On a trip to the high desert community of Joshua Tree, Calif., I was happy to see a Saturday morning farmers’ market in the middle of town, where there hadn’t been one on my last visit a few years before.

As I perused the well-stocked stalls of apricots, strawberries, cherries, greens, potatoes, eggs, and all the other goodies that are in season here in Northern California as well, I wondered how far the farmers had driven. I talked to a few and found that most farm less than an hour away. Turns out there are farms in the valleys between mountain ranges even in these dry desert communities. And, in places called Banning, Victorville, and Lucerne Valley they grow truly luscious stone fruits (including the hard-to-find Blenheim Apricots).

Here in Northern California, local is our mantra, and it’s a pretty effortless one. While I recognize that it’s not so easy for everyone in the country to eat locally, thankfully, it’s getting easier. An informative article in Business Week details how the local food movement has taken off in recent years. According to figures from the US Agriculture Department, sales from farmers’ markets reached 1 billion in 2006 and the number of markets increased by 50% over 5 years. These impressive numbers signal better times ahead for both eaters and those who hope to make their living farming.

It’s a great idea to support our local food systems. Not only is the food better, but the dollars you spend stay in the community and support real families directly. So try to make the extra effort to do some shopping each week at your local farmers’ market.

Image: enfad

Menswear inspired eco suit jackets? Heck yeah!

But I’m not talking Miami Vice pastels, I’m talking the tailored and the rocker – definitely a worthy wardrobe staple you should be considering.

Why? Because it’s a versatile piece that will always be there for you at the office, for cocktail parties or late night at the underground bar you’ve always wanted to go to but couldn’t because you didn’t have the right suit jacket.

Of course.

In fact, I not only want a black suit jacket, I want the perfect t-shirt to wear under it. Something like this with just a little pop of color. Maybe I’ll even do my hair like hers.

Sure, the look is trendy right now, but there’s just something so fresh about what to pair with jeans, my favorite pencil skirt or even black trousers.

Taper me, rock me and let me loose!

]]> http://www.ecosalon.com/rockin-it-manly/feed/ 2 http://www.ecosalon.com/grain-power/ http://www.ecosalon.com/grain-power/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:00:01 +0000 Luanne Bradley http://www.ecosalon.com/?p=7950

A desire to see wood striations seems ingrained in our modern sensibilities, from the art of Rex Ray to the sleek carved furniture gliding into showrooms and onto green websites. The most skilled craftsmen have always been keen on sharing their process which often involves revealing the beauty of nature in their work. It’s a growing trend in green design, in which the materials are either reclaimed from old buildings or harvested from certified sources not endangered.

Here are a few examples of the proud wearing of the grain:

Hudson’s cedar Tahiti Stool (above) can come with a revolving base. It’s one of those pieces that ages gracefully and can even be placed outdoors in a covered spot.

The Crocus Table emerges as the new console with lovely wood grain variation in the wenge and zebra wood over birch ply; $2200 at the Artful Home.

Pottery Barn Teen’s Wood Gran Eco-Chic Floor Lamp borrows on the grain trend to make a statement in the clean green teen digs; $49.99

The sensuous lines and visible grain of the Twisty Stool at VivaTerra are mesmerizing. Just $195.

The dining set below gets grainy with Brave New Space’s Hollow Table and Chairs, $9,250 from Velocity.

The wood grain trend extends to kitchen counters, where earthy meets modern in this Vertical Grain finish from Green Building Supply.

The Otto Platform Bed from Against the Grain gives a lift to wood grain patterns with balanced geometric lines. Starts at $2495 and is available in several finishes.

My heart was nearly broken last summer when I noticed that a family member’s plum tree was so heavily laden with fruit that hundreds of beautiful plums were rotting on the ground. I decided to harvest the entire tree. Since one person can only make so much jam and I knew most of my friends were too busy to take on a plum project like this, I started surfing the internets to see if there was some way I could unload a ton of gorgeous, perfectly ripe Santa Rosa plums.

That’s when I found Forage Oakland – a site run by a woman who has mapped publicly accessible trees all over my city. She always asks permission before harvesting and she harvests everything on her bicycle and redistributes the fruit. I can’t think of a greener and more socially just idea. I met her when she came to get the plums I’d harvested, which ended up at a giant Eat In organized by Slow Food Nation, enjoyed by all.

Turns out that this urban foraging thing is a bit of a movement. There are groups springing up all over the country – not to be confused with Freegans – a philosophy I support in principal, though you’ll never catch me dumpster diving. I prefer the idea of waste diversion before it hits the dumpster. Portland, Oregon has a network, Santa Fe has a map, LA has Fallen Fruit, San Francisco has a wild foraged food CSA.

