Forum for the Future

Forum for the future. 12th September 2011, New York.

Action for a Sustainable World…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/sustainable-business-event-new-york

Forum for the Future is a non for profit organisation that works with businesses and has been doing so for over 15 years.
http://www.forumforthefuture.org/
This year they collaborated with the Guardian Sustainable Business http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business
To host an expert panel discussion, Q&A and group discussions. The panel was made up of Ian Yolles Chief sustainability officer, Recyclebank; Freya Williams Senior partner, director of strategy, Ogilvy Earth; Sally Uren Deputy chief executive, Forum for the Future and Jeffrey Hollender Co-Founder Seventh Generation, sustainability author and activist.

The role of brands as change agents is growing rapidly. Brands can have more power than any international organisation by sheer force of the number of people they touch. With that power comes responsibility – and the potential for brands to act as agents of transformative change.

Here are my bite size notes on the topics of the evening!

Inspired to consumed!

With a difference

After attending Juliet Schor’s talk on connected consumption I started thinking about how much I consume. In 2007 the average American shopped for 67 items of clothing, today I am not sure but am looking for the number and will get back to you but I am sure it has increased tremendously! Now that seems like a  lot to me and I am sure I don’t buy that much (I am not American but I’m guessing that Europe is not far behind). So I decided to put it to the test- to keep track of how many items of clothing I consume in a year, to be more specific I will categorise it into new, secondhand, sustainable and ethical- now I am sure that there will be some crossover there and where do you raw the line?

And hey if I’m doing that I might as well keep track of everything I buy? And how much I spend on it. Yes everything… food, going out, books, toothpaste, fabric – EVERYTHING.

CONNECTED CONSUMPTION IN A CHALLENGING AGE- A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE MORE SUSTAINABLE

Photo from http://www.bmwguggenheimlab.org/what-is-the-lab/architecture

Talk by JULIETE SCHOR


The BMW Guggenheim Lab is a mobile laboratory travelling to nine cites over six years. It will spend a few months in each city exploring issues of contemporary urban live through art, architecture, design, science, technology, education and sustainability. It aims to create new ideas and forward thinking solutions for city life.  The lab has just left New York and I am very sad to see it go, it offered a wealth of free activities and talks for the public (and had a pretty good café).

One talk in particular that was very interesting was by JULIET SCHOR, she is author of The New Economics of TRUE WEALTH, has a background in economics but a passionate interest in a sustainable and stable future.

Isolde in NYC Again!

DUMBO ART FESTIVAL 2011

http://www.kara-smith.com/

http://www.susangrahamart.com/

Isolde is back in New York… Another 3 month stint. Working full time but she is still going to find time for some really exciting sustainable (yes these two words go together very well) stuff! Starting with today at the DUMBO ARTS FESTIVAL 2011 http://dumboartsfestival.com/ 

THREAD talks to Harper Poe of US ethical textile and homewares label, Proud Mary

Isolde caught up with Harper on one of her visits to NY. Now based in South Carolina, Harper designs and runs Proud Mary and produces her fabrics in Guatemala and South Africa, from where she draws inspiration for colours and pattern.
THREAD asked her about what made her start, how it all works and the ups and downs of running your own label, check out the interview on the website

Thanks Harper, we love your work! Check out the Proud Mary collection here

Image @ Proud Mary

THREAD talks to Tara St James

THREAD met Tara St James at Estethica a few months ago and was bowled over by the style and philosophy of her New York based ethical fashion label, Study NY. So when Isolde made the move to Manhattan, hot footing it over to catch up with Tara was top of the agenda...check out their interview here.
And take a look at the new collection here
Thanks Tara!

TIME OUT NEW YORK

Friday the 22nd of April was earth day, I don’t know what was happening over in the UK, but I’m guessing that Easter Friday was bigger. In the US there seemed to be a lot going on for it, it filled the TIME OUT with ‘green advise’ and lots of events, but I’m questioning its sincerity, but maybe I’m just getting confused by a language barrier (there is a huge difference between English and American). When I spoke to Tara St James (see the STUDY NY interview on the website) she told me that there was a visible difference between London and NY in terms of its responsible designing, that the activity here is very positive and it is often about the materials themselves; this is all very important but I can’t help but think the terminology is just too positive and not serious enough and the term green wash comes to mind.