Shopping For Eco Gear With Green Girl Founder, Lori Rose

By Emily Hsieh
December 31, 2009

Lori Rose with her eco-totes

As the founder of Green Girl, a Los Angeles-based company that specializes in eco-friendly tote bags in bold, upbeat colors and prints, Lori Rose lives by her company’s sunny, enviro-conscious ethos. “Our eco-totes are a fashionable, reusable bag that makes our customers look good, feel good and do good,” she says, ”I started Green Girl because that's the world I want to live in.” Recently, we sat down with the enterprising entrepreneur to hear a bit more about her line, as well as the other goods that measure up to her exacting aesthetic and earth-friendly standards.

On the subject of how others can adopt a more eco lifestyle, Rose says, “One of the easiest things that the average person can do is to be more ‘aware’ of their daily actions.” It’s a philosophy she applies to running her business, including carefully monitoring every aspect of the design process to eke out as many green benefits as possible. She uses not just organic cotton and biodegradable jute, but also incorporates chemical-free dyes and keeps production local to reduce her carbon footprint. She also lives in a sustainable home. “No I’m not living off the grid!” she laughs, “but Green Girl is teaching me that a whole bunch of small changes can add up to a big impact.”

Rose continues, “Education is the key to change, so the average person should educate herself so she can make a difference.” The LA native is a big proponent of rechargeable batteries, buying products made of natural fibers, and monitoring water consumptio. To her, anything that falls under the “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” banner is a good thing. Rose also offers eco tips on her website to rally her brand’s fans even closer to her cause. It appears to be working: “Our customers tell us that our Eco-Totes inspire them to have greater awareness when they shop. They are noticing more options, like compostable coffee cups made from corn, paper plates made from bamboo, and the value of organic food products sans pesticides.”

With her eco-totes, Rose’s mission to soften the damage of the “billion plastic bags that fill our landfills every year.” In the coming months, she’ll add recycled bags made from vintage Italian leather jackets she handpicks herself, as well as sturdy totes made of recycled boat sails. “I believe in an abundant life,” she says, “But abundance means quality, not quantity. Buy less, but buy better.” Here, a sampling of the high-tech gear that helps Rose fulfill her “less is more” shopping strategy:

1. Samsung Reclaim Cellphone (buy it now price, $149.99) “Made almost entirely out of corn-based bio plastic and features a design that is 80% recyclable.”

2. The HYmini (buy it now price, $59.99) “A handheld universal charger that turns wind power into electricity.”

3. Eco Stapler (buy it now price, $4.88) “So clever—this staple-free stapler cuts down on supplies and hardly takes up any space.”

4. Thermal Reusable Coffee Cup (buy it now price, $15.99) “If everyone brought their own cups when they went out for coffee, it would make a real difference. I like this one because it is fun and great for traveling in the car. Here in Los Angeles, we have to drive so much!”

5. Mac Mini (starting bid, $579.99) “Amazingly, this uses 45 percent less power than its predecessors.”

6. Seventh Generation Grapefruit Glass Cleaner (buy it now price, $4.75) “I love anything Seventh Generation and use the products all over my home and office. This glass cleaner is mild and non-toxic and is laced with a really nice herb-citrus scent.”

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