A Sneak Peak

Shhhhhhh. Don't tell., but I'll let you in on a secret. I will put up samples of the new line of recycled mosquito netting bags that I'll be carrying. As stated in a prior posts, these will be available in silver, hunter green, copper, deep blue, and yellow.

So, and away we go:

This is called the Fellini Pannolini and Everything Else Bag for Men and Women. Long name, I know, and perhaps I'll edit. Why "Fellini?" Well, that's my little dog's name, and it rhymes with pannolini. And, what's pannolini? Well, that's Italian for diaper. The Fellini bag make for the perfect diaper bag, the perfect laptop bag, the perfect knitting bag, the perfect overnight bag, the perfect commuter bag. The uses of this great, big, waterproof, and hip bag are (almost) endless.
And, what do we have above, but the Mingus Bag for Men and Women. Ok, Mingus is my other dog and how could I name a bag for one dog over another? They would just know! Anyway, this is a flat, cross-body bag that'll come in the mosquito netting and in the woven recycled plastic bags with blue yard. Very cool. Perfect for a paperback book, you wallet, phone, iPod, and almost anything else you could need for the day. If you're someone who puts absolutely everything in a bag, sort of carrying your closet and dresser around, this bag may be a tad too small for you, but for those who want an unassuming yet very cool bag, this could be for you.
And, here we have a bag just for women: The Luna Bag. Finally, a bag with a name I don't have to explain. This half-moon shape bag is large enough for women who use their bags so not to leave a possible essential behind. Great, two-color fun, swirly stitching adorns this great zipper shoulder bag.

So, here we are. Let me know what you think, and check back in about eight weeks, when these items will be available online at Three Stone Steps.

The Blue and the Green

The following is an email I received from a good friend who I met during our days together at the Labor Relations and Resource Center at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. This email is so positive and so inspiring that I feel compelled to post it here to show that no matter how many times we feel as though we're in a never ending battle, positive change can and does occur.

I hope you enjoy, and, as always, welcome your comments.

best,
Ellen



Friends:

It is rare that I get to write to you with news of a major victory, but I wanted to take a moment to share with you this great news. And it's great for many reasons: over 16,000 exploited truck drivers at the Port of Los Angeles (the largest port in the country) will see their working conditions and pay improve as they gain long-sought employee rights; people living in the communities around the Port will start to see cleaner air as we get filthy, dilapidated trucks off the roads in favor of newer, cleaner trucks; and perhaps most importantly, we're
seeing the fruits of a multi-year campaign that has forged essential new ties between the labor & environmental communities. We've gotten beyond the tired old dichotomies of jobs versus environment to a new place where we not only support one another, but where we understand that it is the same forces (of global capital) that hamper progress for all of us.

Attached below are a few links: to some of today's press surrounding the victory, and also to our campaign website where you can read more background if you'd like to. (I should note that though yesterday was a major victory, much work remains to be done, and we will be focused on defending against the expected frivolous lawsuits and ensuring that everything is implemented properly. We will then work to make sure that the gains we'll be seeing here in Southern California are replicated at Ports around the country.)

I'd urge you: in whatever corner of this movement you find yourself, building and strengthening these ties between different groups is going to be critical as we all move forward to build a more sane, sustainable and just society.


Yours in peace and solidarity,

J


Port of Los Angeles Plan Weighs on Shippers
Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/business/careers/work/la-me-port21mar21,1,3526592.story


LA Port enacts clean air plan
Associated Press, March 20, 2008
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8VHCSLG5.htm


Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports
http://cleanandsafeports.org/
http://blog.cleanandsafeports.org/

Always after me Lucky Charms.....& some thoughts on food

As a kid in the 1970's, there was little doubt about what I wanted for breakfast, it was always Lucky Charms. Frankly, I didn't care for the sugary oat part too much, but ate them, and ate around the hearts, moons, stars, and clover marshmallows to save them for later when they would get all soft and mushy and big in the skim milk. Those were the easy days. And, whenever we approach St Patrick's day I think about Lucky Charms, with the little leprechuan, and think that they really lived up to their name as a magically delicious treat.

Of course, as I grew up I grew out of my taste for Lucky Charms. (Well, not really. Now, as an adult if I was marshmallows, I just find marshmallows, especially this time of year, when those delicious and unhealthy Peeps are so prevalent. And, just in case you are wondering, they do expand when microwaved. But, their glory is short lived, because then they just die.)

As an adult, and as an adult foodie, and as an adult foodie with a deep social conscious, it got harder. I try as hard as I can to buy local, fitting in with the new term of the late 2000's as a localvore. I try to make sure that I only bring meat and poultry into my house if it's bought from a local farm, where the animals are treated humanely. I care about the packaging of my food, and, of course, recycle absolutely everything.

I am not generally a fan of shopping at the Whole Food's of the world. I don't believe that a chain fresh/organic/quasi-local shopping can really be sustainable at a chain of WF's size. Plus, they aren't unionized, in fact, they are actively anti-union.

