Electric Avenue

With gas nearing 5 bones a gallon and all this talk of it possibly doubling that in the next few years, I’m starting to rethink my longing for a fuel/electric hybrid. I’ve never been much of a sports car type of gal, but the Tesla Roadster is definitely seducing me with its lithium-ion battery pack as well as its sleek & sexy design. It goes 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds and Tesla claims it will get 220 miles of driving per charge. I’m not sure when this car is officially coming out, but we did happen to pass a Tesla showroom off of Santa Monica Blvd., recently so hopefully in the near future. Check out the video below for a sneak peek at the zero carbon emitting, soon to be on every mans wish list, dream car.

Posted by thuy

Everybody’s Doing It

So I now officially know from first hand experience that Tobey McGuire and his gal Jennifer Meyer are legit greenies. Thuy and I have lurked on Jennifer and her adorable daughter Ruby, looking over organic fruit and veggies at our local farmers market on Melrose Place on more than one occasion. She had her reusable bags on hand of course, like any new mother who cares about the future of her child would.

She was also recently spotted (see pic above) at my local Whole Foods on the corner of Fairfax and Santa Monica toting her trusty reusable bag. This is the Whole Foods where there inevitably seems to be a cute guy in every aisle. I guess they might even throw a glance in my direction if I wasn’t always coming straight from a workout in sweaty clothes, no makeup, and desperately trying to hide behind oversize sunglasses.

Well enough about the sad state of my personal life. Buy local and organic and don’t forget to stock these great goodies in your fashionable earth friendly tote… Everybody’s doing it!

Posted by Jen

flick: just jared

I Don’t Want No Scrub

Ever been done dirty by the man you spent x amount of years with, thinking he was “the one,” only to have him tell you, he’s not, or even worse, a cheating ass busta that slipped up one day and left his blackberry out while showering? Well, before you grab the matches and lighter fluid to pull a Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, grab your camera instead, along with everything he’s ever given to you and put that ish up for sale on this site, Ex-Boyfriend Jewelry.

It’s kind of like ebay but with each posting the scorned ex writes a description of her unfortunate circumstance and some of them are pretty damn hilarious. You can sell or trade rings, watches, bags and other random things, there’s even a category named ‘gifts that should have been jewelry.’ It’s the perfect recycling method for that promise ring or Gucci purse, that will surely remind you of him every time you see it. Just make sure it’s not a Canal Street bootleg that he got for you on that supposed business trip he took on that weekend you couldn’t get a hold of him.

Posted by thuy

Save A Tree Or 10 Or 100

My obsession with magazines started at a young age. Who remembers Tiger Beat, Bop, or Teen? As I got older, I upgraded to the fashion mags. I loved opening a new one, feeling the crisp pages, excited to see all the beautiful women in exotic locations, decked out in clothing and accessories that I could only dream of one day owning. I’m sure all that fantasizing is what eventually led me to my path in the fashion biz but it also made me an excessive consumer, purchasing and collecting a very large selection of glossies, every single month for 15+ years.

I never really gave a thought to all the paper being used, but now that I imagine the thousands of publications that have passed through my hands- I shudder. Sorry Treepeople, I now see the light and although I can’t promise I’ll never buy a magazine again, I have definitely scaled back significantly and the ones I get from here on out, will always get recycled. Thanks to that handy thing we have these days called the internet, I can do my research online and have peace of mind that I’m not wiping out a small patch of forest somewhere.

Posted by thuy

Girls We Heart: Karen Ranoa

Aloha to our favorite Green Grown And Sexy gal. Last night a large party of people bid farewell to a dear friend to many, Karen Ranoa. She is following her heart and moving to the Bay. Dave, you’re one lucky guy. I fell in love with her the first time I met her and I’m sure it’s the same for anyone else that has had the good fortune of crossing paths with this hapa beauty. She has compassion for animals, loves planet earth, owns a Prius, volunteers, and has the most infectious smile and personality you’ll ever come by. As quoted from her myspace page, “ALOHA, I’m a 5’13″ Hapa-Hula-Girl-House-Head-Hippie-Leo-Dragon-Vegetarian-Green-Tree-Hugger-Wahine, I aint no gas guzzlin’ whore, & everyday is the best day of my life!” Shout out to her parents for slapping skin and creating her & her sister Julie, many moons ago.

