The Bridal Garden

I have recently come to the awareness that for everything you need there is a place out there that can provide you with it that is also set up to be eco-friendly, socially conscious, and overall beneficial to people and the environment!  What brought me to this realization, you ask?  Ill tell you.  It began with my search for the perfect wedding dress.

My mother recently came to visit from Arizona, and as I am recently engaged, she and I decided to spend some time in Davids Bridal.  Of course, my mother decided the first dress that I tried on was "the one", but being that this is the first and only time I will ever get married, I decided that wasn't a fair assessment.  If I'm going to do this right, I need to try on as many dresses as possible, and then decide at the end what I want.  I'm very glad that I did, because a couple weeks later, my good friend (who loves wedding shopping) sent me a link to The Bridal Garden  http://www.bridalgarden.org/ .  Just as Planet Connections Theater Festivity is New York's Premier Eco friendly and Socially Conscious Theater Festival, The Bridal Garden is New York's only Not-For-Profit bridal boutique, where you can find designer dresses for more than 75% off!  The Bridal Garden is part of the fundraising department for Sheltering Arms Children's Service, which provides education, child care and more for those in need.

First I made an appointment, and then arrived on the 21st with my maid of honor and another good friend.  We arrived on the 9th floor of 54 West 19th street at noon and were greeted by a very lovely woman who directed us to my size.  

Now, the truth is that a lot of these dresses are directly donated by the designer.  Which means that they are in stock sizes (ie size 6).  Some of them are also donated by brides who have only worn them once, and others are given to the Bridal Garden by other wedding dress stores, which need to make room for the new season's dresses.  In a boutique filled with at least 200 dresses, this fact left me with about 12 to try on.  It was kind of a relief, however, since many other places have every single dress in my size, making the process of elimination a little overwhelming.  

Although I haven't found my dress yet, I have decided that no matter where I get my dress from, The Bridal Garden will benefit from my decision.  It just goes to show you that with a little research you can find pretty much anything you are looking for from a place that will give back to society!  

If you have come across a store that gives back, please share your experiences in the comments section below!  Happy Hunting!

Introducing Joanna!

Hey Everyone!

As the Green/Charities Liaison Director, I have asked my wonderful and talented assistant, Joanna, to write for the Greener Blog!  This year we will be focusing on some cool charity stuff, like The Revlon Walk that will be happening in May, and the Charities that we are streamlining to make it easier on Planet Connection's artists to contact and communicate with them!  However, that is still in the works!  In the meantime, January is a good month to start thinking of ways to make this year the Greenest Year Ever.  In that vein, Joanna has given us some tips to start us in that direction!  Charity blogs to come, so keep your eyes peeled!

Namaste,
Erika B.

THE LIVE EARTH GLOBAL WARMING SURVIVAL HANDBOOK: 10 Easy Steps to Help Fight Global Warming: Adapted from Adventure Ecology’s Top 10 for the Planet

By Joanna B.
Charities/Green Liaison Assistant

A few years ago, I came across a book titled The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook (GWSH)
written by David De Rothschild. This book is the official companion to the Live Earth Concerts founded
by Kevin Wall. It outlines 77 essential skills to stop climate change. Here are 10 easy steps you can start
doing Today! This list can be found on page 12 of GWSH.

1. Adjust Your Climate by Two Degrees (Skill #20) pg.48
I hate the cold more than anything; however, in the winter you can find me bundled in sweats
and blankets. It does save on the energy bill.
2. Change a Light bulb (Skill #3) pg.18
Enough said! Change any incandescent bulbs (you might still have in your house/apartment) to
compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
3. Stop Appliances from Standing By (Skill #10) pg. 32
People that means your phone, computer, ipad/ipod chargers all need to be unplugged after it
is charged. Another easy way to conserve is to plug appliances, such as TV and gaming systems,
into a power strip which you can turn off when you are not using.
4. Say No to Plastic Bags (Skill #38) pg.80
Take the pledge! B.Y.O.B…and no I don’t mean beer. Bring Your Own Bag whenever you go
shopping. You can use or purchase hemp, cotton, or nylon bags, but what I suggest is checking
out www.terracycle.net. This company takes non-recyclable materials and recycles them. You
can buy a large tote made out of chip bags for around $10 (The price of 3-4 large bags of chips)
5. Shop Locally (Skill #29) pg. 62
Check out the following site for a farmer market near you.
http://www.grownyc.org/ourmarkets I want to draw attention to the At-Market Initiatives.
Some of the markets accept EBT/Food Stamps which I think is fantastic! Now fresh local
produce is more assessable for low income families instead of the cheap processed food most
rely on.
6. Bring Your Own Mug (Skills #18) pg. 44
You can save 10 cents at Starbucks if you bring your own tumbler. Plus, Starbucks, as a
company, is committed to being responsible to the environment and community.
7. Go Public (Skill #36) pg. 76
For most living in NYC, taking the train and/or bus is an everyday thing. Keep it up… or to be
even greener you could do #8.
8. Bike or Walk (Skill #35) pg. 74
This is a healthy approach to commuting. What is better than saving the environment while
getting in a good workout at the same time?
9. Say Yes to Short Showers (Skill #45) pg. 92
We all need to take a lesson from my father. First get wet and soap up your wash cloth/luffa
then turn off the water to lather with soap. Once you are sudsy, turn the water back on to rinse.
Turn the water back off while shampooing your hair. Then back on to rinse. Same thing if you
use conditioner. This could be a little strange at first but think how much water you’ll save.

10. Plant Something (Skills #28) pg. 61
Start a home garden or join a community garden. Quick! Check out http://www.grownyc.org/
ourmarkets, because community gardens fill up fast. If you don’t make it into a community
garden, start by growing a few vegetables in your back yard or on your balcony.

What are some other easy steps we can take to stop climate change?

JMB