Heart of Green

Cool Globes are Cool

Today I watched the fog finally roll out of San Francisco and made my move – a trip down to Crissy Field to see the public art exhibition Cool Globes:  Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet.  It was truly a magnificent treat, a round feast for the eyes and an uplifting feast for the soul. And I knew that it would be more enjoyable without an Arctic wind blowing up my pants.

As you walk along the beach, you see a series of 37 globes, each designed by a local artist and portraying a theme in 3 dimensions. Each globe is 7 feet high, 5 feet in diameter, and 2,200 pounds in weight.  "Teenie Greenie!" shouts a green-colored globe from the parking lot.

Some globes are beautiful like Tree of Life with impressionist murals of nature. Others are wacky in a good way like the Consumer Recycling globe, which showcases just how attractive old cell phones can be. The Geothermal Energy globe is hot – look at all of those untapped spots on the West Coast. Still other globes are immensely creative like the We Are What We Eat globe, which contained a giant face made out of vegetables and a sign on the pear that said “Wet Paint.” I didn’t risk it.

There is even a globe about Idling, yes car idling, proving that everyone has a pet rock cause. Viewing the statue and school bus illustration, I found myself nodding in agreement, “Yes, let’s stop needless idling!” 

Against the beautiful backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, you can witness patriotic globes, green roof globes, volunteering globes, and even whimsical globes with branches growing from their poles. I don’t want to spoil the experience and reveal them all because that would be uncool of me.

The marvelous thing about Cool Globes is that it emphasizes solutions in an enchanting way. At the end of viewing the spheres, it seems quite possible to solve global warming and other planetary ills. All we need is some paint and each other. The colorful installations will make you laugh, go “hmmm” and want to reach out and touch some globes and someone. I think that is the ultimate triumph of Cool Globes - in addition to providing useful green tips in a fun and accessible way, it makes you feel connected to the entire planet.

It is official. Cool Globes are cool and definitely worth checking out before they leave San Francisco on October 12 and proceed to other fortunate cities like San Diego and London.  www.coolglobes.com

One Stop Green Shopping

We all want a one stop shop for excellent green shopping. Our wishes have been answered with the launch of the new Amazon Green Store. You can browse eco-conscious products in the categories of Green Office, Green Cleaning, Green Lighting, Home & Garden, Books & Movies, Baby, and more. There is also an interesting feature called "Pick 3 Green Products you wish everyone had."  Since we can shop online, this gives us more time to recycle and compost everything, I mean go for a walk on the beach.

Please know that I am not advocating conspicuous eco consumption or buying for buying sake. Many people tell me that they have a hard time finding healthy green products in their area or do not have time to run around looking for eco-goodies, which can cost more in gas money!  To make ordering even more environmentally-sound, one can try to consolidate purchases into one shipment from a source like Amazon Green.

Other reliable and inspiring green shopping web sites worthy of a glance include Organic Style, Gaiam, and FutureNatural for eco-beauty.

I also want to give a shout out to my friend Robert Craymer of RC Green sustainable furniture fame. Whenever we needed a last-minute VIP Green Lounge, Robert was there with his hip and eco interior designs. 

Please check out his new RC Green Tree of Sustainability. He is also filming a TV show of all of his escapades in the VIP green world. A natural in front of the camera and wonderful with people, Robert is guaranteed to delight both on camera and off.

Ecofabulous is Fabulous

Change is in the air.  The fall season is right around the corner (is it too late to plan a vacation?), Paris Hilton is running for president, and I am finally eco-decorating my apartment after living here for a year with virtually no furniture. I will miss the $14 electricity bill and the shock on people’s faces when they walk through the door. Surprise, it’s empty but look at the view!

But the most exciting change is a bright green one.  After years of being an unofficial team, Zem Joaquin and I are becoming an official green team at her Ecofabulous, the treasure chest web site showcasing the best of green and fabulous.  Those editors sparked and led by Zem are tough let me tell you.  Sustainable furniture is ripped apart, green cleaning products are put to the test, eco-shoes are heavily scrutinized, and organic alcohol occassionally must be sampled.  If your product isn’t fabulous and fully eco, you have about as much chance of getting profiled as an Escalade.

At Ecofabulous, my position is VP of Special Projects, which means I am covering a wide range of mysterious and not so mysterious initiatives including events, greening, journalism, cleantech, and the search for alien life. I am happy to be teaming up with my eco partner in crime, with whom I have already accomplished so much.  And let's give credit where credit is due. Without Zem, I'd still be wearing clodhopper shoes from Ann Taylor. 

What is to become of Heart of Green?  It is still me at my core. I will continue updating the site with planet-chic events, amazing causes and charities, side adventures in eco-fashion, and posts on subjects I feel are being underrepresented out there.  Get ready for some outrageous topics coming up.  Green is a journey and a more thrilling and possible one every day.

For the latest in desirable eco-beauty, eco-fashion, green design, healthy homes, and sustainable lifestyles, hop on over to the newly-relaunched www.ecofabulous.com  It’s a fabulous place to see and be seen, green.

Eco-Fashion On Sale

Would you pay $80 for a designer organic cotton t-shirt?  What if it helped to save the planet?  Even better, what if it were on sale?

While I have splurged on hip eco-friendly tees in the past (can you say adorable Zooey?), I have also bought many on sale. Who doesn’t love a good bargain.

Now thanks to the web site You Deserve, the sale ends today and starts tomorrow. Eco-fashionistas are rejoicing because every day is an eco-fashion sale day on www.youdeserve.com. Consider it overstock for planet-conscious brands like Del Forte, Grace & Cello, and Oxygen Required (bamboo and surplus fabrics). There are even Under the Canopy bathrobes at a discount. I see several items that I paid full price for! 

A fabulous Ecoist portfolio tote is on an unbelievable sale, marked down from $138 to $48. I have always wanted one of these colorful pieces made Fair Trade from 100% recycled candy wrappers. If you don’t buy it, I just might have to. 5, 4, 3, 2...

As for a minor wish list, I would love to see the brand name as part of each product listing initially, but you can click through to see the maker.  Some of the fabrics just say “cotton” without the word organic in front of it, which is a little confusing, but most of the fabrics are eco-friendly. I hope that even more eco-fashion brands will join the party online.

Not everyone has the luxury of having a wonderful eco-fashion boutique around the corner (Eco Citizen) or can spend $80 on a bamboo t-shirt, but thanks to You Deserve, more people will get a break on eco-fashion today and that is an glorious thing for our wallets and the planet.  www.youdeserve.com