Category Archives: Activism

Green Block Party in Astoria This Saturday

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Alden Wicker

It’s time to emerge from hibernation and party like the hippie you are. If you’re in Astoria this weekend, I think this block party might be worth checking out on Saturday. The deets:

May 19, 2012! 12:00-3:00pm (rain or shine!)
In front of Build It Green!NYC’s Astoria Reuse Center (26th Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets, Astoria)

Here’s some dreamy summer music to get you in the mood:

Highlights:

GrowNYC’s Stop ‘N’ Swap - Clear out clutter and help reduce NYC’s waste by bringing clean, portable, reusable items to donate to a new home, or simply take home items that are useful to you. It’s all free! No furniture/large items, please.

Electronic-waste recycling with WeRecycle! – Responsibly recycle computers, monitors, printers, scanners, fax machines, peripherals, (keyboards, mice, cables, etc.) televisions, VCRs, DVD players, cell phones, pagers, PDAs, phones, answering machines, game consoles, portable music players, & other personal e-devices.

Live music featuring Zeke Healy, Mandy Lee, & Tianna Kennedy, plus sets by DJ Cool Places Sound System, DJ Dee Redgrave & DJ Tony Lowe

Plant Sale to Benefit Western Queens Compost Initiative

Compost Tumbler Assembly Demo & Worm Bin Demo by WQCI

Chhaya CDC - Homeowners can bring their utility account numbers to sign up for a free/reduced cost energy assessment

Occupy Wall Street Screenprint Co-op – bring a t-shirt or bag to print on!

Appearances by Solar One, Green Shores, GreenHomeNYC, Two Coves Community Garden

PLUS: Both Build It Green!NYC Reuse Centers will be open for shopping and donating during the Block Party & Stop ‘N’ Swap (10am-5pm in both Astoria and Gowanus).

Be sure to stick around for the BIG!NYC & We Heart Astoria After-Party (3:00-5:00pm)!

More info at: http://www.bignyc.org/block-party

Posted in Activism, Events, New York, Queens | Leave a comment

Action Alert! Join This Beach Cleanup April 14th (Free Stuff Included)

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Alden Wicker

Sperry and United By Blue Beach Cleanup

It’s not quite warm enough for bikini season. But that doesn’t mean you can’t psych yourself up for beach weather with a good ol’ beach cleanup, complete with a free lunch and prizes. Hot damn!

Join Sperry Top-Sider and sustainable brand United By Blue in cleaning up Canarsie Pier Beach in Gateway National Recreation Area, Brooklyn. A mix of hard work and play, the cleanup ends in one-of-a-kind giveaways and prizes. Sperry Top-Sider and United By Blue will provide free breakfast and lunch, water, bug spray, sunscreen, bags, and gloves for volunteers. You just provide the hands.

So, let me get this straight: Exercise in spring weather, with an altruistic component, plus free breakfast and lunch, and prizes from two brands I love. Sounds like a plan.

Sperry Top-Sider and United By Blue Canarsie Pier Beach Cleanup

Saturday, April 14^th, 10 AM to 1 PM

Canarsie Pier, Gateway National Recreation Area, Intersection of Rockaway Pkwy and Shore Pkwy, Brooklyn

Volunteers should meet and park at the end of Canarsie Pier.

To learn more, email cleanup@unitedbyblue.com or click here.

Posted in Activism, Brooklyn, Events, New York | Tagged Action Alert, beach, Cleanup, green events in New York City, Litter, Sperry, sustainable events in new york, United by Blue | Leave a comment

Can You Get Guilt-Free Fast Fashion? Yep. Here’s How

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Alden Wicker

In a perfect world, we would all buy organic clothing made in Brooklyn by reformed former bankers, dyed with rainbows and blessed by a Buddhist monk.

We do not live in a perfect world.

I obsessively look for sustainable clothing that looks passable in the office or out at night. And even with my best efforts, I would say about 20% of my closet came from a “sustainable” designer or brand–40% if you include thrifted, vintage and used items. Yes, stuff is out there, but you have to work within some strict parameters and you really have to search. (You can keep track of my current favorite picks on Pinterest.)

I just love trendy, fun items. I want red jeans! I went a shirt with a peter pan collar! I really want a neon cross body purse. The typical New York girl who isn’t making $200,000 a year would head to one of many “fast fashion” stores to pick out some trendy things. But you’re reading this, so I’m assuming you don’t want to knowingly saddle yourself with bad karma, and bad debt.

