Blood Falls From Glacier: Has Man Killed the Earth?

"Did we really hurt the Earth?," wondered Diana Hickman, a community blogger for Greenwala. Thankfully however, the Earth is not bleeding. This is an image of Blood Falls located in Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. It seems that this five-story waterfall has a red blood like color due to a 2 million year old ecosystem of microbes that were once trapped under the glacier that are now free due to the glacier melting; creating a fissure in the glacier according to scientists.

In addition, the lake area where the glacier is located is rich in iron and has very high salinity. What seems to have scientists excited is that the microbes represent life in the most extreme conditions. Who knows what those microbes represent from a disease or nature impact something that-- according to our current sources--is not currently being studied.

100% Recycled Chair

Look at the legs on this puppy! They're made from recycled aluminum! The chair's seat and back is from recycled newspapers and corrugated cardboard. The frame is cast aluminum made of 100% recycled automotive rims. The screws came from a salvage project site. Says David Lasher on Greenwala, "We can totally upcycle the seat, back and frame into another chair or something completely different."

Diamonds Going Rough in Sluggish Global Economy

Amid rumors that the diamond industry is headed for a short-fall in "roughs," many analysts are looking at the situation very seriously. A new, productive diamond mine hasn't been discovered in the past 15 years and those planning to open, cant seem to get up the steam to keep going. According to RBC Capital Markets analyst Des Kilalea: "Diamond mining is a hugely expensive business and finding deposits and proving their commercial viability can take several years, as well as tens or even tens of thousands of dollars." Apparently, even if a plausible diamond mine were to be found today, it couldn't open until 2015.

In addition to high costs, the business of bringing a diamond operation "on line" is a daunting. "Botswana’s Orapa [an African] mine is on the surface and yet took four years to develop," Kilalea explained. "The Jwaneng mine, also in Botswana and of the size of mine needed to overcome a possible future supply shortfall, took 10 years to move from discovery to production. The Venetia operation in South Africa took 12 years. In Canada, the Ekati mine took 10 years to find and seven to prove and build. Even roads to the mines – which may open for only a few weeks a year – can cost $20 million to build."

This is the source of the problem. It appears that despite investments of hundreds of millions of dollars in global exploration, the diamond industry has thus far failed to discover sufficient commercial diamond deposits to replace existing finite mines. As a result, production is projected to remain essentially flat for at least the next decade. Even the new mines able to come on stream will not make up for the shortfall as older mines become depleted.

Said Kilalea of RBC: "The Argyle mine in Australia that used to produce 30 million carats is now down to half that amount.

The four largest producers – De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton – account for 90 percent of total diamond output, while smaller players include Harry Winston Diamond Corp, Petra Diamonds, and Gem Diamonds. “A host of mid-tier and juniors kick in the rest; they are small and often not well financed,” Kilalea said. Of the more than 100 firms involved in diamond mining, fewer than 20 have “meaningful production,” Kilalea added.

Also working against productivity is the terrain. The world’s diamond mining is concentrated in a few areas which are not at all hospitable. These include Canada’s frigid North West Territories, and Russia’s equally frigid Far East. Deposits are to be found in a range of African countries other than Botswana. However, in some cases, wading through the waters of questionable governance is as difficult as cutting through glacial ice. Some forecasters believe this opens a window for style experimentation, such as cutting overall costs by dealing with diamonds in the rough. Take the excellent examples of rough-style diamond rings (pictured above) created by Sruli Recht, a self proclaimed 'nomad' with a passion for making "ugly things beautiful." Others think the possible short-fall in diamond production leaves room for the simulated market to expand, while others would argue that there is no replacement for a "real diamond."

Still, whatever the shortfalls or the pitfalls, or the prognostications or procrastinations, one thing is crystal clear: the diamond industry isn't going away. And there is good news: If production improves, the demand for quality diamonds is quite strong. Not only is it good, but its growing. Markets like India and China are clamoring for these stones!

