Green Cotton

Photo source: Fingers in the Frosting

With our nation’s momentous inauguration earlier this week and the stirring of hope and inspiration across America once again (not to mention the revitalization of the green movement), 2009 is starting off remarkably positive. Would you agree? What better way to begin the new year, than to galvanize our collective energy and begin to conquer our current economic, environmental and other woes, together.

Speaking of the environment, you’ve also probably made a few “go-green” resolutions for the New Year like most of us. Perhaps you want to drive less, bike more, dine-in, use fewer plastic bags, recycle more, buy greener (or not at all). Whatever the case may be, three weeks into 2009, you are probably doing just fine, heading quickly toward short-term success.

Yet, just as we start to “go green” for the New Year, we bump up against yet another holiday– this time filled with longstanding associations with love, romance, gift-giving, jewelry, dining out, flowers, and other such delights, many of which are not the least bit green (.a.k.a.Valentines Day).

Wondering how you can maintain your Go-Green goals for 09 despite the temptations?

At Green Cotton, we dug up an expert list of eco and socially conscious suggestions for you to keep it Green. Here it is:

A Bouquet for your Lover?

You and your boyfriend/husband/lover deserve the best. So, you might be thinking a dozen roses is a sure bet; however, it just so happens that a majority (70%) of flowers (including roses) bought and sold in the US actually come from overseas (mostly Columbia and Ecuador) and are made with significant amounts of pesticides. Not only do these flowers produce a higher carbon footprint than if produced locally, but many are grown in unregulated areas with toxic chemicals and unjust labor conditions.

So instead of rushing to the nearest grocery store and buying the first dozen roses that you see, why not check out your local farmer’s market and see what is in season that is grown locally? Surprise your sweetie with a seasonal bouquet of fresh or dried blooms. Or, if that is not possible or if you’re sending flowers to your loved one in another state, try one of the many online organic flower delivery services. Here is what we found:

Organic Bouquet www.organicbouquet.com. Check out their featured organic certified white calla lillies (above) for something unique. You can even throw in a box of gourmet organic and fair trade chocolate while you are at it http://www.organicbouquet.com/p_2134/Organic-Certified/Gourmet/signature-chocalates.html?subCatId=145

Diamond Organics grown by American farmers in California and Hawaii and organic certified. Their prices include free delivery and if you are feeling even more romantic, try their organic wine and bouquet sampler which includes fresh flowers, organic wine, organic sourdough bread and organic cheese. Even comes with free overnight delivery.

California Organic Flowers For those of you in California, try https://californiaorganicflowers.com/default

Chocolate anyone?
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a divine box of chocolates. But while these delectable sweets may satisfy the soul, they may not be good for you—or the planet, when produced conventionally. Like roses, chocolate is primarily produced overseas and in settings where high doses of pesticides frequently find themselves into the cocoa growing process.

How about a healthier – and arguably much better tasting – alternative? Certified organic chocolate is made without any harmful pesticides, nor toxic, unnatural ingredients. Organic chocolate is also made with greater sustainability than conventional and many are also Fair Trade certified. Health experts have even demonstrated health benefits associated with dark chocolate. Eating just 6.7 oz. of dark chocolate a week significantly lowers your risk for heart disease due to the flavonoids in cacao which act as antioxidants. So you can feel triple guilt free! Here are a few of our favorites:

ChocoLove: not only does the chocolate taste unbelievably delightful—each wrapper has a love poem printed inside. The new mini bars, in single serving sizes, make a sweet little gift. Find these at your local Whole Foods, Target or online.

Terra Nostra For something a little more decadent, you might try Terra Nostra Organic with a complete online store and specialty chocolate gift baskets. All Terra Nostra’s chocolates are certified organic. Try their Robust Dark Pomegranate Truffle Bar (60% Cacao) or Intense Dark with Goji Berries & Pink Himalayan Mineral Salt Chocolate Bar (73% Cacao)

Equal Exchange is an unparalleled brand with their certified organic and fair trade delightful chocolates…each bar has additional benefits by supporting small-scale farmers and their families. Check out their website for the stories. Try their Organic Dark Chocolate with Pure Cocoa Nibs (68% Cacao)

Dagoba. Dagoba offers a wide range of certified organic chocolates. Try their 4 chocolate tasting sampler for the perfect small gift for co-workers or a thank you to someone special or the Lemon Ginger (featured above).  Check out their statement on full circle sustainability Dagoba is invested in communities and the environment through their chocolate art-making.

Candlelit Dinner
Maybe you’d like to avoid the crowded restaurants and pricey meals for an alternative from the heart? Cook your loved one a memorable, organic and locally harvested meal. Add in some candles and romantic music and you will surely have the night to remember. What easier way to go local and organic through crafting your own innovative menu. Try Organic Authority such as the “Winter Organic Salad with Pears, Pine nuts and Ricotta Salata” (seen below). Or Eden Organic for some savory recipes. Or just make your favorite recipe with organic ingredients from your favorite local stores. Give soy candles a try—the wicks are often made with organic cotton, which burns cleaner and more efficiently than conventional wicks, casting the perfect glow on your romantic dinner.

