Mikki Rainey, owner of Classic Facets.

Rainey’s store, Classic Facets (942 Pearl St., Boulder), sells only estate, vintage and antique jewelry, and has been since 1985. That’s an awful lot of reused bling.

Reuse is key here, because the production of new jewelry is no cakewalk for Mother Earth. Take gold for instance. Making just one 18-karat gold wedding band results in tons of rock being removed from the earth and flooded with cyanide. This process can be poisonous to the ground water and wildlife (ask Classic Facets for further details). In addition, small-scale gold mining, often done in third world countries, is the second largest source of mercury pollution in the world, according to MSNBC’s report, “Mercury in gold poses toxic threat.”

Choosing already-been-loved jewelry is an effective (and fun) way to reduce pollution and protect wildlife habitat.

According to Rainey, “The purpose of jewelry is to feel good,” and what feels better than doing right by the planet?

Classic Facets is like a giant version of Grandma’s jewelry box, complete with glitzy rhinestone pins and elegant circa-1900 gold necklaces.

“This is not like a regular store,” says Rainey. “Everything in here is a ‘one-of-a-kind.’”

No kidding. Where else could you find a 200-year-old, 2-inch garnet ring?

The store operates on a consignment system and has carried jewelry from 37 states and 10 countries. (Antique brooch from France, anyone?) Rainey prefers that pieces predate 1950, but will occasionally take in new styles. Prices start around $40 and can go up to, oh, just around $20,000.

“We’re really recycling emotion,” says Rainey. “These are wonderful things that have been loved through the ages. Every piece has survived history, and now it’s ready for someone new to love it.”

This year marks Classic Facets’ 25th anniversary. To Rainey, the anniversary marks more than just 25 years of running a successful business; it means years of salvaging sentiments and stories from the past.

— By Kate Nelson
Get more of Nelson’s eco-diva tips at www.ecodivaboulder.blogspot.com. Contact her at ecokate@live.com.

Tom’s Shoes has decided to find out. Buy one pair of these comfy loafers (starting at $44) and a second pair will be donated to a child in poverty. They call it the One for One movement, and Tom’s plans on distributing over 300,000 pairs of shoes around the world just in 2009.

Lend a hand (or foot) to the cause when you purchase your favorite style of Tom’s at Savvy (1114 Pearl St. in Boulder) or Whole Foods Markets. Helping people in need really is the best deal going.

-- By Kate Nelson

Today, my mix tapes have made way for an iPod, my notes for a cell phone, and now I seem to be schlepping around a whole new gang of things I can’t live without. At least I can schlep in sustainable style these days, thanks to bags from local companies Ecologic Designs and English Retreads.

What started as a senior thesis project for Davidson Lewis, owner of Ecological Designs, has turned into a full-blown business. Lewis made his first bag from a busted truck inner tube as an assignment to turn old junk into something useful. Not long after, a friend employed at a printing shop gave him some scraps of vinyl to experiment with, and the idea for messenger bags made from spent billboards, yes billboards, was born.

Available under the Green Guru label, get your own giant-highway-advertisement-turned-messenger bag at Topo Ranch (1505 Pearl St., Boulder) or Bicycle Village (2100 28th St., Boulder). Prices start around $100. Don’t worry that you’ll become a walking Southern Comfort ad; the billboard vinyl takes on the look of a funky graphic print when cut down to bag size.

Lewis isn’t the only local who once looked at spent truck tire tubes and saw the potential. Since Heather English founded her company English Retreads, eco-conscientious ladies have been able to test drive tires-turned-purses in a variety of styles. Adorned with heavy-duty grommets, colorful lining and seat belt straps (what else?), the rubber used to make these tough-girl bags literally did hit the road in a previous life.

English Retreads’ creations can be found at the Boulder Arts and Crafts Co-op (1421 Pearl St.) and Common Threads (2707 Spruce St., Boulder). Prices range from $39 to $209.

