Eco-Friendly Jewellery: Odette New York

If you remember, over the summer I posted about my new found obsession with Alkemie, an eco-friendly jewellery brand. And this week, I discovered a very similar brand (and equally as amazing) based in New York called Odette. Odette is a Brooklyn-based jewellery line, which was founded in 2006 by artist Jennifer Sarkilahti, is made using hand fabrication and ancient and modern wax carving techniques. The designs behind the pieces are inspired by 'organic and industrial shapes, natural specimens, uncommon artifacts and primitive forms'. Now here's the exciting part, Odette's jewellery is cast in recycled sterling silver, brass, bronze, diamonds and 14k!

Lovely, right? Well the good news is that you can find Odette stocked in the UK in Anthropologie and also in Couverture & The Garbstore in London. Click here for all other international stockists.

Make sure you check out the wesbite here to browse all the collections, and be sure to also like their Facebook page & tweet them while you're at it! :)

Anoud x


Images: odetteny.com

Christmas Gift for Her: Stella McCartney Biodegradable Heels

Stella McCartney has always shown her dedication to sustainability and environmentally friendly fashion by proving to the industry that you do not need to slay a crocodile to create luxurious items. With Christmas right around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about her biodegradable shoes for Fall/Winter 2012, as they may be something some of you would consider gifting the special fashion-savvy girlfriend/friend/wife/sister etc,..

Stella's cruelty-free kicks were first spotted on the runway of Paris Fashion Week back in february, and they are made of pleather and faux-croc with soles made from Aspinat, which is a biodegradable thermoplastic made from natural and renewable raw materials. The shoes are unconventionally beautiful with a strong contrast between the chunky white sole and the dark upper  sole.

Shop the collection here!

Happy guilt-free Christmas shopping!

Anoud x




Images: stellamccartney.com, ecouterre.com

Art Spotlight: Debra Hurd's City Scenes Paintings

Last night I came across a breathtaking photograph by Mark Whitt of Amman with a spectacular view of the city's famous Hill of the Citadel. I was so inspired by the photo that this morning (plus my internship work today is rather slow), I began searching and browsing the web for pictures of cityscapes and skylines. I've always loved cities and was fascinated by them. But now that I am studying urban planning I understand what it really takes to make cities tick, what it takes to make them these hubs of life, culture and development (sustainable) that they are. And with that I have developed a great passion and admiration for cities and what defines them. So naturally my search went on enjoyably for hours, as I was plastered to my computer screen with wide eyes of fascination at the pictures that I was viewing. My search led me onto a new dimension of capturing the beauty of a city, and that is cityscape art; that's when I discovered Debra Hurd's beautiful oil paintings of vivid city scenes.

Debra works with oils and uses a knife to achieve the dramatic and bold colours and textures that her paintings are knows for. She explains: "A very ordinary scene can be perceived differently when painted with a bit of exaggerated color and awareness of light. The ordinary then becomes the extraordinary. Color is critical. When I'm asked which color is my favorite, I tend to think in terms of which two or three colors I like in combination."

Here are my favourite Debra Hurd city-related paintings:

Music to the eyes, no?

Be sure to visit Debra's website here, and her blog here as well to find out more about the artist and view more of her beautiful art. She is known for her depictions of jazz, rock and blues musicians, so you must check out those paintings!


Anoud x


Images: debrahurd.com

Eco-Friendly Jewellery: Alkemie

If you know me personally then you surely know that I am a self-confessed jewellery addict. I love unique, intricate and daring pieces and I think that jewellery in general is a great way to express yourself. Early this morning I was browsing through shopbob's jewellery section (I love that you can sort items by "Earth Friendly"), and I came across the brand Alkemie. Alkemie is an eco-friendly jewellery line created by husband and wife Dara Gerson & Ashley Lowengrub. The entire Alkemie collection is handmade in Los Angeles and is forged from 100% reclaimed metals. Also, the leather used is sourced from sustainable cattle farmers and is dyed with eco-friendly dye. I have to say, browsing through their collection online, I felt like a kid in a candy store. The pieces are simply beautiful, and the fact that they are made carefully with sustainability in mind makes them that much more amazing!

Here's a little about the brand's philosophy, as stated in their website:

Dara Gerson & Ashley Lowengrub found their way to creating jewelry that is both beautiful & socially responsible because of their love of mother nature and the amazing planet we live on. Drawing inspiration and motivation from their daily lives, their love for culture and the planet as well as their strong beliefs todo no harm, Dara and Ashley Lowengrub are true pioneers.

