Titles are everything.

Are you…
girlfriend, or lover?
husband, or partner?
teacher, or trainer?
leader, or director?
decorator, or designer?
advisor, or counselor?
blogger, or writer?
crafter, or artist?

What you call yourself matters.
Words send signals, labels are magnetic.
Your soul deserves accuracy.

MedicinalMarzipan once asked me:

You distinguish yourself as a writer vs. blogger, can you elaborate on that point? And I said:

I loath the word blog. It’s not pretty. But we’re stuck with it. That’s an aside, really.

Most specifically, I philosophize, and I mostly do that in writing, and I mostly present that on the internet. That’s the Big Real of what I do, and what so many of us do. We’re bigger than our “posts” and “tweets” and when you keep your eye on that, when you let your definitions of yourself be deeply accurate, it influences your creative approach.

I’m a philosopher, which for me, is more accurate than teacher, because “philosopher” connotes both sagacity + continuing exploration.
I’m a strategist, ’cause I sure as hell am too opinionated to be a coach. (Not that brilliant coaches don’t have mighty opinions. And BTW, I think everyone should have a coach.)
I’m a mama, which is just mo’ fun and sexy than mother, and it’s more specific than parent, because my parenting is distinctly, pronouncedly feminine.
I’m a writer. It doesn’t matter where my stuff is published – pixelated on the internet, printed in books, or stamped on notecards. I write. For a living/loving even.

I’m as fascinated by what someone does as by what they say they do.

Like this sweet guy at a workshop, “By day I’m a Refuse Manager, which is just a fancy title the city gives me for Garbage Man. I actually prefer Garbage Man, you know? By night I’m a stock trader and student of eastern mythology. I’m a seeker, really. Yeah, a Seeker.” Clearly, he’s seeking treasures, not garbage.

Labels are a necessary and unavoidable function of most cultures. We need them like we need traffic lights and handshakes.

Recognize if you’ve outgrown your “title”
Deepen your claim, or lighten it right up.
Carve out your own personal lexicon. Snug, and radiant.
Educate people in who you are.
We want to know, for real.

Read the full Medicinal Marzipan interview here.

Danielle LaPorte is the author of The Fire Starter Sessions: A Soulful + Practical Guide for Creating Success on Your Own Terms (from Random House/Crown). An inspirational speaker, former think tank exec and business strategist, she is the creator of the online program The Spark Kit: A Digital Experience for Entrepreneurs and co-author of Your Big Beautiful Book Plan. Over a million visitors have gone for her straight-up advice on DanielleLaPorte.com, a site that has been deemed “the best place on-line for kick-ass spirituality.”

You can find her on Facebook and on Twitter @daniellelaporte

Image: betsyweber

The post What Do You Call Yourself? appeared first on EcoSalon.

If the green movement had its own Santa Claus, would he have a green beard or would she wear a vegan cape? Business News Daily reports that a new survey shows the archetypal green buyer would be a younger female with a post-graduate degree. Further, the least likely green consumer would be a man over the age of 55 years.

According to a survey from Crowd Science’s Just Ask! “men are nearly twice as likely to believe that buying products marketed as green makes no difference.” Sandra Marshall is vice president of research for Crowd Science. As she told Business News Daily, “We’re seeing an interesting gap in what we call ‘green shopitudes’ when you consider gender, age, and education. Women and younger age groups appear to be more eco-centric when it comes to shopping practices.”

That’s great for women, but where does this leave the menfolk? We asked our own Scott Adelson to weigh in. As Scott tells it, “I always was of the notion that too many men see the idea of legacy as an individualistic concept, rather than a communal one. This is by no means always the case, but it seems that women have a better ear for issues like the environment, education, even health care.”

