Photo of Dana Richardson (www.DanaMermaid.com) by Susan Knight (www.SusanKnightStudios.com)

Our oceans are the source of life on Earth. But unless we save our seas from the ever-increasing mounds of discarded pop bottles and plastic bags, there won’t be much living ocean left. Marine life is also at risk: Fish, turtles, whales, dolphins and sea birds all regularly mistake plastic for their favorite foods, and ingesting it can be fatal.

Twenty billion pounds of plastic finds its way into our oceans every year, where it accumulates in slowly rotating expanding whirlpools, driven by wind and currents, called gyres. One of the most famous, the North Pacific Gyre, stretches more than 276,000 square miles off the coast of California, and it’s now bigger than the state of Texas. In her new documentary film, Mission of Mermaids: A Love Letter to the Ocean, director Susan Rockefeller focuses on our deep connection with the world’s oceans, our destruction of marine wildlife and ecosystems, and what real-life “mermaids” (artists, activists, underwater photographers, free divers—and you!) can do to clean it up.

Bye-Bye Plastic!

Small, discarded plastic items on beaches and in oceans add up to a big problem for turtles, sea birds, fish and marine mammals. Here are a few easy alternatives that will help you get your numbers down.

Reusable Bamboo
Utensils Fork? Check. Knife? Check. Spoon? Check. Chopsticks? Yup! Keep plastic utensils out of the mouths of hungry seabirds with the To Go Ware bamboo utensil set. Comes with a holster in stylish colors with a handy carabiner clip. $12.95; to-goware.com.

Compostable Straws
Parties and events generate the second-largest amount of waste in the U.S., just behind the construction industry! Susty straws, made from renewably harvested plant material, are non-toxic and fully compostable. Susty offers a great selection of earth-friendly plates and bowls, too. $6.99 pack of 50; sustyparty.com.

Biodegradable Toothbrush
Each year in the U.S., we throw more than 450 million plastic toothbrushes into landfills. Bogobrush’s bristles are made of bio/plastic nylon (polyamide 4), which degrades within a few months of proper composting. $10 each; bogobrush.com.

Gourmet Lunch Tote
Made from neoprene (wetsuit material), this reusable bag insulates for up to four hours. Great for road trips, flights, or any time you want to keep healthy food handy. Machine washable, with zero vinyl or PVC. $24.99; builtny.com.

Net Ditty Sack
A handy solution for carrying small produce and other items within larger bags, these reusable sacks make great ‘just-incase” bags for purchases other than groceries. Stock up with Ecobags’ the-more-you-buy, themore- you-save pricing system. $2.29-$2.99; ecobags.com.

Tall Glass Bottles
These dishwasher-safe Giara glass bottles are perfect for storing homemade gourmet salad dressings, flavored oils and vinegars, and home-brewed teas and herbal medicines. The airtight hermetic clamp closure keeps contents fresh. $8.99 each; containerstore.com

On-the-Go Grocery Bag
This bag folds up into a tiny pouch, so no excuses! Keep one in your glove compartment or backpack. Machine washable, available in a wide variety of colors, and holds 2 to 3 times as much as standard plastic grocery bag without straining. $10; baggu.com.

Stainless Canteen
The cap is crafted from a single piece of stainless steel and finished with sustainably harvested bamboo. Also available: high-performance, double-walled, vacuum-insulated bottles that function like a thermos. $32.95; kleankanteen.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: JEFF HUNTER

PHOTO CREDIT: JEFF HUNTER

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

“From saying no to plastic bags at the grocery store to declining a plastic straw with your beverage, there are easy ways we can protect our world’s oceans.”
- Susan Rockefeller, Director, Mission of Mermaids, missionofmermaids.com

“Cut 6-pack rings before discarding or recycling them, to help keep marine life from becoming entangled.”
- Susan Knight, underwater photographer; susanknightstudios.com

“Everyone can help by reducing the use of plastics and encouraging reuse and recycling.”
- Stephen Kress, VP for Bird Conservation, National Audubon Society, audubon.org

“Our oceans are littered with grocery bags, drink lids, water bottles and candy wrappers. If we want healthy sea life, we need to keep garbage out of our oceans. We can make it happen, but it’s got to become a national priority.”
- Emily Jeffers, Attorney, Center for Biological Diversity, biologicaldiversity.org

“Approximately 90 percent of floating trash in the oceans is plastic. There is no question that we cannot continue to create massive floating islands of trash without impacting our precious natural heritage.”
- Leda Huta, Executive Director, Endangered Species Coalition, stopextinction.org

BACK TO THE SOURCE 

A guide to sourcing conflict-free jewelry.

