite for the Sundance Film Festival, just to name a few.

One of Brian’s personal interests is producing and designing events that are both GREEN and ECO-FRIENDLY. He strives to create stunning events utilizing the philosophy: REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE. He implements this idea in simple ways such as organic and pesticide-free food, bio-diesel generators, rented furniture, recycled fabric, drapes and linens, and low watt and LED lighting, just to name a few.

Brian Worley.

Vanishing of the Bees began as a small research project for Maryam Henein and her friend, and co-director, George Langworthy when they learned that bees were mysteriously vanishing en masse worldwide. Since one in every three bites a human takes is pollinated by honeybees, the bees’ disappearance was deeply troubling.

Soon the honeybee would become Maryam’s raison d’etre.

She was 29 when a few steps changed her life, and eventually led her to the bees. Working as an investigative journalist in Los Angeles, Maryam was hit by an SUV in a crosswalk.  She suffered a torn rotator cuff, five broken ribs, a broken tailbone and L-1, and she had a metal rod and two screws placed in her fractured left femur.

The pain and suffering from the accident sent Maryam down a winding path to self-discovery. She developed a passion for nutrition, alternative healing and organic food, all of which cleared her mind and helped heal her body. This diet overhaul and renewed sense of self through nutrition became so important that she considered studying it. But then something magical started happening that sent her on a different trajectory: honeybees began flying into her world.

In those days before making the film, Maryam dedicated herself to a voracious study of honeybees, researching Colony Collapse Disorder, the phenomenon which explains the bees vanishing, and any and all books about bees she could get her hands on.  Right as she and George began recognizing how dire the plight of the bees was, honeybees starting physically appearing in Maryam’s life. A honeybee hitched a ride on her windshield for miles one morning. And one week later, while driving down a busy street, Maryam drove through a swarm of bees.

These experiences were signs of something much greater to Maryam. George and Maryam left their day jobs and set out on a two-year, around-the-world journey to create Vanishing of the Bees, a film which unveils how vital bees are in our world, carefully examines CCD, and what can be done to help solve this crisis.

I caught up with Maryam recently. Soft spoken but self-assured, she shared experiences making the film, why bees are an indicator of environmental quality, and her next, very exciting project, that’s in the works.

Lindsay: How did the project begin? Have you always been so wildly fascinated by bees?

Maryam: In 2007 George Langworthy and I were new friends, and we were discussing working on a project together. I had worked on two well-known documentaries, making projects that make a difference. George’s friend told him that the bees were disappearing. At first, I didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation, and so I started doing resrearch on my own and looking into CCD.

I consider myself a sister at heart, and if you look at a hive, 95 percent of the population is female, working together for the greater good, giving back for the greater good.  When I looked into CCD and saw the bees abandoning the hive, I saw it as a direct parallel to us humans abandoning Mother Earth, and I thought that the bees were telling us something.

Lindsay: Is the vanishing of the bees an indicator of environmental quality, just like the ever-increasing number of environmental disasters? 

Maryam: Yes, honeybees are looked at as environmental indicators. They’re flying dust mops, so whatever is in the hive indicates what’s in proximity to the hive.

Lindsay: In the film, you make it very clear that you believe the underlying cause of CCD is essentially an agribusiness model that emphasizes monoculture. Do you believe that the issues we’re having with our bees are interrelated to our issues with our healthcare system run by big pharma, natural disasters due to climate change, increasing cancer and obesity rates caused  by factory farming and agribusiness, and the toxic chemicals found in beauty and personal care products?

Maryam: I think that we’re living in a time when we have an opportunity to raise our consciousness. When  people talk about 2012, it’s not really about ‘the end of the world.’ I believe it to be the end of certain systems in place. Whether it’s big pharma, factory farming, etc.,  it’s all connected. These are outdated models that need to collapse. These are systems that do not empower us, they take our power away. But we do have a say, and I believe we can make a difference.

Lindsay: You blame a corrupt EPA in the film for allowing the chemical companies, who manufacture the chemicals blamed for causing CCD, to do all of the research on CCD. Were you able to speak to anyone at the EPA? And did you contact Bayer?

