Barley & birch is a scientist-created and artist-designed children’s clothing line. All aspects of our business are carbon neutral, including everything from the energy used by our computers to the energy used in the production of our garments. All of our pieces are made in the U.S. by using 100% certified organic cotton. Our business is largely paperless, and all paper used is 100% recycled. We go beyond the level of convenience in order to be fair to our customers and to our planet.

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Our focus on natural ingredients was, in retrospect rather laughable as we included all sorts of what we now call, toxic ingredients, but promoted the “natural” additives. We looked for opportunities to tie into events and with charities that focused on green initiatives with an eye toward increasing sales.

In many ways that hasn’t changed.

Brands across categories, but particularly in the natural products industry are choosing charities with which to align themselves. In most cases this is an exercise in determining what the brand will stand for. The bigger the brand, the larger the charity and the more thought is given to this exercise as seen in the almost perfect launch last year of Clorox Greenworks brand.

But many brands have turned this reasoning on it’s head now and are looking at their social responsibility as the primary raisn d’etre for being. Is this a viable strategy?

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Just a few days after Michelle Obama invited local fifth graders to help plant the White House Kitchen Garden, the MACA, a group which represents and is comprised of former executives from Dow AgroSciences, Monsanto and DuPont Crop Protection, sent the White House a letter (which can be viewed in its entirety here) expressing their disappointment that she had not “recognize[d] the role conventional agriculture plays in the US.”

But that’s not all. The group went on to provide a dose of propaganda educational information, including little known fact that “technology allows for farmers to meet the increasing demand for food and fiber in a sustainable manner.” Drawing a clear line between technology, undefined, and sustainability does not, in the strictest terms, suggest the group’s total disapproval of organic farming methods.

That outright statement came in an email MACA sent their members shortly after sending the first lady aforementioned letter, in which they said that the idea of an organic garden “made Janet Braun, CropLife Ambassador Coordinator and I shudder.” [italics mine].

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Did you know: 284,000 children toil in abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields?

Global Exchange is on a mission to change that! Educators of all kinds (parents, teachers, youth leaders, after school providers, daycares, etc…) are invited to take part in the Fair Trade Curriculum provided by Global Exchange, visit the curriculum page for more details!

Teach Global Exchange’s curriculum in your classroom anytime between now and Valentine’s Day and you will be entered into a prize drawing to win over $75 worth of Fair Trade chocolate and educational materials!

(Photo on Flickr by EmilyWJones under Creative Commons License)

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When you think of Kenneth Cole, timeless fashion, trendsetting shoes and stylish accessories likely leap to mind.  Their commitment to the environment and their eco-tote likely do not top your list.  But behind the well designed exterior lies a philanthropic soul, intent on sparking social change — and helping others do it, too.

Their recent launch of Awearness supports that mission, showcasing 25 years worth of philanthropy, and creating a place for consumers and businesses to get involved in championing the causes that are important to them.  From a blog to a book to a volunteer link up program, Kenneth Cole shows us it’s possible to look as good as you feel. 

Right down to its name, Awearness is the embodiment of Feelgood Style.

Being the slightly bold journalist that I am, I sought out an interview with this fashion icon to learn more about Awearness and uncover any other hidden gems lurking behind the finely stitched fabric of Kenneth Cole.  It started with some light stalking of their Twitter account, a couple of emails and a few [dozen] phone calls before I finally connected with Robert Genovese, Vice President of Marketing & Media at the West 50th Street headquarters in New York City.  Robert was gracious, responsive, and genuinely eager to share the details of the Awearness program, and happily indulged me in the laundry list of questions that I am thrilled to share with you now.

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Bombay Bleeding - We Will Never Forget, a painting by Feroza Unvala

Charity is considered to be the act of benevolent giving. A gesture of goodwill towards the needy and suffering. Could there be any doubt that the act of bettering society is a good economic decision?

Twenty years ago, the act of charitable giving was perhaps frowned upon by companies as it affected their bottom line. Today, even in perhaps the worst economy of our times, ‘social entrepreneurship‘ has become a buzzword. Companies are looking for charitable giving opportunities as any contribution to the betterment of society makes them look good in the eyes of shareholders and consumers alike.