Lest you think urban foraging is just for those of us on the balmy West Coast, Chicago has Nance Klehm. And Canada has The Clever Mom.

Anybody can do it. What a great way to get to know your neighbors, build community, start a bartering circle, feed the homeless, or simply avoid the waste of fallen fruit.

Though it’s winter here in Northern California, there are still plenty of laden grapefruit, orange, and Meyer Lemon trees full of lovely fruits. Watch for Friday’s recipe using Meyer lemons and in the meantime, leave a comment on any urban foraging projects in your area.

Image: bentza

Romance isn’t just a concept worn thin by fairy tales and Hollywood movies that leave women like me wondering “where’s my knight in shining armor?” It’s an attitude easily accessible from within each and every one of us. And it’s a good thing.

Since summer 2008 we’ve seen ruffles and silky see-through pieces on the runways. The good news is flirty and feminine will continue into spring with an emphasis on folksy. Think gypsies and draping, soft fabrics – think romance.

The Silk Chiffon Raphael Blouse from CIEL is a great place to start. It’s made of 100% organic silk, with ruffled sleeves and more ruffles across the chest. Available in lilac in US sizes 4, 6, 8 and 10, you can find it at Fashion-Conscience for $172 (£115).

Wear it and show your romantic side. ‘Tis the season.

I’m a pretty sore loser at tennis, especially when my husband rockets those serves toward my face and I want to throw my racket at his head. But my arm never aches after as it does with the Wii tennis video game.

I notice I emulate the real motion of the swing with my remote while my daughters execute abbreviated swipes at the screen to place shots, serve and return. They’re so aggressive, if it were the real thing, I’d take them out of school and put them on the circuit to support our family. But truth be told, I fear too much time spent with this year’s holiday gift will result in those Wii-related sports injuries on the rise- everything from tennis elbow to sprained ankles and severe eyestrain.

This week on Good Morning America, GiGi Stone coined the phrase “Wii-habilitaion” in her piece featuring a woman whose shoulder injury from boxing sent her to an orthopedic surgeon. A doctor told ABC News he is seeing 10 to 12 new Wii injuries per month and attributed the epidemic to “exuberant overuse.”

In other words, both kids and adults get hooked fast and play for several hours at a time. Gone are the days of exercise in the great outdoors. Since the virtual sports aren’t as strenuous as playing for real, you don’t feel the fatigue that signals it’s time for a break. The strain results from repetition. (As with any exertion, doctors recommend stretching before and after playing.)

A condition called Wii-itis first surfaced in a report by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 when the Nintendo game was gaining popularity. This holiday season it sold out nationwide (reports of the Wii being bad for the environment have yet to score big points). Nintendo says it provides plenty of guidelines with the equipment to prevent injuries.

At a site called Wiiinjury.com, victims from unstrapped remote accidents share their sob stories: black eyes, bruised cheeks, shattered wine glasses. There was even a bogus class action lawsuit in 2006 in which the plaintiffs argued the remote straps were faulty and caused injuries. Nintendo says when used properly, the remotes stay affixed to the wrist and don’t go flying into faces. The company’s precautions also suggest how far to stand from your opponent and from the TV screen.

Apparently, Wii humans aren’t the only ones who can take a beating from ignoring guidelines. The most reported accidents involve smashed televisions.

Henna is a natural paste that has been used to etch temporary exotic flourishes on hands and other body parts for 5,000 years. The tattoos are said to date back to ancient Egypt, when they stained the fingers of the pharaohs prior to mummification. Adopted by Indian and Middle Eastern cultures, it is traditional to decorate women for Mehndi wedding ceremonies and to paint the bellies of pregnant women in their 8th month for good luck and calming effects.

I’m a huge fan of henna motifs, not just on the skin but in home design. I have borrowed the paisley floral motifs to stamp lamp shades and headboards, and have framed painted images of henna hands that I find in various art shops. I’ve employed one of the greatest henna artists, Daracy Vasudev of Henna Lounge in San Francisco, to work her magic on window coverings (below) and walls for some of my design clients.

I’ve been waiting and waiting for someone to produce henna designs for the home so I wouldn’t have to come up with a line myself. And now, it seems, in the new year, some vendors are getting hip to the tattoos for wool and natural cotton textiles.

