Shared collective goals, personal style and consciously planned consumerism are at the heart and soul of Eco Fashion World, an online Eco-fashion guide that supports environmentally and socially responsible actions. Eco Fashion World started with four people spanning three continents who all wished to “be the change you wish to see.”
The minds at Eco Fashion World are dedicated to understanding the global repercussions of careless consumerism and are actively support ethical consumerism as part of an effort to reduce poverty, prevent environmental damage and support the rights of workers worldwide. Every action has an impact and Eco Fashion World is working hard to take positive actions that energize collective transformation.
The world of Eco-fashion is gaining a steady, unstoppable momentum. New developments in sustainable fabrics occur daily and innovators are constantly giving birth to super-glam, socially conscious new collections. Celebrities are helping Eco-friendly garments gain public appeal and boutiques are working hard to give everyday people access to stylish yet sustainable looks.
Eco Fashion World has remained dedicated to staying current with the tides of change and to providing a dependable global guide for new ideas, ideals and information. The idea is to give the entire world a green guide to help consumers locate sustainable designer boutiques in destinations around the world, as well as via online shopping opportunities.
Eco Fashion World has all of the latest Eco-fashion news, reviews, designer Q&As, launch updates, store profiles and personal interviews with choice ethical divas. Here you can expect to learn more about organizations that support the Eco-fashion movement. As one of the most visible and seductive forms of artistic mediums throughout history, fashion is no longer just about “what you are wearing,” it is about everything that went into what you are wearing. Fashion writers from around the world also add their voices to Eco Fashion World, making it a truly global online resource and guide for the latest Eco-friendly fashion finds.
Alright readers. Are you ready for an inspirational DIY adventure? It all starts in this humble little 700 sf cabin you see above in the sleepy little town of Midway Utah. Inspired, or just crazy, Calder and Starr were able to turn a lot of hard work into a fantastic modern meets rustic home. But that was just the beginning. Keep reading after the jump. I promise this is one story you are not going to want to miss.
Downstairs is a simple, but modern kitchen/living room with a nice island. I really like the contrast of the clean modern lines of the kitchen with the log walls. You can see from this picture too that the space is not huge. I’m pretty sure this is entire width of the house we are looking at.
Upstairs is the bedroom and bathroom. Again, I love the contrast of the white walls and wood. I also love how minimal and clutter free the room is. It looks like there is good storage built in on the sides too.
Calder didn’t mention much about the work that went into the cabin, but from the next part of the story, I think it’s safe to assume it was a lot of DIY labor.
So, what do you do when you have a 700 square foot home, and you are looking to expand your little family of two? Get an architect.
This is basically what they had to start with. You can see the cabin in the foreground, and in the back is a barn. It should be noted that the barn wasn’t originally on the property. The entire thing was disassembled, moved to the property, and reassembled. Yeah, that’s right. This family moves barns for fun in their spare time. Hardcore.
The new modern structure actually connects with the original cabin, keeping a nice separate but together juxtaposition.
Once construction began I have a good feeling that a family that can move barns is willing to pitch in and do a lot of the construction themselves. This DIY spirit and some resourcefulness I think is one of the keys to keeping construction costs down on modern projects. I love the fact that Calder seems like the kind of guy that doesn’t know what the word impossible means. Want an example? A two story home needs stairs right? Stairs need stair treads right? So what’s the obvious thing to use for stair treads if you are a guy that moves barns. Why reclaimed wood from a bowling alley of course.
Another example you say? Sure. Here is my favorite. What do you clad a beautiful modern home like this with? Some nice stonework would be a great choice, but that would be crazy expensive right? Not if you collect all the stone from a old city building that was torn down and cut it down to the right dimensions yourself. Yeah, that’s right. I said splitting your own stone. I didn’t even know that was possible.
After what must have been an incredible amount of stacking, moving, splitting, the stone was ready for the house. For all the details, and some fantastic pictures of the process, check out this post on their calderandstarr.blogspot.com
“>blog.
The end result?
Impressed doesn’t seem to do justice to the way we feel.
2011 has not only brought a new year, but a new decade. And, for anyone who loves cars and considers themselves environmentally conscious, it’s never been a better time to consider getting an electric car.
This is the year of electric cars, says John Voelcker, editor of GreenCarReports.com. For the first time since the automobile industry’s infancy, he says, “you have plug-in vehicles in the showrooms of major automakers in the U.S.”
Meanwhile, manufacturers have debuted more hybrid models while traditional combustion-engine cars become more fuel-efficient. Here are a few green trends car buyers can expect to see this year.
