• Haven’t heard of Ada Zanditon? Head over to Ecco*Eco!
• Check out the gorgeous new format of Eco-Chick!
• The Eco Diva is featuring organic, holistic skincare by Dr. Alkaitis–and giving away one of these luxurious products!
• Ethical Style reveals that Vogue editor Anna Wintour doesn’t really shop that much.
• Looking for Weighless Makeup and a Flawless Complexion? Check out Vapour Organic Beauty on Feelgood Style!
• Girlie Girl Army indulges us with a super feature of the hottest boots of the season.
• Green Grechen teaches us the best way to buy vintage shoes.
• Check out these adorable vintage accessories compiled for a Sweet Soiree by Green Lashes and Fashion.
• Keep your sunkissed look all fall–find out how on Greenopia!
• Oooh la la! Inhabitat has their Top 7 Favorite Eco Shoes for this Fall!
• On Planet Green you can read the Flea Queen’s Guide to Thrift Shopping.
• Hip, cool, and ethical–Defy Recycled Billboard Bags are on The Alternative Consumer.
• Faux is Foe! The Thrifty Chicks can’t stand fake vintage!
• Beauty is more than skin deep–these Treehugger features 7 Hot Models Who Are Also Environmentalists!
• Green Girls Global is selling organic t-shirts with funky fresh designs.
• Fashion, Evolved interviews Fabulous (and Glamorous!) Fitness Guru, Lisa Johnson.

• Learn how to make ethical fashion choices and upcycle your existing wardrobe this week on Green Girls Global.
• Check out the Eco Fashion World interview with Maroussia Rebecq, founder of the Andrea Crews Collective.
• Eco-Chick has rounded up some Eco Fashion News from around the web!
• The Eco Diva goes local with Etsy.com!
• Learn about Bangladesh Garment Factories Going Fair Trade at Ethical Style!
• Check out Curatorial’s Limited Edition Collection featured on Feelgood Style.
• Green Grechen discusses the impacts of milk silk.
• Want to see some of the best organic fashion on sale today? Green Lashes and Fashion has a round up!
• 8 Ways to Get the Closest Eco Shave for Men and Women–on Greenopia!
• Inhabitat is featuring the very drool-worthy Noon Solar Bags.
• Modern Hippie Mag has a question about hair oil in their Ask the Beauty Chick column.
• Are You a Green Beauty? Take the Quiz on Planet Green!
• Upcycled bags are better the second time around…so says The Alternative Consumer!
• Join in the Vintage Jewelry Obsession this Fall at The Green Girls.
• The Thrifty Chicks are Standing Naked in a Thrift Store.
• Treehugger dishes on the 7 Common Cosmetics Ingredients You Need to Avoid!
• Fashion, Evolved interviews Jaszy McAllister creator of ethical, beautiful Jaszy’s Jewelry.

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.

Greenopia has just rated 25 wineries for their environmental impact. Here’s why:

Any oenophile worth her spitting glass has heard the dire stories about how global warming will affect wineries, altering the very microclimates that make it possible to grow champagne in Champagne, France and enable growers to eke out a Pinot Noir under a very precise set of conditions. Wine production is a multibillion dollar-a-year industry in the United States, and wine-growing regions are set to migrate northward (or shrink- by up to 80%- disappear altogether) as warm days with moderating sea breezes shift with the increased temperatures, and general local and worldwide climate disruption alters the conditions and locales where grapes have been growing for hundreds of years.

So it makes sense that the wine industry (and vino lovers) would take action against climate change and environmental degradation.

Well, some are and some aren’t, and with some wineries taking action and plenty of others burying their heads and ignoring their industry’s impact on the environment, which is significant. Tremendous amounts of water are needed to irrigate vineyards, and millions of acres of land are taken up with growing grapes, both of which has in impact on local resources and affects wildlife. Shipping and producing wine (and wine bottles) produces carbon dioxide and other emissions.

Does this mean we should stop drinking wine to solve global environmental problems? No! Growing food (or grapes for wine) can be done organically and sustainably, with care taken to mitigate the local and planetary impacts of wine growing and production. So you can have your wine, and a healthy world too. But where to start?

Greenopia, who rates everything from the environmental impact of airlines, to big box stores, recently put our research team to the test; each winery was examined by obtaining hard data from the companies themselves pertaining to the growing practices, transportation, building logistics, and attributes of the wine packaging. Weights were set based off the relative life cycle impacts of each criterion during wine production. Larger commericial wineries and smaller estate wineries were all examined.

