Tons of DVDs go unmeasured by the EPA into the solid waste stream each year, even though they can be recycled through entities like Second Spin (which we wrote about in August of this year). While Netflix, iTunes and Hulu reduce consumer demand for piles of the silver plastic, as long as DVDs remain profitable, studios will continue to make and sell them.

Thankfully, one startup, Torch Films in New York, is lowering their waste output and raising the bar for the manufacture and distribution of new discs by using a lightweight format called Flex DVD. It’s manufactured by CD Digital Card, a subsidiary of Zoba International in Rancho Cucamonga, California.

The studio’s first feature, Marina of the Zabbaleen, a documentary by Engi Waseff, is now sold as a “Flex disc” following a Tribeca Film Festival debut in September 2009. Using 50% less polycarbonate material than other DVDs, the Marina… DVD and sleeve package are 100% recyclable and are made of 95% recycled materials.

Chief executive Tim Hobbs and finance chief Ori Dov Gratch, who co-founded Torch Films and gave this new format a chance in the market, spoke to EcoSalon about what it takes to greenlight efficiency in an industry known for excess.

Tim Hobbs and Ori Dov Gratch holding a Flex DVD

From the start was Torch Films intention to be a “green” studio?

Tim: I’m not going to lie about it. When we first started this business, our goal was just to support and release high quality, if low budget films from talented, responsible people who otherwise might not get a chance. We didn’t have a focus on green operations, a particular genre or anything besides bringing a systematic approach to our projects.

So what inspired your efforts to release a lower-impact DVD?

Tim: Marina of the Zabbaleen is what inspired us to take environmental initiative here. The film itself, as you may know, is a cinematic documentary about seven-year-old Marina, who lives in a garbage-recycling village outside of Cairo. It’s a portrait of her family and childhood, and about this community. They are entrepreneurial people, not activists but people who are recycling for survival. They have built a system we could learn from here in the U.S. At their peak levels, they recycle 90% of everything. They collect and manage Cairo’s garbage, and have one of the highest rates of recycling in the world. I have to credit the Zabbaleen and Engi Waseff, the director of this film, for giving us motivation.

Did it cost your business a great deal to produce more ecologically sensible DVDs vs. traditional?

Tim: The disc is not any more expensive to make than the older types of DVDs. The tough questions from a business perspective were about finding the more efficient technology, understanding if it worked, and how well it has been tested. There’s always a risk adopting the new. Other film studios might be wary to make a massive release on this 50% lower-impact, flexible new type of disc. [He holds a disc sample up and bends it.] But we liked the manufacturer’s reputation, and their comprehensive playability studies.

Ori: Let’s get nerdy for a minute. We had a feeling this was meant to be after we learned that Flex DVD in lab testing was compatible with 99% of players out there, including game-consoles that play DVDs. After we did our own share of bland research about things like disc drive technology, packaging, inks and how well different types of DVD cases sell at retail, and even tested the discs ourselves, we were ready to go. We kind of brag about this on our website and in our marketing materials. The 5% of material that is not from-recycled is a non-toxic, biodegradable clay coating that makes the disc and case printable. It’s a very, very thin layer of clay. All the ink we’ve used is soy-based, even on the DVD itself. We’re a first to use this format, and take it this far, and we love that.

Do you have hope Hollywood will catch onto this notion?

Ori: We’re not the first to control our waste output in general, though we are doing more than others have before. Disney released Wall-E in fairly green packaging. We view that as a leading step. We hope they and others keep shifting to more environmentally and socially responsible methods. But for large studios we realize it may take time. We’re a lean, new organization so we can do these things, and make it part of our company in the first place.

Tim: We’re not green experts, but we’re in touch with them. We have sent this DVD out to industry people for review. We just qualified for Academy consideration in 2010. So people have seen it. If they want to follow our example, great, but we’ll never tell other studios how to run their business.

Has there been resistance from anyone about your selling this film on a new format and in a non-standard case?

Ori: The film industry being full of characters, we’ve encountered some disbelief and resistance. But this DVD is about mankind leaving a smaller footprint. The more we tell people about what we want to do, the more people seem to want to help us.

Tim: Our package is not the smallest possible, to be fair. As a studio and distributor, we have an obligation to directors, and investors in our business to market our films, get them to audiences, and make money while inspiring people. The DVD we offer has to be able to stand in a wall slot at a store. In that way, we encounter resistance. Shoppers, when we tested out the notion of just using a small square package, thought the DVDs were promotional materials, and would just take them for free. Or they wouldn’t notice them at all. So, here we are, making something that holds its own at retail and begins to change expectations, with a 50% lower impact than any other DVD we’ve seen in a store.

