This holiday season, avoid succumbing to advertisers brainwashing us to believe that Best Buy and Macy’s are the only acts in town because of rock bottom sales and coupons. Instead, think local. Sure, we’re a global people, but neighborhood businesses need our support to survive.

The backbone of our small towns and cities is local business, and without them, we have main street vacancies, dark buildings, for lease signs, and people moving elsewhere. It all adds up to a good reason to  shop locally this year.

Kelly Drennan, Founder of ShopSustainable and Fashion Takes Action

Kelly Drennan of Toronto’s Fashion Takes Action knows the win-win of shopping locally, and has taken it a step further by  initiating her own program this holiday season called ShopSustainable.

Drennan’s city-wide initiative challenging consumers to shop locally as well as ethically this holiday season has a clear goal: Raising a general awareness of eco-friendly products while promoting Toronto-based products and online retailers who carry them. The program is a collaboration of Fashion Takes Action and Evolution Green.

Drennan says for these industries, it’s vital to transmit the message about where the sustainable businesses are,  and to get local people to shop them.

“Most people are now doing what they can to lighten their footprint, whether it means driving less, turning down the thermostat, or carrying reusable shopping bags,” says Drennan. “However, if consumers purchase just one gift or stocking stuffer this holiday season that is sustainable, then collectively it can have a very significant impact. Shop Sustainable challenges consumers to put their wallet where their heart is, for the planet.”

The notion of mindful consumerism has everyone wondering whether saving money this holiday season outweighs quality, ethics and investing in a more authentic buying experience. Will consumers see that pumping money into local businesses recirculates the wealth in their communities?

Check out this MSN article featuring tips on how to shop locally and see if you’re up for the challenge. And of course, if you’re in Toronto, ShopSustainable!

It’s that time of year again.

All around us, springing up like buttery daffodils, are the eco-fashion shows slated to saturate Earth Day venues.

Here are a handful that caught my eye:

The 3rd Annual Project Earth Day Runway Show and Student Competition

Held at the Openhouse Gallery, a vanguard multipurpose exhibition and installation space located on Mulberry Street in the heart of trendsetting NoLIta.

Supported by the US Green Building Council, and co-produced by the Creative Director of The Four Hundred, Bahar Shahpar. The show will feature an exciting student competition judged by an esteemed panel of judges from the worlds of fashion, beauty, architecture, and sustainability, and of course presenting the best in sustainable fashion on the runway.

Project Earth Day provides a platform for green-minded leaders and future leaders in the building and fashion industries to collaborate and experience the best in sustainable fashion. Join top names in the design industry and a panel of celebrity judges for this exciting eco-conscious event.

Fashion Takes Action is celebrating its launch as a members-based organization and throwing a party at the Burroughes Building.

In partnership with Earth Day Canada, this event will feature a great line up of DJs: Brendan Canning from BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE, Dirty Dale, Andycapp (Bang The Party!, Motown, Slinky Music) & Dali (Slinky Music).

Also Ryerson fashion students will participate in a live eco-designer challenge creating garments made from packaging.

This is a signature FTA GREEN event, which means you can count on there being no bottled water, little waste, LED lighting and more. And, it is a fundraiser event to support Earth Day Canada and Fashion Takes Action.

Stanford University’s first-ever Sustainable Fashion Show is a groundbreaking event on campus promoting a sustainable lifestyle on all fronts in the surrounding Bay Area. Showcasing the work of around twenty unique professional designers in individual sets, and as well as the designs of several student designers from the Stanford Community. Some of the featured designers include: Moda Spia, Feral Childe, Covet, She-Bible, Pi Organic and Aoki Jeans.

Know of any others?

Link to this article so other eco-fashionistas can find information on your show and just what you’re doing to celebrate Earth Day this month!

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