Seven Planet

Autonomie Project, Inc. is an innovative Fair Trade fashion company offering stylish eco-friendly & vegan footwear, clothing and accessories. In late 2007, the founders of Autonomie Project became inspired by the lack in the social marketplace of a truly wearable ethical clothing brand that they could actually afford. With the strong desire to effect positive change in our world and the attitude of building a company bottom-up grassroots-style, these few good friends set off to start a different kind of company.

Over the weekend my little auto ol silver eyes was victim of a hit and run – luckily I have car insurance – but I don’t have health insurance – that thought alone is making me rethink priorities… let’s just say I am glad I was not hit. That said, maybe it’s time I start walking/biking more?

As I’m sure many of you know, dealing with insurance companies is not fun. On that note: I was on the phone with my credit union, or rather I was on hold, waiting to discuss my loan payoff and insurance settlment. I was listening to their pseudo elevator music and random advertisements as I waited on the line. I usually tune out when put on hold, but this time I heard something that caught my ear. The pre-recorded voice on the phone was spouting off facts and info – one in particular was interesting – by switching to electronic statements, rather than paper statements, my credit union is able to save 9 million pieces of paper a year. Wow! Now imagine if everyone, every bank, every hospital, and every brand switched to digital records rather than paper copies… that my friends, would be a lot of paper saved.

Moral of the story: cars no good, paper statements no good… biking and emailing is the way to go!

Over the past few months (and particularly this past weekend) I’ve been mapping out the product mix for our seven planet Portland store location opening up in the heart of Old Town – opening mid August. This store location, Portland’s General Store, will offer a wide variety of goods and services; all stamped with seven’s mindful commerce seal of approval. Our store will house both local and internationally produced products, and on that note, below is a quick image reel I put together that summarizes my thoughts from the weekend… some concepts surrounding our upcoming product assortment:

Portland can be a model for world to follow

Curtains, bulk fabric, carpet scraps, remnants

Turning denim into quilts and...

Yellow broom

Vintage table, chairs from 1970

(more…)

Helen Fu, owner and force behind MyGoPet, Inc. recognized that there was a great need for a personal transportation vehicle in many industries and among individual riders.  From her experience in the two wheel scooter industry, she realized that a three wheel electric scooter was perfectly positioned to fill this need.  This was to be a serious transportation vehicle designed for adults but retaining a fun factor at the same time.  And it had to be battery powered, using only pennies worth of electricity to move its owners efficiently across industrial floors, wooded paths, sidewalks and city streets.

Project Description

The seven planet House is a home recently built in Portland, Oregon that will make every possible necessity-based purchases through seven planet.  That is right…all possible purchases for both products and services that they need as a household.  We know that in today’s world there are amazing sustainable and eco-friendly products and services that are available for almost every facet of our lives.  However, it is sometimes difficult to find them, to procure them or to find a service that provides them.  Well, we decided to find them for one home and they in turn decided to make us their source for them all. 

We are fortunate to have an amazing couple working with us here in Portland around the 1^st ever seven planet House.  This newly built home was handcrafted by the owners, along with some help, and was architected in a very sustainable manner.  The home has multiple sources of reclaimed or reused elements in it and leverages massive amounts of windows for natural light and even has a roof top garden.  It is the perfect environment from which to build a home where what they need is garnered through the world’s first chain of green general stores.

This house and this project are in place to fulfill a belief and that belief is that “mindful commerce” can have the single greatest positive impact on the planet if instituted by us as consumer.  So, we will work to keep you posted on the progress of the seven planet House and how a single home is making the ultimate move towards making their lives seven.

Ecoroof planted with sedums

My friend Kelley over at S.C.R.A.P. sent me the following message – thought I’d pass on in case you’re in the mood to ReUse something this week:

“SCRAP has the honor of joining other reuse organizations in celebrating our community efforts to incorporate principles of sustainability and environmental responsibility. The City of Portland and Multnomah County will proclaim the week of June 12-June 19th as ReUse week.

Because the Community Warehouse, SCRAP, FreeGeek, SchoolHouse Supplies, the ReBuilding Center and the ReStore share common values of re-use, sustainability, and building community, we are working together in an effort to education the community about how and where to take items for reuse. The reuse of materials not only conserves scarce resources, it is an invaluable tool in helping citizens improve their lives.”

Friday at the Farm began when two friends, Jessica and Melanie, began making soap in 2002.  Initially they decided to get together every Friday out at one of their farms and teach themselves soap making the old fashioned way.  They spent many hours reading recipes, testing different scents and oils together and just spending some time together as friends.  The next year they moved their operation out of their kitchens and into a renovated room in their big red barn.  They then headed for their local Saturday market.  The market meant more to them than just a place to sell their products.  They have made friendships and learned a lot about a way of life that is more in line with their beliefs of buying locally, slowing down, and being a part of our great community.