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Hi Manuela, we’ve been chasing each other for years!

“I don’t know how long we’ve been saying this, yes, it’s a pleasure to collaborate together. We really looked forward to each other, but above all we like to talk about fashion and sustainability.”

Let’s start with a chat on the podcast! I’m intrigued by how, as a marketing researcher, you went on to launch a digital platform to promote a sustainable lifestyle and where you can find clothes, footwear and accessories that are in line with this style. What made you approach a more responsible fashion coming from marketing research?

“The path actually lasted a long time over the years, I got closer to sustainable fashion. Both as a researcher and therefore with great experience in going into the merits, I did a doctorate (you know well what it means to go into the depth of the why and how, asking yourself certain questions about production, materials, design). Both as a consumer, because in the end we are all consumers. Specifically, I have been doing marketing research since 2008 and focus on the valorization of brands and the value chain, therefore the entire journey of a product, from creation to its disposal and consumption in the fashion industry. At the same time I specialized in the perception that we consumers have about brands, above all in the luxury sector, but also in fashion, in fact, my first experience was in fast fashion. I look a lot at the emotional component, what it brings to people”

Fast Fashion… Tell us something more, Manuela.

“At the beginning the winning models were those related to the Inditex group, then to Zara. The Inditex group was born precisely because of the speed with which they proposed collection after collection. They had and have excellent integrated logistics, so it means when things are made, produced and shipped to the customer it’s a really quick process. Generally everything happens in their headquarters in Coruña, Spain, but the production takes place in many places, in China, India and Morocco and then they bring all the things to their headquarters. What happen? When I studied these things for my specialist thesis, so many years ago, 2008-2009, I went to their headquarters in Coruña to interview a manager. She told me how these garments, coming from different countries, were also of different quality and workmanship. The best of all are in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, because the key to everything was that in these countries the production was much more controlled and they are much closer to them, they are European countries. The quality of the fabrics was much higher. On the one hand I said ‘Wow, how nice, super logistics, an excellent system?’, on the other it left me with some doubts. I started thinking:

‘But… so… they themselves say that there are products A and products B, production A and production B. So, where are the quality, provenance, reliability of production if we produce in China, in Turkey, in India?’

Much less in those years did we talk about the environment, people, ethics. It was really all about production, producing as much as possible.

This was my origin, the more I investigated, the more I asked myself further questions. This touched my mind as a consumer. Every time I made a purchase I started to see the label, if I went to Zara because in any case I very often visited their stores all over the world and in that period in Spain, I went around, checking the origin, composition. Many times they didn’t look at me properly, just as they still don’t look at me now!”

I know about this! It then becomes an automatic but necessary gesture. Like when you read the ingredients in food products. But what changed then, Manuela, in your way of purchasing clothing once you became aware of all these things you are telling us? And who knows how many others you’ve seen and learned about.

“Certainly if I purchase from large fashion chains, I try to exclude Made in China and India, precisely because I don’t have that feeling of knowledge that perhaps you can have about other types of production that are more similar to ours. In Italy you know maybe in certain places where it is produced better, there is more communication, more integrated. I increasingly prefer quality. When I see prices that are too low, I discard because unfortunately I know what’s behind them. At the same time, I prefer soft, natural fabrics. I eliminated polyesters, both for myself and for the production of The Casual Twinkle. I try to buy Made in Italy also online. There are online sites where they explain that it is Made in Italy, I try to take that. Obviously we then know that Made in Italy can be the last phase of the process or the entire process. So I try to follow reliable brands, which communicate with us consumers about quality, 360° production.”

The attention to quality, the fabrics, the origin: Manuela, and the style?

“It always intertwines with the attention I pay to dressing with my style, which is very simple and elegant, very refined. I don’t like having clothes cuts that don’t give anything to the body, just as I don’t like wearing a stiff fabric. I love feeling good about myself, in harmony with my body, but at the same time I think that a woman’s body also deserves sensuality, softness. Each of us has a different body that needs to be enhanced. Unfortunately, many times low-cost garments or stiff fabrics are not made to highlight the shape of the body. In my opinion, responsible fashion is also a fashion that seeks out garments that are not only engaging for their aesthetic beauty, but also for a certain type of style and cut. Another thing, let’s say that there are dynamics that make me increasingly sensitive to the use of positive environmental, social and ethical practices. Once upon a time it wasn’t considered. Now I realize that I look better if I wear something that is honestly made well, not only well made for me, but also made well for those who work. I don’t feel good if I know that a garment was made by harming a worker, as unfortunately we fashion experts and everyone else knows well by now.”

You talked about various aspects that made you think and reflect. Manuela, in your experience in traditional fashion, what is the aspect that struck you most and that made you say enough with this type of fashion?

“Arianna, certainly since I started dressing my daughter it has been a bit of a key that has relieved me, because you know as long as you think about yourself, you have mechanisms that you have now put in place, when you have to dress someone else, like a mother with her children… I started trying to use the same concept that I use for myself, but unfortunately what I found were very low quality garments, practices behind which you can know because the cost is really low. You know, while for us we have all the wardrobes full, so we can create, compose, do, for the children I necessarily had to buy new. I must say that when I looked into the world of children, I honestly saw that they are a bit the first fruit of a less than conscious fashion, in the sense that apart from the price there is actually a cultural concept: children grow, so you don’t have to dress them with expensive clothes.

No! I say definitely no, because it’s not because they grow up, they deserve to be dressed in clothes that don’t have cuts, in polyesters… Many times maybe you get a dress that is apparently beautiful, but then you put it on and say ‘But no, my daughter can’t live with this.’ I recently saw a little dress in a polyester market with lemons, it’s hot right? There is a whole culture behind which I certainly care a lot about. There is the concept ‘I don’t spend on my child and then I buy lots of things, 3 X 2 or on sale’. These things that already cost €5, I get them for €3. In the end it is a significant expense because you fill your wardrobe with low-cost things for no big reason. Why I do this to my daughter? When one has to manage children, she tries to do the best. If you try to do well for yourself, for the children who are your extension you try to do even better. I absolutely didn’t feel like dressing them in traditional fashion that would harm both them and those who produce it, the environment, because these children’s clothes destroy the ecosystem.”

So that’s why you decided to create The Casual Twinkle? And what did you choose to propose on the platform?

“Yes, yes, absolutely. I care very much, as I said just now, about the education of my children, in the true sense of a respectful and positive culture towards what is part of them, therefore what we mothers, we women, put on our skin, so also on of them, even of what is around them. Unfortunately and fortunately, clothes are the first essence, it’s not just appearance. We Italians live in a wonderful country, made up of both natural wonders and an incredible fashion culture. It’s somehow a shame to dress them in big brands that don’t belong to us, that don’t care about the environment and lack style.

Surely my greatest desire that triggered this is precisely that children, my children but also future generations, can grow up with values, that are sensitive to the world and to people. The items of clothing, it seems banal or maybe one doesn’t think about it, but they also do this. I see it after years, already with my eldest daughter, she is however used to this culture, she begins to understand, I explain to her. Especially wearing beautiful things, she asks me to wear them again. Maybe they don’t understand until they are 4 or 5 years old, then at 6-7 years old, they too begin to form a culture, a habit of how we raised them. Therefore, in my online boutique I have chosen to give main space to children’s fashion, to create Total looks composed not only of garments but also of footwear and accessories that are casual and elegant.