Said diamond industry analyst Ken Gassman said, "You can't turn around a love affair [of making and buying jewelry] the human race has had for 50,000 years. "

And new discoveries are being made every day. One of the largest high quality diamonds to date was found last fall in South African by Petra at the Cullinan mine which, as luck would have it, unearthed the world's largest diamond over 100 years ago. The 507 carat stone could be worth in excess of 20 million dollars.

Sources: Elran Diamonds
Teumim Enterprise
BBC News

Don't MIss The Geotourisum Summit in DC..... If There is Still Room

Phone: 202-828-8044, Email: sustourism@ngs.org ...We're giving you the 411 right up front, because you just MIGHT (we said might) be able book passage to the hottest ticket this winter--National Geographic's Geotourism Summit on February 2, 2010! The event actually kicks off on February lst with ambassador training on sustainable tourisum, and the site says has they've added a few more slots. The activities also include a lecture with author James H. Gilmore, conversations with industry experts and U.S. Department of Commerce. There's a side visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibition as well to see those incredible soldiers made 2,00o years ago to guard China's first emperor. To help you field your footing, the Geotourism site lists the closest hotels and a map.

To get there....Click here. To buy the Terra Cotta Warriors book...Click here.

The Art of Dressing in Broken Porcelain

Li Xiaofeng of China has finally come up with the definitive use for broken porcelain. Don't throw it out, he says--wear it! Xiaofeng collects and connects pieces of antique china shards with


silver thread creating one-of-a-kind dresses and men's jackets that trendsetters are sporting all over the globe. The works of recycled couture by this Bejiing artist are harvested from the selected remnants of Ming, Qing and Song dynasty vases, broken shards he grinds down, hand polishes, and then sets on pieces of leather lining. Amazingly enough, these glass outfits are not purely window dressing they are fully wearable pieces of art that celebrities like Lady Gaga have gone--well--gaga over!

Source: Linda Lucille

Pittburgh's Big Green Adventure: World Environment Day

Sure, you may be aware of upcoming Earth Day activities, or other great green happenings here in Pittsburgh, but look for the Woodstock of them all on June 5th, 2010 when our city once again goes under the global microscope to become city number #37 to host World Environment Day. We'll be joining global innovators like Bangkok, Istanbul, Mexico City, Tokyo, Beirut, and Seoul in hosting this international event, which apparently has been on the books since 1972. According to Pittsburgh's World Environment Day website....WED was established by the United Nations General Assembly at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment thirty six years ago. On that same day, the General Assembly adopted a resolution that led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Commemorated every year on June 5, World Environment Day stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. With thousands of events in UNEP's six global regions, namely, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, West Asia and Europe, the UN's World Environment Day is considered one of the largest environmental events of its kind....

This is more important than you might think. On the United Nations Environment Programme site, it states that scientists believe we have 10 years to change the way we live to avert depleting natural resources. This makes events like World Environment Day more a "wake-up" call than an event; still all the world will be hosting cheerful activities like street rallies, scientific forums, tree plantings and green concerts in an effort to take the edge off without negating the importance. No reason we can't have fun with environmental awareness issues. To stay in the loop go to to Pittsburgh's World Environment Day site and sign up for regular e-mails.

This Is Not Your Father's Blue

Who knew blue was difficult to make? Well thanks to a "happy accident" at Oregon University, the world now has a new blue.

Blue pigments of the past have often been expensive (ultramarine blue was made from the gemstone lapis lazuli, ground up), poisonous (cobalt blue is a possible carcinogen and Prussian blue, another well-known pigment, can leach cyanide) or apt to fade (many of the organic ones fall apart when exposed to acid or heat).
So it was a pleasant surprise to chemists at Oregon State University when they created a new, durable and brilliantly blue pigment.

What the researchers were trying to make were compounds with novel electronic properties, mixing manganese oxide, which is black, with other chemicals and heating them to high temperatures. Then Mas Subramanian (catchy name), a professor of material sciences, noticed that one of the samples that a graduate student had just taken out of the furnace was blue.
“I was shocked, actually,” Dr. Subramanian said.

In the intense heat, almost 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the ingredients formed a crystal structure in which the manganese ions absorbed red and green wavelengths of light and reflected only blue. When cooled, the manganese-containing oxide remained in this alternate structure. The other ingredients — white yttrium oxide and pale yellow indium oxide — are also required to stabilize the blue crystal. When one was left out, no blue color appeared.

The pigments have proven safe and durable, Dr. Subramanian said, although not cheap because of the cost of the indium. The researchers are trying to replace the indium oxide with cheaper oxides like aluminum oxide, which possesses similar properties.
The findings appear in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Source: The New York Times

Java the Cup Makes Good Mona

Late summer in Sydney, Australia, artists found a grand way to say "Good Morning," by creating the Mona Lisa out of thousands of cups of coffee with varying amounts of milk in them for color. Created for the Rocks Aroma Festival, it measured an impressive 20 feet by 13 feet (the acutal Mona Lisa is 31x21 inches) and took 8 people over three hours to complete. Lisa on the plaza was a monumental effort and a showcase in alfresco art... we just hope those 3,604 java cups were recyclable.

Jiro: The Tire Belt That's Picking Up Speed

Stamped on the inside not as "made" but "RE-made" in Italy, Jiro belts are as eco-friendly as they come! They're constructed of old bicycle tires, and although the tires went through a manufacturing process, the belts are truly one of a kind and can not be reproduced since each piece of rubber maintains its own unique character. The brains behind this concept is a man who prefers to be known simply as "Nero," a graphics designer from Milan, who believes we should "reclaim our primary means of locomotion: the body." And he sees "cycling is our only necessary luxury." Further comments to get Nero to hype his wonderful product went unchallenged, but he did offer that Jiro was only one of his projects. When Seen Green pressed for a reason why he created them, he simply said: "I love my bike."

Cost per Jiro belt is 30 euros or for us and other please-don't-make-me-convert-currency! folks, $45 USD. Shipping is $18. Tell Nero what you're looking for in color and he'll get as close as he can to your request. (Remember the belts are all different) If you buy a bunch (10 or more), Nero makes deals. Interested? Click here.

G-20 Bonus: Henne Helps Build Ecomonic Empowerment for Ugandan Women

If it seems uncharacteristic of a high-end retail establishment, like Henne of Pittsburgh to show heart to a small African nation, blame it on Pittsburgh's recent G-20. From the Shadyside jewelers stand point their awareness "of what's happening around the world" was raised, and they were not willing to just standby. By hosting a fundraiser for the women of Uganda through the "Bead for Life" Project, Henne is helping to raise money for medicine, income, food, school fees and most importantly---hope. Bead for Life's mission is to create sustainable opportunities for African women to lift their families out of extreme poverty by marketing the beads they create by hand of recycled paper. Henne feels an affinity for these Ugandan women through their skills of personal craftsmanship and "mutual love of jewelry."

All the items ( amazingly colorful bracelets and necklaces!) are very reasonably priced – from as little as $5.00 to $30 – but enable the women to earn an income five to seven times higher than they would otherwise receive. One hundred percent (100%)--yes all!-- of the proceeds from the Henne sale will be donated to Bead forLife, an encouraging and generous offer worthy of emulation. As Henne's PR says: "Who would think buying a beautiful piece of hand-made jewelry for so little could mean so much?"

One small step for jewelry; one big step for mandkind!

The sale starting Monday, November 2-7, 2009 with a reception being held on Thursday, November 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. with African food and music at the Henne store located at 5501 Walnut Street.

Sources: Mary Ann Miller Communications, LLC

Joyce Baucum, August Wilson Center/Women of Visions, Pittsburgh

Udate on Pittsburgh's GAGI: A Festival of Art and Technology

Subtitled Art+ Technology at it's best, the event promises to be full of geek, green and technology surprises. Get all the 411 at the Geek Arts and Green Innovators blog. click here.
The schedule of events includes a kick-off with kids activities, mid-day robotics and visual arts exhibitions as well as a car showcase, eco-tech fashion show, film and live performances A must do for the entire family! Save the date! Friday, April 2, 2010

Pittsburgh First Art and Technology Festival Being Organized in the East End

Coming in April of 2010, the GA/GI (pronounced GAHgee) is a Geek Arts and Green Innovators Festival-- the first arts and technology fest in the city of Pittsburgh with the Passports Art Diversity Project serving as organizer and promoter.
"We're excited to be doing this for the city," said Christine Bethea, Passports Director. "It's high time, we showcased what this city has to offer in technology and ecology on a level where average people can see it, touch it and get involved."

Instead of taking the festival to some lofty downtown site, Passports had chosen to utilize a popular monthly art crawl in the east end of Pittsburgh as the event's venue which pulls people from all over the city with several neighborhoods within walking or bike riding distance distance.Plans include a fashion show with Eco wear and LED-lighted styles, an Art Robots Show; technogy exhibitions, a fuel efficient car show, and vendors from a variety of eco-friendly companies. For additional information on how to get involved visit the GA/GI site. or e-mail passports.art@gmail.com.

Photo by Alberto Almarza

Swiss Award Columbian Eco "Hammer"

Eve Picker of Pittsburgh,PA had the good fortune to meet the unabashedly pro-urban Enrique Penalosa.
A former Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, Peñalosa was responsible for numerous radical improvements to the city during his term. He prioritized access for children and public spaces and restricted private car use. He built hundreds of kilometers of sidewalks, bicycle paths, pedestrian streets, greenways, and parks. And he organized Car-Free Day in 2000, for which he was awarded the Stockholm Challenge Award and rewarded by a referendum vote endorsing an annual car-free day and the elimination of all cars from Bogota streets during rush hours from 2015 onwards.

Source: Utterly Opinionated--All Things Urban by Eve Picker

Former Pitt Students Think Rust Belt Cities Should Stick Together Like GLUE

It was only after Abby Wilson and Sarah Szurpicki, two former University of Pittsburgh students, had traveled to several cities and abroad that the seeds of the Great Lakes Urban Exchange (GLUE) were sown. "We were tired of the monolithic negative stories about older industrial cities in the Rust Belt," said Wilson from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Szurpicki, her GLUE project partner from Detroit, Michigan couldn't agree more. They spent a year, from fall of 2007 through the summer of 2008, traveling the Great Lakes region and beyond, gathering stories, selling the idea of a project and fine tuning it. They were most fascinated by the "forward looking visions and backward glancing nostalgia," they heard from city residents and officials, deciding that if they could catalogue the success stories, these models could be shared and replicated all over the Rust Belt. Thus the Great Lakes Urban Exchange--GLUE--was born.

"AFRIgadget" One of Webdom's Best --Still Going Strong!

Check out this great Afrigadget!

For those who have no other alternative, this is a stove in Kinshasa in the African Congo. And yes, it works!

Need has always been the mother of invention. All across Africa, people are using technology to create solutions to everyday problems. Even Time Magazine gave credit where it was due, naming Afrigadget. com one of its 50 Coolest Websites in 2008. To see more, click the above link.

Green Funding Opportunities from The Department of Energy

Abbreviated message from Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy:

...President Obama has set clear goals for this bill: creating or protecting 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, while lifting our country out of this economic crisis and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. To achieve those aims, the Department of Energy has been given new resources and new responsibilities.

The Department of Energy will carry out this economic recovery plan with the highest level of speed, transparency, and accountability. I recently announced a sweeping reorganization of the way the Department awards grants and loans, so we can begin creating jobs as quickly and wisely as possible. We will also be posting the Department’s progress regularly.

Follow link below:
http://www.energy.gov/recovery/index.htm

Peroxide "Miracles"? Who Knew?

This is a story circulating online from a housewife who claims Peroxide is safer and healthier than bleach. We've heard the stories, too and know that there is some truth to these claims, however we invite you to draw your own conclusions. Below,we offer an abbreviated version of the original text. We highly recommend you read the counter claims from our other resource Truthorfiction.com (which servers as our disclaimer) as to the viability of these hydrogen peroxide cures. Click here.

This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife), She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using to clean my toilet and countertops. This is what she told me... I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little old bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store. Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? No!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better! Peroxide came into popular use during and after WWI. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this...... 1. Take one capful and hold in your mouth for ten minutes daily, then spit it out. No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash. 2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs. 3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.
4. After rinsing your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria. 5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry. 6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide. 7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will. 8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue. 9. If you have a terrible toothache...etc (See more at the Truthorfiction link) It (peroxide) is in a dark bottle so it will not be degraded by UV. No home should be without it! With prices of most necessities rising, here's a way to save tons of money in a simple, healthy manner!

Art and Ecology Eke Out a Living at New York's WATERPOD

Made from wood water towers, art crates and a NYC Parks Department pier; metal railings from the Broadway set of “Equus;” and foliage-print wallpaper which decorates exteriors from the backdrop of “As the World Turns” (much of this donated by Materials for the Arts ) the Waterpod is pretty much an experiment within an experiment, out to show how artists can navigate anything , on land or sea...or even in the East River. To get NY Times Reporter, Melena Ryzik's 411 on this 3,000 square foot oasis in the asphalt jungle, click here.

Photography by Micheal Nagle, New York Times

"Recycling" Micheal J. Portrait Could Benefit Harlem Arts

A Harlem luxury car dealership, who allegedly owns the only portrait for which Micheal Jackson ever posed, is talking to auction houses about putting the art up for sale. Dancy-Power Automotive Group owns the painting entitled The Book, which depicts MJ in a fairy-tale like setting with a statue of Peter Pan in the background. It was created by Aussie artist Brett Livingstone Strong and originally sold for 2.1 million dollars in 1990. Dancy-Power plans to donate some of the proceeds of the sale of the portrait to the Harlem School of Arts.

Source: Art Info

Get a "Sustainable" MBA In Oregon

Now "Seattle's Best" includes more than coffee. City University of Seattle is offering an MBA in Sustainable Business.Their program was developed in partnership with key representatives from major companies to determine the exact skills needed in order to get hired and be successful on the job. It's unique in its blend of social justice, environmental responsibility and global citizenship; allowing its graduates to hit the business world armed with the skills needed to make decisions that are just and good for the environment. All of the instructors are experienced professionals who teach in class what they do for a living, which means students receive practical instruction that is relevant and immediately applicable where it matters most--in the real world. In addition, courses are offered online, providing maximum flexibility and convenience.

Source: City University of Seattle.

July 5th YART Sale at PCA to Raise Funds and Give Old Art New Homes

Find the incredible the beautiful and the whimsical at the Pittsburgh Center's YART Sale! You may see "just the piece" you've been looking for at a bargain price! Bake sale goodies, too. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. It all happens on Sunday, July 5th from 9 am to 5 pm.

Green Art Moments at the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh

Creative Reuse entrepreneurs Rachel Dennis and Faye Miller hosted an art zone in Point Park that quickly became family fare, everyone finding and laying claim to cool stuff, colorful objects and discovering their creative side with assistance from guest salvage artists, Christine Bethea and Michelle Gregio.

Sir Paul McCartney-- Going "Green"?

Drawing on Sir Paul McCartney's musical illusions of "strawberry fields forever," the Inland Empire Section of the American Planning Association(APA), credits the legendary British singer/songwriter with inspiring strategties on agricultural land uses. Sir Paul was a headliner at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, where stakeholders are planning their second symposium this month which seeks to understand the potential future of the Coachella community through its historic past. Mr. Buford Crites, a long time resident of the valley, scholar and well known regional personality will moderate the program which includes a list of thirteen expert speakers from the fields of archaeology, Native American pre-history and history, urban planning, economic development, politics, environment, government and the building industry. The Keynote speaker will be Douglas McCulloh, international photographer and artist, who will bridge the gaps between the past, present and future by providing a recent human account of the challenges and opportunities revolving around the events that led to the current economic recession. He will also discuss thought-provoking stories from his recently published book "Dream Street", a seven year chronicle of a 134-home subdivision in the Inland Empire that was built on--what else--A former strawberry field.

The Inland Empire refers to the urbanized areas of several southern California counties, and is a division of the American Planning Association, which itself is a national organization. The event is scheduled for June 17, 2009. For further information contact Miguel Angel Vazquez at mavurbanplanning@gmail.com or call: (951)788-8313.

For those interested in Paul McCartney...he visits New York July 17th and 18th in his first ever concert at Citi Field. Tickets go on sale exclusively online at 507 Tixx on June 15th.

Art Beats War! Online Stats

According to the blogosphere, the word "art" is posted close to 9,500 times a week! We used Technorati, an online app that lets you build your own chart by listing common words or phrases in the blogosphere and then comparing their usage by date. Our word choices: Art, war, technology, economy, and Twitter. Chart your own. Technology was a close second, followed by Twitter, war and last, the economy. You may also enjoy Technorati's "State of the Blogosphere" which has charts on the demographics of bloggers.

Green + Screen Project East Liberty/

Click small screen in the right hand corner to expand image.

Green + Screen Project Overview 050809

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Eat Green Because the Bible Bar Tells You So

According to Treehugger, in addition to the 4 disputed food groups (we discovered oil and butters are now considered a group), there are 8 major green food trends, a few of which we found particularly interesting. Religious diets include savory snacks like the Bible Bar made from barley, wheat, raisins, pomegranates, figs and olive oil. It also claims to be a mixture straight from Deuteronomy 8:8. (And could it possibly sustain you should you find yourself lost in a deserted location?) As one would expect, these organic bars originate from the House of David.

Another choice trend would be Jainism. These vegetarians of vegetarians even exclude eating potatoes, garlic and onions because their root systems sustain the plants themselves. Milk, however is not off limits, because it regenerates. We've learned that even Vegans move aside when a Jainist shows up at their dinner table. Other people follow the "slow food" movement. Its practitioners are "vegetarian inclined." Meat eaters who shop at Whole Foods probably fall in this category and basically, it's all about staying healthy. A recent study done by Vegetarian America says that 22 million of us have changed our eating habits to reflect a more earth and animal-friendly diet. The Jewish practice of keeping "kosher" and the Islamic practice of "Halal" are the two most popular movements generating between 142 to 632 billion dollars a year, according to Time Magazine. For more green food trends click here.

Nature's Light and Shadow Inspire New Video Game...Plus Call for Video Game Designers!

Annually at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, experimental game play workshops are held where video designers from all over the country convene to showcase their new games or works in progress. Here, we highlight the work of collaborators Scott Anderson and Steve Swink who have created Shadow Physics. This video game"puzzle" features a main character, a shadow, who crawls on walls and ceilings and leaps, reacting to other shadows in order to make images in the "real" world take action. You can even manipulate the light in order to create alternative shadows, changing your strategy to win. It's deceptively simple; like Spiderman meets Einstein. A transcript of the entire YouTube interview can be found at Indie Game Pod with space for comments.

If you or anyone you know is a video game designer, we suggest you look into the Game Play Workshops Call for Participation for 2009. They're looking for a variety of innovative game ideas. While they caution there are some models they "don't deal with," they also allow that: "The above guidelines are vague and incomplete, as new and experimental things will by definition fall outside existing preconceptions."

In the meantime, we look forward to the launch of Anderson and Swink's game, and we will be happy to hire a 10 year old to explain it to us!

Keep up with the White House Buzz w/o Killing Any Trees

Click here >The White House has a My Space Page. No one should be surprised. In a campaign that favored blackberries over bombs and YouTube over "You Evildoers", it's no wonder that we can now let our fingers do the walking and the videos do the talking. The pics of the grounds are lovely and it's all certainly "Camelot revisited." One caveat though, you won't be able to see some of the beautiful photos or leave messages for Obama and Biden, unless you have a My Space account. We suspect that if someone gets an actual answer from one of these guys, some one else will criticize them for the use of their time. The important thing to bear in mind is that the response, should it occur, will be paperless. Enjoy!

Let me tell you all a story 'bout a man named, Jeb...

Jeb Feldman, that is, a true urban pioneer!

The back story:

Michelle Gregio and Christine Bethea, galpals and salvage artists were making a fast trek towards the Rankin Bridge, when they came up on the back of Jeb's trunk and next thing they were on a convoy, by invitation, to Jeb's place, dust, dirt and rocks flying, a true prequel to adventure!

Gregio, a friend of Feldman's and a regular visitor had great expectations, but Bethea, a newbe, thought she'd landed in Oz. " Jeb had these lush little gardenettes everywhere and tall wind turbine-looking things with glass finials, and this fantastic mini mural of kids playing behind a raised flower bed; Adirondack chairs of recycled brick." And the green spaces proved even a rugged guy like Jeb likes yarrow!

Feldman, along with Braddock's Mayor John Fetterman and other stakeholders are on a mission to "green" out the historic community from the drought of deterioration it has suffered over several long decades. Fortunately, it seems to be working. All over Braddock there are signs of new life, including young budding peach and apple trees, fresh tractor marks in the soil and migrates from Brooklyn, New York. Standing proudly at the forefront of all this is one of the Three River's last remaining USX steel mills --USS on its tower--still filling the air with the sounds of productivity.

"It certainly wasn't my intention to start taking pictures, but It was all so wonderful, I couldn't help it!" explained Bethea, "The one pic I didn't get was of Jebediah, himself (a handsome fellow), who must be shy of the paparazzi, even if its for a blog." Thanks for the tour, Jeb! We just couldn't let your cool brand of greeness go unsung!

For more information on Braddock click here or here.

Eco Clothing: The Good, the Bad, the Expensive

A "dowdy to Divine" 1960's retro Dress, restyled by Meritt Elliot for
"Out of the Ordinary," a recent green fashion auction in Los Angeles.



Best Bet:
Jonano Clothing...affordable and local!
http://www.jonano.com/wholesale/2009.E.Catalog.pdf

http://ecocouture.blogspot.com/


I was reminded of the TV series "Fame," in which a sexy choreographer, pounding her cane on the dance floor, reminds her students that "fame costs," when I saw the collection (and prices) for Ferragamo’s “Eco bag” Collection. The 86-year-old Italian brand uses a metal- and pollutant-free tanning process to treat the skins used for a five-piece collection of totes and handbags. Dying is done using tannins from tree bark. "But there’s a drawback" says the Los Angeles Times: "Sometimes it costs to be eco-chic. $1,190 to $1,890 at Salvatore Ferragamo boutique, Beverly Hills." Then there's the Banana Republics "Heritage" Collection. The 45 pieces in this eco line look as good or better than the usual recycled, stencil-front T-shirts and they're made from 90% sustainable fabrics and trims. You get your khaki button-down safari-style jackets, leopard-print tank tops and shimmery, champagne-colored cropped cargo pants — all mixed and matched. The eco styles have a little green elephant on the tag. Not bad for $19 to $150. Then consider the green fashion savvy of Doris Raymond, owner of the trendy California boutique--The Way We Wore. Raymond had designers from both coasts restyle clothing for the inaugural event of Earth Pledge's Future Fashion, a nonprofit initiative promoting sustainable practices in the apparel industry. Raymond told the LA Times:"We all have pieces in our closet that we're not wearing, and it's a pity. There's still integrity and a usefulness to them, but how do you tweak it to a point where you want to wear it?" A legion of famous designer names took the challenge and took scissors to everything vintage from Blass to Yves Saint Laurent to create truly unique uberfashion.

Locally, were lucky to have Bonnie Siefers whose company--Janono--headquartered in Pittsburgh, designs, manufactures and sells an organic clothing line. A visit to her website or blog (listed above w/pic), gets you in touch with your eco side, plus a wonderful range of clothing that includes dresses, scrubs and baby apparel. We were particularly impressed with the ecoKashmere T which is made of a bamboo fiber blend "known for it's buttery soft feel without the cost,"...only $20, and the Jonano blog echos that sentiment "Why should sustainability be stuffy, unaffordable, and over complicated?" It shouldn't. We'd bet that on a brand new pair of beautiful bamboo underwear!