I can create that style sustainably : Taylor Swift

Since I recently visited Nashville, I thought the next style I recreated sustainably should be a lovely lady with country roots and unique style - enter the whimsical Taylor Swift.

I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of her music, but I definitely have a girl crush on her after researching her style all day! Here's a glimpse at some of my favourite looks of hers and how to create them, sustainably.

Lips & Eyes
I just love the red lip that Taylor's been rocking for the past year or so and on her Red tour, and the wayfarer glasses help her own the vintage chic look she's been embracing of late.

To get Taylor's red lip naturally, try the new shade by Vapour Organics, Courage, described as classic cherry red.

Made with 70 percent certified organic ingredients, chemical free,
produced with windpower and comes in biodegradable packaging.
In addition, 30 percent of proceeds from this shade go to the
Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, benefiting veterans,
something I'm sure this all-American girl would celebrate.

Lucky for us, there are plenty of eco-sunglasses on the market these days, like the below by Proof.

These glasses are made of plant-based plastic, which is renewable and
biodegradable, and a portion of sales go toward charities
  in India providing cataract surgery to people in need.

Swift Stripes
Stripes are the perfect way to create a timeless look, and Taylor wears them perfectly onstage and on the street.

Here are some labels to help you earn your stripes, sustainably.

Chinti & Parker

Available for sale online at Chinti & Parker and Browns London, definitely a new favourite of mine!

Honest By

Made with GOTS certified organic cotton.
Purchase online at Honest By (another new fave!).

People Tree

Both items made of 100% organic Fairtrade jersey cotton. Buy on PeopleTree.co.uk

Kuyichi

80% Tencel, 20% Linen, a Made By label, improving ethics
of the label year by year. This shirt is made in Turkey
under fair working conditions. Available online at Ethics Girls.

Flirty Feminine Frocks
Taylor wears a lot of skirts and dresses, and I love her look all the more for it.

To copy this part of Taylor's style, head to a vintage or secondhand shop and go wild! So many dresses and skirts have designs to last the ages, and my best vintage finds have undoubtedly been dresses. My tip: buy larger if necessary, and make sure you have a fabulous tailor to help with any nipping and tucking.

Oxford shoes
It's no surprise that Taylor's footwear is right on trend; she's been spotted wearing oxfords with everything from dresses to denim to short shorts.

I was given some fabulous oxfords by a friend, and I think if you had a good rummage through your local vintage shop you could probably locate a pair. If you can't find any secondhand, here's the next best thing:

Nisolo

Handmade in Peru through a social-entrepreneurship label.
Buy online at Nisolo Shoes.

Osborn

I just love these stripey oxfords by Osborn. 100% cotton uppers,
recycled tire heel cap,  and signed by the artisan! Buy online, and
check out some of the other colourful options for sale, too.

Neuaura

Loving these vegan shoes! Also loving the strong sustainability story
of the factory in Brazil.

Nancy Bird

I was so excited to see this Aussie label branch into footwear! Available
in a range of colours, these vegetable tanned, ethically created shoes are
on my wishlist - buy online at Nancy Bird.

Summer style
This past weekend the lovely lithe lady was spotted enjoying one of my favourite summer activities, stand up paddle boarding, in one of her favourite beach looks, the high waisted bikini.

 
To get this look sustainably, try either of these adorable high waist loving labels.

Pierogi Picnic

Pierogi Picnic makes suits from repurposed t-shirt cotton.
Each suit is made to the exact buyer's measurements,
and has a stretchy swim lining. The site also has great
vintage finds!

Fables by Barrie

Fables by Barrie creates wonderful retro pieces to make
women feel good - made in the San Diego offices,
guaranteed sweatshop free. A number of top and bottom
styles perfect for mixing and matching - FUN!

Well, thanks Taylor! I had fun immersing myself in your virtual wardrobe today. Keep rocking those fabulous looks, and give me a shout if you're ever in need of a sustainable shopping pal.

xxLisa

a green nashville fling

G'day y'all!

