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The Green Room: A Small Town Store with a Big Idea
February 24, 2010 by admin
Another inspiring innovation comes to us from Courtenay BC, where eco-conscious entrepreneurs Rebecca Wood and Cortney Upham run The Green Room, the humble city’s first all environmentally-friendly housewares and gift store. With organic bath and body products, non-toxic cleaning products, locally made giftware, reclaimed jewelry, recycled glassware and of course, bamboo towels and baby products, The Green Room certainly covers all bases when it comes to customer convenience and the source for all things green.
Having the chance to speak with Rebecca, it was no surprise to learn that both she and Cortney hopped on the eco-bandwagon early. “We were both starting to change our lifestyles by biking to work etc. in hopes of moving towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle.” What inspired this change? Knowledge. Suddenly becoming aware of the incredible use of pesticides, the chemical production of cotton and other day-to-day products provided a jarring paradigm shift. “We just felt more at ease using earth-friendly and locally made products and especially knowing where things came from.”
Not being a big online shopper but noticing that the only source for eco-friendly purchasing was online, the duo got to work researching how best to meet the needs of the Courtenay community in an environmentally-friendly way. Like any business fighting the good fight, Rebecca and Cortney definitely faced their share of challenges at first. “There are a lot of limitations when you’re looking for products completely eco-friendly produced. Even within bamboo there are often complications with the processing.” Finally, on September 29th 2008, The Green Room opened.
The Green Room has created a very positive response so far, Rebecca tells me. Customers have even suggested or requested green products for the store to carry and the number of returning customers continues to increase. Getting costumers educated and spreading the word is their most important mandate says Rebecca, and it is also an effective means of marketing. “If we can get the customers educated and confident about the product, the trend will hopefully stick in Courtenay.”
Although, even with the positive responses The Green Room still faces challenges unique to its location. Rebecca observes that “people tend not to spend much on shopping in Courtenay. Consumerism or materialism is not an issue, it’s just not the lifestyle.” Moreover, the business faces less traffic due to its location just off the beaten main street path. However, being situated close to a bustling coffee shop, beautiful courtyard and busy market selling local BC products certainly helps The Green Room generate attention.
The Green Room’s story certainly acts as an inspiration to anyone looking to change the world starting with their own backyard. As a model for all small businesses, Rebecca and Cortney’s eco-friendly mandate is admirable not only for the products they offer but the for education they provide their customers.
A FREE event worth the world to attend in Vancouver
February 23, 2010 by admin
Green Glamour, a benefit for Sustainable Living
**Happening this Thursday, Feb. 25!!!**
FREE ADMISSION
HUNDREDS OF $$$DOLLARS in products and services being offered for just loonies and toonies, with all proceeds being donated to the Stanley Park Ecological Society.
This event needs your RSVP! http://shoo-foo.com/en/ february-event-rsvp/
Eco-friendly businesses in your neighbourhood have joined forces to bring you Green Glamour, A benefit event for sustainable living with free admission, pampering services, food, drinks and eco-friendly door prizes! The event hopes to celebrate sustainable living within our beautiful city of Vancouver, right at the heart of an international event like the Olympics.
For just loonies and toonies you are invited to get:
A manicure (By She to Shic),
An acupuncture facial (By SKN),
A massage (by Footprints Healing Arts)
Your makeup done (by Arbonne)
…AND be photographed by a professional photographer (PhotoArt by Simpson)
PLUS!!!
Listen to music by Vancouver soul musician Racquel Villagante and The Autumn Portrait
Drink coffee by Doi Chang
Eat chocolate from Cocoa Nymph
Try samples from Trillium Soaps and Candles
Win a door prizes from:
And more to come!
This event needs your RSVP! http://shoo-foo.com/en/ february-event-rsvp/
*ALL PROCEEDS OF THE EVENT WILL GO TOWARDS THE STANLEY PARK ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY.*
Time and place: The event will take place on February 25 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Jacana Art Gallery which is graciously donating their venue for this ‘green’ evening. Address is 2435 Granville Street, Vancouver BC. View the invite here: http://shoo-foo.com/en/green-glamour/
Thanks to the many generous doners who will be offering their services and resources free of charge to help promote sustainable living in our beautiful city!
Please forward this message to those who would like to hear about this event!
Forest Fortitude: Preserving Our Best Defences with Bamboo
February 17, 2010 by admin
As many of us learned in grade school, forests and trees hold an unparalleled importance to all living things. They work to regulate carbon dioxide in the air, providing the oxygen balance essential for the survival of both ourselves and the earth we live on. And, as many of us learned from Al Gore in an Inconvenient Truth, mass pollution and deforestation causing global warming (a build up of carbon dioxide emissions in the air) is threatening that balance.
Forests are one of our best weapons against global warming. They convert carbon dioxide, which is responsible for global warming, to oxygen, which is necessary for life. And bamboo forests do it better than the alternatives. Bamboo produces 35 per cent more oxygen than a similar-sized group of trees. Many advocate the use of bamboo for this exact reason.