Utility EV programs
Plugging in an electric car overnight means a bump in your household electricity bill. Utilities are happy to supply that extra power, says Voelcker, because it’s a rare opportunity to increase demand for their product. However, utilities prefer that you charge up overnight or during off-peak hours. Look for more utilities offering special programs and rates for electric-car owners.
More electric cars
The two electric cars available for 2011, the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt, have long waiting lists for the small amount available to purchase this year. But the high demand means other manufacturers will sit up and take notice.
What makes this a watershed year for electric cars? These vehicles can run for up to 40 miles in ideal conditions without a charge or, in the case of the Volt, switching to gasoline. By some studies, 78 percent of Americans drive fewer than 40 miles a day, meaning electric-car owners could conceivably never have to visit a gas station.
Smaller cars go upscale
Certain drivers will always have a need for larger vehicles, so SUVs, vans and trucks aren’t going away. But drivers are becoming more comfortable with smaller cars — and their smaller fuel costs.
“For a long time in the American market, small cars were considered entry-level,” says Voelcker. “They were what you bought your kid before they could get something nice.”
In 2011, manufacturers will continue offering high-end features like leather seats, upscale stereos and all the latest gadgetry in both smaller and larger cars.
40 mpg is the new 30
Aging starlets have spouted this mantra for years, but in 2011 it applies to fuel efficiency in non-hybrid cars. With new federal standards, “40 miles per gallon is the new benchmark,” says Voelcker.
Just a few years ago, 30 miles per gallon was the higher end of fuel economy. But these days, plenty of cars –– not just subcompacts –– are in that 40-mpg range for highway driving. These include the Chevy Cruze Eco, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Fiesta and Chevy Sonic. The new standard is achieved via a combination of lightweight materials and engines that are much smaller.
Start-stop systems
In 2012, Buick will debut a “start-stop system” on its LaCrosse full-size sedan, a feature that will eventually spread to other GM models. The system, a sort of “hybrid lite,” is already common in Europe, says Voelcker; it essentially switches to electric power when a car is slowing to a stop and switches back when the driver speeds up again. Buick says this feature, called eAssist, increases fuel economy by 25 percent.
Nearly every magazine and runway has featured Josie Maran, and she’s just one of those women who can get the finest modeling spots in the world. She’s the envy of many and knows how to work the fashion industry to fit in with her eco-savvy, chicological style. In previous interviews she has come across as a glamorous beauty fashionista but her past revels a more free spirited California eco girl who loved to go makeup-less. We adore her eco style and her ability to make being green hip and chic.
Check out her best beauty picks by clicking on her picture below:
In an effort to draw more attention to their cause, Harrison Ford and Conservation International are turning to the online gaming world of Facebook.
Called “Ecotopia,” the game will place players in the middle of a city overwhelmed with pollution and urban decay. Their goal is to introduce sustainable initiatives that will reverse the environmental damage and benefit your citizens. Along the way, participants will also have the opportunity to earn extra points for performing real-world green actions – as well as get other Facebook users involved in the action.
“As a passionate supporter of Conservation International’s work, I am excited that Talkie and CI are collaborating on Ecotopia,” said Ford, vice chairman of the organization’s board of directors. “This game represents a refreshing new way to engage millions of people in addressing critical environmental issues and finding solutions that work for the well-being of humanity.”
Each month, Conservation International will also introduce some “environmental villains” for players to combat as part of an expanding storyline. (May I suggest an angry 100-foot tall Sen. James Inhofe?)
With more than 300 million daily users, it makes sense that Conservation International would want to tap into the growing online gaming world of Facebook. Of course, one big question remains: Will people want to play a game with a message? That’s something that will be a challenge for developer Talkie.
“Talkie’s new game will empower users to get excited about protecting nature and making environmentally smart decisions in their everyday life,” said Peter Seligmann, chairman, CEO and founder of Conservation International.
Being involved in the eco-friendly world keeps us in tune with nature and the environment, and of course, high fashion. Have you ever noticed that nature is full of ironies and stark contrasts? For instance, inexpensive coal is closely related chemically to diamonds and yet they are in a completely different spectrum. The irony is that diamonds cause more bloodshed and environmental problems than coal mining. Diamonds are also used in industrial machinery because they are hard and are not corrosive. But why are diamonds valuable when they are not expensive naturally and are used in machinery? The answer is in marketing and fashion. If you’re just going for the look of diamonds, you need to understand that there are more options than meet the eye.
Simulated and synthetic diamonds help narrow the deficit between demand and supply. The understanding of the geological processes that forms diamonds have enabled scientists to develop techniques to manufacture man made diamonds. Synthetic diamonds produced by current technologies have properties very similar or often times superior to natural diamonds. They find use in jewelry and are much cheaper than natural diamonds but just as beautiful.
