"I'm also really interested in living a simple, natural life. Maybe being a sheep farmer and producing [my] own textiles off in the woods somewhere. So, we'll see... I might end up there in a few years."
- Shalom Harlow to Tonne Goodman:
Model citizen Shalom sits down (on the floor) with Domino and generously offers indispensable earth-friendly advice. So get your bamboo notebooks handy and take note!
You moved to Manhattan from Ontario. Has it been hard being eco in the Big Apple? You don't have to live in the country and grow your own food to be green. I discovered there are lots of things about a big city that are really green: population density, fewer cars and more mass transit (meaning less carbon emissions). But initially, I longed for more outdoor spaces.Any of your country ways translate to city living?
I've recently started composting in my apartment, which is quite an adventure. There's a Japanese system called the Bokashi (scdworld.com). You cut up your table scraps and add a special mixture that speeds the breakdown process. Compost makes houseplants very happy.What's in your closet?
Anna Cohen's edgy organic fiber separates. Crisp pieces from Noir. Linda Loudermilk jeans and baby-doll dresses. Yummy cashmere from Stuart + Brown, all made by Mongolians living in their traditional way.Paper or plastic—or neither?
Paper, if I've forgotten to bring my own bag. I have a grocery tote that's made from recycled rice bags (geckotraders.com).What are some small changes we could make?
Two easy things: Switch to CFLs, which use about 25 percent of the energy of an incandescent lightbulb; and if you're going to take home a doggy bag, ask for the food to be wrapped in tinfoil, which you can reuse. And, of course, buy local whenever possible. Remember, when you order online, it's not free shipping for the planet!Ideal green date?
An afternoon at Storm King, a sculpture museum in the Hudson Valley, and a meal at nearby Blue Hill at Stone Barns, which has a working farm). Of course, we'd drive there in a hybrid....Would you date a guy who owns a Hummer?
I don't want to discriminate, but I can't imagine being attracted to someone with those values.How do you avoid seeming preachy?
Nobody responds to being made to feel judged—I know I'd get defensive. It's about bringing awareness to topics someone hasn't considered. When my boyfriend and I started dating, he would buy two things at the deli and bring them home in a plastic bag. One day, I said, "Maybe you don't want to take the bag?" Just a little adapting can mean less plastic in a landfill.Fave cleaning product?
Citra-Solv is a natural, nontoxic Mr. Clean. It's that good! And it smells delicious.What websites do you have bookmarked?
idealbite.com They have a newsletter that focuses on one thing each day—today it was recycled card companies. It's always smart, savvy and upbeat.
treehugger.com Of course. vivavi.com Great source for green furniture. The Signature 1.0 bamboo console is beautiful.
click: to read the full Domino article
**Bonus Bunny Love:
In the May issue of Elle U.S., ecological phenom Shalom Harlow dazzles atop the rocky seas sporting gorgeous graphic prints, voluminous layers and sustainable fabrics:
bunny BISOUS
oxo jf
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