Not Plastic Project

It wasn’t hard for INDIGOBaby supermoms Denise and Monica to realize that they would do whatever it took to raise their sons their way. It meant that they would have to give up certain things and venture out into a new phase in their lives.  Wanting only the best for their children, they ended up conceptualizing and developing their own line of all-natural, baby-friendly products.

Both “yummy mummies”, as they are known, are staunch believers in attachment parenting – which means that one or both parents should spend as much time as they can with their children. “If they can be with their children especially during their formative years, that would be great! If not, maybe the mom can work out a part-time work schedule so she can spend more time at home with her children,” shares Monica.

While Denise says she is not completely stay-at-home anymore, she makes it a point to bring her son along with her as much as she can. The time factor was among the obstacles our yummy mummies encountered when they first began INDIGOBaby.

Challenges, Triumphs and Tips for Moms who want to do the same

Starting a business is always time-consuming and will have its fair share of stress. And yet, these ladies are able to balance their time because of their passion for both family and their company.

You might have heard of the saying that you should “Do what you love, and love what you do.” These moms are testament to that. Monica says, “Find something you are passionate about and just GO FOR IT! Most of the time, our fears hold us back from doing what we most want to do-which is to be closest to the ones we love!!!”

Denise shares, “If mums or anyone can handle it, JUMP and do it. Some people are so comfortable with the whole office routine that they stick to doing things that don’t really make them happy. If you can afford it, do it. I would never go back to the corporate world, to having a 9-5 schedule. Being an entrepreneur has taught me that I can do so much with my time. Trade off is money initially, but if you hit it big, hats off!”

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Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress. (Thomas A. Edison)

Perhaps unbeknownst to many, there exists in Manila a wonderful opportunity called “The Recyclables Fair”, spearheaded by Barangay Magallanes in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources (DENR), Ayala Property Management, Inc. and the Makati DES Office for Solid Waste Management. The fair happens every first Friday of the month and had its first run last March. Since then, participants from all over the metro have joined this event in an effort to help save the environment.

Image from blissfulcow.multiply.com

At this fair, you can buy, sell or trade recyclable items such as batteries, old air-condtioners and T.V. sets, paper and used cellular phones.

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Hello again from the Bay Area! I recently had the opportunity to volunteer for a really cool event called the Green Festival. It is a 5-year old movement that snakes throughout the US every year, landing in Chicago, Washington and Seattle apart from San Francisco. It runs for three days and features speakers (such as Deepak Chopra), demonstrations, how-to workshops, movies and over 400 exhibitors and vendors that hawk everything from natural and/or organic oils to solar flashlights (which were sold out) to natural deodorant. Okay, lets not talk about the natural deodorant area. *shudder* (I think in this case, sometimes chemicals can do a society good. But that’s just me.)My main responsibility was to handle the exhibitors and I had the opportunity to speak with some of them about what they do. We had organizations that dealt with acupuncture and massage, to educational institutions, to eco-friendly baby food. I was most excited about the electronic scooter because personally, I am all for any means of transportation that is zero emission.My favorite thing about this event was that there were recycling stations all over the exhibit hall and people understood the “Leave No Trace” policy. But apart from that, the Green Festival is really a partnership between Global Exchange and Co-op America. Global Exchange believes in valuing the rights of the worker while caring for the environment at the same time. They call it “people centered globalization”.

Global Exchange envisions an alternative economics of quality centered upon protecting international human rights to ensure that the cost of globalization does not come at the expense of us all.

Co-op America on the other hand, is a non-profit organization that helps empower individuals through its programs on fair trade, green businesses, green energy and the like. These two organizations put together the Green Festival project.What I really appreciated about this whole event was that there was a variety of people there - I saw the usual bohemians with their dreadlocks and trinkets, saw young couples pushing strollers, business types in suits and the random quirky artist (this IS San Francisco after all). It tells me that environmental awareness is for everyone, and the stigma of being called a radical activist or a tree-hugging hippie is gone. Maybe we have Al Gore to thank for that, but just the same, more awareness means a brighter, greener future for all of us.Here’s hoping Manila will have its own version one day! (CE)

*Here are some photos we took during the event…Boy, were we in heaven (again, not in the packed areas where we’re so sure these eco-smart people used natural deodorants, that is if they ever used some)– with all the organic food/snack/drink and organic and/or natural skin care freebies; all the brilliant eco-friendly devices; magazines printed on recycled papers and a whole lot more, what’s not to love? It was a dream that we, the Edgy Ecology girls, want to happen in Manila. Also, based on the event’s attendance, it was heart-warming to know how more and more people are getting to be more environmentally aware. Yay to that! (JDC)

After investing in months and months of sleepless nights, anxiety and expensive tickets to fly back home to Manila, we at EdgyEcology, Inc., found ourselves partying to the astounding samba beats of Brigada while filling our tummies with enticing appetizers and dessert at the Archaeology wing at Power Plant Mall.

The occasion?

We finally launched our maiden venture –the Not Plastic Project — at the Archaeology wing of the Power Plant Mall last July 25, 2007.

It all stemmed from our first goal of coming up with reusable bags that consumers will want to purchase, not only because they’re “so now” or “in” but because they’re practical yet stylish enough for them to sustain the habit of being ecologically smart, which could actually save the environment from what could be one of the biggest causes of global disasters (the use and misuse of plastic bags). And as we finally produced a few pieces of our bags, Irene Pineda of Irene’s Closet and the Power Plant staff supported the cause by selling them giving us the proper launch. The Power Plant group also wanted to show that Archaeology, a wing that has gathered independent and one-of-a-kind designers, is not just a mecca for the fashion forward, but a group that does its part to be pro-environment as well (hooray for them!).

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