a green vinnies fling

Since Sydney's Fashion Week is kicking off today, I thought I'd share with you the very exclusive fashion event I attended last Thursday night . . .

The launch of the winter line from Narrabeen Vinnies.

The store had been well-merchandised and well-staffed, and customer service was second-to-none. As I entered the store during it's special late night session I felt the distinctive buzz of excitement and slightly competitive atmosphere as shoppers started their hunt that reminded me of the vibe at the many sample sales I've been to over the years and the Clothing Exchange swap I attended last year.  Real shoppers love a bargain! 

Shoppers of all ages, shapes and sizes were scouring the racks.
There was a surprisingly large amount of fur - from hats to
mink collars to coats of varying length - not my particular
style, but if you desire fur, used is the way to go.

After spending about 45 minutes of serious shopping, I left with 5 items to refresh my winter wardrobe. My grand total was less than $50 and I get a special discount if I return before 10 May (maybe my vintage-loving friend Nat will want to join me?).

Chocolate brown velvet blazer - $15

The perfect top to dress up or down - $4

I've been looking at silver cuffs for so long - this was only $6

Vintage men's military sweater - $10

Black skinny jeans - $8

Now that I've brought home my treasures and the post-shopping euphoria has worn off I have to admit to some slight buyer's remorse. Even though I'm a seasoned shopper, I still let the thrill of the hunt get the better of me, and a few of the items are not up to scratch.

The blouse and jeans are from fast-fashion brands.  I knew this as I tried them on, but I was mostly thinking about how great it was to extend the life of the items instead of critiquing the quality as I should have. Now that I've examined them in more detail, it's obvious these items were made cheaply from poor-quality materials; the blouse is pilling and the chain detailing around the neckline is faulty, and there is zero structure to the jeans - they may as well be leggings. I'm not sure how long I'll hang onto these items before I send them back to Vinnies (not that this is the answer to unwanted fashion, since so much excess clothing is donated annually they can't actually distribute it all).

The Vinnies has a great mix of products - including designer brands and vintage finds - but the abundance of fast fashion items was a stark reminder that we need to wean ourselves off these brands to avoid filling our landfill with unwanted, worn out items. What a great personal reminder of why quality is better than quantity, not only for my style, but also for the environment.

Will I be shopping at Vinnies again?

You betcha! I'm enamoured with my blazer and military jumper. But I'll definitely be a more discerning shopper next time around.

So tell me, what's the best item you've scored from a thrift shop?

a green ABC fling

If you're like me, you were glued to your TV last night for ABC's climate change double header of I Can Change Your Mind About Climate followed by a special Q & A program set up to discuss the documentary that featured Anna Rose, AYCC Co-founder and climate advocate, pitted against Nick Minchin, former Liberal senator and climate challenger. (The Twittersphere was also going off with many outraged greenies venting their frustrations.)

Anna Rose and Nick Minchin. Copyright ABC Television.

I'll admit there were times I had to focus on deep breathing so my frustration with the climate deniers didn't cause me to turn off the TV altogether.  But despite my dislike for giving sceptics airtime, and the fact that Rose and Minchin, plus the film crew, flew all around the globe to make the documentary, I think it was time well spent in front of the tube.

Not surprisingly, I associated the most with Q&A panelist Rebecca Huntley, social researcher and writer.  Huntley shared a few trends that I have also seen during my time researching and writing about climate change and personal behaviour:

• Most people want to do the right thing by the environment, but don't want to give up their entire lifestyle to do so.  
• The majority of Australians (and Americans) are sitting on the fence; most likely accepting that the science of anthropomorphic climate change is a reality, but unsure to what extent to believe the damage will be. 
• Many people are turned off by extremist, fear-inducing messages that pop up in many environmental campaigns.

These issues are precisely why I wrote my book (yes, another shameless plug, but this is totally relevant).

I'm a great example of someone who shunned the idea of swapping my lifestyle for a stereotypical hippy one that (for me) meant dreadlocks, eating only homemade soy products and mung beans, and wearing shapeless burlap frocks.  In our culture we place a lot of value in our identities, and we create these identities through the way we look, what clothing we wear, what our homes look like, our pastimes, our cars, our jobs, our friends - the list goes on.  I definitely wasn't prepared to give up my stylish existence for one I didn't identify with, no matter how great the cause.  And if there is anything I'll ever agree with Clive Palmer on, it's that people in developed nations don't want to give up their comfortable lifestyles for the sake of the environment.  The truth is, the majority of Australians/Americans don't identify with the 'hippy' lifestyle associated with environmentalism, and there will be a huge cultural shift required in order to get mainstream America/Australia on the environmental bandwagon, which is what we environmentalists will need if we really want to generate positive change.

