One of the biggest problems of stress is recognizing it in time. If your head starts hurting while you are painting your apartment, you quickly make a connection to toxic fumes and escape. With technology, the situation is different. Technostress can show up in many ways, affecting both our physical and mental health. We need to exercise awareness when working and living in a highly connected technological world.

To help you identify technostress and to catch it before it become a serious problem, I created a short list of symptoms that are usually reported by those experiencing technostress. Go through the list and see how many you check off.

Some of the symptoms of technological stressors are:

• Memory loss, forgetting what you started to do or why you walked into a particular room
• Impatience with self and others
• A lessened ability to relax or slow down
• Anxiety over having lost access to your cell phone, palm, TV or other types of techno equipment
• Headaches, stomach discomfort, back pain, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Continuously checking your e-mail, voicemail, surfing the web, and other types of techno equipment, and not turning it off for the night

The Cure: Managing Technostress

Ethel Roskies, who writes on stress management, makes the point that stress has become the fashionable disease of today – the treatment of which is a popular and profitable activity. To manage the high-tech addiction of overload, we must go to the place it originates: the brain. To help the brain retain cognitive fitness, we must look at factors that affect the brain:

• Glucose (sugar) and H2O (water) – Low levels of glucose (hypoglycemia) and dehydration significantly affects the functioning of the brain. Eating complex carbohydrates, fresh fruit and vegetables is a great way to replenish glucose and not feel run-down. The slow release of glucose from complex carbs keeps the brains energy level consistent with less dramatic spikes representing a healthier choice then that of simple carbohydrates like fruit juice, candy or sweet treats which break down immediately causing the body to have dramatic spikes.
• Hydration – Keep your brain hydrated: about 80% of your brain is actually water, and the rest of it is taken up by both physical and biochemical structures. Your brain uses about 25% of the oxygen and sugar that your body circulates for nutritional needs.
• Rest - Recovery, downtime and sleep. Studies show that optimal amounts of sleep range from 7 to 8 hours per night for men and 6 to 7 hours for women. Ignoring sleep is like ignoring your credit card bill – if you don’t pay, things are only going to get worse.
• Time Management – Give yourself more time to do everything by building a margin for error. Schedule time to take care of specific daily tasks.
• Time Out – Set regular “Time-Out” periods or simply go outside and take a break or meditate.
• Self Care – Meditate, Stretch, and Exercise. Get out of the office or home and do some deep breathing.
• Eye Strain – Take a short vision break every 30-minute.
• Focus on the Moment – Limit multitasking and practice being present.
• Boundaries – Make clear distinctions between work times and free times. Limit the times of the day when you check emails, cell phone, play games, watch TV or access other technological devices. Use technology to create and publicize your boundaries. Educate and contract realistic timelines with others.
• Prioritize – Ask yourself what is of primary importance in your life. Think about what refreshes you and deliberately plan to fit that activity into your schedule.

The bottom line is, technostress manifests itself in each and every one of us to various degrees. It is not a matter of “if” but rather “when” a technological glitch nails you. Your problem solving and ability to cope make the difference in the degree of perceived hassle.

My belief is that technology is not the problem; time management and unrealistic expectations are. Technology should be viewed as a sport which requires conditioning, cross training, proper nutrition, and recovery time.

How do you deal with stress caused by endless emails, meetings, and to do lists?

Images courtesy of Quantum Learn and Mykl Roventine {Flickr}.

Mike

Mike Conner helps individuals reinvent the conversation between their brain, body and food.  A Wellness, Food and Kitchen Coach who spends endless hours helping her clients create meaningful life plans as she infuses their lives with fresh ways of thinking about lifestyle change.  As Conner says: “there is no such thing as bad or good genes, good or bad karma. There are solely life’s trails and corrections.” She encourages people to figure out ways to explore the edges of the world around them, from changing their physical environment to the cultivation of new interests and habits. Visit coachconner.com for extended versions of health and wellness articles.

Technostress: How You Catch it and How You Cure it! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

In last week’s State of the Union address, the president called out America’s auto industry as a thriving and important part of our economy: one he did not regret saving. And after checking out some of Chevy’s new initiatives, we’re inclined to agree!