Prior to starting Alkemie, each had successful jewelry lines working with traditional metals. Years of experience in the jewelry industry had made Dara and Ashley weary of the toxic working conditions and environmental impacts of the gem and fine metal industries- until one day they decided it was something they could no longer continue to support. After learning more about the harmful social and environmental effects of mining, they sought out local eco-friendly materials.

Thus Alkemie Jewelry was born- a brand that would immediately pioneer and change the jewelry industry with its social and environmentally responsible practices. Alkemie Jewelry has earned a devoted international following based not only on the originality of their designs, but their leadership as a socially and environmentally progressive company. All designs are made of 100% reclaimed metal & manufactured by hand in downtown Los Angeles, California. 

Alkemie promotes fair trade, local living wage and eco-sustainable business practices to combat the existing harmful effects and conditions of the metal and gemstone industry; including social issues such as children working in dangerous conditions to mine and mount stones, as well as environmental issues, like toxic chemicals from mines seeping into the surrounding land and severely damaging precious watersheds.

Dara and Ashley’s motivation to live environmentally and socially conscious really comes from exemplifying responsibility to their daughters. One of the major motivations of Alkemie Jewelry is to present an example for future generations.

It's impossible to choose one particular favourite item, but Alkemie's bangles are definitely my favourite, so are their rings, cuffs, earrings and pretty much everything!

Alkemie's bangles. Amazing, huh?

This still gets better... Alkemie, as a sustainable company, believes in the importance of supporting practices and causes they believe in through chairy. And so, by pruchasing a piece of their jewellery, you will contribute to their charitable acts, as each month a portion of the company's online sales are donated to a charity they support. This month, Alkemie is donating 5% to the Seva Foundation: a non-profit organisation that "provides financial resources and technical expertise to help communities build sustainable solution to poverty and disease".

How amazing? Just perfect! Unique and beautifully crafted jewellery pieces that are eco-friendly and support charities that aim to create a more sustainable world for all. Literally guilt-free shopping!

Here are a few places where you can get your hands on some of Alkemie's unique pieces:
Alkemie's website
Shopbob
ShopStyle


P.S. check out their men's collection here and be sure to check them out on Facebook here!


Anoud x

Talk About Efficient Living

Whenever I'm bored and feeling a little uninspired, I turn to YouTube to find interesting videos showcasing unique individuals and ideas from all around the world. A few days ago, I came across this great video about how an architect from Hong Kong, Gary Chang, designed his 344 sq. ft. apartment in a way where he can take advantage of every corner of it and make it as efficient as possible. Amazingly enough, Chang managed to transform the tiny apartment, which he calls the "Domestic Transformer", into 24 different designs using sliding panels and walls; PURE GENIUS!!! Watch below and see for yourself how creativity and functional design can transform a small space into an eco-friendly compact place that exploits every inch of space to meet your needs. You won't believe it till you see it!

I no longer dream of a panoramic New York apartment with exceptional views of Central Park and Manhattan (well not as much as before that is); I now want my very own little "Domestic Transformer"!

Anoud x

Eco-Friendly Make Up Tutorial

Let me be completely honest with you all: my latest guilty pleasure happens to be watching make up tutorials on YouTube. Yes. I swear it is so addictive (girls would understand). So anyway, the other day I came across this video and couldn't help but share. The video is by AndreasChoice and I love how she's made it so fun and interesting. Watch below:




Anoud x

Do the Green Thing: Buy Nothing!

Here's a cute video that will surely put a smile on your face. It demonstrates a simple green idea in the simplest way possible:



Give it a try once: do it the green way, and buy nothing!

As they say, it's the thought that counts. :)

Anoud x

Introducing The 2012 Fisker Karma

So here’s the deal: are you environmentally conscious and have a knack for spending money on luxurious ‘toys’? Most importantly, do you have a spare $100,000? Well if your answer is yes, then the 2012 Fisker Karma is the car for you!

Here’s why: the Fisker Karma is a luxury speed machine with a 2 litre – 4 hybrid engine that can go from 0-60 miles per hour in under 6 seconds with a top speed of 125 miles. Now for the luxurious details, this ‘eco-luxuriant’ vehicle has bucket seats, diamond dust in the paint, and keyless entry. The most distinctive and spectacular feature, however, is the solar glass roof which the car uses to capture energy that will assist the lithium-ion batteries in powering the dual electric motors. Not enough? Well here’s more: the Karma can do an easy on the pocket 100 miles per gallon and it features two driving modes, one Stealth Mode for efficient and relaxed driving and another Sport Mode to enjoy the car’s full power.

