What is a thought leader? Someone who comes along and is recognized by their peers for an innovative idea that changes the landscape of our world.

Each month at Gorgeously Green we are going to interview "Green Thought Leaders" to give you a inside look at the lives and companies that make up the eco-friendly landscape.

David Crow
Founder of Floracopeia

David Crow is the founder of Floracopeia, which supports ecologically sustainable agriculture through the production of essential oils and aromatic treasures. He is the founder of The Learning Garden, one of the country’s largest school gardens, which has helped bring cultivation of organic food and medicinal plants into the Los Angeles public school system. Through writing, teaching, and activism, he is promoting the creation of a grassroots healthcare system based on community gardens.

What initially sparked your interest in natural medicine?

There was no one specific event; instead, it was more like destiny. I have been interested in the wisdom traditions of indigenous cultures since I was a child, before I was conscious of what they were or of their importance.

I had the good fortune to spend a lot of time in my early years traveling through Central America and Asia seeking out ethnobotanical traditions from physicians, healers and shamans. As I learned more about how valuable medicinal plants are - not just for healing illness, but their economic, ecological and spiritual benefits as well - my interest grew and continues to grow.

Now I know that plants in general, specifically medicinal plants and the traditions of their use, are one of humanity’s most valuable natural resources, and that preserving them is one of our highest priorities.

Can you tell us a little about the ecological destruction that you have witnessed first-hand in many parts of the world.

All over Asia and from North to South America, I have seen the same things. Deforestation. Unregulated industries pouring poisonous wastes into the water, air, and soil. Melting glaciers, flooding, drought and other signs of global warming. Toxic agribusiness poisoning the land and food. Urban and suburban sprawl destroying the last natural habitats. Most of humanity now lives with this degradation of life and loss of cultural sanity to some degree.

You co-founded the incredible Learning Garden in Venice High School, Los Angeles. Other than learning about where their food comes from, what else do visitors to the garden learn?

The Learning Garden in Venice has been an eye-opening experience for the students. They not only learn that food actually comes from plants – which many are not aware of - but that nature’s seasons are happening outside, that plants and soil and insects all interact. They are getting the chance to discover the rewards of a personal relationship with nature that many of us take for granted.

But the most important lesson the kids learn is respect for life. They’ve never grown a plant from seed to fruit, and so they have never really had responsibility for taking care of anything.

For the students of the universities of Chinese medicine that work in the herb gardens, it is an opportunity to learn about the healing plants and their powers firsthand, instead of working only with capsules and powders in the pharmacy.

For the community, The Learning Garden is a place of beauty, friendship, and pride. For the teachers at the school, it is a place of peace and solace away from the stress of work. For everyone, it is a place to remember how important it is to have food, medicine, flowers, birds and butterflies in our local neighborhoods, and how easily we can create this kind of culture anywhere and everywhere.

Can anyone create a mini-garden in their own backyard?

Of course! What each garden looks like depends on where you live and what you would like to do. However, in many places people can have not just mini-gardens, but mega-gardens for their entire neighborhood. Either way, the benefits, rewards and joys are enormous.

What are some of the most important herbs we should plant?

We should plant medicinal plants that will help us with our specific health concerns and that will thrive in our local environment and community. First, learn what plants are good for your personal health needs. Second, consider which of those plants grow in your region naturally. Third, consider what plants from other parts of the world would do well in that soil and climate that are not invasive or destructive.

How is peak oil going to affect our food and medicine supply in the near future?

Our addiction to oil is already causing widespread hunger in the world, and it appears that there is much more to come. When there is hunger, political instability and epidemics naturally follow. The longer we remain dependent on oil, the more we will suffer.

On the other hand, the decline of the fossil fuel economy might be the best thing that could happen to us. Many of the positive lifestyle changes that we know we can and should be making as a society, such as converting to alternative energy sources and planting community gardens, will come more quickly as the price of oil increases.

What do you think is the most important thing that each of us can do to protect our environment?

Contemplate how the body is inseparable from the planetary biosphere. If we can feel that the food we eat is the earth, the water we drink is the rain and rivers, the warmth of the body is sunlight, and our breath the atmosphere, we become sensitized to our biological unity with the environment around us. When we live with this awareness, our experience naturally gives rise to spontaneous appreciation, respect and reverence for the sacredness of all life and the elements that sustain it.

What is the most pressing environmental problem we face?

