For The Love of Elephants

Posted on January 10, 2016 by lsdiaz03

The growth of mankind is damaging nature – our numbers are growing and so is our ignorance. Instead of being grateful to Mother Nature for the gift of life itself, an incredibly large number of people is consciously deciding to neglect the very real and very dangerous facts, and to simply continue with their destructive lifestyles.

This is one of those things where you can’t go back when you realize you’re making a mistake. If we keep this up, there won’t be a planet or the resources to help us bounce back. The first step towards our redemption should be learning to cohabitate peacefully with the wildlife that has as much right to roam the planet as we do, and doing our best to help preserve Earth’s diverse fauna.

Elephants are Going Extinct

For fifteen million years elephants have walked the Earth, but their numbers have been decreasing dramatically during the past couple of centuries. This fact isn’t just alarming, it is absolutely terrifying. Every fifteen minutes an elephant dies because of continuous ivory poaching. If we don’t act together on this problem now, there won’t be any elephants left by 2025.

Being a keystone species, elephants maintain a certain order in their ecosystem. The survival of many different animals and plants depends on this species, so with the loss of elephants we will also lose an entire ecosystem.

If this happens, the developing countries which are proud to be homes of these extraordinary animals will suffer the consequences as well.

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Did you know that elephants have the very same cognitive behavior as humans? The can feel love and joy, and grieve for their losses and feel true fear.

Thanks to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, over 190 infant orphans were saved and successfully reintegrated into wild herds. This trust was founded in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick, a widely famous naturalist. This was her effort to conserve the wildlife, honor her late husband and preserve a long family tradition of protecting the environment.

It took Daphne three decades to perfect the milk formula necessary for orphaned elephants to survive and grow healthy and strong, so that they could be released back into the wild. A lifetime worth of experience has enabled Dr. Sheldrick, her family and every member of their organization to take effective actions that result in successful elephant and rhino rescue and rehabilitation.

Support This Cause & Save Our Planet

The elephant extinction would cause a chain reaction and it would have a direct effect on other animal species and mankind as well. The fact is you don’t have to move to Africa in order to help – you can make your contribution from your home, office or while you’re having a cup of coffee.

J. Crew and their “Garments for Good” campaign in collaboration with David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust enabled all of us to conveniently help this cause by getting one of their t-shirts. This nonprofit organization forwards all their funds to charity.

Participate in the Orphan’s Project

There’s another way you can make your contribution to elephant and rhino rescue and rehabilitation project – by adopting an orphaned infant and becoming their foster parent. Once you become a part of this project, you will receive a fostering certificate and a photo of your orphan via e-mail, with all their info, e.g. where they were found and the description of their habitat.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust will keep you updated about the monthly highlights of your elephant, so you’ll be able to see their photos, track their development and be included in their rehabilitation. They will also keep you posted about the latest news on fresh arrivals and basically everything that’s going on.

Building a Better Future for Mankind & Wildlife

Putting our best effort into helping with this cause is just a beginning, but also a great starting point. This is the final hour, and we’re all still able to do something to help revitalize our planet. It’s the only one we have, and every single individual on it is equally responsible for helping build a better future by contributing to good causes like this one for generations to come.

Photos by: Arlene St. Hilaire

Outfit: Zara Jeans, Sisley Coat, Zara Booties, David Sheldrick Sweatshirt at J.Crew, Rebecca Minkhoff Bag

Gifts that Give Back: For Him

Posted on December 16, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Generous & Practical: 5 Awesome Gifts He’ll Love

Finding the perfect gift for someone special is always challenging. I have several practical ideas I’m sure every man in your life would appreciate, but there’s something more to my list of gifts than just being awesome. The holidays are the perfect time to help those less fortunate, and I can show you how to combine generosity and practicality.

State Backpack

A backpack that can never go out of style is something that every man needs. This one from the State collection is extremely practical – the large number of compartments allow you to carry quite a few items in one well-organized package. It can fit a 15” laptop, and it has a convenient number of side pockets.