Cards
Skip the card store and make a personal, homemade card that truly comes from the heart. You can use your own recycled materials – paper, cardboard, lace, old buttons – and craft something that will speak to your Valentine’s heart. A fun tip? Use a relatively blank card and cover it with kisses—try wearing different shades of red and pink lipstick to add fun pops of color, and a very personal touch. Finish by spritzing the card with your signature fragrance. Or if you are finding yourself out of time, and in a crunch, try these eco-paper resources: Tree Free Greetings , Paporganics or Green Field cards where you can actually grow the cards after reading them.

Lingerie
Want something more intimate for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift? Well, here is our short-list of eco-alternatives:
Perfectly Imperfect Organic ‘Venus’ Lace Nighty in Wild Rose

Viva Terra is offering a red hot set of bamboo pajamas (above) on sale for the very reasonable price of $78 for the pajama set and $98 for the robe.

Green Knickers And for those of you in Europe (or willing to pay the shipping from US), try Green Knickers for some truly fun and delightful green undies. For those of you who added “bike more” to your list of 09 resolutions, you might try the bike padded cycling knickers or for your sweetheart try the “Forget Me Nots” with tie bows on each side. Each order comes with complimentary Divine Fiar Trade chocolates for Valentines Day.

Stella McCartney. And for the slightly higher price but but gorgeous designs and wide selection, try Stella’s lingerie collection (featured above, image source Fabsugar.com) available at select department stores and online.

Gifts
Give your Valentine a present you can feel good about, knowing that your purchase is eco-friendly and fair trade and your sweetheart will surely know that you invested a lot of thought into your present.

All-in-one kit try Global Exchange’s Valentines Day Kit ,which is perfect for teachers and school kids and involves an action-oriented campaign around fair trade.

Jewelry

Smart Glass recycled glass by designer Kathleen Plate offers simple, sophisticated looks through the single circle designs. All pieces are made out of recycled glass hand-cut and polished. Lariat featured above. Available at jute and jackfruit.

Recycled Metal Earrings. If you’re looking for the perfect Valentine’s earrings that steer clear of diamond and gemstone controversies, we’ve got the perfect pair. Anna Built earrings use recycled tins and sterling silver to make original designs. The best part too is the price; each pair is just $29 including shipping. The vintage painting drop earrings will give your Valentine a touch of Victorian elegance.

Organic and Environmentally-friendly Clothing

Raspberry Tisane dress by Kelly Lane is a romantic look for Valentine’s, or any occasion where you want to be comfortable and look chic. The neutral and red color-blocking is modern and high-fashion, while the cut is classically feminine. Did I mention how soft the organic cotton and soy feels against your skin? Revel in comfort and high style—brighten up your winter wardrobe with this one-of-a-kind piece.

Handbags

Nothing says “I love you” (or I care about you) like a new handbag. Let a red accessory pop your Valentine’s Day spirit and outfit. The Escama Studio Chica Rosa clutch (featured below) is made from recycled aluminum soda pull-tabs. Hand crocheted by Brazilian women and lined with satin, each bag is unique, and also very eco-friendly. A portion of sales are even donated to the women’s community toward education, computers and other needed items.

Tell us about your eco-alternatives for Valentine’s Day! We want to hear about them.

As we leave 2008 behind and embark on 2009, Green Cotton would like to take this opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been and what we’ve done in the past year. Lets also take a moment to highlight some of our key eco-fashion and sustainable textile posts as a New year’s retrospective (in chronological order).

Fair trade and ethical fashion. Last February, we brought to you one of our first posts on Fair Trade. Identifying this emerging market, we looked at what it means to be Fair Trade and what certification bodies exist (not just one!). Fair trade and ethical fashion are definitely on the rise, and there remains a lot of work to be done with respect to certifying and increasing awareness; however, great strides have already been made too through ethical fashion designers and organizations such as Indigenous Designs who have been producing for over a decade now. World of Good, the relatively new online community on Ebay which supports fair trade fashion and designers from all over the world is also a new milestone worth noting. If you are unsure as to what Fair Trade means, please pass along this blog post so that you too can raise awareness about the positive social effects of Fair Trade and join the growing body of conscientious consumers!

Organic vs. Conventional Cotton. With April showers and the beginning of many agricultural seasons around the world, came our opening piece on the benefits of organic cotton. While ever present in our society, most conventional cotton production processes are very harmful to the environment and often those who produce it. Organic cotton means that the cotton is grown entirely without the use of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and artificial fertilizers. It also means that there are no harsh, toxic chemicals used at any stage in production from combing to finishing and dying. The good news to report here is that organic cotton has been increasing in demand every year for the last five years. The growth has been significant and with new large players such as Wal-Mart Demanding organic cotton for some of their merchandise, this will only increase. And as demand goes up, thankfully too, the price will go down.

Eco-Celebrities. Then in May, writer Erin Dale, lit up the eco-Red Carpet focusing on eco-minded starlets who have used their celebrity to make a larger impact on the world around them. Artists such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Hayden Panettiere, Daryl Hannah, Alicia Silverstone and Edward Norton have jumped on the Green wagon, and many in a very serious way, making it fashionable and trendy, proving that just about anyone can and should be more green.

