Why Lawsuits Are Bad For The Environment

(Photo Asheville Courthouse: Jim Jamesson)

With everything I do, every step I take in my life, including when being sued for a ginormous amount of money I think about how it impacts the planet. A lawsuit going through it's litigation stages is a totally wasteful process and I can hardly comprehend what impact all the frivolous court cases around the world add up to!

1). PAPER WASTE - this has to be hands down the thing that bothers me worse. 20 pages of documents will be printed out 3 times and signed and then the next day one line must be changed for purpose of some law and all three re-printed, hence huge stacks of paper that now must be used as scrap or recycled. I always print on 100% recycled paper myself- but most legal documents are not printed on recycled paper. Which leads to more waste....

2). PRINTING INK - everyone knows how the makers of ink cartridges barely put any ink in there so it runs out all the time. When on either side of a lawsuit, specific law language must be used to describe the circumstance and it's a whole lot more long winded then "not guilty"!

3). COURT ATTIRE - Good Gawd! When I went to the court house library the other day I was clothes watching (how can I resist!) I realized that most everyone has to go out and buy something to wear when they appear in court, as proper attire is essential to your case (many unspoken rules apply). What I saw was tons of cheap synthetic mall clothes, much of which was nylon & polyester containing fabrics... not that I expected people to be parading out in hemp and organic cotton suits, but I noticed there's a huge amount of socially dictated consumerism going on.

4). FUEL & ENERGY - this is just in general ... during a lawsuit there is alot of mailing of documents (if in different states), people having to attend court hearings over and over again, and then for those who can afford a lawyer they have to pay TONS of money. Money wasted defending or offending, that I see better used as donations to the Nature Conservancy, native landscaping your yard, supporting green energy, driving a hybrid or electric vehicle, eating organic and local, or basically giving to any charitable organization.

***

I am "greening" the lawsuit against me as much as possible by only printing necessary documents on 100% recycled paper, recycling paper that doesn't get used, & I'm riding my bike or walking to run lawsuit related errands.

NWF: Spotlight On Bobcats

Check out the new NWF's nature magazine spotlight on bobcats! This picture was too mesmerizing to not share... I wish these guys lived in my back yard and would be my BFF! I want to cuddle with them.

What's Surviving The Drought?

My experimental organic garden this year is totally fried because of the drought, a nearby black walnut tree, and a ground hog I named "King George". What really survives a drought are usually native plants & wildflowers- and rarely will traditional crops or vegetables make it without some sort of water brought in by humans. These are pictures to enjoy of the wild survivors in my yard!

Birds Of Paradise = Best Mating Dance

Coming This Fall

Are you ready for Fall? I think with the summer heat turned up high I am totally in the mood to dream of changing leaves, cool breezes, crisp air, and a new period of wintry hibernation. Believe it or not but people have started shopping for Fall items a few weeks ago, so I am not alone in my dreamy state of mind! Some of my favorite Fall/Winter items coming to The Oko Box are by designer Meadow, not only are they eco chic but they include those basics you scour the Internet for and never seem to find- those organic duds that you can wear to parties, work and out to dinner. Sophisticated designs like the outfit pictured here are Meadow's Fall/Winter signature style -the high waist pants, bow top and hemp suspenders are totally smokin' ... I mean, professional.
COMING SOON: You will be able to pre-order from her collection at The Oko Box in the next few weeks, to ensure you get the goods before the sell out!

DIY: Old Jeans Make Sexy Pencil Skirt & Bag

Today I decided I wanted to wear a denim pencil skirt but didn't have one. Luckily I had an old pair of jeans that were no longer my style & had just enough sewing skills to upcycle those duds into a punky sexy skirt. All you need to do is cut along the inner seams then put the parts back together flattened out, and sew along your new seamline. I made this skirt in 10 minutes flat just in time to get on my bike and ride to the bank for an appointment!
BEWARE: Riding a bike in a pencil skirt is not easy and may make you feel you are insane to have tried it. Remember to hike up that skirt before mounting the bike and beg the forces that be that the back seam doesn't split. ;)

When I got home I took the left over jean legs & some purple scrap fabric (to match my purple bike) and I whipped up this little backpack with drawstring straps so I can carry my water and rice cakes with me while I ride around. The design for the backpack was inspired by the Generation T book!
PS- the shirt I am wearing was gifted to me from Clothing Of The American Mind, the necklace is handmade with organic cotton by me for The Oko Box, and the pink belt is vintage.

I Heart Bloodroot

Bloodroot is my favorite native North Carolina plant, that is next to the Elderberry. I mean, just look at this picture - isn't it so heroic, oddly shaped and cute? Bloodroot is usually found growing deep in the woods under big shady trees- anytime I have seen the sun touch them the leaves burn and die.
"Bloodroot is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ants, a process called myrmecochory. The ants take the seeds to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes, and put the seeds in their nest debris, where they are protected until they germinate. They also get the added bonus of growing in a medium made richer by the ant nest debris."
Now that is freaking awesome! In wikipedia it warns that the sap is toxic and can disfigure skin over time - but I read a statement by Dr. Andrew Weil that he used it to remove moles and it would separate the mole tissue from the live tissue and then heal cleaner then a surgical cut. (To read more about that theory get his "Spontaneous Healing" book... it's a cool book for anyone faced with an incurable disease.) Either way, I am in love with bloodroot - for it's beautiful shape, cool history of native american use, it's controversy and it's actually native!
Viva la native gardening! YAY!

Nature89 Organic Clothing For Men

This post is for you eco men out there! I know how left out you feel when shopping for organic clothing, because ...well... the selection just isn't as vast as it is for women. So I want you to feel loved and included, which is why I scour the earth searching for affordable organic clothing for you guys. And here is another mark of success! Nature89 Organics is owned by a man and that may explain why his designs for dudes are just right. The garments are 100% organic cotton, with azo free dyes and completely fair trade, plus Nature89 keeps their prices lower by simply taking less profit off the top. Isn't that sweet of them?!!

White Apricot: Top 12 Eco Lingerie Picks

I was so super excited to see that Clare Bare at The Oko Box was included on the "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" White Apricot Top 12 List for saucey nighties & lingerie! Not only that but On The Inside and Enamore were also featured, both these eco minded designers are being carried at The Oko Box too! Enamore's lux eco lingerie will be available starting September 1st 2008, which has my organic knickers in a bunch... I am so excited I can hardly wait.
Congrats to the savvy & talented Clare Bare, who was also featured in the Daily Green and the UK's Hippy Shopper this week!

Eco Friendly Building: EnviroGlass

After reading an article in Low Impact Living about the newly discovered dangers of granite countertops (that they can leak radon into your home) I was totally surprised. Sometimes a seemingly natural element just does not do well when taken out of it's environment and put into a home. Ozone is another example of this, have I ever told you how bad bad bad it is? (If not I will in another post.)
Low Impact Living provided an alternative material to granite, that I find similar but way more beautiful! And that is EnviroGlass! I am so in love with this versatile material, that can be made for countertops, but also into flooring (see pic). I love the way they cut it to mimic wood floors, but with that deep starry night blue! I wish I had a house to renovate, just for these gorgeous floors.
The glass comes in a variety of colors, cuts, and sizes- from red, blue, green and orange, to multi mixtures. Plus you can view the entire process of how it was made on the website, which is the kind of transparency I like to see in an environmentally friendly business.
Do you know of any other alternative countertop & flooring materials?