What’s next for this film or for Torch Studios?

Tim: During the making of this film, the Zabbaleen community was hit hard by swine flu the H1N1 virus. The government in Cairo required them to slaughter their pigs, which had been instrumental in processing food-waste. We’re looking for ways to help the Zabbaleen become more profitable, and to make up for the loss of their resources. We donate 10% of retail sales of this film. But we’re looking to do more through our network, which includes a lot of social entrepreneurs. We’re also working on our next two releases, which aren’t documentaries or green. But their packaging will be.

Has greening your business changed your lives? How?

Ori: We have both become fanatical about recycling personally and at the office. I’m more aware when I’m looking at ingredients in grooming products what my own impact is, and slowly shifting my purchasing habits.

Tim: I’m semi-vegetarian, and as a New Yorker tend not to collect a lot of possessions or drive a car. So I feel like my footprint was already lower than your average American. But we found this out through research for the DVD-release – the U.S. Postal Service is greener than other shipping services – so I now go to the post office as my default. And switching to cups and bottles that are reusable, not disposable, was big for me.

Image: The Artifex

Green girl Josie Maran has modeled for Glamour and Sports Illustrated and she’s appeared in films like The Aviator and Van Helsing. Now she’s an eco-entrepreneur whose eponymous cosmetic line is one of the best on the market.

What qualifies a model-actress to start her own makeup line? Models and actresses look fresh faced and makeup free for one reason – they are experts at applying makeup.

As Maran puts it, “When I began to land jobs, I discovered what a lot of girls already know: the power of makeup. I saw that a little could go a long way.”

After spending hundreds of hours in the makeup chair, she realized she was uniquely experienced to design her own line of healthy, natural cosmetics. And Josie Maran Cosmetics was born.

Recently, Maran shared some of her product and beauty tips from her fall line, exclusively for EcoSalon readers. Here’s what she had to say:

EcoSalon: A typical green girl might love makeup, but not love looking like she’s caked with it. What are your best tips for a natural look?

Josie Maran: You can achieve a natural look by using tinted day-cream instead of heavy foundation. Then, go in with a concealer to cover blemishes. For small areas use a pointy brush. This way you can place the concealer where it’s really needed.

Fall is here, bringing with it cooling temperatures and fading tans. What’s your best tip for transitioning our skin from the summer sun?

Smooth lips and hydrated skin are the ultimate foundation. Start your fall beauty routine with targeted moisture. This fall, balms are making a big comeback and my Argan Moisturizing Stick smooths chapped lips and hydrates dry, peeling skin. It targets areas that need moisture most, providing a smooth canvas to work with! And there are other fantastic balms to consider: Jurlique Love Balm and Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil.

What are the best eye shadow colors you recommend for fall? And more importantly, what are your tips for applying it?

This fall is all about a neutral color palette. Create a natural smoky eye with my favorite earthy shades (for this look think: soft brown, not harsh black). Start by sweeping a muted, light brown shade all over the lid. I love the Maple shade in my line of eye shadows.

Then blend a darker, smokier brown into the crease for a dramatic effect. Try my Eye Shadow in Smoke, or my personal favorite Chianti – it’s a rich brownish plum, perfect for fall Smudge a brown eye liner along the lashes to get the smoky effect. Finish the look with brown mascara.

Lastly, what do you recommend for lips?

Red lips, naturally! Red lips have been a huge hit on the runways. I wear mine naturally with paraben-free lipstick in Desirous and shine it up with Joie De Vivre lip gloss.

Josie Maran Cosmetics is made up of a 70-piece line for eyes, lips, cheeks, skin and more. It’s free of parabens, toxins and petrochemicals, and it contains a large percentage of natural and organic ingredients. The product line is available online, at Barneys in New York City and at Vert in Venice, CA. You can also find products at various Sephoras around the country.

Last month, Mike introduced us all to the Ditty Bops and their fabulous Grammy-nominated popup album. The Ditties have a deceptively innocent sound that combines gorgeous harmonies with a fierce environmental message. Their live shows are part kids’ variety show and part musical circus, mixing in genres as diverse as acoustic folk, bluegrass, and jazz. They’re both absolutely beautiful and hip, but devoid of any annoying hipster ennui. They have an inherent sweetness that makes them approachable. The shows are highly interactive pieces of art with puppets, story telling, costumes, props, and plenty of politics.

