February 13, 2013
In 2013, several North American cities have banned plastic bags. On the other side, there’s the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, highlighting the dangers of replacing plastic with paper. But fretting seriously over the question of paper vs. plastic is much like fighting about which side of your bread to put the butter on. Paper bags are environmentally taxing on the front end, requiring absurd amounts of natural resources (such as the water to paper pulp ratio of 400 gallons to 1). Plastic bags are more taxing on the back end, causing widespread, lasting litter, especially in the sea. They’re even found in the stomachs of cows in Ethiopia. A great solution is to use a canvas, cotton, denim, or nylon “reusable” bag. Do your part, save some animals in the process and say “NO” to paper and plastic.  Thanks to Kaufmann-Mercantile for this! 

In 2013, several North American cities have banned plastic bags. On the other side, there’s the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, highlighting the dangers of replacing plastic with paper. But fretting seriously over the question of paper vs. plastic is much like fighting about which side of your bread to put the butter on. Paper bags are environmentally taxing on the front end, requiring absurd amounts of natural resources (such as the water to paper pulp ratio of 400 gallons to 1). Plastic bags are more taxing on the back end, causing widespread, lasting litter, especially in the sea. They’re even found in the stomachs of cows in Ethiopia.

A great solution is to use a canvas, cotton, denim, or nylon “reusable” bag. Do your part, save some animals in the process and say “NO” to paper and plastic. 

Thanks to Kaufmann-Mercantile for this! 

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Filed under: Kaufmann-Mercantile plastic canvas cotton denim sustainability sustainable 
December 2, 2012

Last week we had an opportunity to check out the Wefi Surfboards workshop, an amazing place on Vancouver Island where they are handcrafting hollow cedar surfboards. Not only are these boards a million times more sustainable than foam boards but there is also the added benefit of experiencing more feeling and vibration in your ride. If you wanna test out your DIY skills you can even go and make your own surfboard at Randy’s shop. Just check out the Orca board in the second photos for some west coast inspiration. To learn more about this incredible company make sure you pick up a copy of the latest issue of LATER.mag and head over to the Wefi Surfboards website.

“A cedar boards store 300gm of carbon whereas a traditional foam board emits 400lbs of carbon.” Randy Weflan

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Filed under: surfing surf board sustainable sustainability Locally manufactured Locally Made hand-made handcrafted cedar wooden surf board Wefi Surfboards carbon footprint carbon 
September 26, 2012
Alex Fairbairn’s line of finely made leather goods, Wülf Work will be available at the Mutts & Co. Variety Store in Vancouver. All Wülf leather goods are crafted under the company’s philosophy of sustainablity and innovation. By using laser to cut the leather, Alex keeps production local and minimizes material use. 

Alex Fairbairn’s line of finely made leather goods, Wülf Work will be available at the Mutts & Co. Variety Store in Vancouver. All Wülf leather goods are crafted under the company’s philosophy of sustainablity and innovation. By using laser to cut the leather, Alex keeps production local and minimizes material use. 

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Filed under: Wulf Work leather made in canada accessories fashion Vancouver Mutts & Co. Variety Store pop up shop local Locally Made hand made sustainability laser cut 
June 9, 2012
Op-Ed | Can Ethical Fashion Really Be Fashionable? “It is my absolute belief that ethical goods have to appeal, even if you don’t know the back story, but, on the flip side, that the fashion goods we desire should be made in the most ethical way possible. Why not? Why shouldn’t sustainability be as central to style as silhouette? Why should it be hard to stride forth in the confidence that you are doing no harm to people or planet?” - Marion Hume “In all buying, consider first, what condition of existence you cause in the production of what you buy; secondly, whether the sum you have paid is just to the producer and in due proportion lodged in his hand.” So said John Ruskin (1819-1900). Check out this great article by the BOF and written by Marion Hume Photo Vivienne Westwood in Kenya | Photo: Juergen Teller

Op-Ed | Can Ethical Fashion Really Be Fashionable?

“It is my absolute belief that ethical goods have to appeal, even if you don’t know the back story, but, on the flip side, that the fashion goods we desire should be made in the most ethical way possible. Why not? Why shouldn’t sustainability be as central to style as silhouette? Why should it be hard to stride forth in the confidence that you are doing no harm to people or planet?” - Marion Hume

“In all buying, consider first, what condition of existence you cause in the production of what you buy; secondly, whether the sum you have paid is just to the producer and in due proportion lodged in his hand.” So said John Ruskin (1819-1900).

Check out this great article by the BOF and written by Marion Hume

Photo Vivienne Westwood in Kenya | Photo: Juergen Teller

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Filed under: Vivienne Westwood sustainability Sustainable Fashion Fashion Kenya Jurgen Teller BOF business of fashion Marion Hume 
April 12, 2012

A year ago we blogged about a Kickstarter project called Compas Green, a year later “We are looking to get more trucks and teachers so that we can be more regional and reach a wider audience,” Justin says. “We’re applying for grants and sponsorship from ethical businesses so that we can offer our project for free in underprivileged schools.”

Why not ask Nick and Justin to drive to your town in their DIY mobile greenhouse and educate your community on sustainability and Biointensive mini-farming?