Among them, the producers of the Hamsah Hand Rug at West Elm. It’s made of pure hand-tufted wool and is sold up to an 8×10 ($499). I’m floored by the carpet’s interpretation of a henna hand, while borrowing from the hamsah, a Middle-Eastern symbol of protection, especially from the evil eye.

Meantime, CB2 introduces Mehndi Bedding (above), filigree medallions in chocolate embroidery on organic, undyed cotton. It emerges as an intricate, hand-drawn motif right out of a henna book. It includes a duvet $119 to $129) and shams, along with a chocolate Danita accent pillow ($39.95). There’s also a teal version of the henna pillow.

Prior to these ready-made henna objects for the home, I’ve looked to textile maker John Robshaw, who produces a few hand-blocked natural fabrics with henna-style floral motifs such as the three below.

I’m hoping henna for the home is here to stay, unlike the gorgeous body tattoos that sadly fade away after a day or two.

We show off a lot of ecoSkin fashion around EcoSalon because well, we like their style. And now they’ve captured the latest fashion forward off-the-shoulder trend with the Mercury Top.

Somehow ecoSkin has found a flattering way to recreate this look from the flamboyant days of Flashdance. Frankly, I’m shocked. But even I might consider wearing this easy-going and slightly sexy piece made of bamboo and tencel. It looks comfortable and would be perfectly paired with skinny jeans or a slim denim skirt. Available in sizes x-small to large for $139 (black only), find it at Green with Glamour. You can see more of ecoSkin here.

Another shoulder baring favorite is this top from nixxi. It has an elastic hem for a snug fit at the hip, but it’s the asymmetrical neckline with a d-ring detail that says simple and sassy. Made of soy, organic cotton and a tiny bit of stretch, the nixxi Off-the-Shoulder Top is available in four fall colors in sizes x-small to large. Find it at greenloop for $90 .

A year in Lifestyle – from dire rumblings over biofuel to the unprecedented eco-promises of President Elect Obama, from ravaged coral to eco sunscreen, personal sustainability to green careers. It’s been a whirlwind 12 months…and here’s why.

January: we first look at the menaces of urban tumbleweed, plastic hotel toiletries, greenwashing, and pondered the wisdom of using silicone cookware and fuel in place of food.

February: Kim checks out Japanese holistic toothpaste; salmon stocks crash in north California; we suggest shedding some light; orangutans swipe chopsticks for a good cause; Freecycle helps us get household essentials entirely for free; a mousetrap even mice might like; catalytic converters lose their green credentials; Luanne finds a coral cemetery; travel journals are an Art form – look!; and the bamboo that helps you read in the bath.

March: the first Seattle Green Festival; find out what “Touski” means; See Spot Recycle; not all City Slickers are lost in the country; it’s been a good, green year for laptops; how to lunch on brown bags (or green up your lunch bag); greenwashers on the run; my number 1 fan; AllTop launches; the joy of spring asparagus; how easy it is to give; nobody’s mowing the lawn; the Wabi Sabi way; cleaning without nasty chemicals; bringing back Slow Shaving; magical (not magic) mushrooms; a chat with Aaron “King Corn” Woolf; where else to keep strawberries?; one angry bird; vitamins for the needy; and how does your house score?

April: picnicking with (not against) the environment; You Are Beautiful; what is carbon offsetting anyway?; sustainable scrubbers; sardines are the new salmon; hogging rainwater; giving the almost-green a nudge; the complicated ethics of fur; how to spot if a restaurant is eco; upcycling the softest of brushes; what’s for Earth-dinner?; stain removal without skin removal; how to celebrate Earth Day, quick!; exactly how bamboo is sustainable and green; Harry Potter turns over a new leaf; the sense in embracing the ridiculous; when “reducing” apparently doesn’t mean “less”; the sudsless car wash; the right way to arrange a steamy tumble; and flagging down the right kind of (luxury) cab.

May: 60,000 pounds of shrimp every day – it has to be Las Vegas; plug those sizzling leaks; sneaky, sneaky plastic; chewy rope for furry friends; lunches you won’t want to wait for; sexy soil; greenscouring; the unacceptable nature of animal food-farming in America; the busy, buzzing farming assistants under mysterious threat; how (and how not) to charm a green goddess; plastic – out with the new, in with the old; the Why of rising prices; LEED-certified ELEMENT hotels launch; and lastly, lots of sex.

June: George W. Bush is “honored” by green activists; we’re unimpressed by the Eco Kettle; how to throw a party right; feeling good about eating meat; first steps (first revolutions?) with bikes; political greenscouring abounding; how we’re becoming Nature’s noisy neighbors; how much of our groceries get thrown out?; even matches can be re-thunk; the tranquil – and threatened – Joshua Tree National Park; gardening with the wind; the science of Shh!; Earthship ahoy; eco-friendly sunscreen; why individual choices matter; Do-It-Ourselves cities; the grass is always greener if it’s not faux; and Method get a makeover.