We sure are lucky to have such innovative and eco-minded folks in town. Now if someone could just find a use for old mix tapes and other, um, essentials.

– By Kate Nelson
Get more of Nelson’s eco-diva tips at www.ecodivaboulder.blogspot.com. Contact her at ecokate@live.com.

I know some of you 9 to 5 gals wear suits on a daily basis (hopefully not the bunny kind). Many of you are very familiar with vocabulary like “business casual, professional image and sensible shoes,” and darned if you don’t look nice. But is it possible to be green and professionally dressed? You bet your pinstripe-covered patootie it is.

First, read the tag before you bag. If it says “dry clean only,” shop around for a similar machine-washable option. Perchloroethylene (perc for short) is the solvent used by most dry cleaners, and has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a “probable human carcinogen.”

Exposure to perc has been linked to neurological effects, eye, nose and throat irritation, and headaches (www.epa.gov/drycleaningrule/basic.html). You’re bringing this chemical into your home each time you hang freshly dry cleaned clothes in the closet. The use of perchloroethylene is scheduled to become illegal in California by 2023.

Not good.

If you do have to dry clean, go for more eco-friendly options. The best are professional wet cleaning (safe for dry clean only fabrics) and liquid carbon dioxide cleaning, the method used by Revolution Cleaners in Boulder (3320 Arapahoe Ave., 720-406-7636). Download the “dry cleaning alternatives” guide from Co-op America at www.coopamerica.org/PDF/greendrycleaning.pdf to make sure you don’t get boonswaggled by methods that claim to be green but may not be.

Beyond the dry cleaning dilemma, keep it green in the workplace by getting the most from your clothes. Choose high quality, timeless professional pieces that will last for years. Add flare with scarves, jewelry and funky shoes. And don’t ditch those funky shoes if the heal breaks; take them to a shoe repair shop.

Also consider purchasing secondhand suits. Many consignment shops carry gently used suiting, sometimes even designer, at very gentle prices.

It’s worth coughing up a few more bucks to have items tailored, because a suit that fits you perfectly won’t feel anything like a bunny costume.

— By Kate Nelson
Nelson is Boulder’s self-proclaimed eco-diva. Contact Nelson at ecokate@live.com.

Do a teacher proud by choosing to spend your dollars at eConscious Market, a Boulder-based online store (www.econsciousmarket.com).

You’ll find plenty of eco-friendly, fair-trade items to shop for, from recycled metal bracelets to solar powered backpacks. You’ll also get to choose which worthy organization will bank 10 percent of your total purchase amount. With more than 90 charities on the list, this could be a tough one!

Luckily, the only bad choice you can make at eConscious Market is to shop somewhere else.

— By Kate Nelson

You don’t let the latest trends dictate your style. You’ll choose whatever labels, even whatever decade, you darn well please. And oh yeah, “reduce, reuse, recycle” is your personal mantra. You wild thing!

You must be a consignment store shopper.

Consignment shops offer shopping liberation when the styles in new-clothes stores are unflattering (anyone else being taunted by skinny jeans?), or simply not you. They also keep cool duds out of landfills and are downright fun. Second-hand shopping does have its challenges though, so it helps to have a few basics down.

First of all, understand where you are.

“A consignment shop is not the same as a thrift store,” explains Rockin’ Robin (Robin Abb), owner of Rockin’ Robin’s Retro and Resale in Niwot. “The quality is better in a consignment store… the selection has been cleaned and gleaned.”

Also keep in mind that these clothes had a life before you.

“Always try on,” recommends Michelle Robbins, general manager of Rags Consignments in Boulder. “These clothes have been washed and worn, and may have been altered.”

Rockin’ Robin’s lets customers test items on their own turf overnight, but most consignments stores will not accept returns.

On that note, beware of The Reason. Why was this totally adorable shirt given up for consignment in the first place? Did the previous owner lose weight after a bout of swine flu? Was it a gift from grandma that never really fit her style? Or does it have a button that pops off every time you bend over, or worse yet, perma-B.O.? Give The Reason some thought before you commit.