Further, does buying green mean you’re committed to all things eco? Personally, I think anyone who makes an effort to take out the recycling deserves props, but you’re going to find people who think being green means eating vegan. Or driving a Prius. Or supporting environmental initiatives. Or yes, buying green. Sure, it seems silly to be caught up in labels, but when a large percent of the population devotes itself to attacking the science of climate change and more, it’s not the worst thing to pick up a banner and wave it.

And what does this really say about gender issues in the green movement? If I look at my own coterie of friends, I can’t really say that gender plays a significant factor. True, many of my “greener” friends are women. Most are also mothers of young children, contributing heavily to their interest in a toxin-free lifestyle.

But my husband is arguably greener than I am, especially when it comes to debating the contents of the recycling bin. (Me? I tend to follow this guide; he’s a little more adventurous.) I know three or so men whose opinions espouse exactly what is being touting in this study. My friend Dave is convinced that green labeling is just a giant marketing scam. But for every Dave I know a Scott Adelson or a Brian Clark Howard or a Jeffrey Davis.

Then again, my unscientific sampling of friends doesn’t compete with a formal study. Do you agree that women tend to shop greener than men, or are in fact a deeper shade of green?

Image: aerokev

The post Women Have a Higher ‘Green Shopitude’ Than Men appeared first on EcoSalon.

We call each other “lady,” but that rankles some. Some people find “gal” offensive while others are bothered by “girl.” “Chick” means fluffy little creatures meant for cuddling and light thinking. Or does it? What do women call each other these days? More to the point, what’s offensive and what’s not?

When feminists were making their mark in the 1970s, “chick” and other terms were considered insulting. For chick in particular, many felt the term sought to infantilize women. Consequently, a generation of women threw off the term as a marker of patriarchal oppression. Now, chick is a common tag amongst third wave feminists who embrace the term as an endearment. Repossessing a word that was initially meant to demean has become a mark of empowerment and even sisterhood.

Still, not everyone agrees. So where has this left us? For some, walking a minefield of linguistics while waiting for a bomb to detonate without warning. And yes, don’t women have bigger fish to fry than worry about what people call them? What about the Great Recession, reproductive rights, climate change, or Madonna’s impossibly high bar of fitness for the age 50 and over crowd? Some might argue that we just need to get over ourselves. After all, sticks and stones – it’s just words, right?

Perhaps. But at the same time, to argue that words are nonchalant ignores the very power of language. Just a brief look at “chick” brings up an interesting historical narrative. First, it’s now become an adjective as much as it is a noun. But are you praising or insulting a book when you call it “chick lit?” In the 19th century, women like Fanny Fern, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Maria Susanna Cummins led in sales, enough so that Nathaniel Hawthorne famously remarked “America is now wholly given over to a d-d mob of scribbling women”.

When I just threw a Google on this subject, I found a site referring to Fern and others as “chick lit writer babes.” Was Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, really a “chick lit writer babe?” And what is the intention of calling her that – is she being praised or demeaned? Sometimes, it isn’t clear. And this is where people get into trouble.

And WWGSD do? (And that would be, yes, What Would Gloria Steinem Do?) She vetoes chick here. But I have many feminist friends who use the term with aplomb, and I never flinch to hear it from them. Why? Because I know their intention. And yet, I don’t think there’s a definitive line to draw in the sand over who should say what. But I do strongly respect a person’s right to care. And because of that, I stick to “lady.” Or “girl.” Or even “man.” Who am I offending with that? I’m sure someone will let me know soon enough.

What do other think about this? We asked these women and one man of words how they felt.

Starre Vartan, author of The Eco-Chick Guide to Life
So, regarding chick, I have been asked about this before. (Actually, I was accosted by a woman at a panel discussion, an old feminist who was so angry I used chick.) To me, using words that were previously considered insulting or demeaning to women, and using them to name ourselves takes their negative power away. I hope that by using the word “chick” for a blog about women’s green interest topics, we are giving it new life, and changing the definition over time. This has worked for other words, like fag, and I think it can work for feminist words too.