Anyway, I always just suspected that something was just sort of off when I saw organic and other wholesome food type products at my neighborhood mega-supermarket and at some other "organic" markets. And, I was right. Many of the big organic food companies are owned by the mega-food corporations here. For example, General Mills, the producer of my much beloved Lucky Charms, also owns Cascadian Farms, which makes organic granola and Muir Glen, maker of organic tomato products likes salsas, ketchup, and pasta sauce.

So much for finding good food from a good, local, sustainable producer.

I didn't find this my own research. I came across a great chart showing who owns organic brands. I found this online from a fairly interesting magazine called Good.

Anyway, so much food for thought, as they say.

And, speaking of thoughts, Three Stone Steps would love to hear yours.

New samples have arrived

Due to the magic of high speed travel, I have some new samples, or prototypes, if you like.

Here's a sneak peak of what's in store:

A new material. Three Stone Steps will now be carrying three items made in woven, used plastic bags. People in Phnom Penh collect these overly ubiquitous bags, and they are then provided with soap to wash them, and dry them in the sun. They are then paid for their work, and then recycled into great bags. Here's a detail that I hope just doesn't look like a great black blob:


(Ok. I'll admit it, IT does sort of look like a great black rectangle. But, please look closely! )

Other than that, these mosquito net products will be offered in colors that Three Stone Steps has previously carried:

• silver;

• copper;

• green;

• blue, and;

• yellow.

The new products have been made by Three Stone Steps in partnership with the producer in Phnom Penh, and will include:

• a women's bag, probably called The Lovely Luna Bag;

• the Fellini Pannolini & Messenger bag (and, you'll just have to wait for details on that one!)

• a man's billfold/wallet, and;

• a fantastic flat cross-body bag for men and women.

Of course, there will be more details and photos and prices, but, just wanted to give you a bit of a sneak peek preview. Please check back!

Are you going to Global Fayre? (parsley, sage, rosemary, & thyme.....)

First up in this this occasional series of taking a closer look at Three Stone Steps' retail customers is Global Fayre, located in Springfield, Missouri. You can also find Global Fayre, and befriend them even, on their myspace page.

What follows is my email interview with one of the owners, David. Should you find yourself in Springfield, please stop by!


How did you come up with the name Global Fayre?

We wanted something that would convey a number of principles/values/messages.

Fayre obviously sounds like Fair, but being English, for me it also means spread, or festival, or display.

So, we wanted to convey that our store has a feast of work from around the world.....more than shopping with a conscience (though our customers are doing that too).

How long have you been involved in fair trade? What sort of background do you have, or what event made you realize that fair trade was as important issue?

Cheri and I have been supporters of Fair Trade for a long time, in the sense of buying it when it was on offer. When our youngest baby was born (we have two girls, age 2 and 13) it opened our eyes to just how little was on offer in Springfield for people that wanted fair trade/alternative/green products. Then when Cheri was thinking about stepping back in to work, we decided that it would be great to do something together, plus we believed that there was the potential to champion Fair Trade in what is a pretty barren area (the MidWest).

My background is nearly 20 years of corporate work in Europe, mostly in strategic planning, but also in brand management, sales and marketing plus some time in finance. I've been in the US for nearly 6 years, and during that time have been a strategic consultant offering 'therapy' to small/medium sized business. I still offer that work, though Global Fayre is taking up most of my time at the moment.

Cheri moved to Springfield just after me, and has a background in wellness/corporate health, and is very much the 'green leader' of the two of us - I'm learning a lot from her.

How long has your store been open? Please tell me how you sold fair trade items before opening your store.

The store opened at the beginning of December 2007. Our route there was via a Farmers Market for the 2007 season, which gave us time to research the products, and the people, and to find out how we felt about working on this project together. Unlike most of the people I come across through CABN and Fair Trade, we did not explore online sales first. The plan is to venture in to that in the next month or so.

I used to live in KCMO. Springfield is generally thought of as a pretty conservative part of the country, how is your shop important to the part of the community that cares about fair trade and related issues?

Conservative is an understatement!

But, the sense of community responsibility is strong, principally driven from a faith perspective.

So, we have a number of clear target markets:

• Faith - (probably the most exposed to Fair Trade via Ten Thousand Villages, Greater Gift and Equal Exchange);
• Education - Springfield has 3 universities, with around 30,000 students and faculty;
  
• Geographical - we are based in the downtown area of Springfield, and are part of a steadily reviving scene there, including things like a First Friday Art Walk and other downtown cultural events. The downtown revitalisation also means an increasing number of downtown residents (mostly lofts), bringing 'locals' to the store.

A key part of our mission is to reach out to the community to educate about Fair Trade and environmental issues too. We're just started to get school parties bringing kids in to the store to learn about Fair Trade.

We also offer the store for fundraising events - such as one we are hosting next week for a volunteer who offers counselling to genocide victims in Rwanda.

So, all in all, I'm hopeful that Global Fayre can fairly quickly become a key part of the local community, at the same time introducing people here to Fair Trade on a level not seen in this part of the country before.