Good news, readers. It’s not all bad in the world of cheap, trendy clothing.

Behold, your guide to each and every one of the cheap stores you frequent the most, as sourced from my research for a story on LearnVest:

American Apparel

The Good: AA has plenty of organic clothing, and has some sustainable initiatives beyond the norm, like recycling and donating extra materials, installing solar panels on its factory in L.A., subsidizing public transportation for employees and providing a bike share. All its clothing is manufactured exclusively in the U.S., and it provides health insurance, English classes and meals for its workers.

The Bad: The CEO had been accused in several lawsuits of harassing female employees. Plus, I have heard rumors (unconfirmed) that female employees are impolitely nudged into doing those lewd advertisements you see around town.

My Conclusion: Very eco-friendly as far as fast fashion goes. I personally will continue shop there for basics, but you need to make the decision for yourself.

Ann Taylor

The Meh: No eco-friendly items (no surprise there). It has energy-efficiency initiatives in stores and offices, and has reduced the packaging and shipping energy it uses. It claims that it’s working on more initiatives. AT has principles and guidelines for suppliers, conducts third party unannounced audits and works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates the relationship.

My Conclusion: Not impressed. It isn’t terrible, but as I’m not super pumped about Ann Taylor in the first place, why not just head somewhere else? The only reason why I would go there is that they have petite sizes, which is key for my 5’2″ frame.

ASOS

The Good: The Green Room section of the website features eco-friendly and fair trade clothing and accessories. The company is carbon neutral, and reduced its carbon footprint by cutting air freight from 75% to 10% of goods.

It is also part of the Ethical Trade Initiative association of companies (a European group of trade unions and organizations that work to improve global working conditions). ASOS has code of conduct, has independent audits of suppliers and works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.

My Conclusion: Yes, yes, yes! While sometimes I have trouble figuring out exactly what makes everything in their Green Room green, and some of the things are terrifyingly expensive, I feel confident that this company is going in the right direction, and have no qualms giving them my money. Plus their stuff is some of the cutest out there, hands down.

Charlotte Russe

The Bad: CR, besides having trash-tastic clothing, has no eco-friendly items and doesn’t even pretend to have sustainable practices. While it has guidelines for suppliers, it hasn’t exactly started any independent audits yet.

My Conclusion: Stay far, far away.

Express

The Bad: No eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.

The Meh: Has standards for suppliers; conducts independent audits.

My Conclusion: I wasn’t that pumped about Express anymore anyway. So this is just another reason to forget about them.

Gap Inc. Including Banana Republic and Old Nayv

The Good: Gap is part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and is working on more initiatives. It has a code of vendor conduct, makes unannounced visits to suppliers and works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates the relationship.

The Meh: No eco-friendly items.

My Conclusion: Gap hasn’t done anything egregious, and there is really no eco-friendly equivalent to the staples at both Gap and Banana Republic for work-worthy wear. So I would say shop and hope that Gap follows through on its promises.

Forever 21

The Bad: No eco-friendly items or sustainable practices. A 2002 lawsuit alleged sweatshop conditions, and it’s currently being sued again for labor practices. F21 was also accused of using child labor in Uzbekistan along with Urban Outfitters and Aeropostale by the International Labor Rights Forum. Finally, Forever 21 has a long history of copying small-time designers’ work and passing it off as their own, having been sued several times.

My Conclusion: Sad to say, since F21 has been coming out with some lovely, trendy and affordable pieces lately, but I would go elsewhere. Sorry! (Meanwhile, I will guiltily wear the neon pink lace bra I bought in January until it wears out. And then never go back. I promise!)

H&M

The Good: This British expat pioneered affordable sustainability with the Conscious Collection (which I LOVE), is the #1 user of organic cotton worldwide (organic cotton is blended in with the conventional cotton in many items); and is part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

If you’re a fan of companies that actively try to bring women into the decision-making process, you could do worse than H&M, which has women in 71% of management positions, and goes 50-50 on the board of directors.

The Bad: Was found out for destroying wearable clothing in 2009, but has since stopped that practice.

The Meh: Has a code of conduct with independent audits, works with noncompliant suppliers but has no stated policy on termination for non-compliant suppliers.