The title song of their new album, Summer Rains, has a lazy Hawaiian twang and notes as light as air, but the message is a heavy one about global warming. Their environmental cred is serious. The pair once toured the United States by bicycle and were instrumental in pushing San Francisco’s plastic bag ban. They married one another last fall. Congratulations Abby and Amanda! We recently we caught up with the Ditty duo and asked them a few questions about their music and their lives together.

Tell us how you went about concepting and designing the album and the process for actually getting it made.

We love popup books and wanted to make a popup CD. We thought since we are already producing this independent of a record label, and since most CD art bores us, and many people download songs from iTunes or illegally, we thought if we made some beautiful packaging art to go along with the music it would give people a good reason to buy it.

First we contacted a handful of paper engineers. There aren’t that many but we found someone in Los Angeles, Renee Jablo. We worked with her and our graphic designer, Rick Whitmore in designing the vision that we had. Finding green printers who can assemble popups is not easy.  But we did find someone to do it in California. It is much more expensive than doing it in China or Korea, which is where most popups are assembled, but it was important to us.

Who are your musical inspirations and why?

Abby: Inspiration changes for me moment to moment – the radical street art of Skateboarders, a book I pulled from the shelf at a new age bookstore, my childhood stuffed animals, the mystique of 1930s movie stars.

Things that were once inspiring can go flat. I think it’s wonderful and essential to really be honest about what excites you.

How long have you been playing music together and how did the partnership start?

We are lovers in life and life is our art project. 10 years ago our partnership began. We play music and create all sorts of spontaneous art in between.

What was your best gig ever?

Abby: The best gig ever was when I walked top-free for 5 miles through the streets of Los Angeles. It was truth to me. It was beautiful. I had enough of seeing men hiking my favorite trails on 95-degree days without shirts. One day I counted 12 shirtless men in one hour. That was it. I took my shirt off and walked. Amanda was with me and it was the best gig so far. It was also painfully revealing, not just in that my naked breasts were exposed to the world, that part was empowering beyond belief, but in the way our society says our women are free but we are chained. It was a transformative experience. I was singing and screaming life.

I’ve heard that you have lived in LA without a car. Can you give readers tips for getting around LA (or any city) without driving?

Amanda: We live in West Hollywood”¦centrally located, if you can say that about LA. We live in an area where there is a lot within walking distance so it is obviously a lot easier to get by without a car than for people who work far from their residence. We now have a car again. Abby was smacked by a car in November and broke her knee. She is walking again but we are not commuting as much by bicycle.

You turned your driveway into an edible garden. What’s growing there right now?

We have marjoram, thyme, rosemary, parsley, three kinds of sage, oregano, Swiss chard, baby lettuces, strawberries, edible flowers for garnishing salads, a tangerine tree that had five little fruits this winter, a lime tree that had one lime, and a lot of succulents.

Because I write about food and I know you think it’s important, I want to know what 3 edibles are always in your refrigerator.

We love yogurt. We always eat it. We were getting this really great raw goat yogurt from a raw foods club in Venice. Raw almond butter we love. We use it in desserts and also on celery as a snack. And we have sprouted toast with avocado. We always have a lot of people coming and going from our place and they love avocado on sprouted toast so we gotta have it for them.

Listen and buy here.

Images: Norman Jean Roy, Sachi Kato, courtesy of The Ditty Bops

I first met Bahar Shahpar around three years ago in a noisy corner café in Manhattan. Because we could barely hear each other, all we did was laugh. I remember she was wearing long bloomers made out of a golden, metallic fabric. She was thinking of moving forward with a new line, even more sustainable than her line called Agricult, which was inspired by the American frontier.

I just thought her bloomers were rad.

In spring 2007, Bahar launched an eponymous line that leaned more toward an internal aesthetic where beauty and functionality were just as important as artistic value. Her collections since continue to inspire, garnering attention in publications like Women’s Wear Daily, Lucky and Elle.

In addition to being the co-founder and fellow designer of New York City’s The Four Hundred showroom, Bahar has always taken eco-design a step further, hence her press. The Four Hundred, dedicated to high-end sustainable designers and socially conscious business practices, has proven that from concept to manufacture there are greener pastures to explore. Here’s what Bahar has to say about eco fashion.

What got you into eco-design?

Bahar: I’ve worked in fashion for over a decade, and I’ve always had an affinity for working with natural raw materials. As an accessory designer, I worked with a lot of vintage leather and fur and found objects, so when I started my first clothing line about 4 years ago and was looking for larger quantity production materials, I gravitated towards fibers like hemp, silk, cotton, and linen. I began doing research into these fiber crops as well as the overall processing used in the textile industry, and I quickly discovered how toxic, wasteful and destructive conventional farming and manufacturing can be. At the time, there were very few alternatives to conventional materials, so I embraced the challenge of proving that you can, in fact, manufacture products responsibly without sacrificing style or quality.

