Not only is she our Ex-President’s niece, a fashion model and a designer, but Lauren Bush is the Co-Founder of FEED, a charitable organization that creates good products that literally help feed the world. For each FEED bag she sells, a measurable donation is given to support school-feeding programs for hungry children. The FEED 100 Bags provided funding for the World Food Programs’ entire school-feeding operation in Rwanda in 2008.

In addition to her huge philanthropic heart, she also just launched a new fashion brand, Lauren Pierce. Of course this savvy, socially conscious girl sources fabric, handmade by artisans around the world, as well as eco-friendly fabrics. On top of that, Lauren dedicates 10% of her profits from her clothing line to a cause that effects women in the country from which it has sourced that season’s materials.

Lauren is a reminder that with great success, wealth, fame and riches comes a great responsibility and she is on the forefront of making “contribution” the new cool. Lauren is a young women determined to make a difference, to powerfully stand for something greater than herself and to use her platform to positively impact the world and those around her.

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Roz Savage, a record-setting eco-rower, has proved that change occurs one stroke at a time. In 2005, she rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Then, in 2008, she became the first woman to row alone from California to Hawaii—the first stage of a three-leg journey geared toward raising awareness about ocean pollution.

Savage is doing this three-part adventure from California to Australia to bring attention to crises impacting the oceans. The Britain-native said it took her 99 days and 1 million strokes to make the 2008 voyage from California to Hawaii, but Savage said it takes many small steps to make a change.

“I want to be living on a comfortable and safe planet in the future,” Savage said. “I think we’ve realized we are living together on this little planet and this is all we’ve all got.”

In addition to her public speaking engagements, Savage is spreading the word about ocean pollution utilizing social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and Youtube. When she is not blogging, she is tweeting on Twitter.

In May, the five-foot-four, 120-pound adventurer will begin the second leg of her journey to become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific. Her mission: row from Hawaii to Tuvalu, 2,620 miles of vast open water.

Using hand-held cameras, Savage will document her entire voyage through what has been dubbed by marine experts as the “garage patch” of the Pacific, or the North Pacific gyre. Plastic pollution in this area outweighs plankton 30 to 1, according to the Algalita Marine Research Foundation.

“We are just trying to figure out how to get people to care.” Savage said. “If we’ve got sick and dying oceans, we’ll have sick and dying people.”

Savage needs $25,000 in total for the next trip. And with about 60 more days to find the funds, Savage is unyieldingly optimistic. To meet her financial needs, Savage is soliciting contributions from the public at www.rozsavage.com.

“The more funds we have the more we can do with our outreach.” Savage continued, “And I really believe if I’m doing the right thing for the right reason. The money will turn up.”

The data networking technology company Brocade is Savage’s main sponsor, contributing about $100,000 for the entire Pacific row. Go Pro has donated cameras, but funding is still needed for other provisions such as freeze-dried food, among other necessities. Tech-savvy volunteers are also needed to help upload Savage’s archived blogs.

Safety is something Savage will not compromise to cut costs. She knows firsthand the dangers of the sea, as her first attempt crossing the Pacific (from California to Hawaii) ended with a U.S. Coast Guard rescue. Then on her second and final attempt rowing from California to Hawaii, Savage nearly ran out of water. She was helped by fellow seafarers and hydrated enough to complete the journey.

The launch date’s looming, but Savage has not slowed down. She will speak at the Blue Planet Summit this month along with Philippe Cousteau. “To be honest, I don’t get a kick out of the rowing, but I get a kick out of helping people,” Savage said. “I really enjoy the correspondence and I love doing the motivational talking.”

Before growing her sea legs, Savage had a lifestyle most would covet: a lucrative career, a husband, and a red sports car. Jaded about her corporate life, Savage wrote two forms of her own obituary. The exercise helped her realize her potential. Savage got a divorce and became a nomad. She has been rowing ever since.

“For many many years I had dreams, but I didn’t’ think I could do them.” Savage added, “I found since I started living life this way—life has been just brilliant.”

photos courtesy of roz savage

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Nestled in a residential neighborhood of Sherman Oaks, CA is the newest community gem. Celebrating its one-year anniversary, M Street Coffee is already teeming with a devoted clientele. Even in a reclining economy, business owner Andrea McClain confides that the New Year is already off to a great start.

So what’s the secret? How did a 31-year-old harp player from Indiana manage to get it so right? First and foremost, she’ll admit it’s a commitment to a quality product. Offering organic fare, they also feature an exclusive custom roast of organic Indonesian and South American Beans, roasted in the nearby North Hollywood neighborhood. Dedicated to making incredible coffee it’s not unusual to catch even a Starbucks employee grabbing a cup before they head off to work.

But it’s something almost intangible that permeates from this tiny corner location. There’s a real community blossoming in this sunny café as the manager behind the counter chats with every customer and McClain interrupts our interview to greet a regular.