New Three Stone Steps Blog Feature!

Here at Three Stone Steps we had such a delightful time talking about Hoopla Traders, that we decided to focus on other retailers of Three Stone Steps' line of fashion accessories made from silk, cotton, and recycled materials.

Three Stone Steps will be working with fascinating and fun and funky boutique owners with a variety of strong commitments, including to fair trade, eco-friendly products, buying locally, or just making sure they have a welcoming shop with a strong aesthetic sense, into this blog.

I hope you enjoy this occasional feature As always, I welcome your feedback!

Harmonize Yourself!

Three Steps Steps wants to turn alert all its already alert readers to fellow Co-op America member Norma Lehmeir Hartie's great site, Harmonious Environment. Norma's background includes working as an interior designer and being an environmentalist for two decades. Her award winning book, Harmonious Environments adds these two elements together to equal a book that shows people how to create, beautiful, green, and harmonious environments. And, who doesn't want that?!?

And, that's not all! Norma has included me in her the section of her website that highlights green experts and green business owners! So, if you haven't had enough from me in this blog or the website for Three Stone Steps, you can get even more about me and my business on Harmonious Environment's website right here.

Please let me and Norma know what you think!

The Day After (and it's not what you think!)

A fantastic group of people braved the rain and getting early election results to make it to Hoopla Traders for their first ever Living Green Salon. (Really, I love that word, salon. It so conjures up images of writers, artist, intellectuals and others who make a difference.)

As mentioned in yesterday's post, I was there to talk about fair trade and women in celebration of International Women's Day. And, I was nervous. I'm not a public speaker, and I thought I'd be stumbling my way though facts and figures, and get grilled on which fair trade certification I have. Well, it didn't happen. Laurie Morin, Hoopla's owner, did a fantastic job of creating a warm, welcoming, and open space for people to share their views, ask questions, talk with one another, make connections, ask about advice for starting a fair trade business, discuss vegan views on silk and wool, and drink lovely organic red wine.

It was much more like a small cocktail party, filled with interesting and interested smart people with great values and politics. And, these Living Green Salons are monthly, so if you're in the DC area and not hitting Hoopla and the Salon you're missing something special.

It's my hope that the Hoopla "model" could make it to cities around the country. As it stands now, the Adams Morgan 'hood of DC is indeed lucky to have such a lovely boutique that holds such great programs.

I'm sure to make the trek down from the Three Stone Steps Worldwide Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland USA to continue to be inspired and amazed by the people and topics found at Hoopla's Living Green Salons.

Election Eve and Early International Women's Day

Ahhh, exciting times we live in, especially this first week of March.

Tomorrow, in early celebration of International Women's Day, I will be leading a chat that most fabulous, wonderful, stupendous boutique, Hoopla Traders, in the Adams Morgan section of DC, at 2314 18th Street NW, as part of the neighborhood's First Tuesday celebration, and Hoopla's Living Green Salon. Not only do I run out of great adjectives when describing this place, but I also am tickled by the fact that the boutique is a fellow member of Co-op America.

In keeping with the international nature of the day, I will be having a discussion regarding how fair trade has helped women in Cambodia. If I can figure out my new laptop, I will also have photos of some of the women workers.

(Just a note: although the photo above is not of women making fair trade products for Three Stone Steps' customers, or even in Cambodia, it is my absolute favorite photo of women and one of my favorites from my many travels to Vietnam. Hope you enjoy it as I do.)

Please join me if you can. If you can't and find yourself in ournationscapital, and want to shop, you honestly can't do much better than stopping at Hoopla. It really is a warm, wonderful, and special boutique, and I'm not just saying that because they carry much of Three Stone Steps' product line!

While my little chat at Hoopla will pale in comparison to the excitement of refreshing the computer over and over and over again as the election results come in from the Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island primaries and primacaucus on Tuesday night, the effect that this race has on women and the discussion its garnered in the feminist community cannot go without mention, especially in the context of International Women's Day. Who really dreamed of a primary contest that didn't include two middle-aged white men?

Honestly, I really never thought of the Democratic contest in terms of a white woman versus a black man thing, but many do, and I know that this has garnered much debate in the feminist community. I know that my late mother, who held consciousness raising and assertiveness training sessions in our paneled suburban club basement in the 70s, would be beside herself just knowing that a woman was running and actually did/does have a shot at becoming president. I know that I, too, would like to see a female president in my lifetime, although I'm unsure if it should be this female. But, I so don't want to go there now.

Anyway, if the feminist aspects of this amazing primary contest interests you, I would strongly suggest reading a blog post by the Zaftig Redhead (really, how can anyone think a blog by that name could be anything other than interesting?) called Divisive Primary Hold Potential Fallout for Women's Rights Community. And, despite my comment about just knowing that my mother would be out in force for Hillary, Zaftig Redhead's analysis doesn't just talk about the split in terms of generational differences, or first versus fifteenth wave feminism.

So, there you have it. Loads going on these days, and a few long nights waiting for results and next steps lie ahead.