TRAVEL Uit Klaaskreek | STYLE From my Great Aunt's Closet | FASHION Sass and Bide join Ethical Fashion Initiative | FORUM The Slow Revolution, What Is It Good For? | MEAT FREE MONDAY Food Traceability Apps | INTERVIEW Selina Cheong Luxury Handbag Designer | INTERVIEW Marieke Eyskoot Talking Dress | INTERVIEW Tommaso Dall'Osso, Founder of FACECUP
LIZ COOK's nutrition wallchart is now in its 18th year and with over 150,000 sold continues to be as popular
as ever. It is a hand-written and illustrated table showing some of the best plant-based sources of all the
essential nutrients. Drawn as a quick reference guide for bringing up her son on an animal free diet, the original chart has
been going strong for 15 years, during which time it has been regularly redrawn and updated as the latest
nutritional research has come to light - the last redraw was at the end of 2005.
In addition to the Nutrition Wallchart, Liz Cook also came up with several other charts, from Seasonal UK Fruits & Vegetable Charts to Yoga Charts on Daily Yoga Poses. There are even charts for Children: one that teaches a child the responsibilities that go into having a dog, and another called the Rainbow Food Chart, designed as a fun way to help children (and adults) eat the
recommended five portions of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables
every day. These charts are great in helping us to identify what produce contains what vitamins and minerals, and assists us in keeping track of our everyday intake of the necessary food groups. This would be good as a house-warming, late Christmas or birthday gift for your health-nut friend, or a great item for your own kitchen. Did I mention that they are inexpensive?
Taken From Vogue UK Wellbeing |
Start the New Year with one of these nutrition charts to start a new you off right. My New Year's Resolution is to "tone" up (quite alot) and continue to eat healthily. These charts will certainly make this easier.
Visit: www.lizcookcharts.co.uk - £5.95 each(for one) OR £4.95 each (for two or more)
20 Ethical Dresses that will make a statement this New Years Eve whatever your personality. You might still have time to get your hands on one if they have next day delivery! If not ring in the new year in vintage or shop your closet for that glam dress you forgot you had!
We wish to take a moment to share our Christmas outfits, from Trinidad and Washington DC, with you. Emma and I show how we rocked our ethical styles before and after Christmas Dinner. More Style posts to come, we promise!!! Hope your Christmas Day was just as eventful as ours.
With Love, Stacy, Emma & The Collective x
Taken from Crave |
One of the Stacy H. Family Traditions the night before Christmas is to curl up in front of the television and watch old Christmas films (White Christmas is a favourite) whilst eating popcorn. This year I thought I would spice up the old tradition by making Coconut Curry Caramel Corn (OH YEAH, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY). This is one of the amazing recipes from Susan Feniger's cookbook Street Food, which I've been meaning to try for months now. I will obviously update you on how it went for me, but at the same time I hope that some of you will try the recipe I've provided for this exotic spiced-up version of our favourite movie-snack.
I couldn't talk about Waste without referring to some of the most resourceful people on earth. Welcome to India was a three-part documentary on how different individuals from India survived by being sagacious and innovative (don't these words mean the same thing?). Home to over a sixth of the world's population, with 1.2 billion people who live in crowded cities, this observational series hones in on the not only the resourcefulness of the people, but on the resilience and hope that they find within the materials that surround them. We experience/witness Kaale's search for gold dust in the drains in the gold district; Rajesh and Sevita's makeshift beach house/pub; Johora's massive plastic bottle recycling business to support her seven children and her struggles with the local gangsters(one of my favourite characters btw); Kanye's dangerous job which deals with large waste materials in the form of discarded ships he has to cut up for its scrap metal (steel is like gold); Ashik's beef fat business (which is at one point infested by maggots--poor Ashik) which he renders down to make tallow to be used in soaps or cosmetics; Brothers Prakash and Mangesh, who live in an illegal settlement, as they both lead separate paths--Prakash is destined for Bollywood and Mangesh is the chosen child who gets to go to university; Swapan's fish market and his hard work mentality during the large Durga Puja festival--to celebrate the cycle of life; and Sujit's disposable clay tea cup business and how he tries to make this recyclable and highly biodegradable item into a larger business plan.
What follows are the actual videos from each Episode. I can't tell you how much I was hooked on this Dickensian series (of course the Anthropologist in me was intrigued and questioning).
Did you know that Vitamin A found in produce like carrots can help protect our skins against sun damage and cellulite? Or the fact that eating fish high in Vitamin D can assist in the reduction of spots and growths. Before we can take care of our skin, we must first know a bit more about it, and how it works and what it responds to. Hence, here is an Infographic showing 50 Incredible Facts About Skin you need to know.
Learn about data visualization tools.