Fair Trade Gems 

fairtradegems.com 

No Dirty Gold 

nodirtygold.org 

Fair Trade Federation 

fairtradefederation.org 

Ethical Metalsmiths 

ethicalmetalsmiths.org 

Kimberley Process

KimberleyProcess.com 

ECO-SWIMSUIT

Made from recycled materials, this bikini is sexy and sustainable. Eco Swim by Aqua Green hires a full-time sustainability director and organizes ocean and beach cleanups. Eco Swim Eco Tropical Bikini, $122; ecoswim.com/stores

A WHALE TALE

This lightweight 100 percent linen shawl is inspired by whale-watching, a time-honored tradition in Maine. It measures 40” x 80” and is hand silk-screened using AZO-free dyes. Thomas Paul Baleen Wrap, $132; shopthomaspaul.com

SUPER-GREEN SHADES

These chic shades are also earth-friendly: made from material derived from castor-oil seeds, the case comes from repurposed leather scraps, and sales support The Nature Conservancy’s “Plant a Billion Trees” campaign, which helps protect the world’s rainforests. Marc by Marc Jacobs MMJ 261s Sunglasses, $139.95; go-optic.com

BEACH BAGS 

Cart your gear to the water’s edge in this handmade bag crafted from recycled sails. This Portland-based company also sponsored the U.S. Women’s Olympic Sailing Team. $130; seabags.com

BEACH-READY BEADS

Layer up colorful glass bead bracelets handcrafted by Maasai tribal women and support economic opportunities for women in the Rift Valley in Kenya. Leakey Collection Zulugrass Single Strand Beads, $21.95; leakeycollection.com

STERLING SEA CREATURES

Jewelry designer Lynn Cobb created these recycled silver pendants, exact replicas of original skeletons she found while “cruising shell shops and tide pools.” The sea urchin has a garnet in the center. $185; etsy.com/shop/lynncobb 

NAUTICAL STRIPES 

Lush and luxurious, these organic cotton beach towels come in red, blue or yellow stripes. A 40” x 70” size makes them perfect for cozy laying out or wrapping up. Kassatex Spiaggia Organic Cabana Beach Towels; $45, available at Neiman Marcus.

CHAIN LINKS

Hand-crafted “vegetable ivory” Tagua nut earrings from the Ecuadorian rainforest support artists living in impoverished communities. Andean Collection Sunshine Tagua Link Earrings, $29; theandeancollection.com

SEA BLUE BEADS

The açaí seed beads in this wrap bracelet are hand-dyed and harvested from the Ecuadorian rainforest floor.

Andean Collection Açai Cuff Bracelet, $48; theandeancollection.com

ECO FLIP-FLOPS

Made in Brazil from rubber harvested sustainably in support of rainforest preservation, these flip-flops come in gold and silver. Planet Flops, $28; planetflops.com

FEET ON DECK

Navigate slippery decks, docks and rocks in easy on, easy off vegan summer shoes with velcro straps, memory-foam foot bed and non-slip recycled rubber outsole. Jambu Water Diva, $99; planetshoes.com

SURFER MOMENT

Based in Malibu, it’s no wonder these designs are surfer-inspired. This hoodie is made from 100% recycled cotton fleece, in blue, white and cream. SurfMonk cotton fleece hoodie, $125, surfmonk.com

1. Angela May with Praia Rose McElwee, born 9/28/2011

“It’s a crazy big job, being a mom,” says Angela May Guerrant of Austin, Texas, who holds another big job as vice president of sales for Gaia Herbs. “These amazing little people that you’re responsible for are listening to you and watching you for their cues on how to interact with the world with integrity and grace.”