Why elegant casual? Apart from that it’s a bit my style, but then I tried to think about children, in any case they must be dressed comfortably, they must be able to move, because they are constantly on the move. Style for me is something that is part of the essence of dressing. Well, I really wanted there to be harmony with nature. The harmony of The Casual Twinkle embraces solid principles that are environmental, social and ethical. As a marketing expert, I wanted the entire process, from design to use of the garment, to be traceable and controlled.”

What does it mean? That the production chain, the one I talked about before about Zara, which went to India, then returned to La Coruña in Spain, then came to us in Italy or returned to India or Turkey, I wanted this to be as short as possible . There is me who offers the products, there is the consumer who uses them and behind me there is only the brand that produces them. There is only one case, that of a Danish brand that produces in Bolivia, but one of the two founders is Bolivian, it is like the extension of this brand. Furthermore, it is essential for me that there is research behind everything: behind every brand I propose there is a huge selection of unique exclusive garments, made with natural products and for example for women they are all made in Italy and upcycling, therefore avoiding further waste. This is the thread that is always found in The Casual Twinkle: use of natural materials, support for people, support for the environment, non-waste, starting from design.”

What do we find on the platform for children?

“For children, we have polo shirts, shirts, sweatshirts that are hand embroidered in Treviso, therefore nearby. I saw how they do these hand embroideries and you immediately fall in love because they put passion, care, precision into it and they don’t have any type of tool other than the hand that embroiders and it’s something incredible. Then there are also the dresses, the trousers, the rompers. All of these have cashmere, linen or cotton and all of the highest quality, we fall within product protection schemes, they are all certified. I don’t have certifications but my suppliers have them precisely to provide continuity and protect both the consumer and those who work, who are really doing a job that is also useful for the environment.”

And for the little ones?

“There are bodysuits, dungarees, rompers, hand-embroidered in velvet, they are truly wonderful. To complete the look there are shoes: ankle boots, sneakers, sandals, everything you can think of in children’s shoes. These are handcrafted in Portugal by a Danish brand that is a pioneer of sustainability. Since 2005 they have been looking for the best solutions for children’s feet, because one thinks that a child’s foot, or rather perhaps one doesn’t think about it, is really very delicate and needs the right support in every phase of growth. These shoes are all made of leather. Some have also vegetable tanned, without chemical agents and all with non-toxic chemical substances and components. Then for the winter season we have this collection that I was talking about before coming from Bolivia, which are sweaters of alpaca garments. The peculiarity is that they are first and foremost handmade in Bolivia, but above all they are 100% in alpaca. In fact, I don’t know if anyone ever looks, me, you because you told me, at the labels: we rarely find 100% wool, let alone alpaca. Why alpaca? It is extremely soft and has properties that are thermoregulating and is a kind of fiber. These little alpaca hairs are all made together and really create a quality, a softness that is similar to cashmere. This brand, for example, supports the sustainable development of farmers and their families, including the education of their children”.

In addition to children’s clothing, you said that there are also women’s clothing, even for mothers.

“Lingerie, active wear, swimsuits, t-shirts. You know that t-shirt that all of us, or at least I, have always wanted to be soft, that fits well, that highlights the shape of the body, that doesn’t hang as long as a t-shirt, in the sense that we use it with the skirt, the we use it under the jacket, we can use it with jeans, with boots and it highlights the body. All the other pieces highlight the sensuality, the shapes of the body. The Casual Twinkle offers craftsmanship, style, details, comfort. Precisely because of my desire to have collections that are versatile, they can be used on multiple occasions, composing even with a few pieces that last over time, for example the alpaca sweaters are indestructible, they are incredible, but just as the polo shirts are, you can do as many washes as you want so that the cotton remains intact. We do good for our children and for us and for those who produce them.”

Manuela, I want to know something: Why this name?

“It is a name full of metaphors and is a very sweet essence. Casual is the lifestyle, casual but elegant. It is also a way of approaching life: when random events happen in our life, where maybe we are happy, maybe we are burdened, but in this casual way we find a kind of light-heartedness, a joy of living. Twinkle, on the other hand,  is the spark of these moments, it is a glow that illuminates us, the sparkling of the stars and the glitter of the sun’s rays. Do you know when the sun reflects its rays, or when the moon reflects its being on the sea? I’m from Trieste, so the twinkle of the rays of the sun and the moon on the sea  It fascinated me. Furthermore, Twinkle is also reminiscent of the Twinkle children’s lullaby, Twinkle, twinkle little star,  which every mother knows, it is a sweetness for children. It is a style sensitive to our life, where we are the ones who give meaning to our choices with our will, we are the ones who capture that spark that is within us and this is very important in the world of fashion. As fashion has somehow fallen, pushed us to buy and buy more and more, we can say stop with an elegant casual way of dressing, we decide to shine and re-emerge even in the world of fashion. It aims to be a reminder of nature full of charm, but also elegance and comfort, precisely a refined, refined style. It’s not just a brand, it’s also something more, it’s an approach to a human culture. You know, I also have a blog where I talk about life experiences as a mother, thoughts, travels, from a conscious perspective. I propose both my collections and other well-known brands. It’s just being casual and happy.”

What aspects of sustainability characterize the garments you propose, Manuela?

“In one place there are a few, very selected brands. For women it’s all upcycling, high quality regenerated fabrics. The products are zero kilometer, no new resources are used to produce the fabrics, because we use what already exists, following the concept of upcycling and reducing waste from the fashion industry. Our boutique embraces circular design, that is, both in the creative phase and in the planning, the resources and all the materials used and who makes these products are taken into consideration. From a perspective in harmony with nature. For example, in the production of alpaca garments, ladybugs are used as a natural pesticide, I fell in love with this concept. We give a lot of space to artisanal techniques such as embroidery, or all the brands make their products by hand. This is surprising to me, also because the design is innovative, while the techniques come from various textile traditions that have gradually improved over the years.”

Is there an item for children that you recommend most? And if so, why?

“This is a great question! As you may have understood, I love alpaca garments. The shirts are warm, they are thermoregulating, they are soft. With an alpaca sweater you can easily go through the entire season, but not just winter, even the first cold times of autumn or spring, this year’s crazy spring. Even for small children. I didn’t think so, but I have testers who are my children, I also tried it on the little one and used it a lot, they are tight and children need to feel pampered. They need color, to be wrapped. I also recommend polo shirts, embroidered dresses, rompers. Sorry, that’s a really difficult question! I care a lot about Made in Italy, because they are artisanal, because I have seen this company, I often go to visit them. They are truly incredible, they have a care, a passion in choosing fabrics. Together, we create truly stunning collections. And then the shoes: ankle boots for boys/girls have soft leather, they are thermoregulating, truly all made to support the foot.”

You mentioned your blog before, which I have been following for some time with beautiful images that talk about places, experiences in nature. Do you think this connection with the natural world also influenced your choice to move away from traditional fashion, and prefer to create something that had to do with brands more linked to sustainability?

“With this question you hit the nail on the head! I was born in Trieste, a city overlooking the sea, which however is a green plateau, that is, there is an immense hill made up of greenery and woods. So on the one hand I have always seen the sunset over the sea, on the other hand in 5 minutes I am in the middle of fragrant woods. I am very sporty, I have always practiced outdoor activities, by the sea, swimming, or running in the woods, I bring the dog, the children. My parents educated me and my brother in the mountains, in the sense that we went to the mountains a lot in all seasons. Several times I lived in very nice cities in Long Beach, California, near Los Angeles, in Madrid, in Vienna, Oxford, between study and work, I traveled around a bit. Each time the call of my natural world has always brought me home. This for me was decisive in creating my path, and it is a sensitivity that I have developed and continue to develop and live. There was a bit of a spark, regarding Twinkle, that made the pieces of The Casual Twinkle build”.