As one of the Big Three, Chevrolet’s primary role in an emerging automotive society was primarily about saturation: getting cars on highways, all across the United States. This is what led them to grow massive – ultimately, too big to fail. Now, as operations are slimmed and tightened to promote global competitiveness, we’re happy to see the company has not failed to lose sight of local initiatives, green projects, and the fantastic overlap of the two.

The car titan has selected 16 projects across America as part of their effort to spend $40 million on carbon reduction. In their series “Chevy Carbon Stories,” physicist Michio Kaku takes us into the heart of each effort. This particular project, Crow Lake Wind Farm, features collectively owned wind turbines, some of which are supporting a technical institute and all of which are helping the surrounding community keep the lights on in stylish, sustainable fashion.

Beyond inspirational stories, Chevy is going a step further and asking fans to plant a virtual tree on their Facebook page – which they will replicate with an actual tree in the (rather more useful, as far as trees go) offline world.

What do you think – can big corporations begin to leverage their power for collective benefit rather than pure profits? In 2008, American car companies seemed like dinosaur megaliths, appropriately gasping along at fossil fuels to stay afloat. But we like this new narrative much better: it takes them, and our society, from extinction to evolution.

Image courtesy of cdsessums {Flickr}.

Chevy Carbon Stories: Crow Lake is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Technology Induced Multitasking

Multitasking is a highly sought out skill. We put it on resumes, claiming that we can work on multiple projects at once; some of us even try to do it all day long. Why wouldn’t we multitask if we can do things simultaneously on iPhones, Blackberries, and laptop (while listening to music and watching TV)?

Technology may have created a perception of effective multitasking, but behavioral economist Richard Thaler refers to the human brain as a slow, erratic central processing unit. The end result is that our minds create the illusion that we can multitask.

Even though technology enables us to maintain the illusion that we can do many things at the same time, the brain becomes overloaded and stressed out trying to keep up. During techno overload, your brain flips your body’s switches in an attempt to absorb large amounts of information in order to maximize performance through learning. When involved in techno-interactions, interruptions from sources such as cell phones and computers create a break in concentration, mental focus and continuity. According to researchers, with each interruption it takes approximately 25 minutes for your brain to refocus and get back to work.

A 2005 study sponsored by Hewlett-Packard found the average worker lost 10 IQ points when interrupted by ringing telephones and incoming e-mails, which they equated with missing an entire night of sleep.

With all the recent technological advancement and constant multitasking comes an invoice. The hidden cost lies in the human brain; it wasn’t designed to deal with such a surfeit of data. Jonah Lehrer makes the analogy that it is like trying to run a new computer program on an old machine; the antique microchips try to keep up, but eventually they fizzle out.

The disease of ‘I can do 10 things at once’ affects the brain, giving people a diminished ability to accurately estimate how long a task really takes to complete. This leads to constantly overestimating performance standards and timelines in the workplace and dampens one’s ability to manage time effectively. Our sped up mental framework becomes a “time warp,” increasing levels of frustration, anxiety, and criticism of self, others and the workplace.

The media consistently reminds us that “connectivity” is the tidal wave of the future – and many times it feels like a tsunami. Technology has increased the availability of information exchange and the speed at which that information can be acquired, giving our society a Polaroid mindset. The pure volume of information being consumed in your techno diet produces information fatigue syndrome. Technology has changed our perception of time and altered our internal clock to fast forward for information acquisitions, which in turn leads to unrealistic expectations.

Technology induced multitasking may be wanted by your interviewer – but do you really want to go through your life doing multiple things at once without being fully present in anything? As in the Adam Sandler movie CLICK, a harried workaholic meets Christopher Walken and gets his hand on a magical remote that he uses to fast-forward his life to get things done and see the results. In the end, Sandler realizes that he has missed out on life, family experiences, valuable learning, health and wellness. A lot of precious memories come from being fully engaged and present, which is impossible with multi-tasking. Unfortunately, you can’t be an engaged mindful listener if you are constantly checking your phone or enjoy your meal fully while watching TV…

Do you believe that you are more efficient when you multi-task, or have you noticed that focusing on one thing at a time produces better results? Please share your opinion and experiences. We would love to hear them!

Mike Conner’s next article will talk about the Hidden Cost of Being Plugged In 24/7

Images courtesy of Noisy Coworkers and ryantron {Flickr}.