Leonardo DiCaprio, who is known to be eco-conscious, just received his Karma this week (pictured below), while Al Gore and Colin Powell are supposedly next in line to get their hands on this incredible motor. 

Guilt-free luxury indeed! Now if only I can get my hands on one of these beauties... No harm in dreaming right? :)


Anoud x


Image: dailymail.co.uk, caranddriver.com

Favourite Green Person of the Week: Kevin Richardson

The Lion Whisperer

I'm pretty sure you all know by now the deep love I have for the beautiful lions. That is why, this week's favourite green person is someone I not only admire, but also someone I am extremely jealous of. Kevin Richardson, the lion whisperer and the man that is able to tame the king of the jungle and befriend an entire pride of this wild animal, is this week's Favourite Green Person.

Richardson is a self-taught animal behaviourist whose interest in all types of creatures large and small began from the early age of 3. He has broken the norm when it comes to the human-wild animal relationship. Instead of using chains and sticks to tame them, Richardson’s weapons of choice are love, understanding and trust in order to form personal bonds with lions. For the lions to accept him as one of their own, Kevin has a unique technique of analysing their individual personalities to know what makes each of them happy, upset or irritated.

With his unique relationship with these large predators, Richardson started making documentaries and commercials while working at the Lion Park in Johannesburg, South Africa. After being discovered by award winning documentary maker Michael Rosenberg, Kevin rose to fame with documentaries such as ‘Dangerous Companions’ and shows like ‘Growing Up Hyena’. He has also been involved in many conservation and research projects in the Okavango Delta and Lydenberg area which resulted in the production of another documentary on the black leopard called ‘In Search of a Legend’.

With the growth of his animal filming/documentary career, Kevin moved with the animals he works with into a large farm located 50-60km North of Johannesburg known as the Kingdom of the White Lion. He lives directly opposite the property where the animals are kept, and this allows him to work with them on a daily basis. There, Kevin worked on the dramatic film feature called White Lion. The film was released on the 19th of February 2010 in South Africa and documents the life of Letsatsi, a young white lion who despite the many challenges, lives to become the glorious adult white lion that he was always meant to be.



Richardson represents the importance of always treating animals with love and care, no matter their size or nature. I truly admire him for his ability to tame the beast and capture his heart. I would LOVE to walk in his shoes for a day: mingle with the royalty of the Animal Kingdom and have the opportunity to hug the mighty lion and stare him fearlessly right in the eyes, up close and personal.

For more information, take a look at Kevin's website or follow him on Twitter and show him some love! :)

Anoud x


Images: lionwhisperer.co.za, childrenofthesun-hess.blogspot.com

OAT Shoes: 100% Biodegradable!

Creating and innovating 100% biodegradable products is becoming more and more possible! 

In my last post, I blogged about Puma's new fully bidegradable shopping bags, and now it's time to introduce you to the Amsterdam-based label: OAT Shoes. OAT Shoes are not only stylish & comfortable, they are also 100% biodegradable! Yes, biodegradable sneakers!!!

Christiaan Maats, founder of OAT Shoes, took on the challenge of designing & producing decomposable footwear as part of his product design graduation project. Two years of development later, OAT Shoes introduced prototypes of its Virgin Collection. The fantastic collection includes brilliant sneakers made from 'hemp canvas, bio-cotton, cork and certified biodegradable plastic'.

Now, here's the cool part: once you've worn them out or had enough of them (which won't happen anytime soon after you purchase them I'm sure) a pair of Oats can literally be buried in your garden or thrown in a compost pile. The shoes are not just sustainable & practical, they actually look good & are very stylish & easy to wear. I really love the colorful soles, which turn up its style a notch! Need more? Well the hemp canvas is 'naturally antibacterial' & a 'moisture-wicker'. This obviously makes it that much more durable.

The Virgin Collection comes in four styles: two high tops and two low tops. You can purchase the shoes online from the OAT Shoes website for €140-150.

P.S: In January, the company won second prize at the Green Fashion Awards. Much deserved!


Make sure you grab yourselves a pair of Oats!

Anoud x


Images: oatshoes.com

Congratulations to Matt Cardle!!!!

Green Eve is VERY happy with tonight's X Factor results: Matt Cardle as the 2010 winner!

We have supported both him and Rebecca, who was the runner up, since the very beginning. WELL DESERVED!


Below is our favourite performance of Matt, from the Live Show 5, where he sang 'The First Time'... BEAUTIFUL! Or as Cheryl Cole described it 'spine-tingling'!






We wish Matt all the best, and we believe that Rebecca will surely have a bright future ahead of her.


Love,

Green Eve♥



Image from itv.com