W hen Natural Life held its first summer festival back in the mid- 1990s, it opened with a well-attended fashion show featuring eco-friendly clothing. Now the

fashion industry has caught up with us! The models parading down a New York runway during this year’s Fashion Week were wearing couture clothing by designers such as Oscar de la Renta that had an environmentally aware edge. In fact, every garment in the Future Fashion show was made with fibers spun from bamboo, corn, organic cotton and other eco-friendly materials. Couture designs sewn up in eco-friendly fabrics were a hit at this year’s Fashion Week in New York, heralding the mainstreaming of fibers spun from bamboo, corn, organic cotton and other materials. The show, called FutureFashion and sponsored by Earth Pledge, a New York-based group that promotes environmental programs, challenged designers to

create fashion using only fabrics that were renewable, reusable or generated less pollution than conventional material. And it was a hit, surprising many in the fashion world with the diversity and quality of the fabrics. And as a result, says The New York Times, green may be the new black. Some clothing industry types feel that clothing and home furnishings made with ecofriendly fabrics could follow the path of organic food and personal care products, which are now a mainstream $15 billion business. Organic cotton, the largest category of eco-apparel, accounted for just $85 million of retail sales in the United States in 2003, the latest year for which statistics were available, according to the Organic Trade Association. That was a very small fraction of the American apparel market the year, but the percentage is predicted to grow year by year.

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Grene or Green What are you wearing? Really think about it. If you are one of the millions of people interested in becoming more environmentally friendly, you may want to take a closer look at your closet. At times, the fashion industry seems inherently eco-unfriendly. Clothes are often manufactured in faraway lands under sometimes questionable working conditions and then shipped long distances by pollution-spewing conveyances. That makes the rise of “green” and “socially conscious” fashion a welcome development. But pinning down exactly what constitutes something being “green” is no simple task. Denim woven with certified organic cotton and dyed with all-natural indigo can then be bleached with caustic chemicals.

Hemp is a less energy-intensive crop than cotton, but because its cultivation is banned in the United States, it

has to be imported which increases the carbon dioxide in the air.

Label Confusion “There’s a huge proliferation of ‘eco-labels,’” says Ryan Zinn, national campaign director for the Organic Consumers Association. “Companies are starting to throw up anything, and I think that’s a big challenge. ... People are getting more and more confused as their consciousness continues to grow and evolve.” The association works

toward a set of guidelines for apparel that would be as concrete as those put out by the United States Department of Agriculture for organic food, guidelines that also would take into consideration issues such as workers’ rights. “Putting a logo on the label is supposed to be a kind of shorthand, but most of the ones out there are, frankly, meaningless to most consumers,” says Summer Rayne Oakes. Oakes, an environmental activist, wrote the new book, “Style, Naturally,” which spends pages guiding consumers to “sustainable style” options. So how

can consumers be sure what they are buying is in fact environmentally or socially conscious?“Look behind the label and ask a lot of questions, check out their Web sites,” says Bená Burda, president and founder of Maggie’s Functional Organics brand of clothing and accessories. It has a warehouse in Ypsilanti and sells on its Web site and to retail stores all over the country. Products are made with USDA certified organic cotton and wool. Maggie’s also claims to be socially conscious, adhering to the

standards of Fair Trade Clothing. This is a guarantee that small-scale farmers and sewers in developing countries and the United States

receive a fair price for what they produce.Michelle Billeci of Rochester knows the frustration and confusion that comes with trying to buy green. She stepped up her commitment to buying green following the birth of her son who has sensitive skin. To help

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others, she decided to open Green Baby, an organic store for children.

The BIG Picture “When I purchase the products for the store I really look at different aspects,” Billeci says. “I look at the inks and dyes used, are the snaps and zippers nickel-free and where was it made. Green fashion is not new.Outdoor clothing and gear company Patagonia, ounded in 1973, has been using recyclable fabric since the early 1980s, while Simple Shoes has been making green footwear since 1991. Popular styles are made with materials like recycled tires, shoelaces made from plastic bottles, hemp, silk and environmentally certified suede and leather. Simple Shoes’ factories adhere to ethical standards that shun forced and child labor and are healthy and safe work

environments.“We do our homework on the materials we put into the shoes and bags we don’t just use whatever new ‘green’ material out there,” says Cielo Rios, product line manager for Simple Shoes.While buying organic products can be more expensive, there are budget-friendly ways to build a green wardrobe.“You can reuse clothing,” says Craig Minowa, Organic Consumers Association

spokesman and environmental scientist. “Products go out of style and then become trendy again. There are no toxins being used and you are stopping clothing from heading to a landfill.”

