BEST Eco-Friendly Shopping, Atlanta...Eco-Bella wins

Eco-Bella is grateful to receive the nod for Best Eco-Friendly Shopping in Atlanta from Atlanta INtown Paper in the December 2008 Edition: Readers and Staff Pick: Eco-Bella "Readers overwelmingly voted for this Virginia Highland mainstay as the best place for clothing, home accessories, gifts and more with an eco-friendly and organic flair." Thank you for voting for us. Your confidence helps us know we are on the right track.

Eco-Bella Spearheads Carbon Neutral Shopping Zone in Virginia Highlands

Today, we are launching the Country's First Carbon Neutral Shopping Zone. I, Antje Kingma, have been asked to make a statement. The text follows:

"Every time we drive to work, turn on our lights, start up the computer or make the morning coffee...we create carbon emissions. These emissions are called a carbon footprint.
Verus Carbon Neutral allowed the businesses at The Corner-Virginia Highlands to neutralize the environmental damage created by these daily necessities. The Verus Carbon Neutral Partnership is a credible, transparent and professional carbon footprint auditor. If you are committed to green business practices, buying carbon offsets is a tangible way you can make a difference. Well, we, The Corner-Virginia Highland Businesses, decided to do just that. First, we approached our landlord, Stuart Meddin from the Meddin Company. Stuart Meddin immediately offered his support, including financial support, business planning and consultations. Next, the businesses at the Corner, The Corner-Virginia Highland businesses, met to discuss the carbon neutral project. Although many of us have concerns about our future in the current economic environment, we had an immediate majority and enthusiasm for the project. In the end, everyone committed to participate. Each of the 18 businesses at The Corner-Virginia Highland submitted to the carbon emissions audit completed by Verus Carbon Neutral. Then, Verus Carbon Neutral calculated our individual business carbon footprints based on our individual audit results. Each business then authorized Verus Carbon Neutral to purchase carbon offsets from the highly respected Chicago Climate Exchange on our behalf. As a group, we chose to purchase reforestation offsets in Georgia. And that is how we came to this point, to the point where we have created a carbon free shopping, dining and service zone, the first of its kind in the country.
I would like to thank Stuart Meddin from The Meddin Company, Mitzi Ugolini from Mitzi's Shoebox and Mitzi and Romano's, and Christie Harper from Dabberdoo's for helping me realize this goal. I would also like to thank Andrew Keenan and Eric Taub from the Verus Carbon Neutral Partnership for their commitment, patience and professionalism as we brought our diverse businesses to become the community to set the standard for green business practices in the retail world. We hope that our choice and commitment to being carbon neutral is a call to action for other business zones and we invite our immediate neighbors to join us as soon as they are able.
Finally, we ask our Virginia Highlands, Morningside, Druid Hills, Inman Park, Candler Park and other surrounding neighborhoods to shop locally. Your support allows us to run our businesses in an environmentally responsible way. Your support will help us to weather the economic crisis faced by so many small businesses such as ours. By shopping here, at The Corner-Virginia Highland, you, the customer, can make an intentional choice and step toward reducing climate change. In turn, we offer an original, authentic neighborhood atmosphere defined by unique, high quality and reasonably priced shopping, dining, services and excellent, personalized customer service. Bring your friends, family, kids and pups. Stop by any of our shops to learn more about Verus Carbon Neutral and how they can help you become carbon neutral professionally and privately.
None of this would be possible without you, our neighbors and customers. Thank you"

Eco-Bella Free Learning Post: Baby bottles and Bisphenol A

In case you missed it, "Baby product companies told of risks" was published in the AJC this week. A synopsis of the article follows.
October 14, 2008: Associated Press Release, Hartford, Conn.-Attorneys general from Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware sent letters Friday to 11 companies that make baby bottles and baby formula containers, asking they no longer use the chemical bisphenol A in their manufacturing because they said it was potentially harmful to infants. The Companies included Avent America Inc., Disney First Years, Gerber, Handicraft Co., Playtex Products Inc, and Evenflo Co.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal was critical of the FDA for declining to take action after a preliminary study last month drew a possible connection to BPA and risks of heart disease and diabetes. "The preventable release of a toxic chemical directly released into the food we eat is unconscionable and intolerable", he wrote.
Scientists are at odds about the risks of BPA. A preliminary study released last month by the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that adults exposed to higher amounts of BPA were more likely to report heart disease and diabetes. The scientific debate about the chemical could last for years.