The need for diamond based cutting tools led to the development of technology for manufacturing man made diamonds. It is now possible to produce flawless man made diamonds due to refinement and new advances in technology. Unlike synthetic diamonds, natural diamonds are very expensive and often have a trail of blood and crime.
Gemstone grade man made diamonds are mostly produced by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High Temperature High Pressure (HTHP) processes. Diamonds are produced by the HPHT process by treating carbon or graphite under high temperature and pressure. CVD involves chemical reactions between precursor gases to deposit diamond crystals over a seed.
CVD polycrystalline, CVD single large crystal, HPHT grit and HPHT single large crystal are the four main types of artificial or man made diamonds. For industrial purposes HPHT grit and CVD polycrystalline diamonds are used. They are used as abrasives and in cutting and drilling tools. Single large crystals produced by HPHT and CVD processes are mostly used as gemstones. Synthetic diamonds and diamond simulants are used in engagement rings and other diamond jewelry and are available at most jewelry stores.
It’s amazing how much attention celebrities give their causes and with Actor and Activist Ben Affleck and the diamond issues in Africa, it’s no different. Affleck testified before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee March 8, 2011. He has enough power and persuasion to make a difference, but will others follow suit on the blood diamond issue? We are, as always, committed to supporting causes which bring to light the human rights abuses and will be joining Ben Affleck’s cause.
********
Actor Ben Affleck and other activists are urging the United States to appoint a special envoy for the Democratic Republic of Congo and to help ensure elections scheduled there in November are free and fair. Affleck, founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, testified this week before the U.S. Congress.
“The next step is for Congress to push the U.S. government to create a certification program like we did with the ‘blood diamonds’ when we said it’s not acceptable to buy diamonds and have the terrible atrocities occur in West Africa.”
One of the things most people hear when they go to buy an engagement or wedding ring is the stores boasting of their compliance with the Kimberly Process and that their diamonds are “conflict-free.”
Unfortunately for nearly all the stores which sell mined diamonds (aside from Canadian diamonds), is that the consumer is being fed a false PR statement.
The system of monitoring and enforcing compliance with Kimberley Process minimum standards is based on a peer-review mechanism and therefore weak. No third-party monitoring is foreseen.
Internal control mechanisms are weak in several important countries such as Angola and the DRC due to capacity, technical shortcomings and corruption. This equally applies to the voluntary system of warranties of the diamond industry represented by the World Diamond Council.
Another critique from civil society organizations is that when confronted with clear examples of non-compliance of participant countries (e.g. Brazil, Zimbabwe, Guyana, Ghana and Venezuela) the Kimberley Process reacts only slowly and often ineffectively. Ian Smillie, former PAC Research Coordinator and important founder of the KP, who disengaged from the Kimberley Process in 2009, has said: “we have seen more and more examples of how criminals and diamond dealers and smugglers and even governments have been able to bypass, subvert and ignore the KPCS with almost complete impunity.”
So what can we do? Get educated. Don’t buy into the marketing ploys. Think outside the box when buying an engagement ring.
One of the world’s most respected magazines, National Geographic, has tackled one of the most controversial industries: the diamond cartel. National Geographic writer Andrew Cockburn writes about the diamonds funneled through secretive networks, and how they carry a huge cost in human suffering.
Standing on the floor of the pit, its terraced sides soaring a thousand feet (300 meters) above me, I leaned over to tie my shoelace. “Don’t touch the ground,” Mahwi said sharply. “It’s forbidden.” Here, as at all other De Beers operations, there is a perpetual struggle against temptation, with progressively more restricted color-coded security zones, remote cameras, and stringent searches, not to mention a fenced zone surrounding the whole complex.
Critics insist that the high price of diamonds is purely artificial, not subject to economic constraints of supply and demand but entirely dependent on the machinations of De Beers—a cartel, as it is often called, not least by the antitrust division of the United States Department of Justice. (De Beers was indicted in a 1994 price-fixing case, and its executives do not set foot on U.S. soil for fear of subpoena.)
In the past producers attempting to market rough stones independently have been mercilessly punished, sometimes by a selective flooding of the market with stones from the legendary stockpile in the vaults under De Beers’s London headquarters.
“Diamonds are not really a commodity like gold or silver,” a leading New York dealer explained to me one day. “You won’t buy a stone from a jeweler and then sell it back to him for the same price—he’s not going to give up his profit.