I’ll always have Karen to thank for sparking my interest in using reusable bags when shopping, as well as turning me onto Earthlings, a movie that changed my life for the better. She is my she-ro and will be sorely missed. She always says she’s Green Grown and Sexy’s number one fan but in actuality, it’s the other way around. You have been a big inspiration to me Karen and for that I thank you. P.S. the rest of your gift bag will be arriving in the mail soon.

Farewell to Laurie, Soosan, Andria, Nicole, Tito & Kelly as well. Damn, LA just lost a handful of beautiful angels. Good luck to you all. xx

Posted by thuy

Bag The Bag

Green Tip: Use Reusable bags. I’ll say it again because it just can’t be said enough. One of the simplest things you can do on your journey to becoming green is to ditch plastic (and paper bags) and hop on the reusable bag bandwagon. There are so many cute, stylish options out there that there’s really no excuse for anyone to still be carrying armloads of non-biodegradable plastic bags. These bags wreak havoc on the environment as they pile up in landfills and seep into marine life.

Check out these super hip re-usable bag from Baggu. They have a dope interactive website that allows you to color customize your bags with everything from bold colors to stripes. Guys, don’t be afraid to rock them either. Girls heart guys who care about the environment!

Posted by jen

Water Anyone?

Whatever happened to the good old days when a glass of water was, well…a glass of water. You’d turn on the tap, place some random cup under it and and filler’ up. I’m starting to think this whole bottled water obsession is a conspiracy theory. I never used to think twice about drinking tap water until fancy pants companies like Fiji, Evian and Voss started selling me their liquid crack. I hate to admit it, but I became an addict. I couldn’t get enough of the stuff. Well, I’m here to tell ya it’s time to kick the habit.

This is an image from Brita’s new campaign to discourage the use of plastic water bottles. According to their site, Americans send approximately 38 BILLION water bottles a year to landfills, where they take thousands of years to biodegrade. The images in the campaign are reflective of the 1.5 million barrels of oil needed to make those bottles.

Brita’s philosophy is that by switching to their refillable water pitchers, we can drastically reduce the amount of plastic bottles being used. They encourage people to take a pledge on their website called Filter For Good in an effort to reduce the use of plastic bottles.

This is a step in the right direction, however, naysayers point out that Brita is owned by Clorox (a company who has made some serious environmental missteps in the past) and that the filters used in the Brita pitchers as well as the pitchers themselves are not recyclable. Check out this website for the other side of the argument Take Back The Filter. Do your research.

Posted by Jen

Girls We Heart: M.I.A.

Not only does British/Sri Lankan singer M.I.A have the sickest fashion sense and one-of-a kind musical style, she also has a big heart! She recently performed at an MTV Awards after-party and announced that she would donate half of her $100,000 fee to charity. Her plan is to use the money to build schools in Liberia, where $52,000 will fund a school for a 1000 students.

In a recent development M.I.A just announced at the Bonnaroo musical festival that her performance there was to be her last gig ever. Let’s hope that this is just a nasty rumor because we definitely need musicians in the game who care about giving back.

Flick via wireimage

Posted by jen

Sk8

It seems like everywhere you look there’s some kid with baggy pants (or I guess they’re wearing them kinda tight these days) whizzing past you on a skateboard. That coupled with stories of woe from my girlfriends and their experiences with said sk8er boi’s (sorry, i couldn’t resist the Avril Lavigne reference), has left me with the feeling that skaters are taking over the world. Ok, so that might be a wee bit of an exaggerration, but they are definitely taking over a day and making it their own…. June 21st is officially Go Skateboarding Day (GSD).

Not only is skateboarding a great form of alternative transportation (no nasty carbon emissions here), but GSD marks a day where skateboarding also contributes to a good cause. Started in 2004, Go Skateboarding Day (GSD) was conceived as an excuse for skateboarders to skip their obligations and just get out there and grind.

This holiday has gained momentum and popularity with each passing year, with over 32 countries participating and upwards of 2.5 million media impressions in past years. Check the GSD website and see how you can create your own event for that day and donate proceeds from the event to a charitable cause.

Posted by jen

Hope

If you live here in LA or anywhere on planet earth for that matter, you have definitely seen the street art plastered around your city over the years of Andre the Giant, or the guerrilla marketing campaigns for the anti-war/anti-Bush movement or most recently, the Barack Obama/Hope campaigns. Shepard Fairey has long been known for his socially conscious illustrations as well as being a DJ, the co-founder of Swindle magazine, a husband and the proud father of two beautiful daughters.

