Ah, Le Mini Paris!

To most people, used cans, jars, cardboard boxes and other discarded household wares are just things to either be thrown in the trash or recycled.  To inspired Frenchman Gerard Brion, however, they are the brick and mortar with which he built a detailed 1/130th scale model of Paris, France over the past 15 years.  Located in his own backyard in the southern French town of Vaissac, 70 km north of Toulouse, Brion’s creation is open to the public, and even has a (human-size) cafe and various nearby attractions in case you get tired after an hour of strolling its mini streets.  It goes without saying that Brion’s work shows how a little creativity (and a LOT of dedication) can change the way we perceive of refuse, and perhaps even suggest the permanence of many of the things we think just “go away” when we throw them away.  Anyone interested in visiting should hurry, as the park will only be open through September 30th!

For more information please visit Le Petit - Paris

Ah Oui… Ces’t g=9.8

Sophie Young is the the founder of g=9.8. In a similar industry to the American company Nau, her company has a great brand within a very sustainable approach to development.Her product lines within g=9.8 have a limited impact on the environment. For starters they use wood fibers recycled as raw materials for the clothing. In production they use limited water consumption. All of the items they sell are certified under the OEKOTEX STANDARD 100. They have developed eco-friendly packaging (their clutch bags are made of recycled materials or purchased from fair trade in Cambodia). And last but not least, their production located in France despite the relatively high cost.

The factory where g=9.8 lingerie and loungewear articles are manufactured is located in a small village near Angers, France, a town of about 1500 people. They chose to base the entire production in France because their belief is that sustainable relies on local development, employment and preserving local knowledge and skills.