NY Mag's Grub Street blog reported that Chinatown may be taking a step towards being more green. A new oil recycling program is being introduced to turn oil waste from restaurants into biofuel. Jing Fong Restaurant, the giant dim sum eatery on Elizabeth Street, is the first to volunteer for the program. Not known to be light on grease, these restaurants surely could help make a lot of biofuel. Now if only they can get all the fast food chains to participate...  Image taken from here.


---vs

The International League of Conservation Photographers chose 40 "top" photographs of nature in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and auctioned them off at Christie's Green Auction. Though ILCP agreed that it was difficult to choose among so many beautiful photographs of all corners of Mother Earth, they tried their best and from the looks of it, they did a pretty good job. These photographs were chosen based "factors such as aesthetics, uniqueness, historical and scientific significance, or contribution to conservation efforts". Here are a few taken from Treehugger.com for you to enjoy in awe.

---vs


Just as we finally stopped holding our breath for the outcome of the Wind Farm proposal, the BP oil spill disaster continue to worsen. The Yay from Washington on the Cape Cod 130-turbine wind farm could mean the start of a series of offshore wind farms all along the east coast. Proposals are outlined above in a map from the NY Times.

 Image from the NYT of a boat deploying oil booms.

Meanwhile, the word is out that the oil has reached the coast overnight. An investigation has begun on the level of oil contamination. The spill reaching the coast would have dire consequences on the fisheries and marine wildlife along the Coast, spanning multiple states. Looks like we'll be holding our breaths again.


--- vs

Our friends at Jill Platner are holding their once-a-year-only sale for Jill's handmade silver jewelry, including special one of a kind sample pieces that you can be sure no one else would have. Inspired by nature (pieces are named everything from eclipse to jellyfish), Jill Platner pieces are all handmade, and there are women, men, and unisex items. The 15 - 60% off sale starts tomorrow (Friday, 4/30) and goes until Sunday, 5/2 at their NYC store (12 - 7pm at 113 Crosby St.) and online.


---vs
Merely going to The Surf Lodge's website will transport you to the beach with their easygoing style and beach-inspired soundtrack. But you don't have to go all the way east to get a piece of Montauk! We've teamed up with The Surf Lodge, Montauk's much-loved boutique hotel, to bring you a summer collection inspired by the beach, the ocean, and Montauk's celebrated sunsets. Loomstate's signature soft tees, perfectly cut board shorts, and slightly oversized hoodies are all you need for summer days in the ocean and nights by the bonfire.

---vs
After the unsettling news of the BP oil rig explosion and the 11 missing workers last week, the situation in the Gulf of Mexico has only worsened. Robots are currently working 5,000 feet underwater to attempt to seal the leaks, which had been spewing out 42,000 gallons of oil a day since it exploded last week. As pictured above from the NY Times, the sheen of the oil spill can be seen in the Gulf of Mexico - reportedly the spill now has a 600 mile circumference. Three sperm whales were spotted near the spill and one can only imagine all the marine wildlife that are negatively affected because of the accident.

Read about the ongoing efforts to seal the leak and the accident's aftermath in the NY Times.

This article from the NY Times outlines the arguments on both sides for the Cape Wind Project, a proposal to build wind turbines off the coast of Cape Cod as an alternative energy source. Sometime soon, the Obama administration will be deciding the fate of this project, which could potentially affect all the other offshore wind energy proposals coming down the pipeline.

Above is an image from the Times of a wind farm off the coast of Copenhagen, Denmark. We often look to our European counterparts to see how they have dealt with climate change issues and creating green energy, like with burning trash, but many US start-ups are developing new innovations for creating energy. Take a look at this diagram illustrating how American companies are creating underwater turbines to produce energy from tides.


--- vs

Yes, we know, World Penguin Day was yesterday, but these adorable, incredibly tough creatures deserve a mention. According to Penguin Geek, the Adelie penguins in the Antartic being their northward migration around this time of year. Read more about penguins at Defenders of Wildlife!