My accent is seriously confused following my week in Tennessee.

This was my first foray into the great American South, and I'll admit that at times I felt like I was in a foreign country. The accents, the music and the rich and troubling history felt about a million miles away from where I come from. Of course the charm and culture of the place quickly wooed me - I loved it!

After spending a couple days sightseeing in Memphis (I was enchanted with everything from the local blues music and Graceland to the powerful civil rights history) we headed to Nashville. If it's good enough for Nic and Keith it's good enough for me! (Even if I don't cherish the sound of much country music.)

Me and Elvis. I got at least 4 compliments on this
Lalesso skirt that day - style & sustainability in action.

I took the opportunity while in Nashvegas to investigate some sustainable shopping options for the fine folks of Nashville - and they are lucky folks indeed. East Nashville 5 Points district was a mini-mecca of sustainable options, but there are a couple other areas of note as well.  Here's where we explored.

We started Sunday morning with a couple espresso coffees from Bongo Java Roasting Company 5 Points. The good news: delicious coffee, certified organic and fair trade, and they have local bagels from Bagel Face. The not-so-good news, they put my 'have here' latte in a paper cup, even though my hubby's cortado was in a ceramic mug. Worth emphasising if you stop in for a drink.

Delicious sustainable coffee, bike rack, local paper - heaven.

Next stop was Goodbuy Girls and their little brother, Hello Boys (amazing names!), both located in the Ideas Hatchery market on Woodland Street, also in 5 Points.

Goodbuy Girls had a fabulous collection of vintage, pre-loved and some refashioned items. If I had unlimited space on this roadtrip, I'd have stocked up on the ironically bedazzled faded music t-shirts and vintage denim. Instead I opted for one purchase, this divine vintage dress for a mere $30. I felt like I fit right in the South once I had this little number on.

Needs a little tailoring up top, but I love the poof sleeves!

So many treasures hidden in this tiny shop!

Hello Boys is my dream come true as the eco-minded wife of an equally eco-minded husband. This impressive collection of vintage menswear, from casual to preppy to proper, puts most vintage shops' menswear to shame. To top it off, shop co-owner Jeremy was a delight and made us feel incredibly welcome in the shop and in Nashville.

Fabulous branding!

Great merchandising and an interesting collection.

Ties, cowboy boots, jackets - what else does a sustainably stylish man need?

Around the corner is The Green Wagon, a one-stop eco-living shop. This small, inviting space stocked a little of everything: handmade local soaps, a small selection of vintage wear, natural makeup, a filling station for natural cleaning supplies, bags, frames from local reclaimed timber, even eco-dental floss! I picked up some floss - you know I care about my teeth - and a great unworn vintage western top that has been the perfect 'toss in my purse in case it's cold indoors' layer ever since.

Charming house-turned-shop!

Fantastic reusable bags made from upcycled materials.

Wearing my vintage Loretta Lynn layer (also wearing
vintage scarf, Gorman dress and secondhand shoes!).
Full disclosure: photo taken in DC.

A few blocks away is the Turnip Truck - a locally-owned natural food store. Fabulous selection of natural, organic and vegan products, and the first bulk bins I've seen in awhile (we made sure to stock up on muesli).

I told you it is all happening in  East Nashville!

The next day I wandered further afield to Franklin, about a 30 minute drive from downtown Nashville. It's a lovely historic town, and if you look hard enough you can find some sustainable options.

There were a number of 'antique' stores, but many of the items were made-to-look antique as opposed to being the real deal. Buyer beware!

My favourite stop was Avec Moi - though not all goods were antique, the selection of silverware, glassware and china was so impressive, and all items were clearly labeled whether they were new or antique. Thank you!

I'd been tipped off by my mother-in-law to make a stop in Philanthropy - and what a delight it was! This Anthropologie-style shop has ethics at its core, donating a minimum of 10% of all sales to a number of charities, totaling over $335,000 since 2007. To my dismay not all of the brands sold in the shop were ethical labels, and many items were not made with sustainable materials, but there were some good finds if you took the time to read the labels.

