H&M said it would stop the destruction of merchandise & donate it

H&M responded immediately to the article in the NYTimes yesterday. They said that they would not slash any more clothing. They will donate it to charity. Let's make sure that they keep that promise!

Read the statement published in today's NYTimes. Click on the title.

Wal-Mart says that they normally donate or recycle unsold clothing, so they don't understand how this happened. Make sure it doesn't happen again.

I hope that employees have the courage to speak up it these matters, too. Consumers certainly made their voices heard! Companies must be made to think twice before they proceed with any unethical practices.

H&M, WalMart found slashing then trashing items

Not only have people found clothing in the trash by big stores, but the employees slashed the trashed items with a knife in order to make them unwearable by anyone. Read the article from the NYTimes. Click on the title.

H&M and WalMart actually paid employees to destroy clothing, so no one could wear it. There are thousands of homeless & hungry people in NYC who could use this clothing. If they do not want to donate it, is there no store that functions as place that could buy the bulk for a blanket price and sell it off for much cheaper prices to people who really need it? I will try to figure this out. How does Marshall's and T.J. Maxx work? Where do they buy their items from?

Reusable fabric gift bags - Green Christmas!

Happy Holidays to all! If you are celebrating Christmas this year, let it be green. Green is the color of life, the trees that stand full in winter, and the frogs dug deep in their mud puddles.

This is the time when consumer spending is highest throughout the year, so remember to look for gifts that have less packaging.

Here are some tips to minimize waste through all the wonderful gift-giving:

1) Make (if you know how to sew) or buy REUSABLE FABRIC GIFT BAGS! Your family and your friends can reuse them every year, so you only spend the money once & they can be utterly beautiful. You can make them look like the sack Santa carries around, or you can make them different sizes to fit the individual gift!

2) Reuse this year's calendar for the tiny presents! Just tie a pretty ribbon around it.

3) Use the comic section of the paper.

4) Bring your own shopping bag when you shop!

5) Support eco-conscious sellers online or in local stores.

6) Buy gifts from local businesses! You don't have to travel far, so you save time and gas.

7) Check out local farms who raise their own meat. Support local farms for Christmas dinner.

HOLLY, JOLLY, and JOY! Keep it green & keep it simple.

Calls for Peace

Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009 I will be at the Peace Sanctuary in Amenia, NY with the RecycleYourPants project for their annual gathering.  

Also, Sunday Sept. 20, 2009 "Hope Out Loud" will hold their annual gathering in Bushnell Park from 12-5pm.

Hope to see you there.  We can't wait for peace.  We must take action, remembering that each step must be taken with love.  

Peace, Love, & (              )

Thank You for Individual Donations!

I would like to thank all of the wonderful people who have donated to the Recycle Your Pants project.  Previous blogs have mentioned thanks to the organizations and thrift stores that have helped me.  Now here is a shout out to the individuals:

Nina Buesing Corvallo:  www.ninacorvallo.blogspot.com

                                    - fine art:  www.ninabuesing.net

Rolande Duprey:  www.purplerock.org

Amy Ferrell, Artist - Printmaking/Mixed Media

Barrie, owner of Happy Rainbows located in Sherman, CT

Also, thanks to all of my customers at Elephant's Trunk today!  Please let me know if you have any special requests, comments, or would like to donate to the project.  We will add you to the list.  Contact: Adelka's email:  info@RecycleYourPants.com

Buy for Sustainability

I am pleased to announce that for those of you who are not interested in making your own beautiful recycled bags, you can now buy them online.  My online shop is www.EarthBlues.etsy.com.  I will continue to post new items on the site, so you can have a look at all of the different designs, especially as I create new ones.  While not every bag for sale is made from recycled materials, I have a commitment to using the resources that I have available to me and making high quality items that cannot be found in a factory.

Etsy.com is a wonderful site that allows small businesses to be created by artists and craftsters. Everything on the site is homemade or vintage.  Check it out.

Click on the title above to get redirected to the shop!  Enjoy.

 

Ecological Logic

Now here is a performer who is making sense of all of our environmental nonsense.  Rolande Duprey, a supporter of the RYP-project, has created a new show called "Ecological Logic."  The creation of this show, which premiered on 4/24/09, is what inspired the Plastic Soup entry.  The nonverbal show, using 3 puppeteers & 1 live musician, features a tremendous plastic sea through a nightmare sequence.  I hope that more schools and public libraries add this to their list of events, because it deals with crucial issues we currently face in a high-spirited and whimsical way.

Thank you, Rolande, for creating with love and concern for our world.  You Rock, Purple Rock!