Can you tell us about any special places you’ve seen that made you think or inspire you about the impact we have on nature?

Yes of course, Arianna. Trieste is certainly a constant source of inspiration, the sky takes on incredible colours. I think precisely because of the light air, which somehow exists between the sea, the mountains, the woods. Definitely the mountains, a place that gives me peace, serenity, in the Dolomites, I usually go there. It seems to me that everything is in harmony with itself and with the things around it. Just the other weekend we were in the mountains, I saw a sunset over the mountains from the balcony of this apartment where we were staying, full of geraniums and flowers. And it had recently rained, the last sun was coming out, coloring the meadows in front bright green. There was also a stream nearby, you can hear the sound of flowing water. Scenarios like these that take you 100% mind body and make me think that there is a sense of completeness, very often that can be achieved even with just a few things, almost as if you didn’t need anything else. Especially in summer, when I walk to the top there is a majesty of nature that fascinates me and which seems like a gift that nature gives to us. At the same time, however, we know that nature is very fragile. Just look at how the weather and the morphology of the territory are changing. I was in the mountains, we were near the Marmolada, with the naked eye you see, I remember how it once was. You see the backward progress it’s making, how much it’s melting, that piece has even collapsed. I also tried to explain this to my daughter for a while, to remember this thing. I think nature is a great inspiration, but it also makes me reflect on the fact that we definitely need to protect it.”

As a single mom with a spirit of adventure, how have you had these experiences with your daughter? Where did you go? Struggle and beauty of traveling with her?

“Yes, Arianna, you know once a friend of mine asked me what is the most difficult thing about being a single mother and almost without thinking I told her ‘sharing the experiences I lived with my daughter with someone else’, but in this case, obviously, with the father. Well, this has always been a difficulty for me, because I am still very expansive in certain things, in adventures, in beautiful events. I like to talk and discuss. We were in the mountains and I walked among the peaks in all weathers, always paying attention to the conditions. I have become very good and know all the weather conditions all the time. I know how long I’ll be there, I calculate the times, the rhythms, the extra clothing to change in case we get wet. They are the little adventures of when you are alone, because you have to be prepared for every eventuality. Then also with her backpack on her shoulder, when she started walking. I never gave up. Even what I liked, maybe I taught her a little, but in any case I actually made myself happy too.”

Where have you been?

“We went to the Basque Country, went to visit a friend, then we spent a few days alone. I took her to Lapland, to the Arctic. This was perhaps the journey that made me understand how much I can ultimately count on myself, on my strengths. These are perhaps demanding trips where you sleep little, you have to organize. But all this opened my heart and my mind. You travel with a little creature that you have to raise and defend, protect, teach. You are alone with a child, you are not dealing with an adult, you also have to find a way for yourself that is fun, that is not a chore. I have to tell you the truth, in the end all these efforts, especially the physical effort at certain moments, has always been rewarded with complicity, extreme serenity. We told each other every kind of story imaginable. We laughed like crazy, sometimes when we were angry we didn’t speak to each other. Now there is also the 2 year old brother, we are a kind of total harmony without limits, it’s very pleasant. As a mother, you always hope to raise serene, sensitive children, in my case also with a positive culture because I realize that it’s a bit of a mental switch. I have it and would love to teach it. I hope that with these adventures, a little crazy, I realize, a little outside the box, the children can both have a respectful way towards themselves, in achieving their objectives, their goals, and also live in harmony with the world around them.”

How beautiful these trips are, Manuela, especially the one in Lapland! I had seen the photos and who knows how exciting it must have been to take this trip with your little girl too! Is there anything you want to say, any advice you want to give to mothers for choosing clothes for their boys and girls?

“Yes, thank you for this question. I recommend taking a few items, perhaps slightly growing and which are versatile. What does this mean? To think about the season, not the event, to think about the shirt for the winter, the warm shoe or the one for the rain. Not to think about that party, that wedding, because those are unique cases. We must get children’s clothes that are long-lasting. So, in my opinion, spend a little more on things that have nice cuts, a nice style, that not only look beautiful but actually are. If the sustainable issue is involved, they cannot cost little, because unfortunately if they cost little it automatically means that they are not sustainable. Spend more on a single item rather than buying many items that look good but fall shapelessly and are worth little. Maybe be a little wary of big chains, in the sense that many cities are full of big chains. You search for the particular brand and unfortunately these are found online, not because I am online, but there is much more choice very often. And to trust the brand, in the sense of seeing the product page and what it says. Because very often many say they are sustainable, but they are not”.

In your opinion, what should we look at on the page to understand if they are more sustainable?

“Look a little at the description of the brand and also at the history, if there is a sustainability page, that they are not things just to say, but that they are truly heartfelt, that there are production photos. Or even that it is well described on the product page, a nice size guide, a nice presentation of the product, but really beautiful, that tells you the story of that product. Very often it says made ‘in EU’, European Union. Where? How? We as consumers always have to ask ourselves questions, even if we are not technicians, but every garment has a story, every brand has it. Also, I think dressing kids a few sizes up doesn’t hurt. Indeed, they grow and the products are expensive, especially if, as we were saying, they are made well. Without any problems, a boy or a girl who dresses 116 can take 128. Let’s say that from the age of half onwards, children have constant growth. A few centimeters more, unless it has to be a tight shirt on the neck, a crew neck if you take it a little wider it’s not that it’s too big for you, if the garments are made well. Don’t think that by buying items that cost more you will end up spending more, because you have essential things. Don’t fill your closets: just as we shouldn’t fill ours, so we shouldn’t fill our children’s closets. And pay close attention to shoes. They are fundamental. Always measure the foot and calculate an extra 1 cm. Above all, I remember once a physiatrist told me ‘You know, in the early years children have really delicate feet and need support’. Here it was one of those ‘casual twinkles’, as I call them. They actually made me compose the piece, it’s really advice I give about shoes. They are essential for children.

Shop with love. Not only towards yourself, that the child is beautiful, but also for the clothes you buy, that they do good because the planet is so beautiful, but it is also so fragile.”

Thank you Manuela for telling us about the clothes, especially for children, for giving the advice and also for making us imagine your adventures with your little girl and now also with your little boy! Next time we hope to meet in nature for another episode. Who knows, maybe something else together. Thank you for telling us about your experience and your project.

“Thank you Arianna, thanks to you it was a pleasure to have this chat, it is certainly an excellent idea to create an episode in the midst of nature. And we hope to meet soon because we talk to each other a lot in various ways, but we have never managed to see each other in person. Congratulations again for the excellent work you do and the passion you put into it. See you soon!”

The Casual Twinkle > Website; Instagram; Facebook.

Especially following the publication of the latest IPCC report this summer, posts, comments and requests for advice more and more frequently have expressed the concern for the future scenario that lies ahead in terms of the survival of mankind.