At the top of the list, receiving 3 leaves out of a possible 4, were Alma Rosa (organic grapes), Frog’s Leap (great environmental reporting and LEED-certified building), and French Rabbit (low-impact packaging in the form of the Tetra-Pak).

To see the full rankings of all 25 wine companies, go here.

Consumer support of these wine companies matters. “We are proud and honored to be recognized by Greenopia for our deep longstanding 25-year commitment to organic viticulture, sustainability, and fair business practices,” said Thekla and Richard Sanford, owners of Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyard. “We pledge to continue our efforts toward environmental responsibility and social justice.”

Check out my win for Best Twitter Feed (individual) in the Style and Beauty category in Treehugger/Planet Green’s first-ever “Best of Green” competition.

But you can vote for me (and lots of other great folks, but if you could give me a 10, I would appreciate it) on the Planet Green voting page here. You give each entry a score of 1-10 and the one with the highest score overall wins.

Thanks for voting and thanks to Treehugger and Planet Green for including me! There’s only two days left to vote, so head on over now, and if you’re on Twitter, you can find me at ecochickie there

Why in a city with the cleanest water in the country do the mass of New Yorkers cling to their chemical-infused bottled water? Is “reduce, reuse, recycle” a livable reality for most families?

Leading writers on all issues green will gather to sort through the facts from the garbage at the 5th Annual “Readings on the 4th Floor” series which kicks off Wednesday, January 21st in Park Slope, Brooklyn at 7:30 PM.

The theme of the first reading is “Plug Into Green.” The reading and discussion will feature:

Elizabeth Royte, author of Garbage Land & most recently Bottlemania
Helen Coronato, author of Eco-Friendly Families
Starre Vartan, author of The Eco-Chick Guide to Life

The discussion will be moderated by Graham Hill, founder of Treehugger, the internet’s leading green news portal.

Each of the authors approaches different aspects of green. Coronato has produced a hands-on guide for families that want to adopt eco lifestyles.

Royte is an investigative reporter devoted to uncovering the truth behind topics like the marketing of bottled water and the disposal of trash in America.

Starre Vartan is determined to prove that green can be fabulous, fashionable and not too expensive.

The unifying tone of the panelists is one of levity and humor toward a crucially-important topic: Green doesn’t have to be dull or scolding.

Plug into Green will be held on the 4th Floor of PS 107, which is located at 13th Street and 8th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Tickets are $15 online at www.ps107.org or $20 at the door.

All books will be available for sale.

This esteemed topical literary series continues to raise funds for the newly renovated fourth floor library/art/performance space of P.S. 107 and has featured everyone from Pulitzer prize winning authors such as Jumpha Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies, to leading journalists including George Packer of The New Yorker.

The series this year will continue through the spring with evenings devoted to making theater happen in New York and Brooklyn nov

Eco Chick is three years old! To celebrate her growing up (there are over 900 posts!) as well as the launch of my book, based on the blog, The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green, called for a kid’s themed party of course!

Eco Chick Founder and Editor, Starre Vartan, with Eco Chick Writer Kim Jordan Allen

I didn’t know how I was going to pull it together, but in just two days, the fabulous Kate McGregor, owner of Kaight, my favorite ecoboutique, and Arina Vikdorchik (AKA Arina Greenaholic for her eco party-planning fabulousness) offered me a venue, and some extra time and hands to help, and I HAD to go for it!

Kate McGregor and friend, and party guests!

I will, of course, be FOREVER indebted to Kate McGregegor of Kaight, for not only helping me dress fabulously, as well as GREENly but giving me such an amazing space to have my party. Thank you, thank you, thank you Kate! You are an honorary Eco Chick!

Singer/songwriter LiliAna Rose and art director for The Daily Green, Gloria Dawson

Soon, 360 vodka and Wolaver’s organic beer (both of which I buy, drink at home and serve when I entertain!) hopped on board as sponsors, which made me very happy since I consider them ‘my’ fave brands. Natura organic wines joined in with a delicious Sauvignon Blanc donation, and though I’d hadn’t heard of them yet, I was so glad they came to my party (with their wine!).

Ama the Bartender, and one of the many pooch attendees

Thanks soooo much to 360, Wolaver’s and Natura! A party without booze is no party at all (unless it’s a tea party, but this wasn’t).