July: the enduring problem with palm oil; the first worldwide climate change pressure group; pack smarter, not lighter; a sustainable spread; 25 ways to fill your piggy bank; the unfairly-maligned clothespeg; as much soda as you can make; festival of destruction?; good habits start young; your SUV is redeemable; what’s cookin’ in the White House?; green buildings you can munch on; pingg!; 30 unusual compostable items; greenwasher is Bond villain; 10 ways to avoid eco-snobbery; marine conservation that works; hitting the spot with eco sex toys; new urbanism; a yoga mat that in every sense isn’t square; and 10 eco gifts that aren’t crunchy, preachy or political.

August: eco-friendly dining venues; curly light bulbs, explained; You vs. Junk Drawer; scoop the poop; Germans champion the passive approach; tips on first date butterflies; in the future, electricity will be weird; on your bike!; making sure your shade makes the grade; a very Italian recession; 15 life-changing books; green gadgets you won’t be able to keep your hands off; school supplies for budding greenies; worlds of meaning; 9 inventions they said would never work; eating out of palm leaves; Barnstable’s beach smoking ban; environmental art you’ll never forget; and lights out for England’s churches.

September: the rinse & return of milk bottles; shoes that never get wet?, e-book readers finally arrive; capping escaping caps; what the stars (the twinkling kind) can tell us; building a 21st-Century home; recycled specs; the gift of an eco action pack; SGF seeking SGM; crayons!; Mom, I think I solved the energy crisis; autumn yard decor; chain stores shrinking?; the navy shower; models wearing parachutes, and other madnesses; Greenbottling it; Solay cleaners; Greenpeace’s Guide to Greener Electronics; and 15 glimpses into houses of the future.

October: 10 lean, green fashion and decor deals; VroomVroomVroom; October Fair Trade roundup; the Virtual March; a dangerous love of olive oil; the innate profitability of organic farming; Starbucks in hot water; guilt-free roadtrips; of oil and ANWR; gits for an eco hostess; TripAdvisor’s More Than Footprints; greening your junk, 16 creative ways; Nokia’s wooden phone – well, maybe; 10 green collar jobs for 2009 and beyond; interview with Starre Vartan; a better Halloween (here too); 7 endangered species we’ll be seeing more of; USBCELL; cloth diapers fill with controversy; 10 tips for personal sustainability; 10 ways to unlock your inner green goddess; sustainable sushi; save the Angel Oak; shoes that fall apart for a good reason; and biomimicry – how we’re learning from the best.

November: prison inmates gathering moss; traveller’s gadgets; rain harvests; eco promises from the new guy in the White House; more worries over cellphones; the power of Maatiam; Nature’s healthy architecture; Facebook friends frenzy; Oceana Adopt-A-Creature; 12 DIY projects; the magic of England’s Cornwall (home of Eden); 10-4 10-4, top restaurant on the road; One Million Acts of Green; Smart Biking, smartphones and smart networking; Amazon rationalize their packaging (and about time); creative bookworming; the well-named Good Hotel; soldiers and civilians plant 6 million trees – in one day; 7 ways of giving meaningfully; Eco-Libris; eBay’s environmental record gets spotty; party punch; Madeleine Pickens and wild mustangs; mulching Nature’s cast-offs; and the real cost of 10 everyday items.

December: Africa’s Last Eden; are e-book readers truly green?; Vroom, Woosh, Dig, Sizzle!; Canadians losing their bottle; interview with Robyn Griggs Lawrence; the generation that knows best; 9 reasons not to buy pets from a pet store; elephants are better off in the wild, suggests study; getting there greener; environmentalism 2.0; a viral Brighter Planet; Go-Ahead Group set standards for travel; 7 outrageous PETA stunts; pocket markets take a stand; a new perspective on camel humps; the marvellous Bicycle Commuter Act; your plastic “friend” goes green?; the Surfrider Foundation; 10 reasons to love being on a train; electronic recipe books (at 20 times the price); eco board games; Dubai cons the environment; humane veal?; Australia’s Sunshine Coast; one teenager makes a difference in Darfur; questions to ask your printer; and Vegan Hoppin’ John!

Image: Sir Mervs

Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen some of the best, worst and most unusual that green architecture has to offer, from shipping container hotels to conference yurts. We’ve seen a host of exciting new ideas brought to the table – and here are a few that particularly won us over.