The IPCC

Costituito nel 1988, è il corpo delle Nazioni Unite composto da esperti climatici. Nell’ultimo report pubblicato, 234 scienziati hanno sintetizzato 14,000 documenti di ricerca. Non ci sono più dubbi sulla crisi climatica. È inequivocabile che l’influenza umana abbia riscaldato l’atmosfera, l’oceano e le terre emerse. Le evidenze lo confermano (fonte IPCC 2021):

Formed in 1988, it is the United Nations body made up of climate experts. In the latest published report, 234 scientists synthesized 14,000 research papers. There are no more doubts about the climate crisis. It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, the ocean and the emerged lands. Evidence confirms it, in fact (source IPCC 2021):

• Human influence has been the leading cause of global glacier retreat since the 1990s and has contributed to the observed surface melting of the Greenland ice sheet over the past two decades.
• Human influence has warmed the climate at an unprecedented rate (speed) in the past 2000 years.
• Extremes of heat (including heat waves) have become more frequent and more intense in most of the lands that have emerged since the 1950s.
• Global surface temperature has risen faster since 1970 than at any other 50-year period in the past 2,000 years.
• The global mean sea level will continue to increase over the course of the 21st century (the expectations are between +0.28 and +1.01 meters).
• The ocean has warmed faster in the last century than since the end of the last deglaciation (about 11,000 years ago).
• In 2019, atmospheric CO2 concentrations were the highest in the last 2 million years.
• Global warming of 1.5° C and 2  C will be overcome during the course of the 21st century unless there are major reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions in the coming decades.

These are just some of the points that emerged from the report: did you feel eco-anxiety?

What is it?

Si tratta di un impatto psicologico indiretto del cambiamento climatico. È “una reazione su larga scala allo stato degli ecosistemi planetari” (Pihkala, 2020). Secondo l’American Pshychological Association (2017) è “una paura cronica dei disastri ambientali. Una fonte di stress causato dal guardare il lento e apparentemente irrevocabile impatto del cambiamento climatico, e preoccuparsi del futuro di se stessi, dei bambini e delle ultime generazioni” (Clayton et. al., 2017).

It is an indirect psychological impact of climate change. It is “a large-scale reaction to the state of planetary ecosystems” (Pihkala, 2020). According to the American Pshychological Association (2017) it is “a chronic fear of environmental doom. A source of stress caused by looking at the slow and seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change, and worrying about the future of oneself, children and the last generations” (Clayton et. Al., 2017).

How does it manifest?

Symptoms reported are existential fear, guilt or shame about one’s environmental footprint, depression, anxiety, panic, nervousness, feeling hopeless, irritability, weakness, mood swings, exhaustion, insomnia, obsessive thoughts.

Who is affected?

It affects everyone, even young people and children. The American Psychological Association (2020) found that for 47% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34, the stress of climate change had an impact on daily life. Young people through modern technology experience greater exposure to disturbing and anxious climatic realities (Li, 2015).

The charity Place2Be states that it is more pronounced among young people: a study shows that 4 out of 5 children between 10 and 12 years have expressed feelings of fear, sadness, anger for environmental problems.

How we react to the climate anxiety?

Psychological responses can be (Coppola, 2021):

• disadaptive. For many people, the mental cost of thinking and experiencing the reality of a changing climate is almost too much to bear. Consequently, a common response is to reject this reality. A disadaptive response is characterized by shutdown through denial, splitting, and disavowal (Doherty, 2011; Lewis, 2019).
• adaptive. Other people cultivate various self-preservation effects such as resilience, constructive hope, attunement, cognitive resonance, and self-efficacy. Pihkala (2019) states that one needs to be able to adapt in the face of anxiety rather than being crushed.

How can we respond adaptively?

We have collected some tips for reacting to eco-anxiety in a more constructive and resilient way. In cases of high levels or pathological situations, the support of a specialist is obviously necessary, in other cases we can take some actions.

10 solutions

• Improve your mood

1. Connect with nature. Grow plants and trees on the terrace, balcony, garden.
2. Meditate
3. Disconnect from the internet.

Taking care of yourself through healthy habits is recommended by the American Psychological Association.

• Get better informed

1. Choose your sources of information carefully. Avoid those who talk with disastrous tones, without proposing actions that can be put into practice. Always check what you read! The media often chase sensational headlines.
2. Cut down on time in the midst of negative news. It’s important to be up to date, but don’t overdo it. Zero Waste Goods gives us some very valid advice: if you read a negative story, write a message to “take home” and a change that you want to implement as a response to what you read. Look for positive stories to bring into your perspective that there are so many positive things happening in the world.

• Action as antidote (Coppola 2021)

1. Evaluate your environmental impact and observe how you can improve it by changing some habits (decrease plastic, reduce waste, buy locally, adopt a plant-based diet, etc.). You can follow the advice on our site, for example, to limit your impact through the choice of clothes. Or use an app like AWorld.
2. Find your role, think about the best way you can use your skills to contribute positively. We can’t do EVERYTHING, but we can do something. Also through our political and purchasing choices.

• The strenght of the group

1. Join other groups, for example volunteering. Ecoanxiety is often experienced in solitude. A thesis research conducted at the University of Vermont (Coppola, 2021) revealed how action through involvement in environmental organizations serves as an antidote to ecoanxiety among members of the “Climate Generation” (young people between 18 and 21 years old were interviewed, recruited by six UVM environmental organizations). Choose a reality that works near you to contribute positively to the local community.
2. Share your experience with others and build strong social networks (American Psychological Association). On Clubhouse we meet weekly to network, discuss and support each other among people who care about sustainability (Sustainability Club).
3. Try to be an example to others (remembering that you don’t have to be perfect!).

Photos: Omid Armin (cover); Fransiskus Filibert; Dress ECOde.

The conversation also led us to touch on other topics such as the difference between meteorology and climatology, denial, the best ways to talk about climate change, in addition to the book “Penguins at the equator” written by Serena with Luca Perri and the projects carried out in the schools.

We thank Serena for her availability and the interesting conversation. Climate change is a difficult subject to understand without adequate scientific preparation. It is perceived badly, perceived as distant in time and space, connected to the concept of renunciation, leading some to deny. Serena instead guides us to observe it from another perspective, pleasant, ironic, lighter, clearer and in terms of advantage, comfort and improvement of our life.

Enjoy listening!

Track:
– Introducing Serena
– 3:13 Difference between meteorology and climatology
– 6:32 The quality of weather and climate information in the media
– 12:31 Most popular fake news
– 18:00 Hoaxes and communication of climate change
– 24:20 Deniers and cherry picking
– 25:45 Real situation with reference to climate change and contributing causes
– 30:35 Changing the narrative of climate change
– 37:50 The priorities on which to intervene: mitigation and adaptation actions
– 41:10 What can each of us do
– 45:00 Anthropogenic responsibility in climate change and the “denier cheat sheet”
– 52:43 How to block the deniers?
– 55:30 Confidence in science
– 58:15 The relationship between health emergency and climate emergency
– 1:01:00 Questions from the audience

Chiara defines herself as a chaotic and creative mind, passionate about design in all its forms: “I find it in architecture for work, in fashion for passion, in nature for its undeniable beauty”.

Mariangela has a thousand interests and a great passion for our planet. “I explore for work the informative potential of satellite data guided by a Socratic spirit (‘I know I don’t know’). Beauty, in the broadest sense of the term, is the utopia that guides me”.

We met them on the occasion of a temporary exhibition of their collection at Nora-P in Monti, a Roman district.

Ciao Chiara, Ciao Mariangela. How did you know each other and start your collaboration?