Gretchen Jones, Winner of Project Runway Season 8, Designer of Mothlove
I suppose I think this question is a ridiculous question in itself!? I think being bothered by such casual [and trivial] titles plays into the satirical element of being “PC.” Being offended by such terminology to me is a waste of time. We are all and any of these at any given time. Embrace them, accept them as nonchalant – and let go.

Julie Gabriel, author of The Green Beauty Guide
Girl, gal, chick are most depressive and diminishing. I’d rather hear “ma’am” or “ladies”. Why do you really need address your readers based on their gender? It makes as much sense as writing one article for women and one for men. Or making one bus entrance for Caucasians and another one for non-whites. What do women call each other here in England? “Luv” and “gorgeous,” and between very close friends it’s “princess” and well, luv. But mostly by name.

Robin Epstein, author of God Is in the Pancakes
I’m not really the take offense to language type, so I’m okay with being called anything except “spinster.” (I prefer “lady in waiting” to describe my state of matrimony or lack thereof.) I’ll also use any of those terms to describe women, though I rarely use “girlfriend” since it sounds dated and I don’t want people thinking I’m a spinster because I’m stuck in the 1995.

Anna Brones, Contributing Writer, EcoSalon
All my 20-something, independent, no-frills, upfront female friends call each other lady. Preferably said “hey layydee!” Although if anyone of the male gender ever said it to us, it would probably be returned with a raise of the eyebrows and a mental note to judge said man over ladies coffee later in the week.

Brian Clark Howard, author and journalist
The truth is that I often call women “chicks” when talking among my guy friends but I try not to use it in front of women because I have gotten bad reactions. When in front of women, I usually say woman or women unless they are obviously quite young, then it is girl. I try to find out what each person prefers.

Kim Derby, Contributing Writer, EcoSalon
These days I think we’re lucky to be called anything at all, with people texting and IMing so much and not even using names when they talk to people. So I’m not offended when called chick or gal or girl or lady. Just don’t call me “ma’am.” All kidding aside, life is too short to get upset about stuff like this. The word someone uses says more about THEM than it does about me anyway.

Anna Getty, author of Anna Getty’s Easy, Green Organic
Call me anything but don’t call me dude.

Image: samdogs

The post Gal, Chick, Girl, Lady, Woman: Women Just as Divided as Men on What to Call Themselves appeared first on EcoSalon.

Pass-fail classes were a gift. I mean, not when I thought I would ace them, because what would be the point? But when getting by wasn’t a sure thing (in my case, for example, in any class that ended in “ometry”), a thumbs up or thumbs down option was a super deal. I could fudge pretty much anything and how hard was it, really, to garner enough lackadaisical sentiment from the powers that be that said: “Whatever. Move along. You’re fine”?

Well, heads up automakers. Teach is onto you. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are looking to take some of the vagaries out of fuel economy labeling by giving new vehicles grades for fuel efficiency. There’s even something on the table resembling a curve, where vehicles will be judged against the performance of their peers. Tough stuff and it won’t be surprising if The Industry doesn’t like what it sees.

The idea is to update the current label, “to provide consumers with simple, straightforward energy and environmental comparisons across all vehicles types, including electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and conventional gasoline/diesel vehicles.” The new stickers will now have “ratings on fuel economy, greenhouse gas emissions, and other air pollutants,” which addresses the requirements of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. The new label will be debut on vehicles in the 2012 model year.

For about the next two months, the agencies will be soliciting public comment before choosing between one of two proposed stickers. One is a bit more conventional (below), while the other bears the sure-to-be-controversial grading system (bottom). For the latter, according to the NYT, an A+ means a fuel economy equivalent of at least 117 miles per gallon and would be reserved for zero emission cars. Plug-in hybrids coming in between 59 to 116 miles per gallon would get an A, and “conventional hybrids, like the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion,” would get an A-. The article goes on to say that if the system were in place today, “306 small cars from model year 2010 would receive a B, only eight S.U.V.’s would receive a B+ (68 would get a C), and the highest grade for a van would be a C+.”

