The green glitterati of Los Angeles stepped into the holiday season at the recent Fred Segal Sustainable Shopping Event. Benefitting Toys for Tots, guests mingled with eco designers, authors, makeup artists and foodies alike. Sponsored by Coco Eco magazine, Love Heals jewelers, Greenbees shoes and more, the party was a sensory-laden eco fete of all things green and chic.

On arrival, guests donated a gift to Toys for Tots and continue on to hit the bar to sample libations from 360 Vodka, Eel River Brewing Company, Parduccie Wine and more. Mingling with celebrity host actress Rachel Leigh Cook and Living with Ed’s Rachelle Carson Begley, guests strolled through eco-showrooms featuring luxury eco and sustainable fashion from Linda Loudermilk and more.

Janel and Irene, the girls from Greenbees, showed off their winter lines of eco-friendly boots. Their leather kicks combine hand-made leather design and recycled tire soles that come from a time-honored Mexican craftsmanship.

Nearby, Nadine Curtis of Be Sweet took me through a day in the life of her fair trade knitters of the South African Xhosa tribe. Be Sweet is a wonderfully green line of knits, bags and more that promotes socially and environmentally friendly products to fashionable consumers. As Nadine told me, her line evokes an individual style to help support community development around the world.

The crowd kept lining up to sample the endless trays of mini-cheesecakes from Cream by Crystal. Sitting at a festive table nearby was author and eco-fashionista/chef Anna Getty, who was promoting her new book, I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas.

Tarte Cosmetics offered environmental makeovers to lucky attendees interested in eco-friendly makeup. Tarte promotes both a healthful and green agenda in its products. You can find free-radical fighting super fruits, vitamins, minerals and natural fruit and plant extracts in their products and also know that the products are 100% free of parabens, petro-chemicals, phthalates, sulfates and synthetic fragrances.

And standing by the Tarte Cosmetics center was hostess Rachel Leigh Woods, who took a moment to discuss all that is good and green with me. A star of film and TV, Woods is a longtime vegetarian who sees the green movement as more than just the cause du jour. As she told me, “Being green is so trendy these days – but people need to realize that’s a real lifestyle we can commit to.” When ask for any tips for green shopping this holiday season, she offered, “Research the stores that sell fair trade, organic. Be aware of where your money is going.”

And judging from the eco-friendly merch displayed on this cool Los Angeles wintery night, it’s not hard to take her advice!

 

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Source: The Green Living Guy© Pictures Source: Wire Images and Tamara Henry While I was in California on my The Green Living Guy book tour that some of you might had seen pictures on my facebook page, you might have seen pictures of my The Green Living Guy book tour. It was my first opportunity like that ever so rock out and get green answers. Many many thanks to my sponsors A Lot To Say, Inc. for helping me to get out to the West Coast for this book tour. The Environmental Media Association held their 20th Annual Awards Show on October 16, 2010 at the Warner Brothers studios in Los Angeles. The Green Living Guy© was there in attendance, at the Green Carpet, meeting amazing people and loving every second of it (even the constant light schvitz of rain). I sported my favorite new CHARGE t-shirt from A Lot To Say, Inc about electric cars and tux jacket (my calling card). Below is a picture of me at the Green Carpet with my buddy Tamara Henry from Tamara with Green T. One of the more enjoyable parts of the night was when a great singer, Kenny Loggins sang and the whole crowd (well mostly Table 63 and 60) sang along. Table 63, you know who you were!! Also got to sport my new CHARGE shirt from A Lot To Say, Inc. as well. Jeff Skoll (Philanthropist/Entrepreneur) who founded Take Part.com and Participant Media. I was interviewed for that website when I worked with my sponsors A Lot To Say, inc to go to the Sundance Film Festival.

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With the economic challenges of the past year, the field of entrepreneurship has expanded exponentially presenting opportunities across many market segments. The California Coast Venture Forum (www.ccvf.org) is proud to announce the 13th annual presentation from the California Coast Venture Forum, The Clean Business Investment Summit, on August 13th, 2010 at the Corwin Pavilion at the University of California, Santa Barbara touting an impressive line-up of speakers, engaging panel topics, and exciting, attractive start-ups. Participants range from BMW DesignWorks to Southern California Edison, Pacific Coast Business Times to Harrington Investments, CBIZ to Nutrition Capital Network, and more.

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