My Conclusion: Go for it! You want something trendy and cheap that you can feel good about? March your butt into H&M and snap it up. Love, love love.

Top Shop

The Good: Just a few eco-friendly items. Reduced energy use at stores and offices, reduced gas use in shipping, increased recycling and is working on more initiatives.

The Mixed: Accused in 2007 of using slave labor by newspaper investigation; published Code of Conduct in 2009; conducts independent evaluations.

My Conclusion: I love Top Shop’s stuff, I really do. But I just can’t quite get behind them yet. They say they have eco-friendly items, but as of right now, it’s just one brand of jeans. Show me a little more, Top Shop, and I’m allll yours.

Urban Outfitters, Including Free People and Anthropologie

The Bad: Oh boy, this one is a doozy. UO has no eco-friendly items or sustainable practices. It has no labor guidelines, and was accused of using child labor in Uzbekistan along with Forever 21 and Aeropostale by International Labor Rights Forum. Urban Outfitters has zero female board members out of six. Shall I keep going? Okay, Urban Outfitters has even stolen the design and ad copy off an Etsy jewelry designer. Ouch.

What makes it worse, is that Free People and Anthropologie have such a global, peace-loving vibe. Yup, it’s all a sham.

My Conclusion: You know what? Anthropologie’s stuff doesn’t look good on real people anyway. And Urban Outfitters is overpriced. So I’m just going to wave goodbye to this whole company, and good riddance.

Victoria’s Secret

The Bad: It has no eco-friendly items, and has paid only lip service to sustainability by reducing paper and energy use and increasing recycling. I don’t think that makes up for the number of catalogues it sends out.

It does have sourcing standards with independent audits, but those audits must not be working well, because it is currently being inspected by U.S. investigators for using child labor.

Oh, and Victoria’s Secret’s heavy-handed photoshopping is just out of control. Give me a break, please.

My Conclusion: Do I need to say it? I’m just so over this brand. Its stuff is trashy, overpriced and conventional. And there are so many pretty little boutiques around the city that do it better.

Zara

The Good: A few eco-friendly items. Has improved energy efficiency and has a couple sustainably-built stores, including a LEED-certified one.

The Bad: Has a code of conduct with inspections, but was accused last fall of using slave labor by a Brazilian TV report. Zara responded saying it would “strengthen supervision.” I wonder how that is going?

My Conclusion: Whatever, Zara. You’ve lost me.

Posted in Activism, Fashion | Tagged American Apparel, Ann Taylor, Anthropologie, ASOS, Banana Republic, Charlotte Russe, eco-fashion, Express, Forever 21, Free People, Gap, H&M, sustainable clothing, Top Shop, Urban Outfitters, Victoria's Secret, Zara | Leave a comment

Spread the Love With These Fair Trade V-Day Gifts (Plus a Giveaway!)

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Alden Wicker

If you’re looking for an easy way to communicate to your honey (or your mom, or bestie, whoever wants to brighten your upcoming Tuesday) that you would prefer a Valentine’s Day gift with good energy, then I’ve got your solution: Just share with them this post!

And if you’re searching for a good way to show the conscious consumer in your life how much you care, just think about how, “I got you these Fair Trade roses from Ecuador” sounds so much better than, “I ordered these roses from FTP.”

Fair Trade USA has put together a very helpful post on traditional Valentine’s Day gifts … with a loving twist. Read on for their guidelines, and for how to enter to win a yummy, dark chocolate, Fair Trade bar!

Roses

Americans will buy more than 189 million stems of roses this Valentine’s Day, the majority of which will travel all the way from Ecuador and Colombia before they’re sold to doting beaus. You can make sure that your long-stemmed symbols of love positively impact the lives of farm workers (many of whom are women) by looking for bouquets bearing the Fair Trade Certified logo.

Fair Trade Certified roses can be found in-store at Whole Foods Market. Just look for the big, beautiful blossoms and vivid colors with the green Whole Trade Guarantee sticker in the floral department. Before you hand over these special roses, make sure to read up on the farm they came from to add a sweet story to the gift.

If you are sending flowers to loved ones, you can order online from One World Flowers and schedule the delivery of beautiful Ecuadorian roses. In addition to traditional red and pink roses, you can select themed bouquets like “Helping Haiti” and “Honoring Japan” that support much-needed relief efforts in those countries. Remember to order early: Fair Trade Certified roses tend to sell out during this season. Use the coupon code FairTrade5 to get $5 off your order.

