environment

Last week we reported on the host of international celebrities, creative icons, industry leaders and conservationists joining together with famed auction house Christie's to support the 2011 Green Auction, a momentous live event and companion online auction raising funds and awareness for the preservation and sustainability of the planet.

Christie's has partnered with luxury charity auction site charitybuzz.com to put more than 200 coveted auction packages online from now through April 7 to raise funds for Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Conservation International and the Central Park Conservancy. Supporters can make a Bid to Save the Earth at www.charitybuzz.com/BidtoSavetheEarth.

A companion invite-only event and live fantasy auction hosted by Seth Meyers will be held at Christie's New York on March 29 in partnership with Vogue's Runway to Green. The event will feature a fashion show sponsored by Tiffany & Co. on the night of the live auction, with designer collection selections available online through Net-A-Porter.com.

In part one of our report on the incredible experiences on offer, we focused on the big ticket items estimated at over $100,000 apiece, including a ride with Harrison Ford on his private plane. Now we're selecting some of our favorite lots across a range of expected prices (N.B.: Lagerfeld and Ducasse are being auctioned off live tonight):

A Table from the Sea's Edge from Neon Otter on Vimeo.
A large conference table and 12 chairs isn't usually considered art but A Table from the Sea's Edge by Silas Birtwistle isn't just any table. The British furniture maker and artist Silas Birtwistle created the table from driftwood gathered from Belize, Vancouver Island, Tanzania and Borneo. The exhibit, now on display at the World Museum in Liverpool, England, is meant to promote conservation of the world's seas, oceans and forests. Birtwistle gathered his wood with help from indigenous communities and the World Wildlife Fund as well as other organizations.

Some people find the very idea of an "eco-friendly superyacht" simply ridiculous. If you're willing to accept that a floating monument to conspicuous consumption can somehow be good for the environment however, you'll probably agree that it should have a decor to match. Hence the growing trend in "guilt-free" luxury furnishings designed to take the edge off all that over-spending. The latest of these is salmon skin leather (above), being touted as an environmentally-friendly, ecologically sound and cruelty-free upholstery suitable for the finest superyacht interiors. The leader in the field is a German company called Nanai, which sources the skins from fish raised on certified organic salmon farms in Ireland.

With an appearance similar to python skin, salmon hide looks convincingly like exotic leather when vegetable-tanned and dyed (and deodorized). It's light and thin, yet durable and resistant to tearing. As the skins form a by-product of the salmon industry, the fish are not specifically bred or killed for the stuff – which might keep eco-crusaders happy if they weren't opposed to salmon farming to begin with. It remains to be seen whether oligarchs like Roman Abramovich will send their superyachts back to have their stingray and alligator upholstery swapped for salmon skin. Cue the cracks about "something fishy" but don't hold your breath.

A number of American artists and writers have contributed to Lives of the Hudson, a compelling new book on the artistic, literary, and environmental history of the Hudson River from Prestel. The site of stunning historic estates like Astor Courts and Marienruh, the river is much more than mere scenery. The companion volume to an exhibition of the same name staged at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, the book explores the river's complex history via sections entitled The Natural River, The Imagined River, The Human River, and The Working River. Along with important works by famed Hudson River School painters such as Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Cole, the book features literary contributions from the likes of Rick Moody, Carolyn Forche, Philip Lopate and others. Cultural artifacts provide a fascinating background of the river's many lives while contemporary artwork asks us to "reconsider our use of the river and our relationship with nature and history."

PACT is back with a new print. The underwear designed to cover your ass while saving it from pollution and other environmental mayhem is out with a new look ... thanks to a little help from Yves Behar and artist Sage Vaughn. Three new prints are coming out, each aligned with a new cause.

Behar designed two of the new prints, which include shells and scales. Ten percent of the sales from these new undies (for men and women) will go to Oceana. The third, designed by Vaughn, is a butterfly print that will support Global Green USA.