We can't help but wonder about the implications of these studies on newborns, infants and toddlers. We want to keep you informed. If you'd like more information, please write to us at contact@eco-bella.com.

Eco-Bella Recommends Local Company 'Faith Flowers'-Organic arrangements for Weddings and other Special Events

It's hard to top that upbeat feeling you get while strolling past the lovely bouquets at the Morningside Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Specializing in weddings, sacred spaces and the home, Faith Flowers will create more formal arrangements for your events. Their organic arrangements are stunning. Faith Flowers was a Southeastern Flower Show Winner in 2003, 2005, and 2008.
E-mail laura@faithflowers.com or call 404 578-0950.

Eco-Bella Selected as Atlanta Magazine's 101 Favorite Shops

Many Thanks to Atlanta Magazine for recognizing our boutique in the Annual Edition of Atlanta Magazine's 101 Favorite Shops. We really appreciate the listing!

Eco-Bella Recommendation: You Can Opt Out of Receiving paper Yellow and White Pages

Just visit yellowpagesgoesgreen.org and click the third box from the left. You will be given an option to enter your address to be removed from the paper delivery list.

Eco-Bella recommends: FLOW, the movie

FLOW stands "For the Love of Water." This beautiful movie gives transparency to the water crisis facing the world. Who controls the natural resource of water? Did you know there are Companies who claim to OWN the water in many countries throughout the world? Did you know that a child dies every 8 seconds for lack of access to clean water? Visit www.flowthemovie.com to learn how just a small effort on your part can make a huge difference. There is hope. We have choices. If you would like to partner with us to fund a safe project, please contact me @akingma@eco-bella.com.

Going Carbon Neutral

On September 2, 2008, we engaged VERUSCARBONNEUTRAL to calculate our carbon footprint and next, to help us become carbon neutral. Eric Taub, the Founder and Managing Partner, collected data like our gas & electric bills, number of employees, air travel, etc and calculated our carbon footprint for the last 12 months. The data collection took less than an hour. It was so easy.
One week later, Eric had calculated our carbon footprint. As we purchased our offsets, we were given the option to choose from solar & wind power or reforestation projects as our carbon offsets. For us, reforestation was a priority. Now we are a carbon neutral company. If you are interested in becoming carbon neutral, visit www.tvcnp.com or contact Andrew Keenan @ a.keenan@tvcnp.com.

EcoManor Green Trunk Show is scheduled for October 10, 2008

If you have not had the chance to visit EcoManor, try to stop by this gorgeous green home for Laura Turner Seydel's 2nd annual eco trunk show. Laura selects green vendors and assigns them to various rooms in her home. It's a great chance to check out Atlanta's green offerings and begin your holiday shopping, if you like. We will again donate a portion of our proceeds to the Captain Planet Foundation.
Time: October 10, 2008 from 10 am-6 pm.
Address: 348 Manor Ridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30305
See you there!

Kate Quinn Fall #2 is IN STOCK NOW.

Every season Kate Quinn surprises us with beautiful new designs and colors. New dresses for girls and adorable corduroys for boys are moving quickly. Please stop by soon for the best selection.

9/15/08 Kate Quinn Fall Shipment #1 has arrived!

We wanted to let our Kate Quinn followers know that her Fall Shipments have begun to arrive at our store. Please visit us for gorgeous new designs and colors. By the way, Kate has just given birth to her first baby. You can congratulate her by e-mailing kate@katequinnorganics.com!

9/17/08 Eco-Bella honored as WSB-TV Green Champion

Many thanks to Channel 2 WSB-TV for honoring Eco-Bella as a Green Champion for the week of September 17, 2008. We really appreciate the recognition. To see the spot, visit www.wsbtv.com and click Green Living. Scroll to the bottom to see the nice posting about Eco-Bella and other Green Champions.

Eco-Bella launches new Web design and online store

We hope you are enjoying our newly expanded website and online store. Many Thanks to Andrew Hughes for his talent, dedication and patience with us as we worked up the site! We could not recommend Andrew more. For web design needs, you can
contact Andrew @ masqueman@gmail.com.

Organic Make-Up Presentation at Eco-Bella Organic Lifestyle Boutique in Atlanta

Join us on September 20, 2008 for a special presentation on how to select Dr. Hauschka Decoratives/Make-up for your skin. We will have a Dr. Hauschka Representative on-site from 1-4 pm. Call ahead for an appointment or just drop by!