Environmental Charter High School is the next generation of EcoDivas
It’s such an honor and amazing experience to teach Eco Fashion to the R’ashion students at Environmental Charter High School. R’ashion stands for Recycled Fashion and I teach them how to repurpose clothes they already have, and how to create dresses from fabric and plastics donated to R’ashion. (If you have any fabric or clothes you’d like to donate, please contact me at EcoDivasTV@gmail.com.) Every day I’m with the students I feel like I’m the one that’s learning. On my first day of class I got “schooled” by one of the students for having a plastic water bottle that didn’t have a recycle symbol on the bottom. Luckily, I later found out that my fabulous reusable bottle, with water filtration system, is in fact made from PVC-free plastic…but their knowledge of plastic goes so much deeper than that.
As part of ECHS’s wonderful, interactive and sometimes unconventional way of educating, they often set up field trips for their students (not just the R’ashion Fashion class) to learn about social and environmental responsibility. This also allows the students to interact with other schools from around Los Angeles and the world.
I wanted to write to share with all of you my personal experiences being able to work with ECHS students. I feel lucky to be able to share so much with them right now…but mostly I look forward to having each of them share their own stories with you in the future… 
- Last year I spoke at the Women of the Green Generation conference and this year I was elated to take the EcoDivalicious R’ashion students to meet the incredible women speakers, designers, venders and attendees of the conference. The WOTGG women truly do make a difference in the Green Scene. Each student has different goals and passions just like the women at the conference: Zhena’s Gypsy teas, designers Deborah Lindquist, Fahmina, Rachel Avalon, Violeta and her amazing Cofan Project, the eco-film EcoSet team,and the incredible Miss Sarah Backhouse. It was great to see the curious ECHS students asking questions, networking and interacting with these passionate women. They asked questions like:
“What was it like to speak at the United Nations?” to Sarah Backhouse
“How did you decide you wanted to create a fashion line based on Repurposing?” to Deborah Lindquist
“What toxic chemicals do you need to avoid when purchasing cosmetics?” to Rachel Avalon
And after the conference, on the ride home, I asked the students, “What was your favorite thing about the conference?” One student answered, “I liked going through the trash and taking out the plastic that actually goes to the landfill and then stacking all the compostable plates, cups and silverware…because I knew everyone else was watching us, and I wanted them to learn something from what we were doing.” Wow, and I was worried they may not be comfortable playing with trash at the event.
- Children Mending Hearts hosted an amazing event to bring together many low and middle income charter schools around Los Angeles. CMH set up several art stations: 1. A painting station to paint positive messages on Tshirts to be sent to Haiti. 2. A jewelry making station, also to send earrings to Haiti. The students and I made one earring for someone in Haiti and one for ourselves. I love conversation starters and getting to tell the story about the Children Mending Hearts event when someone comments on my earring! 3. A station to make backpacks for children in Japan affected by the Tsunami. Penny Marshall, Frances Fisher, Corbin Bleu from High School the Musical, Torrey DeVitto from Pretty Little Liars and several other celebrities attended the event and amped up the students to be more concious.
- It may be geeky, but Chemistry of Dyes and Fibers was my favorite class in college…right up there with Queer Theories and the Study of Garbage! I had the opportunity to meet Diviya at Eagle Fabrics to learn about her newest endeavor Dirt LA (exclusively available at Ron Herman) and she took the time to show me all the different ways Modal can be woven. I knew the students would love to learn about the Eco fabrics at Eagle Fabrics: Modal is from Eucalyptus trees, recycled plastic bottle fabric, what is the difference between cotton and organic cotton, and why is Eco fabrication so important?
- Rise Above Plastics – Thanks to grassroots efforts from the Surfrider Foundation, ECHS students are invited by different schools and organizations around the US to educate about students plastics. I’ve seen several students deliver this message and it’s so great to see how animated and passionate each student is about reducing the use of single-use plastics.
- The first time I’d seen the Bag Monster (from Chico Bags) I was at the Plastics Are Forever Youth Summit. This monster was my intro into the terrible world of “Plastic Aftermath!” I also learned about the 5 Gyres, Algalita Marine Research Foundation and even more about Surfrider Foundation.
- The amazing Green Ambassadors put on a “Waterless Car Wash” to raise money! I got one and you should too if you have the opportunity. It takes less time, water, chemicals and it lasts longer!!! Aaaaand you have the opportunity to support the Green Ambassadors program, which empowers the next generation of youth leaders to find their voice to speak out about the Eco subjects that they are passionate about: Fashion, Film, Plastics, Foods, Composting, and so much more!!!
Now I have to admit that some times I feel like one of the students, because I love going on all the field trips and listening to all the speakers and learning from all of them! You guys inspire me and I look forward to watching each of you grow!
If you have an Eco event that needs volunteers in the Los Angeles area, I’d love to learn more about your organization and see if it’s a good fit for an ECHS field trip.