Mike Conner helps individuals reinvent the conversation between their brain, body and food.  A Wellness, Food and Kitchen Coach who spends endless hours helping her clients create meaningful life plans as she infuses their lives with fresh ways of thinking about lifestyle change.  As Conner says: “there is no such thing as bad or good genes, good or bad karma. There are solely life’s trails and corrections.” She encourages people to figure out ways to explore the edges of the world around them, from changing their physical environment to the cultivation of new interests and habits. Visit coachconner.com for extended versions of health and wellness articles.

Do You Suffer From an Illusion of Multitasking? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

In many ways machines are the defining feature of our species, and a new DIY movement illustrates the ways that machines can benefit humanity while minimizing their environmental impact. It ultimately depends on how the machine is made, what the machine does and who has access to it. It is increasingly obvious that we need to develop new machines that serve humanity without destroying the environment. Some of the most interesting machine manufacturing projects are being created in the “do it yourself” (DIY) movement.

Central to the DIY ethic is the empowerment of individuals and communities, encouraging the employment of alternative approaches when faced with bureaucratic or societal obstacles to achieving their objectives. DIY champions the average individual seeking knowledge and expertise for him/herself.

An increasing number of groups and individuals are sharing DIY instructional knowledge on how to make and operate machines. Consumer kits are once again gaining in popularity as is the work of groups like Practical Action, Appropedia, and Howtopedia, Lasersaur, DIYLILCNC, and Reprap. An organization known as Farm Hack is working to publish improvised solutions for young farmers.

Many of these companies promote plan sharing through the culture of open source hardware (OSHW) which consists of things like mechanical drawings, schematics, bill of materials, PCB layout data, HDL source code and integrated circuit layout data. In addition to the software that drives the hardware. These organizations follow the example of free and open-source software (FOSS) and some use pictograms to transcend language barriers.

Open Source Ecology (OSE) is an organization at the forefront of the open source movement. This group is of particular interest to environmentalists because OSE is founded on open source appropriate technology (OSAT) that provides special consideration to the environment. Specificallly refers to technologies that are designed with special consideration to the environmental, ethical, cultural, social, political, and economical aspects of the community it is intended for.

This group advocates moving away from radical specialization and developing machines that gets people directly involved with machines “to both democratize and demystify technology.” Deeply embedded in OSE’s DNA is the believe in DIY. They believe in self-sufficiency and the idea that an ordinary person can learn to do more than he or she thought was possible. For DIY movement to succeed, knowledge acquition is crucial.

OSE takes the idea of DIY one step further by working with engineers, farmers and supporters towards the building of an open source do it yourself civilization. The Global Village Construction Set (GVCS), is focused on developing a modular, DIY, low-cost, high-performance platform that allows for the easy fabrication of the 50 different Industrial Machines that it takes to build a small, sustainable civilization with modern comforts.

The OSE’s goal is to lower the barriers of entry thereby making it easier for people to become farmers, builders and manufacturers. To date they have developed and published prototypes for 8 of the 50 machines. The OSE’s financial support comes from 400 “true fans” who pay a small amount every month. They recently launched the Kickstarter campaign which will help to build a 5K sq. ft. fabrication training facility at OSE’s rural Missouri headquarters.

In 2012, OSE is building the next 8 prototypes of the GVCS, focusing exclusively on fabrication tools. This “Open Source Microfactory” would make it possible to transform scrap metal into the products of advanced civilization. The microfactory will enable DIY production of a majority of those components to build GVCS machines. The OSE’s founder and director, Marcin Jakubowski is a Princeton graduate and earned a Phd in fusion energy. Jakubowski leads research, prototyping and testing of the machines at the microfactory.

OSE is publishing a detailed online library that includes design rationales, 3d CAD files, 2d fabrication drawings, circuit board design files, wiring diagrams, machine-readable CAM files, exploded parts diagrams, CAE analysis, step-by-step videos, control codes for automated devices, scaling calculations, the physics of why it works, and the performance and cost analysis vs. industry standards. They’re also going to include a user manual that will specify operation procedures, safety, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair. The GVCS goal of creating an entirely new, integrated ecology of machines is an ambitious yet entirely laudable endeavor. For more information, click here to visit the OSE blog.

