Earth-conscious eyewear brand, Eco, is changing the way we view glasses one pair of frames (and a tree) at a time. Who said glasses were only for nerds? Pshhh, whoever said that has got it all wrong. Eyewear that makes the best use of recycled materials is where it’s at.

The eyewear world is a major and profitable market with so many of us relying on some extra assistance to maximize our vision. Unfortunately, most of us never got that much coveted 20/20 vision gene. It’s a bummer for some, but I actually don’t envy anyone who lucked out with perfect, crystal clear eyesight. I’m positive you must be thinking I’m a bit loony, but hear me out.

Think about how many people you see wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses. Glasses have become less of a necessity and more of a fashion statement. Trying to choose which pair of sunglasses complements my hairstyle or outfit that day is almost more stressful than deciding which freaking pair of shoes match better. Damn near puts me into a sweat-frenzy. All perspiring aside, I appreciate my poor vision because it’s my excuse to flaunt some sweet specs.

What’s really fun is a whole new door has opened for us, exposing an eyewear option that seems too good to be true. In 2008, boutique eyewear firm, Modo, unleashed its version of a sustainable design approach to eyewear called, Eco. The essence behind Eco is to change our world in an environmentally replenishable and proactive way while taking care of the fellow human. That is an all-around win/win. Eco is currently the only brand in the world that can say its product is made from ninety-five percent recycled materials! This brand is so legit, it has validation for its eco-friendly composition. I’m talking about Environmental Claims Validation from the Underwriters Laboratories Environment, which just so happens to be the world’s number one product evaluation organization. Phew, that’s serious stuff. When you purchase a pair of Eco glasses, you have the ultimate guarantee that you’re getting ninety-five percent recycled stainless steel and plastic and none of that phony bologna, falsely labeled “green” stuff.

Along with its steadfast, no-nonsense attitude for the good of the earth, Eco has an enormous heart. For every pair of eyewear purchased, they plant a tree! The goal is to hit 1 million in trees planted and at the moment in Cameroon, the company has planted 791,202 trees… Almost there! This brand also believes in giving back to the less fortunate. Eco is partnered up with OneSight, an organization that collects and distributes mildly used eyewear from Eco’s donation program and other retailers and independent eye doctor offices. There are about 314 million people who need glasses and don’t have the resources to see a doctor and get adequate help, so Eco’s donation program is truly a blessing.

The use of recycled materials doesn’t have to be the definition of expensive either. Eco’s eyewear ranges from $69.00 to $195.00, which is amazingly affordable and you can trust you are getting a top quality product. If you check out the EcoBonus feature, you won’t regret it, my friend! It’s a neat, little rewards program that gives you a code with each purchase that you can earn points with and redeem them for other earth-friendly purchases.

Eco deserves an A++ for its momentous vision to reach people on such a global level through means of highlighting eco-friendly standards. This is absolutely a commendable use of recycled materials. We’ve been given such an awesome (and fashionable, ahem) opportunity to be a part of the cause to initiate substantial change in the world we live in. Believe me, there is nothing cooler than making an outstanding difference and knowing you look damn good doing it.

Related on EcoSalon

A Clear Vision: Glasses from Reclaimed Plastic and Bamboo

How to Find the Best Sunglasses for Your Face Shape

What Exactly is Eco-Friendly Fashion?

Images via Guise Archives

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Normally big is the opposite of green. These three tech companies prove that being massive doesn’t mean you can’t be environmentally responsible.

Chances are, you’re reading this on a device made by one of the big three tech companies: Apple, Google, or Samsung. Between them, this trio of corporations are responsible for a vast majority of the mobile technologies on the market today (and as we all know, Google pretty much has a lock down on internet search).

These tech companies aren’t perfect, and they deserve the flack they catch for contributing to the growing e-waste problem, avoiding taxes, and allowing  unsuitable working conditions in their overseas factories. But with billions of dollars of revenue comes the ability to make big green changes. They may not be able (or willing) tackle the social injustices that arise from their industry, but they are taking steps to reduce their footprint at home.

