sustainable style foundation*

Boost Mobile recently created their Boosted campaign, essentially a lifestyle brand infused with art, music, and pop culture. What makes things different is they partnered with designers to produce a line of accessories and other devices that captures the essence of the today's mobile and youth lifestyles while highlighting people and planet issues. A great example is one of their first partnerships with Livity Outernational. The accessories pictured to the left are just such an example...100% organic cotton and great design. You can find these and other Boost x Livity merch at our alter-ego site www.sustainable-style.org. More 'Boosted' Partnerships to come soon so stay tuned...

I attended the International Sustainability Institute's Trash Fashion Bash tonight and must say that I was totally blown away by the amount and quality of the designs. Many of the designs were from the fabulous design divas at Haute Trash but there were many local designers that wowed the crowd too, from a tofu packaging wedding gown by Chaco to women's business suit made from circuit boards. And then there were the models! Several SSF favorites including Lynne Baker (pictured at left) part of the City of Seattle's green building team (and frequent SSF OSSA Award judge), Diane Sugimura, Director of Planning & Develolpment for the city of Seattle, Joanie Parsons of Parsons Public Relations, Kaye Smith-Blum of Butch Blum who was one of the evenings MCs. There were many other architects, urban planners, and even several budding high schoolers striking a pose for sustainability as well. Any why did the models look so fabulous you ask, well, becuase SSF Co-founder and Senior Stylist Rebecca Luke was on the scene in wearing her les Egoistes hat training all those high-profile sustainability celebs how to strike a pose on the runway of course. All in all, another great example of how we all can look fabulous, live well, and do good.

If you haven't run across Bond Alternative Wedding Magazine yet, their current issue is a sustainable style must-have and a true guide to marriage in the new millennium. As the only fashion (high fashion I might add) magazine and website to include same-gender and multi-ethnic couples, it offers a fresh and modern perspective on that more than four letter word...commitment. White lace dresses are sparse but stunning Prada and Marc Jacobs abound. Lots of fabulous food, wind, flowers, gifts, and decor. But the icing on this cake is that the issue AND the icing on the wedding cake are all eco-friendly.

You may have all heard that America's Next Top Model has gone green. I'm still waiting to see how it all plays out, but so far, I'm impressed. They're living in an eco-friendly mansion, producers are giving them tips on eco-living, and they're running around in a biodiesel bus. Not only have they put in some good green tidbits, there are several other ways in which this season's girls may actually turn out to be more than just pretty faces. There are some smarties in the group, an aspiring model with a disability, and Tyra even made the bold move of banning smoking from the show after a photoshoot on the topic. We'll keep a close eye on this one.

It was a busy green week in Seattle. It all started with a book signing and panel discussion at Seattle Green Fashion Week where SSF good friend Summer Rayne Oakes did a great job discussing sustainable lifestyle choices along with Leslie Hoffman of Earthpledge, Method Co-founders Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, Nau guru Jill Zilligan and new entry into the Seattle sustainable style scene, Aladdin.

It just so happened that Method was also in town for their Detox Seattle campaign and threw a great launch party at SAM's Olympic Sculpture Park Friday night. The big finale fashion show at the end of the week was absolutely amazing and of course Summer, who both MCed and modeled in the show, also did an outstanding job. Here's Summer's take on things and what would a green Seattle event be without Grists's two cents.

The Humanitarian International Design Organisation (HIDO) has announced a call for entries for their latest contest. Designers of all fields around the world are asked to submit designs that will ultimately help increase the awareness concerning the violence towards girls and women in developing countries. From the site, "Unfortunately the developing world is making less progress due to the fact that girls and women are still not considered equal to men," and HIDO is hoping that raising awareness is the first step to changing this inequality. If you're a designer (or know someone who is) who believes that design can help change the world for good, the following details are for you: "The poster should be graphically attractive for young African girls and women and a dynamic and inviting message should be used to attract girls/ young women in different African Cultures, who suffer in silence, to discuss these gender based violence issues." Entries will be accepted until Friday, May 11, 2007, with the winning poster announced in June. [HIDO call for entries] via [Core77]

We got a chuckle out of this ghoulish postcard from Environmental Defense, reminding us that "nothing is scarier than old, inefficient light bulbs." It accompanies ED's guide to energy-efficient light bulbs for all types of fixtures. Just plug in your search criteria and the Web site will draw up a list of light bulbs to match your needs, along with user reviews from staff members.

