First, bringing some up to speed, about a month ago I wrote a post on the changing landscape of business due to such business sustainability initiatives of the Triple Bottom Line (3BL). This is an ongoing subject that I love to rant about, shine light and attempt to create innovative ideas on the reg, or as some prefer, on the regular.

To provide some context on the paragraph below, this was taken from a paper written by business heavy hitters Yvon Chouinard (CEO, Patagonia), Jib Ellison (Founder & CEO, BluSkye) and Rick Ridgeway (VP, Environmental Initiatives). The  paper is aptly titled “The Big Idea: The Sustainable Economy”. Fantastic read. I got the inside track from good friend and colleague, Patrick Cowen who is an advertising badass and currently earning his MBA from University of Denver.

Real change will come as high-level calculations filter down to individual companies’ bookkeeping. Puma, a sports footwear and apparel brand that is a subsidiary of the French PPR Group (which also includes Gucci, Stella McCartney, and Yves Saint Laurent) announced in April 2011 that it would begin issuing an environmental profit & loss statement that will account for the full economic impact of the brand on its ecosystem. It commissioned PriceWaterhouseCoopers to help develop the EP&L statement, and both companies hope to create a model robust enough to be adopted by others. “This is nothing to do with corporate social responsibility and the green agenda,” Chris Knight, of PwC’s sustainability practice, told The Financial Times. “It is hard-nosed economics.”

For me, this paragraph should be a big eye opener for all business stake holders. Are you one who considers this business sustainability movement a mere pop culture trend? Good luck with that.

Post two, in the series of creative/one-of-a-kind/sustainable products that make great gifts.

Today, the wearables…!

We at DVLP|Life, are getting just a little excited for the holidays… Here’s why:

1. Bags Of Tires…

http://www.etsy.com/people/blowuponline

2.  Repurposed Rubber Accessories!

http://www.etsy.com/people/Junkitlove

3. The Airbag Tote!

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/airbag-tote

4. A guitar string ring!

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/guitar-string-rings

5. Uncommon Belts from Uncommongoods.com!

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/fire-hose-belt

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/bike-tread-belt

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/seat-buckle-belts-ford

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/seat-buckle-belt-volkswagen

6. Former vinyl records turn elegant cuff!

http://www.gogreenitems.com/Recycled_Record_Cuffs_Black_Roman_p/rrc-02.htm

7. Skatedeck Style

http://www.etsy.com/shop/derekhowlettdotcom?ref=top_trail

8. The I-Mean-Business Bracelet… For all your loved ones’ intimidation needs.

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/bullet-casing-cuff

9. Front-row seats to nostalgia…

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/authentic-stadium-seat-cufflinks

10. And anything on this blog: http://www.ecofabulous.com/

 My personal favorite Sword + Fern beautiful recycled jewelry…

http://www.etsy.com/shop/swordandfern?ref=top_trail

Next week, sustainable gift ideas for the man/woman that has it all… Happy shopping!

XO,

Abella

One may think it is sustainable enough to ride a bicycle rather than commute in a car. But what if it was taken one step further, actually making your bike sustainable. Many versions of a bamboo bike are emerging. Panda Bicyclesin our very own Fort Collins, Co took it to the next level. Aiming to provide the best riding experience as well as using bamboo which is sustainably farmed and processed providing you with the opportunity to be more eco-friendly, rather than just riding your average everyday bicycle. 

Durability is a key factor in the construction of a bamboo Bicycle. Panda reassures that their high-quality cycles will exceed anyone’s expectations. The frames have been tested with over 2,000 pounds with zero failure and the bamboo used is the strongest around providing a non-corrosive feature which proves to have excellent rideability for your many years of cruising.

By now you’ve probably caught on that we heart bicycles around here. Today we were looking for a new basket for a cruiser and stumbled upon Death and Texas’ Handlebar Bag. Style and function, one of our favorite combinations.

by Shepard Fairey

In honor of Go Skateboarding Day we bring you via TransWorld Skate some sweet footage of Ben Fisher, who not only knows how to handle a board but has some pretty sweet taste in music as well.

And then, as soon as you’re done watching Ben’s video, you need to drop what you’re doing and get out there and ride. Go. Now.

Life throws you curve balls all the time. It is how we decide to deal with these obstacle that defines us.
We can hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Keep your head up, and if you truly give it your all chances are you will succeed.
Sometimes I think that tough times teach you the most about yourself and what you are doing.
The past two years have not been easy for most people. Jobs are hard to come by, and businesses are shutting their doors left and right.
It is a defining period of time, where a lot of the unnecessary is being weeded out.

But sometimes, you have to say: We Don’t Care

Take the hard times and make it an opportunity. The human will is one of the most important and amazing qualities that I can think of.

I love it!!!

Rustin Coburn
Owner, DVLP Clothing

In business and in life it is so important to take chances. You use the information and knowledge you have at hand and you go for it. As a small business owner and entrepreneur you are given this freedom probably more then most people. It can be scary to think about, and scary to go outside of your comfort zone. If I were to over think what other people thought or how they would react to my choices in life and business …. I would not be where I am today.

It is very important in building a successful company to be in tune with your customer, to respect them, and to give them the best possible service and product every single day. However sometimes you need to jump outside of the expected and try something new … even if it is just for shock value. Even if it is initially met with a negative public opinion, at the least it can still be a great marketing tool. Or in life, I think the saying goes “It is better to have tried and failed, then to have never tried at all.”

So go for it!!! Push that fear and uncertainty aside. Who cares if you look silly and stupid for a second. At least you are going for it. As long as you give yourself and the people around you respect, honesty, and love things will work out. The people who have had the biggest successes in life have also had the biggest failures. I am still young to this game of life, but if there is one thing I have learned it is to step outside your comfort zone and go for it. This is when you truly learn about yourself and how to be better. Never stop being curious.

Thank you

- Rustin Coburn
Owner, DVLP Clothing

My mom gave me a little book filled with ancient Asian quotes for each day of the year. There have been some really good ones, and some really long and obscure ones.
Here are two that I have really liked:

“Among the most remarkable features characterizing Zen, we find these: spirituality, directness of expression, disregard of form or conventionalism, and frequently an almost wanton delight in going astray from respectability.”
- D.T. Suzuki

“Life is an aspiration. Its mission is to strive for perfection, which is self-realization. The ideal must not be lowered because of our weakness or imperfections.”
- Mahatma Gandhi

Now the trick is to embody this simple information and consistently apply it to our lives.
Thank you,

- Rustin Coburn
Owner, DVLP Clothing

Alright, this one’s for all you lovers out there. Like true love, a good song never dies and Feist and the Constantines keep it real on this classic.

This week big mountain riders got their first taste of the new drug on The North Face Masters of Snowboarding tour–Crystal Mountain. Tucked into the corner of Mount Rainer, Crystal Mountain is a new stop on the tour offering over 2,600 acres of terrain. Riders have been met with tight chutes and loads of steep powder and Crystal Mountain doesn’t seem ready to let them off easy. Today riders were shut down due to rough weather and with tomorrow being the last day we’re guessing the competition is going to get heavy.

The North Face Masters kicks off at Crystal Mountain Washington from The North Face Masters on Vimeo.