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The holiday season has just begun and if you already start thinking about gifts, we hope you think about books. A good book is always a great gift! So how about a green-themed book that is both interesting/fun/valuable (or all at once) and affordable?

To help you find the best green books to give as gifts this holiday season, Eco-Libris blog is continuing the tradition we started last year and presenting a new holiday guide. This year we have a very special guide with recommendations from people who are involved in the green economy, or as we call it “The Green Collar Holiday Gift Guide for Book Lovers.”

The guide includes 50 recommendations of great green-themed books that will be a good fit as holiday gifts. As you will see the guide is not only about the books, but also about the people who recommend it. We tried to personalize the guide as much as possible so we will learn not only about green books but also about the people who carry the green economy on their shoulders.

Therefore with each recommendation you will find a personal angle that presents the recommender, his workplace and/or why they chose that specific book to recommend on.

We will bring you the guide in five parts that will be published in the next 10 days, starting today. Enjoy!

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But this week, Vancouver turns the spotlight on sustainability with its first ever eco-focused fashion night, Friday, November 7th, 2008.

Vancouver Fashion Week, a hotbed of haute couture and leading west coast designers, is one of the premier purveyors of popular pageantry, unveiling some of the world’s most sought after styles and trends.  This year, VFW is showing its support for the environment with a dedicated evening for designers to promote their leading edge sustainable artistry and eco-conscious craftmanship.  From eco luxury, showcasing the art of organic handmade silk, to the unique beauty of recycled fabrics like cashmere and wool, an impressive range of techniques and designs will be featured.

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You probably never envisioned white sandy beaches, deep blue oceans, or a gleaming beacon of 5-star luxury beckoning you to paradise.  Sure, there are still plenty of adventure tours and gritty excursions worthy of beef jerky and a walking stick, but you don’t have to be the Crocodile Hunter to enjoy a green vacation. The sustainable tourism movement has expanded traveling horizons, making an eco-friendly trip idyllic for jet setters and nature wanderers alike.

Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the natural environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for locals.  So, by taking a sustainable vacation, your rest and relaxtion leads to the economic health and social development of cultures around the world, while helping the environment to thrive in the process.  Explore the many ways that you can travel ‘green’ and start planning for a journey that brings peace to you, your destination, and the earth.

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Aurora Naturally Plush offers an eco-friendly alternative to chemically manufactured stuffed animals. Handmade in Indonesia, Aurora Naturally is made from 100% soy bean fiber and stuffed with Kapok, which is a sustainable rain forest crop. Not only are these stuffed animals eco-friendly, they are very soft and nice. I have had extended family members comment on how nice they are without knowing they are eco-friendly.  Furthermore, you can educate your children about the eco-plush’s ingredients by reading The Great Kapok Tree.

My daughter has the Aurora Naturally Koala Bear, and my son has the brown bear.  These stuffed animals quickly became favorites and took their rightful place in my children’s beds. These are the stuffed animals that must travel with us on overnight trips, and I am happy that they replace the petroleum-based plush my children used to adore.  I plan to give my niece an Aurora Naturally Plush toy this holiday season.

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I doubt that carrying a chic, designer bag topped your list. 

But with all of the eco-minded designers popping up, using alternative materials to craft high-end, contemporary creations worthy of a runway romp, you can do your part to save the planet, and look stylish doing it.

Here is a list of the must-have sleek and sustainable haute couture handbags available for the eco-savvy shopper:

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Ikea is going plastic bagless. Last year the Swedish king of oh-so-cool home economy — by various definitions — committed to cut from 70 million bags to 35 million. It passed its goal, reaching a current 92 percent reduction. Now the goal is to use no plastic bags.

Source: Greenbang

CHOSA’S vision is based on the belief that every South African child is entitled to grow up in a safe, healthy and nurturing environment that will lead to uplifting the entire community. In order to achieve this, our goal is to create an organization that is based on integrity, compassion and efficiency.

CHOSA’s mission is to identify and support community based organizations (CBOs) that reach out and take care of orphans and other vulnerable children in South Africa.