What are some of the environmental groups you belong to?

Bahar: I co-produce the annual Project Earth Day event for the U.S. Green Builder’s Council, I’m involved on several initiatives with the Teens for Safe Cosmetics Campaign, and our non-profit partner at the showroom is the Environmental Justice Foundation.

How has The Four Hundred taken design and sustainability a step further?

Bahar: As an extension of the sustainable sourcing and product development work I’ve been doing for our fashion clients, we’ve recently partnered with C.L.A.S.S., an international eco-textile showroom whose mission is to connect designers and manufacturers with suppliers of the most innovative, creative sustainable materials on the market today. The C.L.A.S.S. showroom and fabric library is housed within The Four Hundred, so we have a beautiful display of both raw materials and finished products as inspiration and resource for designers who are interested in making their collections more sustainable.

Are you inspired by how many offerings there are for designers wanting to approach their lines more sustainably?

Bahar: Absolutely! Supply really has responded to demand in terms of the number and diversity of sustainable materials that are on the market right now, and we’re only just scratching the surface. One of the things we’re focusing on with C.L.A.S.S. is something called the Innovation Lab, which is exactly what it sounds like ““ a project that is bringing together textile and fashion designers with mills that are committed to pushing the innovation envelope, bringing exciting concepts in fabrications, surface design, and printing to life.

What advice would you give a designer just delving into making their line more sustainable?

Bahar: Sustainable design takes many factors into account, not just fiber and fabric choices. The first basic steps are to minimize waste and source and produce locally whenever possible. Cutting down on transportation costs and supporting local economies and fair trade goods can have a huge impact, and designers should look at the big picture ““ sustainable design includes all of the choices we make when we design a product, so we really need to start looking at the full life cycle of that product.

When it comes to fabrics, the reality is that our choices can be limited in some categories, but there are some areas in which we have many sustainable alternatives to conventional materials and there is absolutely no compromise. I encourage all designers to just try to find alternatives to what they’d normally use, without feeling like they have to edit their design vision. Of course, if anyone is interested in learning more about sustainable fabrics, viewing our C.L.A.S.S. fabric library, or taking advantage of our consulting services, please contact me.

Just as I began to roll up my sleeves to see what my part in the coming four years would be, I decided to take a walk with Deborah Anapol, Ph. D., author of The Seven Natural Laws of Love
(sevenlawsoflove) and relationship coach to discuss the growing concern shared among women about the way women have been relating to each other – and where do we go from here as we build community and grow in virtues of sustainability?

I am a 30-something and Deborah is a 50-something.  In fact, she had changed a great deal in her physical appearance in the year and a half since I had seen her, and is now embodying her gentle presence with a decidedly more Elder flavor. In indigenous cultures the world over and through out time, the Elders have provided a level of support to the culture through years of seeing human nature reveal itself as well as by taking part in Mother Nature’s cycles. They have experienced love’s coming and going and by tuning into what creates harmonious relationships among groups of people who are invariably deeply interdependent on each other, have gained wisdom. Modern life has given us the airplane, car, jogging shoes and fast track to escape many group dynamics if we so choose. In the coming years, our ability to create unity is going to be our greatest natural resource.

Deborah spoke of her own journey to claim herself as an Elder with wisdom to share. The talk from other women in their late forties and beyond is the same. They are speaking of the confusion of nearing 50 and finding themselves considering if they are at the crossroads of youth, needing to enjoy the fruits of single life or graduate into life as an elder.

Creating a healthy and sustainable planet involves knowing what you are here to share and how, not to mention the role women play with each other as they address the increase in longevity, longer and longer cycles of youth and vitality, greater opportunity in careers, sexual freedom in part due to fewer people being in long term marriages and many more women choosing to not have children. How will the West adopt the Elder woman in larger numbers to the social circle so her beauty, vitality and wisdom are viable and not based on false glamours or harsh cosmetic approaches? And how will the Elder woman make what she has available, not just to herself but to serve the sustainable collective?  How will younger women embrace Eldering women in the West? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Image: Powderruns

Starre Vartan, founder and editor of the green lifestyle website Eco Chick, is one of our favorite go-to girls for sustainable practices. She offers a wealth of information and presents her knowledge in a fun, practical way. Starre has recently taken her duties one step further to create a book of tips called The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to be Fabulously Green. Inside, she walks us through ways to be ecologically smart without sacrificing style and happiness. We caught up with Starre from her home in Connecticut to dish about the book. Here’s what she had to say.