For every backpack sold, State delivers another to a child in need. By making this purchase you’ll not only get a quality backpack for a special man in your life, but you’re also making a child out there really happy.

David Sheldrick Wildlife Sweatshirt

One of my fave items! This sweatshirt is made out of cotton, which makes it incredibly comfy. It can also be machine-washed, so it doesn’t require any special care – I’m sure that any man would appreciate that fact.

You should also know that it has an illustration of Eddie by Hugo Guinness on it. Eddie was an orphan elephant who was saved by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, hand raised and released back into the wild. She was one of over 190 elephants that were saved by this trust. The complete net of every purchase goes directly to this cause.

Conscious Step Socks

I don’t know about you, but almost every man I know has trouble finding one whole matching pair of socks. You should introduce them to Conscious Step. My husband is obsessed and looks forward to getting them every year.

The logic behind these socks is easy. I mean why get “normal” everyday socks when you can get a fun pair that was made to help fund the world’s most important causes, like providing clean drinking water, ending famine, saving trees, fighting HIV and improving education worldwide. Conscious Step socks are quite extraordinary, don’t you think?

Feed Projects-Adventorous Kit

Men, unlike most women, somehow forget to take their essentials with them, and perhaps the reason behind it is that they don’t own their own kit. In order to help that special man in your life have a much more relaxed and convenient trip, my suggestion is to get them a practical FEED kit. The thing that makes this kit so special is the fact that making one purchase provides 15 school meals to children worldwide.

Veja-Most Ethical Sneakers

We all know that men like their sneakers and really can’t get enough of them. The company Veja is setting an example for other brands. Just to name a few of their accomplishments-Veja uses rubber from the amazon and organic cotton, they employ over 300 families and provide them with a competitive salary, and finally to cut cost for their costumers, Veja does not advertise. A few weeks ago I wrote a detailed post on this brand (yes, I’m obsessed) -please read about it here. It’s an amazing gift for everyone that likes sneakers (every man in the world, really).

Giving Tuesday 2015

Posted on December 1, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Hi Friends!

Today is “Giving Tuesday” and I know it can be overwhelming for everyone to research and try to find ways to help so I came up with a list of ideas just for you! 🙂

5 ways you can contribute to #givingtuesday!

Donate to a cause you care about-this is the simplest way to give back on this Tuesday. Haven’t thought about which one?! Check out a few of my favorite organizations (WIN, International Rescue Committee, CARE, Charity: Water, She’s the First, Pencils of Promise)
Shop at Lord&Taylor because they are matching all purchases ( up to 25,000) and donating it to Habitat for Humanity.
Have you heard of the Good Shop? Every time you shop through the Good Shop-a donation will be made to a charity of your choice (they are affiliated with over 100,000 organizations). You can shop and save with their coupons to stores ranging from Amazon to Best Buy!
If you can’t afford to give then take the day to learn about what brands are doing to have a social impact. A personal favorite of mine is Eileen Fisher-they are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! Go take a look at all there great initiatives. 🙂
Go volunteer at a local shelter or soup kitchen. Taking the day to give back and help those less fortunate is always a great idea.

Beauty That Does Good

Posted on November 28, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Origins of Alaffia

A fortunate moment that brought together Olowo-n’djo Tchala and Prairie Rose Hyde is responsible for the foundation of this company. This amazing couple worked very long in order to find a solution for creating better conditions for families in Togo.

After some time, they came up with a simple, but brilliant idea – why not use Africa’s natural gifts, share them with the rest of the world and help improve the living conditions for the citizens of Togo and beyond.

Thanks to a bit of help and support, they came up with five nurturing collections for skin and hair care. What makes these collections so unique is their coconut and shea based formulas that emphasize natural beauty and help you maintain it.

But that’s not all this couple is working on. Alaffia is so much more than another business that sells beauty products – what makes them different is their company’s policy and the principles that both of them care deeply about.

