Fashion & Beauty

Photo credit: Bluefly

Leanne Marshall, Project Runway's Season 5 winner, presented a sneak peek of her long-anticipated sustainable collection for Bluefly.com on Tuesday.

Available exclusively at the online retailer starting July 8, the nine-piece collection comprises a tank and a tunic in two colorways, a skirt, jacket, and three different takes on the dress, including a smoldering off-the-shoulder fuchsia number and an ultramarine duchess-silk-and-organza confection.

Food & Health

Hmmm, the smoky flavor of carcinogens give PAHs for thought. Photo via Flickr by brandi666

Stand out of the line of fire of smoky fumes. Sure, that's the first defense. But what about the dangers of grilled dogs, ribs, and salmon? I've long heard tales of how a charcoal grilled burger is the equivalent of a carton of cigarettes. So when flipping through Cure magazine at my acupuncturist’s office, I discovered an article from Lena Huang about “Good Grilling” with easy steps to reduce risk. If there’s 225,000 metric tons of CO2, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and other VOCs spewing into the atmosphere from 60 million BBQs across the country this holiday weekend, how about waving a flag this 4th of July over the carcinogens you eat?

Business & Politics

Outer-hallway meeting room, with privacy glass, allowing natural light penetration.
SAP, USA, newly constructed LEED "Platinum" headquarters building.

I recently had a chance to speak with representatives of the global business software company SAP, as well get a tour of the firm's nearly completed LEED Platinum US Headquarters building in Newtown Square Pennsylvania. The result, written as a composite interview, is a profile of SAP's global sustainability strategy, punctuated with a photographic tour of the new building.

There was a discussion of sustainability strategy with Scott Bolick, Vice President, SAP Sustainability, in Palo Alto, CA, USA; a tour and talk with Brian Barrett, building Manager, SAP, Newtown Square; and, finally a discussion with Bill McDermott, President of Global Field Operations, SAP AG, and member of the SAP Executive Board, and other members of his staff. Shall we begin?

Fashion & Beauty

Photo credit: Cheap Chic Weddings

Major, major kudos to Ann Kagawa Lee of Honolulu, Hawaii, winner of Cheap Chic Wedding's annual toilet-paper wedding dress contest, who made this mind-boggling matrimonial ensemble out of bathroom tissue—a textile fit for a recession!—tape, glue, and a breathtaking amount of commitment.

Lee's stunningly detailed creation, which has drawn comparisons to an Oscar de la Renta couture gown, according to the Web site, was inspired by a potent combo of Gone With the Wind and Japanese origami.

Fashion & Beauty

Photo credit: Fashion Fights Poverty

Mark your calendars: One of the largest fashion fundraisers in our nation's capital, Fashion Fights Poverty, will be hosting Washington, D.C.'s first fashion swap on July 18.

Bring in your gently used togs to be consigned, traded for "new to you" pieces, or donated to D.C.'s Covenant House, an organization that offers shelter, protection, food, clothing, counseling, and job training to disadvantaged youth. Details below.

Cars & Transportation

Photo courtesy of EcoFriend

Car designer Harsha Vardhan suggests that this two-wheeler concept is the car of the future.

His Transporter TW (Twin Wheel) is a single-seater electric vehicle that uses magnetic fields for driving the car. The two gianormous wheels, suspended over a superconducting fluid, are propelled by those shifting magnetic fields. Thus the power generation, and motion of the car, is a nice noiseless and smooth ride.

Cars & Transportation

Photo: Flickr, CC

This is a Big Deal
A Californian regulation mandating that all ocean-going vessels within 24 miles of the state's coast must use cleaner burning low-sulfur diesel fuel is now in effect. This will have a big impact on air quality (big cargo ships have terrible emissions, and we too often overlook them and focus on cars & trucks), reducing smog and saving an estimated 3,600 people from premature deaths between 2009 and 2015. "The requirement, adopted in 2008, will annually affect nearly 2,000 ocean-going vessels, both U.S. flagged and foreign-flagged, visiting California." Read on for more details.

Fashion & Beauty

Photo credit: Edun

This week saw the launch of a sustainable collaboration between YOOX.com, an online fashion and design boutique, and EDUN LIVE, an offshoot of EDUN that specializes in T-shirts. Dubbed "ever.green," the series of limited-edition, 100 percent organic cotton tees for men and women will capitalize on the star power of its celeb guest designers to garner sales, the proceeds of which will go directly into Green Cross International's coffers.