PaperNuts: Eco-Friendly Packing Material
Gift-giving is part of the event experience and, more often than not, I’m privy to homes and parties that contain boxes and boxes of Styrofoam peanuts. These are second on my list of no-no’s, right next to Mylar balloons. Not only do these little fellas conspire with static to cling to every surface in your home, but they’re made of Continue reading
Sometimes it’s the smaller consulting gigs that are the most satisfying. With these clients, I get to see true-hearted, hard-working people in action. And when they cross their threshold of comfort and get mired in the decision-making process, I get to be at their side to guide them through.
Decision fatigue is quite real. We each have Continue reading
Over-the-top ceremonies. Bling to the extreme. Bills that look like the GNP of a developing country. After hearing about all the excess of the Kardashian/Humphries wedding, if you weren’t astonished, you should have at least been aghast. The event is proof that it’s time to makeover the old-school way of throwing parties and, while we’re at it, renew the idea of the sustainable marriage – or at the very least the ceremony. Continue reading
Do you know you can shop for everyday items and be a humanitarian at the same time? Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes, realized that, with so many different needs around the world, TOMS had an “obligation to try to improve as many lives as possible.” That’s one brilliant business plan.
A key to TOMS’ success is the One For One Movement, in which a pair of shoes purchased means a pair of shoes is donated to a child in need. The next chapter in One For One problem-solving was inspired by their fashionable eyewear collection. In developing countries, says the TOMS website, “poverty and disease can lead to vision loss. And blindness and poor vision keep people trapped in poverty.” Translation: What may be a stylish pair of spectacles for you becomes a special sight-saving gift for someone in a far-off land. (The website offers a cool Virtual Try-On that lets you superimpose the glasses you like over a human face to see how they’ll look on you.)
TOMS is expanding their horizons to sell men’s, women’s, and youth clothing, with the same shoe-donation guarantee. The phrases of “One For One” and “One Day Without Shoes” appear on their apparel to highlight how everyday objects, like shoes and glasses, can affect one’s life so profoundly.
Community is definitely a focus for this consumer-conscious brand. I appreciate how TOMS’ website strikes up a conversation (on style and individuality), asking enthusiastic supporters “How do you wear them?” The response to date is 4563 images of people sporting the popular slip-ons with personal pizzazz. Their intention is to “give fresh inspiration,” a commendable first step towards igniting creative participation with one’s wardrobe.
Louise Silk repurposes material to create unique memories.
When fashion trends and dwindling wardrobe space threaten the sentimental value of your beloved threads, take a tip from textile visionary Louise Silk: Craft yourself a quilt.
Welcome to the 21st century, where quilting is not just the latest hipster hobby but a spiritual experience. Continue reading
Island Thyme soap from the San Juan Islands
I have dear friends with a home on beautiful Orcas Island in Washington State’s San Juans and had the privilege of planning a milestone birthday for them. We provided guests with beautiful soaps from Island Thyme, a local business that specializes in “botanical bodycare and artisan soaps.” Now, as summer approaches, I use Continue reading
The Coachella Music Festival leads the green pack
Some people tend to forget that the full name of one of the country’s biggest music events is not simply “Coachella,” but the “Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.” Yes, there is more to those three days than just music (and lines and sunburn). There’s also art – and not just the art of surviving hordes of unwashed, overzealous fans. I’m talking serious art that flirts with science and nature. Continue reading
We all know we should switch to reusable shopping bags, recycle our cans, and buy local whenever possible. But what other green changes can we make in our lives in honor of Earth Day 2011? Continue reading
In 2007, during the planning of an extravagant event for a friend’s family celebration, it became abundantly clear that all the effort going into this one-time affair could have an alternative benefit in what I have since dubbed a Second Day Event – the reuse of an event space for a second, philanthropically minded use. Continue reading
Have you had your recommended eight glasses of water today? For the Ethiopian village of Foro, eight glasses would be a luxury, since water is so incredibly scarce that women spend on average three hours a day fetching meager amounts for their families. This World Water Day, the focus is “water for cities,” Continue reading