I love all the plants in front of the store! The owner requested
no photos inside, so check out the website instead.

Also in Franklin I went on the hunt for Prophetik - a sustainable fashion label out of Nashville - which is stocked in Posh, but I learned that it is only carried in one particular Posh store, and not the one in Franklin. Designer Jeff Garner designs with sustainability front of mind, and has used a number of creative techniques including using organic dyes from the garden, softening hemp with baking soda and recycling plastic bottles into fabric - it's no wonder he was named the 2010 Eco Designer of the Year by London Fashion Week. This is certainly one to watch! I'd love to own one of his gorgeous creations.

There are a couple spots I didn't get the time to visit in person, but if you have the time you should definitely pop in (and report back, please!).

Thistle Stop Cafe sells Nashville-based and Fair Trade coffee and tea and healthy food choices, run by graduates and residents of the Magdalene, a centre for woman who have survived trafficking, prostitution and addiction. TheMagdalene also produces a natural body product line.

Imogene & Willie - locally produced denim, made the old-fashioned way (thanks to great lessons from the owners' grandparents!) and a handful of 'one-off' antique and artisan items. Next time!

****

On this dedicated eco-shopping trip I realised a couple of things I'll need to keep in mind as I adjust to USA-style eco-living:

• The distances are much longer than in Sydney, and frequently a car is needed to access the shops with sustainable goods (thank goodness for my hybrid - more on that later).
• There are a lot more eco-options available in all categories, but it's harder to find the solid options. I think I'll need to be more cautious than ever about reading labels and asking questions, as greenwashing (intended or not) is rampant in the sustainable-living marketplace.

More to come soon, I'm sure, as I continue to explore the wide-wonderful-world of sustainability with (USA) style.

xxLisa

PS - A special hello to Elise from Memphis who spotted me on Broadway in Nashville. It was lovely to meet you and your hubby, and I hope the concert was amazing

a green walmart fling

You read that correctly. Walmart.

You see, I'm currently in small-town USA. You know that song by John Cougar Mellencamp, "I was born in a small town"? Well, I'm in that exact small town (Seymour, Indiana), hanging out with my in-laws and enjoying the heartland. The only problem with the heartland is that the nearest Whole Foods is over an hour away, and I've just run out of shampoo and mascara.

I love Whole Foods - it's on the list of 'pros' for the continuing US vs Australia debate - but, like me this week, most Americans don't have access to this natural products wonderland. On the other hand, 90% of Americans live within 15 miles of a Walmart, so Walmart, here I come!

 For the record, if I was in Oz I'd quickly replace with my favourite Sukin Organics and Musq, respectively. I still love them both!

I still love you!

You too!

Typically I avoid the superstore at all costs because of its support of overconsumption and a number of other questionable social and economic factors (see this scathing article on the giant for details). And call me crazy, but I just don't think those stars-and-stripes ball caps marked down to $2 could have possibly been made ethically. But, considering the accessibility for nearly all Americans, and the aspirational (if vague) sustainability page on Walmart's website, I was willing to give it a go. I remain determined to show that it is easy to go green once you're armed with information!

I went to the hair care aisle first, and spent about 45 minutes looking at every brand that looked even remotely natural. I compared the ingredients to my 'Ingredients to Avoid' list, noted the greenwashers in the group (there were plenty!), and put Aveeno Active Naturals in my basket. It was sulfate-free* and paraben-free** and had a relatively short ingredients list. It wasn't as great as Sukin Organics, but was an acceptable replacement outside of a health food store.