Fair Trade Policy

For starters, they respect the Fair Trade movement that enables economically disadvantaged countries to receive a greater percentage of the price which is paid by consumers. Thanks to their policy, developing countries and their citizens can improve the conditions regarding basic human rights and finally put an end to some quite serious issues, such as child labor.

Help for Mothers

Did you know that each year of 160,000 women die due to labor complications in West Africa alone? The most powerful factor for this terrible fact is poverty, and others such as inadequate infrastructure only contribute to it.

Alaffia’s Maternal Health Project is working hard to lower and eventually eliminate these rates. Up until now, they have managed to pay for over 3,500 childbirths and still working to increase those numbers.

Empowerment Project

With money that comes from their skin and hair care collection, this generous couple is doing their best to improve living conditions in Togo, but primarily in the social and educational fields. Their company hires locals, pays for their health insurance and helps them raise their family.

That kind of empowerment to each and every individual they get in touch with makes a difference with a variety issues, like gender equality. With the rest of the money at their disposal, Alaffia is also contributing to youth educational projects.

Olowo-n’djo and Prairie have made it as easy as possible for us to help them with their cause. By getting one of their natural skin or hair care products, you’ll have a positive impact on someone’s life. You can order their products online or stop by Fairway!

Change the World One Lotion at a Time

Posted on September 16, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Founded by Mark Constantine and Liz Weir, Lush has a long and storied history of trying to hit the market with unique handmade and natural cosmetics. After their campaign succeeded and they raised awareness of the benefits of using organic products, Lush started various charity campaigns and isn’t planning on stopping.

Their cosmetics include lotions, soaps, shower gels, shampoos, cleansers, moisturizer, etc. All of these products are perfect for every skin type, and because of their natural formula they are perfectly healthy for you. All the ingredients used come from organic fruit and vegetables, essential oils, and safe synthetic compounds. Moreover, Lush makes makeup and perfumes, which are made according to the highest standards, and they make it a point to ensure customers that none of their products were tested on animals, and that all of the products are made from organic ingredients.

These healthy and luxurious products are famous all over the world, however, Lush is not only famous for their organic products, but also because they believe in protecting people, animals and the planet.

Charity pots changing the world

Lush came up with Charity Pots in 2007, and decided that 100% of the each purchase would go towards funding one mission. These missions include supporting animal and human rights, as well as various save the planet causes from all over the world. Their hand and body lotions have a picture on the packaging, with the description of their mission. This way you know exactly where your money goes and what cause it supports.

Saving the environment and protecting the planet

Many solid products, such as massage bars are sold “naked”, which means without being wrapped and without any packaging at all. This way, they decrease the amount of materials sent to landfills, and if the packaging is needed, they use recycled materials, as their aim is to raise the awareness of using biodegradable, recyclable and compostable materials. They are trying to encourage customers and other companies to stop using plastic bags and start caring about the planet we live on that we depend on for resources.

Fighting animal testing

Long before Lush was even formed, the founders were fighting for animal rights and fighting to stop people testing products on animals in labs. Today, they are buying raw materials and ingredients that weren’t tested on animals, and, as they always say, they are encouraging others to purchase from these suppliers, because the first step to stopping the immoral and inhuman testing is preventing the cash flow to those companies.

Lush is one of the rare companies that are making organic products to keep its customers healthy and happy, and, at the same time, supporting many causes in order to make our world a better place. They have been involved in many charities, projects and causes, which is the reason people find Lush inspirational and see them as a family, one which shares love all around the world.

Written by: Vladimir Zivanovic

Top 5 Sustainable Wine Companies

Posted on September 12, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Sustainability is the word of our age. No matter what kind of industry you’re in or what type of business you do, this is something you need to strive towards to – either you’re going green or you’re going extinct. Economic, social and environmental elements put heavy pressure on companies to go through this transition and develop healthy standards that will be enforced from now on.