Bricks and mortar…on water?

It’s been hard to escape the Lilypad this year – thanks to a stunning design, jaw-dropping promotional images and an idea that seems way ahead of its time. A method of living on the two-thirds of our planet’s surface hitherto denied us – and doing so sustainably? Much more appetizing than growing gills, I’m sure we’re agreed.

Except – a nagging doubt. Look at the above picture. The word that springs to my mind isn’t “society” or “community” – it’s “elite”. Are sea-housing projects going to become something that local governments could afford to invest heavily in…or just a series of privately-financed, ultra-exclusive floating Dubais? If sea levels rise catastrophically, would the less wealthy be left stranded?

The Rise of the Truly Fab Prefab

Terraced houses. Entire streets that look exactly the same. Apartment blocks that look like a bureaucrat’s dream Lego set. And all because houses are built before they’re sold.

Let’s imagine something. Let’s say you buy the land first, then go shopping for a house to put on it. It’s a practice only just creeping into the mainstream housing market – and we couldn’t love it more (see here and here). Prefabs all look different, they’re custom built, and they’re testbeds for the cutting edge in new eco-friendly materials. I dream that one day, our children will buy their houses out of a catalogue.

Branching Out and Hanging Around

Tree hugger -”An environmentalist or one who believes trees and all living things should not be cut down or harmed.” In decades past, popularly equated with “nut”. But now, designers are waking up to the potential of living wood – whether it’s affixing human homes within the branches of trees, having trees growing (or “pleaching“) through houses or, most recently, the perfect tree hugger abode. We’re not going to see city-sized Lothloriens or streets looking like Patrick Dougherty sculptures anytime soon…but we’re thinking about it.

Scraping the Sky v2.0

It’s only recently in human history that we’ve starting building upwards on a skyscraping scale. Now these vast structures are becoming self-contained worlds, gathering energy, self-regulating and even growing their own food. So why do they have to be so boxy? They don’t. Take the Superstar (above): a model for a new kind of Chinatown.

Or the amazing pulled-spiderweb shape of the Crystal City, Moscow.

Or this Moon Shaped Skyscraper proposed for Baku, Azerbaijan.

On one level, genius at play – on another, mad as a hatstand. But the wider implication is that skyscraper designers are leaving behind the Giant’s Causeway urban template and borrowing a wider range of shapes from the natural world. More, please.

Buildings That Earn Their Keep

Everything we do around the home expends energy (unless you’re as lazy as I am). We ingest food, it turns into chemical energy, we expend it in mechanical effort. And then, that energy is wasted, usually as heat (friction). Could we divert some of it into powering our homes?

The signs are good. Take the door of the Natuurcafé La Port in Driebergen in the Netherlands – similar to a project undertaken by Fluxxlab. Take the power-generating floors of the Tokyo railway station. It’s not otherworldly technology, although it’ll be years before we see domestic housing using such features as standard. We can’t wait.

Something Sustainable Afoot

Forget polyvinyl flooring – the kind you see poking out of landfills with depressing regularity. Forget synthetic carpets that only really tell you what they’re made of when you singe them, filling the air with a smell you’ll take to your grave. No – we’d rather see acres of cork and bamboo flooring lining the next generation of homes. Green, gorgeous, great potential.

Turfing your Turf

Covering the outside and inside of your house with grass might sound like the work of a deranged golfing fanatic – but it makes sense. Now we’re seeing the concept at work in the street, such as the above fashion store in Seoul, Korea.

Electricity as a Last Resort

As wonderful as the rise of alternate energy is, there’s something we like even more – a home that doesn’t need it. Take the role of sunpipes in casting natural light deep into our homes without the slightest sizzle of power – and how about us rethinking our need to set our homes ablaze in the evenings? Take passive housing. Will the dream house of tomorrow have a dream electricity bill?

Buildings That Make You Sweat

Here in the U.K., obesity has just been labeled “one of the greatest public health threats“. Part of the root cause is lack of exercise – and part of that is surely the rise in modern labor-saving devices. So we applaud designers like Bruce Fowle who want to turn buildings and cities into gentle gyms.

These are our favorites. What are yours? If you’ve found something relevant (or blogged about it), share the link in the comments.

Image credits: Vincent Callebaut Architectures, miniHome, Apartment Therapy, Inhabitat, MAD Ltd, Foster and Partners, Civil Engineering Portal, Globus, Ann Demeulemeester, seeks2dream and Dustin Diaz.