Who said it's about sacrifice?

There are some folks out there who believe that sustainability means painful sacrifice and a bland, boring life. There are even some who question whether trying to simplify the holidays isn't somehow Grinch-like, if not downright patriotic. Some of them apparently write for the New York Times. Yes, I know there are some grim-faced environmental zealots who try to turn every conversation into an object lesson on climate change. But, if the recent scientific reports are even half-true, we could use a few more of them and fewer wasteful, thoughtless consumers. Being the Nice White Lady that I am, I prefer to keep my efforts personal (but not necessarily private). Here's my consumer fantasy: a sustainable lifestyle that preserves my time, energy and money without sucking the fun, novelty and delight from life. Am I crazy for thinking that one of the wealthiest economies in the world can't provide that in its diverse and creative marketplace? Of course I'm not! And if several million other consumers insisted on this new American dream, I think it would be an exciting sign of hope. Looks to me like the real Grinch is the one who's writing Style section articles that quote an American Enterprise Institute scholar on environmental issues without comment or critique, reserving his satirical flourishes for the "green evangelists" he profiles.

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Organic T-shirt? Check the label!

I was perusing the sale racks at my local outdoor outfitter, and happened on some very good prices on organic cotton T-shirts. The catch -- most were dark green, brown or black, and while the label proudly proclaimed them to be "100% organic cotton", they were silent on the subject of dyes and finishing. Remember the embarrassing case of the bamboo and cotton T-shirts proclaiming that "green is the new black" that turned out to be "semi-environmentally friendly"? So I passed on the shirts.

Needless to say, Tshirt d'Art won't be getting any of my business anytime soon for their new line of T-shirts, buttons and caps. (The thong IS tempting, though!) The "green is the new black" slogan may sound green, but these T's are the same old product in an environmental wrapper. I wonder if they have plans for disposable foam hot cups with the "green" logo? And even though they'll donate 10% of the price to the World Wildlife Fund, Chaser's GITNB T-shirt isn't on my wishlist -- at least, not until they tell me the fiber content!

It's not impossible to find T-shirts is made from environmentally friendly dyes as well as fibers; check out this one from Green Home. To be a smart green shopper, ya gotta read the label -- including what they DON'T say.

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Sustainable Style Challenge

My current project: a stylish, environmentally-friendly dressy outfit for my 25-year-old daughter.

She's a recently-married college student; she composts her kitchen trash, uses a push mower and buys local produce. Her like-minded husband is a newly-minted government attorney. They had a pared-down wedding and as green a reception as we could manage. She realizes that her student wardrobe (t-shirts, jeans and hoodies) won't cut it for the upcoming holiday events, but she's not about to head to the mall to get a trendy "seasonal" outfit. I offered to pay for -- and help her put it together -- and experiment in sustainable style. Her requirements:

recycled/reused/repurposed is preferred to new
multiple use is preferred to single use
locally made/fair trade/union made is preferred to unknown working conditions
renewable fibers preferred to those from petroleum
comfortable and flattering!

So here's my challenge to my readers:

Assemble a dressy outfit (men's or women's) and either post it here as a comment or email it to jo at nicewhitelady.net and we'll have an online fashion show! Include the source and cost of each item; I'll reward the top three with $25, $15 and $10 gift certificates to the online vender of your choice!