It probably has to do with McClain spending her childhood in a small town of less than 20,000 people. Realizing that community and business are inseparable, she has defined her space as being more than just a profit-turner. Like your favorite transformer that you secretly stole from your brother, this café morphs into many identities. Part art gallery, concert venue, and town hall, there’s a little something for everyone. Plus McClain isn’t afraid to give back either, offering her space for fundraisers such as children’s organizations, animal shelters, and a Save Darfur Charity art sale.

And don’t be worried; she doesn’t leave out Mother Earth. Doing her best to keep the shop eco-friendly, McClain has a strong recycling program, not to mention biodegradable cups and recycled paper sleeves.

Despite being the sole owner of M Street Coffee and performing every duty personally, including website design, book keeping, coffee brewing, and coordinating all the community events, Andrea is quick to admit, “It really takes a good team.” It takes all her employees to truly embrace what could be overlooked as a ‘simple’ vision of “Be[ing] a bright spot in someone’s day and to serve a great cup of coffee.”

Andrea McClain offers hope that small businesses can survive even as mega-corporations come crashing down all around us. It takes more than fancy business degrees and stock portfolios. By remaining true to herself and focusing her energies on promoting the things she loves instead of just the bottom line, Andrea has created an atmosphere that is both welcoming and familiar. As I look around and every table is occupied, including the patio tables outside, I guess she’s proof that “If you build it, they will come.”

Check her out at www.mstreetcoffee.com

photos courtesy of andrea mcclain

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We’ve promised to fill you in on some good green tips in ‘09 but not to overwhelm you with burying you leaf by leaf, suggestion by suggestion, fact by fact, but giving you just what you can handle. And we know you can handle more.  So here’s a quick recap before we move on.

The last suggestions:

• Use CFLs to light your way to going green…and your home.
• Sign up for paperless billing and flaunt the tech-savvy girl in you.

The new two-step for That Green Girl:

Un-Plug It!
I am again guilty of perpetually leaving my cell phone and various other electronic necessities; toaster, ipod/computer charger, blow dryer, straightener, etc., plugged in. But even when turned off or not in use, they can waste hundreds of dollars a year in energy. So when you’re not using it Un-Plug It! Using a single power strip for multiple devices is the best way to cut down on energy for idle electronics.
Eco-Fact: 60-80% of the electricity used by electronic devices is sucked out when they’re idle.

Recycle! Recycle! Recyle!
It’s a simple thing really, place another bin beside your regular trash can. Place plastic, glass and aluminum items in it…done. Look up your local recycling center; you’d be surprised how close one actually is to you. Most centers pay for your recyclables. (SWEET!) A couple of months of recycling can add up to a guilt-free shopping spree!
Eco-Fact: Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours.

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Want Nicole Richie’s smoky peepers? Or Sienna Miller’s vibrant baby blues? Then look no further and take a peek at Kitten Vixen, a new makeup line started by sisters Geraldine and Shani Shaker. This sister act has become the favorite of Hollywood’s starlets, and you can find Kitten Vixen’s “Eye Put A Spell On You” eye kits in every it-girl’s makeup bag. But the Shaker sisters don’t only have celebrity on their brains. They’ve hopped on the “Go Green” bandwagon, bringing hot new eco conscious products to the ethically concerned consumer.

Kitten Vixen is an organic and vegan makeup line made with the smart and savvy women of today in mind. The Shakers understand that women want more than just quick-fix beauty products.

“More and more women are becoming conscious of the amount of chemicals that are in everyday products. As yet, we don’t fully understand the impact that these chemicals have on us and the environment, but I think it’s fair to say that it’s not positive,” Geraldine remarks. And, while there are limits regarding certain formulas and ingredients, Kitten Vixen is constantly searching for natural alternatives to replace the chemicals found in mainstream makeup. “Our commitment with Kitten Vixen Cosmetics is to create the highest performing, cleanest color cosmetics available today,” promises Geraldine.

Okay, so we don’t have to feel guilty about using this makeup. But what exactly makes Hollywood’s hottests go crazy over these products?

“It’s the colors!” Geraldine exclaims. “The actresses and models I made up were constantly amazed at the colors I chose to put on them and at the results these colors gave them. Women have been conditioned to choose neutral and brown colors as a safety mechanism, but when chosen correctly, color acts as couture for the face. Kitten Vixen was established to demystify the cosmetic use of color. The brand is based on universal beauty colors that suit all skin tones and are appropriate for women of all ages.” So we can look fabulous and flawless without compromising our eco-friendly ways? Sounds good to us.

What also sounds good is the sisters’ sensible approach to makeup despite their years in the beauty industry. As a makeup artist, Geraldine spends all day with gorgeous women, so you would think that she would feel completely down on herself for not being a 6-foot Gisele. Au contraire.

“We need to understand that the images we see in magazines have been created by a whole team of experts under conditions that just don’t happen in real life. Even models and actresses don’t think they’re physically perfect. But the reality is that how we feel about our appearance plays a vital role in our confidence level. And I hope that Kitten Vixen helps women maximize their beauty potential without giving it a second thought,” Geraldine explains.

Kitten Vixen is makeup for the new generation of women – socially conscious yet still chock full with the fun and whimsy that makeup should have. Check it out. Your inner kitten and vixen will thank you.

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