Share the Love: Show your love for Fair Trade Certified roses by asking your local florist to carry them. You can also use this photo as your Facebook timeline cover picture (Ladies: this works well as a subtle hint to your Valentine who might otherwise make the mistake of getting you non-certified roses).

Read more about Fair Trade Certified roses.

Chocolate

Even though Americans spend $16 billion a year on decadent cocoa products, cocoa farmers face tremendous instability. Fair Trade certification ensures that cocoa farmers receive a fair price for their harvest, creates direct trade links between farmer-owned cooperatives and buyers, and provides access to affordable credit. Fair Trade also strictly prohibits slave and child labor. This Valentine’s Day, support a better life for cocoa farmers by sharing your favorite Fair Trade Certified confection with your friends and family. There are plenty of delicious options to help you achieve this goal, including Sweet Earth Chocolates Classic Red Velvet Box, Sjaak’s dark chocolate with raspberry bar, ChocoDream Spreads, Kopali Chocolate Covered Cacao Nibs, TCHO “My Heart’s Desire” Adigard 12-Bar Sampler, Alter Eco Dark Velvet Chocolate and sweetriot riotous riotBar gift set.

If an Alter Eco dark chocolate quinoa bar sounds like something you would like (um, obviously), you can enter to win one of five bars! Just tweet at me (CleanHippieNY) and tell me you prefer Fair Trade Valentine’s Day gifts. The first five readers to tweet will get a sweet gift in the mail.

Read more about Fair Trade Certified cocoa.

Share the Love: Help change the cocoa industry for the better by asking large chocolate manufacturers to go Fair Trade. Many companies have comment submission forms on their websites, making this an easy action to take. It is also important to thank companies for their delicious Fair Trade Certified offerings–do this with a handwritten card, e-mail or post on Facebook!

Coffee & Tea

Start the day off right by brewing a hot pot of Fair Trade Certified coffee or tea for your special someone. When it comes to coffee, look for a special blend with a good story, like Weaver’s Astral Blend (supports Breast Cancer Research – use code 1201FT for free shipping in February on orders over $45), Grounds for Change Cafe Famenino Peru (promotes women’s empowerment) or Green Mountain Coffee Golden French Toast (it’s just fun!). If you prefer tea, there are plenty of Valentine-approved blends available like the Rishi Tea Pu-erh Gift Set, Choice Organic Tea Rooibos Chai, Art of Tea Vanilla Berry Truffle or Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Pomegranate Rose.

Share the Love: Did your loved one enjoy your Fair Trade Certified Valentine’s Day brew? Take the time to thank the company that made it with a shout out on Facebook or Twitter.

Baked Goods

Nothing completes a Valentine’s Day dinner like a freshly-prepared dessert. With so many high-quality Fair Trade Certified ingredients available (chocolate, sugar, honey, coffee, etc.), it’s easy to create your own Fair Trade Certified delicacy. Take a lesson from Top Chef Just Desserts contestant Malika Ameen and try her Chocolate Mousse Cake with Vanilla Cardamom Swirl, or browse through Wholesome Sweeteners’ tantalizing Valentine’s Day recipes. Chocolate Hazelnut Waffles with Frangelico Brown Butter Syrup, anyone?

Not much of a baker? Don’t worry; there are options for you, too! The bakery at Sam’s Club now carries a variety of freshly-prepared treats made with Fair Trade Certified sugar, including banana nut bread and pound cake.

And thanks to Just Sweets Desserts, you can order online and send elegant Fair Trade Certified treats to loved ones. Nothing says “I love you” like the delivery of a box of Fairest Chocolate Chip Cookies on your doorstep.

Share the Love: Host a Fair Trade dessert party. Ask friends to bring their favorite dessert, made with as many Fair Trade Certified ingredients as possible. Judge the desserts based on taste and number of Fair Trade ingredients used.

Wine & Spirits

Add a little color to your Valentine’s Day table with red and pink drinks. You can order Heritage Link One World Shiraz online or pick up a bottle of Cantora at Whole Foods Market (it’s a Top 10 wine!). In addition to wine, Valentine’s Day is a great time to try one of the FAIR. Spirits. You can blend FAIR. Quinoa with FAIR. Goji to make a beautiful, pink Gogipolitan. If you can’t find these spirits locally, you can order them online from JugShop.com, 67Wine, Marketview Liqueur or Cask.