After watching the shows I was left with an even deeper conviction that we need more social and cultural research on climate change. The science is in (whether the sceptics choose to accept it or not), and now the challenge will be understanding people better and how we can ease the transition into a less carbon-intensive future.  Our messaging needs to steer away from doom and gloom statistics.  Instead, let's help people understand where they can make the biggest changes in their lives, how they can maintain their unique identities and lifestyles in a sustainable way, and continue celebrating examples of real people making a real difference.

I'd love to hear your opinion on last night's shows, drop me a line or share a comment below!

a green lightbulb fling

Today's post is slightly less glamorous than my recent posts, but just as important!

By now we've all heard how important it is to switch to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Depending on your source these powerful little globes can use as little as 1/5 the amount of energy and last up to 15 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs, and are an excellent way to save on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint.

But what do you do when they do eventually burn out?

The bulbs contain a small amount of mercury and should be disposed of carefully so as not to contaminate land or water sources. Since CFLs last so long, this is the first time I've had to deal with this conundrum, and I want to do it right.

I did a little research this morning and thought I'd share with you the highlights:

• In the US you can take them to any IKEA or Home Depot for safe disposal, or alternately check out www.Earth911.org to research your nearest recylcing facility.
• In Australia we can also take our bulbs to IKEA for proper disposal. 
• Bunnings is trialling a CFL recycling program in Victoria and Western Australia.  
• NSW Household Chemical CleanOut program offers free recycling of CFLs, batteries and other toxic household items. 
• Planet Ark's Recycling Near You website is perfect for finding out where you can take your burnt out CFLs (or anything else you need to recycle!) across Australia.

I'll be utilising the NSW CleanOut program, because luckily my closest drop off location is having a collection this weekend - I'll take the bulb and any other chemicals I need to dispose of at the same time. Since I only use homemade cleaning supplies now there are probably still a few chemical-laden potions hiding underneath my kitchen sink, and I know I have a dozen batteries lying around the place.

Happy recycling!

a green party fling : follow-up

Well, the book launch was officially a success!

I wish you all could have been there, but as it was I was lucky enough to be surrounded by best friends, family, colleagues and eco-industry peeps, and I couldn't have asked for anything more.  Well, except perhaps that the rain would have let up even a little bit - it was bucketing down that night!

Here are a few pics from the night. Thanks again to Grandma Takes a Trip for letting me borrow this amazing purple and blue gown - I really did feel like a princess. And Tamburlaine, thanks heaps for the organic wine and bubbly, it was delicious as always. And of course, GBCA, thanks for use of the beautiful GreenHouse and lots of love!

I asked guests to share their eco 'aha' moment with me - like I had
about take away coffee cups

Me and a great GBCA friend - loving my dress!!

My crowd of supporters - Ian Wingrove is looking at the camera here,
thanks for the great cover design Wingrove Design!
Sarah Allen and her author-husband Chris Allen are in the crowd, too,
they had both been major inspiration for my completing this project!
Read Sarah's interview with me here.

There were eReaders set up around the room so guests could 'try before you buy'

Me reading some excerpts in the lovely GreenHouse - thanks again GBCA!

A little laughter with the crowd (and also look how gorgeous the dress
is from the back!)

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported me as I wrote, published and launched this book.  As I learned throughout the process, there are a lot of unsustainable things in this world, but lucky for us, love is not one of them. Until next time, xxLisa

a green party fling

As you probably know by now, I've written a book.

Exciting times!

My official book launch is this week, and I'm putting the finishing touches on party planning as I type.  Of course I need this party to be a reflection of my sustainably stylish lifestyle - here are some of the details:

• Venue: The fabulous, sustainable GreenHouse courtesy of GBCA
• Frock: Borrowing a to-die-for vintage dress from the gorgeous folks at Grandma Takes a Trip (Hot off the press: new winter stock just arrived in the shops!)
• Drink: Supported by Tamburlaine organic wines
• Food: Organic cheeses and other treats from Lettuce Deliver and a special organic version of Vella Nero's award-winning brownies
• The scene: A number of Queen B Australian beeswax candles to help set the mood
• For fun: A sustainable lucky door prize

There are only a few loose ends to tie up now, and this little greenie is buzzing with excitement. Only two sleeps to go!