Next I wandered over to the makeup department to look for any natural brands, and after walking down all 4 aisles of cosmetics came across an 8-foot wide eco-oasis called 'Natural Products' in the last aisle. This section was stocked with familiar natural brands including:

• Yes to Carrots
• Giovanni
• Avalon Organics
• Burt's Bees
• Ecotools

So, Aveeno Active Naturals went back on the shelf and I came home with Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender shampoo, containing 70% certified organic content and vegetarian ingredients and not containing synthetic fragrances, sulfates, phthalates or parabens. As an added bonus the bottle is made of 100% recycled content.

I also found a mascara to replace my beloved Aussie Musq mascara - Organic Wear by Physicians Formula. It has EcoCert approval, the first ever US line to be recognised by this well-established European certification group, 100% natural ingredients, 47% organic ingredients, and all the 'expected' things excluded, not to mention a recyclable wand.

My one complaint is the overpackaging, both in terms of the large size of the tube and handle as well as the plastic shell inside the carboard box. Upon first swipe it seems good! Physicians Formula also makes a mineral powder that was very healthy - without Talc (found in most mineral makeup products but a synthetic, irritating, clog-poring nightmare!) and naturally SPF 30.

So, there you have it, successful eco-beauty shopping at Walmart!

Any other great drugstore brands available in the US that I should know about? I'd love to hear about them and try them for myself.

xxLisa

PS - I have a list of ingredients to avoid compiled from from Gorgeously Green and Musq, but this is a super-short list on Ecouterre that is easier to remember when you find yourself in a pinch.

* Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate are both known irritants and cause other problems when combined with other chemicals, but are very common in body products because they produce excellent bubbles.
** Parabens are known carcinogens, and I really don't know why these are still allowed in personal care products.

a green dental fling

I'm about a month into (re)discovering sustainable living in America, and I couldn't be more grateful for Whole Foods.

Now I don't want to imply that everything in the store is eco-flawless, but it sure has been a source of comfort as I navigate this frequently over-consuming culture of my homeland. I have stocked up for my camping excursions with delicious organic and local food, been introduced to new sustainable clothing labels, and found an excellent source of natural, clean and safe body products. And wouldn't you know it, the first thing I needed to replace was my toothbrush (oh how exciting. . .).

Now, I have been using Monte Bianco toothbrushes for years, simply replacing the toothbrush heads instead of the entire brush every few months.

I was able to purchase these at the Manly Co-op, but for the life of me I can't track them down here in the States. (I can't locate a website for the manufacturer, but there are a number of websites that sell them if you're not continuously on the road!) When the bristles started falling out of my last replaceable head, I finally conceded and headed to Whole Foods to get a new brush.

Enter Preserve.

A toothbrush "made with love and recycled yogurt cups" - mine is fuchsia! It's made of recycled #5 products through Preserve's Gimme 5 program. When I'm done with the toothbrush, I can go to the website, enter the code on the back of my toothbrush package, and Preserve will email me a postage paid label to stick to this back and mail back my toothbrush. I can even get rewards like discounts on another toothbrush the more I recycle. The program also takes other #5 plastics, so if your local area doesn't take #5, go to the website to learn how to send in your plastics for recycling.

I also couldn't locate my usual Eurofresh Aloe toothpaste here in the States (yet!), so I've turned to an old pal, Tom's of Maine. Tom's has a long history of environmental sustainability, animal welfare and human rights, and I especially appreciate the high level of transparency in the way the company is managed as well as the ingredients in every product. I wish more companies could make it this easy!

And when I turned over the tube I was thrilled to see the lovely Terracycle logo, meaning I can take the used tube to a Terracycle collection point and it will be recycled. There's not too many toothpaste options that include clean teeth, fresh breath, and a recyclable packaging!

Terracycle was founded in 2001 by a college freshman, Tom Szaky, and today works with over 100 brands in 23 countries to upcycle items that would normally end up in landfull. I had the pleasure of hearing Tom speak at Sustainable Brands 2013, and his was definitely one of the more inspirational and non-greenwashing talks of the week. I found especially interesting the cigarette butt recycling program Terracycle has implemented since I know these little fellas are the most widely littered items on the planet.