“We met online. We discovered our respective projects and immediately understood the common thread in the apparent diversity. A look from above at the satellites in orbit that of @earthncycle, and a closer look, immersed in the urbanity of Rome that of @biclot. We both look to contemporary women, who make careful and conscious choices, who aspire to an elegance rich in meaning that is not lost in time”.

How was the brand SEMINA born?

“SEMINA was born… from a perfect fit of geometries!
While one (Mariangela) was fascinated by the geometric diversity of agricultural landscapes seen from above, the other (Chiara) had in mind the design of an essential, linear and elegant modular capsule. Agricultural triangles, circles, rectangles, rhombuses have begun to dialogue with parallel and perpendicular lines”.

What goals did you have? What inspired you?

“With this collection we want to tell the importance of biodiversity in the context of sustainability, starting from the agricultural theme.
It is a biodiversity declined in a broad sense:
– the choice of fibers
– the story of the cultural, historical and natural diversities hidden in the agricultural geometries chosen as graphic themes
– the variety of aesthetic taste of those who choose to wear SEMINA garments in a specific combination rather than another, according to mood and context.

We started from the satellite vision of immense agricultural expanses designed by human beings to arrive at the woman who will compose her garment. Actions that start from the same matrix, the human will, which in this case we try to inspire to undertake a conscious and personal choice”.

Let’s talk about the materials. What kind of fabrics you have chosen and why? Bamboo, mint, apocynum, milk, crabyon and regenerated wool, right?

“Of course! The fabrics chosen have deliberately a varied composition, which includes all the fibers mentioned, even in combination with more popular fibers (such as organic cotton). It is our belief that, whatever the fiber, one cannot be sustainable based on a single choice. In our opinion, sustainability is a balance that is achieved through the right combination of varied elements. A bit like a correct and healthy diet!
Moreover, as when introducing unusual foods and cooking techniques into our diet we have pleasant surprises for our taste and our health, even exploring new fibers has led us to discover fabrics whose pleasantness on the skin is unparalleled!”.

Where, how and by whom are SEMINA garments made?

“The fabrics are produced in Italy, by a company that works only with more sustainable fibers, therefore they do not contribute to a further impoverishment of the planet’s non-regenerable resources, which do not use products that are harmful to the environment and our health, but that enhance the use of waste products (as in the case of milk and crabyon), the choice of resources for use in multiple fields (such as mint, apocynum and bamboo), and the regeneration of textile waste that otherwise they would go to landfills (as in the case of regenerated wool).
We have paid great attention to the local origin of the fabrics, as well as the geographical location of the entire production chain (digital printing, laser engraving and garment packaging).

Everything takes place on the Italian territory, with a minimum impact of transport (we estimated less than 1% of the impact of transport on costs – a good indicator of the approach that looks at ‘0 km’)”.

Which kind of garments did you choose for your collection?

“There are 4 basic garments: a kimono jacket in black wool flannel, a dress, a top and trousers in black satin bamboo or in avio gray apocynum. Each garment can be purchased separately, and can be customized through the application of decorative panels of various compositions and lengths (with the simple click of hidden press studs), printed with agricultural graphics, declined in five shades of color. The colors are inspired by the vegetable garden, and include blue-black cabbage, orange-carrot of Paris, the green-Romanesco cabbage, the purple-curly kale and the red-carrot Kintoky”.

Which environmental aspects does SEMINA  recalled?

“SEMINA takes inspiration from 5 geographical areas (in Europe, America and Africa) and does not just tell about ‘environmental problems’. Rather, it wants to make us reflect on how we have dealt with situations in history and at different latitudes and longitudes.

We tell, for example, that the beautiful geometry with the triangles inscribed in rhombuses of the vast Bolivian agricultural fields conceals a massive and rapid deforestation that makes room for wearying monocultures, but also that the well-used human ingenuity has transformed, through an imposing work hydraulics, the third in the world for importance and size, the Fucino lake and its destructive floods in a luxuriant agricultural plain from which many of our PGI vegetables come”.

In your opinion, can fashion be an effective means of conveying messages of attention to the environment? Is the market, are we as consumers ready to welcome them?

“We are absolutely convinced of the enormous power of fashion as a means of conveying messages, and offering food for thought to change our relationship with the environment (and all those who live in this common home) is our primary goal. It is not easy to communicate and be heard in a world as ‘noisy’ as ours. It is a process of continuous search for the attention necessary for listening. It is also a process of education to look beyond the facade, to understand the whole architecture (for to put it in the language of Chiara) when we choose what to wear. We are confident, there are more and more voices who want to spread this kind of messages and we will be able to break through!”

Chiara, what do you love about modular garments?

“The design of modular garments is certainly the aspect that fascinates me, breaking down something simple, recognizable and finding multiple combinations in those shapes.
Variants that do not depend only on one mind; I like to think that whoever wears the garment can feel involved in a creative process, can best express their personality, tastes and needs. Don’t be subjugated by the (fashionable) dress, rather make it unique“.

Mariangela, what is the most worrying thing you have seen in the photos from space? And the most beautiful thing instead?

“It is not easy, each image can tell incredible stories to those who look beyond, and not only with the eyes. However, I choose to respond with two images from above, emblems, respectively, of the effects of separation and cooperation.
The first is a view from the international space station of a long, very clear line of light that cuts through the darkness of the Indian and Pakistani territories for about 3,300km. About 150,000 lamps to illuminate one of the most contested borders in the world, the origin of numerous wars and conflicts.

The second one is a satellite view that makes us look directly under the surface of the most transparent waters on the planet, those of the Bahamas. In contrast to the story of the painful separation of the disputed border, a shining example of cooperation. For more than one hundred million years (thought to start from the Jurassic era), the joint work of the ‘factory’, the combination of sedimentary environment, organisms and precipitation processes, has deposited the limestone that gives shape to the folds of the carbonate submarine platform of the archipelago. A plissé, to return to our beloved fabrics, incomparable!”.

Are you planning other collections together?

“Ideas are always on the move, but we want to take the time to make the most of this collection, which we believe to be rich in content and ideas and we would not want it to pass quickly just to be in line with the fashion dynamics we know. This too. it’s sustainability”.

Mariangela and Chiara’s project is unique and interesting. I have been following the project with curiosity since its dawn: the commitment to consider the environmental and social impact in every detail and the message of reflection on the interaction between us and the planet that hosts us fascinated me.

You can find out more here:

Site: https://biclot-earthncycle.myshopify.com/en

Instagram: @biclotdesign; @earthncycle

Why the choice to offer readings on the broader themes of the environment and sustainability?

Because there is a strong link between the journey towards a greener and more ethical way of dressing and the awareness of our relationship with nature.

In fact, we more easily respect what we know.

The readings we suggest concern texts that push us to make contact with the animal and plant world, to look inside our lives by relating to the environment, to find the strength to take a path that is sometimes not easy, to discover alternatives to consumption and production that are less devastating and, last but not least, which lead us to dream or to go into raptures with poetry, pleasantly leafing through pages.

The guide will be updated over time.

Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: Non esisterà più il silenzio 

Non si parla molto dell’impatto del rumore. Quando è stata l’ultima volta in cui hai sperimentato il silenzio assoluto cogliendo solo i suoni della natura?
Senza sentire auto, moto, bus, camion, motorini, aerei, treni, tram, tagliaerba, aspirafoglie, clacson, macchinari al lavoro. I momenti di silenzio sembrano sempre più rari.