Being that wine is a luxury product, the wine industry counts on marketing to provide enough resources for maintaining successful companies that are also sustainable. On the other hand, wine comes from agriculture and it’s only natural for its production to be – well – natural. Sustainable leaders in the industry are constantly finding new ways to further develop organic production, and work on innovations when it comes to packaging, biodynamics and all other aspects of wine production.

Otherwise, wine dependent regions will suffer the consequences; if production is stagnating or contributing to the decrease in the overall quality of life on the planet, the profits will plummet. Some companies are more successful than others with this matter, and they set an example that should be followed and admired.

Ampelos Cellars

There are three different certifications that wine companies work really hard to get. The first one marks sustainability in practice, the second one is about being organic all the way, and the third one symbolizes achievements in the field of bio-dynamics. Guess who got all three of them? Ampelos Cellars are a highly socially responsible company – if you have a winery and you want to go green, they are the role model you should look up to. They completely gave up on using bottled water, and their cover crop are fava beans, sweet peas and homes for friendly insects, so they don’t disturb the ecosystem. There’s one more fact that will explain why they are the leading eco winery – they utilize solar power.

Silvertap

Here’s an interesting idea – why serve wine from bottles when you can cut down glass expenses and serve it directly from a keg? Besides, we all know that just one bottle is rarely enough, which is why getting a keg is a much better idea. Sure, this idea is quite practical, but actually applying it within the wine industry may not be the greatest move – the industry is all about sophistication, and kegs don’t really give that impression, do they? No matter the case, Silvertap still decided to go through with this project and their daring move was widely accepted and appreciated by the green community.

Alma Rosa

In order to reduce glass production, the Alma Rosa team decided to employ a standard bottle mold for all wines they make, which directly decreases the waste. Maintaining high standards when it comes to quality, but still deciding to give up a significant factor in this industry, namely aesthetics, seems like a winning combo when a wine company wants to go green. However, this is not all they did – their wineries use only green farming techniques. There’s no such thing as doing enough when it comes to environmental issues.

Frei Brothers

Their continual efforts to cut down on glass usage as much as possible really make them stand out in a sea of similar companies, but the fact their corks are made only out of tree bark is another big plus. Frei Brothers admirers might be the luckiest among all – fans who show support for their efforts to save the environment receive various gifts.

One Hope Wine

This traditional Napa Valley vineyard really cares about their home. One Hope winery has a beautiful vision to co-exist with nature around it, and save it from all possible factors that might cause damage. After all, nature is the one responsible for this delicious beverage, and this kind of gift needs to be appreciated. Their efforts to cut back on glass production and lower overall water and energy consumption are at an enviable level. Maintaining the product quality their fans are used to and still constantly introducing new eco-friendly innovations to their winery really is an example for everyone to follow. Also check out their foundation for details on how each wine you purchase gives back. One Hope Foundation at http://www.onehopefoundation.org.

There’s so much more to wine than a simple glass that embellishes your meal. Behind each bottle, there’s a journey – each wine house nurtures their well–hidden recipes, they love and nurture each grape, they make sure you’re provided with a top quality product, and they do their best to protect our planet. So, the next time you’re trying to decide between two brands, maybe you should do some research and allow the deciding factor to be whether they are eco-friendly or not. It will taste better when you know that someone devoted and caring made it.

The Best Diaper Bags

Posted on June 1, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Baby Bag #1

If you are looking to buy a diaper bag, I have two that will make new mom’s to-be happy to have them. Jessica Alba has partnered with Feed Projects to sell a diaper bag that will help supply nutrients to mom’s and children around the world. This has come to no surprise to me because over the years FEED has teamed up with great brands such as as Target, Disney, Pottery Barn, Clarins, Whole Foods Market, Gap, Tory Burch, Rachel Roy, DKNY, Links of London, Godiva and TOMS, among many others to encourage responsible consumerism.

Jessica Alba is the founder of the Honest Company. Honest Co. sells affordable toxic-free household products with a focus on baby products that are safe to bring home. Jessica has created a socially responsible business that helps meet the needs of families that want to keep harmful chemicals outside of their home without breaking the bank.