"I love the idea of bringing a sense of joy and playfulness to philanthropy and the act of giving," said Vaughn. "Like a tattoo in an unseen place, the intimacy of underwear creates a unique relationship with the art." Before turning to the garments closest to your skin, Vaughn made a name as a painter and graffiti artist. He designed the new PACT print for his wife, Sweet P.

Jeff Denby, co-founder of PACT, says, ""We're thrilled to be working with Sage Vaughn for the Global Green print." He continues, "We're longtime admirers of his work, and his Global Green print is a stunning addition to PACT's collection of bright, bold patterns that capture the heart of the organizations they benefit."

Oceana, an international nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans, celebrated the launch of Oceana New York on Monday night with a star-studded bash at the stunning penthouse of socialite philanthropists Alexander and Brenda Schweickhardt (above, far right). A tableaux vivant of mermaids entertained guests at the event, which was sponsored by Tiffany & Co., including Sam Waterston and Sue Cohn Rockefeller (above, far left), John Varvatos and wife Joyce (above, center) Jeff Goldblum, Gina Gershon, Tommy Hilfiger and wife Dee, New York Jets tackle Damien Woody, New York Gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio, and socialtes Denise Rich, Bettina Zilkha and Jean Shafiroff. Since its founding in 2001, Oceana has achieved several major victories including protecting more than 640 million acres of ocean habitat.

To save the environment is to save your ass, and a new underwear company is making both more comfortable. PACT, which launched last month, integrates organic materials and a low-impact manufacturing, shipping and shopping process to deliver comfort and style ... but not at the expense of the rainforests and ozone layer. Premium organic is poised to become the next iteration of conspicuous luxury (if it's not there already), and hiding a PACT product under your jeans could someday supplant a Patek-clad wrist.

Well, maybe that's wishful thinking from an ol' tree-hugger, but there is no doubt that the premium associated with environmentally friendly products is already beginning to carve out its own space in the world of luxury products.

Manufactured in Turkey – from the farming of organic cotton to finished product, all within a 100-mile radius – PACT underwear requires a lower level of carbon emissions to produce, and every link in the supply chain, the company says, is certified to exceed the highest environmental standards. Where no certification exists, PACT uses social expectations as its benchmark (and not the expectations of a guy who clubs seals for sport). Packaging for shipping bags is compostable and encloses another bag, made from cloth scraps and reusable.
The company eschews filler, plastic and big cardboard boxes.

"We looked at underwear through the lens of 360º design," says Jeff Denby, PACT Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder. "Having fuseproject as an equity partner in PACT illuminates the fundamental importance of design to the PACT brand. Our collaboration is key to generating what we believe are the most innovative ideas at the intersection of business, design and sustainability."

Luxury conglomerate PPR, which is behind Gucci, Balenciega and Bottega Veneta among others, is the backer of a new movie about the planet. "Home" is a new documentary that will debut in 127 countries on June 5, World Environmental Day. The film was directed by French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand (Earth from Above) and produced by award-winning director Luc Besson (Taken, Subway, The Big Blue, Nikita, The Fifth Element), with the support of François-Henri Pinault, CEO of PPR. The film's purpose is to help change the way people see the planet and their impact on it. It was shot in high definition in 54 countries and 120 locations over 217 days and the first-time ever all aerial filming style highlights the Earth's wonders as well as its wounds. Home is narrated in English by Glenn Close and in Spanish by Salma Hayek.

PPR's support of Home has enabled this film to be free of distribution rights and it will be shown on TV, in open-air theaters, on the Internet in partnership with Youtube and Google, in theaters worldwide at a reduced rate and on DVD. In the United States, it will be broadcast on June 5th at 9:00 pm ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel and will be shown at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art and in New York City at Central Park At Cedar Hill. You can also catch it on YouTube. It well sell for $19.98 on DVD and fifteen percent of the studio's profits will go to Conservation International.