1. Samsung – North San Jose Megacampus

Samsung recently broke ground on a 1.1 million square foot research and development headquarters north of downtown San Jose. Designed by NBBJ the 650,00-square-foot office looks like a layer cake, but what hides inside is a lot more exciting than icing. The design “embraces the new urban design guidelines developed by the City of San Jose which call for densification, more active streetscapes, and environmental stewardship,” explains Samsung.

The entire site will be divided into four zones, which move from ‘urban’ to ‘garden’. Various courtyards will feature porous pavement, and lush native trees and plants. The tower itself will be clad in white metal and clear glass, carefully balanced to reduce solar heat gain and provide a sense of lightness. The goal is that no employee will ever be more than one floor away from green space.

2. Apple – Cupertino “Spaceship”

Looking a lot like a UFO Apple’s new 2.8 million square foot facility [PDF] will house up to 14,200 employees, and almost as many trees. Designed by Foster + Partners, nearly 80 percent of the massive campus will be green landscaped, including a company garden.

The parking lot would be house underground, avoiding the runoff that usually results when you pave paradise. According to recent design documents, Apple hopes to make the entire edifice “net zero” by generating a significant amount of the Campus’ energy from on-site renewable sources, and developing partnerships with renewable energy providers for grid-purchased renewable energy.

3. Google – The Googleplex

This spring, it was announced that Google would begin construction on a new 1.1-million-square-foot headquarters in Mountain View, California. Also designed by NBBJ (nobody saw that as a conflict of interest?!), it will be the first time Google has built its own facility from the ground up, and company officials promise it will break new ground in environmental sustainability.

Each of the nine buildings strewn around the campus will face west and east to minimize heat and glare from the morning and afternoon sun. The buildings’ narrow design ensures that no matter where your desk is located, you’ll have plenty of natural sunlight, thus minimizing lighting costs. The Google HQ will make prolific use of solar panels, while a low-energy heating and cooling system will allow it to supply 100 percent fresh air without breaking the bank.

Images: Samsung, Google/NBBJ, Apple/Foster + Partners,

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EcoSalon and Sprout Watches are teaming up for a special Earth Month promotion!

On trend for too many years now: otherwise fashion-forward women rummaging through the depths of shoulder bags to flip open mobile devices for the time of day – emanating from an iPhone in ugly neon numbers, no less.

We think the time has come to bring back the wristwatch. For the eco-forward and design conscious consumer we suggest the Sprout watch.

As if you needed an added incentive for wearing one of these:

For every Sprout watch sold online during Earth Month, the company will plant a tree. And just to sweeten the deal, shipping is on them.

Sprout is a rather vintage breed: a traditional watchmaking company with timely values. They started making timepieces over 50 years ago and remain rooted to the same principles and technical expertise they were founded upon; but they keep on ticking into the future through their innovative sustainability practices.

Sprout’s mission statement says: “We do not claim to be the greenest company around…we aren’t environmentalists, we are a watch company, and so we figure one of the best ways to be a greener company is to make a greener watch.” Like these handsome selections from their new water-resistant line.

All Sprout watches are lead and phthalate free and made out of biodegradable corn resin instead of synthetic plastics, as well as organic cotton. Materials like Tyvek® (a high-density recyclable and incinerator safe fiber), bamboo and mineral crystal are the norm.

For luxe watch wearers, fish skins are used instead of animal leather, sourced from farmers harvesting non-endangered species for human consumption. That skinless salmon filet might be tonight’s dinner; the sloughed off skin could be tomorrow’s wrist watch. Fish skin is one of the strongest and most elastic leathers on the planet.

For the ultra-luxe, all diamonds are certified and conflict free.

Sprout’s promotion runs now through April 30^th in celebration of Earth Month. Just in time for a billion of us individuals, in our scattered 190 countries, to bind together for a healthier and more sustainable planet. The hour is upon us; it’s on our watch.

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Have you ever bought a product on impulse because of some vague claim like “green,” “natural” or “earth-friendly,” brought it home and found it’s not green at all? Not all companies are trying to deceive us, but with the lack of a unified standard for green labeling, it’s all too easy for consumers to be confused.

Of course, some companies like it that way, because it means they can get a piece of the green market without putting forth any real effort. That’s why, according to a Brandweek editorial by Andrew Benett and Greg Welch, businesses that want to be trusted by consumers need to think beyond green.

