lights

What to Do When You’re Totally Out of Ideas?

Even before I opened my eyes I knew I was screwed. Opening them only confirmed it. The guy I was traveling with had drugged and robbed me of everything I had. I was in a dangerous city in a foreign country, didn’t speak the language and now with no passport, travel visa or money. And

oscar

Red Carpet, Green Dress

I didn’t get to see the Oscars or watch the red carpet parade of gowns but I was waiting in anticipation for Oscar night for one reason and one reason only. I couldn’t wait to see the winning gown of the Red Carpet Green Dress competition, a contest launched in 2009 for an award-winning “green”

biobased

The Rise of the Biobased Economy

Our economy is slowly but surely heeding the signal that carbon is the new watchword. During the past few years, a steady stream of so-called “biobased” products have been making their way to retail shelves — compostable dinnerware made from corn, plant-based laundry detergents, and bamboo flooring among them. Coke and Pepsi are now competing

Student Spotlight: The Fourth Bottom Line

Last spring I was invited to participate in Cittadellarte’s (City of Art) University of Ideas (UNIDEE) thanks to a grant from Fondazione Zegna. I was eager to examine sustainability in the context of the Italian luxury fashion industry and I am pleased to share a two-part post about my experiences. The first installment of my

Frigata

Transformational Times Call for Transformational Change

Businesses must transform into firms of the future by embedding sustainability, creating value for themselves, their communities and the ecosystems in which they operate A “perfect storm” of economic, social and environmental factors is making the business landscape increasingly volatile. The pace of change is faster and only set to increase. To succeed, business needs

coffee

Get “Glocal”

Over a decade ago, Paul Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson reported in their study of consumer attitudes that approximately a quarter of U.S. adults fit into a segment they tagged “Cultural Creatives” — a vocal group who use sustainability ethics to guide their shopping as well as voting behavior. More recently, a 2004 study by

heels

Green is Grey

Green is the new black, or so they say in the fashion industry. But I’m not convinced that green can ever be regarded as earnestly as black. Black is classic, all-purpose and safe. Black is flattering and tasteful. Green is unseasoned and simple. It is natural and commonplace. But there is nothing natural about the

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