Our most pressing environmental problem is human greed and ignorance. The governments of the world, especially here in the US, are squandering vast wealth and probably our last opportunity to create a sustainable world civilization. All money that is now spent on weapons and war, toxic unsustainable energy, wasteful consumer products, and environmentally destructive practices should be immediately reinvested in replanting the global garden - the source of all natural abundance, health, beauty, and peace - before humanity descends further into poverty, hunger, and chaos.

What is your hope for the future?

I find it deeply satisfying to accomplish positive goals such as assisting a person in their healing process using natural medicine, starting a large community garden, or creating a successful reforestation project. At the same time, there is very little that one individual can do to change the collective karma that humanity is now creating and will be facing in the future. Therefore, I view my own life and work not so much as a path toward a goal that I hope to accomplish, but as a path of meaning.

To be guided by a vision of the world as a sacred healing garden makes life deeply fulfilling. This vision has the power to become a unifying spiritual force that helps us transcend all racial, ethnic, religious and economic boundaries and identities, and to bring us together in the common cause of humanity’s survival, wellbeing, and the realization of our deepest potential. If I have a specific hope for the future, it is that this day will come soon.

________________________________________________________________________

Howard Brown & Karen Stewart
Founders of Stewart & Brown

 

How long have you been in the eco-fashion business?

Karen and I came up w/the concept for Stewart+Brown in 1993. Karen went to work for Patagonia as a designer in 1998 – to learn about sustainable design. This was essentially her first professional foray into eco-clothing. We began laying our plan to launch S+B on September 11, 2001 as 911 was really the catalyst for us to know that it was now the “right time” to launch our ethical fashion brand. Stewart+Brown was incorporated on September 11, 2002…it is worth mentioning that Karen and I were married on 9/11/99.

What initially inspired you to want to be “green”?

What inspired us to start a green fashion brand was a desire to be part of the solution and not part of the problem; we are lovers of life and feel strongly that nature = life and by destroying nature / the natural environment we are essentially destroying human life and life on this planet. We believe in “the future” and understand that without significant cultural and technological change there wouldn’t be a future. We felt that the world didn’t / doesn’t need another fashion brand but what the world did need was an ethical fashion brand that would prove to the world that you can be socially and environmentally responsible and still make great products and be profitable. In the world of fashion in 2001 (not to mention 1993) that was a radical idea.

What is the most important thing that each individual can do, to ensure a better future for our children?

Realize that decisions you make now may affect the future that your children and grandchildren will inherit. This puts direct responsibility on the front burner. Teach them a sustainable values system early in their development; respect for nature and all living things, recycle, don’t leave the water running, don’t waste food, turn the lights off, learn how to plant and care for a garden, etc.

You make the most beautiful cashmere sweaters and dresses: where does your cashmere come from?

Our cashmere comes from a sustainable cashmere program in Outer Mongolia.

Is cashmere sustainable?

It can be. If cashmere is originating in Inner Mongolia - officially labeled as “Chinese Cashmere,” then it most likely is not sustainable and probably the opposite of sustainable.

Can you talk a bit about some of the “green-washing,” that is going on in the fashion industry?

Well, I can talk about it for hours but don’t have the time or space to do it here. Let’s just say it’s a big problem and leads to confusion and contradictory information for the consumer. The end result is that “green-washing” is compromising the green movement in general and we all loose when this happens.

What should a green girl avoid when she’s out clothes shopping?

If you are serious about supporting the green movement in fashion then I’d strongly suggest only buying clothes from companies that are independently owned and ONLY use organic cotton or true sustainable fibers or recycled fibers. If a company is positioning itself as being “green” and they have any conventional cotton items or programs at all or use any chief value petro-based textiles (such as polyester) then you know that they are only opportunists and not serious about sustainability. Same thing goes if they have other divisions or brands under their corporate structure that deal in conventional or petro-based fibers. If you applied this standard to your research I think you’d be surprised at who makes the cut and who does not.

Your wife and partner Karen talks about your clothes making women feel gorgeous from the inside out – can you elaborate on this?

What Karen means it that when a customer purchases Stewart+Brown, or any other REAL green fashion brand, they can do so with the satisfaction that the designs they are wearing have been made with the strictest fair labor and environmental standards, and designed with the love and care that only an independent designer can offer. This give our gals the confidence and satisfaction that they are not only looking great in the clothes but feeling great about their investment in the future sustainability of our planet. And that’s a beautiful thing.

________________________________________________________________________

Natalie Chanin
Founder & Head Designer of Alabama Chanin

Natalie is the founder and head designer of Alabama Chanin (formerly known as Project Alabama. She grew up in Florence, Alabama and learned to stitch from her mother, grandmothers and aunts.