Maryam: We interviewed someone at the EPA.  He was monitored by a PR rep, and he was barely able to string a sentence together. It was a useless, moderated interview. We did go down to Bayer in North Carolina, but we couldn’t bring a camera into our meeting or record the conversation. We sat with them, and they maintained that their poisionous drugs are “safe.” The EPA is relying on science that is not independentally researched and the research isn’t looking at the right things.

Lindsay: Most of the beekeepers featured in the film are family owned and operated businesses that have been passed down from generation to generation. Was it emotional for you to be along with the beekeepers for the ride as they were losing massive amount of bees and their livelihood? 

Maryam:There’s certainly the human element of feeling for these people that are losing their livelihood. But at the same time, many of the commercial beekeepers treat their honeybees like a commodity, and so I feel bad for Mother Nature.

But I do feel that everything that happens is an opportunity to learn and grow. Many of the commercial beekeepers are now aware that they’re part of the problem and that sacrifice has to occur. Many people get stuck in comfort. But growing doesn’t feel comfortable. So to answer your question, my heart goes out to them but many of them are part of the problem.

Lindsay:In addition to commercial and hollistic beekeepers, scientists and authors, you were able to land some big names to contribute to the film. How were you able to get Ellen Page and Michael Pollan to come on board?

Maryam: Michael Pollan turned us down many times, but I kept persisting. I let him know that we just had to have him and that we’d accomodate his schedule. We had to schedule that interview a year in advance!

As far as the narration of the film, we wanted a well-known actress and someone who could appeal to the mainstream. We looked into Scarlett Johansson because we learned she had her own hive but she was doing broadway at the time. One of my friends who is friends with Leonardo DiCaprio asked me if he could show Leo the film, so he did. Leo was on the set filming Inception and the assistant director killed a honeybee in front of Ellen Page. Ellen got really pissed off at the director and Leo later told Ellen about the film and that she should meet our mutual friend, Peter, and see it. So Peter showed Ellen Vanishing of the Bees, and she agreed to narrate it.

Lindsay: You filmed across the US, in Europe, Australia and Asia. What was one of your greatest challenges during your filming?

Maryam:It sounds exotic to be traveling around the world, and it is in a sense, but we were living out of suitcases for several years, and that’s taxing on the body.

We saw the bees disappearing as a global crisis, and we felt very strongly strongly that this documentary was going to be a success and that we needed to devote to it full-time. George and I left our jobs. He lost his home, and I lived on food stamps for some time. Movies like Food, Inc.have tons of money to devote to marketing campaigns. We didn’t have a big backing. We’ve done a lot ourselves.

Lindsay: How can readers get involved to help save the bees?

Maryam:We can each do small things in our lives. We can vote with our fork and eat organic and support locally grown food. We can compost, recycle, create a garden, and tell a friend and teach our children about what’s going on. By doing so, we’re raising consciousness and all of those things make a difference.

Lindsay: What’s on the horizon for you?

Maryam: I’m working on a memoir about love addiction and bees, and I’m launching a company called Honeycolony.com. It will be made up of a community of eco-conscious people who want to learn, buy and share information about new and healthy products, including body care goods, super foods, and high-end nutritional supplements.

Lindsay: Thanks for our amazing talk, Maryam. I wish you the best with your next, sweet endeavor.

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I have never been pregnant and I do not have any children. I do, however, plan on being pregnant one day (but not anytime soon!). So you might be curious why I think I’m entitled to share pre-pregnancy tips with you.

It’s pretty simple: the facts! Being a healthy mom means starting on a healthy track well before you’re ready to get pregnant.

Budding mommies-to-be avoid smoking and alcohol without hesitation, as both butts and booze have long been widely accepted as fetotoxic — poisonous to a growing baby. But what many women don’t realize is that there’s a long list of other toxic chemicals lurking in their homes and daily beauty routine at this very moment– which could harm her eventual baby, not to mention herself.

These harmful chemicals pervade our personal ecosystems, disguising themselves in everyday items we use and consume. While clever and visually appealing packaging may assert that they’re safe, “eco” or even natural, a pre-pregnant or pregnant gal would probably prefer to avoid them if she knew the full story.