CHOSA takes a holistic approach to community development. By supporting these CBOs, we help empower other marginalized people in these communities. Moreover, through community participation, CHOSA promotes local action, self-empowerment, and peer-to-peer networking as essential strategies for community-owned development.

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Peter was a friend, colleague and politically courageous champion of the downtrodden and mistreated of the entire Western Hemisphere. Everyone who met Peter, talked to Peter, worked with Peter, or argued with Peter, will miss the passing of a great American.

In 2002, 2003 and 2006, Camejo ran for governor of California on a platform of abortion rights, the legalization and taxation of marijuana, universal health care, and a moratorium on the death penalty. In 1976, he was the Socialist Workers Party presidential candidate. In 2004, Camejo was Ralph Nader’s pick for vice president. I have voted for Camejo on several occasions.

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It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to The Inspired Economist (IE).  The goal of this blog is to highlight the individuals and companies applying passion and innovation to economic, social, and environmental challenges.   Our intention is to create a resource that serves as a bridge between idealism and capitalism, profit and passion, iconoclast and industrialist, right and left, and all of the other dichotomies that serve as distractions from the serious issues that face the world.  We aim to foster creativity, and to rally both emerging and established business leaders around the goal of creating a more just and sustainable society.

Above all, we want the Inspired Economist to do just that: inspire.  We have no use for “gloom and doom.”  The world needs hope, and the Inspired Economist will profile business leaders who’ve embraced progress and optimism as their primary motivations.

It is my genuine hope that the Inspired Economist will continue to grow and become a leading resource for the New Economy.   Thank you for stopping by and we look forward to seeing you often.

(PLEASE NOTE THAT MY OLD POSTS WERE MERGED WITH THE CURRENT FORMAT.  THE OLD IE SITE SERVED AS A RESOURCE FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND AN AGGREGATOR OF INFORMATION, INCLUDING INTERESTING SITES, PRESS RELEASES, ETC.  THE OLD POSTS WERE NOT WRITTEN FROM MY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, RATHER, MY ROLE WAS THAT OF A CONNECTOR BETWEEN IE READERS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION.  THIS IS ALL TO SAY THAT THE OLD POSTS IN THIS NEW FORMAT SHOW MY PICTURE AND SAY “BY JOHN-PAUL MAXFIELD”, BUT THIS IS MISLEADING AS THEY MAY BE PRESS RELEASES OR LINKS TO SITES THAT ARE PROPERLY CITED, BUT NOT WRITTEN BY ME.)

When I began Eco Child’s Play over a year and a half ago, I pledged to make Kiva loans on behalf of our blog. After making several Kiva loans, I’ve decided it is time to donate to and highlight different organizations helping families and/or the environment around the world. This month, I have made a donation to Women for Women International on behalf of Eco Child’s Play.

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There are over 40 choices for children on markmakers.org. Once a child receives a gift card from markmakers.org, they enter the number to begin “shopping” for ways they want to give. Children may allocate the money in small increments to as many projects as they want. The presentation is kid-friendly on markmakers.org, and parents are raving about the service. One mother wrote, “My 8-year-old loves the idea that she can help feed homeless dogs!” With their gift card, children can “shop” in six shops:

• Environmental Protection,
• Peace & Justice,
• Kids in Need,
• Disease Prevention & Healthcare,
• Poverty & Hunger and,
• Animal Protection

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Inspired by Beth’s post “Getting Less to Give More: The New Birthday Party“, I decided to let my six-year-old daughter pick out our Kiva loan recipient. She picked out a baker in Kirkuk, Iraq, whose identity is protected.

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So, it was interesting to open up the New York Times magazine this morning to see an article about S. Prakash Sethi, the founder of the International Center for Corporate Accountability, a consulting firm he founded to evaluate companies such as Mattel on their social responsibility. He, at least, is able to go inside companies to see what their operations are like. Mattel invites him in. Mattel’s lead-paint-in-toys problems not withstanding, it does encourage me that there is a move toward monitoring all aspects of a company’s operations, including sourcing.

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I will be posting our progress! Please pass along any cool projects using product packaging or other materials usually doomed for the dumpster or recycling bin!

Peace.