Read more about Fair Trade Certified wine and spirits.

Share the Love: Make sure to ask for Fair Trade Certified beverages at your favorite restaurants and bars. Suggest that they contact Fair Trade USA for more information and product recommendations.

Unmentionables (and other items of Fair Trade Certified clothing)

While the month of February brings with it an abundance of gifts geared toward the special women in our lives, it can also bring a sense of panic to those seeking the perfect gift for the perfect man. Well fear no more, this Valentine’s Day show him you care with something a little more…well, outside the box. Good & Fair’s Fair Trade Certified boxers, made with 100% Organic Poplin cotton, last infinitely longer than a box of chocolates, and they are lightweight and comfortable to boot! Aside from the boxers, consider a scarf from Maggie’s Organics, the prAna Soul Tee, or a Classic Polo from by Tompkins Point Apparel. Fair Trade Certified apparel and linens support the livelihoods of cotton farmers with better prices and also benefits factory workers with a community development premium for schools, medical clinics, scholarships and more.

Share the Love: Spread the word about Fair Trade Certified apparel and linens by sharing this link: http://www.ecouterre.com/first-fair-trade-certified-clothing-arrives-in-the-us. You can also make a donation to Fair Trade USA to support the expansion of our apparel and linens program. Our expansion initiatives are 100% funded by philanthropic contributions like yours.

Read more about Fair Trade Certified apparel and linens.

Gifts of Fairness

Does your sweetheart have everything or want nothing? You can give a unique paperless, package-less gift that changes the world – a Gift of Fairness. This Valentine’s Day, your donation to Fair Trade USA can come the form of a symbolic gift such as a Fair Wage for a Woman or a Micro Loan for a Grandmother. Fair Trade provides women with decent income and economic opportunities in 70 countries worldwide. Designate someone special to receive your new Gift of Fairness and personalize an e-card for them. Hint: this is a wonderful last-minute gift!

Share the Love: Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit organization that depends on donations to expand the benefits of Fair Trade to farmers and workers in new geographic locations and product categories every year. Encourage your friends and family to consider making a donation in support of Fair Trade this Valentine’s Day by sharing this link: http://www.fairtradeusa.org/donate.

Giveaway Alert!

If an Alter Eco dark chocolate quinoa bar sounds like something you would like (um, obviously), you can enter to win one of five bars! Just follow me at CleanHippieNY and tweet @ me telling me you prefer Fair Trade Valentine’s Day gifts. The first five readers to tweet will get a sweet gift in the mail.

Posted in Activism, Food, Products, Recipes | Tagged eco-friendly gifts, fair trade, gifts, gifts for a eco-friendly girl, sustainable gifts, Valentines Day | 1 Comment

I Went Dumpster Diving … and Ate What I Found

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Alden Wicker

This post originally appeared on LearnVest.com.

I ate food out of a dumpster.

And so are increasing numbers of educated, employed and perfectly sane people.

The movement is called freeganism, and its adherents use unconventional methods to get things for free. Although some are frowned upon, like digging through the trash, freegans also grow their own food and forage in the park for edible greens and berries.

Those who’ve joined the movement live off of free things for a variety of reasons: preserving the environment, protesting capitalism or just filling their pantries when times are tight. And they share the desire to protest the wastefulness of our food system.

Food, Food Everywhere …

Americans throw out an astounding 27% of available food, about a pound of food per day for each American.

This is because 1) stores feel pressured to keep shelves perfectly stocked at all times; 2) they throw out food with merely cosmetic blemishes; and 3) expiration dates demand that food gets chucked regardless of whether it has actually gone bad. For example, American bakeries keep shelves full all day long for purely aesthetic reasons; at closing time, whole shelves of bagels go directly in the trash.

What Being a Freegan Means

Freeganism started in the mid 1990s and has since spread across the U.S. … and the world. Because freegans tend to be anti-establishment, there are no official numbers on how many exist, but groups meet up periodically for discussion and dumpster diving.

For the most part, stores and restaurant managers ignore freegans, who strive not to bother anyone or make a mess. And there’s no legal gray area: Once trash gets put out on the sidewalk, it’s no longer the property of a store and is available for anyone bold enough to walk away with it—or cook it up for their own ends.