I was so excited when I turned on Planet Green and saw the feature on Shepard and Amanda getting an eco-makeover for their daughters bedroom. Amanda picked up a new bed and mattress made of sustainable, pesticide free, organic materials from The Little Seed and they also painted the walls of the room with a 100% non-toxic, VOC free paint. Congratulations to Shepard and Amanda for their newest addition and for making the conscious effort in starting their family on the right path.

Posted by thuy

Yoi-Sho!!!

Is what the audience shouts when the wrestlers kick their leg up and stomp on the ground. Last weekend, my friend Julia invited me to the Grand Sumo Tournament at the sports arena. It was their first time in LA in 27 years and her company, Sakura was one of the sponsors. We arrived a bit early to set up gift bags. I was happy when I saw that they were using cute red, reusable, cloth bags. I couldn’t believe it when I came across the bags from another sponsor- plastic? JANKY!! Not to mention when I walked around to check out the vendors, I noticed another company making gift bags out of plastic bags as well. Asians love them some petroleum based, non-biodegradable bags. I’m gonna have to have a talk with my peoples soon.

Anyway, the fights were amazing to watch and it was cool seeing all the gentle giants chilling in the hallways, some in robes and others in the traditional mawashi. Sumo’s are like royalty in Japan and it was funny to see all the fans back at the hotel going ape-shit over getting pics with them. Thanks to Julia and to Sakura for having me as a guest at this historic event.

Posted by thuy

H2O

Green Tip: Conserve Water. It’s a misconception that there is an endless supply of water available for our reckless consumption. On the contrary, in many countries there is a huge shortage, not to mention a drought in Los Angeles as we speak.

Here are some simple things you can do to preserve water-Turn the tap off while you brush your teeth. . Wait until you have a full load before you do laundry or run the dishwasher. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks. Take shorter showers (aka navy showers) or squeeze in a little ‘sexytime’ and shower with your boo. The list goes on but it’s pretty self-explanatory. Waste not, want not!!

Posted by jen

Can’t Say I Didn’t Try

Last night I headed out to Little Tokyo for a L.A Market Week Wrap Party @ the Unitard Gallery, to meet up with friends, enjoy some music, & take in some art & fashion. Earlier in the day, I came up with the bright idea of taking the bus to the event, knowing that I would be meeting up with friends that I could catch a ride back into Hollywood with. I went online to Metro.net to plan my trip out. You type in your start point and your final destination and it tells you what stop to go to to catch the bus/train and where you’ll end up as well as the average travel time & how much you save in gas. Seemed simple enough.

I walked a block away to the stop on Melrose and Fairfax. It was 8:30 p.m. and after waiting 13 mintues, I couldn’t help but think, if I had been driving, I’d be there by now. A few moments after, the Metro arrived so there was no time to puss out. 36 minutes later, I arrived at my stop at Temple and First St. I got off and thats when the panic kicked in.

I didn’t know where the hell I was and don’t know my way around downtown that well. The streets were dead except for a few transients so I made a couple of frantic phone calls to get directions. I began to walk but at that point I wanted to get there fast and started to keep my eye out for a cab. That was a bust, and I ended up walking the rest of the way. In NY, 10 blocks is a breeze & fun, but in downtown LA, in the dead of night, not so much. When I finally made it there, I gave a few hugs and made a beeline for the bar, a tall drink was in order. I’m glad I tried it, but next time I head out to the concrete jungle, I’ll carpool with friends or drive in my own, trustworthy, carbon emitting vehicle and yes, I’m cringing with green guilt while typing this.

Posted by thuy

Welcome To The Riverhouse

Leonardo Dicaprio is definitely a boy we heart, not just for his rugged good looks, but also for his totally cool advocacy of an eco-conscious lifestyle. Now he’s taking it one step further by purchasing a condo at the Riverhouse, which is being touted as one of the greenest residential buildings in America.

Green perks at his new crib include twice filtered air and water, sustainable non-toxic materials, solar energy, non-pollutant paints, sealants and adhesives, not to mention the building exceeds LEED standards.

Before you start getting visions of a hippie treehouse, let me be the first to tell you that this place is seriously fly!! It is located in the posh Manhattan neighborhood of Battery Park and overlooks the Hudson River. The residences and amenities are designed by David Rockwell of Nobu and W Hotel fame and services include valet parking, a fitness center, yoga studio, media center etc.