“DIY Machines with Minimal Environmental Impact” republished with permission from The Green Market.

Images courtesy of Skley, steve_lodefink, and Sean Church {Flickr}.

Richard

Richard Matthews is a consultant, sustainable investor, writer and owner of The Green Market, a leading sustainable business blog that covers the convergence of sustainable capitalism and the global environment. The Green Market is one of the most comprehensive resources for information and tools on sustainability. Richard is a contributor to more than 50 publications including, Environmental News Network (ENN) and The Green Economy Post. Find him on Facebook and Linkedin. Follow The Green Market’s twitter feed and see the Facebook Fan Page.

Editor’s Note: Article published for information purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation or solicitation.

DIY Machines with Minimal Environmental Impact is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Apple, ranked the least environmentally sound of the big tech companies last year, is moving to repair its reputation by switching its vast US east coast data center from coal to solar power.

Officials in North Carolina say the company is preparing to build a solar farm next to its $US1 billion data centre in Maiden. The facility could help Apple recover from a Greenpeace report which said its cloud-computing operations – run from centers such as the one in North Carolina – relied heavily on dirty energy such as coal.

Technology companies are notoriously secretive about their data centers and the energy that powers them. A spokeswoman for Apple would confirm only that the company was preparing the ground next to its center. But the project became public knowledge when work crews began burning the cleared brush from the 50-hectare site in mid-October. Neighbors complained about the smoke billowing into their homes.

With the expansion of cloud computing, companies such as Apple have invested heavily in large data centers for their web-based services – often in areas promising cheap electricity, such as North Carolina.

Google, American Express and Facebook have also built data centers in North Carolina. Data centers consume about 3 percent of the US power supply, according to Greenpeace. North Carolina gets most of its electricity from coal and nuclear energy.

“Apple Hopes to Become Greener with Solar-Powered Data Center” republished with permission from EcoSeed.

Images courtesy of Earl-Wilkerson and Christopher Macsurak {Flickr}.

Ecoseed is a leading source for global green news, finance, and other resources in delivering green and renewable energy to mainstream business. Ecoseed’s mission is to provide global, complete, innovative, and up to date news, information, resources, and opportunities, catalyst to incorporate environmental awareness and responsibility into lifestyle, and in business practices. This world-wide platform is the place to find the latest and most relevant in-depth news and data covering the entire spectrum of the renewable energy industry and the low-carbon sector.

Apple Hopes to Become Greener with Solar-Powered Data Center is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

At this stage in the game, most of us are pretty familiar with what we can and cannot recycle. Positive changes in technology are giving everything from batteries to grocery bags a new lease on life. It can be pretty easy to keep track of how to recycle the things we use on an everyday basis, like food containers, newspaper and electronics, but it’s the bigger things we tend to forget about until it’s time to replace them.

Appliances fall into this category. Because of the bulky, costly nature of big ticket items like fridges, ovens and washing machines, they aren’t usually kicked to the curb until they’ve been around for a quite a while. When their time is finally up, most of us aren’t really sure how to properly dispose of them. Wonder no longer. This go-to guide will teach you everything you need to know about after you’ve said goodbye.

Replace or repair?
First things first – if you’ve decided to ditch your fridge because it’s not working anymore, find out if the problem is repairable first. Do some research online: Google your model number and look to see if others have experienced similar issues. If you find out that there is a fix, consider this rule of thumb – if the repair will cost more than half of the cost of a new appliance, don’t do it. The Appliance Repair or Replace Infographic will help answer any questions you have about time vs. cost.

Donate, donate, donate!
While you might not need your working appliance anymore, there is someone out there who does. Programs like The Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity are happy to take working appliances off your hands, and will often even provide a pickup service, saving you the hassle of delivery. You can find more information on these and other resources here.

Bounty Programs
Depending on where you live, the electric utility in your area may offer rebates on your bills in exchange for your used appliances. In most cases there are certain requirements your items are required to meet, but provided you haven’t put bricks through your washer, you should be just fine.

