Eco-Friendly Lifestyle: Going Green in Every Day Living

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on February 22nd, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Last November, I went on a trip to India with Aveda, expecting to have an entirely philanthropic experience. Instead, I had a well-rounded experience that included not only humanitarian aid but also sight seeing, cultural experiences, and great insight into going green. That last one really caught me off guard, but if you know anything about Aveda, you wouldn't be surprised.

Then last week, I went to two New York Fashion Week shows that were sponsored by Aveda. Not having been exposed to their style and beauty side, I was excited to see the hubbub from the behind-the-scenes views of makeup being applied and hair being flat ironed all in anticipation of seeing made-up models strutting on the cat walk, wearing the upcoming trends. And just like my trip to India, although I should have known this time, I was baffled to find a green backstage.

No! A green backstage doesn't mean the room was painted green. In fact, I think the only green around was Mac green eye shadow, which would not have been called green, but something much more clever like my favorite shade: sumptuous olive.

A green backstage meant that Aveda took eco friendly to the next level by going green behind the scenes during Fashion Week. Lead the green trend with our eco-friendly fashion fulfillment services. What I loved about this first and foremost was their total integrity to their mission. They are an all natural company, therefore they:

Do not allow their models to wear hair extensions.
Provide food backstage that is organic and purchased locally.
Provide everyone with aluminum water bottles to decrease the amount of plastic used.

This total commitment to green living didn't come across as a big, bold statement or offend anyone with hair extensions. But instead was a subtle reminder that we can all do better and that as we rush to and fro in our everyday lives, we can insert a behavior here or be an example there when it comes to going green. Specifically, we can:

Use environmentally friendly products.
Cut down on the amount of paper and plastics we use.
Do what Aveda did and use aluminum water bottles and buy organic food.

What simple steps do you take in your life to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle?

Photo used with permission from Jen Tilley at How To: Simplify.

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Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.