Blog

Interview with Stacy Malkan of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

2011-05-20T22:32:09Z

At the recent Sustainable Cosmetics Summit in New York, we got a chance to sit down with Stacy Malkan, Co-Founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the author of "Not Just a Pretty Face : The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry". She was a keynote speaker at the event and also gave a great talk about industry regulations and policy falling short of what the new "eco-conscious consumer" is demanding from cosmetics companies.

Stacy emphasized the importance of health when engaging in dialogues about sustainability. As she said in her opening keynote, "the environment is our bodies, our children and our health." We couldn't agree more and we urge you to check out her website and look into the types of products you're putting on your body, in addition to the foods you put in your body!

You can also check out photos (by our own Mark Boyer) from the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit here and stay tuned for the main summit video, which will give an overview of the major themes discussed.

New Video: So All May Eat

2011-01-14T15:00:00Z

We're excited to release our video about SAME Café in Denver, Colorado, which we visited at the end of our Southwest Tour. This unique restaurant serves delicious organic food on a pay-what-you-can model. And if you don't have a few bucks in your pocket, you can always volunteer in exchange for a healthy meal. The restaurant covers 75% of its total costs with what people put in the anonymous payment box and the rest is covered by grants and individual donations.

The owners, Brad and Libby Birky are two of the most amazing people we've ever met. We left after our day of filming feeling truly inspired by their commitment to making healthy food accessible. They're not just talking about organic food "being too expensive for average people", they're doing something about it! And in the process, they've created a community of customers and volunteers that you can tell feel part of something great.

If you'd like to donate or get more information, please visit the SAME Café website.

Books We Like: The Lost Language of Plants

2011-01-14T05:30:02Z

The Lost Language of Plants by Stephen Harrod Buhner is a fascinating book about the ecological importance of plant medicines to life on Earth. It serves as both an exposé about the pollution of our bodies and environment and a tale that hopes to re-enchant us with the world of nature. Filled with fascinating facts about plant and insect life, chemistry and interconnected growth, it will broaden your perspective on the role of the "things" we normally take for granted.

Here is an excerpt from page 174:

Plants circulate throughout ecosystems, between ecosystems, and across and between continents; the longest seed dispersal distance known (without human help) is 15,000 miles. Plants, in fact, move themselves throughout landmasses and across distances that mere seed dispersal and mathematics cannot explain. The places they move to and the ways they arrange themselves in ecosystems are not accidental and are not random. Plants arrange themselves in ecosystems and throughout continents to fulfill specific functions; their spatial arrangements exist for a reason.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in medicine, health and the environment.

-Dorothée

Special thanks to Anastasia Royal for the tip!

Upcoming Event: The Sustainable Foods Summit

2010-11-30T20:56:25Z

We're excited to announce that the 2011 Sustainable Foods Summit will be held this January 18th and 19th at the Ritz Carlton San Francisco. OrganicNation.tv is a proud media sponsor of the Summit and we plan to bring you the best moments via our filming, photography and live-tweeting of the events.

The Sustainable Foods Summit focuses on the leading issues the food industry faces and aims to explore new horizons in sustainability for eco-labels. Issues to be addressed include: How do organic, fair trade and other eco-labels contribute to sustainability? What role should they play in a food industry that is increasingly looking at the triple bottom line? Do they address the sustainability needs of consumers and food companies?

This special North American Summit will hone in on some of the major eco-labeling issues in the food industry, including offsetting carbon emissions, water footprints, buying local and biodiversity. For example, one session will be devoted to ethical sourcing and sustainable ingredients, assessing the ecological and social impacts of raw materials in the food industry. Another session called "The Organic Plus" will provide case studies of organic food companies who are going beyond organic agricultural practices and pioneering sustainability initiatives.

Like previous events organized by Organic Monitor, the Summit will bring together key stake-holders in the food industry and debate these major issues in a high-level forum.? We hope to see you there.

Twitter users: We will be using the hashtag #SFS2011 when tweeting about the Summit.

Our Eco-Friendly Gift Guide for 2010

2010-11-29T19:14:33Z

The 2010 holiday season is finally here and we have some great gift ideas for you! Here are our favorite socially and environmentally conscious picks for the season:

Socks for Happy People

These brightly colored organic cotton socks will not only keep your feet toasty, they will warm your heart. With each pair purchased, the company donates socks to a child in Mongolia through their Buy One Give One Free initiative. The socks come in a variety of colors, stripes and even animal prints. They also have a series of Affirmation Socks that say: "TODAY I WILL SMILE AND FEEL GOOOOD!"

Ethically Engineered

Ethically Engineered's handmade vegan soap is packaged in compostable materials. The Chicago-based company "works to ensure a viable and sustainable product with little to no impact on the bio-sphere" and they even deliver their products by bike! They have a bunch of nice gift sets for the 2010 season including their popular No Bottle Shampoo & Conditioner.

Greenbees

These sturdy and stylish boots are made of all natural leather, dyed using formaldehyde free methods and feature a recycled tire sole bottom.

The Thencha boot (pictured here) is a new take on an old classic combining the styling of an equestrian boot with the rugged comfort of a cowboy boot. A perfect gift for your favorite eco-fashionista!