Municipal Disposal
The green movement has spurred many changes throughout towns and cities across North America and every change counts. On top of collecting your regular recyclables each week, some municipalities will also stop by your home to collect your used, broken or unwanted appliances. If you’re not one of the lucky ones who live in an environmentally friendly town, it’s still always a good idea to get in touch with the municipal department to find out where you should be taking your appliances for disposal.

Recycling Depots
If all else has failed and you still have an appliance you’re eager to get rid, of locate your nearest depot and drop it off there. It might require a little bit of effort, but knowing you’re doing right by the earth will make it worthwhile in the end. To find out where the nearest center is to you, visit Earth911.com – this awesome resource will not only point you in the right direction, but you can also find answers to any other recycling-related questions you make have.

Items with refrigerants
Appliances such as fridges, freezer, air conditioners and dehumidifiers contain chemicals that can be very harmful to the environment if disposed of improperly. Appliances manufactured before 1995 used refrigerants called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) – which were absolutely devastating to the ozone layer – and even though we’ve since switched to hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), there is still a high potential for ozone damage. Extra caution is required when getting rid of these items and not all centers accept them, so check out the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to gather more information before heading out the door.

Protecting our environment and keeping our communities safe is a responsibility we all share. With so many alternatives to dumping unused and unwanted appliances, there is no excuse not to go about the process the right way. If the days are numbered for an appliance in your home, take a few extra minutes to consider your options and make a decision that you can be proud of – the environment will thank you.

Images courtesy of CJ Sorg, (3), and WorldIslandInfo.com {Flickr}.

Jessica Snow is a recycler, writer and social media enthusiast who hails from Eastern Canada. As a Community Coordinator for appliance repair resource PartSelect.com, she spends her days encouraging homeowners as they tackle household repairs and sharing her love of DIY with the blogosphere.

The Go-To Guide for Recycling Appliances is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Winter is on its way. Temperatures are dropping. No matter how hard you curl your toes on those long, cold, and frosty winter nights, they won’t get any warmer! Electric blankets are a convenient, cost effective way to stay warm during the winter months. But do you need to be concerned about electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from these appliances?

The answer is an unequivocal yes. Here’s why.

Any electrical appliance emits EMFs. When electricity passes on a wire, it creates an electromagnetic field. EMFs have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and a whole host of other terrible diseases. In 2007, the Bio-Initiative Report reviewed over 2000 published studies on the negative health effects of EMFs on humans and animals. It concluded that there was cause for concern and that the existing standards for public safety were, and still are, completely inadequate.

Electric blankets emit EMFs at levels 5 to 20 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed safe level of exposure. (The Trifield 100XE EMF meter can give you readings if you want to know exactly where you stand on this.)

Why Are Electric Blankets So Potentially Dangerous?

Image courtesy of ginnerobot (Flickr)

Recently, the World Health Organization classified EMFs from cell phones and other devices as possible carcinogens – placing them in the same category as DDT! But electric blankets pose a potentially greater risk than other appliances, such as cell phones, because of two factors.

1. Duration One of the key determinants of the magnitude of the health risk you’re exposed to is the duration of exposure. The longer you’re exposed, the greater the risk. If you sleep under an electric blanket that’s turned on, you’re wrapped (no pun intended) in EMFs through the night. This increases the amount of EMF radiation you’re exposed to by leaps and bounds. Nighttime is also when your body is secreting melatonin, a hormone that protects against cancer. Epidemiological studies have shown that EMFs inhibit its secretion, leading to fatigue, sleepless nights and increased cancer risk.

2. Proximity The rule of thumb with all forms of radiation is: the further you are from the source, the lower your exposure. The EMFs produced by an electric blanket are emitted very close to the body: they penetrate deeper. They also radiate across your whole body, unlike cell phones and other devices. So electric blankets expose you to EMFs for a long duration, perhaps up to 8-10 hours a day in winter, and at close proximity to your body.

This constitutes chronic exposure, and is what makes them so dangerous, especially for pregnant women and children. Children have been shown to absorb more EMF radiation than adults, due to various factors linked to their undeveloped bodies. Studies indicate that women who used an electric blanket around the time of conception and during early pregnancy were nearly twice as likely to miscarry as women who did not.

What Are The Alternatives To Using An Electric Blanket?