Most recently Tyra Banks purchased a bamboo-floored condo in the building, and rumor has it that Ugly Betty star, America Ferrera, has also shown interest in purchasing there. This place is dope…I’m officially green with envy!!

Posted by jen

Get A Piece Of An American Classic

I drool over these bags every time I go into Whole Foods. Local designer, Kim White uses dead stock fabric intended for car interiors of the 70′s and 80′s. Each bag comes stamped with the year and make of the car it came from. Cloth made back then was so durable that you can be sure this will be in your collection for a lifetime. I was never big on classic muscle cars but I would rock that Camaro bag like no tomorrow. Click here to view the collection.

Posted by thuy

iwood x iphone

Check out this eco-friendly protective cover for the iphone made from eco-friendly wood. It’s definitely a viable alternative to the traditional plastic cases which as we know by now, take more than a lifetime to biodegrade. Not only will this company hook up your iphone, but they’ve got your itouch and ipod ‘covered’ as well. Check out miniot.com for more details.

Posted by jen

Girls We Heart: Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie has definitely come a long way since her spoiled, ditzy, dim-witted diva days on the Simple Life (I’m not gonna lie, season 1 & 2 were great but it all went downhill in season 3 when Paris and Nicole got into a big fight and didn’t talk for like a year, and then made up and were reunited in season 4, and everything was all good again…but I digress)

Ever since the birth of her daughter, Harlow, she’s been getting all philanthropic on us. She created the Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation with her rocker boyfriend Joel Madden, and recently announced a collection of Signorelli angel tees to be sold with the profits donated to build a pediatric clinic on wheels for the Children’s Health Fund. Her goal is to raise $400,000 through the sale of the $75 tees, which are available at all Cusp boutiques.

Posted by jen

All Day Every Day

Woody Allen once said, “In Beverly Hills, they don’t throw their garbage away – they make it into television shows.” Well, Planet Green debuted today and I will gladly waste my time watching anything on this channel about garbage, composting, recycling, gadgets, food, drinks, cars, beauty, fashion…I’ll stop here but basically, it covers EVERYTHING under our beloved sun about going green and it’s on 24/7. The one show I really love is Alter Eco, with Adrien Grenier. It’s really informative and covers a lot of ‘green’ spots in L.A. It’s about time. Floss Angeles, RISE UP!

That’s about all I can write for now…need to get my sustainable crack fix and get back to the boob tube. Yea, it’s that serious.

Posted by thuy

Get On The Bus

Green Tip: Use Public Transportation. With gas prices just getting stupid high, the good ol’ bus system is literally becoming a realistic alternative. I know the association with taking the bus in L.A isn’t exactly in line with some who are accustomed to rolling in ‘lacs and ‘lades (that’s Cadillacs and Escalades to those of you who aren’t familiar with the urban dictionary). But with the crazy amount of damage being done to the environment with the toxic carbon emissions from all the cars on the road, it’s an option to be strongly considered.

Plan your trip by hitting up one or more of the various public transportation options here in L.A- LADOT or Metro to name a few. It will be gentler on the environment, not to mention your pocket book. Who knows, one of your trips might find you you squashed up next to the future love of your life!

Note: back shot image of Jen ridin’ the bus and rockin’ a re-useable bag = Green X 2… What What!!

Posted by Jen

The Story Of Stuff

Consumerism. As Americans, we are all guilty of it. Purchasing goods and consuming materials in excess of our basic needs. It seems like objects that we purchase nowadays are made to last a minimal amount of time before we are wanting the newer, better, faster, cooler version. Cell phones, ipods, computers, clothes, etc. Watch “The Story Of Stuff” in its entirety here and hopefully you’ll think twice before buying the latest craze when your current one is still working perfectly fine.

Posted by thuy

L.A River Ride

Dear Ed (Begley Jr),

Thuy and I will be unable to attend your L.A River Ride on June 8th, as we have a date with Kanye West at Staples Center the evening before the ride. We have big plans of glowing in the dark till the wee hours of the morning followed by much needed beauty rest, however, we encourage the rest of L.A to get out there and participate.

Beginners to hardcore cycling enthusiasts are invited to join in one of the 5 bike rides ranging from a short festive children’s ride in Griffith Park or the 10, 50, 70 or hundred mile rides. There will be music, food, raffles and eco-expo. Check the website for all the details.

Regretfully, Jen and Thuy

Posted by jen