Yet on the other side of the world, slave laborers are been hard at work in a wide, sandy pit south of the city of Mbuji-Mayi, the heart of diamond country in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The pit was honeycombed with square shafts hardly wider than a grave and as deep as 20 feet. The dirt was hauled in buckets on ropes to the surface, washed, sieved, and picked over. It is backbreaking and dangerous labor, and sometimes weeks or months went by without any reward.
Over the next seven years, thanks to the efforts of 100,000 semi-enslaved De Beers diggers have extracted perhaps as much as four billion dollars’ worth of stones. The consequences of Savimbi’s access to diamond money are abundantly apparent today. “Diamonds have been a curse on Angola. Without diamonds the war couldn’t last so long,” said Jeremias Belino as he stood in the wreckage of Kuito, his home city in the central highlands, pulverized into ruin by Savimbi’s assaults and artillery barrages. De Beers’s annual reports from the early ’90s provide stark confirmation of this belief, laced as they are with self-congratulatory references to the company’s success in buying up the stones marketed by Savimbi and thereby avoiding a glut on the market.
However, public awareness is growing and De Beers is worried. Operating on an annual budget of less than $500,000, from a walk-up office in north London, a group published “A Rough Trade,” a powerful and damning summary of the diamond industry’s responsibility for Angola’s misery, quoting, among other public sources, De Beers’s indiscreet reports.
It shows the RUF forces, many of them forcibly conscripted boys, maintained control of their operation by spreading terror among the local population. In a horrifically systematic manner Sankoh’s soldiers ordered men, women, and children to line up with both arms outstretched, then hacked off the victims’ hands or legs and hauled them away in sacks. As a way of deliberately panicking civilians it was more effective than mere slaughter.
As reports of the RUF’s gruesome attacks spread, the outside world began to discern a connection between diamonds and children with missing limbs. Global Witness announced the launch of Fatal Transactions, a campaign by several organizations to alert consumers to the bloody side effects of the diamond business, just in time for the 1999 Christmas season. “That dazzling diamond necklace you buy for that special someone at a swank Fifth Avenue jewelry store may be funding the activities of a cannibal gang in Sierra Leone,” declared the New York Post in November.
This sort of talk, with intimations of worse to come, threw the industry and those who depended on it into panic. In addition, the rise of information spreading on the internet is especially damning to those paying 1000% mark ups on essentially cheap stones, or diamonds.
“Six and a half thousand rupees a carat,” said the dealer. That would be just under $140. After some rapid negotiations the price came down to 6,000 rupees, $125, and I was the proud owner of a folded square of paper containing 168 perfect little works of art. Each one had taken three hours to make, with the labor subdivided among three different workers. I felt that the craftsmen, recruited from a desolate farm district in the interior and earning about $80 a week, deserved more credit for these miracles of miniaturization.
I was tempted, but in the end I kept my little cache, just to pore over from time to time. They are full of surprises.
Wikileak cables from the US embassy in Zimbabwe allege that President Robert Mugabe’s family and the central bank governor are directly involved in the illegal smuggling of diamonds from the Marange fields, the world’s richest concentration of diamonds and the scene of mass slaughter.
The site has since seen horrific violence as local panners were machine-gunned from helicopters or torn apart by attack dogs in a drama with echoes of the film Blood Diamond.
“In a country filled with corrupt schemes, the diamond business in Zimbabwe is one of the dirtiest,” said one cable in November 2008 entitled Regime Elites Looting Deadly Diamond Fields.
The cables suggest that the US diplomats give weight to allegations by Zimbabwe sources claiming that central bank chief Gideon Gono “ran the operation, paying for gems with freshly printed dollars” and reselling them for US dollars.
The cables relayed that the violence has been staggering. After one assault by security forces “over 200 bodies turned up at Mutare mortuaries. Many of those bodies arrived with fatal gunshot or dog bite wounds and were tagged “BID Marange” or “brought in dead from Marange”.
Andrew Cranswick, one of the diamond industry’s chief executives, is identified by name as a source for one cable, giving specific details about specific individuals in the smuggling ring, including a prominent South African.
A survey report for De Beers indicated that the Marange fields have a ratio of more than 1,000 carat per hundred tons, eight times higher than peers. One industry expert said it was “the richest diamond field ever seen by several orders of magnitude”.
Tribal chiefs said the diamonds were causing havoc. “The environmental degradation was severe, violence reigned, and the community was not benefiting from the resource. Three quarters of the schools failed to open because teachers and students alike were digging for diamonds,” said the cable.
The US embassy said Marange could be a bonanza for battered Zimbabwe, perhaps generating sales of $1.2bn (£760m) a year. Instead it had become a “curse”.
When is enough enough? When will there be controls on diamonds and their atrocities? And, why is DeBeers allowed to import their millions of diamonds when they have been obtained illegally?
