Models, designers and media will all be offered emission-free transportation to and from the shows courtesy of Aveda branded petty cabs; organic & locally sourced food is being served to models, stylists, makeup artists and production crews backstage; all use of fur is being eliminated; show invitations and programs are being printed on post-consumer recycled paper; and they’re replacing all bottled water (400 p/show on average) with reusable SIGG bottles that will be filled with NYC tap water (which is actually some of the most pure in the US believe it or not).

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The girls over at Organic Beauty View have just previewed the official launch of the latest makeup collection from Aveda. Shown here are three hot new looks from the Uruku Makeup Collection. New formulas, new shades and all 100% color from the earth. Aveda has collaborated with the Yawanawa people in the Amazon to organically & sustainably grow urukum and annatto - two rich color pigments used by the tribes for faces, eyes and lips. With a product lineup that includes sheer moisturizing lipsticks, long-wearing crease resistant eye colors, cheek & lip glow, eye & lip liners there are no excuses for not rocking your inner organic glamazon! Get the look now.

Image credit: Aveda Website - Uruku Collection

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Named the ‘Recycle Caps’ program, they’re collecting all hard, plastic bottle caps (from personal care products, household products, you name it), which are then being recyled into new caps, containers and bottles. Some of what they’ve already collected is being made into their limited retro edition Clove Shampoo that will be out in September with the bottle containing 96% post-consumer recycled content. The caps can be dropped off at any of their stores, beauty salons or participating schools.

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• a project in Brazil focused  on an effort to aid in the development of sustainable water systems, medicinal gardens and natural healing education, and the prevention of illegal fishing and logging on indigenous lands.
• work in Bulgaria to train and provide resources for local farmers in to convert to organic farming.
• efforts in India for the building of sustainable water systems in nine villages, where youth will be trained in hand pump wells.
• help in South Africa to help protect local communities from high levels of uranium discharge in drinking water supply from a mine upstream.

Aveda is proud to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility as this campaign  continues for clean water in an effort to make a sustainable positive impact on our planet through the organization. For the second year now, Aveda has joined together with Global Greengrants Fund as their global Earth Month partner. The GGF is to provide grants for community-based water projects around the world. These efforts highlight a special focus on regions where Aveda sources ingredients,

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Don’t limit bulk purchases to food items only!

Buying shampoo, laundry soap, dish soap, toilet paper, etc. is also beneficial to the environment and your wallet. Even if an item is not available in bulk at your local co-op or health food store, buying the largest size possible will give you similar savings financially and environmentally.

Bring your own containers!

When buying from bulk bins, bring your own containers. You can weigh your jars before filling them, in order to subtract the tare weight from the total purchase weigh. In addition, you will always buy the right amount for your containers if you take them along with you to the bulk foods aisle. If you must use plastic bags, try reusing them several times before recycling them.

Start a buying club and share with friends!

You will save a lot more money if you buy your own bulk bags of staple goods, such as rice and flour, directly from a natural foods distributor. Fifteen years ago, we started a buying club with friends through Mountain People’s Warehouse, which would deliver goods once a month to a neighboring town. Several families would take turns picking up the buying club’s order, and we had great fun sharing bulk items we couldn’t use completely or afford alone. By combining our orders, we easily met the minimum required order amount of this natural foods distributor. Even if you don’t want to start a buying club, you can order your own bulk goods through your local health food store for a small price above wholesale.

Buy big amounts, save packaging!

The larger the quantity you buy, the less packaging is involved. Be wary, though, of large warehouse stores that simply sell you cases of prepackaged individual goods; this is not bulk buying! For example, Aveda reports that when you buy liter size bottles of shampoo, you can help prevent waste.

Aveda litres use 40% less plastic and cost 30% less than the equivalent product in regular size bottles. Larger sizes mean we have to produce, and ship, fewer bottles. This means we send out fewer trucks that emit CO2 — the primary cause of global warming — into the atmosphere.

Imagine how much would be saved by buying gallon jugs of shampoo!

Store your bulk items in gallon-sized glass jars!

The safety of plastics used in food storage is questionable, and glass mason jars offer a safe alternative. Many health food distributors also carry gallon glass jars that are perfect for storing bulk food. Many people also use food grade five-gallon buckets for home bulk food storage, but I prefer glass jars.

When you buy in bulk, you tend to eat healthier, as there are less packaged, processed foods on hand in the kitchen. Diving into your staples on a winter day is a great way to eat well and do a little bit to save the environment, too. Save money, time, and resources by following this simple tip.