Her clothes are exquisite: made from old jersey t-shirts and recycled fabrics, each piece is a creation that is hand-stitched with love. Her new book, Alabama Stitch Book, is a must-have for the Gorgeously Green Girl. I have gifted one to almost every close girlfriend, as it inspires everyone to pick up a needle and start stitching something, however small.
Don’t worry if you can’t sew because she painstakingly shows you how to stitch in a way that even a seven-year old can understand.

As being Green is so much about using and re-using what we already have, the Alabama Stitch Book takes the whole thing to a new level. I am so excited about teaching my almost seven-year-old to sew and we’ll start off with all her old and stained t-shirts, which we would otherwise throw away.

Your wonderful new book Alabama Stitch Book has inspired me to pick up a needle and thread again. Can a virtual beginner learn to sew by following the directions you give?

Yes, anyone can sew. We have had a mother/daughter team (daughter 10 years old) send us pictures of projects they have completed together.  

Is it all about hand sewing or will we be using a sewing machine too?

It is all about hand sewing!  Sewing in this way affords a great luxury that you can take it with you anywhere.  All you need is a needle, fabric, thread and enough light to see clearly… very simple and straightforward.

Your fashion collections are heavenly – what or who inspired you to create them?

It has been laughingly said that I am channeling my grandmothers – which I love!  But, I am inspired to make clothing for women. We are modern women who want to look good, feel good and do good which I think about every time we make a new piece. I have a very full life that includes children, working, dancing, gardening, laughing and living.  I need clothes that can make this journey with me!

You use old cotton jersey t-shirts to create many of your pieces – is this relatively easy to do? Is it worth a newbie like me, saving my old cotton tees in the hope that I can make something like an Alabama Chanin creation?

Absolutely, that is the beauty of this way of sewing… we are trying to use EVERYTHING. Use what you have and recycle it into your own life.  This is a motto I try to live by…

In the face of rising costs for food and clothes and a tough economy, do you think that sewing, mending and darning (socks) will come back into vogue?

Yes, I believe it is inevitable. We are beginning to turn away from “fast” everything to think about how to keep beautiful things in our lives.  It reminds me of this saying from the American interior designer Sister Parish:

"Even the simplest wicker basket can become priceless when it is loved and cared for through the generations of a family."

This kind of attention to detail will automatically include sewing, mending, darning and all of the “living arts”.

What do you think is the most powerful action that women can take to ensure a cleaner, healthier future for our children?

Constant attention to detail is the key to a healthy future.  We live in a time where we must scrutinize everything that we choose, everything buy, everything that we touch and support.  As your book so lovingly describes, there are so many small things that we can do every day to provide a healthier future for our children.  Right now, the details are where we need to be looking…

Is there anything “spiritual” about sewing?

Sewing by hand is a very meditative process… we have a small mantra that we use to make the process easier.  This is an excerpt from the book about infusing your work with love:

Loving Your Thread
Loving your thread should be the basis for all of your work. It infuses the work with kind intentions, but it’s also a very practical step that removes excess thread tension and prevents pesky knotting.

Here’s how to love your thread: Cut the thread twice as long as the distance from your fingers to your elbow. Thread your needle, pulling the thread through the needle until the two ends of the thread are the same length. Hold the doubled thread between your thumb and index finger, and run your fingers along it from the needle to the end of the loose tails while saying, "This thread is going to sew the most beautiful garment ever made. The person (insert name) who wears this garment will wear it in health and happiness; it will bring joy and laughter."

Continue loving that thread, wishing it all the good that you can think of, and running the thread through your fingers again and again. What you’re actually doing is working the tension out of the high-strung thread with rubbing, pressure, and the natural oils in your fingers. In the process, you’ve also taken a moment to calm the tension in your mind, concentrate on the task at hand, and add just a little bit of love to your garment or project. Now you’re ready to tie off your knot and start sewing. Love your thread well, and it will never tangle or knot up on you again.

If you could sit in a sewing circle, with any 5 women (dead or alive), who would they be?

This question makes me laugh – I LOVE it!  Does it have to be only 5?

Alice Waters
Zora Neale Hurston
Betsy Ross
Oprah
And you, of course…

________________________________________________________________________

ADAM LOWRY (pictured on right)
Co-Founder of Method

What initially inspired you to create the Method Line?