Bamboo is also a good weapon against deforestation. Deforestation occurs when a substantial amount of forest is permanently destroyed and cleared. The result is damage to land quality, the water cycle, and, as we’ve already addressed, this planet’s climate.
Luckily, bamboo doesn’t need to be replanted. You cut it and it comes back by itself. Its roots stay in the ground and maintain the stability of the soil. No erosion occurs. And the whole plant grows back way faster than other wood sources. In fact, most bamboo stalks will grow back in 59 days and mature within seven years. Meanwhile, a hardwood forest takes up to 50 years to grow back.
Consider looking up other ways to help protect our planet’s forests, like using bamboo or gas burning stoves and fireplaces in place of wood. Join a group that replants trees or even start one yourself. Ultimately, we need our forests. They are as necessary as they are beautiful.
Shoo-Foo releases special ‘Vancouver’ souvenir bamboo gym towels
February 10, 2010 by admin
Vancouver Souvenir Bamboo Towels by Shoo-Foo
The towels are a great addition to retailers already carrying the Shoo-Foo brand of products as a special order to accommodate the influx of tourists that will be in the country during February. Wholesale orders can be made immediately, come in groups of four and each roll is still wrapped with the signature Shoo-Foo ribbon, keeping the product eco-friendly and free of excess packaging – one of the operating principles of Shoo-Foo. Singles can be purchased at retail price through the Shoo-Foo e-boutique at www.shoo-foo.com.
Vancouver towel souvenirs are expected to be popular not only during the Olympics, but all year round in the internationally-minded city of Vancouver, which receives about 8 million visitors each year.
Wholesalers click here to order Vancouver souvenir bamboo gym towels.
Shoots in my Soup
February 10, 2010 by admin
Any great cook will tell you that just as bamboo can be a useful, luxurious and healthy part of house and home, it can also be a tasty addition to many meals. In fact, you may not be surprised to find that many South Asian food fans swear by it!
As Asian cuisine continues to grow at an almost exponential rate in popularity (think high-end restaurants like Nobu, prevalent chains like PF Chang’s or popular shows like Iron Chef America and Japan) the availability of Asian ingredients also grows. No longer limited strictly to Asian supermarkets, bamboo shoots can now be found in your local supermarket’s canned vegetable or “ethnic” food section. And you will find variety as well. They also come in various sliced forms. They can be bought canned or fresh, whatever best suits your need.
Not unlike celery or radishes, bamboo’s relatively bland taste but crunchy and bristly texture allows it to be cooked into a variety of dishes, from broths to stir-frys to curries.
No matter how you slice it—bamboo shoots, that is—you will find a multitude of lovely dishes that beg for a bamboo ingredient.
She to Shic: Saving the World Without Breaking a Nail
February 3, 2010 by admin
The first of its kind in Vancouver, the new She to Shic Beauty Lounge promotes total eco-friendly aesthetic services. Located in the trendy Kerrisdale neighbourhood, this new beauty boutique cuts no corners when it comes to comfort, cleanliness and concept. We had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the owner and innovator behind She to Shic, Erin Shum and were surprised to find just how unique this business is.
The concept of a completely organic beauty lounge was born out memorable experiences familiar to many of us – accompanying our mothers (or daughters) to the salon. Over time, both Erin and her mom noticed that many of the salons they frequented weren’t particularly clean or comfortable, and those that were, certainly came at a price. Wanting to preserve the familial bonding they cherished so much but not wanting to sacrifice standards, Erin and her mother created She to Shic.
Previous to She to Shic, Erin spent much of her time working with special needs children during the year. She noticed how little time parents had to relax and treat themselves to some much deserved pampering. Offering hair, nail, eyelash and make-up services all in one place, Erin sees She to Shic as an ideal space for social connections. In fact, the boutique was designed with this in mind, mobile chairs allow guests to easily partake in “Everything I used to do growing up: prom pampering, birthday parties, and sorority functions.”
Moreover, her work with Autism also prompted Erin to question what it is that “gets into our system. With so many chemicals out there, it must be something in our environment.” Hoping to minimize our intake of synthetic chemicals, Erin began the research process for eco-friendly products. After a lot of hard work and the help of close friends, Erin created what is now She to Shic. Based on the salon’s impeccable cleanliness, modern aesthetic and pristine, mosaic walls, one would never have guessed this all happened in just three short weeks.
Erin tells me that although the response has been positive, many people still find it difficult to change or are not convinced by natural ingredients. “I want people to understand that they don’t have to spend more money or sacrifice quality or convenience to lead a cleaner more natural lifestyle. People think just because something is organic it won’t last as long.”
Indeed, She to Shic does not skimp on quality or variety you would find in any other high-end salon. Her nail polishes, for example, are long-lasting, vegan and phemaldehyde-free and come in every shade imaginable. “If you’re going to get a manicure or a pedicure, you might as well get something that’s good for you or else what is the point?” Those are inspiring words to ponder spoken by a true green-beauty thinker!
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