Of course, one of my first questions to a freegan was about food safety. One woman, a freegan since 2003, told me she’s never gotten food poisoning. It’s very uncommon, she said, because freegans take extra precautions in washing and cooking food. Plus, many are also vegans (hence the wordplay), so they don’t eat much meat …

To find out whether a person could actually get a balanced diet from dumpsters—or if the whole thing is just insane—I attended a freegan trash tour, run on a biweekly basis by freegans in Manhattan who want to highlight how much waste consumers and businesses really produce, and, in the process, bring more people over to their side.

And then, the next night, they kindly invited me over for a freegan feast—to taste the results of our foraging.

Here’s how the events unfolded.

Foraging for My Food

Monday, 9:30 p.m.: I meet up with the group outside a large grocery store. Since, by now, most food establishments have put out their garbage for collection the next day, the freegan pickings are plentiful at night. Some attendees are hardcore freegans, and some are curious tourists. They range from college students to one man who looks like he’s in his seventies. Nobody (besides a fellow reporter) is dressed really nicely, but nobody looks homeless either. Overall, the crowd looks smart, sane, open-minded … a lot like people you might pass on a hiking trip.

Before we take off, our leader explains freegan etiquette: always retie all the bags and leave the trash pile cleaner than you found it (to prevent being banned from a store in the future). Also, share what you find with the group. Certain foods come in quantities that are more than you can handle, and while you might not want a bruised apple, someone else in the group might …

Read the rest at LearnVest.

Posted in Activism, Brooklyn, Experiments, Food, Lifestyle, New York, Sustainability | Tagged Food, freegans, Zero Waste | 2 Comments

TODAY: Action Alert: Show Up at This Fracking Meeting!

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Alden Wicker

$protesting fracking in new york$

Credit: emerille/Flickr

Fracking is such a great name for natural gas extraction. It sounds mean, unsavory, and harsh. And that’s exactly what it is.

And they want to do it in Upstate NYC.

Now, normally we New York City residents do a lot of ignoring when it comes to Upstate New York. It seems to exist solely for trips to see fall foliage and farmers market apples. But in this case, what happen in upstate will show up in your tap. If we aren’t careful, instead of drinking the water from your tap, you could be using it to light your oven.

Let’s back up for a moment and explain what fracking is. Fracking is a method used to get natural gas out of the ground. It involved pumping a proprietary (read: secret) mix of chemicals into the ground to force natural gas out.

While proponents make the usual rallying cry of, “It creates jobs!” many are pointing to disturbing instances of poisoned groundwater and lax regulations across the United States. The movie Gasland, from what I hear since I haven’t seen it my self, does an excellent job of driving home the substantial risks inherent in pumping chemicals into the ground, no matter how safe the disposal is reported to be. And honestly, if the New York Times cries foul, I’m inclined to agree.

Why does this concern you? Well, New York City gets it delicious clean tap water from upstate. And if fracking is allowed to happen up there, you might see the result right in your own apartment. Even putting that aside, if you like apples and milk from upstate, you would still oppose fracking, since it’s usually the farmers who have the land to lease to natural gas companies, who then poisons their cows and grounds.

New York Governor Cuomo is all for letting fracking happen. Why wouldn’t he be? Energy companies are outspending environmental organizations four to one.

But you can participate in this process. Today from 1:00 to 4:00pm and 6:00 to 9:00pm, there will be a public hearing on the subject. Go, show up, register your displeasure! It’s at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center at 199 Chambers Street.

Posted in Activism, Events, Health, New York, News, Sustainability | Tagged Activism, farmers market, Fracking, new york times, Protest, Upstate New York | Leave a comment

Green NYC Events, Weekend of October 21st, 2011

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Alden Wicker

Manhattan Vintage Fashion Show & Sale

Friday, October 21, 1-8pm
Saturday, October 22, 11-6pm

This warehouse of beautiful vintage offerings from 94 purveyors near and far will blow you away. Block out your whole afternoon; this will take you a while.

Why? Reusing clothes is always eco-friendly. And so much more interesting!

Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th St. (Btwn. 6th & 7th Aves.)
Manhattan

Pose for Pink Yoga Class

Sunday, October 23, 1:30-3pm

Join Pure instructor and Zobha Circle of Grace member, Kay Kay Clivio in a special open level class to benefit the Libby Ross Breast Cancer Foundation Pose for Pink Yoga Program.
Why? All attendees will receive a limited edition Zobha Breast Cancer tank, and all proceeds will benefit the expansion of the Libby Ross Pose for Pink Yoga program.

