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

Bound & Gagged: Global Warming Silence

1 Comment

by Summer Rayne Oakes · 03/24/06

Jim Hansen, the leading climate scientist in the world, reported on 60 Minutes on 19 March 2006 regarding the cover-up of the science behind global warming under the Bush administration (also reported on the 29 January 2006 in the NY Times). We all knew this, of course, but what truly hit home was the statement that within 10 years time, global warming and its catastrophic effects will be irreversible. Those women who were thinking of having children…well, let’s just say…you might want to think again. Of course, we can all stick our fingers up our assess like the monkey running the joint, or we can join the growing mass of people and states that are pushing clean and renewable energies.

A great blog run by student-focused and student-led energy groups gives the low-down on what’s happening. Contact one of them, they’ll definitely get you up and working in no time: http://www.itsgettinghotinhere.org/

Best Global Warming T-shirt phrase that epitomizes the youth movement:
It’s time to stop asking what it costs you and to start asking what it costs us!

Bush, children, Eco-Chick, Energy, Global Warming, Home, skin, t-shirt, women

As Green As Green Can Be?

4 Comments

by Starre Vartan · 03/18/06

There has been debate here lately about whether we, as “Greenies” should buy anything at all. This is a long-standing issue in the environmental community: Should we shun all consumer products and grow our own food, make our own clothes and educate our own kids (the time that takes tends to limit your ability to do much else, I’ve found)?

Or should we engage in society as “regular” folks and try to change the system by supporting environmentally-friendly companies, products and services? I would guess that most Greenies do both, to varying degrees (since I live in the Northeast, I can only garden for part of the year anyway, for example). 

I’ve always had trouble with the ‘back to the land’ approach as I see many (certainly not all!) communities that are set up that way as having traditional gender roles. I have little interest in cooking and even less in having babies, sewing my own clothes or spending all day canning food.  I love the fact that I get paid for using my brain all day, writing, thinking, researching, asking questions, and interacting with all the other nerds that like that kind of work. At the same time, I realize my existence is predicated on people much poorer than myself doing all that hard (boring!) labor I don’t want to do. OR that some fossil-fueled machine has to do the work. So I try to buy Fair Trade and organic, and I clean my house myself, and I go to farmer’s markets and I grow my own summer veggies and I compost and I adopt rescued animals, and I try not to drive too much, and I recycle and reuse like crazy.  How are we supposed to come up with solutions if we are laboring all day? I need time to think, dammit! 

What about you? What do you do? What tradeoffs do you make, and why?

Animals, babies, clothes, community, Eco-Chick, Fair Trade, farm, Food, garden, kids, labor, Organic, recycle, reuse, skin, solutions, spa, style, summer

Mapu in Barcelona

2 Comments

by Jennifer Cross · 01/29/06

Mapu, with its wide-ranging array of organic and biologic products, and focus on mother´s and women, is a must-stop spot for the environmentally minded eco-chick tourist while in Barcelona.

Mapu is tucked away in the maze-like Bari Gotic — the old quarter of Barcelona. If you weren’t looking for it, you most likely wouldn’t find it. It is run by the friendly Puri Gomez and her helpful hijo (son).

The storefront displays everything from eco baby toys to rice milk. The inside is cramped, but all of your organic needs can be met. Organic vegetables, biologic wines, Weleda cosmetics, earth-friendly cleaning products, and a wide assortment of flavored tofu choices line the tight shelves.

Looking for products that may be of interest specifically to women, Puri introduced me to the Moon Cup. It is a reusable menstrual cup that is made from soft silicone rubber. Apparently it is all the rage in Barcelona. Initially only enviro-friendly consumers were asking for it but now girls are coming in by the dozens seeking this alternative to tampons. Along the same lines, she showed me Sea Pearls. These Atlantic sea sponge tampon alternatives are safe, natural and reusable.

Go There: Mapu; Desarrollo Sostenible Magdalenes 7 08002 Barcelona

Call: +34 93 317 55 25

Baby, cleaning, cleaning products, cosmetics, Eco-Chick, Milk, Organic, skin, Wine, women

Droolworthy Shoes

No Comments

by Starre Vartan · 10/05/05

These shoes are hot.

And animal free, as are their bretheren.

According to the MINK site, “MINK Shoes are custom designed and hand crafted from only the finest quality non-animal products. By non-animal MINK Shoes means it uses materials found in nature but not rendered from any living thing. Rather, natural or scientifically engineered alternatives such as cork, pleather, denim, linen, faux fur and other animal friendly substitutes are employed. Leather, suede, pelts and skins are never used.”

Hot, but not cheap. These puppies cost between $500-$600 a pair.

denim, design, fur, leather, shoes, skin