Terracycle works with a number of schools and other groups to arrange collection locations - typically these collections earn money for the group, so have a look at how you can create a Terracycle Brigade if you're interested in participating in this exciting movement and earning money for your school or group.

Some of the items made by Terracycle.

Okay, I promise my next post will be about beauty or fashion, but sometimes it's the more practical items that need to be addressed first! I'm running low on face moisturiser, mascara and will need to get my hair done soon, so many lovely posts will be headed your way as I continue to navigate my way around the US as sustainably (and stylishly!) as possible.

xxLisa

a green sustainable brands fling

Whew!

I just wrapped up four days at Sustainable Brands 2013 here in San Diego and my head is swimming. American culture shock mixed with immersing myself in the US sustainability and CSR (corporate social responsibility) market and being surrounded by lots of outgoing marketing types was a heady combination my first week back on the mainland. I am now happily sipping on an Aussie-style flat white (I found one in Bird Rock!) and reflecting on the past few days.

First, a huge shout out to the organizers of the event, Sustainable Brands. Having been involved with three Green Cities conferences I can totally appreciate all the work that goes into these events.  From an attendee perspective, it was flawless. I especially appreciated the commitment to sustainability including the goal to become zero waste, the availability of real coffee cups and glasses, and the amazing sustainable food options, most notably the vegetarian barbeque.

Well done!

My lunch one day - so many delish local vegetarian dishes!

I don't have such a positive opinion on all the content, however. As someone who is undoubtedly 'dark green' (to use marketing lingo), I had a hard time with some of the speakers. London-based sustainability communications agency Futerra led an ongoing debate as to whether brands are the problem or the solution to sustainability, and after this week I remain on the fence. I'd like to think they could be (they do have the dosh, after all!), but some of the companies at the conference do a whole lot of greenwashing and leave me skeptical of their intentions. Many keynote speakers highlighted the importance of transparency and authenticity, so I hope all the brands start taking notice.

I was particularly disappointed in the session on the Bangladesh disaster and other outsourced factory worker safety issues. Apart from one or two panelists (who did not represent brands) and the excellent moderator, the panelists seemed to largely pass the buck to consumers for demanding cheap goods and/or the broken auditing systems. Whilst I understand it is a complex situation on all sides, the blatant refusal to acknowledge brands' roles in the overall problems is unacceptable to this fashion purchaser and ethical goods advocate. Trust me, people will respect your company more if you are open, acknowledge that your company plays a part in the status quo, and commit to work on a solution - even if you don't know what your brand's specific solution is just yet. Enough is enough, and we consumers are demanding more and better of you.

But let's end on a light note, shall we? There were some amazing examples of projects made possible by corporate brands and the amazing bank accounts and connections they have at their disposal.

(Warning: you may want to have a hanky handy!)

Philips has created Community Light Centers in Africa. I had the privilege of spending two months on this amazing continent last year, and I know these centers will make a huge impact to the daily lives of individuals who could use some more smiling and hope for a brighter future.



Similarly, after visiting India and previously working for a non-profit working on health issues in rural India, I am impressed with the following handwashing campaign led by Unilever called Lifebuoy.



I hope both these organizations have long-term commitments to these important projects. I will definitely be keen to know the long-term impact. Exciting stuff.

Unilever is also behind the Dove Real Beauty Sketches campaign. I suspect most of my female readers have seen it, but it's worth watching again and again, and reminding yourself how beautiful you are.



Finally, this hilarious clip by the Rainforest Alliance had most of us laughing - I can totally relate to this guy! Just as you don't have to give up your style to be sustainable, you don't have to change your entire life, either. Follow the frog instead.



Now after all that serious 'office work' I'm off to Yosemite!  I'm ready to immerse myself in nature for a few days ahead of reconnecting with my family in Utah. I'll keep you posted on the sustainable experiences I have along the way. And watch out for more specific blog posts on some smaller projects I came across at the conference over the coming weeks - there are quite a few things to get very excited about!

xxLisa

a green trash fling

Who would have thought that the blog post I write about the week I move from Australia to the USA would be about trash?