 


Weary with all the environmental frauds and scams uncovered lately, we've chosen to plant trees with The Nature Conservancy's Plant A Billion Trees project. Watch the video above and visit their website for more information on their project and goal of planting a billion trees to restore The Atlantic Forest in Brazil. They even have information on the trees indigenous to the area that they'll be planting - one is called the Ice Cream Bean Tree.

 The Ice Cream Bean Tree. Image taken from Plant A Billion Trees.

We promised we'd plant a tree for every purchase on Earth Day and we did. Thank you all for helping us plant 50 trees!


----- VS

It's finally warm enough to kick off Street Fair season! Among many others, the Hester Street Fair will be opening this weekend in the Lower East Side (see map above). With food options from An Choi, Luke's Lobster, Mile End, and Malbon Brothers, and a variety of vintage clothing and bikes, this small market may just give Brooklyn Flea a run for its money.

Here's what you'll need for a great day at the Fair:

A Street Fair / Flea Market of course. Just google it in your local area - there are sure to be a lot cropping up now that it's Springtime. The image is of the Hester Street Market from the 1900's!


It might be hot out and there may be a lot of strolling, so be prepared with your own bottle of water or any hydrating beverage of choice. This one's from SIGG, but any reusable bottle will do.

A fun, large reusable tote to carry potential new purchases. This bag from Areaware is canvas and printed with soy inks.

A soft, organic cotton tee you can bike, run, walk, and eat a lot in...
...and a BIG appetite. The participating food vendors listed above are only a few among many, including La NewYorkina, a gourmet pop-ice stand debuting at the Hester Street Fair this weekend. Don't say we didn't warn you!

-----VS
Speaking of planting things... Loomstate will be planting a tree for every single purchase made today. Help us plant some trees and happy 40th Earth Day!

Read up on how Earth Day came about 40 years ago here.


Image from WeAreGreenies.com.

 ----- VS

Urban farming has been at the tip of everyone's tongues these days, with articles about vertical "living walls", PSA's shot in city rooftop greenhouses, and a sponsored albeit exciting video about urban farming. This article from Fast Company's "Fast Cities 2010" story illustrates in simple terms just how city landscapes can be and are made into urban farms. Among the increasing number of established urban farms, Gotham Greens is planning to open a hydroponic rooftop farm in Brooklyn, selling to Whole Foods, local restaurants and farmer's markets. Soon enough, you'll know exactly where that locally produced hydroponic head of lettuce is coming from!


----- VS | leah
Simon Doonan, Barneys NY Creative Director, caught up with their Fashion Director Julie Gilhart about her plans for Earth Day, Christie's Green Auction, and those sustainable and sexy Loomstate Blank Tees! Read about it at Barneys Babble.


----- VS
The Barneys display of our colorful Loomstate BLANK Tees has the soft and bright 100% organic cotton tees in the shapes of tulips just in time for the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. The mannequin, dressed in a bright blue Loomstate BLANK tee and our La Paloma jumper may be the most stylish gardener we know!

BLANKS are available now at Barneys and Loomstate!


----- VS


The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is this Thursday! Nicole Mackinlay-Hahn directed this PSA for Christie's Green Auction at a rooftop greenhouse (that's what we've been up to) taking place on Earth Day. See what bids to save the earth we're making. What's your bid?

----- VS

thank the folks who showed up in droves to help celebrate the Earth in the most mind-blowing, cataclysmic and transformative way!
Special thanks to our Loomstate family, Spoke Visuals, Hisham Akira Bharoocha, Good Units, Pamela Love, Chris Taylor and our drummers:
Kid Millions (ONEIDA)
Butchy Fuego (PIT ER PAT / ASKA)
Benjamin Vida (SOFT CIRCLE)
Robert AA Lowe (LICHENS) and...
Adam Autry / Adam Marnie / Alexandra Drewchin / Aron Wahl / Aska Matsumiya / Chris Millstein / Chris Puidokas / Christopher Powell / Daniel D'Errico / David Aron / Erin Weckerle / Greg Fox / Hira Lesea / Ian Vanek / Jaiko Suzuki / Jim Sykes / John Fahey / Josh Bonati / Joseph Parker Noll / Josh Bonati / Julian Bennett Holmes / Kelie Bowman / Matt Marlin / Michael Colin / Michael Evans / Mike Skinner / Mindy Abovitz / Nader Thalji / Parker Kindred / Pete Vogl / Shahin Motia / Sondra Sun-Odeon / Speck Brown / Stuart Argabright / Tim DeWitt / Tom Peyton / Tommy Rouse / Torbitt Schwartz

Above: Pre-performance Drummer Powwow

----- CM


One of many awesome drum sets.