Durante il blocco a causa del Covid-19, abbiamo notato l’assenza dei rumori quotidiani della città, per riscoprire per esempio il canto degli uccellini. Ci hai fatto caso?

Quando capito vicino a una fonte d’acqua, mi piace registrare come memo vocale il suono delle onde o lo scroscio di una cascata. 

Se scende la pioggia tendo l’orecchio per cogliere il rumore delle gocce sulle foglie degli alberi. In un rifugio al mare d’inverno registro le voci degli uccellini che senza sosta cinguettano dal mattino alla sera, ognuno con il suo canto diverso, per risentirlo nei momenti di nostalgia della natura.

C’è un uomo che da oltre 35 anni fa qualcosa di molto più straordinario.

Gordon Hempton è un ecologo acustico, registra paesaggi sonori naturali in tutto il mondo, soprattutto in luoghi meno densamente popolati. Un giorno si addormentò sull’erba, durante una tempesta e sotto la pioggia rimase affascinato dai suoni della natura. Così iniziò a tenerne traccia. “È stata la prima volta in cui ho sperimentato il vero ascolto”.
Gordon ci avverte che il silenzio si sta estinguendo.
Per questo registra suoni che la gente si dimentica di ascoltare. Ha fatto il giro del globo 3 volte in questi anni, alla ricerca dei suoni più rari che possono essere pienamente apprezzati solo in assenza di rumore artificiale.

“La terra è un jukebox alimentato a energia solare.

Il silenzio non è l’assenza di ogni rumore. È la completa assenza di tutte le vibrazioni meccaniche udibili, lasciando solo i suoni della natura al suo massimo naturale. Il silenzio è la presenza di tutto, indisturbato”.

Il suo intento è di renderci veri ascoltatori dell’ambiente, di farci amare la natura e di proteggerla, dandoci la possibilità di ascoltare il sorgere del sole intorno al globo, la neve che si scioglie, le balene che cantano, la pioggia che scende, le ali di farfalla che fluttuano, i canti dei coyote, le cascate che si infrangono, il canto degli uccelli. Perché rischiamo di perdere l’esistenza di luoghi non influenzati dall’attività umana.

“In 10 anni non sarà rimasto più un solo posto silenzioso se non agiamo”.

Gordon afferma che, durante il giorno, l’intervallo medio senza
rumore nelle aree selvagge si è ridotto a meno di cinque minuti.
Nel suo libro racconta del viaggio attraverso gli Stati Uniti su un furgone del 1964, registrando suoni fino allo stato di Washington DC, dove incontra politici e funzionari per fare pressione sulla conservazione del silenzio naturale. 

Gordon ha perso l‘udito da un orecchio e qualche anno fa ha rischiato di diventare del tutto sordo. Un paradosso per chi cerca di salvare il silenzio. One Square Inch of Silence è il progetto di ricerca indipendente che porta avanti per difendere il posto probabilmente più tranquillo e tra i più incontaminati degli Stati Uniti, nella foresta pluviale di Hoh del Parco nazionale di Olympic.

“Quando durante le registrazioni sento un rumore artificiale che disturba, individuo il luogo della fonte, invio una lettera e chiedo la conformità alla normativa”.

Perdere il silenzio vuol dire anche causare un danno alla nostra salute. “Il rumore viene individuato dai sondaggi come una delle più rilevanti cause del peggioramento della qualità della vita ed è ormai riconosciuto come uno dei principali problemi ambientali; pur essendo talora ritenuto meno rilevante rispetto ad altre forme di inquinamento come l’inquinamento atmosferico o delle acque, il rumore suscita sempre più reazioni negative nella popolazione esposta” (fonte: arpa veneto).
Troppo rumore può mandare i nostri corpi in iperattività, attivando continuamente gli ormoni dello stress. L’esposizione ripetuta, oltre alle conseguenze dirette sull’apparato uditivo, può dar luogo a effetti come il disturbo del sonno e del riposo, l’interferenza sulla comunicazione verbale e sull’apprendimento, effetti psicofisiologici, sulla salute mentale e sulle prestazioni, non solo un fastidio genericamente inteso. Il rumore riduce benessere, qualità della vita e salute mentale.
Al contrario il silenzio è salutare. Gordon racconta in un’intervista a Newsweek: “Troppo silenzio ti farà impazzire in pochissimo tempo se stai parlando di passare il tempo da solo in una camera anecoica. Questo fatto è ben provato. Ma in natura, sperimentare troppo silenzio naturale non ti farà impazzire, anzi, potrebbe renderti sano di mente. Studi recenti hanno dimostrato che l’esperienza della natura può essere efficace quanto i farmaci nel trattamento dell’autismo, ad esempio”.

“È nostro diritto dalla nascita ascoltare, in silenzio e indisturbati, l’ambiente naturale e ricavarne qualsiasi significato. Ascoltando il silenzio naturale, ci sentiamo collegati alla terra, al nostro passato evolutivo e a noi stessi”.

A partire già da queste vacanze, possiamo riscoprire il nostro diritto di ascoltare i suoni naturali. Mettiamoci alla ricerca di luoghi lontani dai rumori urbani, avendo cura di minimizzare l’impatto del nostro passaggio soprattutto nei posti più incontaminati. Ascoltiamo le meravigliose registrazioni di Gordon, che ci faranno viaggiare nel mondo scoprendo nuovi suoni.

Cosa c’entra il silenzio con la moda sostenibile? Desideriamo raccontare di tutto ciò che incrementa il nostro amore per la natura, perché ci aiuta a rendere più forte la motivazione a preservarla. Anche con la scelta di ciò che indossiamo.

“La natura è musica.

Ci innamoreremo o non ci innamoreremo di nuovo del pianeta Terra?”

Registrazioni: https://www.soundtracker.com
Film: http://www.soundtrackerthemovie.com/ST/Home.html
Libro: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Gordon-Hempton/45345383

English – The environmental impact of human noise: silence will no longer exist in 10 years. Listen to the man who is saving the voice of nature!

There is not much talk about the impact of noise. When was the last time you experienced absolute silence capturing only the sounds of nature?
Without hearing cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks, mopeds, airplanes, trains, trams, lawn mowers, leaf vacuums, horns, machinery at work. Moments of silence seem increasingly rare.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, we noticed the absence of the daily noises of the city, to rediscover, for example, the birds singing. Did you notice it?

When I end up near a source of water, I like to record the sound of waves or the sound of a waterfall as a voice memo. If the rain falls, I strain my ears to catch the sound of the drops on the leaves of the trees. In a shelter by the sea in winter, I record the voices of the birds that chirp from morning to night, each one with his different song, to listen to it in moments of nostalgia for nature. There is a man who has done something much more extraordinary for over 35 years.

Gordon Hempton is an acoustic ecologist, he records natural soundscapes all over the world, especially in less densely populated places. One day he fell asleep on the grass, during a storm and in the rain he was fascinated by the sounds of nature. So he started keeping track of it. “This was the first time I experienced true listening”.
Gordon warns us that silence is extinguishing.
This is why he records sounds that people forget to hear. He has traveled around the globe 3 times in these years, in search of the rarest sounds that can be fully appreciated only in the absence of artificial noise.

“Earth is a solar-powered jukebox.

Silence is not noiselessness. It is the complete absence of all audible mechanical vibrations, leaving only the sounds of nature at her most natural. Silence is the presence of everything, undisturbed”.

