April 1, 2012

"Generation F*cked"

November 12, 2011

Buy Nothing Day: Posters and Activities from Last Year to Inspire (In)Action

November 11, 2011

"Eco-friendly" texting gloves = Eco-disaster!

You’re kidding, right? How can we possibly move toward sustainability if we are permitting humans to disconnect from nature and reality… via texting!? Who cares if the gloves were made responsibly— the concept is completely hypocritical!!! Stop texting, start engaging. (CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THIS POST FOR A FULL PRODUCT  DESCRIPTION). 

October 29, 2011 • 1 note

art=activism: Vik Muniz and portraits of a people

October 29, 2011 • 23 notes

Balancing Act

I regularly read the Sustainable Design blurbs posted by http://inhabitat.com/. Immediately, after seeing this poster “tweeted” by the company, I HAD to have it. It was so powerful, so aesthetically pleasing, and would look perfect above a couch some day in my super chic, eco-friendly home.

But, wait-a-minute… isn’t this the sort of impulse consumption that we need to be combatting in order to truly achieve a paradigm shift around the environment and society???

How can we truly balance our appreciation for good design with our need to be more conservative with our spending?

How do we NOT be materialistic while still hosting appreciation for material items and individual efforts at good design?

October 27, 2011

How Many Slaves Work For YOU!?

OKAY, as I delve into my thesis project at the University of Vermont, I am accumulating so many things that just NEED to be shared. Take this website for example: SLAVERY FOOTPRINT!! You can examine everything you’ve ever owned and determine how much slavery went into making it!!

In denial about the continued existence of slavery in the world? This site will set the facts straight!

October 21, 2010

Here is a commercial for Cymbalta, which just came on in between Project Runway segments. Cymbalta is a drug used to combat depression (“Depression Hurts”). However, in actually paying attention to the commercial, there were 50 whole seconds dedicated to side effects. 50/90 seconds. How can we justify putting this kind of thing in our body? They even mentioned death as a risk. Is it worth it?

I also watched “Side Effects” with Catherine Heigl the other day (a terribly acted 90s movie on pharmaceutical sales), which furthermore revealed the tactics that these advertisers use to falsely coerce us (and our doctor’s) to sell us this deadly drugs. It’s terrifying, yet so beyond many of us to actually analyze.

October 20, 2010

I forgot about this! A conceptual art project from 2009.

September 27, 2010 • http
Here is the e-mail I received from Gap, Inc. when I wrote them questioning their “social responsibility” efforts. Needless to say, I am surprised at such a large corporation for actually trying to become more responsible, but I don’t think that they are just there yet. Why? Well, the signs point to their ignorance. “We do not have the resources to respond individually…. Our clothing is made all over the world and, for proprietary reasons, aren’t able to share exact locations.” This scares me; a company who is truly socially responsible should be able to name the exact locations and the names of their employers. They should hang out on the weekends. No caste systems allowed! The Gap Code of Vendor Conduct, as “Katherine” mentions, is a 16-page document (mostly pretty pictures of thread, etc.) (CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO VIEW). In here, it states that the factories that make Gap, Inc. clothing must comply to any local laws (including laws on workplace health and safety) OK, vague. They also have an Environmental Policy (MAKE SURE NOTHING IS GOING TO BLOW UP, basically)— this does not show any commitment to sustainability. Then, there is a page-long summary saying that workers must comply with the legal age requirements of the company working or be at least 15 to work. OK, this is great (as long as the country has legal work age requirements- China does at 15- but does this work). They are also committed to at least paying minimum legal wage and not participating in forced labor.  Overall, Gap has a lot of ‘gaps’ to fill in their Social Responsibility campaign. They are currently ignorant as individual employees and still have a ways to go before their goals become reality, I think. They need a sustainable movement, too! Nonetheless, I’ll think twice about my Gap purchases… I recommend waiting until their social responsibility campaign has come full circle. Buy used Gap clothes or buy only special label, eco-friendly items from their stores.

Here is the e-mail I received from Gap, Inc. when I wrote them questioning their “social responsibility” efforts. Needless to say, I am surprised at such a large corporation for actually trying to become more responsible, but I don’t think that they are just there yet. Why?

Well, the signs point to their ignorance. “We do not have the resources to respond individually…. Our clothing is made all over the world and, for proprietary reasons, aren’t able to share exact locations.” This scares me; a company who is truly socially responsible should be able to name the exact locations and the names of their employers. They should hang out on the weekends. No caste systems allowed!

The Gap Code of Vendor Conduct, as “Katherine” mentions, is a 16-page document (mostly pretty pictures of thread, etc.) (CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO VIEW). In here, it states that the factories that make Gap, Inc. clothing must comply to any local laws (including laws on workplace health and safety) OK, vague. They also have an Environmental Policy (MAKE SURE NOTHING IS GOING TO BLOW UP, basically)— this does not show any commitment to sustainability.

Then, there is a page-long summary saying that workers must comply with the legal age requirements of the company working or be at least 15 to work. OK, this is great (as long as the country has legal work age requirements- China does at 15- but does this work). They are also committed to at least paying minimum legal wage and not participating in forced labor. 

Overall, Gap has a lot of ‘gaps’ to fill in their Social Responsibility campaign. They are currently ignorant as individual employees and still have a ways to go before their goals become reality, I think. They need a sustainable movement, too! Nonetheless, I’ll think twice about my Gap purchases… I recommend waiting until their social responsibility campaign has come full circle. Buy used Gap clothes or buy only special label, eco-friendly items from their stores.

September 21, 2010

Ladieessss

I work at an antique/furniture/interiors shop, and I find it SO interesting that there are about 50% more women that enter the store than men. Not only are women conforming to the idea of the woman as home-maker ideal, but they are contradicting the view that men are the ones that are shallow. Women, we are just as shallow. We are shallow in the sense that we need material items to occupy our time. I’m guilty of this just as much as the next woman. Window shopping, real shopping, virtual shopping: it all increases how shallow we are, especially if we’re shopping at an “unconscious” store (chain store, etc.).