Organic Rockin’ Baby Slings $79.99, rockinbabysling.com 

The company’s Mother-to-Mother program provides a free sling to a mom in Haiti for each sling purchased.

Green Babies Calming Bubble Bath $10.99, greenbabies.com

A nice soothing ritual for bedtime, free of nasty petrochemicals, parabens and other ingredients you’d rather avoid.

BabyBjörn Organic Babysitter Balance with Wooden Toys $199.95, $44.95 with toy bar, babybjorn.com

Love this product for when you need to put bambina down for a few minutes.

OSM ONLINE > READ MORE: organicspamagazine.com/angela 

2. Karen and Ry Andre Langevin, born 12/12/11

“True health cannot be achieved in the presence of toxic chemicals, which are now routinely found in breast milk,” says Karen Farrell Langevin, CEO of Topline Marketing in Portland, Maine, which represents free-range, natural and organic brands. “I’m an eco-mom because—what other sane, loving choice is there?”

Amber Teething Necklace $21.95,jilliansdrawers.com 

Amber has natural pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties, and it is also a dreamscape stone.

Rosie Hippo Wooden Tinkle Rattle $21, rosiehippo.com 

There is so much plastic these days, so to have something natural and safe and non toxic gives Mama peace of mind!

Weleda Calendula Diaper Care $13.50, weleda.com 

I can’t live without this wonderfully formulated cream, and I have had no issues with diaper rash at all.

OSM ONLINE > READ MORE: organicspamagazine.com/karen

3. Autumn and Fela Rain Luna Fata, born 12/10/11

“As a parent, one of my jobs is to evaluate all inputs in my baby’s life—her food, the air she breathes and everything that touches her skin,” says Autumn Bree Fata, a health coach in Winnipeg, Canada.

Gently Used Baby Swing, rockabuygear.com, onceuponachild.com, rascalsresale.com

We picked up a magical swing from our local baby consignment store, and we nicknamed it the “sanity swing.”

Thermobaby Sink Bather $28, thermobaby.com, amazon.com 

We opted for a sink bathing apparatus so all the adults in the house (including Grandma) could give Rain baths.

Fresh Spring Water, findaspring.com 

Spring water is my baby’s only skin care for at least the first six months. It holds a life force that is nutrient dense and brimming with good natural minerals.

OSM ONLINE > READ MORE: organicspamagazine.com/autumn

The Best for Your Baby

Travel Essentials

This TSA-ready set of organic baby care essentials includes a natural sponge and four 2-ounce bottles of hypoallergenic shampoo, body wash, hair conditioner, lotion and bubble bath. Dolphin Organics Simply Citrus Travel Set $16.99, dolphinorganics.com

Good Ducks

These ducks are BPA-free, PVC-free and phthalate-free. Boon Odd Ducks $29, booninc.com

Skin Soothers

Made with organic and natural ingredients including shea butter and olive oil, these shampoos, lotions and washes are free of parabens, phthalates, paraffin and gluten. SheaMoisture Organic Baby Collection $9.99, sheamoisture.com

Author of five cookbooks, including Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook, Going Wild in the Kitchen and The Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet, Leslie Cerier has a gift for creating special diets
without sacrificing flavor and satisfaction. We caught up with Cerier as she was preparing for her weeklong cooking class at Rancho La Puerta in March. lesliecerier.com

What happens in your classes?
I show people that it doesn’t have to be super complicated to put healing, healthy, delicious food in your mouth. It just requires being stocked with some great essentials and knowing how to work with those essentials. And people have fun.

You teach classes in “seed-to-table” cuisine. What does that mean?
Seed-to-table cooking is a celebration of the earth’s bounty. It’s about creating recipes from what you just picked from the garden or what the farmer just harvested. It’s about walking through the organic farm or garden and letting the beauty and the bounty inspire you, then taking that happy feeling into the kitchen and cooking up something luscious.

What are the benefits?
You know your food. You follow the chain of the food from the ground to your mouth. You understand its origin, its quality and its potency.

Why is local food important?
Local is the most fresh you can get, and there’s nothing tastier. Plus, fresh is more nutritious. Also—and this is important—buying local supports local farms.