Many of the toxins in products we use daily bioaccumulate in our bodies over a long period of time after we’re exposed to them, sometimes even decades. (This is scary stuff for a woman who foresees herself becoming pregnant 10-15 years down the line, let alone just a few years.)

Toxins typically find their home in our fat cells, and because women naturally have more body fat than men, we store more toxins, (especially in our breasts and belly where babies grow and then nurse from). Heavy metals and other toxins don’t just bioaccumulate in our own bodies, they also build up in the bodies of animals, (especially large fish, which is why pregnant and nursing women shouldn’t eat  fish like tilefish, swordfish, kingfish and tuna). These metals work their way into the atmosphere through emissions from coal-fired power plants and other sources, and then get distributed into the oceans.

As an aspiring mother in today’s world, it’s incumbent on you to take your health and your future baby’s into your own hands. This never-been-pregnant gal is here to help with these five ways to reduce your chemical exposure whether you want a baby next month, next year, or sometime way down the line!

1.) Use non-toxic cleaning supplies. Household cleaners contain nasty chemicals culprits  such as phosphates, phenols, phthalates, triclosan, glycol ethers, ammonia, and petroleum solvents. Sadly, I could go on. Many of these have been linked to reproductive and neurological issues and birth defects, and traces have been found in breast milk and umbilical cord samples. Gross.

The bottom line: Look for purveyors of non-toxic and safe ecological cleaning products  such as Ecover, Mrs. Meyer’s or Method. You could even make your own with ingredients like baking soda and vinegar!

2.) Buy organic fruits and vegetables. Women should avoid pesticides and pollutants found in non-organic food, as pesticide exposure can cause both short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) health problems for animals and humans. Exposure to pesticides known as organophosphates, during pregnancy can permanently decrease children’s IQ, memory and ability to focus on tasks. Growth hormones found in dairy and meat products should be avoided as they can increase the risk of disrupted development and cancer in humans.

The bottom line: Shop organic and use the Environmental Working Group’s “shoppers guide” as a resource to avoid pesticides in produce.

3.) Junk your toxic beauty and personal care products. The average woman exposes herself to 167 different chemicals on her body and face during her daily beauty regimen.  Since we absorb 60% of what we put onto our skin, this means that you’re allowing chemicals to be absorbed into your body.

The bottom line: Shop for beauty and personal care products including lotions, shampoos/conditioners, deodorants, toothpastes, perfumes, nail polishes, you name it,  that are free of harmful chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates and DEA. Use the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website to research the truth behind the ingredients in many of the products you use. Be sure to use the tool prior to making any purchases. It may not be as convenient as simply reading some label that’s lying to you and throwing it in the cart, but you and your future baby are worth the extra few minutes of time spent.

4.) Be wary of plastic. The plastic-filled world that we live in isn’t a good thing for pregnant women or women who want to become pregnant, since so many plastics contain BPA and phthalates that can remain in the body for long periods of time. Avoid single-use containers like plastic bottles and never microwave food in plastic containers, as the process will leach harmful chemicals.  You’ll also want to check your shower curtain to see if it’s made out of vinyl (hint: it smelled really strong when you pulled it out of the package) since they release volatile organic compounds that are linked to developmental and reproductive system damage. Canned food is a big no-no, too, since can linings usually contain BPA which is a hormone disruptor that mimics estrogen and has been blamed for growing public-health problems such as early onset puberty in girls, small testicular size in boys and breast cancer in women.

The bottom line:  Get yourself a reusable water bottle free of BPA (glass is ideal), Phthalates and PVC,  hang a natural-fabric or safe plastic shower curtain, avoid eating nasty canned food and transfer microwavable food to a safe container.

5.) Get better sleep: Did you know that most mattresses are manufactured with chemicals that include flame retardants, petroleum-based foams, plastics, vinyls, fungicides and pesticides?  Flame-retardants have been linked to autism and ADD, among other things. They’re even found in crib mattresses where infants sleep about 15 hours a day. So while you think you’re getting the rest you need, you’re being exposed to toxic chemicals every night that could harm you and your baby one day.