Lauren Bush Lauren is the founder of Feed. Feed is a social business whose mission is to sell products that have a measurable donation attached to it and, to date, the business has been able to provide over 87 million meals globally through the WFP and Feeding America. FEED has also supported nutrition programs around the world, providing over 3.6 million children with Vitamin A supplements through the WFP and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Impact: This Bag will support 1 mom and 1 child with micronutrients for 1 year.

Buy this bag at www.honest.com or www.feedprojects.com

BABY BAG #2

Rebecca Minkoff does it again! This time is with a stylish baby bag that gives back! This ultra-lightweight baby bag was made in partnership with Every Mother Counts, a non-profit organization dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for mothers around the world. For those who don’t know about Every Mother Counts-it was founded by Christy Turlington, a non-profit dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother. For each bag sold, Rebecca Minkoff will donate 20% of the proceeds to EMC to support its efforts to improve global maternal health and reduce maternal mortality worldwide.

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Olivia Wilde + H&M

Posted on April 14, 2015 by lsdiaz03

H&M is unveiling their new social conscious campaign with Olivia Wilde as the model. As many of you know, H&M is one of the largest buyers of organic cotton. They have made strong efforts to support and sell sustainable fashion while not sacrificing style and glamour. Each piece in the collection will be made from sustainable materials, including organic cotton, recycled polyamide and Tencel.

Olivia Wilde wasn’t picked to be the face of this campaign for her pretty face (although I am pretty sure that helped her too…hehe), she is feminist and a strong believer of smart consumerism. She is not only an actress and model but also the founder of an e-commerce company called Conscious Commerce where you can experience shopping with a purpose.

Check out my faves from the H&M’s new conscious collection and if you live in NYC pass by the pop-up shop today for a preview of the collection in time square at 5PM. Reservations can be made here: HMconscious@kcdworldwide.com .

Donate your clothes and receive 20% off and the chance to meet Olivia Wilde!

On The Scene: 2015 amfAR Hong Kong Gala

Posted on March 15, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Hello Friends:

Yesterday, The Foundation for AIDS Research held its gala in Hong Kong. Year after year this black-tie gala becomes the platform that is used to raise funds for the Foundation’s research programs and raise awareness for HIV/AIDS. The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of AIDS-related public policy. Last year, amfAR launched the “Countdown to a Cure for AIDS,” a research initiative aimed at developing the scientific basis for a cure for HIV by 2020. This means amfAR will strategically invest $100 million in cure research over the next five years. This annual red carpet event brings some of our most fabulous glitterati and last night raised 4 million dollars for AIDS research!! 🙂

Inside the 2015 amfAR Hong Kong Gala:

Singer Robert Thicke Performs at the Gala

Thinx: Change the World, One Pair At a Time

Posted on March 9, 2015 by lsdiaz03

Hi friends:

I found an underwear that could replace your tampons. Yes, you read that correctly. The company is called, Thinx and they are on a mission to change the way the world feels about menstruation. So you may be wondering how this is possible? There’s four layers of protection in these panties: one with continual moisture-wicking technology, another that contains fibers coated with silver to make it resistant to bacteria and stains, a third that’s able to collect up to six teaspoons of fluid (depending on the style you buy), and a last leak resistant layer. I tested the hip hugger style and loved it-they kept me free from leaks all day. It was such a relief to not have to wear a tampon all day.

Not only is this product innovative and cool but also philanthropic. Thinx gives women the tools to become entrepreneurs and young girls the resources to help them not miss school on days when they have their period. For every pair you buy, seven reusable menstrual AFRIpads are made available to keep adolescent women in school in Uganda. So awesome! 🙂 Read more here.

Do yourself a favor and buy a pair…you will thank me later. 🙂

Photo by: http://www.shethinx.com

Photo by Afripads.

Please, Do tell

Tag Archives: philanthropy