You’ve probably noticed that there wasn’t a Top 5 post for March. It was nothing short of spaciness on my part (combined with an unusually busy writing schedule), but let’s get back on-track now that April has passed and May flowers are blooming!

1) VE on GaiamLife: Top 5 Ways to Lose More Weight with Your Existing Workout: “You’ve established a healthy workout schedule, working up a sweat three to five times a week—but why aren’t you losing weight? Depending on how much weight you have been trying to lose, you may have hit your fitness plateau. The solution isn’t necessarily longer …”

2) VE on GaiamLife: 5 Best Ways to “Green Out” Your Town: “Weekly recycling, home composting, grocery shopping at the farmer’s market – you’ve made some good changes to live greener. So what’s next? It’s time to take your eco-friendly inspirations out into your local community to inspire and support others in lightening their footprint …”

3) Unconditional Love and Surrender from Nicole Bridger: “Nicole has come a long way from making clothes for her Barbie dolls at age eight. Five years after graduating from Ryerson University, Vancouver native Nicole Bridger is setting a new standard for style mavens. Victoria Everman chatted with Nicole just before the Green Living Show …”

4) How Green Is Bamboo Fabric?: “Found in your favorite Chinese dishes and on the floors of many modern homes, bamboo has made its way into another key aspect of our lives - clothing. Green fabrics from organic cotton and wool to those even made from corn and seaweed, bamboo is one of the most versatile and features a wide variety of …”

5) Become A Sustainable Fashion Influencer with Nvohk: “Ever wanted to own your own green business? How about a clothing brand? With California-based nvohk [invoke], you can help to change the fashion world, one design at a time. Promoted as an “eco-clothing company managed by the people who wear it,” nvohk: … was inspired by …”

What did you enjoy this month?

What would you like to see less/more of?

[Image courtesy of mikebaird on flickr.com]

After their first critically-acclaimed season of Big Ideas for A Small Planet TV series, Sundance Channel has returned with a vibrant second season that borders on being even better than the first. Episodes about power alternatives, water, food, youth culture and home decorating have already aired, but the next BIFASP premiere is a subject close to my heart (and personal experience) - fashion.

From Sundance Channel’s website: In this episode, environmental consciousness hits the fashion world as style means sustainable fabric and earth-friendly manufacturing practices. Meet men and women who are bringing green to fashion, clothing stores and the dry cleaners.

Having reviewed their episode about fashion, called “Wear”, from season one of Big Ideals for A Small Planet, I was eager to see how they planned on expanding on the concept of sustainable style. The first thing viewers are greeted with is, “Americans have an extraordinary love affair with clothing. The problem is that every step of the clothing process generates pollution.” Spoken by now-infamous eco-journalist Simran Sethi, I could think of no better way to start an episode of fashion, especially one that is meant to both inform and educate.

I am resisting saying that this episode is better than “Wear” from season one, but it is a tough toss-up. Premiering next Tuesday, May 6th at 9pm EST and PST, the 25-minute installment focuses on three topics: organic denim, sustainable clothing, and green dry cleaning. Features within these segments, Bay Area-based Tierra Forte of Del Forte Denim is featured, along with the founder crew of Portland, Oregon’s NAU clothing line and Rusty Perry, Co-Founder of Colorado’s Revolution Cleaners.

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In our go-go society, don’t you miss the days of personal connections with … well … everyone! A large basis behind the sustainable agriculture movement is going to farmer’s markets and being able to meet those that grow your food face-to-face. What if we could start doing that in other areas too?

Enter: Skin - a new all natural beauty brand made by-hand in Kansas by founder Stephanie Simkins. “Skin is the culmination of my passion for all things real, natural, organic and living. Nothing fake. No chemicals. No additives,” Stephanie says.

“As a nutrition consultant, organic cook, and herbalist, I combine my love of holistic healing, whole foods, and nutrition, along with the use of organic oils and botanicals to create products I believe will nourish your mind, body, and spirit. Everything in the Skin brand line is made in small batches, by hand, with love. Real and Simple. The way it was then, the way it should be now.” Ah, made with love - what a novel concept, no?

When I received a delightful email from Stephanie offering to let me sample her new line, I couldn’t say no. My collection of samples and full-size products arrived swiftly in my mailbox; the package (with recycled bubble wrap inside) was I promptly ripped open and shared with my mother, who was then visiting from Connecticut.

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Nicole has come a long way from making clothes for her Barbie dolls at age eight. Five years after graduating from Ryerson University, Vancouver native Nicole Bridger is setting a new standard for style mavens. Victoria Everman chatted with Nicole just before the Green Living Show where she will be displaying her fashions.

London calling
After graduation, Nicole jetted off to London for the unique opportunity to intern with cutting edge fashion icon Vivienne Westwood. From her, Nicole learned that knowing the business world is just as important as designing. Upon returning to Vancouver, Nicole teamed with Lululemon founder to create Oqoqo, the company’s casual sustainable brand that is still gaining new fans.

Awards follow
After two years at Oqoqo, it was time to do her own thing. Creating her own self-titled company, the Nicole Bridger collection first premiered in Spring 2007 and won British Columbia Fashion Week’s Generation Next Designer award.

Though not nearly as edgy at Vivienne Westwood, Nicole’s designs clearly have their own sense of personality and passion for living life. “My designs are for a particular person. She’s 35, lives a healthy lifestyle, professional, expressive, current, and daring,” said Nicole in an interview last month. “I get inspired by painters such as Monet and Van Gogh. However, mostly I get my inspirations from what I am going through in life. The clothing I design portrays my emotions and life lessons. For example, my last fall collection is called Unconditional Love. For fall ‘08, the collection is named Surrender.”

