-Elliott Mamauag, EcoMetro Guide East Bay Market Director

Every knitter's heart does a little purl every time they see a sheep. Not simply because of the inherent cuteness contained therein, but because they are imagining the lifetime of warm and cozies that can come from the irrepressible growth of wool. 

Knitting has always been the ultimate sustainable craft; the purest, most organic materials used in the craft grow from an animal's back. More...

Play: "The World in a Woman's Hands" - Shotgun Player's
A wonderful show sung in cool jazz about Rosie the River gals during the war in Richmond. Anyone who buys a ticket before this September 27 for any performance until the closing date will get a $5 discount on their ticket.
Now - October 11
Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley
View coupon at ecometro.com

Play, Eat: Rockridge Out & About
This is the third year of the Rockridge District Association's annual street festival. On top of its usual delights, College Avenue becomes the stage for musicians, clowns, street performers, fashion shows, cooking demos, in-store workshops, and wellness activities. Come visit us at the EcoMetro Guide booth: pick up your 2010 edition, support a fundraiser, and enter to win great prizes!
September 27, 11am - 6pm
College Avenue from Manila to Claremont, Rockridge, Oakland More...

Buy organic
Conventionally grown cotton is responsible for as much as 10% of pesticide use in the world and up to 25% of insecticide use annually, according to Grist. The chemicals can impact workers and leach into the groundwater. Because the United States produces more cotton than all countries except China, much of this is on our soil.

Next, ask about the processing method for cotton, wool, and other fabrics. Look for those that use natural dyes and avoid chlorine bleaching. Organic Consumers estimates that 1/3lb of chemicals are used in the production of a cotton T-shirt, so buying secondhand comes second to buying a product that avoids the conventional cycle.
 
Image: CreativeCommons/Cosmic Kitty More...

This morning, I took a train to Seattle to teach at a conference. It is one of the joys in life. I bike to the train station, work on a crossword as the scenery passes by, and then bike around Seattle which, by the way, seems to be made entirely out of hills.

Today, I entertained myself with a new distraction, the subtle art of the roll up. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a “roll up” is when a cyclist folds, or in some way “rolls” up, his or her pant leg to avoid it getting caught in the chain. Roll means fold. It’s so clear. A thoughtfully folded pant leg is a style I don’t often sport because my bakfiets has a chain guard. However, today I took a commuter bike on my trip to Seattle, and with 3 hours to kill on the train, I mastered some pretty awesome roll ups. Check them out. Let me know what you think.
 
TRADITIONAL: Nothing fancy. Textbook functionality for keeping the pant leg out of the chain assembly. The style most often used. More...

Organic cotton men's jeans for $39.99? And from Loomstate? Thank you, Target!

Loomstate is a hip organic cotton clothing company that we've long adored, and they've paired with Target for a more affordable line of 100% certified organic cotton, beach-inspired clothing for men and women. Nothing in the collection is over $50, a serious savings since Loomstate brand jeans are rarely under $100.

Shop the Loomstate for Target collection online, or visit Target at Walnut Creek, one of 250 stores to carry the limited collection. More...

Chanel fashion house released a black bicycle with a quilted leather chain guard and pannier/purse for $12,000 back in 2007, because Coco loved sports. Courtney Cox sent one to Jennifer Aniston, and then it dropped off the map. Naturally, Chanel followed up with a jeweled pant clip.

Tom Friedman, in his new book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded makes a case that "green is the new red, white and blue."

Not to say I'm ahead of one of our countries most progressive thinkers, but, well....I said this exact thing a year ago when I designed my logo. It's always been the way I have lived my life. I am a patriot and the work I do is fully committed to that fact. More...

Last week on Craft Thursday we profiled the Portland, OR based non-profit Trillium Artisans. This week we're looking at an international group that unifies crafters by family (ok, city), the Craft Mafia. Originating in Austin, TX, the reign of craft has spread to cities small and large, including EcoMetro cities St Paul and Portland. An East Bay familia is suspiciously absent, giving you, dear readers, a chance to start one and be the big boss.  More...

What the heck is eco anything, these days, let alone something as ambiguous to begin with as fashion? Good question. I don’t know. I gather that few people really do. I monitor my annual carbon footprint, bike to work, avoid excessive plastic purchases, unplug appliances. But the footprint of my fashion haunts me. Pesticide use in cotton, let alone the synthetics with petroleum bases...it's hard to shoulder that. Yet there is no fashion impact calculator, no quick online test. This will be my attempt at one, and exploration of alternatives.

What am I getting into? More...