Sign up here.
Suggested donation of $40. (checks can be made payable to “The Libby Ross Foundation”).
Pure East
203 East 86th St. (at 3rd Ave.)

James Corbett Studio Hair2Help’s Fundraiser

Tuesday, October 25, 7-10pm

Raise money for cancer spa days by sipping cocktails and mingling at one of the chicest sustainable salons in NYC.

Why? Exciting raffle prizes and silent auctions, plus donations are 100% tax deductible.

RSVP here!
Elmo Lounge
156 7th Avenue, Manhattan

Green Spaces’ Three-and-a-Half-Year Anniversary

Tuesday, Oct 25, 7-10pm

Gather with other NYC business leaders, emerging entrepreneurs, and friends of Green Spaces to toast and network. Enjoy Zach Fried Photography and partake in party games for entertainment.

Why: If you haven’t been here yet for a lovely green party, you will. Might as well get to know the space!

RSVP here!
Green Spaces; 394 Broadway, 5th fl; Manhattan
greenspaceshome.com

Free Nutrition Session

Wednesday, Oct 26^th, 8- 9pm

The JCC has partnered with Deena Barselah, Holistic Nutrition Practitioner, C.H.C, to offer a new approach to overcoming common obstacles to healthy eating. These free conference calls will teach how you can feed your body to obtain optimum health.

Why? Halloween is coming, and this first call is about curbing sugar cravings. Perfect timing.

Posted in Activism, Beauty, Fashion, Food | Tagged Green NYC Events, yoga | 1 Comment

A Broad Overview of Consuming Consciously

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Alden Wicker

shopping for organic clothing Just in case you need a refresher on the basics of living consciously: my latest “green” post over at personal finance site LearnVest.com:

Trends. They seduce us into buying a hot item, only to leave us a year later with an emptier wallet and a useless widget.

But there’s one trend we at LearnVest can get behind: conscious consumerism.

At its most basic level, buying consciously just means taking a couple of extra seconds to consider each purchase. It’s a way to buy healthier food, keep your home free of clutter and keep your budget intact…

Read the rest at LearnVest!

Posted in Activism, Apartment, Beauty, Cool sites, Fashion, Food, Green Angst, Health, Lifestyle, Sustainability, Tips | Tagged conscious consumerism, eco-friendly, Green Guide, Green Products, Shopping Eco-Friendly, Shopping Green | Leave a comment

Secondhand style: Wash and wear weekend

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Alden Wicker

This is my seventh entry in the series “Grist dared me to make a change.” Read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth here. And support my dare with a gift to Grist!

White ribbed tank, Goodwill Greenwich Village, $9.99; yellow lacrosse shorts, Goodwill Annapolis, $3.50; Chucks (or knockoffs, I'm not sure), Salvation Army, $3.99. Total for outfit: $17.48.

Two things I learned about the Salvation Army by Union Square:

1. It does not have air conditioning.
2. It does not have dressing rooms.

Can we say miserable? It was 103 degrees in Manhattan when I found myself gathering what looked to be unwashed clothing off the racks in the depressingly dingy Salvation Army. When the sales lady told me I could “go to that corner to try it on there,” I stared at her for a moment, feeling first disgust at the visual of my crouching behind a rack, getting nekkid for used clothing. Then I felt guilty for being so snobby. Finally I settled on just being exhausted. At this point I was wandering around the store in the same pair of black heels I had worn all week, fantasizing about my Rainbow flip-flops and an air-conditioned department store with three-way mirrors.

It is impossible to find a matching bottom and top to a bikini at Salvation Army. All of them are missing the bottoms! Why? Actually, don’t answer that question. I don’t want to know. As my friend kindly pointed out this weekend, despite all my hand wringing about buying used underwear, buying a used bikini is about as bad. Oh, couldn’t she have left me ignorant on this fact?

I took my finds home (seven items for $35!) to my apartment to pack for my weekend away in Vermont, and realized I didn’t have time to do any wash. I peered at everything, looking for bedbugs, and then — resigned to my fate — stuffed it all in my duffel.