EcoSalon: What inspired you to translate the information on your site into a book? (Don’t worry, greenies – it’s printed on recycled paper.)

Starre Vartan: I really wanted to write something that was a companion to my site, which is for young women who want something cool and accessible. My blog is all about being current and following trends, but I was constantly getting questions about the basics – what is a sustainable fabric? What kinds of cleaning products can I use without breaking the bank? The book answers these questions and isn’t about ‘news’ like the blog is.

ES: You dedicated this book to your grandmother, the original Eco Chick. Did she bestow her traditional green ways upon you? Was she your inspiration for creating Eco Chick?

SV: My grandmother was the major inspiration for the book. She raised me in the Hudson Valley of New York, where I grew up growing and eating organic veggies from our gigantic garden, enjoying meat and eggs from a farm about two miles from my house, and using only non-toxic cleaning products. Being a kid, I thought all these things were normal.

It was only later that I realized she consciously made these choices both because she was attuned to preserving her local environment and because she believed that conservation made sense for a sustainable world.

ES: We love the “My Green Shopping Basket” lists at the end of each section, in which you suggest specific products/services for each topic. Have you really tried them all?

SV: I’ve definitely tried pretty much all of them, or my friends have, sometimes both! I’ve been an official greenie (writing about environmental science and sustainable living topics) for about nine years now, and was raised in a very open, progressive way, so some of these companies – Kiss My Face, Nature’s Gate, Morningstar Farms, The Body Shop, Under the Canopy, Patagonia – have been part of my life for many, many years now.

ES: You talk about sharing eco-friendly practices with family, friends, and colleagues. Do you believe this will help convert others around us to going green?

SV: It’s ONLY by talking to each other that habits change on a large scale. Doing things in a bubble with like-minded people is comfortable and reassuring, but ‘ghettoizing’ a sustainable lifestyle will not lead to change; only consensus, collaboration, and compromise (not to mention creativity!) will.

ES: This guide is so comprehensive and the perfect carry-along resource. Are there plans for additional books in the future?

SV: I’m working on a more literary endeavor based on a project I started as part of the thesis for my MFA (in nonfiction writing) from Columbia. It’s about the five senses and humanity’s relationship with the environment; basically how modernization and mechanization have changed the way we understand the world. I’m using the lenses of history, culture and science, including many scientific studies, to look at how we have fundamentally changed the way we live so rapidly; and how that has negative (disconnection from the natural world) and positive (the Internet!) impacts.

ES: Thanks for stopping by, Starre! We’re eagerly awaiting your next project.

Editor’s note: To learn more about Starre, visit Eco Chick. You can also hear her talking green fashion at GreenTalkRadio. And be sure to check out her book. Go on, shoo!

Christian Rathbone’s super chic rug collection is proof of his impeccable taste, and we could all learn a thing or two from his eye for elegance. Forget what the trends dictate! Instead, let this hip designer’s insight into his favorite décor pieces guide the way to modish interiors. We asked Christian for his current favorites:

Beam Coffee Table by Environment Furniture:

“I love the surreal and simple look of Environment’s pieces. The use of large beams of wood really gives the material an undeniable identity.”

Bottle Lamp by Kusumoto Sukehiro: “This piece seems to reach out in all directions. I like how the bottles conform to the design and not the other way around. Because of this, the form stands out, rather than the materials.”

Monarch Chair by Jennifer Prince:

“This chair reminds me of the skeleton of an airplane wing. As well as being visually stunning, it’s very comfy to sit in.”

Skeleton Pillow by Ortolan:

“I’m a big fan of using uncommon design ideas and themes on accessories. That’s why the look of the skeleton pillow is very appealing.”

Paper Tables by Matt Gagnon:

“This substantial piece is made from recycled paper. It provides a good example that good design does not have to be sacrificed and can even be enhanced by using recycled or sustainable materials.”

It’s clear that Christian’s expertise in design goes way beyond textiles. You can find his artistic creations at Vivavi. Also, make sure to check out his Series of Eight rug that we recently featured.

I recently spoke with Susan Dix Lyons, visionary and founder of Clinica Verde, a holistic, community-oriented medical clinic in Nicaragua. Their mission is to serve the local poor with excellent health care and nutritional counseling in sustainably designed buildings with organic gardens. Clinica Verde is still in the fundraising process, but hopes to break ground in 2009. This project could become the prototype for sustainable, community-oriented clinics around the world.

