Just four days ago in Philadelphia, it was 30 degrees outside. Completely appropriate for January, but I really felt—through violent, you’re-an-idiot-for-wearing-a-light-jacket shivering—that I was getting the last laugh. I was heading to sunny Orlando!
Yeah. It might have been sunny, but it was far from warm, as anyone who attended the ASI Orlando show can attest.
And now, here I am, back in Philadelphia. It’s still January. Only this time, it’s 62 degrees outside. And to paraphrase words of my coworker Ethan Boldt (editor of a sister publication at our company), it’s the first time in a long while that people aren’t necessarily celebrating the unseasonably warm weather. It’s just plain weird—we all know it.
I am really hesitant to call the green movement a “trend.” Trends, by their very nature, are meant to die out eventually, and there’s never been a fad that I want to see go the distance more (except for maybe slap bracelets). So, as I write the organics article for our February “Go Green” issue, it’s heartening to see many companies adopting new, earth-friendly policies and fabrics. It matters little if you’re doing it because you believe it’s the right thing to do or because you’re simply doing what’s best for your business in the current climate, really. If you’re doing your part, regardless of the reason, that’s enough.
But “sustainability,” “pesticide-free,” “organic”—for those of you who only recently became concerned with these terms out of the fear that you would need to buy SPF 5,000 for your grandkids, it can be pretty confusing. I’m compiling a glossary of terms for my February piece, so I thought I’d throw a few thoughts out there for some lively discussion. Or maybe we’ll shoot for just one comment, whatever.
What mystifies you about all this “green” stuff?
Or, on the other hand, perhaps you’re really up on all this. If so, feel free to shine some of your enlightenment over this way.
Christen