Grades aside, a good old MPG ranking will be on whatever label ends up stuck on the windows of 2012 cars and trucks, as well as a “fuel consumption value” chart that measures gallons of fuel required per 100 miles. Egogeek points out that “upstream emissions, such as the emissions from a power plant generating electricity to recharge a vehicle, would not be listed on the label,” but there will a website offered where you can get more info if you want to check it out.

The NYT article is already reporting negative auto industry reaction, saying “the letter grades –  from A+ to D – were immediately denounced by some industry groups, which said the government should not be making value judgments for consumers about vehicles.” I suppose that’s to be expected by a group that’s not used to such getting graded so specifically on its work.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the grading system plays out, if that’s the route that’s chosen, as such an approach is always a delicate proposal. Witness the movie rating system where an NC-17 versus an R can make or break a film even before its release. The trick is going to be objective accuracy and if it’s done right, the carrot of a good grade might just be what’s indicated to get some of slackers in gear.

The post Fuel Grades: New EPA Vehicle Efficiency Labels to Make a Mark on 2012 Models appeared first on EcoSalon.

It’s hard to ignore those cautionary labels (even the misspelled ones). Do we dare wash a delicate garment at home and risk ruining the texture or shrinking it beyond recognition?

Warnings are warnings, but there are exceptions to every wash ‘n wear rule.

With the help of our blog readers, writers and the experts, we have put together a list of myths we are happy to debunk to save you some precious bucks.

1. Washing sweaters will ruin the texture!

“Hogwash,” says EcoSalon’s Caitlin Fitzsimmons, whose mama passed on the tried and true method. “You need to wash in lukewarm water with a gentle detergent,” she explains. “Then lay it flat on a towel with the arms folded in. Fold in the corners of the towel and then roll it up – this lets you squeeze out water, without destroying the shape of the sweater. Repeat with a second towel. Then lay it out flat to dry.”

Image: Moline

2. Dry clean wool because it will always shrink up in the machine.

This one’s for the dogs according to EB, who has been washing his own wool blazers and slacks with a front-loading washer wool cycle for years. “Wool is fairly hard to shrink and doing so requires changes in temperature and agitation  from rubbing, scrubbing and wringing.” No washer for wool? He says use the same temp water for wash and the rinse, a friendly, wool-wash cleaner and minimal agitation. Squeeze dry, roll in a towel and lay out forming the correct shape on a flat surface. I heart this advice!

Image: Romeo’s Mom

3. Cotton really stiffens up when I clean it at home because of the hard water.

We all know hang drying is the most sound energy-saving way to go, but that can produce tough results, as well. Naomi tells us she cheats a bit by tossing her cotton into the dryer with a sheet for a few minutes before hanging dry and it does the trick. And don’t forget, there are some gentle water softeners on the market that won’t give you that Downy chemical rash!

Image: Luigi FDV

9. Dry Cleaning is convenient.

Unless you are as organized as my friend Jodi (keeping schedules is her side career), it could take several months to pick up your stuff at the cleaners. Parking can be hard unless you walk or take public transportation in the city (Carrie Bradshaw did it by cab). And very few cleaners pick up and deliver anymore. It’s just simpler to do most jobs at home.

Image: Flickr

10. Dry cleaning always extends the life of your clothes.

If your clothing can only be sustained by monthly trips to the cleaners, then you are buying the wrong kind of clothing. Our fashion editor, Amy DuFault, is a guru of stylish alternatives and you can follow her resources in the fashion section. Meantime, no one has proven that Perc or other solvents with enzymes are protecting the life of your garment. The truth is, if you are following the guidelines of frugal wash n’ wear experts, your clothes should last as long as they would when doused with toxins and sealed in plastic – perhaps, even longer.

Image: Coolslaw

Main Image : Wm Jas

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