EcoSalon: What prompted the creation of Clínica Verde?

Susan Dix Lyons: I founded Clínica Verde in April of 2007, after a few trips to Nicaragua with my husband, a physician. We visited a small public hospital and were shocked by the conditions. It was in dire need ““ poorly equipped, unsanitary and starving for resources. We coordinated a couple of shipping containers of medical supplies in an attempt to help. That felt good. It was a step. But we quickly realized that, despite our good intentions, our shipments were not going to make any lasting or fundamental change in the lives of the people served. In order to do that, we would have to make a real commitment to change. That was the seed of Clínica Verde.

ES: Tell me about your experiences in Nicaragua.

SDL: The first time I was in Nicaragua was actually 1990. I was working at my first job out of college, as a reporter for the Tico Times in San Jose, Costa Rica, and I flew to Managua to witness the election between Daniel Ortega and Violeta Chamorro. That experience left a deep impression on me. I was struck by the people and their history ““ a history that included a series of natural disasters and civil war. I felt a connection that I didn’t fully understand until years later when I returned with my husband. It occurred to me then that this path was meant to be. Today, the daughter of Violeta Chamorro is a partner in Clínica Verde and a member of our board of directors.

ES:  How does sustainable building design benefit the health of the community?

SDL: When conceiving the idea for Clínica Verde we were mindful of the fact that hospitals and clinics throughout the world are, ironically, often not healthy environments. They are not, for that matter, pleasant environments. We wanted to rethink that. We asked ourselves the question, “What should a clinic ideally be?” Well, it should start by being built responsibly and sustainably, with materials that respect and conserve our resources and create a supportive environment for our users. It should respond to the notion that good health includes not just sound clinical practice but lifestyle and behaviors ““ strong relationships, nutrition, education, a supportive community and a hopeful outlook on our lives.

Our clinic plan includes an organic garden that can be used as a tool for teaching both cultivation of healthy food and nutrition, a demonstration kitchen for classes on food preparation and handling, a community room for health talks, computers for Internet access, a children’s playground, a small café, and a prayer alcove. We wanted to create a place not just where people have to go, but where people would want to go.

ES: How close are you to reaching your financial and building goals?

SDL: We’ve raised about half of our total construction budget of $580,000. It’s a lot of money ““ but not a lot when you consider what we’re building. The cost in the U.S. would be many [times] that. Nicaragua is a great testing ground for our concept because of the low cost to build, combined with the country’s great need and our strong relationships with people in the country who understand the healthcare system first-hand. For example, the former Minister of Health is one of our board members.

We have terrific community support, both in Nicaragua and in the States. In terms of fund-raising, we’ve received a number of generous donations from individuals, a grant from the Clif Bar Family Foundation, a pledge from another family foundation, and the support of our local Episcopal church. We have quite a few in-kind donations from businesses that support the project. We have an exceptional bi-national board of directors and panel of advisors. We’re pushing hard to raise the remaining funds so that we can break ground in 2009. We won’t begin construction until we have the total funds necessary.

ES: How will you raise maintenance funds once the clinic is built?

SDL: We’re realistic about the need to cultivate long-term relationships with a community of passionate supporters and advocates. We’ll be doing fundraisers in California and spreading nationally as more supporters step forward to take ownership in the project’s growth and success. But we also have a financial model that incorporates local sustainability. Our healthcare will be offered on a “donation” basis to the poor, with no patient being turned away. Middle-class patients, however, will be offered care by appointment at private market rates. Our model calls for these patients not to exceed one-third of the total number of patients served, so that we can focus on our mission of serving the very poor. In this way, we make sure that the local community is invested in the health and success of the clinic as well, while bolstering our long-term financial stability.

ES:  Will the clinic work with local midwives, curanderas, and herbalists, and integrate local knowledge with modern medical technology?

SDL: Expanding care beyond the boundaries of the clinic will be a major focus for Clínica Verde. Patient attendants will be trained to assist physicians at the clinic and also to be clinical educators and observers in the community. These patient attendants will rotate regularly to serve in the clinic or in one of the outlying rural areas. Their role in these outlying posts will be to provide clinical care (triage, first aid, general medical care, prenatal/postnatal/infant care, and health care education) and to be observers of home life, assessing the impact of the clinic’s education. These attendants will be the necessary bridges to the community to deepen the community/clinic relationship, expand social support networks for patients and care providers, and gain insight into patients’ lives inside their homes and neighborhoods.