Once you’ve mastered Consignment 101, let loose your shopping diva and discover buried treasures. Rockin’ Robin steers customers toward the vintage jackets and jewelry in her shop because they “never go out of style.” Michelle deems the $52 designer jeans at Rags a great buy, since they cost around $200 new.

Even though consignment stores get hundreds, even thousands, of new items a week, persistence is a necessity.

Michelle advises, “Bring your coffee, bring a friend and just continue to search.”
And whether that search leads you to an ¤’80’s rock-star jacket, vintage necklace or designer jeans, it will be just your style.

Our favorite Boulder County consignment stores
Common Threads
2707 Spruce St., Boulder
303-449-5431
www.commonthreadsboulder.com

Found Underground
901 Main St. (lower level), Louisville
303-666-6900
www.foundunderground.net

Rags Consignments
3129 28th St., Boulder
303-440-5758
www.iloverags.com

Rockin’ Robin’s
124 2nd Ave., Niwot
303-652-4144
www.rockinrobins.net

Threads Consignment
3335 Arapahoe Rd., Erie
720-833-7000

— By Kate Nelson
Nelson is Boulder’s self-proclaimed eco-diva. Contact Nelson at ecokate@live.com.

I was recently hit by the realization that I am an Eco-Diva. Following this realization was a huge wave of relief.

This explains a lot.

It explains why I adore those strappy wedges, and then just say “No” when I remember the other perfectly good shoes in my closet.

It’s why I admire other women’s sunny highlights, but keep my own locks au natural.

It explains why I still use the same lipstick that I bought in college 10 years ago — the exact same lipstick.

It explains why, when it comes to all things girly, pretty or self-indulgent, I feel frustrated. I want these things, but am not sure how to make them jive with my earth-friendly principles.

Sound familiar? Never fear, if your eco-conscience has been duking it out with your inner diva, you’ve got support. (“Hello, my name is Kate, and I like make-up.”) Fortunately for us, the trendiness of all things green has resulted in a plethora of environmentally aware products hitting the shelves.

One of my favorite finds is a nail polish line called Nicole — Colors with a Conscience, by OPI. I made this happy discovery while pacing the nail polish aisle at Target, trapped in my usual to-paint-or-not-to-paint struggle.

On the one hand (the eco one), nail polish is toxic. It contains harsh chemicals like formaldehyde and toluene, and emits “Volatile Organic Compounds” — aka air pollutants. On the other hand (the diva one), darned if painted toenails don’t look pretty.

I was about to walk away, as usual, when suddenly a glorious light shone down on the OPI Nicole sign in front of me. There were the words “Toluene and DBP free; no added formaldehyde.” What? Earthly and bodily beauty uniting for just $6 per bottle? I was sold.

I grabbed a bottle of “Girl Talk” — a shockingly dark, mobster’s girlfriend kind of color — and ran for the check-out.

Reality check: Painting your nails with less toxic nail polish is probably not one of the more effective planet-saving strategies. But I have a dream that we will one day live in a world where all nail polish is nontoxic, and supporting efforts like OPI’s sends that message.

So, off you go to buy some color for your tootsies. Meanwhile, I’ll work on using up that 10-year-old lipstick.

Kate Nelson is Boulder’s self-proclaimed eco-diva. Contact Nelson at ecokate@live.com.

I am a terrible shopper. I obsessively over-analyze every potential clothing purchase. What will I wear it with? Do I already own anything that serves the same purpose? How is the cost-to-occasion ratio? (i.e. more expensive items need to look cute at work and at happy hour.) And of course what is the environmental impact of this item?

You may be getting an idea of why I make few actual purchases.