His intent is to make us true listeners of the environment, to make us love nature and to protect it, giving us the opportunity to listen to the sunrise around the globe, the snow that melts, the whales that sing, the rain that falls, fluttering butterfly wings, coyote songs, crashing waterfalls, birdsong. Because we risk losing the existence of places not influenced by human activity.

“In 10 years there will no longer be a single silent place if we do not act”.

Gordon says that during the day, the average noiseless interval in the wild areas has decreased to less than five minutes. In his book he tells of the journey across the United States in a 1964 bus, recording sounds up to the state of Washington DC, where he meets politicians and officials to put pressure on the preservation of natural silence.

Where does the noise come from? The sources can be positioned inside the rooms, such as for example appliances and air conditioners, or placed outside the building. The external sources can in turn be grouped into three main categories (fonte Arpa):

– productive activities;
– temporary construction and road construction sites;
– means of road, rail, air transport (traffic).

Gordon lost his hearing in one ear and a few years ago risked becoming completely deaf. A paradox for who is engaged in saving silence. One Square Inch of Silence is the independent research project that he carries on to defend the probably most peaceful and among the most pristine places in the United States, in the Hoh rainforest of the Olympic National Park.

During the sound recording, “when I hear an artificial noise that disturbs, I identify the source, I send a letter and ask for compliance”.

Losing silence also means a damage to our health. “Noise is identified by surveys as one of the most significant causes of the deterioration of the quality of life and is now recognized as one of the main environmental problems; although it is sometimes considered less relevant than other forms of pollution such as air or water pollution, the noise provokes more and more negative reactions in the exposed population” (source: arpa veneto).

Too much noise can send our bodies in overdrive, continuously activating stress hormones. Repeated exposure, in addition to the direct consequences on the auditory system, can give rise to effects such as sleep and rest disturbance, interference on verbal communication and learning, psychophysiological effects, mental health and performance, not only a nuisance generally understood. Noise reduces well-being, quality of life and mental health.
On the contrary, silence is healthy. Gordon said in an interview with Newsweek: “Too much silence will drive you mad in no time at all if you are talking about spending time alone in an anechoic chamber. That fact is well established. But in nature, experiencing too much natural silence will not drive you mad—in fact, it might make you sane. Recent studies have shown that nature experience can be as effective as medication in the treatment of autism, for example”.

“It is our birthright to listen, quietly and undisturbed, to the natural environment and take whatever meanings we may from it. By listening to natural silence, we feel connected to the land, to our evolutionary past, and to ourselves”.

Starting from this vacation, we can rediscover our right to listen to natural sounds. Start looking for places far from urban noise, paying attention to minimize the impact of our passage, especially in the most unpolluted places.  Listen to the wonderful recordings of Gordon, which will make you travel the world discovering new sounds.

What does silence have to do with sustainable fashion? We would like to write about everything that increases our love for nature, because it helps us to strengthen the motivation to preserve it. Even with the choice of what we wear.

“Nature is music.

Will we or will we not fall back in love with planet Earth?”

Sound tracker: https://www.soundtracker.com
Movie: http://www.soundtrackerthemovie.com/ST/Home.html
Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Gordon-Hempton/45345383

Photos: Boba Jovanovic, Scott Umstattd, Jacek Smoter

English – How are you?

If you are feeling confused, afraid, lost in uncertainty right now. Also for me, writing from this page, it is like that. It’s very difficult to communicate something to you in articles or posts, because each topic seems inappropriate.
Today I was thinking just how useless clothes seem these days. Not only because we are at home, where we realize that in the end a wardrobe full of clothes is not needed, but also because the priorities are now different.
At home you can do many things. To focus on the best possible survival I read, cook, self-produce, sew, refashion clothes, watch movies, listen to podcasts, attend courses, try to mess with watercolors, I try to write despite feeling boulders on my hands and a head heavy with worries. I repair clothes and change them, put aside those that I no longer use. The things I used to do before. Without the serenity of before. But I continue to do them and I try to experiment with new ones, hoping they are a starting point for someone else’s inspiration at this moment and also an anchor for me in this shipwreck (note: I do not write all this lightly in the optimal situation of a quarantine spent in the family, in a villa with the swimming pool, with a safe work, economic certainty, a guaranteed health). If you are interested I will happily share these activities.

Many are rediscovering the beauty of making bread, pasta, cakes, self-production not only in the kitchen but also in other areas. Someone is reflecting on the lifestyle he/she had before all this. Animals return to the city (it was the post we wanted to publish today), nature seems closer to us or if we are barricaded in a city apartment nature seems more precious. We would have liked to see all this but in other conditions, for other reasons. Because to rejoice at the return of the animals to us or the clean air (which are things we strive for) or the “awakening” of someone seems to us at this moment out of place. As wonderful as it is to find nature that reduces distances or to see a greater number of people consider more responsible consumption, every joy is dampened by the pain of the loss of human lives and by the fatigue of those who are working to exhaustion, touching with their hands the cause of this destabilising period.

This is not the time for strong tones on sustainability issues, for us it never really was. I believe in the greater effectiveness of the example compared to the shouted words, this is the way of speaking that we have chosen from the beginning (losing occasionally, however, I admit, patience in front of social issues that make me angry).
This is not the time to make it easy, because it is not. When it costs other people’s lives it can’t be easy.
This is not the time to pretend nothing, offering articles as if nothing had happened, as if the world had remained the same. We can’t hide our heads in the sand.
This is not the time to be completely silent, because I don’t want to turn my back but be there at this juncture and try in some way to help, support, listen and inform.
It is not the time for us too to bomb with news and indications on what is happening, on the spread of the virus, on the measures taken. It is not because there are already many who are doing it, we are not competent and it is not the mission of this site.

And it is precisely with this mission in mind that I wish to continue (https://dress-ecode.com/perche-why-ethos/), from the teachings of my grandmother that is no longer there, an icon of modern zero waste (she is that appears in the photo of our poster). “We are committed to living with respect for people, animals and the environment, with the aim of helping to create a world in which to live better”: this is why we started this adventure in a critical moment of standstill years ago and we try to continue writing and being there with this goal.
I have chosen a lifestyle that seeks respect for people, animals and nature and respect at this moment also means for me all this that I am sharing with you.
I want to help create a world in which to live better.
If there is something you would like to read now or something you would like to know more about or something we can do in our own small way or something you want to tell us (even just how you are) please write to us.

contact_us@dressecode.it

 Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: 20-libri-per-ragazzi

É da un po’ di tempo che desidero scrivere questo articolo, rimandando a un (breve) momento di riposo festivo, finalmente trovato!

In novembre l’Istituto di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore G. Curcio di Ispica (Ragusa), mi ha accolto calorosamente per ascoltare la storia della spedizione per ripulire le coste norvegesi dai rifiuti, proprio dove è stata ritrovata la balena del documentario di Sky24 A plastic whale. Più di 100 alunni presenti all’incontro! Aspettavamo meno classi, ma man mano che si spargeva nei corridoi la notizia del racconto di questa balena, si aggiungevano ragazzi interessati. E c’è anche chi ha voluto sapere riguardo la moda sostenibile!

Dopo la presentazione, un’insegnante mi ha chiesto aiuto nel trovare libri che sensibilizzino sui temi ambientali, di narrativa e adatti a ragazzi delle superiori. Non libri esplicitamente didattici ma romanzi, in cui il racconto inviti all’amore per la natura.

Così mi sono trovata a costruire una piccola lista di letture consigliate, pensando a diversi tipi di gusti letterari. La condivido qui perché possa essere utile anche ai lettori di Dress Ecode.

• Le mie fiabe africane – Nelson Mandela
• L’uomo che piantava gli alberi – Jean Giorno
• La ragazza sull’albero – Julia Butterfly Hill
• Tu sei il mio mondo – Timothee de Fombelle
• L’isola di Arcangelo – Mattia Luisa 
• Il mondo di Anna – Gaarder Jostein
• Margherita Dolcevita – Stefano Benni
• Storia di una gabbianella e del gatto che le insegnò a volare – Luis Sepulveda
• Anthill – Edward O. Wilson 
• Il passaggio dell’orso – Giuseppe Festa
• Walden ovvero vita nei boschi – Henry David Thoreau
• Il barone rampante – Italo Calvino
• Il richiamo della foresta – Jack London
• 25 grammi di felicità – Massimo Vacchetta, Antonella Tomaselli
• Il gabbiano Jonathan Livingstone – Richard Bach
• Il mondo senza di noi – Alan Weisman
• L’evoluzione di Calpurnia – Jaqueline Kelly
• Il cane, il lupo e Dio – Folco Terzani
• Il bacio della Dea Montagna – Marco Bosonetto
• Pensare come una montagna – A sand county almanac – Aldo Leopold

Che ne dite? Avete altri titoli di narrativa per ragazzi da suggerire?

Buona lettura!

Foto di copertina: Laura Kapfer on Unsplash

English – Dress ECOde’s lifestyle: 20 books to inspire boys and girls to love nature

It’s some time I would like to write this article, postponing to a (short) moment of holiday rest, finally found!

In November, the Higher Education Institute G. Curcio of Ispica (Ragusa) welcomed me warmly to hear the story of the expedition to clean up the Norwegian coast from waste, just where the whale of the Sky24 documentary A plastic whale was found. More than 100 students were at the meeting! We expected fewer classes, but as the news of this whale’s story spread in the corridors, interested students joined. And there were also those who wanted to know about sustainable fashion!

After the presentation, a teacher asked me for help in finding books that raise awareness on environmental issues, of narrative literature and suitable for high school students. Not explicitly didactic books but novels, in which the story invites to love nature.

So I found myself building a small list of recommended books, thinking about different types of literary tastes. I share it here because it can also be useful to readers of Dress Ecode.

• Favorite African Folktales – Nelson Mandela
• The man who planted trees – Jean Giorno
• The legacy of Luna – Julia Butterfly Hill
• Celeste, My Planet – Timothee de Fombelle
• Archangel’s Island – Mattia Luisa
• The world according to Anna – Gaarder Jostein
• Margherita Dolcevita – Stefano Benni
• The Story of A Seagull and The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly – Luis Sepulveda
• Anthill – Edward O. Wilson
• Il passaggio dell’orso – Giuseppe Festa
• Walden; or, Life in the Woods – Henry David Thoreau
• The Baron in the Trees – Italo Calvino
• The Call of the Wild – Jack London
• 25 grams of happiness – Massimo Vacchetta, Antonella Tomaselli
• Jonathan Livingston Seagull: A Story – Richard Bach
• The world without us – Alan Weisman
• The evolution of Calpurnia Tate – Jaqueline Kelly
• The dog, the wolf and God – Folco Terzani
• The kiss of the Mountain Goddess – Marco Bosonetto
• A sand county almanac – Aldo Leopold

What do you think? Do you have any other children’s fiction titles to suggest?

Enjoy the reading!

Cover photo by Laura Kapfer on Unsplash

 Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: Audio-à-porter – Lancio e contest!

L’idea nasce una sera, dopo una piacevole cena, facendo partire la ricerca di un nome appropriato relativo alla moda e alla possibilità di articoli pronti da ascoltare.

Audio-à-porter è un progetto iniziato più di due mesi fa, pensando a chi dice che non ha tempo di leggere notizie e a chi desidera ascoltare e intanto informarsi mentre è in palestra, cammina, corre, si allena, viaggia, è sui mezzi di trasporto, cucina, si occupa delle faccende domestiche o nei momenti di relax.

Abbiamo cominciato a inserire in ogni articolo la possibilità di ascoltarlo invece di leggerlo, semplicemente cliccando sul nome dell’episodio in verde accanto al simbolo delle cuffie:

Al momento sono caricati circa 20 episodi, pian piano estenderemo ai principali articoli pubblicati fino a oggi (più di 150), oltre d’ora in poi ai nuovi.

Se desiderate solo ascoltare, potete accedere direttamente al canale podcast da Spreaker, You Tube, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcast e a breve Google Podcast.

Il nuovo canale è gratuito e ci piacerebbe trovare uno sponsor, che sia sulla nostra lunghezza d’onda, per poter consentire di continuare a offrire i contenuti senza chiedere nessun contributo agli ascoltatori.

In occasione del lancio, per voi un contest dedicato! Entro venerdì 28 febbraio 2020, scrivici la tua storia sull’abbigliamento sostenibile: quello che fai per essere più green ed etico nella scelta dei tuoi vestiti, un episodio della tua vita relativo alla moda sostenibile, il racconto di un capo vintage o di famiglia per te speciale. Sceglieremo la storia più bella e scriveremo un articolo su di te, intervistandoti di persona con una piccola sorpresa se ne avrai il piacere, raccontando di te anche su Audio-à-porter.

Diventa protagonista dell’impegno per una moda più attenta alle persone e all’ambiente! 

Invia la tua storia a: contact_us@dressecode.it

Desideriamo portarti, in maniera garbata, le notizie sulla moda sostenibile e i suggerimenti su come vestire in modo più green ed etico. Buon ascolto!

English – Audio-à-porter is born, the podcast of audio articles on sustainable fashion. And a contest is starting: you can participate to be a protagonist!

The idea was born one evening, after a pleasant dinner, starting the search for an appropriate name related to fashion and the possibility of ready-to-listen articles.

Audio-à-porter is a project started more than two months ago, thinking of those who say they do not have time to read news and who wish to listen and in the meantime be informed while in the gym, walking, running, training, traveling, and on the means of transport, cooking, takes care of household chores or in moments of relaxation.

We began to include in each article the possibility of listening to it instead of reading it, simply by clicking on the name of the episode in green next to the headphones symbol:

At the moment about 20 episodes are uploaded, slowly we will extend to the main articles published so far (more than 150), from now on to new ones too.

If you only want to listen, you can directly access the podcast channel from Spreaker, You Tube, Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcast and soon Google Podcast.

The new channel is free and we would like to find a sponsor, who is on our wavelength, to be able to continue offering content without asking any listeners for any contribution.

On the occasion of the launch, a dedicated contest for you! By Friday 28 February 2020, write your story about sustainable clothing: what you do to be greener and more ethical in choosing your clothes, an episode of your life related to sustainable fashion, the story of a vintage or family garment that is special for you. We will choose the most beautiful story and write an article about you, interviewing you in person with a little surprise if you have the pleasure, telling you about yourself on Audio-à-porter.

Become the protagonist of the commitment to a fashion that cares more for people and the environment!

Send your story to: contact_us@dressecode.it

We want to bring you, in a polite way, the news on sustainable fashion and suggestions on how to dress in a greener and ethical way. Enjoy listening!