Green Options

Whenever you combine two of girls’ favorite treats, chocolate and jewelry, it’s bound to be a successful fundraiser. With this in mind, Relief Beads and Compartes Chocolatier have partnered to raise awareness and money to aid refugees in Darfur. Relief Beads, a grassroots campaign, is selling handcrafted bracelets made from sand in Ghana, Africa. Each purchase helps to fund Relief International’s medical clinics for women and children, educational programs for students and counseling for victims of violent acts.

But to make this good cause even better, Compartes Chocolatier has created an African Collection of chocolates to pair with each Relief Beads bracelet. The collection is made up of authentic African ingredients like cardamom, coconut, Grains of Paradise, caramelized plantains and so much more. You can buy a 5 piece set for $20 or 10 piece set for $30. I know this is more than what we usually pay for chocolate treats, but each purchase can give one child food for a week or life-giving heat on cold nights. Get your special Compartes gift packages online or at their boutique in Los Angeles!

I know many people (including myself) think the United Nations recognized “world’s worst humanitarian crisis” occurring in Darfur is far greater than their contributions. We’ve all seen the devastation featured on the nightly news, newspaper articles and television commercials. And wanted to do something but didn’t know where to start. Well, Relief Beads, a grassroots campaign, is giving us an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of more than 2.5 million refugees that were tragically separated from their families because of genocide , violence and disease.

They are selling handcrafted, original bracelets made from sand in Ghana, Africa to further support the humanitarian efforts of Relief International, an independent, non-profit organization providing necessary medical care, counseling and educational courses to thousands of women and children in Darfur. Relief International’s programs are essential to the recovery of this war-torn country.

Kristen Billings, the founder and sole designer of Buzz Buzz Designs, believes “fashion doesn’t have to take itself too seriously.” She is inspired by vintage costume jewelry pieces worn by women of the 1920’s through the 1970’s who boldly showcased their individuality and personalities through their style.

The low cost of Lucite, a type of plastic invented in the 1930’s, gave all women the opportunity to feel glamorous and look beautiful without mining the Earth or hefty price tags. Plastics can be harmful to the environment if they are not disposed of carefully, so Billings does her part to save the planet by salvaging and reusing the materials in her modern designs.

Ladies, we all know that a new, chic outfit is not complete without an accessory. It doesn’t matter if you are getting ready for a time out with friends or a day at the office; it’s a must-have! In this three-part series, we’ll focus on eco-friendly bracelets, necklaces and earrings which help to minimize any size carbon footprint as well as compliment your look.

Original Good, a new product line by World of Good, Inc, shows us a new way to appreciate the nature all around us with handcrafted jewelry made from shells, glass, wood and real bone beads. After looking at different sites about the art of jewelry making, I was happy to find out that animals are not being hunted for their bones but rather a by-product of the environment. Whew!