I just want to close by thanking VivaTerra and EcoSalon for taking a leadership role in strengthening our communities throughout the world. These are the kind of partnerships* that I think have tremendous possibility for bringing people together to support positive change. Wherever you live, whoever you are, you have the ability to make a difference in the world. I don’t think there’s anything more powerful or meaningful in life than that. Clínica Verde will be a success because of that spirit of compassion, and that willingness to get involved beyond the boundaries of our individual lives ““ to connect with a purpose outside of ourselves. I’m grateful for your interest in our project. Spread the word!

Please click here to donate to Clínica Verde.

*Note: VivaTerra is a proud corporate sponsor of EcoSalon.com.

As creator and host of Get Fresh with Sara Snow and Living Fresh for the Discovery Networks, green lifestyle expert Sara Snow has reached millions of viewers with a message of simple, attainable green living. She was nice enough to stop by EcoSalon to share her favorite organic choices.

Top 10 Organic Food Picks

Apples. According to the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen”, they are number two on the list when it comes to levels of pesticides on the conventional varieties.

Chocolate. Dark chocolate can be a great source of antioxidants. Look for organic – or one better – organic, fair trade chocolates for your after dinner nibble.

Grapes. When imported, they are among the top for pesticide laden foods but they’re consistently a favorite snack for adults and kids alike. Looker for cleaner organic varieties.

Lettuce. Also among the “dirty dozen”, lettuce is a staple food in many homes. With so many varieties of organic lettuce, salads have never been easier!

Milk. Choosing organic milk means you’re choosing milk from a cow that was spared the routine dose of artificial hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified feed.

Meats. Especially for your beef (hamburger, beef tip, tenderloin alike) choosing organic is so important. Conventional cows are fed an unnatural diet that requires them to be treated with high levels of antibiotics. Meat from organic cows, especially grass-fed cows, is a safer and healthier option.

Peaches. They are the dirtiest of the dirty on the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” list.

Peanut Butter. It’s a staple food in nearly every home but most peanut butters contain a lot more than just peanuts – high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and so on. Also, more acres in the U.S. are farmed for peanuts than any other nut, fruit or vegetable, most of which is farmed conventionally. Choosing organic peanut butter encourages those acres to be farmed organically instead.

Soy. Soy is a very often genetically modified food and a heavily sprayed crop as well. Select organic varieties of your favorite soy foods like soy milk, soy yogurt, and imitation meats.

Wine. Where would life be without a bottle of red…or a bottle of white? For a healthy dose of antioxidants choose a wine made from organically grown grapes.

Sara knows of what she speaks. She grew up surrounded by organic gardens, compost heaps and a family with an infectious passion for green living (her father was a leading businessman in organic agriculture). Seven years into a career as an Emmy winning television producer and news reporter/anchor, Sara left and created her own TV series with practical advice on living green. Today in addition to her shows, she also writes and blogs for numerous publications including Treehugger.

Thanks, Sara!

Over at the Dancing Rabbit eco-village, the Milkweed Mercantile is showing how to turn a healthy profit without taking liberties with your environmental principles (as we recently reported). We’ve been lucky enough to chat to founder Alline Anderson – and here’s what she had to say about her business model, her seasonal routines and the concepts of “ecoluxe” and sustainability.

Ecosalon: What do you think are the dangers for anyone setting up an eco-friendly business using the traditional American business model?

Alline: To me, the traditional American business model, where bigger is better, really has no place in the eco-friendly business world. If a business is dependent upon constant growth, where do sustainability, re-use, and thoughtful consumption fit in? Can bigger really be sustainable? And how much is enough? Business leaders must be willing to stand up and say “we’re big enough, we don’t need total world domination, let’s focus on what we do, and do it well.”

Many eco-friendly businesses are crafting an exciting new business paradigm. We’re really excited here at the Mercantile to be creating a life where our work and play are closely intertwined. The café (when it opens) will be a place where the community gathers. We’ll purchase foodstuffs from our neighbors and from around the Midwest, encouraging more organic farming and food production. Additionally, our guests are kindred spirits who are interested in learning about our way of life, and how to encourage eco changes in their home communities. Like a pebble dropped in a pond, we hope the ripple effect reaches those who are ready and searching for what we have to offer.

It has been fascinating to watch “green” businesses become huge and successful only to sell out to big corporations. I find it very disappointing, but cannot begin to understand how overwhelming a large, successful business would be to run. I turn instead to the businesses involved in Co-op America and Social Venture Network. They are incredibly inspirational to me ““ most are dedicated to the Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet, Profit. If my staff and I can earn a living doing what we love, be respectful and take good care of each other, and contribute in a meaningful way to our community, well, that really feels like success to me.

