1. You run a stylish site about the environment. You’re not about forcing people to change, but rather giving alternatives to reducing your carbon footprint. When talking about sustainability, I love your term that nobody should be a “sustainabully”. What proud changes have you made over the last few years?

Where to begin? I think I’m proudest of the vegetable garden that’s flourishing in my back yard, and the compost bin that feeds it. I was so resistant to composting—the flies! the smell!—but last year we started by putting a bowl next to the sink for veggie scraps and found that those little phobias were so not a problem—plus, it’s too easy to give up! Composting cuts down our trash by a third, recycling takes care of another third—there’s nothing more gratifying than pulling out the bins each week and having the actual trash bin be light as a feather, while the recycling bin and compost are bulging. Maybe as gratifying as all the money that I save at the grocery store by gardening. Last night I made a yummy arugula, tomato, mint and green bean salad for pennies. Take that, recession!

2. I’m never without _

My reusable bag. I have a bunch in my car for groceries, but for every day I keep one in my purse, wrapped up on itself like a tiny umbrella. It even fits in my clutch! I use it at the farmer’s market, on a quick stop to the drug store, even shopping for clothes. There is really no reason to take a bag any more—and with all the non-biodegradable plastic piling up in our landfills and oceans, there’s every reason to BYO.

3. Name a few of your favorite brands from beauty, fashion and home that make a fab mom like you feel glamorous and living well?

I truly get the most excited about vintage fashion. Vintage shopping is totally guilt-free, since you’re reusing. But if I’m buying new, right now for summer I’m loving Olsen Haus vegan shoes, Green Bees recycled-tire soled sandals (we’re giving two pairs of their boots away on the site in August), and Doie’s little sustainable silk sundresses—perfect for packing! In my beauty bag is Josie Maran’s new SPF 30 skin tint—it’s so awesome, just the perfect amount of coverage and a little bit o’ glow—and Surf-Vival’s organic zinc-based sunscreen stick for beach days. Finally, after three kids and two dogs, my living room furniture is totally falling apart and I’m basically coveting everything in the Environment Furniture showroom in LA—their couches are made from recycled army tents so I’m guessing my brood can’t do too much damage.

4. Your site has grown much from the shoe contest offers. Why do you think we girls are so hooked on shoes?

Shoes don’t make you look fat, they fit even when you’ve gained five pounds, good shoes can transform the most boring outfit into something sensational and there’s something about a great shoe design that’s beautiful both on and off your foot. And when they’re sustainable, they’re guilt free!

5. Any changes you wish you could embrace but due to cost or lifestyle can’t make be on your To Do list this year?

We tried to put solar panels on our home but they told us we’d have to cut down the giant tree that shades it—not the most eco-friendly option. So until they have panels that we can install on the sidewall, we’re putting that idea on hold.

I would love to drive a more eco-friendly car, but because I have the aforementioned three kids and two dogs I need a seven-seater, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is totally out of my price range. When I bought my Volvo in 2005 they told me that ethanol converter kits were on their way—five years later Volvo seems to have dropped that initiative. But I just heard about this at-home ethanol manufacturing machine that you can actually put in your garage! The first one was installed in a private home last week and the owner described it as like when microwaves first were introduced—people didn’t really understand them but now they’re part of every kitchen’s design. I’d love to figure out how to make that work and stop buying gas!

6. My favorite new find from “The Good Life” on my site _

Oh the raw food chocolate cake, hand’s down. No cooking! Believe me, I was skeptical but it is seriously mouth-watering—it tastes like a really intense chocolate ganache cake, but the frosting is made from avocado! The raw food chef who taught me how to make it, Ani Phyo, swears that you can eat it every day without getting fat. She just launched it as a cake mix. I’m planning on testing her theory.

7. What are your next aspirations for EcoStiletto?

Continuing to grow. We went from 1,000 to 34,000 subscribers so far this year—I’d like to hit 100,000 by the end of the year! And I’d also like to develop the Mommy Greenest blog into a similar website specifically tailored to greener parenting. I have three kids so those issues are always first and foremost with me. It’s not all about eco-fashion and beauty—okay, it is all about eco-fashion and beauty, but kids, too!