And why organic?
Organic is essential when you’re looking at the highest good and the bigger picture. If you poison the soil, you poison the planet and you poison yourself. That’s common sense.

Cook with the Organic Gourmet
Leslie Cerier teaches classes at eco-spas and resorts around the world. This spring you’ll find her at:

Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
March 2-4

Rancho La Puerta
Tecate, Baja California, Mexico
March 10-17

Esalen Institute
Big Sur, California
March 18-23, March 23-25

OSM ONLINE > Find an extended version of this interview and the recipe for Leslie Cerier’s delicious nori rolls at organicspamagazine.com/leslie-cerier.

Leslie’s Pantry
Leslie’s staples are made with wild-harvested and organic ingredients.

Bob’s Red Mill whole grains, whole grain
flours and nut flours, including glutenfree
products. bobsredmill.com

Frontier Natural Products Co-op Fair
Trade – certified organic herbs, spices,
extracts, flax seeds and sea vegetables.
frontiercoop.com

Lotus Foods exotic heirloom varieties of
organic certified rice. lotusfoods.com

Maine Coast Sea Vegetables
organic dulse, kombu, kelp, wild
nori, alaria, sea vegetable snacks and
seasonings. seaveg.com

Navitas Naturals organic cacao butter,
paste and powder; goji berries; maca
powder; coconut oil; hempseeds and more.
navitasnaturals.com

Nutiva organic hemp seeds, hemp oil and
coconut oil. nutiva.com

Selina Naturally Celtic, Hawaiian and
Portuguese sea salts, olive oil, ghee, nut
and seed butters. celticseasalt.com

Shiloh Farms organic grains, beans,
dried fruits, nuts, seeds and sweeteners.
shilohfarms.com

South River Miso organic, aged misos.
southrivermiso.com

Lemon-Parsley Dressing

This light, refreshing dressing is great on
green salads, coleslaw, steamed vegetables
and cooked grains.

Makes about 11⁄4 cups

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
11⁄2 cups parsley leaves
2 scallions (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor
and blend until smooth and creamy.
Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Lemony Quinoa Salad with
Toasted Sunflower Seeds

With its bright, sprightly flavors, this is
a wonderful springtime dish. To make the
sunflower seeds more easily digestible,
soak them overnight.

Serves 6 to 8

3 3⁄4 cups water
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
21⁄2 cups quinoa, rinsed
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
3⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium-size
saucepan. Add quinoa, lower heat, cover and
simmer for about 15 minutes, until all water is
absorbed. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and
let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, toast sunflower seeds in a dry
skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to
5 minutes, until they are aromatic and start to
pop. Add sunflower seeds, lemon juice and oil
to quinoa and stir until well combined. Taste
and adjust seasonings if desired.

Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free
Recipes for the Conscious Cook by Leslie
Cerier (New Harbinger Publications).

PHOTOGRAPHER JONATHAN DENNIS

At 9 p.m., following an all-day photo shoot, eco-model and activist Summer Rayne Oakes found time to talk to OSM style correspondent Zoe Helene about Source4Style, her matchmaking site for sustainable textiles, and her new film eXtinction, playing at festivals nationwide.

What drove your decision to produce and star in eXtinction?
I am a realistic optimist. I acknowledge the fact that we are going to lose a lot of things in our lives. That is now inevitable. eXtinction talks about some of the most pressing issues, things that are happening now—not thousands of years from now, but within our lifetimes. There are so many ways we can create a better life, but we can’t be too airy-fairy about it. Clayton Haskell, the director, captures this brilliantly in the movie.

What’s the bottom line?
It’s not preventable, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try. At the end of the day, trying to help is more meaningful.

Tell us about Source4Style.
The timing was right. I approached my partner, fair trade ecopreneur Benita Singh, to start a marketplace that directly connects designers with artisan suppliers. Most designers don’t know how to (or don’t have time to) access the supply world, and most suppliers lack the resources or know-how to reach designers. With Source4Style, we’re connecting earth-conscious designers and artisan sources all over the world. Everything is carefully selected from 23 countries (we’re growing fast!). All of our suppliers fulfill at least one of five sustainability criteria.