Socially conscious clothing
A strong philosophy stands behind the Nicole Bridger line. (more…)

A warm hello and Happy (late) Earth Day to everyone out there reading Victoria-E.com!

I just wanted to drop in and let you know that I haven’t forgotten about my ever-growing blog - new posts will be up soon. For the past few days, I’ve been spending my time on the couch with a bag of cough drops and a number of tissue boxes. Yup, you guessed it - a Spring cold.

Thankfully, I was able to check the San Francisco Zoo for the first time with my mother (visiting from Connecticut) during the weekend, before this cold really took hold. Below are some pictures from our visit. Enjoy!

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Weekly recycling, home composting, grocery shopping at the farmer’s market – you’ve made some good changes to live greener. So what’s next? It’s time to take your eco-friendly inspirations out into your local community to inspire and support others in lightening their footprint, too.

Making a difference doesn’t have to involve a boatload of time or money, either. These five ideas make a big difference for the environment — and they’re among the most likely to succeed in any type of neighborhood. Start simple, start small, start making your community a better place to be.

1) Organize a Walk-to-School Group

According to Mother Earth News, almost a third of the air pollution in the United States comes from passenger vehicles. “More than 12.5 million children and adolescents 2 to 19 years of age are overweight,” says U.S. Surgeon General Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson, M.D. It may seem like a lofty goal, but addressing two issues (automotive pollution and childhood obesity) with one solution is easier than it sounds.

Organizing a walk-to-school program within your neighborhood or entire school is as easy as getting the word out. Talk to your neighbors about getting together at a certain time each morning to walk your kids to school. If you want to go bigger, talk to the school’s principal or ask to take the idea citywide at the next town meeting (see #5). You and your children get some much-needed exercise — plus you’ll be reducing harmful vehicle emissions.

Resources:

+ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Kids Walk-to-School program (includes Power Point presentation and extensive resources)
+ National Center for Safe Routes to School

2) Create a Monthly Swap Get-Together

Any season is a good time for spring cleaning, but what to do with that collection of unwanted stuff? Swap it! Arrange a once-a-month get-together with your friends and neighbors to exchange anything you’re ready to part with.

[[ KEEP READING! THE FULL ARTICLE IS AT LIFE.GAIAM.COM]]

[Image courtesy of ikhlasulamal on flickr.com]

You’ve established a healthy workout schedule, working up a sweat three to five times a week—but why aren’t you losing weight? Depending on how much weight you have been trying to lose, you may have hit your fitness plateau.

The solution isn’t necessarily longer workouts. We consulted two of our favorite fitness professionals to find out their favorite strategies for kicking up your workout. The best part? Their methods won’t make you add more sweat sessions!

1. Vie for Variety

If you’ve been doing the same moves for months on end, your body is probably bored. “Each time you perform an activity, your body gets efficient at that activity and it remembers the movement and gets better at doing it. This in turn allows the body to go on autopilot, which decreases the number of calories burned,” says Patricia Moreno, a fitness professional for more than 20 years and the founder of intenSati™ fusion exercise techniques.

Adding variety can be as simple as doing your usual workout in reverse order or picking out a few new moves from a fitness magazine. When working on your cardio, vary the incline and don’t hold onto the handles—your glutes will work harder than ever. “If you love to go fast, slow it down and add some resistance. If you love to go slow, increase the speed and lower the resistance,” Moreno advises.

Feeling adventurous? Try a new exercise class! Curious about yoga? Longing for the days of ’80s step-aerobics classes? Replace one of your usual workouts with a class you’ve wanted to try or one you wouldn’t normally take.

2. The Joy of Jump Ropes

Not only will adding jump-rope intervals to your workout shock your body into burning more calories, it may shorten the time you spend sweating. Jumping rope between lifting weights “creates an interval workout with bursts of energy, and you will burn many more calories,” says Tanja Djelevic, Los Angeles celebrity trainer, fitness writer and founder of Loud Teenz health and self-esteem program.

[[ KEEP READING! THE FULL ARTICLE IS AT LIFE.GAIAM.COM]]

[Image courtesy of mikebaird on flickr.com]

Ever wanted to own your own green business? How about a clothing brand? With California-based nvohk [invoke], you can help to change the fashion world, one design at a time. Promoted as an “eco-clothing company managed by the people who wear it,” nvohk:

… was inspired by our vision to create a new kind of company. A company that stands for more than just the ‘widgets’ it produces. A company that truly puts consumers and the environment in the forefront. We are dedicated to building a company that balances social responsibility with financial performance.

How does it work? Currently, nvohk has nearly half of the 5,000 sign-ups that it needs to get the company started. Once the 5,000 mark is reached, each person who signed up will be asked to pay a yearly membership fee (only $50).

What are the benefits? “Basically, you can get free products, 25% off any products you buy and the privilege of participating in developing and managing a new eco-friendly clothing company.” Members will receive regular business updates and vote on major business decisions (e.g., logo design, product designs, advertising, sponsored athletes and musicians, etc.). I assume that, in those cases, majority would rule, similar to a stockholder situation. Ten percent of the company’s profits are donated to eco-conscious charities (which ones in particular is still to be seen, but hopefully will be selected by the company members as well).

I personally signed up for nvohk a few months ago and eagerly await for the other 2,500 members to join so we can start building a truly unique and sustainably styled brand. In just the first two months, nvohk signed up over 1,250 members - if this trend continues, we should have the brand launched by June/July 2008!