Some ouf our favorite pics from the recent EcoStiletto.com one year anniversary

EcoStiletto.com was created by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, a writer, producer and marketing consultant who focuses on sustainable fashion, beauty, lifestyle and parenting. She co-founded GreenGirlGuide.com in May 2007 (until National Geographic sent a cease-and-desist on behalf of The Green Guide) launched EcoStiletto.com, an online magazine devoted to eco-friendly fashion, beauty, lifestyle and parenting, in June 2008, retaining archived GreenGirlGuide content.

As a small-screen environista, Rachel has guested on eco-lifestyle “Extra,” “Hollywood Green,” “Good Day L.A.” and “The Fashion Team” segments. She has spoken on behalf of Healthy Child, Healthy World and Whole Body by Whole Foods market and was a Los Angeles correspondent for Treehugger.com. Rachel spent 10 years as a magazine reporter and editor and holds a MA in journalism from USC and has edited or contributed to numerous publications including SELF, Women's Wear Daily, Spa and Children, among others. A mother of three, Rachel and her family reduce, reuse and recycle in Los Angeles.
 

 

 

1.  You live in Los Angeles, a town that focuses on looks. Though the pressure doesn’t fall on comedians you chose to get in shape and lost quite a bit of weight. What was your motivation and what did you do to lose it?  Have you inspired anybody else?
I think it is true that LA is about looks but it’s an entertainment town and we all need to be different shapes and sizes and colors that’s what makes the movies come alive.

I am in a tough never ending process of losing weight and trying to be in shape. I have lost about 70 pounds but am not where I want to be. I struggle everyday with diet and exercise. It sucks but I got to a point in my life where I was tired and felt horrible and couldn’t stand being in my own skin and had to change some things. I feel much better and I think that is the biggest thing.

2. You’ve traveled the world telling jokes in Europe, the Middle East, China, and Australia and all over America? Does your routine differ depending on the city, country or continent?  Do you get the same laughs in China?
My show changes every time I go on stage. I’m an interactive comic so people say I’m an insult comic kinda like Don Rickles but that’s not what I do. I do not try to put people down, I take information from the crowd and try to create stupidity. Think about the hardest you have ever laughed… you’re with a friend or group of friends and something starts and it bounces back and forth and then out of control. That’s how I try to make my show. I never want to be better or above the crowd I want to be there friend…. That being said... do not try to be above me or I will take you down.

And, China was fun, but it was for all the expats working over there. There were some Chinese nationals, but I am sure they were from the Chinese government so they were not laughing.

3. Where and what joke do you recall having the most laughs and what joke unexpectedly fell flat?
To be honest the stage is the safest place for me, I become very comfortable there. I fall into a trance and almost asleep. So I don’t really know how the crowd responds.

4. Is it true that Al Gore described your comedy as “controlled chaos?”
No he didn’t but I did work for current TV for a while and was not renewed so I guess I was thought of as chaos.

5. What do you find the easiest to ridicule--politics, religion, pop culture or everyday life? Do you have a favorite to knock and any you topics you steer clear of?
Humor is everywhere, the tough part is to relax a crowd so that they will follow you anywhere. Sometimes it’s just as fun when they fight you on it. I should probably steer clear but I’m dumb and don’t.

6.  Besides making us laugh, what do you consider your best traits and what do you wish we’d forget?
That I am honest to a fault. I will help an old lady across the street and I brush my teeth three times a day. Forget that I am afraid of failure and I get my eyebrows waxed every 5 weeks plus my grammar sucks! Oh and that I don’t have a TV show.

7. What five things would you want if left stranded on an island for 30 days?
Water! Food! Sunscreen! Toiletries!  A full improv club to perform every night.

 How do you find out about where Ian Bagg is playing next?

www.IanBagg.com