What inspires you?
I try to make fashion relevant to people who might not otherwise find it of interest. Meeting the challenges helps me grow as a human being, and that alone gets me up in the morning. I like to challenge my thought systems.

ZOE HELENE, an award-winning designer and sustainability pro-activist, is developing Cosmic Sister, a collective venue for kindred-spirit women. cosmicsister.com

RESOURCES
summerrayneoakes.com
extinctionfilm.tumblr.com
source4style.com

Read “Summer’s Spring Forecast“

1 “I’m seeing a lot of carry-over from the season before, so a lot of artisan fabrics and color. African textiles, batiks, items with indigenous flare, and by ‘indigenous’ I mean culturally relevant. That’s continuing.”
One Shoulder in #1 Stunna in authentic Ghanaian cotton wax from Akosombo Textile Limited. (Source4Style.com). Design by Afia.  shopafia.com
“Source4Style connected me to an exceptional artisinal fabric designer and businesswoman named Edwina, whose batik (a tie and dye method) I will be working into my Summer 12 collection.” – Meghan Sebold, Designer AFIA

2 “Then there’s this other side that’s very clean and idealist. Not bohemian, necessarily, but classic, simple, clean.”
Organic Cotton Box Top in Dark Oatmeal and Organic Linen Drawstring Pant from Eileen Fisher. eileenfisher.com

3 “Innovation in textile printing processes like digital printing and air dyeing (a new way to dye and print fabric without using water) enables new expression.”
Design by Costello Tagliapietra. costellotagliapietra.com

After experiencing firsthand the devastating impact of Amazonian rainforest destruction on indigenous people, Trudie Styler—producer, director, human rights activist, environmentalist and organic farmer—founded the Rainforest Foundation Fund with her husband, Sting, in 1989. Styler’s annual Rainforest Foundation Benefit Concert, Sting & Friends, will mark its 23rd anniversary April 3 at Carnegie Hall in New City.

The benefit is a celebration of hope and the human spirit.

“I’ve been very fortunate in life, and I’ve had many opportunities to see the world and meet some extraordinary people,” Styler says. “Having witnessed environmental
catastrophe and the human suffering that results, I feel a responsibility to do what I can to try to make a difference.”

A firm believer in the “power of the individual,” Styler is a tireless advocate for “being true to oneself and taking a stand.” She believes that “we have a real opportunity to build a new global economy based on environmental conservation.”

Styler’s annual benefit concert has raised millions for rainforest relief and—importantly—awareness about rainforest devastation. “It’s true that deforestation continues, but I believe that we are beginning to see some major changes now in attitude,” Styler says. “It’s becoming more widely accepted that deforestation is the biggest single cause of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. And economics are now playing a part. I think we are actually on the cusp of a major shift in how economics and environmental conservation are connected. The Brazilian government is taking a tougher stance on illegal logging in the rainforest, and indeed the National Institute for Space Research has said that between August 2010 and July 2011 deforestation dropped 11 percent from the previous year. So I have hope.”

Now operating in 23 countries, the Rainforest Foundation has helped indigenous communities gain legal rights to protect more than 100,000 square kilometers of rainforest and projects that it can help save 1 million more.

While being on the front lines means bearing witness to shocking realities, Styler remains optimistic. “The resilience of the human spirit is always remarkable and inspiring,” she says. “For every harmful deed, there are many more acts of compassion and, ultimately, this supports my continued faith in human nature.” rainforestfund.org

OSM ONLINE > Read the extended interview at organicspamagazine.com/trudie-styler

Sharing the Strength
“Staying fit is vitally important to me,”Trudie Styler says. “Good nutrition is the cornerstone of good health, mental clarity and high energy levels, and I’m passionate about the value of organic food. Exercise is another key ingredient. I work out most days, and the time I spend on staying strong and mobile pays back dividends in terms of my energy, how much I can get done every day, and my quality of life.”

To share her routines with everyone, Styler created a five-DVD set of yoga, Pilates and dance workouts with celebrity trainer James D’Silva. gaiam.com