Image courtesy of ChefMattRock (Flickr)

Due to these concerns, manufactures have developed “zero magnetic field” blankets. Though these blankets eliminate magnetic fields, they may still emit electric fields. This poses an unnecessary risk to you and your family. There are other more natural alternatives to electric blankets.

* Use an extra blanket or duvet to cover yourself. Fleece sheets and a down duvet are a great way to stay warm over the winter months.

* It’s not very romantic, but you can don a hat and socks in bed.

* Use a hot water bottle, wheat bag, or a rice bag to warm your bed at night.

If you can’t live without your electric blanket, here are a couple of ways to minimize your exposure.

1. Turn the blanket on about 30 minutes before you go to sleep and let it warm the bed. Turn it off before you tuck in and unplug the cord from the socket. This is important; when the blanket is turned off but still plugged in, it emits a powerful electric field.

2. Buy a newer blanket. Though they still pose a risk to your health, newer models radiate less EMFs into your home.

So you see, keeping warm on those winter nights does not have to mean EMF exposure. The other alternative, if you already own an electric blanket, is to lay it over the bed without plugging it in….

Image courtesy of schani (Flickr)

Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Electric Blankets and Your Health is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Technology is part of fashion, so why not wear it with a bag that “carries change?” The 2011 Della collection brings you an assorted variety of carryalls, including their signature vibrant Hobo Bag, demure clutches, and wild prints to cover your new iPad. My personal fav is a stylish Macbook laptop case.

I am toting around the beautiful coral reef Macbook Case made from textiles distinct to Ghana and handmade by one of 14 women fully employed in Hohoe, Ghana. The case is an absolutely stunning yellow with deep blue and purple coral patterns that make this case an eye catcher from across the café.

10 x 9" Folly Macbook Case

Lined with a thin pad, made from sustainable materials and completely vegan, this case is a much more stylish pick than the typical black or bright pink Macbook covers in every store. The Della cases come in one of four very unique patterns that could meet any girl’s style.

13.5 x 10.5 Soaring Macbook Case

Della, started by Tina Tangalakis, was inspired by a teaching volunteer trip at Happy Kid’s Orphanage in Ghana in 2009. Tina met a local seamstress, Beatrice Agabe, and the two connected over design and making a change in the local community of Hohoe.

Tina, head designer, brings stylish carryalls to the scene while Beatrice mentors fourteen seamstresses who are provided with education and skills training on top of a steady income from every purchase you make at Della.

13.5 x 10.5 Trunkin' Along Macbook Case

Plus, Happy Kid’s Orphanage now trains children age 6-14 how to sew, a valuable skill that will take them far in a community with limited educational opportunities.

My favorite thing about Della is Tina’s attitude: “I want to be a socially responsible business, not a charity.  I want business to be done right.” And our Managing Editor Adwoa loves that Della “hits the sweet spot between branding, textiles, variety, and mission. It’s like having your cake and eating it too.”

What do you like about Della? Jump on over to their website and let us know. Then don’t be shy about snagging your bestie a cool Macbook Case – or gifting one to yourself!

All photos courtesy Della.com.

Part Technology, Part Fashion is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

From hippie to Hemp, designer clothing

This post goes out to Unni Strand, who asked me for a list of Eco-Fabrics. Well, Unni, I am happy to say the list is long, far and wide. I bet you will be surprised at how many eco-fabric options there are, now, to get designers to use them!

“Half of all textile fibers still come from conventional cotton, which soaks up a quarter of all agrochemicals and insecticides sprayed on the planet,” reports Paul Hawkin in Natural Capitalism-Creating The Next Industrial Revolution.

Next time you go shopping for fashion, take a look at the label and what you will most commonly find is clothing made of synthetics like polyester, acrylic, nylon, and spandex blends all manmade from petroleum factories because they are cheap to source for designers. Every fabric has its good and bad properties.

For example, polyester takes a chemically intensive process to produce BUT it is a no wrinkle, no fade fabric that will last for generations without wear and tear (pull out that 70s suit now). Organic or plant based fabrics are hitting the scene more often. Known as regenerative fibers like bamboo or recycled fabrics like PET, these fibers are less resource intensive on our planet. Here is a short list of what to look for (there are many more) that is currently used in the market.

