tales of a travelling saleswoman

Fashionistas take refuge! Fashion week is officially over and NYC is now covered in a salty, grey snow that does not appear to be melting anytime soon. Is there a better time to discuss global warming? Whether you are carrying the latest Al Gore canvas tote bag or you think CO2 is just an acronym leftover from high school chemistry, global warming is making headlines.
Giant corporations and small, family owned businesses are being hit hard with new environmental regulations that require them to reduce their green house gas emissions or pay a price. Last week I traveled through Northern California to educate dairy farmer and cotton ginners and yes, even a kitty litter manufacturing plant on new air and water regulations that will impact their businesses. I meet all sorts of interesting folk, most of whom live amongst extended family and have to drive an hour to the nearest clothing store! Essentially, my job as a saleswoman is to convince them to work with me on offsetting the pollution from their businesses.




The moving scenery outside my driver's seat --vast rows of pomegranate and lemon trees, organic carrot crops, and cotton plants amidst the mountain ranges and wide open sky make the world seem like a much different place when compared to the crowded, noisy streets of Manhattan.

Do the two worlds ever coincide?

While designers showcased spring looks on the runway, did anyone think about where the fabric came from? How it was planted, grown, picked and processed? When we drink at trendy downtown bars do we think about the weather conditions, packing and transport that gets the pomegranates off the trees and into our Pom martinis?



On another note, does the American public even believe, consider, and/or care about American farm life? Given the amount of agriculture products that come from overseas, working the ground in U.S. may strike many as a profession left over the 1800s. But stay tuned! Word out on the pasture is that the new Democratic congress will be working on a progressive farmer's program that will be marketed in conjunction with the promotion of ethanol (corn) and biodiesal (soy) as energy alternatives.

So for now, as your trudge through the leftover snow in your winter fashion footwear of choice, perhaps you might think about how the city snow is black because of pollution. It is likely however that most of us downtown NYC residents will be contemplating whether global warming will affect the early onset of spring and dreaming of the perfect tea party chic dress we will be wearing when it finally comes.