Measuring parts for the pyramid...
Canvassing the tip of the pyramid...
Super secret meeting... Drummers only!
Getting organized at the rehearsal.

If you want more ideas on what to expect tonight, check out the Style.com Q&A with Loomstate co-founders Rogan and Scott, jewelry designer Pamela Love, and drum leader Hisham Bharooka on putting together tonight's event and inspiring you to "try on a new state of mind".

See you tonight!

If the thought of a 20ft tall pyramid, interactive projections, and 40 drummers didn't get you pumped up for the Loomstate Earth Day celebration tomorrow night, then maybe the sight of these drums will. The drums (& drummers) were gathered at the venue this afternoon for a rehearsal. 

Here's who will be performing tomorrow night:

Led By Hisham Akira Bharoocha (SOFT CIRCLE)
with Kid Millions (ONEIDA) 
Butchy Fuego (PIT ER PAT / ASKA)
Benjamin Vida (SOFT CIRCLE)
Robert AA Lowe (LICHENS) and...
Adam Autry / Adam Marnie / Alexandra Drewchin / Aron Wahl / Aska Matsumiya / Chris Millstein / Chris Puidokas / Christopher Powell / Daniel D'Errico / David Aron / Erin Weckerle / Greg Fox / Hira Lesea / Ian Vanek / Jim Sykes / John Fahey / John Colpitts / Joseph Parker Noll / Josh Bonati / Julian Bennett Holmes / Kelie Bowman / Matt Marlin / Michael Colin / Michael Evans / Mike Skinner / Mindy Abovitz / Nader Thalji / Parker Kindred / Pete Vogel / Shahin Motia / Sondra Sun-Odeon / Speck Brown / Stuart Argabright / Tim DeWitt / Tom Peyton / Tommy Rouse / Torbitt Schwartz

And last, but not least, Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear will be spinning!

RSVP to rsvp@loomstate.org and get there early!
 Image by Melanie Dunea via The Huffington Post.

Elizabeth Meltz, the Director of Food Safety and Sustainability at the Batali/Bastianich Hospitality Group, wrote an article for The Huffington Post on how they have implemented green measures at Batali's restaurants. From growing vegetables in-house on the "living wall", pictured below, and full scale recycling and composting programs, to developing close relationships with local farmers and using water-efficient taps and banning water bottles, Meltz has demonstrated how restaurants can take a step towards being a greener business. The efforts of a large group of restaurants can make quite a difference in reducing our footprint on the environment. Just imagine what a large group of individuals can do!

The "Living Wall". Image from The Huffington Post.

Coachella is quickly approaching this weekend, and if you're one of the lucky ones who have attended in the past, you would know how much trash such a giant music festival generates. Global Inheritance, the group behind Coachella's sustainability program, has made trash fun this year! They've asked a slew of artists to redesign recycling bins and mini bins to breathe some life into those otherwise dull, boring cans, and to draw attention to the importance of recycling.

Global Inheritance is also behind CARPOOLCHELLA (carpool with friends and possibly win a lifetime of Coachella tickets!) and Energy FACTory's Sweatshop Mixer, where your friends power your turntables while you spin and you may win some Loomstate gear!
 

We posted a photo on Facebook a while ago, but here are more sneak peeks into what we've been up to. Loomstate, along with several friends, spent a few beautiful afternoons at a rooftop greenhouse space filled with fresh plants and vegetables. We can't yet reveal what we're working on, but we can tell you it involves friends, Loomstate x Barneys NY tees, green tomatoes, and a permanent marker! 


- VS
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