michelle kaufmann designs

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In case anyone hasn’t heard of it before, the Green Festival is a fabulous event that celebrates all things eco-friendly and that’s held annually in five cities across the U.S., each at different times of the year. It’s organized jointly by Global Exchange and Green America and showcases more than 350 diverse local and national green businesses, over 100 speakers, and offers visitors great how-to workshops, information on green careers, a Fair Trade pavilion, Youth Unity Pavilion, kids’ activities, delicious organic beer, wine and cuisine, and live music. This Saturday I will have the great pleasure of speaking at the Chicago Green Fest about the Smart Home: Green + Wired exhibit we helped create at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry.  My talk will be at 2pm, followed by a signing of my new book, Prefab Green.  Hope to see you there!

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and as we all know (and as our moms will remind us) it’s the perfect opportunity to show how grateful we are to the mothers in our lives, whether she’s your birth mother, the woman or women who raised you, or your wife and the mother of your own children.  But this Mother’s Day, why stop there?  Why not help celebrate mother’s everywhere, including the ever lovely, all important Mother Earth.  For example, instead of buying those run-of-the-mill, conventionally grown flowers (i.e. grown with tons of artificial fertilizer and pesticides), get Mom a gorgeous bouquet of organic flowers.  Or if she’s a chocolate lover, sign her up for Endangered Species Chocolate’s Chocolate of the Month Club and 10% of the profits from your gift giving will go to help support “species, habitat and humanity.”

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As a huge believer in the importance of living in a toxin free environment, I was delighted to learn about the work of Healthy Child Healthy World, a non-profit organization that’s leading the movement to “expand awareness and understanding of environmental hazards to children’s health” and “to help the public learn about healthier practices, solutions, and products in the marketplace.” I began learning about HCHW’s work when my lovely and talented eco-fashionista friend Zem Joaquin (who sits on their Board of Directors) gave me the book, Healthy Child, Healthy World, written by the organization’s Executive Director/CEO, Christopher Gavigan, with a forward by Meryl Streep.

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A few years ago, I enjoyed spending some time with Val Kilmer at his 6000-acre ranch in New Mexico. We discussed plans for making an eco-luxury community with a strong emphasis on health (think on-site organic food production, non-off-gassing building materials, as well as having many ranch activities on offer) in addition to making the buildings zero net energy, and water conserving.

The ranch (well, really it is an entire zip code) is magnificent. Most of the land feels completely untouched. In fact, there are very few “roads” on the property, so touring it via truck meant a lot of off-roading. With no bridges, we just drove right through the river to get to the other side. It was spectacular, and a perfect place for creating an eco-community. Now, with talk of Val potentially running for governor of New Mexico and the ranch up for sale, building the community is no longer on his agenda.  However, I do hope that whoever buys the property will carry on Val’s vision of protecting the site, no matter what (if anything) is built there.

Today is the first day of spring and a time to celebrate!  Spring is the season of new life and new growth, which is why it’s also the beginning of the wedding season each year.  So when we discovered these sweet little plantable box wedding favors, we knew the first day of spring would be a perfect day to share this terrific eco wedding idea. These seeded favor boxes, available in a pyramid or heart topped design, are small enough to place at each dinner setting, yet large enough to hold several fair trade organic chocolates (we recommend the Signature Sampler tin from Coco-Zen).  Post-wedding, guests can plant their paper boxes and watch as the seeds grow into beautiful wildflowers to serve as a lasting memento of your special day without leaving behind any waste.  They’re a wonderful way to celebrate your love for each other as well as for the Earth.

If you’re a greenie on the go then you’ve probably encounterd some trouble when it comes to sticking to your eco principles in an unfamiliar city.  For instance, perhaps you’ve found yourself on an important business trip and suddenly in need of an eco-friendly dry cleaner because you just spilled coffee all over the suit you were planning to wear at your big presentation.  Or perhaps, while visiting distant friends, you’ve wanted to thank them for their hospitality by treating them to a delicious meal at an organic restaurant only to realize you have no idea where to find a good one.  Or maybe you’re just new to the whole green thing and want to know where to start in your hometown.  Well thanks to Greenopia’s growing collection of green consumer guides, you will never go ungreen again!

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There are a lot of companies out there that talk the talk of green business without necessarily walking the walk, but EKLA HOME is certainly not one of them. Guided by an “eco-conscious mandate”, EKLA HOME employs pre-industrial age processes to fulfill its belief in craftsmanship and sustainability. Few companies producing furniture in the U.S. follow as strict a set of sustainability practices at each step of the manufacturing process. It’s a member of the Organic Trade Association, Sustainable Furnishings Council, and Co-Op America. Plus they make darn good looking furniture! We love the sleek and modern Camille sofa, which is made with 100% US grown and milled organic cotton fabric and wool, natural rubber, 100% organic cotton barrier cloth, FSC poplar frame and legs, recycled steel springs, and Safecoat no VOC stain.

By combining ancient weaving techniques with modern design, è bella offers a unique collection of beautiful rugs that elegantly marry old to new. The company also goes out of its way to ensure that its handmade products are produced sustainably - in every sense of the word. They enforce their commendable eco-ethic by using 100% organic alpaca fleece (alpacas are a relatively low environmental impact animal) and dyed yarn sourced from local factories that adhere to strict environmental regulations.

What’s perhaps more impressive is è bella’s commitment to its weavers. The company not only provides consistent work but also pays their Peruvian partners a “living wage.” Their weavers work not in industrial scale factories but in either their own homes or small local co-operatives, which not only reduces the environmental footprint of each rugs, but also ensures that the weavers remain close to their families and communities. è bella also offers a stunning collection of pillows that are definitly worth checking out.

You know you’re doing something right when the likes of William McDonough and Matt Peterson (of Global Green USA) praise your work, which they’ve done for Robert Craymer and his green furniture line. Craymer, designer, manufacturer, and owner of rcgreen, was one of the first in the furniture industry to turn all of his practices “green.” He utilizes 100% eco-friendly materials to create his elegant and modern line of furniture. We especailly love his Isabella Bed, made from FSC certified wood framing, recycled steel springs and screws, and non-toxic and formaldehyde free glues and stains. All the cushions and pillows are made of soy foam and you can choose from a range of eco-fabric options that include cotton, linen, bamboo, and hemp.