Who said that we had to be Naughty when giving kids gifts for being ever
so NICE? Well, here are just a few conscious gifts Emma H. & I fell in love
with. So this Christmas, give those little darlings in your lives gifts
that will make you feel just a little bit better about the season; and
as Emma H. and I have yet to have little ones of our own, we are stocking
up on these to give to children in our family and of friends.
Oh, and whilst you're at it, check out some of the other toys, games and gift sets available from the links provided above.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BESTEST CO-BLOGGER & FASHION PARTNER-IN-CRIME ANYONE COULD ASK FOR!!!
Today, I'm celebrating Emma H.'s Birthday with a few nice glasses of El Dorado 15yo and coconut water, as I think back to the days when I would anxiously wait for her to come home to my flat for our sleepovers. As Patrick (my partner) would moan about feeling like the third wheel (well, he was...obvs.), we would huddle together on the couch or in the kitchen, strategising, gossiping, and just enjoying each others company. I also remember a certain birthday she salvaged from being a total disaster (you're a trooper). I hope that she is having the time of her life (bubbling away) and thinking of me (of course), as she steps into another year of amazingness. I'm looking forward to celebrating more of her birthdays together and through the blog. Love you Emzy!
No birthday can go without a Stacy H. song dedication. Can I get a Whoop Whoop? (Hehe)
No birthday can go without a Stacy H. song dedication. Can I get a Whoop Whoop? (Hehe)
P.S. I hope you approve of this photo. Taken by Julz C.
Being in the US (nothing against the US) during the holidays always makes me think of waste. I think of the over-consumption and the loads of rubbish the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas. In the past, and more so recently, I have developed an acute fascination with the concept of Waste. Where does it go? How much do we produce? How can we reduce it? And, How can we reuse it? Between a few of my favourite contemporary mixed media artists and several documentarians this fascination warranted a few posts. Hence, this will be the beginning of a series of posts I wish to blog about on the notion of "Waste" and how this has not only consumed us, but has changed the lives of many--for the better and the worse.
A few months ago, I blogged about my UN assignment in Suriname (a small South American country to the east of my Homeland). In particular I eluded to the waste management system in the small Maroon transmigration town of Klaaskreek in Brokopondo, where I was greeted by two young men at the back of a white pick-up truck who came to collect our rubbish. Moving forward a few months ahead, there seems to be more and more Waste-related seminars and documentaries that are begging for my attention. Not to mention the multitude of publications, such as the World Bank's recent publication (released March 2012) entitled What a Waste: A Global Review of Solid Waste Management, which highlights the growth of municipal solid waste--one of the most important by-products of an urban lifestyle--which, at 1.3 billion tonnes today, is expected to increase to 2.2 billion tonnes per annum in 2025. That’s enough garbage to fill the Roman Coliseum 730 times, or a line of
garbage trucks 900,000 km long, 23 times around the world. And this is just solid waste alone.
Hey Guys! Like Us on our FACEBOOK PAGE to keep up to date on what's going on the blog, and on the random things we like. From random fashion, art, music and independent film events to amazing giveaways. We look forward to see you there.
I was having lunch with my friend Bre in Soho, NY, catching up on each others' lives as we munched away on Mexican food a la Papatzul (delish). We came back to our love of fashion and how our shopping habits have changed since we last saw each other. For me, it was buying less, and more responsibly, whereas for Bre, it was shopping in Consignment stores. I had heard of Consignment stores, but had never ventured into one. I hate shopping, well shopping in large stores where comparisons between them and a jungle filled with warring animals always comes to mind, so I avoid large shops, and stick to quaint boutiques (or online shopping). However, Bre was adamant about me visiting one, especially for the Blog. She listed a view, and later on texted the names of some of the must visits. The majority were in East Village, so I took a wonder and was quite impressed. Jimmy Choos and Louboutins from $100, I spotted an amazing Trina Turk Mohair Coat for $185, and not to mention a pair of Chanel flats (not in my size) for $255. Whatever your style, the following Consignment Stores definitely cater for it. Consignment stores, are not like Charity Shops, as you the merchandise are usually bought off of customers, or have been traded in for something else. Hence, what follows is my review of my experiences in five (5) consignment stores I visited.
The Conscience Collective is looking for a Web Intern for our Blog. We are an ethical lifestyles blog that is in the process of monetizing and redesigning our blog. Currently, the two Bloggers are based in the UK & Trinidad, reporting on topics that relate to sustainability, the environment and lifestyle choices.
Period: This internship is for a period of 1-3 month(s). The intern is required to work 2 days a week.
Ideal Candidate:
You will be bright, motivated and creative, with experience in web design/development. Duties may include, but are not limited to building and updating our blog and assisting with the editing of posts. You must have skills in HTML (hand-coding), Working knowledge of and access to Photoshop/Fireworks (image resizing, cropping, optimizing, etc.), and Social Media Knowledge. Useful experience with Flash, Wordpress and Blogspot would be an additional plus. Knowledge and Interest in an Ethical Lifestyle is not required, but highly desirable.