Shop greenThere are various clothing and accessory companies that claim to be environmentally friendly and socially conscious. For information about other green products visit GreenShopper atgreenshopper.com or Great Green Goods at www.greengoods.com.

ClothingMaggie’s Functional Organics is available at Whole Foods and Plum Market stores or maggiesorganics.com. Green Baby, greenbabyrochester.com. Patagonia sells outdoor wear and gear, using recycled fibers such as merino wool and f leece. It also practices corporate social responsibility by promoting fair labor and environmental protection where Patagonia is made. www. patagonia.com

ShoesSimple Shoes boasts 100-percent sustainable footwear. The brand is sold in department stores such Von Maur or Nordstrom. For information visit our website. www. simpleshoes.com.

AccessoriesMatt & Nat produces shoes, handbags and wallets using eco-fibers made from plastic water bottles. Matt & Nat accessories are available at Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.www. nordstrom.com

What does it mean?The best consumer is an educated consumer, says Craig Minowa, a spokesman and environmental scientist with the Organic Consumers Association, organicconsumers.org. “Really, money is power and spending a dollar is exercising power,” says Minowa. “If you are going to exercise power, you need to be educated.” Here are a few eco-label terms defined; for more, visit Sustainability Dictionary at www. sustainabilitydictionary.com.

packaging means less to throw away) and are harmless to the environment. Although these products are healthier, there is a downside to these eco-friendly cosmetics which is that depending on where you shop, they can be pretty pricey, but that’s the cost for healthy beauty.

What to look forWhen searching for an organic product you want to make sure that there are no chemical ingredients and that it is good for sensitive skin. Companies like Vegan or Saffron Rouge are certified in organic cosmetics. Also, if you search online there are many ways to create your own eco friendly cosmetics, and most of the ingredients you can buy cheap or find lying around in your own home. As a result of being eco friendly we are creating a better economy, and a better environment.

Putting on makeup in the morning, is one of the first thing girls do to disguise any blemishes and sometimes to even transform into a totally different person, but

what would you think if you knew that you were purposely putting chemicals into your body that can cause reactions over the years. These chemicals can be

a health hazard, which is why companies are now looking to “go green” or become “eco-friendly.”

Forbes ClimbingCosmetic companies are one of the biggest industries in the world especially since now there are very few women who don’t wear makeup. However, there are a couple problems with these “non organic” cosmetics. One con-cern is that the cosmetics these companies create are mixed with chemicals and when you apply

the makeup onto your skin these chemicals seep through your pours and enter into your blood.

Another issue is the companies test their products on animals, which to many people, is considered animal cruelty. Recently, “going green” has been starting to become a big thing, especially in the U.S. and since makeup is a big product, the production of “eco-friendly” makeup has become a big hit. Eco-friendly makeup is made from all natural ingredients of the earth which contains many minerals that are good an healthy for your skin.

Better for the SkinAlso, this natural makeup gives your face room to breathe because there are no oils or chemicals combined with these ingredients. Not only is organic

makeup good for your body but also it is good for the earth because it reduces the amount of toxic pesticides, is placed in a recyclable container (less

BY DAN SHAPLEY When it comes to old cell phones, it really pays to recycle. Several companies will pay you cash to recycle your used cell phone and sometimes they pay quite well. We looked at three prominent electronics recyclers and learned something obvious it also pays to shop around. The payout from selling a used cell phone to one company versus another is often just $1,

but for some models the difference is a $20 or $40, or even in the case of the Samsung Soul, for instance well over $100. That’s serious cash! The value of used cell phones is a reminder that recyclables all have value. It costs money to dispose of trash to bury

it in the ground or burn it, usually. On the other hand, communities usually make money on recyclables because those materials are sold for re-use in new products. Sometimes it’s cost-effective to rent, rather than buy, or to repair, rather than replace, and sometimes instead of recycling, you can upcycle your waste into art or a new product. But recycling is at the heart of smart waste management. Anyway,

HTC Google Nexus One - $289HTC Droid Incredible - $244HTC HD2 - $234Apple iPhone 3GS 32G - $200 Samsung SGH-d980 - $199Motorola Droid - $169Samsung SGH-INNOV8 - $182

what’s better than getting paid for doing the right thing? That’s why we wanted to find out what the most valuable used cell phones are. Surprisingly, perhaps, given the buzz, old iPhones aren’t worth the most cash. Here’s how we came up with our list of

most valuable used cell phones. First, we asked SecureTradeIn.com, YouRenew.com and Gazelle.com to tell us what old cell phones they paid the most cash for. SecureTradeIn happily complied, YouRenew referred us to its search engine and Gazelle just

said that smart phones like iPhones and Blackberries typically are worth the most. So we took SecureTradeIn’s list and compared it to the other sites, adding a few additional models after searching by brand on YouRenew. We assumed that the phone being

traded in was in good vcondition, but not perfect, and that it could be mailed with the items in the original package, like batteries, cords, adapters, software and the like.

Samsung SGH-u900 Soul - $175Apple iPhone 3GS 16G - $169Apple iPod Touch 64GB - $168Blackberry Bold 9700 - $166Blackberry Storm 2 9550 - $161Casio Zone G Brigage - $161Samsung Omnia 2 - $153

Samsung SGH-f700 - $143HTC Imagio XV6975 - $142 HTC Sprint Touch Pro 2 - $136HTC Droid Eris - $131 Samsung SPH M850 HD - $1295Samsung SGH-i200 - $126Apple iPod Touch 32 GB - $125

EKOH | Sept 2010

high resale value if they include sustainable design components. The value to prospective buyers comes from knowing their utility and maintenance costs will be lower in buildings that outperform non-green buildings. Occupancy levels are consistently higher, and vacancy rates lower, in sustainable office buildings. Healthy Occupants Sick building syndrome is a problem that has plagued homes and offices for decades, and costs U.S. businesses millions of dollars each month. Green buildings, however, avoid many of these problems with healthy ventilation systems and use of non-toxic materials. The EPA estimates that indoor air pollution may be 2 to 5 times worse, and sometimes more than 100 times worse, than outdoor air quality. Of 146,400 lung cancer deaths in 1995, 21,100 were related to the radon gas that’s found in many buildings. About 20 million people suffer from asthma, which can be triggered by the poor indoor air quality that’s often found in non-green buildings. Tax Benefits, Recent federal tax incentives have been enacted to encourage the design and construction of energy-efficient buildings, both residential and commercial. Many state and local governments have also passed tax provisions to encourage energy-efficient buildings.Ask your accountant or tax expert about the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, PL 110-185 (ESA), the Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008, PL 110-289 (HATA), the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, PL 110-343 (EESA), and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, PL 111-5 to see if these apply to your home orcommercial real estate.

fi Improved Retail Sales, A California survey of over 100 stores (all operated by the same retailer) found that sales were 40 percent higher when stores were lighted with skylights instead of electric lighting. Retailers who can use daylight in their interiors can also lower their electric costs. Lower Utility Demands, One indirect benefit to green and sustainable buildings is often overlooked: reduced demand on electric, gas and water utilities means that these infrastructures can do more with less. This can result in lower municipal utility costs over the long run as utilities need not expand and can avoid passing those expansion costs onto utility customers. Improved Quality of Life, It’s hard to put a dollar-amount value on quality of life. For example, would you pay to enjoy a less stressful day, or to avoid catching the f lu? When all of the aforementioned benefits to green architecture and sustainable design are added up, the enhanced lifestyles shared by all of society makes sense, both economically and environmentally.

Green architecture is more than a fashion statement. Many architects and clients agree that smart, sustainable buildings are becoming a necessity. Why? Because according to some estimates, buildings account for almost one-half of the world’s material and energy consumption, one-sixth of fresh water use, and a quarter of all wood harvested. As costs for sustainable materials and products drop, building green is really the most cost-effective kind of design and construction. More and more, you can’t afford not to build green. Lower Building Costs, Even if you read no further, this should convince you: Green buildings save money, starting the very first day of construction. This is true for green homes as well as sustainable office buildings, factories, churches, schools and other structures. A 2003 study by the California Sustainable Building Task Force shows that an initial green design investment of just 2 percent for will produce savings greater than 10 times the initial investment, based on a very conservative 20-year building lifespan. For example, $40,000 in green design in a $2 million dollar project will be repaid in just two years. Over 20 years, the savings will amount to $400,000. In other words, ka-CHING! Digital Vision, A number of studies -- and common sense indicate that building occupants who are healthy and comfortable are more productive. A study of 31 green buildings from the City of Seattle found that absenteeism was reduced by 40 percent. Another study, sponsored in part by commercial real estate giant Cushman & Wakefield, reported 30 percent fewer sick days among one company’s employees, and discovered a 10 percent increase in net revenue per employee in another company, after each office moved to LEED-certified buildings. Companies in green offices also have an edge in attracting and retaining great employees.Higher Market Value, Both residential and commercial buildings retain a