Eco-Fashion Show Info

When / Where

Date: Friday, April 27, 2018

Time: 5:00pm - 7:30pm

Detailed Schedule...

(3:00-5:00pm - MANDATORY rehearsal for all participants/models; parents do not need to be present during this time.)

    • 5:00-5:45pm - Doors open; Guests enjoy "mocktail" hour; parents help dress models (~5:20/5:30)
    • 5:45-6:00pm - Guests to take their seats; models line up
    • 6:00-7:00pm - welcome / Fashion Show begins / ends!
    • 7:00-7:30pm - Meet the Press / Photo opportunities
    • 7:30pm - Event concludes

Location: Bushwick Inlet Park Community Room (86 Kent Ave, between N9th and N10th Streets)

Tickets: by invite only!

**All participants (walking in the runway show) must complete the Registration Form and may request tickets there. Deadline to register Monday, March 26.

What

This year's collection is based on Eco-Schools' "Pathways to Sustainability" and will have FIVE themes.

Students/families should select ONE theme to be a part of: WASTE, WATER, ENERGY, SCHOOLYARD HABITAT (Gardens) or HEALTHY SCHOOLS (Indoor Air Quality.)

For example, if I wanted to create an outfit/costume in the "Energy" theme, perhaps I will construct an Electric Vehicle (EV) costume. Try to be more specific within the theme... instead of a general outfit of "Water," be an oyster that lives in Newtown Creek or a water droplet traveling to NYC's tap from Croton aqueduct. Instead of creating a whole SYH/Garden dress, focus on a special native plant or pollinator insects in the garden.

Along with your outfit/costume, you will need to include a short "narrative" for the show that will be used to introduce you and your design. (Include the materials you used.) To help with this, think about the following framing questions: WHAT, SO WHAT and NOW WHAT?

So in my example, my narrative for my EV costume can be, "Traditional cars burns dirty fossil fuels which causes air pollution. Electric cars on the other hand have zero tailpipe emissions, which means cleaner air. Ms. Wong believes that EVs will be the future of transportation. Her outfit is made of cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, and shipping foam."

**If you need help coming up with a "themed" outfit/costume, email Ms. Wong > wongt@nwf.org or come to a workshop!

Waste

The United States is home to just 5 percent of the world's population; however it generates 30 percent of its trash. The average American creates a staggering 4.5 pounds of garbage daily. Almost everything we do creates waste, and as a society we are currently producing more waste than ever before. Both consumption and waste have major environmental impacts. Producing goods and transporting them to consumers uses large quantities of fossil fuels and produces pollution, particularly carbon dioxide (the major greenhouse gas leading to climate change). When these products become waste, they are transported again, usually to landfills, where they produce methane (another potent greenhouse gas) as they break down, or to incinerators, which generate more pollution as they burn. For more info: https://www.nwf.org/Eco-Schools-USA/Become-an-Eco-School/Pathways/Consumption-and-Waste

  • WHAT? What is waste? Where does it come from? Where does it go?
  • SO WHAT? Why is it a problem? Who does this affect?
  • NOW WHAT? What can I do differently? What can we change?

Water

Water covers about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. But the vast majority of Earth’s water is found in the oceans, too salty to drink and unfit for many other applications. Of the freshwater on Earth, about two‐thirds is frozen in the ice caps and glaciers, which leaves less than one percent accessible for human use. Fresh clean water is one of the basic necessities of life. But in the United States and throughout the world, it is becoming a scarce resource. As weather patterns shift and temperatures rise due to climate change, water security, including health and conservation will only become more crucial. For more info: https://www.nwf.org/Eco-Schools-USA/Become-an-Eco-School/Pathways/Water

  • WHAT? What is water? Where does it come from? Where does it go?
  • SO WHAT? Why is it important? What does it impact?
  • NOW WHAT? What can I do differently? What can we change?

Energy

The nation's school districts spend more than $7.5 billion a year on energy. Schools are the largest energy consumer in many municipalities. But up to 30 percent of that energy is used inefficiently or unnecessarily. By implementing energy-conservation measures and using energy-efficient technologies, schools can significantly cut their energy use. The result is financial savings as well as a reduced environmental impact. Through simple changes in people’s behavior, schools have found that a 10% reduction in energy usage can be achieved quickly and easily. For more info: https://www.nwf.org/Eco-Schools-USA/Become-an-Eco-School/Pathways/Energy

  • WHAT? What is energy? Where does it come from? How is it being used?
  • SO WHAT? Why is it important? What are the problems?
  • NOW WHAT? What can I do differently? What can we change?

Schoolyard Habitats (Gardens)

Research has demonstrated that in all discipline areas, students who are given the opportunity to directly engage in outdoor education and experiential learning have been able to significantly increase their capacity for learning. As today’s schools are challenged to increase both student test scores and campus safety and efficiency, redesigning the school grounds and reclaiming the landscape as an outdoor classroom and laboratory can assist schools in achieving both objectives. Schoolyard Habitats at their best are great outdoor spaces to learn, they are litter‐free and support biodiversity. For more info: https://www.nwf.org/Eco-Schools-USA/Become-an-Eco-School/Pathways/Schoolyard-Habitats

  • WHAT? What are school yard habitats? Who and what lives here?
  • SO WHAT? Why is it important? Why do we need this? What are the benefits?
  • NOW WHAT? What can I do? What can we change?

Healthy Schools (Indoor Air Quality)

On average, one out of ten children is affected by asthma, and asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism, accounting for close to 13 million missed days per school year. Often times, asthma and respiratory related illnesses can be exacerbated by pollutants such as chemicals, cleaning supplies, pesticides and exhaust from idling buses and automobiles. Eliminating toxic and hazardous materials, while maximizing elements that promote health, will improve the learning environment for students and staff. For more info: https://www.nwf.org/Eco-Schools-USA/Become-an-Eco-School/Pathways/Healthy-Schools

  • WHAT? What are air pollutants? What causes these pollutants?
  • SO WHAT? How is it effecting our children? Why is it important?
  • NOW WHAT? What can I do differently? What can we change?

How

Materials

Remember, the objective of this Eco-Fashion project / show is to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of consumption and waste. Therefore, please DO NOT purchase items to create your design. Instead, be creative - reuse materials you would normally throw away! Some ideas:

Think about everyday items you use and / or discard:

  • plastic bags and wrappers
  • small containers
  • packaging material (bubble wrap, peanuts, etc.)
  • cardboard boxes
  • old magazines
  • old CDs/DVDs

Think about old clothes or fabrics:

  • reuse outgrown clothes and old fabrics
  • rethink your "hole-y" socks
  • re-purpose old curtains or table cloths

**Have some materials and need help figuring out how to use it? Email Ms. Wong > wongt@nwf.org or come to a workshop!

Guidelines

**ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST REGISTER AND RECEIVE CONFIRMATION TO BE A PART OF THE SHOW**

  • You should choose 1 theme in the collection and write a brief narrative about your design
  • ALL students may walk the runway with their parents/siblings/relative/etc. (Ideally, also in an eco-fashion outfit/costume in the same theme.) This must be noted on the registration form.
  • Deadline to REGISTER to participate in show is Monday, March 26
  • Deadline to complete final outfits/costume AND narrative is Monday, April 23
  • Workshops 1-3 are optional but final workshop on Monday, April 23 is highly recommended
  • Day of Show Rehearsal is mandatory for ALL Participants walking the runway (Friday, April 27, 3:00-5:00pm.)

**NOTE - due to possible capacity at venue, registration may close sooner that above said date**

For further questions, contact NWF's Sustainability Coach, Tina Wong, at wongt@nwf.org