Starre Vartan and Seth Leitman, author of Build Your Own Electric Vehicle, and Tiffany, Tatiana Gelfand and friend.

I am SO proud to say that all my food sponsors come from AMAZING women-owned businesses! Babycakes, which couldn’t be MORE local (it is about 3/4 of a block around the corner from Kaight) made up pretty purple and green vegan cupcakes, vegan and gluten-free banana bread, and brownie bites. They were so amazingly tasty I walked around with the box at one point but was just mostly eating them myself, hee hee. (I am NOT the kind of girl to skip eating awesome treats at my own party!) Babycakes was founded by the retro-cool Erin McKenna- thanks to Erin and her nice-as-could-be staff!

Brian Clark Howard, editor at The Daily Green, AKA DJ SocialPyramid

One of my favorite snacks, Laura’s Wholesome Junkfood, also supplied sweet vegan treats (their oatmeal raisin bitelettes are my fave low-guilt dessert when I’m at home of an evening). Laura’s is such a cool company, started by a doctor (named Laura!) who started her own good-for-you food biz. Thanks Dr. Laura!

Bonnie Hulkower and Emma Grady of Treehugger, and Boho Magazine‘s assistant editor Ashley Kittelsen and Boho fashion editor Margo Helliwell

SweetRiot, whose founder, Sarah Endline, I met years ago at NYC GreenDrinks holiday party, gave us lots of their directly-sourced, fair-trade, dark chocolate covered cocoa nibs in lovely martini glasses (I was so afraid there wouldn’t be enough chocolate!). And they were even nice enough to give me extras to take home after the party in their cute (recyclable, and original art-covered) tins. Thanks Sarah!

Guest, Elizabeth Harrington of Greenopia, and freelance writer Beatrice Aranow

Continuing with the women’s-owned theme, publisher and ecofabulista Gina LaMorte gave us a stack of Boho Magazines for our goody bags (My book is reviewed in the current issue-yay!!); the bags themselves were donated by Whole Foods (where I shop so much I feel like I practically earned those free bags, haha!). The bags are the cool new reusable Sheryl Crowe shoppers and so pretty! John Masters Organics, who makes my fave new haircare products, offered up samples for the goody bags (thanks!)

Arina Vikdorchik and Starre Vartan

I couldn’t have done this without the dogged persistence and unflagging energy of Arina Vikdorchik, who pulled all the nonsense together and made it make sense. Some unvarnished PR- use Arina next time you want to plan a party, green or not!!!

From left to right, Glenn Michael Gordon, Brook Wilensky-Lanford, Christina Rumpf and Rachel Carter, all of Columbia University’s MFA writing program.

From left to right, a friend, Josh Garrett-Davis, and Rob Verger, Columbia nonfiction MFAers

Thanks too, to all of you who came, including the incredibly supportive and loving cast of characters (I mean colleagues!) from Columbia’s University’s School of the Arts nonfiction (and fiction too!) writing program, my agent, Mary Ann Naples (didn’t get a snap of her, darn!!) of The Creative Culture, my publicity team, Emily Fry and Stephen Lee of St. Martin’s (who do a lot with very little!), Brian Clark Howard, my friend, DJ, proofreader for the book, and URTH Guy, my amazing girlfriend Cara Joy, who started off her day at her farm in Vermont gathering eggs and ended up at a book and blog party in the LES, and was indispensible the day-of, helping everything get done, and of course, Danelle Marqui Brown and Kim Jordan Allen, long-time Eco Chick writers, supporters, and fabulous, amazing, inspiring women all-around.

Shane McQuade, CEO of Voltaic systems and Margaret Lydecker, founder of NYC Greendrinks, and Meiling Chen, ecofashion designer

A big shout-out to my friends and colleagues at Greenopia, who are mostly on the West Coast, and whose NYC guidebook (and online listings) are indespensible for navigating this growing green world.

Arina Vikdorchik and Danelle Marqui Brown, Eco Chick writer

Starre Vartan, Michelle Legro, producer and host of Storyville and nonfiction MFA student at Columbia U. and James Yeh, fiction MFA student at Columbia.

Two people who could not attend but to whom I owe debts of gratitude are Dan “Mobius” Sieradski, Eco Chick’s webmaster, who’s single-handedly kept the site running all these years, and my Dad, who has supported the site since its inception, given me great ideas on how to promote it, and encouraged me to keep going with my ideas and aspirations.