On a recent trip to Nordstrom at the Flatiron Crossing Mall in Broomfield, I thought I’d discovered the solution to my shopping “issues.” While searching for the elusive perfect white T-shirt, I stumbled upon Stem, a clothing line that the saleswoman explained uses bamboo fabric. The cap-sleeve white tee by Stem passed all my tests: It could be worn with a plethora of items; no, I did not already own something similar; it would be appropriate for work, happy hour, grocery shopping and the zoo; and most importantly, bamboo is a sustainable, planet-friendly plant. Feeling rather smug at my undeniable intelligence when it comes to shopping, I purchased said shirt for $32.

Back at mi casa, I plopped down with my laptop to research the cleverness of my eco-fashion find. This is when I learned an important life lesson: It is really a good idea to research something before you buy it.

As it turns out, although bamboo grows like the dickens and requires no pesticide, turning the stiff stalks into silky fabric is another matter. While progress is being made, most bamboo used for cloth is processed using harsh, polluting chemicals and made in developing countries where factory safety may play second fiddle to profit.

Dang.

In the eco-world, perfectly “green” products are hard to come by. But let’s not write off the potential of this super-grass yet. With a little innovation (on the double, scientists!) bamboo could become a fabulous earth-friendly fabric. Until then, seek out options like organic cotton and second-hand gems.

Now for the super surprise twist ending.

After doing some further research (a.k.a. I read the tag), I discovered that my Stem T-shirt was not made of bamboo after all, but was, in fact, 96 percent organic cotton. Oh, happy day. The perfect white tee may exist after all.

Nelson is Boulder’s self-proclaimed eco-diva. Contact Nelson at ecokate@live.com.

One of my favorite fall activities is enjoying a few tapas and a glass of chilled chardonnay at one of Boulder’s many hip establishments. Lately, though, I can’t munch down bruschetta without thinking about that saying: “Every woman eats a pound of lipstick in her life.”

As someone who would rather leave the house with no pants than no lipstick, essentially what this means is that I might as well be dipping my fried calamari in a side of cherry gloss. This alarming insight made me start to wonder just what is in those little tubes of beauty.

It turns out that lipstick can be full of nasties for you and the planet. Your favorite shade may contain unappetizing ingredients such as lead, coal tar (FD&C colors) or mineral oil (made from petroleum). While there are certainly larger health atrocities than putting on a bit of red tint — like adding Mr. Clean to your morning coffee, for example — why not exercise a bit of caution? Personally, I want to be choosy when it comes to a product that I’ll be smearing in such close proximity to my mouth.

One way to avoid this dietary mishap and encourage eco-principles is by choosing a more natural product like Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer. Available all over the place (Walgreens, Pharmaca and Ideal Market, to name a few), each little tube costs about $5 and contains ingredients like sunflower oil and beeswax, which are friendlier to humans and to the planet. As an added bonus, Burt’s Bees never tests on animals. With shades like Watermelon, Fig and Cocoa, you may actually want to eat them — but please don’t.

While I love this product (evidenced by the five tubes of it in my purse), I’m sure other eco-alternatives exist and am counting on you to find ‘em. Read the ingredients, ask questions, do your research (exhaustive net-surfing is how I came to know about a common lipstick ingredient made from crushed beetles — interesting, no?) and only then pucker up. That way, if you’re going to eat your lipstick, at least you’ll know what’s on the menu.

– By Kate Nelson

Nelson is Boulder’s self-proclaimed eco-diva. Contact Nelson at ecokate@live.com.

Is it possible to have enough shoes? (Rhetorical “Of course not” implied.)

As if we need another reason to go shoe shopping, Clarks Shoes, at the Twenty Ninth Street Mall in Boulder, is giving us two: Helping South African orphans and furthering breast cancer research.

Buy one pair of hand-stitched “Khulani” moccasins and all profits go to an orphanage for South African children who lost their parents to AIDS.

Choose a pair of Privo flip-flops or flats (the styles that integrate the pink breast cancer ribbon) and $2 will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Thanks to Clarks you can wear a good cause on each foot.