PACT

PACT's organic cotton underwear is helping to light up Haiti during the holidays. Inspired by the stories of women in tent camps using the solar lights after the earthquake, PACT has partnered with EarthSpark International to donate a portion of profits from their 2010 holiday collection. The limited edition Winter Lights Collection was designed by Yves Behar and is available in a variety of colors and sizes.

Collective Wellbeing

Collective Wellbeing is the first consumer packaged goods company to have entirely offset its carbon footprint. They also pledge at least 1% of annual revenues to environmental non-profits. Their Holiday Detox Gift Set includes:

Charcoal Body Wash - a sulfate-free cleanser with active charcoal and zinc
Bamboo/Fennel Seed Body Scrub - rich in vitamins and minerals
Aloe Vera/Chamomile Dry Skin Relief - an intensive, moisturizing treatment

Hopefully our picks will get you inspired for a holiday filled with feel-good gifts. If you prefer to make your own presents, check out Homegrown.org's Holiday Gift Guide 2010, which has tons of great food and craft ideas for you to share!

New Video: Breeding Survivor Queenbees in New Mexico

2010-11-04T16:09:35Z

During our tour of the Southwest, we had the pleasure of visiting Melanie Kirby, co-owner of Zia Queenbee Company, at her home in the mountains of Truchas, New Mexico. We're excited to release this long-awaited video about her wonderful work.

Melanie breeds Survivor Queenbees that are sold to beekeepers around the country so they can build healthy hives. Her approach ensures that the bees are genetically diverse and by giving their queen bees extra time to mature, they prove themselves to be naturally resilient against disease, pests and weather fluctuations.

Check out the blog post where we shared fascinating facts about bees that we learned during our visit, as well as some behind-the-scenes footage of Dorothée in a bee hat!

Today in Organic: Nov. 2nd, 2010

2010-11-02T16:02:51Z

It's voting day! Be sure to find your polling place and support candidates that will help make your community more sustainable. Check out Sierra Club's Voter Guide to find representatives in 12 key states who support clean energy.

The Washington Post covers a story about a young Chinese farmer who is sowing the seeds for an organic revolution.

A USDA grant aims to enhance sustainability of beginning farmers and ranchers. The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) will fund projects to to train, educate and provide outreach and technical assistance to beginning farmers.

Amber Turpin at Civil Eats writes about what happens when a small organic farm fails.

TreeHugger.com features the slideshow Urban Farm Prototypes Reveal the Future of Urban Farming with a mix of practical and unusual ways to grow food indoors.

Yikes! Environmental Health News reports that pesticides taint one-fifth of kids' food.

Rodale.com shares a delicious Black Barley and Autumn Vegetables recipe, perfect for a warm fall lunch.

Eco-Friendly Style Pick: REVEAL's Bamboo Watch

2010-10-20T20:11:15Z

Known for my punctuality, I'm usually the girl people ask, "what time is it?" After my old watch broke last year, I've been relying on my cell phone to tell the time. But that's all changed now that I'm sporting REVEAL's stylish Chirukin Bamboo Watch.

So why is this watch eco-friendly, you ask? Bamboo is ultra durable and doesn't contain the BPA or phthalates that are common in plastic. As you can see, it has a gorgeous natural color so there's no paint needed. Bamboo is also the fastest growing woody plant on earth and it grows without the need for chemicals or large amounts of water.

This watch is also fun to wear! I like the feeling of the smooth and light-weight wood on my wrist. It's versatile enough to work with all my outfits and actually looks like a cool bracelet until you notice the clock face.

For other styles, be sure to check out REVEAL's Luxury Bamboo Watch for men and Luxury Forest Watch made out of beechwood.

Read more about the company's sustainability initiatives on REVEAL's blog and their rePlant Project in partnership with American Forests .

-Dorothée

It's Time To "Face Your Food"! (Video)

2010-10-12T20:11:59Z

Do you ever stop to think about where your food comes from? This World Food Day, FairFood International's new video campaign ‘Face Your Food’ brings together a global online community to fight for a more sustainable food industry.

Lobbying multinational companies to change their production and trade methods requires tremendous public support. This campaign invites people from across the world to film themselves while eating. The video is then automatically slowed down and played backwards. It's an engaging way to face the question: "Where does our food come from?"

I think this is a great opportunity for folks in the U.S. to show their support not only for this organization, but for the concept of sustainable and fair trade food. I like how easy they make it to participate, you can simply use your computer's web cam to film yourself eating something and the site will turn it backwards and share it on Facebook with all the other entries.

Make your own video here, visit the 'Face Your Food' App on Facebook and be sure to share info on Twitter using the hashtag: #FaceYourFood.

-Dorothée

"Living Downstream" Coming to Chicago on Illinois Screening Tour

2010-10-05T15:10:35Z

Happy October! We're excited to announce that the documentary film Living Downstream is coming to Chicago this month on a multi-city screening tour. This must-see film is based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer survivor Dr. Sandra Steingraber. It follows Sandra across North America as she works to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links.

Handsomely photographed and powerfully argued… Steingraber's scientific cool and unflagging sense of mission make for an arresting portrait of a self-styled modern-day Rachel Carson.

- Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post (04/23/10)

Each screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Sandra Steingraber and filmmaker Chanda Chevannes. The Chicago event will be held on October 19th at 7pm at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Advance tickets available online or by phone from Brown Paper Tickets or in person at Women and Children First bookstore. Hope to see you there!