The bottom line: Tell that old, toxic mattress of yours to peace out and opt for an eco-friendly alternative like Keetsa. If you’re working on the baby room, re-think the crib’s mattress. If springing for a new mattress just isn’t in the budget right now, purchase a thick organic mattress pad to reduce your chemical exposure.

Comment on this post and share other ways you’ve avoided chemical exposure during or before your pregnancy. We’d love to hear from you and your post could help our wonderful readers who are considering becoming mommies one day! If you have a tried-and-true non-toxic and totally awesome beauty or personal care product that you’ve used and loved during or before your pregnancy, send us an email with your tip to Lindsay@eco-chick.com. We’ll include you and the tip in an upcoming post!

When natural beauty makeup artist Jessa Blades and eco fashionista Greta Eagan recently got together for an Eco-Chick style photo shoot, the theme of the day was radiance. Jessa, who is passionate about promoting beauty that is connected to health, aims to help women look and experience their most vital selves.

Jessa Blades
Photo by Clement Kois

Not only does she offer an amazing expertise on cosmetic safety, but her stellar makeup artistry is convincing women of all ages—from savy fashion clients to impressionable teens—that natural beauty products should absolutely be the norm.

Blades Natural Beauty
Photo by Clemens Kois

Greta’s promotion of eco fashion—both through her personal blog Greta Guide and her creative agency FashionMeGreen—is also dedicated to conscious beauty.

Greta Wearing Rice and Beans Vintage and Nicole Bridger
Photo by Clemens Kois

Her eco fashion modeling as well as green style makeovers and city guides take readers along on her sustainable fashion journeys and offer them entry points for deepening the shades of green of their wardrobes.

Pretty in a Schiaparelli Pink Henrietta Ludgate Dress, Jetsonish pocket details made from upcycled baseball caps!
Photo by Clemens Kois

For the Eco-Chick shoot, Greta effortlessly put together fabulous looks by retailer Rice & Beans Vintage and designers Nicole Bridger and Henrietta Ludgate.

Greta Wearing Rice and Beans Vintage from Head to Toe
Photo by Clemens Kois

So just what’s going on in order to look radiant? And just who is the shiniest person of all? The answer is you are the most radiant when you exude joy, ease, and vibrancy just like a happy baby! Although exfoliation often crops up in a discussion about chasing away dull complexions, Jessa prefers to focus on what makes you glow.

Blades Natural Beauty
Photo by Clemens Kois

So that ranges from offering a client a wellness experience from the inside out to teaching her about the best beauty products and makeup techniques.

Blades Natural Beauty
Photo by Clemens Kois

For this look, Jessa applied these natural beauty products to enhance Greta’s own natural GLOW:

True Relaxation Stress Remedy, Hope Gillerman Organics

Honey and Jasmine Mask, The Organic Pharmacy

Kahina Toning Mist, Kahina Giving Beauty

Dark Brown Eye Pencil, Zozimos Botanicals

Living Luminizer, RMS Beauty

PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation, Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup

Un Cover-Up, RMS Beauty, mixed with Living Nature Concealer

Leone Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow, Alima Pure

Black Tea, Fruit Pigmented Mascara, 100% Pure

Dr. Hauschka Summer Impressions Bronzing Fluid #02 bronze

TO WASH MAKEUP AWAY:
Dr. Alkaitis Organic Mascara Eye Makeup Remover

GENTLE EXFOLIATION:
Oat Facial Polish, Naturopathica

In New York City’s East Village over tea and soba and kinpira at Soba-Koh Restaurant I asked John Patrick, the design force behind John Patrick Organic (check out coverage of his Autumn, 2011 collection here) about his favorite things that he absolutely can not live without, and about his design journey so far.

