Green Products: Common Good

We love both the design and the concept behind Common Good. The company offers refill stations for your bottles at locations near you (Sur la Table, West Elm, kitchen supply stores, etc.) and the green formula of the soaps and sprays are broken down ingredient-by-ingredient on the site. Take a look! 

Weekly Roundup: 1

Amtrak is offering free rides across the country for writers, and it all started from a tweet. 

5by is a video concierge, offering a very well curated lineup of videos for your every mood. 

Life Hacker presents a student guide to Google. Tips and tricks I am more capable for knowing. 

Can I Stream.it allows you to search for any movie and provides you with every avenue across the web to watch it.  

Jauntful gives you the tools to create printable city guides for yourself or friends, including travel tips, menu notes, etc. 

f.lux changes the color of your computer's display to adapt to the time of day. 

Understanding ObamaCare in less than an hour thanks to Less Accounting. 

TED has released a lineup for 2014. 

A “Greener” Relationship Begins

For as long as she can remember, Alex Legarza, had been using CleanerDuplex as her dry cleaner, whether it be for a dress or just a regular load of laundry. When a friend informed her of Blu-White Cleaners, an environmentally friendly cleaner certified by the California Green Business Program, Alex was intrigued but still not convinced. When she finally decided there was no harm in trying something new, not only was she impressed by the fresher garments, but she also felt good about herself for choosing healthier cleaning and contributing to make the world a “greener” place.

What was your first reaction when your friend told you to try using Blu-White Cleaners?

            To be honest, I did not understand why she was trying to convince me so much to use this other cleaner. I was perfectly content with the cleaner I had been going to for years and loved their service and the quality of it. I did not feel the need to switch, especially because I had such a good relationship with CleanerDuplex and I felt like I was betraying them.

Tell us about your reaction after using Blu-White Cleaners?

            I was very impressed. My clothes looked amazing and knowing that I chose a business that did not use hazardous chemicals or did not pollute the air, gave me more satisfaction. The colors looked bright and I was really amazed about how well Blu-White Cleaners did.

Now that you have used Blu-White Cleaners, would you encourage others to use it?

            I definitely would. I think a company that takes the extra measures to protect the environment and reduce waste is one that should be used and acknowledged. I’ve actually started using other certified green businesses too, like Copy Center, which only prints on recycled paper. Switching to green businesses is something that, in my mind, takes no effort but does a significant amount of good in the conservation of our planet. I am an active supporter of the California Green Business Program and everybody else should be too because we only have one Earth and its up to us to do everything we can to protect it.

Thanks Alex! 

Fashion and Sustainability at Well-Minded Wardrobe

Lucy Krane's fashion company, Well-Minded Wardrobe, launched in early 2007 in downtown San Francisco, has given fashionistas all over the country a chance to shop sustainably. The first Well Minded Wardrobe boutique opened in Los Gatos and the company has since expanded to San Francisco as well as online. We sat down with her to chat about her business and their moves to minimize the fashion industry's footprint here on earth.

What inspired you to start Well-Minded Wardrobe?

I was interested in cutting out the middleman and being transparent about our practices so that other companies practices became more transparent. I yearned for a more environmentally responsible way of producing clothing to prove that high fashion and sustainability can coexist. 

Tell us a bit about the clothing at Well-Minded Wardrobe.

The clothing is made from vintage garments and surplus fabrics. Sourcing from these throw-away pieces allows us to eliminate waste. Because of this, all out styles become limited editions. 

Your factory is the first sustainable sewing factory in America. How did this idea emerge?

I wanted to get rid of the practice of using middlemen to produce clothing. The factory is powered exclusively by renewable energy, using solar power. We use all reclaimed and repurposed materials and we have made sure to use only green products - meaning everything from our cleaning supplies to our desks are eco-friendly. 

What is your mission at Well-Minded Wardrobe?

To allow for our customers to change the world without changing their style. 

Do you have any advice for other green-minded businesses? 

To focus as much on sustainability as you do on profit, and to focus as much on the health of your employees as you do the satisfaction of your customers. 

Thanks Lucy!