“In sum, green can mean virtually anything,” write Benett and Welch. “And that suggests it will eventually mean absolutely nothing. What today’s more mindful, savvier and more demanding consumers are seeking are brand partners that have evolved beyond green to something else: clear.”

It’s all about transparency – something the business world could use a lot more of. The “clear brands of tomorrow” won’t have mission statements packed with ambiguous language about improving people’s lives, they’ll outline specific actions and goals and invite consumers to track their progress.

But that’s just the beginning of “going clear”, say Benett and Welch. “Consumers are no longer willing to let businesses exist simply for the purpose of making money; they want them to contribute to the greater good.”

Open lines of communication between company leaders and the public are vital, but most of all, what businesses will need to do is prove that they care by raising the bar. For example, XYZ Beauty Co. can’t cut parabens from its products and be content with that lone action – they’ll need to continuously strive for the next improvement and find ways that they can take sustainability even further.

Perhaps we’re a long way away from green business, let alone clear business, being the norm, but it’s important to aim for a world where companies are truly held accountable for their social and environmental impact.

Image: Neubie/Flickr

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“An unremarkable house can become a beautiful, sustainable shelter,” says Leslie Hoffman, President and Executive Director of  Earth Pledge.

She’s proving it with her own island development. The project is described on Hoffman’s Gimme Shelter blog as “a showcase for environmentally responsible building practices, sustainable products and brands and creative talents.“

What else makes this house sustainable? “Community,” she says.

I caught up with Hoffman recently and asked her a few questions about the project. Here’s what she had to say:

How did you find the Shelter Island property?

I have had the place for close to 10 years. It has served me well, I have become part of the community, I established my garden and grew it over the years, and have shared the house with friends. During this time I have thought a lot about how it could be improved, without making it substantially bigger, reusing as much of the old building as possible, and addressing issues, such as the fragile local aquifer, that are important in the community.

If sustainably designed, then why demolish the building and start anew?

The original structure was 2×4 framing on an uninsulated slab. The decision to re-frame the main section of the house addressed the need for insulation under the floor and also increased increased insulation in the walls and roof. The old section that remains is principally the garage and two guest bedrooms.

Will you have monitoring systems for people to see how your home is doing?

I am not installing monitoring equipment per se, but will certainly be monitoring fuel and electricity usage. My work on green roofs at Earth Pledge has included building three monitoring stations, so the results can now be applied without replicating the scientific work, which is costly.

What are some parts of the project you’re really excited about and why? Are you using your house as a testing ground for anything?

Each project that I have done has been a learning experience, so I know that Gimme Shelter will “teach” me – and hopefully others. I am super excited about the indoor/outdoor integration of this project. In summer, when most people want to come and visit, the house can be opened up to literally become part of the outdoor living spaces, and vice versa. The new product developments – including advanced green features such as water and energy saving – are amazing. I am also looking forward to having solar thermal panels to heat my hot water and radiant heating (I have had PV generating 5 kW of electricity for almost 7 years) and I am also really keen to explore cooking with an induction stove.

Tell me why you picked Steve Hoffman as the architect?

Steve, who is no relation to me, is married to a friend. They visited me on Shelter Island a number of times, and he became interested in the project. I had been grappling with some issues about the project, most notably the roof lines. Steve came up with the concept of the shape of the house, and reorganized some of the interior space use. When I saw the shape, it screamed “water catchment device” to me. This became central as we developed the garden integration and considered the impact of storm water runoff on a coastal site.

Talk about home being one of the basic necessities for living. How is your home that and more?

For me – beyond providing shelter – this place represents an opportunity to share what I know and how I live – with my friends, my community and the millions of Americans who live in typical mid 20th century housing who might want to upgrade their homes while integrating new (and more sustainable) principles into their lifestyles. As an example, I believe that more gardeners in the world will make the world a better place. When you experience the pleasures of the process and product of living with a garden, you are more likely to actually do it. This house and its renovation are providing me with a vehicle for sharing with what is hopefully a broad reach.

Top image: Computer generated image of Hoffman’s Gimme Shelter Project

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