A Few of John Patrick’s Favorite Things:

1. An eternal supply of South River Miso.
2. Short grain brown rice.
3. Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint soap.
3. The British toothbrush D.R. Harris
4. Organic, Fair Trade coffee
5. Pencils and sharpeners
6. Recycled Paper products
7. Jane’s Flower Oil from Grace Heaven Organic Salon, NYC
8. Hand woven organic cotton shawls (from John Patrick Organic)
9. Canvas hand woven shopping bags (from his own line John Patrick Organic )
10. James Vreeland socks (made in peru from color grown cotton.)
11. Ben Wolf clay pots (handmade in Connecticut).
12. Kinpira from Souen Macrobiotic Restaurant on 6th Ave, NYC
13. Bespoke organic oxford shirts from Charvet in Paris
14. American and British Vogue
14. Raleigh Denim jeans made from cone denim
15. Mc dermott/Mc Gough’s painting of a super hero that says “where’s that wish that I threw away”

In our times it has become commonplace for designers to boast of having their clothes made in the US or locally to prove their low carbon footprint. John Patrick has been doing this for decades; long before it was the green thing to do. An absolute love of every detail of the process is why he closely watched over every seam and button and knew everyone in the factories and specialty shops in NYC’s Fashion District. Designing clothes since 1982, Patrick has always made them in NYC even when the competition took their business to the third world. Seeing the process from beginning to end is what excited him about the business. About a decade ago he made an organic cotton apron for writer friend at Organic Style Magazine. A seed was planted and a star was born.

John Patrick’s Fall/Winter 2011 Show. Photo: Jane Webb

Patrick says that he started making Organic in response to September 11. When the economy and his existing world view crashed as a result of 911 he used that time to rethink his life’s purpose.

As with so many artists the material is the launching point that opens new vistas. A trip to Peru introduced him first-hand to color grown organic cotton and he forged relationships with farmers and textile workers there that led him to live in Lima for a year. While there he began creating new lines using organic pima cotton and alpaca wool. It seems knowledge begets more knowledge. Once he understood the ramifications of just how toxic the textile industry is and how gorgeous sustainably dyed fabrics are, he was converted. John Patrick Organic was born.

In 2008 he was a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award. The press sat up and took notice because finally organic fashion had a legitimate designer giving it its due. High fashion could be created sustainably without sacrificing an ounce of style.

John Patrick’s Fall/Winter 2011 Show. Photo: Jane Webb

John Patrick likes to claim that he has rediscovered his hippie roots. He has a keen interest in the movement to interest young people in becoming organic farmers. Today he lives in a converted factory building in Albany, NY with his devoted life partner Walter Fleming, who is the bedrock of the business, the silent partner, the secret ingredient that pulls the whole recipe together. John Patrick delights in working at the local food co-op and hanging out with his friends who are involved in the organic farming and permaculture scene in Albany.

After many visits to Japan he has fallen in love with miso and wants to do an internship at a Miso factory. He is also obsessed with soba and japanese veggie cuisine; especially kinpira. Like many others who make the move toward a more natural lifestyle, he is looking for his new home in the world. His love of hand made textiles makes him curious about living in South America, Asia, Mexico and India.

John Patrick Organic’s Fall/Winter 2008 Collection Photo: Starre Vartan

Patrick’s hero is Ghandi and he has adopted his view of peaceful resistance as a response to an ever challenging world bent on self destruction. He is very much a walking paradox: he is a workaholic, doesn’t like owning stuff, doesn’t wear a watch, hates his Blackberry and dreams of living a really simple life in harmony with nature somewhere. His latest collection is a fearless celebration of contrasting textures from henna dyed silks to nubby rugged wool coats and to vegetable dyed leather and classic tweeds. This collection is inspired by the work of Michelangelo Pistoletto studies on the nature of reflection.

John Patrick and model at the Fall/Winter 2008 show. Photo: Starre Vartan

The world is taking notice of the shifting paradigm in fashion and has arrived on his door step to document the occasion. The museums at FIT and Kent State have shown his work. He has been invited as a guest of the Sri Lankan Government to talk about how to create a sustainable/green fashion industry.

The Organic momentum keeps building. He’s creating an exhibit and book about the water of the Ashokan Reservoir. He declined to be the subject of a reality TV show, preferring to keep his life simple. That will be very hard to do considering that the press can not get enough of him. As the reigning ambassador of organic fashion the speaking engagements and interviews never end. In the few still moments that he can find in his life he is always thinking of new and creative directions to take his very big green dreams and the world is eagerly waiting to see where he will go next.

Check out the video above, which really encapsulates how and why Patrick does his work.

John Patrick Organic is available online, at Isetan and Ron Herman in Japan and at Barneys NYC.