What initially inspired my co-founder, Eric Ryan, and I to create method was the desire to revolutionize a stale cleaning product category. We wanted to change the way people regarded cleaning. We set out to evolve the household cleaner from an object that lived under the sink to a countertop accessory and must-have item by providing cool-looking, effective, non-toxic products that are healthy for both the environment and the home.
Since day one, the method philosophy has been to rid the world of dirty by developing premium formulations that are highly effective, simple to use, and both socially and environmentally responsible. And that philosophy has helped us expand from just the cleaning category into a complete line of environmentally friendly, design-conscious cleaning products for home, body care, fabric and air care.

Adam and Eric took careful measures to ensure that all products were non-toxic, biodegradable and never tested on animals.

I understand that you don’t use pthalates in your fragrances – why not?

We specifically require that no fragrances used in method products contain phthalates or other materials with health or environmental risks.
Phthalates are one of roughly 60 materials on method’s “dirty ingredients list” that we won’t use in our products. Phthalates have shown a few worrisome characteristics, primarily endocrine disruption and potential for accumulation in the body. Although the science regarding the risk of their use is far from concluded, we employ the precautionary principle and choose not to use any material unless we are sure that it is safe – not something we could not say about phthalates.

Method’s products smell so great – how do you guys scent them?

Our fragrance blends contain both essential oils from natural sources and complementary components that are man-made. The essential oils are selected to best capture the essence of natural scents, while the man-made materials are selected to deliver the broadest possible palette of aromas by enhancing or complementing the natural oils. Materials from either origin are healthy, environmentally friendly and responsibly produced.

How can I be sure than none of these hormone disruptors crept in to the products?

Hormone disruption is one of the characteristics we screen all of our ingredients for, with the help of EPEA, an environmental science research group based in Germany and led by Michael Braungart, author of Cradle to Cradle. Any ingredient that shows potential for hormone disruption, parabens for example, would be flagged by EPEA, and would thus not be included in our products. In the case of phthalates, we not only exclude them from fragrance formulations but we also select plastic types that do not contain them, so they do not leech into the products from the packaging.

What other toxic chemicals should I look out for in cleaning and skincare products?

method has a list of about 60 chemicals commonly found in many cleaning and skincare products that we never use - we refer to this guide as our “dirty ingredient list”. Here are a few examples of these chemicals we never use in our products:
• 2-butoxyethanol, which is a solvent used in many floor cleaners and all-purpose sprays and is known to be a hazardous chemical.
• EDTA, which is found in many hand washes, body washes, bar soaps and shampoos and is damaging to the environment.
• Triclosan, the active chemical in many antibacterial hand soaps, and is also found to persist in the environment.
• Parabens, which are preservatives in many personal care products and have been found intact in human breast cancer tumors.
Again, many of these are smoking guns rather than concluded science, but there are plenty of ingredients that are widely understood not to pose these threats to people or the environment, and these are the ones method chooses to use.

What else makes Method Products Earth-Friendly?

Other than selection of ingredients that are healthy for the people and the environment, we constantly look for environmentally innovative materials and ingredients - such as degradable cleaning wipes made from bamboo, spray bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, or minimal material use in packaging. We also focus heavily on the environmental footprint of how we make our products – for example by using facilities that respect the environments around them and by buying renewable energy credits to make the products. We want to be catalysts for sustainability in our relationships with our suppliers, and are constantly pushing them to bring these same factors into their business model.

Describe some of the environmental changes that you would like to see happening over the next ten years.

We’d love to see all personal care and cleaning product companies incorporate green and sustainable principals into their practices.
We feel that design of all goods and services should integrate environmental intelligence – be it a bottle of hand wash or far more complex things like transportation, electronics, or buildings.
More specifically, we see carbon reporting and mapping as one key area of environmental change, and are helping ensure that industry develops the ability to address the carbon implications of its activities. Responsible use of water is also a key part of good environmental design that we’d like to see more frequently.

What are your three top tips for living green?

At method, we stay focused on aligning environmental benefit with the growth of our business, and this concept of alignment can apply in people’s lives as well. When environmentally responsible behavior becomes an element of an enjoyable lifestyle, then it truly becomes sustainable, and not something people do occasionally. Some tips:
- Ride a bike! Healthy, fun, super sustainable transportation. Sure beats gridlock.
- Look for quality goods that incorporate environmental design – there are some great examples on the market like reusable water bottles made of safe plastics and clothing made of renewable fibers.
- Go for a hike! Get to know your natural environment and remember why preserving it is important.