“We teach all ages, kindergarten through university level, and our community workshops have seen a few septuagenarians. We tend to focus on high schools and universities though, because we can go more deeply into full-spectrum sustainability with those students.”

You don’t even have to feel bad about them driving a big truck across the country because it is run on waste vegetable oil! To read more follow their website and head over to treehugger for the rest of their interview.


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Filed under: treehugger USA United States DIY mobile greenhouse sustainability sustainable agriculture locally grown Biointensive mini-farming Nick Runkle Justin Cutter Compass Green kickstarter project 
March 26, 2012

Get connected with your community and nature, start your own local and sustainable food movement, tips from @BKHomesteader

In this video ‘THE BEEKEEPER‘ by Keith “Keef” Erhlich, Meg Paska of the Brooklyn Homesteader talks about her connection to urban homesteading. To learn more about Home Brewing, Gardening, Bee Keeping and more make sure you check out her website!

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Filed under: sustainable sustainability honey Locally Made Locally manufactured sustainable communities bee keeping brooklyn New York urban homesteading urban green space Keith “Keef” Erhlich THE BEEKEEPER Brooklyn Homesteader DIY gardening Home Brewing 
November 29, 2011
Patagonia’s add in the New York times on Black Friday (a US holiday created to encourage excessive consumer consumption) was hopefully the first of many in the sustainable tides of change. While the rest of the retail world was encouraging customers to take advantage of their sales and essentially encouraging unnecessary consumerism, Patagonia was sprouting a different message. “There is much to be done and plenty for us all to do. Don’t buy what you don’t need. Think twice before you buy anything. Take the Common Threads Initiatives pledge, and join us in the fifth ‘R,’ to re-imagine a world where we take only what nature can replace.” To read more please head over to the Patagonia website. Thanks to the 85/85 boys for this one. A couple of months back I posted one of Patagonia’s videos that they released to help bring awareness to their Common Threads initiative, you can watch it here.

Patagonia’s add in the New York times on Black Friday (a US holiday created to encourage excessive consumer consumption) was hopefully the first of many in the sustainable tides of change. While the rest of the retail world was encouraging customers to take advantage of their sales and essentially encouraging unnecessary consumerism, Patagonia was sprouting a different message.

“There is much to be done and plenty for us all to do. Don’t buy what you don’t need. Think twice before you buy anything. Take the Common Threads Initiatives pledge, and join us in the fifth ‘R,’ to re-imagine a world where we take only what nature can replace.” To read more please head over to the Patagonia website.

Thanks to the 85/85 boys for this one.

A couple of months back I posted one of Patagonia’s videos that they released to help bring awareness to their Common Threads initiative, you can watch it here.

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Filed under: Patagonia Common Threads Common Threads Initiative United States eightyfoureightyfive blog Black Friday consumption menswear womenswear fashion sustainability consumerism New York Times 
May 27, 2011
#DIY: Cork Mat Materials: * 175 wine corks, plus a few for mistakes * hot glue sticks & gun * non-adhesive shelf liner * sharp pocket knife * cutting board * rotary cutter and mat * long ruler or yardstick * coarse sand paper Step-by-step instructions here FYI: The cork industry is generally regarded as environmentally friendly.[3] The sustainability of production and the easy recycling of cork products and by-products are two of its most distinctive aspects. Cork Oak forests also prevent desertification and are the home of various endangered species.[4] Carbon footprint studies committed by Corticeira Amorim, Oeneo Bouchage of France and the Cork Supply Group of Portugal concluded that cork is the most environmentally friendly wine stopper in comparison to other alternatives. The Corticeira Amorim’s study, in particular (“Analysis of the life cycle of Cork, Aluminum and Plastic Wine Closures”), was developed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, according to ISO 14040.[5] Results concluded that, concerning the emission of greenhouse gases, each plastic stopper released 10 times more CO2, whilst aluminium releases 26 times more CO2, to that of a cork stopper.

#DIY: Cork Mat

Materials:

* 175 wine corks, plus a few for mistakes

* hot glue sticks & gun

* non-adhesive shelf liner

* sharp pocket knife

* cutting board

* rotary cutter and mat

* long ruler or yardstick

* coarse sand paper

Step-by-step instructions here

FYI: The cork industry is generally regarded as environmentally friendly.[3] The sustainability of production and the easy recycling of cork products and by-products are two of its most distinctive aspects. Cork Oak forests also prevent desertification and are the home of various endangered species.[4]

Carbon footprint studies committed by Corticeira Amorim, Oeneo Bouchage of France and the Cork Supply Group of Portugal concluded that cork is the most environmentally friendly wine stopper in comparison to other alternatives. The Corticeira Amorim’s study, in particular (“Analysis of the life cycle of Cork, Aluminum and Plastic Wine Closures”), was developed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, according to ISO 14040.[5] Results concluded that, concerning the emission of greenhouse gases, each plastic stopper released 10 times more CO2, whilst aluminium releases 26 times more CO2, to that of a cork stopper.

(via carlee-deactivated20111101)

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(Notes: 341)
  
Filed under: Wine Corks DIY sustainability Carbon footprint Portugal Wine Stopper Aluminum Plastic 
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