I also stuffed in my duffel a few items from the Goodwill Annapolis. When I was visiting last weekend, I made my sister drive me there for a shopping trip. She was absolutely no help at all. She spent the whole shopping trip picking out the ugliest atrocities she could find and running up to me saying, “YOU HAVE TO BUY THIS.” Then, she made fun of what I actually bought. Thanks, sis.

Grey striped Forever21 T-shirt, Salvation Army, $2.99; jeans repurposed into shorts, Beacon's Closet, $20; bra top, mine; TOM shoes, mine. Total for outfit: $22.99, not including my own items.

Grey striped Forever21 T-shirt, So this outfit to the left is what I changed into for the ride up to Vermont on Friday. When I told my friend Liz that I had just gone shopping today at the Salvation Army, and no, I did not wash most of the clothing, she said, “Ewww! We are washing everything as soon as we arrive.” I didn’t have the heart to tell her that the shirt I was wearing at the very moment, rubbing shoulders with her, was unwashed as well.

But it wasn’t all bad. Once I told my decidedly un-green friends about the challenge, they wanted to hear about the other challenges too. Their reactions ranged from, “That is impossible,” (purging plastic) to “Gross, really?” (carrying around one’s trash). It sparked a whole conversation about composting, waste reduction, etc. By the end of the weekend, half of our inside jokes involved environmental issues. “Fracking” became the term for anything we didn’t like. As in, “Dude, don’t frack it, OK?” I feel like a scored a point for Mama Earth this weekend.

We did, in fact, put all of my clothing straight in the wash when we arrived, including the Chuck Taylors that had the inside soles inexplicably ripped out. Actually, when it came to the Chucks, I scrubbed them out with soap and water, dumped hand sanitizer inside, and then put them in the washing machine. No athlete’s foot for me, thanks!

I’m happy to report that I made it through the weekend just fine. I went tramping through the woods, sported two different bikinis in the hot tub, went to a civilized brunch, and even had separate sleepwear for bed. In fact, one purple dress is a new favorite. But I cheated for shoes and my purse. It is just impossible to find anything presentable or non-blister-inducing when it comes to accessories.

I would like to end with a message for Salvation Army: I will pay a few more dollars for clothing. Just please, get some air conditioning. And a changing room. Even a curtain would be a nice start. Please?

And here’s a message for you: Donate to Grist!

Posted in Activism, Experiments, Fashion, Green Angst, New York, Sustainability, Tips | Tagged Goodwill, Salvation Army, Thrift Stores, used clothing | Leave a comment

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Alden Wicker

This is my fifth entry in the series “Grist dared me to make a change.” Read the first, second, third, and fourth here. And support my dare with a gift to Grist!

H&M maxi dress, $14.99; embellished sandals, $12.99; oversize heart drop earrings, $5.99 (as I remember) from Goodwill Annapolis; purse, $9.99. Total for outfit: $43.96.

I’m so bored by my outfit today, I can’t even tell you.

I tried to punch up this H&M maxi dress, but I don’t have any colorful jewelry or scarves. So I braided my hair, put on a huge pair of earrings I bought some time ago at Goodwill Annapolis, and tried some bright red lipstick for a more bohemian look. But really, I’m still wearing a black nightgown. The office has been silent about my outfit, which I’m going to have to interpret as quiet disapproval.

On the bright side, yesterday I got this lovely email from a fan:

Let me put it this way… Were I not happily married, and if I saw you wearing that outfit in, say, the local grocery co-op, I’d be looking for a ring.

My boyfriend, Mike, tried to convince me to send him the email, so he could, “Take care of it,” but I managed to convince him this guy meant no harm.

I wish I knew which outfit he was talking about! Probably the one where my boobs were on display. I spent all day tugging, tugging, tugging. I had to hang up a picture and I was afraid if I reached too far over my head, everything would just pop out. But I made it through the day with no major mishaps. One commenter asked if I hadn’t even tried on the dress. Well, yes, I did try it on. I tried everything on. But I was so thrilled I guess I just said to myself, “It’s tight, but doable!” Or else I put on some pounds last week. Entirely possible.

Tonight I’ll finally have time to hit the yoga studio and try out my thrift store exercise clothes.

I say tomorrow is a cut-off jean day. Who’s with me? And who’s with me in supporting Grist?

Posted in Activism, Experiments, Fashion, New York, Tips | Tagged Challenge, Dare, Goodwill, grist, used clothing | Leave a comment