Big (Green) Apple Event

After a Septmeber/October hiatus, I’m back for a not-to-be-forgotten November. Or, at least, a November.

Tonight I attended Ecover’s 30 under 30 event. I went with a coworker to scout out the EcoStiletto-run event for possible client sponsorship in the future. Expecting another crowded, snooty, New York event, where everyone is clawing to escape anonymity, I was surprised and excited to be greeted by the EcoStiletto founder and editor, herself, at the door as I entered the lovely Environment Furniture showroom on Broadway. The space was open, clean and full of people trying to save the world one blog post at a time. Yes there was wine (Lapostolle), yes there was a selection of over 7 different appetizers constantly carouseled around as a substitute for all of the attendees’ dinners, yes there was fashion that you could tell at first site benefited not only the hired camera guns, but also the environment, but the pleasant surprise of the event was the product representation.

Four companies sent out their best and brightest to represent brands including Tom’s of Maine, Waterpik, Zhena Gypsy Teas and Jane Iredale mineral makeup. I had a chance to speak with everyone except the makeup company (they were swamped with makeover hungry guests) and learned a lot about the products. The coconut chai latte by Gypsy Teas almost made me want to set down my glass of wine and focus on those delicious flavors for the night – I said almost. Jury is still out – until tomorrow morning – on the Waterpik showerhead and Tom’s of Maine toothpaste I snagged, but the new appliance was easily installed into my tiny shower and is ready to roll, whenever I decide to do the same out of bed.

So, in conclusion, the event was more than worth attending on the swag and good company front.

What? There’s more?

That was only the first half of the event. The main purpose was to A) name the winner of the 3o under 30 title: Ryan Arnold of www.ryansarnold.com and B) host a roundtable with Ryan Arnold; Meagan O’Neill, editor of Treehugger; Jill Fehrenbacher, founder and editor of Inhabitat, Inhabitot and Ecouterre; Brian Clark Howard, editor of Hearst’s The Daily Green and Starre Vartan, author and founder of Eco-Chick. Panel host Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff – the aforementioned founder and editor of EcoStiletto as well as blogger, environmentalist and overall do-gooder (it’s a word because I say it’s a word) – kept panelists on their toes with questions to the tune of: How will online magazines and blogs change the media world? Do you consider yourselves, as bloggers, journalists? and What, in your mind, is the big media trend right now? I was thrilled that the questions and answers seemed as applicable to my PR cohort as they were to the many green bloggers, sitting rapt with enthusiasm as they listened to their versions of the Chosen Ones.

I left the event with a head filled with information and ideas to share with my coworkers, as well as arms filled with boxes and gift bags to share with my roommate (brother). The only similar experience in Chicago I can compare it with is a “green” event I attended as the PR rep at the time for Climate Cycle (hoping to make it back for the Chicago ride this year!) at an organic clothing store whose name is escaping my memory right now. It was a very nice event, but on a much smaller scale than this one.

Luckily, next year, EcoStiletto is planning an 8-city tour of similar events that includes my hometown and, if this event sets any sort of precedent, these cities are in for an environmental treat.