KOR ONE believes that being healthy and living a sustainable lifestyle is something that should be celebrated and displayed, not hidden or kept quiet in an aluminum water bottle. KOR ONE water vessels have a transparent design specially created to showcase the liquid inside, as well as a screwless lid design that is not only more convenient to use (no time-consuming twisting involved) but also more comfortable thanks to no threads and an ergonomic opening that's just the right size.

Plus, each bottle is color coordinated to support a specific earth-friendly cause. Sales of the Blue bottle supports Algalita Marine Research, the Green supports The Wetlands Initiative, Orange the Container Recycling Institute, and Pink sales go to Blue Planet Run. $29.95

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort – and its sister property, the Beach Resort – are making it easy to hide from the world for a few days this summer. And, I can tell you from experience, the twin Ritz properties are great places to hide. With the Spa Escape Package, you can be treated as you deserve (or, in my case, better), for a mere $259 a night ($299 at the Beach Resort).

The spa at the Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort services both Naples, FL properties. As part o this program, a stay at either hotel will get you a $200 spa credit, which includes both services and retail. You'll also pick up a $50 gift card for the properties' on-site stores.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa integrates organic and eco-friendly options to mitigate environmental impact without degrading the quality of the treatments provided. The Eco-Luxe Facial and Eco-Luxe Cocoon are conducted in the Eco-Room, which features soft materials made from organic cotton and bamboo and washed in a separate machine with fragrance-free and sulfate-free cleansers. The floor and chair are made from bamboo, and the massage table was crafted entirely from sustainable materials.

With domestic flights cheaper than ever (except when I'm flying, it seems), getting to Naples won't be painful, and JetBlue has countless flights into the area. And, the perks that come with the Spa Escape Package basically make the room free. I hit this spa last summer and might just make it an annual experience.

It couldn't be more true that in order to have a healthy world we have to have healthy children, and Healthy Child Healthy World is a non-profit organization that makes that principle their main aim by working to protect our youth from harmful environmental exposures. Working through education, laws, governmental agencies, advocacy, and spreading awareness of environmental issues this charity is a no brainer because not only are they helping kids but they're also helping the environment (something we could all be doing more of).

Over in the UK there's a new company in town called Liberty Electric Cars, and it's looking to turn the electric car industry on its head. Liberty Electric Cars has plans to take £30 million and use it to convert "tens of thousands" of luxury vehicles over to electric power. The world's first zero emission electrically powered Range Rover will be among their offerings, and depending on the model the Rovers will be priced at £95,000 - £125,000 (or about $187,000 - $246,000). Apparently the electric power technology they plan to use is cutting edge and will result in cars with more power and longer time between charges. Sounds cool but too good to be true? Guess we'll find out!

Goods for Good has a simple goal, to redistribute excess goods that sit unused in the US, to needy children in Africa. They provide much needed school supplies, clothing, and health and hygiene products to children in crisis, while at the same time reducing waste and overstock at home. Donations are received from a wide range of companies and the sorting and shipping is done by volunteers. If your company has outdated or unused inventory (office supplies, fabric, teaching or marketing tools...) that you wish to discard in an environmentally friendly way, contact this worthwhile organization today!

Plastic water bottles just aren't cool anymore, what with the environment falling apart and landfills filling up at breakneck speed. Sigg bottles have been a staple of many a "green" water drinker for years, and now in the name of fighting global warming they've gone designer. In a collaboration between Elle magazine and environmental activist Laurie David 14 designers (including names like Donna Karan, Kenneth Cole, and Stella McCartney) have each designed a Sigg bottle and put it up for auction, with the proceeds benefiting StopGlobalWarming.org.

Which one is your favorite? Mine would have to be the one by DVF, followed by a close second of Derek Lam's.


via Ecorazzi

The United States is a beautiful place, but it won't stay that way if we don't take measures to protect the natural and historic elements that make it so special. Founded in 1965, the America the Beautiful Fund encourages citizens to take initiative and make volunteer efforts to protect this country and keep it beautiful. In the last 40+ years the America the Beautiful Fund has developed over 50,000 projects in all 50 states, and as the population and environmental concerns grow the need for volunteers and financing will only get greater.