I Love Friday

And it's Friday, I'm in love. I have no classes on Friday, so it's a pretty wonderful day! Here's what caught my eye this week.

1. My roommate started a web series called University Ever After. The show is a mocumentary following Disney princesses attending Walt University. The episodes are just five minutes long and make perfect study breaks.



2. This article by LearnVest that my mom sent me earlier this week. It highlights companies we tend to shop at and how they treat their workers and the earth. It's a useful tool for me in my pursuit of ethical shopping.

Brand/Store	Sustainability	Labor
	Plenty of organic clothing. Recycles and donates extra materials, has solar panels on factory, subsidizes public transportation for employees and provides a bike share.	Manufactures exclusively in U.S.; provides health insurance, English classes and meals. But CEO accused in several lawsuits of harassing female employees.
	No eco-friendly items. Matches employee carbon offset donations; sends damaged goods to charities for recycling. Working on more initiatives.	Has code of conduct; inspects factories; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
	No eco-friendly items. Energy-efficiency initiative in stores and offices; reduced packaging and shipping energy used. Working on more initiatives.	Has principles and guidelines for suppliers; conducts third party unannounced audits; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
	Green Room website section features eco-friendly and fair trade clothing and accessories. Is carbon neutral; reduced carbon footprint by cutting air freight from 75% to 10% of goods.	Part of Ethical Trade Initiative association of companies, trade unions and organizations that work to improve global working conditions. Has code of conduct; has independent audits of suppliers; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
	No eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.	Has guidelines for suppliers; hasn’t started independent audits yet.
	No eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.	Has standards for suppliers; conducts independent audits.
	No eco-friendly items. Part ofSustainable Apparel Coalition. Working on more initiatives.	Has code of vendor conduct; makes unannounced visits to suppliers; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
	No eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.	2002 lawsuit alleged sweatshop conditions; currently being sued again for labor practices. Accused of using child labor in Uzbekistan along with Urban Outfitters and Aeropostale by International Labor Rights Forum.
	After being found out for destroying wearable clothing in 2009, stopped that practice and pioneered affordable sustainability withConscious Collection; #1 user of organic cotton worldwide; part of Sustainable Apparel Coalition.	Has code of conduct with independent audits; works with noncompliant suppliers but no stated policy on termination for non-compliant suppliers.
	Some eco-friendly items and food. Reduced energy use at stores; reduced operating waste; collects consumer e-waste. Working on more initiatives.	Conducts unannounced audits; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
	Few eco-friendly items. Reduced energy use at stores and offices; reduced gas use in shipping; increased recycling. Working on more initiatives.	Accused in 2007 of using slave labor by newspaper investigation; published Code of Conduct in 2009; conducts independent evaluations.
	No eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.	No labor guidelines; accused of using child labor in Uzbekistan along with Forever 21 and Aeropostale by International Labor Rights Forum.
	No eco-friendly items. Reduced paper and energy use; increased recycling. Working on more initiatives.	Has sourcing standards with independent audits. Currently being inspected by U.S. investigators for using child labor.
	Few eco-friendly items. Improved energy efficiency; has sustainably-built stores, including a LEED-certified one. Working on more initiatives.	Has code of conduct with inspections. Accused last fall of using slave labor by Brazilian TV report; responded saying it would “strengthen supervision.”

3.  This doodle I made in class this week. 

4. This yummy meal my friend made. 

5.  This Kate Spade watch I pinned earlier this week. In Vandy colors, of course.

here

I'd love to hear how your week went!

Share the love,

Taylor