I'll share photos later this week - xLisa

a green gift fling

Last weekend I was given a delightful gift of a sustainable, stylish bracelet from Kukula Designs.

My friend Elizabeth originally brought me this bangle as a "farewell gift". Since my plans have recently changed, it instead was offered as a "congrats on your book gift".  Whatever the occasion, I'm thrilled with the pretty present, thanks Liz!

She purchased the bangle at Paddington Markets in Sydney from the designer who makes all the jewelry using recycled paper. I feel so flattered that my friend took into account my sustainable lifestyle when selecting this lovely gift for me.

My bangle doesn't fit over my 'large' hand, but that's just the perfect excuse to head over to the market myself to see all the gorgeous designs.  Based on what I've seen on Kukula's website, I suspect I'll be heading home with more than just one bracelet.

If you don't live in Sydney, don't worry, Kukula has an Etsy store, too. Happy shopping!

a green fling lesson : lca

Have you ever been shopping for shampoo and been faced with conflicting messages across the labels such as:

• 100% natural
• Degradable bottle
• Organic ingredients
• Non-toxic
• Packaging made from recycled plastic

How do you know what’s the most eco-friendly choice?

I wish I could tell you the answer is easy, but it’s not. Not yet, anyway.

Every item we consume has a long environmental rap sheet, and it’s not all available on product packaging. This is where Life Cycle Assessment – or LCA – comes into play.  In the opinion of many environmentalists this represents the future of eco-purchasing across many areas.

Recently I sat down with my mate Ben Kneppers from Edge Environment to get the latest from the world of LCA. 

Can you explain to us non-engineers what LCA is?

LCA is a way of measuring the environmental footprint of a given product, service or system from cradle to grave. LCA takes a holistic approach, considering a range of the most critical environmental aspects of a product – including carbon, pollution, water, energy and materials – throughout its entire life as well as what happens at the end of its life, for example, can it be recycled? Will it biodegrade? Will it end up in a landfill or damaging ecosystems? Can it be upcycled into something else?

A number of products’ environmental claims at present only provide a small amount of information based only on carbon emissions or water use, and the aim of LCA is to provide the complete picture.

Why is it important for consumers to know about LCA?

A lot of consumers want to make environmentally-aware purchases, but unfortunately many of them may be greenwashed or simply give up because of a lack of information. Understanding that a product’s environmental footprint includes more than just carbon takes consumers in the right direction and allows them to make more informed decisions.

Consumers are increasingly aware of this, even if they wouldn’t call it LCA. Research shows that LOHAS (lifestyles of health and sustainability) consumer numbers are continuing to grow each year, and their number one complaint is confusion caused by eco-labelling.

So is the future of LCA eco-labelling?

Absolutely.  Green claims are easy to make, but harder to prove, and consumers are learning this.  Even the experts can get confused.  But having an independently verified ‘seal’ or ‘certification’ on a product that has taken into account the complete environmental cost can provide consumers peace of mind in their eco-purchases.

We’re seeing great work done in this area internationally at the moment, including with Walmart Chile.  Together with Fundación Chile, Edge Environment has developed dozens of product category LCAs for food, beverages and detergents to support the suppliers and sustainability managers at Walmart Chile to focus on key environmental issues.  This work has been closely aligned with the Sustainability Measurement and Reporting System of The Sustainability Consortium, a global network of LCA and sustainability practitioners working to standardise eco-labelling.

What makes you excited about LCA?

I have an engineering degree, and with my ‘scientific-mind’ LCA just makes so much sense.  The hard data is something I can grasp and clearly see what we are doing wrong in terms of resource depletion and unsustainable growth.

And we’re just scratching the surface with what we know and what we can do with LCA. It can dramatically impact the way the world works. The work we’re doing with Walmart is just the tip of LCA iceberg.

Edge Environment was the perfect place for me to get into the field. They’re committed to using best practice scientific methods to pursue pioneering work that makes real change to the sustainability industry. Beyond LCA we consult on Climate Change Adaptation and sustainability strategies for organisations.

Thank you Ben!

Do you have any other burning environmental questions you'd like me to investigate for you? Drop me a line!