This position is home-based and requires that you have access to a computer and all the necessary software, such as Photoshop/Fireworks, Dreamweaver and CSS (the latter two are not mandatory). Must be fluent in English. This is an unpaid position, but with a few ethical merchandise perks.
Deadline: 31st December 2013
Interviews: We will only contact shortlisted candidates for additional information.
Start Date: TBD [Beginning of January]
How to apply: Please send a brief cover letter explaining why you would be ideal for the position, and a resume/CV/LinkedIn Profile to theconsciencecollective@gmail.com with subject line “Web Intern TCC”
I don't like to be defined by my vegetarianism but if you know someone who is particularly passionate about their dietary persuasion and never know what to get them, this gift list is for you. Sweet, ethical gifts for that pesky vegetarian in your life :-). You could also take a Meat Free Monday pledge and gift it to them in the form of a voucher - thoughtful and FREE!
Watch the video that inspired our Meat Free Monday posts here.
The Black Dog Institute is an Australian educational, research, clinical and community-oriented facility with specialist expertise in a range of mood disorders including depression. Their website offers a wealth of straightforward facts and advice for both those suffering from depression and concerned loved ones. T-shirts cost AUS$50, show your support by purchasing yours here.
In loving memory of a wonderful, gifted person gone all too soon.
Virtual Image Douai Plant | Renault |
I swung by to see my little cousin, Melissa, who is on the hunt for an upgrade from her KIA Sorrento, which she has had for a few years. Being a NON-EXPERT when it comes to cars (I don't know how to drive, although my father used to race cars, and I used to ride motorcycles), I thought about electric cars, and other sustainable car models. However, I didn't bother suggesting it. Instead I listened to her describe her ideal car before leaving to head home. Then, I remembered a draft I had on the Blog to write about Renault's Solar Panel Project.
This solar initiative is meant to reduce the French auto-maker's carbon emissions by 200 metric tonnes annually--which would make this the Auto Industry's largest Solar Plant--and is also meant to protect the new vehicles before delivery to the sales network. Renault has already pressed the button on six giant solar photovoltaic* systems
across France, as part of a global initiative that could see similar
systems installed at the company's facilities in Slovenia, Morocco,
South America and South Korea.
Renault, as a company, has already made their name in renewable energy and energy efficiency with their electric and hybrid cars. They have also ranked for many years amongst the most admirable companies amongst various sustainable ratings agencies such as Carbon Disclosure
Project and Oekow Research.
Read more on Renault's Solar Photovoltaic Systems from Sustainable Brands' article on it.
* Photovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. (Wikipedia, Last Accessed 3/12/12)
As you guys might have noticed, Emma and Stacy are in two completely different countries, experiencing two completely different climates. This was something we had to take into consideration when deciding what to get our significant others, Juls & Paddy. At the same time, we only want to gift things we our partners will love, so we've sought out some serious ethical gems with which to fill our menfolk's stockings. Most of these items we secretly want for ourselves.
Yesterday, I took a quick trip to MOM's ORGANIC MARKET to get a few supplies for a pasta dish I was making, when my sister mockingly asked me "How do you know that all this stuff is really organic? It could all be a conspiracy!" I looked at her and said, "exactly, it all could be, which is why I tend to focus on seasonality and local farmers," but when in Rome, right? The problem, I told her, is that there is so much "greenwashing," which dilutes the very essence of what these terms were meant to mean.
When we returned home, I was left wondering, why is it that so many of us put our trust in the word "organic" so easily? So, being the curious Nancy that I am (and the idea of having a possible story to write about for the blog, obvs) I decided to search for organic food and its traceability. To my surprise there were many different reports, organisations and articles on this. Scrolling further down I saw a link for a Traceability App. What was that? An App that tells me where my food comes from? Tell me more...
by Emma H
I love Christmas. Mainly because it means family time but also because I absolutely love gift giving. Selecting them, making them, buying them, wrapping them, and of course seeing them opened. Gift giving is personal, a great gift shows you've been paying attention and is never just for the sake of it. Some people are hard to buy for though and so I'll give them something I'd love to receive. With that said even though this is a list of the gifts I'd love and the gifts I'd love to give, it's really all just gifts I'd love, from some of the best ethical brands around. Enjoy!
We're starting the holidays off with our ETHICAL CHRISTMAS GIFTLISTS FOR HER. As Emma and I have so much we wish to share, we decided to do this a bit differently. We've both made our own lists, with what we're hoping to find under the Christmas Tree this year and what we would gift to our female friends and family. Here are my lists for the season. Deciding the gifts to give is half the fun, and with so many unbelievable
ethical options there's no excuse not to give responsibly this
Christmas.
To Shop for these items select the correlating numbers for more information
Photos edited by Graphic Designer - Alicia Hope