awe yeah, recycled leather bags

Now here are some bags that are worth their price tag. They are handmade from recycled, thrifted leather jackets by Ashley Watson in her Vancouver BC studio. You can see the jacket detailing, pockets and seams in the bag design wich makes each piece a one of a kind. The spring collection is available at Beklina and elsewhere.

eco felt tote

Another plastic bag substitute but this one is simple, chic and made of felt. Made by Illustration by Mary-Ann, you can order one custom made in a bunch of different colors and sizes.

Nordstrom's Organic Style Category

Well this is a refreshing evolution of a large retailer... a whole section devoted to sustainable wares. Of course, the coolest thing they carry are some Edun tees and a wonderful sweater coat by Viridis, but still, Nordstroms knows that the revolution is ON!

Thieves Spring 08 Collection

It's difficult to imagine springtime while in the midst of a cold, dark winter, but after drooling over the Thieves Spring collection, the sun seems to be coming out early. I've always appreciated the label's delicate balance of urban flavor and feminine wearability, but this season, i think they've out done themselves. They are successfully playing with the high waisted silhouette in unconventional ways through empire waisted tanks, high waisted skirts and dresses with ruching. The delicate graphics that grace a few pieces are not overpowering and then a few stand outs, like the jacket below, provide impact. Their clothes are made from a variety of fabrics including soy, bamboo, lyocell, wool, and tencel.

Beau Soleil spring 08

After encountering Beau Soleil at one of my favorite boutiques, I decided to check back in with them to see what's up for spring. I have to admit, I was disappointed...yawn. This season's vision is not as avant guard as their fall collection. In the past, they were wearable, on trend yet still had an air of sophistication that made their designs different. But this spring, we have boring colors, the same embellishments on all the garments and even some cheesy elements. Here are a couple of the cuter things made from bamboo ....

Kicking off 2008 - Econista style

It's almost 2008, so let's kick off the year with a bang - make a donation to your favorite environmental or free trade charity today. Next year is bound to be an even better year for the environmental movement than 2007 was. In 07 we saw increased global action about Climate Change - even from President Bush! We saw more companies offering green products, more start ups entering the marketplace and more customers buying their wares. 08 will see the movement grow, and we are at the forefront of it all. Let's give it a nudge with a buck or two.

Conservation International is a large global organization that studies and protects the environment through an extensive, high profile network of scientists, governments and companies. This year, they are doing a year end dollar-for-dollar match for all donations called The Friends and Family Challenge.

Protect "organic" standards with a donation to Organic Consumers Org. They are a non-profit watchdog group that is keeping an eye on all those sneaky multinationals trying to get in on the organic movement and in the process, loosening the definition of organic so they can use the term on more products. We buy organic so we don't have to worry about what we're eating... if you don't want to worry, then donate to a watchdog to keep them honest.

Go Solar this year without putting panels on the roof. Bullfrog is a Canadian alternative supplier which adds electricity to the existing grid and delivers through the existing distribution network. They sell 100% green power, 20% from wind and 80% from Brascan's EcoLogo certified hydroelectric sites. You can pay more for their power instead of paying your normal supplier. Basically, they add what you subtract to the grid through a deal with your local utility.

Take a look at what your money is doing. Do you know what kind of investments you're involved in through your IRA, 401K, mutual funds etc? Are they working for or against the environment? Maybe it's time to find out and move some things around. Social Invest and Ceres are both endorsed by Al Gore. This is something on my list this January.

VOTE this year and write letters to your reps!! It's a big election, I know, we're already sick of it. But there is a lot of important work we need to do. But voting is more than marking down who you want for president, it means getting involved. League of Conservation Voters keeps an environmental scorecard of various government reps. Check it out and be involved this year.

Replace your christmas tree? Plant a tree per month? Plant a tree per day? Planting trees helps reverse deforestation and global warming. Let's start planting.

An environmental charity near you. For local organizations, check out this helpful site.

Levis Eco at JC Penny's

So, it's the holidays and, like everyone else, I've been shopping. My husband likes those Cuban shirts for going out, the Havana brand, so I went to JC Penny's where they sell them (although this year, their selection sucked). But while in the men's department, I found Organic Cotton Levis. They had a few styles and colors and they were reasonably priced! I was psyched!! Such a mainstream, lowest common denominator store had some Eco friendly wares. So, maybe your local JC Penny's carries them too.