Mark over at 3r Blogging also points us to Care2's Halloween Tricks & Treats, with tips for candy, parties, pumpkins and costumes for the big day. Good stuff! [Care2] and [Worsted Witch via [3r Living]

If you haven't picked up Surface Magazine's new issue on water...GO DO IT RIGHT NOW! This is one of the best 'sustainable style' treatments of a key environmental issue in a long time. There are several articles on water topics (water quality, conservation, etc.) as well as the requisite over-the-top-cool fashion editorials that incorporate water themes.

Al Gore has gone back to the small screen to help promote his big success on the big screen. As the "first emperor of the Moon" (when he appeared on TV's Futurama), he stretched out his cartoon acting legs; this time, he's back (along with robot Bender) to promote An Inconvenient Truth. As if we didn't all have good enough reason to see it, cartoon Al hypes his "hybrid pimp-mobile," fights robots and encourages recycling, all in the 1:23 clip. If you have yet to see "the movie that will make you feel like you should probably do something", we'd really encourage you to be a part of history, help insure the safety of our collective future, and check it out. Get all the info at climatecrisis.net, and enjoy cartoon Al in this clip.

Another pleasant surprise on the newstands this week. Newsweekdevoted a cover and issue to their Giving Back Awards. A few expected folks (like Brad Pitt) but quite a few surprises including Benita Singh and Ruth DeGolia, co-founders of a great startup/nonprofit, Mercado Global, that SSF remembers well from our small beginnings. They've been doing sustainable style form the beginning...and doing it well. Surfers to Mercado Global may also notice the face of the very sustainable and stylish Summer Rayne Oakes as the face of Mercado Global.

I've said it before and I'll say it many times more I'm sure. Current TV is the coolest thing on television these days. I get addicted everytime I turn it on. I could spend the whole weekend watching pods on everyhing under the sun. Just watched pods on journalism in Iraq, pop-culture christians in Philidelphia and Hotel Chelsea. Best part is the pods are produced by pretty much anyone and everyone, folks from all walks of life.

I already think Surfur's Path is one of the coolest mags out there (they were one of our 2005 OSSA Award nominees after all). Just ran across Issue 53 which, as usual, has all sorts of great articles on what's up in the surf world regarding sustainability. Diggin Surfers Against Sewage and of course SurfAid. One thing that caught me this time was Grean Wave Awards. Not only does Surfer's Path print on 100% post-consumer paper with non-GMO soy-based inks, they have the Green Wave Awards. SO Cool! Time for me to take up surfing.

OK, I promise this will be the last blog entry on a magazine...well close to the last anyway. I am COMPLETELY addicted to SEED Magazine. And with a motto like "Science is Culture" it is easy to see why this conservation biologist/design junky environisto is hooked. This particular issue is chock full of juicy sustainable headlines, from the "tear-outable" hybrid cheetsheet to an article on climate change, a huge fold out - "2006 State of the Planet", a great feature on the outlook for Costa Rican rainforests, an out of this world photo editorial on seven amazing places that will be affected by climate change (e.g. Borneo, Venice, Vermont, etc.), and finally a great back and forth between the reigning eco-queen Laurie David and Stephen Schneider, professor and co-director fo the Center for Environmental Science and Policy at Stanford.

Yep, blown away by another magazine. The most recent issue of Fast Company Magazine is chock full of sustainability. A couple items in "Feedback" regarding their March issue to begin with. In their "Fast Talk" section, one of the highlighted individuals is Patty Herrera, Director of Multicultural Initiatives for the Oakland Raiders. The team has had many diversity firsts, including the first Hispanic head coach and then later, Art Shell, the first African American head coach. What really got me was that they now broadcast the games in Navajo. AWESOME! Next there is of course Ford's hybrid add with Kermit the Frog. Move onto an article title "Deconstructing Wal-Mart's Wonder Truck" which evaluated their fleet's efforts to improve envrironmental performance. Followed by a short blurb on Lord Richard Rogers efforts to enrich the Queens waterfront in NYC which will include some environmentally efficient materials. Next a feature article by Charles Fishman titled "A Farming Fairy Tale" which exlpores what life on the farm would be like (actually what life would be like for all of us) if a switch to organic happened overnight. Also a great book review of "Organic, Inc.". And last but not least, a great back and forth in their column "Open Debate" on feeding the world with Billy Shore of Share Our Strength and William Easterly NYU Professor.

I am SO loving that both Elle and Vanity Fair came out with green issues recently. AND - Elle is even printed on recycled content paper!!! Haven't made it all the way through both mags yet, but so far they are both blowing me away. Love that Elle was guest edited by Laurie David as well, she's one of my big eco-heroes. Both mags have some really great robust content, as well as some good glitz and glam to entice a whole new crowd of people into these topics. Environistas Unite!