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 It’s almost impossible to turn on the news, hear a political speech or go to the movies these days without being reminded of the state of our environment. We are in an environmental crisis and politicians can no longer bury their heads in the sand and pretend climate change doesn’t exist. Greenhouse pollution is making our climate more volatile than ever and polar bears are drowning because the artic ice shelf is melting. The Great Barrier Reef is threatened with bleaching and we are fast running out of water. Even still one of the major threats, animal farming isn’t being addressed, despite a United Nation’s report naming livestock as one of the main causes of climate change and damage to our environment.
However the good news is people are more aware than ever. We are starting to reassess the way we live our lives and the products we are buying. It is now time to rethink the clothes we wear and to make sure we buy eco-friendly fashions. But don’t worry – this doesn’t have to be all hemp and mung beans! There are some seriously funky, fashionable and stylish products out there waiting for you.
 Victoria Everman, a green fashion guru based in the US, recommends looking for fashion made from organic cotton and to consider the conditions for the workers where the clothing was made. “Before you spend your money on a cheap shirt, you should stop and remember the impact that your dollars are having not only on your local economy and your own health but also on the workers who made the fabric and sewed the clothing, and consider how far it was shipped from the factory,” she says.
One of her favourite eco-friendly companies is Bird Textiles, Australia’s first climate neutral business. Their whole line is handmade, uses water-based dyes and solar power – you can’t get more eco than that. Everman loves their Tie Wrap Dress that can be worn alone, with pants or layered up. Then there’s Glad Ragz. Check out their sexy zip-up dresses or if you prefer something a little more conservative, there’s Bamboo Body, which stocks some beautifully simplistic designs, unsurprisingly made from bamboo. Finally it’s worth looking at Planet Truth and their t-shirt line which has, according to Everman “kick ass graphics that resemble high fashion graffiti”. She also suggests that buying vintage clothing is an eco-friendly way of shopping that guarantees original style and “zero cost resources to create since it was made years ago”.
 So now you are decked out in eco wear, you need to check out some products.
Danin Kahn from The Todae Shop in Glebe believes that everyone can do simple things like changing their light bulbs to make a difference. “People think we can waste energy because we can’t see it – we wouldn’t do that with food,” he says. Just changing your old halogen light bulbs to LED lights can reduce your energy consumption by half. Those halogens are 90% heat and only 10% lights. You can also have shorter showers, pick up a shower timer, stick it to your shower wall and you’re set. The Todae Shop has some very funky tech accessories such as a range of iPod covers made from old vinyl records and seriously cool laptop bags made from old billboards.
One of their most popular items is the Solio portable solar charger. This palm-sized revolution can be folded up and put in your handbag or pocket. It comes with a range of adaptors and can recharge your iPod, mobile, and digital camera just for starters. It has an internal battery and it is great for travel; you don’t need to waste money on different adaptors, you don’t need to be plugged in – just take the Solio along and you can charge day or night anywhere in the world.
 Talking of travelling, if, like me, you always forget to take your green bags shopping and are annoyed by their bulkiness, check out Envirosax. These carry bags come in gorgeous designs and roll up to fit in your handbag. You can also pick up a 2008 diary which is filled with hints on how to live more sustainably and if you want to get serious, check out the Bokashi Buckets. These compact composts are perfect for apartments, and provide fertiliser for your pot plants and garden.
Both Kahn and Everman agree that it is important to remember that everything you do makes an impact. “Every bite of food you eat, light bulb you screw in, bag you carry and new top that you buy has an impact on more than just you and your wallet,” says Everman. Or as Kahn so precisely puts it, “Be conscious of the little things.”
Happy eco-shopping!
http://victoria-e.com/
www.todae.com.au/
www.birdtextile.com/
www.gladragz.com.au/
www.planet-truth.com/
www.bamboobody.com.au/
Look out for CHERRIE’s eco-fashion shoot in an upcoming issue.
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