Well, I suppose I was starting to understand the amount of trash we accumulate as I was separating my apartment into piles of 'Keep!' 'Donate!' 'Sell!' and 'Toss!'.  That toss pile grew larger than I'd like to admit, but if an item wasn't of sentimental value and wasn't in good enough condition to donate, it was heading to the landfill - I wasn't about to send old chipped mixing bowls and a leaky kettle to America.

When all was said and done, we had about 3 large boxes of rubbish and other random bits and pieces like old mops and lamps and our mattress to dispose of responsibly. So after handing in our keys and saying farewell to Manly-town, we hopped in GoGet's Bob the Van, loaded him up with our trash, and made our way to Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre.

We weren't the only ones with stuff to get rid of!

So many different sections (I didn't have time to visit the eco-garden,
but it looked cool from the car!)

At first, I was terribly excited. This huge facility is located among gorgeous bushland in Sydney's northern beaches, and there are sections for safely disposing of oil, bulk recycling, electronic waste collection, and furniture collection.

My hubby taking our e-waste to the collection site.

Then we drove around to the rubbish pile to fling our waste onto a pile of more rubbish (the least green flinging I've done in a long while!). I hadn't expected to feel so blue. It was the strangest feeling, when we pulled up to that pile my heart felt heavy and I couldn't even help my hubby throw the stuff out of the van. I made an excuse that I was cold, but really it was so depressing to see all that excess stuff in a massive pile among the natural beauty of the bushland. Kimbriki staff go through much of it, to try and recover any bits they can recycle, but coming face to face with that pile was like consumer society giving me a big ole kick in the gut.

So depressing . . .

Next we drove over to the pile of mattresses. Wow. I'd made some phone calls about getting ours 'refurbished', it was fairly new, but truthfully it was all a bit too hard, even for this greenie. So I had to be content to bring it to Kimbriki knowing they will at least take out the metal to be recycled.

One of two mattress piles.

All in all, that final moving day was a stark reminder of all this stuff we accumulate, and real food for thought as I start to set up house in America.

Remember these! I was so excited when my Uni put them
all throughout the computer lab at the library.

And now I'm in idyllic Hawaii, visiting my Dad and his family and enjoying a bit of R&R in paradise. (Yes, I'm totally spoiled. Thanks for living here, Dad!)

Yesterday we went on a hike along the northwest side of Oahu. Shortly into our walk my hubby spotted a plastic bag on the ground so picked it up to throw away later, and I soon found two more. Next thing you know, my gorgeous little brother and sister were helping us collect rubbish all along the coastal walk. Sadly, there was so much that we had to limit what we collected to plastic, rubber, metal and aluminum, leaving paper (hoping it will disintegrate) and glass (unsafe for little hands to collect).

My little brother putting some rubbish in my hubby's bag.

By the end of our walk we had three heavy plastic bags full of rubbish and recycling. We are happy to do our small part, but it is still so sad to see so much trash around the island. I am a big fan of the Take 3 campaign in Oz, encouraging people to take 3 pieces of rubbish every time they leave the beach, but sometimes it pays to take more than three - especially when the first three things you collect are plastic bags!

The garbage collectors! I'm sporting my Aussie hat with pride!

Hawaii was the first state to ban plastic bags throughout the entire state, and it's easy to see why it's so important here, but the law doesn't come into full effect until July 2015. I'm hoping the retailers start transitioning early, so next time I come down to visit the family I see fewer plastic bags flying around the beach and into the ocean.

Well, I've had quite a tiring week, physically and emotionally. I'm off to the beach to enjoy my last full day in Hawaii before flying to California tomorrow.  I'll send you updates on what green things I find in San Diego, and a lot from the Sustainable Brands conference the first week of June!

xxLisa