Emily Fry and Stephen Lee of St. Martin’s, and Michael Schwarz, writer and animal advocate

Party Guests and a Pooch, and Starre Vartan and ecofashion designer Christine Marchuska in one of her own designs

Party Guests!

Last night I was reading my favorite magazine, Orion. Bill McKibben was discussing the campaign 350. From the website:

350 is the red line for human beings, the most important number on the planet. The most recent science tells us that unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to the earth.

But solutions exist. All around the world, a movement is building to take on the climate crisis, to get humanity out of the danger zone and below 350. This movement is massive, it is diverse, and it is visionary. We are activists, scholars, and scientists. We are leaders in our businesses, our churches, our governments, and our schools. We are clean energy advocates, forward-thinking politicians, and fearless revolutionaries. And we are united around the world, driven to make our planet livable for all who come after us.

We are everywhere, and together we are unstoppable.

We are currently living at 387ppm. Scientists claim numbers could reach 450-550ppm which would mean disaster for life as we know it. Every time we turn on a car, a light, the heat, the stove, the television, the computer; we partake. Unless we are receiving our power solely from renewables, then we are using coal and oil. The 350 campaign is hoping to influence lawmakers, political leaders, and individuals to take action. One view has perpetuated the notion that climate change, such as what we are experiencing now, is normal, just as ice ages come and go. However, the real science is in and it is time to listen, regardless of partisan politics.

Last week my extended family gathered. A discussion arose, among friends and family, about the fictionalized nature of global warming and how it is simply a marketing campaign so people can sell “green” products. Greenwashing exists. We know this. But this conversation, dominated by one in particular, was reiterating a denial about what is happening. My young cousin, who is twenty and overheard the discussion, told me she wasn’t sure. We had a decent conversation about some examples of climate change, what greenwashing means, and environmentalism in general. The information is out there. Bill McKibben, Michael Pollan, Terry Tempest Williams, Treehugger, Grist, Adbusters, Huffington Post, ENN – just to name a few sources.

As a child I climbed the trees near my Hudson Valley home barefoot and half-naked. My favorites to clamber up were the evergreens, especially pines, which grew tallest in the second-growth forest that surrounded my home. I would hold on tight, as high up as I could climb and sway with the tree. Above the deciduous treetops there was almost always a breeze. When asked why I liked to climb so high, I recall explaining, “to see what I can see.” Sticky-sap stuck in between my fingers for days, bringing back an almost-instant memory of that week’s exploits.

I’ve always felt attached to trees, watching in fascination (and later teaching kids as an ecology instructor) about how a rotting tree is home to all kinds of creatures; even (and especially) in death, trees perpetuate the cycle of life, a good reminder to us all when we think of our ‘purpose in life’. Being considered a treehugger has never been insulting to me; I’ve hugged many a tree in my time, rough bark against my cheek, the particular scent of a Maple or Birch evident to my knowledgeable sniff-everything nose. Trees are my conduit to the Earth and the sky, to water and wind, and a reminder that real beauty lies in change, not stais: Brilliant leaves fall and branches stretch into the air, then lie bare to the winter winds, then grow anew the next Spring, budding with recreated green life.

Hence my appreciation for the Treespirit Project, which pairs the human form with that of various trees in a visual representation of the symbiotic relationship between people and trees. Or perhaps it’s not symbiosis; trees would do just fine without us. Without trees, however, we would not do so well.

The mission of the project’s photographer, Jack Geschiedt, is:

To share my love of trees and nature in community gatherings to create TreeSpirit photographs, intending for both the experiences and the photographs to encourage and inspire others to feel and express their own unique connection to nature.

To raise money for existing nonprofit environmental organizations that value and promote tree planting and protect green space within and outside our cities.

Thanks to Remy C. for the link!

Although Organic Style shut down in October of 2005, I’m happy to note that the the magazine has just been reborn as an exclusively online mag published quarterly. For now, subscription is free and can be sent right to your inbox.

“In Organic Style magazine, you’ll meet growers, artisans, environmentalists, humanitarians and visionaries — people who are truly inspirational,” said Gerald Prolman, publisher and eco-entrepreneur. “It’s a window to our world, through which you’ll discover the intrinsic beauty at the heart of the environmental movement.”

The issue’s got some great features including audio, video, and the ability to download the issue to your computer. Check it out!