Ecosalon: You’re clearly a passionate advocate for using local, seasonal produce. In what ways can you see the seasons affecting the way the business runs?

Alline: My favorite topic! Here in Missouri there is a definite change of seasons. I’ve been studying wildcrafting  (the practice of harvesting uncultivated plants from their natural, or “wild” habitat), nosing through old Euell Givens and Edna Lewis books. The woods here on the Dancing Rabbit Land Trust are filled with edibles if one knows what to look for. This spring I experimented with violet jelly (tastes just like spring) and salads using the flowers and beautiful heart-shaped violet leaves. Hunting for morel mushrooms is like an accidental treasure hunt. This year, as a novice, I only found a single mushroom, yet the time spent traipsing about in the sun-dappled woods was lovely. We also have maple trees that we tap for syrup, which is a delight to pull out on a dark wintry morning. Summer has its own treats, as does fall. Just yesterday our neighbors brought some small native persimmons to dinner. I had never tasted anything like them ““ they were absolutely extraordinary. I look forward to working all of these into the Mercantile menu.

The birds here are also seasonal. In the spring the male goldfinches turn a blinding yellow, and the mornings are filled with the songs of randy cardinals, robins, and house wrens. There are bird nests all over the village, and we all keep track of when each batch of chicks fledge. We’re near enough to the Mississippi River that we see a lot of migrating geese, ducks, and swans overhead. It’s fun to be able to drop everything and run outside when we hear that honking sound in the distance, and marvel at the hundreds of birds flying by. One of our B&B rooms is called The Rachel Carson “Sense of Wonder” Room; I hope that we can share our sense of wonder with our guests.

Another goal is to introduce people to the joys of startlingly fresh local produce. Most of us, even if we were blindfolded and placed in a sensory deprivation tank, would be able to tell the difference between a tomato fresh from the garden and one from the grocery store, which was picked while not-quite-ripe and trucked without mercy across the country. Beyond tomatoes, there is a whole world of flavor out there that is waiting. For example, one of my favorite things to do is show friends what Brussels sprouts on the stalk look like ““ talk about beautiful! Then I have them taste some Brussels sprouts which have been roasted with a dollop of good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. We’re looking to change lives, attitudes and maybe even habits. Eating locally is one of the best things we can do for ourselves and for the planet.

Ecosalon: In your own words, “sustainability is not about deprivation”. Do you think there is still a lot of prejudiced resistance to the “eco-luxe” concept of living (where top-quality living and eco-friendliness go hand in hand)?

Alline: I’m not sure I embrace the concept of eco-luxe. One can have an incredibly comfortable life and still be sustainable. Size and scale are really important considerations. How sustainable are $500 organic wool sweaters, 10,000 square foot houses (even if they’re powered with renewable energy) and single occupancy Priuses? How much more would each of us enjoy our lives if we could work one less day a week? We might not have as much money, but what really makes us happy? I am not advocating buying the cheapest stuff we can find ““ I believe it is our responsibility to be thoughtful, informed consumers. I fully support buying Fair Trade, Union, organic, socially-responsible products. But even green products come with a cost other than the price tag. I’d like to encourage people to think about what they are trading to have the newest, coolest, hottest items, green or not.

Designers in home and fashion are now promoting lots of eco fabrics and materials. I love that this is happening ““ I am excited by the shift from a petroleum-based system to one that utilizes more renewable materials. But I sometimes worry that the point is being missed. For example, if one has a perfectly serviceable kitchen, are you helping the earth or merely your ego by ripping out the floor and replacing it with eco-cool cork or bamboo? I fear that green may be perceived as a trend, only to be discarded when the next thing comes along. I’m hoping that we can help consumers understand the ideas and ethics behind sustainability, to learn to differentiate green from green-washing, and to evaluate the difference from true need and superficial want.

In some circles the idea of sustainability still carries a perception of a “granola eating, Grateful Dead listening, Birkenstock wearing, kumbaya singing” lifestyle. Fortunately that stereotype is quickly becoming outdated and we are all finding more common ground than we’re being led to believe exists. Parents who are concerned about the health of their families become ardent environmentalists, people of faith find correlations between their religions and earth stewardship, folks on a budget see the benefits of a simpler life. We each come to our own truths on our own paths. Which is as it should be ““ no one here at the Mercantile claims to hold the keys to an ecological life; we’re just enjoying the heck out of finding the answers.

Many thanks for your time, Alline – and we wish the Milkweed Mercantile all the success it deserves! You can learn more about supporting the Milkweed Mercantile here.

Image: Purple milkweed – by tlindenbaum