Tencel

LYOCELL: known as Tencel (from eucalyptus), Seacell (using seaweed), or Modal (from beechwood pulp). All have cotton and silk like characteristics, are color-fast, and don’t stretch out like cotton. Known as regenerative fabrics using environmentally friendly closed loop water systems for processing pulp into fabric in which 99.5% of the chemical solvents are recycled and reused.

BAMBOO: is a renewable resource grown without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Bamboo is a naturally regenerative grass that yields a soft luxurious fabric. The downside is the chemical process to turn the pulp into fabric at the manufacturing level. The plus? Odor-resistant and thermal regulating.

HEMP: springs up from seed in only 120 days without the need for chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and is a low water plant. This earth friendly crop is best when blended with other fibers like cotton or silk to make it smoother.

KENAF, RAMIE: from the Bast fiber list is in the same family as flax and hemp. These are fibers collected from the bark (skin) of plants. Kenaf stems from the hibiscus and Ramie derives from a flowering woodie plant in the nettle family.

LINEN: derived from the flax plant, dries quickly, great for warm weather climates and will not stick to your skin.

Organic Cotton

ORGANIC COTTON: According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), conventional cotton uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides. Certified organic cotton is grown without pesticides, herbicides or insecticides.

JUSI & PINA: Jusi is made from banana silk and Pina is handloomed from pineapple fibers. Both originating from the Philippines.

RECYCLED PET: or Polyethylene Terephthalate is made from recycled plastic bottles or old polyester clothing. Seen more so in shoes than clothes, but growing.

Israeli design label, EcoGir, uses recycled PET

SILK: known for it’s soft luxurious and sleek properties, most silk is harvested from the cocoons of the larvae of the Bombyx mori silkworm. Before the adult moth appears, they are killed for their silk. Look for Peace Silk or Wild Silk, which preserve the silkworm by waiting for it to emerge alive.

Although it would be nice to have a label standard much like food labels on our clothes (a girl can dream), luckily the industry is taking action. Labeling Ecologically Approved Fabrics (L.E.A.F.) is a third party, independent organization that intends to change the “fabric of our lives.” They play host to an extensive textile industry definitions. Need to know about an earth friendly fabric? bookmark this page as your best reference and one to keep an eye on.

How many of you are label readers? A label can say a lot or not about your clothing. L.E.A.F.’s mission is to make labeling a standard so the average US consumer can understand the Total Impact on Environment and Society (T.I.E.S.) for a specific fabric or apparel item. You remember how extensive the supply chain is for a garment to go from farm to fabric, right? If not, check out my article on supply chain. L.E.A.F. intends to let you know where in the supply chain this fabric has made environmental or social achievements.

And, they intend to squash the confusion about labeling by producing a unifying labeling standard for the US marketplace through third party certification! L.E.A.F. has created three major emerging categories 1. Organic/sustainably sourced fibers 2. Environmentally superior manufacturing processes 3. Fair labor practices. Additional achievement categories are Fair Trade, Packaging and Humane Animal Treatment.

Source4Style website launching December 2011

Source4Style, created by eco-fashion icon Summer Rayne Oakes, is on its second year after launching a beta version in 2010 to help designers source sustainable fabrics. Source4Style 2.0 will launch in December 2011 with an extensive list of eco fibers, origins, small minimums for independent designers and trends.

For those of you who sew and need original fabric, hop on over to Spoonflower and get excited for their eco-friendly textile printing designed by: you! For $16.20 per yard you can upload your own design or pick from a beautiful library of prints made by others.

Spoonflower's library of custom fabric designs

Remember: conscious fashion’s goal is to shift your purchase towards lessening your fashion footprint on the planet while maintaining your style. What sustainable fabric has become your favorite?

A to your Q Fashion Tuesday? Feel Good in These Earth Friendly Fabrics is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Image courtesy of tome213 (sxc.hu)

Ahhh, Thanksgiving: time of mortal peril for the average turkey. Most of you probably know that Benjamin Franklin was a staunch advocate of the turkey as our national bird over the eagle: not as handsome, but certainly both noble and intelligent. (Drat that John Adams! All style and no substance.)

Below is a video from Twitter founder Biz Stone on his plans this season. And whether you will be eating turkeys today or just… hanging out with them: we wish you the happiest of holidays.

Biz Stone Talks Turkey is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag