Spotlight Award March 2010

SPOTLIGHT MEMBER FOR MARCH 2010 

ANNA B GREEN

Also published on AC HERE.

It isn't often that I'm so easily moved, but this is one of those times.  A new addition to the Etsy Recycler's Guild, comes Anna B Green's shop.  When I read more about her, I found out  Anna, from Seattle, is only in the 7th grade, and on Etsy with her parent's support.  I noticed she was making objects such as tote bags, wallets, and purses out of discarded goods. She was also donating 35% of her items sales to Haiti. Not just that, but that she is making a huge difference in her school, community, and among her friends.  She's even went so far as to start her own Green Blog, called  Girls-Go-Green on Blogspot.

She is my Monthly Spotlight Award Winner for March 2010.  Please convo her and give her your support! Now, an exclusive interview with the fabulous Anna!

IRA:  Anna, can you tell us more about you?

ANNA:  I’m a 7th grader at a tiny alternative middle school. I love to sew, read, knit, and crochet.

IRA: What influenced you to join the go-green movement?

ANNA: :  Well for one thing, my Dad does a lot of environmental stuff and I’ve been raised to believe that it is a very important issue. However, what really got me going was when I noticed that the scratch paper boxes in a few of the classrooms weren’t really being used, and there was lots of paper that had one side that was perfectly usable that was just being recycled. I mean, recycling is good, but if you can get one more use out of a piece of paper, you are saving one new piece of paper. I felt like I couldn’t just stand there and watch perfectly good materials being wasted, and I’ve been part of the go-green movement ever since.

IRA: This is awesome.  (Thanks Dad!)  I'm so glad you are thinking outsie the box.  If everyone thought like you, the world would be a greener place.   Now as for the shop, how did you hear about Etsy?

ANNA:  I heard about etsy from Threadbanger, and I thought that would be cool to do when I’m older. When I told my parents about it and they were very encouraging and all my friends were telling me that I should sell the stuff I make, and so it just sort of happened!

IRA: I think that's great.  I know you are new to Etsy, so tell us more about your shop and where it's going.

ANNA:  Currently my shop only carries bags made from plastic bags and repurposed fabric but I have plans for clothes also made from repurposed fabric.

IRA:  So how did the "Girls Go Green" blog come about?

ANNA: I got my friends to help me find scratch paper in the recycling and put scratch paper boxes in every classroom.    We decided that a blog would help organize our thoughts and ideas and because the summer was almost there, we would also be able to continue being green together. We’ve been blogging for almost a year, and it has been a wonderful experience.

IRA: Thanks Anna.  I'm glad you and your friends are making an impact in schools, changing the classrooms one paper bin at a time.  As her Etsy profile indicates, they are just a few eco-savvy middle school who  are making a green community.  Kudos to you!

Be sure to check out Anna's shop on Etsy HERE.

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