Natural vs. Synthetic Dyes. In the warm summer months of June and July, writer Brit brought an insightful series to Green Cotton by covering the environmental impact of different types of dying processes (a 3-part series). These articles compare the environmental impact of synthetic vs. natural dyes and also look the pros and cons of each from a stylistic, health and environmental perspective. These include: Natural Dyes: Are they a viable alternatives to synthetics?, Synthetic Dyes: A look at Environmental & Human Risks, and Are Eco-Friendly Synthetic Dyes possible?

Fashion Trends. The summer heated up with some hot swimsuit trends. It seems Erin Dale had it right when she stated scarves, sunglasses, floral patterns, bags and what else but the sexy one-piece swimsuit would be in this summer! Luckily, Erin also told us where to find all the Eco-alternatives to the hottest summer trends. Check it out for yourself!

Fashion Shows. Green Cotton brought back the limelight with our series on Fashion Week in New York and London. Thanks to Erin Dale who covered both events (Casting a London Eye on Eco-Style, Rock Fashion Week Trends- the Eco-way), we got the inside scoop on both shows from the eco-fashionista perspective. To check our some of last years’ hottest eco-styles, see above-linked posts.

Green Festivals. Green Cotton was also privileged to attend several Green Festivals this year. We shared some of our insights from these events here on our blog with D.C. Green Fest, as one of our favorites. Despite the fact that the economy had already begun spinning downwardly by that time, Green Fest was the perfect antidote to our collective gloominess by revitalizing our commitment to the green movement along with thousands of others in the DC area. Filled with organic food, chocolate, wine, exhibits, speakers, music, books and more, the 2-day event had something for everyone and everything.

Eco-Chic Weekly. Last but not least, starting in November, Green Cotton teamed up with a group of other Eco Chic bloggers to bring together our eco-fashion and lifestyle blogs on the web every week. Check it out last week’s here.

Green Cotton in the News! In 2008, Green Cotton was not only able to discuss some of the hottest Eco-Fashion trends, and fabrics, but has also received some greatly appreciated recognition from the Eco-Fashion community online. Green Cotton was listed in the Top Ten Eco-fashion blogs on Ecoable, in the Top 100 Environmentalism Blogs, and within the Top 50 Environment Blogs on a site called Organicasm. So keep your eyes peeled for Green Cotton in 2009!

Green Cotton would like to thank all of our readers for their support and for taking the time to read our blog. We wish you all a happy 2009! May it be greener, brighter and more vibrant than ’08 and lets remember to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle day in and day out.

Green Festivals, sponsored by Coop America (now Green America) has put together its list of good green books from 2008- to be read in 2009. These books are available at Better World Books(http://www.betterworld.com)  under the Green Festivals list.

1. Hot, Flat and Crowded – by Thomas Friedman. A perfect follow up to the widely successful The World is Flat—a must read.

2. Hope on a Tightrope by Cornel West. The New York Times best-selling author of Race Matters and Democracy Matters – and for those who missed Dr. Cornel West’s powerful talk in San Francisco . . .

3. Natural Capitalism - A roadmap for understanding how the world economy will change over the next decade.”In this groundbreaking blueprint for a new economy, three leading business visionaries explain how the world is on the verge of a new industrial revolution.”

4. The Green Collar Economy - Van Jones doesn’t talk about it, he IS about it.”In The Green Collar Economy, acclaimed activist and political advisor Van Jones delivers a real solution that both rescues our economy and saves the environment.”

5. Cradle to Cradle – by William McDonough, Michael Braungart. So entrenched in the mission that it isn’t even made of paper; it’s waterproof and biodegradable. McDonough also spoke at DC Green Fest in October 2008.

6. Exposed :The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What’s at Stake for America Power. By Mark Shapiro. If you knew what was in your favorite products, you might think twice…This is my personal next read.

7. The Thrive Diet by Brenda Brazier. The Whole Food Way to Lose Weight, reduce Stress and Stay Healthy for Life. You’ll find out how to save money and eat foods that that will help you physically AND mentally.

8. The Green Parent by Jenn Savedge. While some might suggest that this is an oxymoron, especially if you are a parent, Jenn proves otherwise, with this kid-friendly guide to environmentally friendly living.

9. Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach and Hillary Rosner. 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying. Apparently, going green can actually save you serious cash.

10. My Stroke of Insight – by Jill Bolt Taylor. A brain scientists personal journey. An amazing story about a brain scientist and her journey to recovery after a massive stroke.

Personally, I would also add Green is the New Black by Tasmin Blanchard.

So why buy on Better World Books as opposed to Amazon or elsewhere?

Better World Books (BWB) gives 10% of all purchases to support the continued efforts of the Green Festival. For those of you who have attended one of these, you know how amazing they are. To run an event like that costs a lot more than the $5 – 15 that you pay to enter for the whole weekend. Supporting organizations such as this, help to fuel the green community to keep on creating innovative products, books, ideas, food and services.

In addition, BWB has raised $5.2 million dollars for global literacy through its sales.

Let us know what your favorites are — what is missing from this list of green books for 2009?