Periodperiodperiod blog — social change
Nation of Makers & Detroit, ACD 'Emergence'
The first Maker's Faire happened on the 17th at the White House, more on all of that goodness here if you didn't catch it. I'm thrilled to be a part of this building movement & that NOLA had its own mini-Maker faire this year. There are a few days left on our 'nationofmakers' discount code for FREE shipping on orders over $20 btw, good until June 30! Last week I visited Detroit for the first time, it was an inspiring experience. I'd been curious about and drawn to Detroit for many years, so I was doubly thrilled to attend + give a talk at the Association for Community Design's conference 'Emergence' in Detroit this year. I didn't realize the impressive scale of the city and only getting around by walking and biking, really only saw the center portion of the city. It was awesome to see so many incredible projects and meet so many good folks. Three of my personal faves were The Empowerment Plan at Ponyride & the TAP Gallery in Southwest Detroit. The conference is easily my favorite that I've ever attended, a pleasure to meet in person finally Patrick of the Swingsets not parking spaces, Kathleen of Latent Design in Chicago, and the good folks at D:Hive, as well as inspiring folks from Boston, Dallas, and all of the good people based in Detroit, including Challenge Detroit! If you asked me, Community Design is where it's at! Bon weekend to you & I hope that all is well in your world! - Oh yes, I almost forgot! We now have personalized blankets available on our website for an additional $40 & we were able to reduce the original blanket price to $110, hooray + see beautiful baby Nora sporting her custom blanket here!









An online bottle to the sea, Dear Universe..

Why I’m focused on sustainable manufacturing in the U.S. that also gives back.
Matter is a product design and consulting studio based in the magic city of New Orleans, a city whose intimate and truly unique culture is beautifully intertwined of flavors from the Caribbean, Europe, and the South. It’s a city grounded in community and whose warmth, openness, and encouragement drew me in immediately. A common phrase that I hear is ‘the rising tide floats all boats’ regarding lending a helping hand. And a recent quote from the mayor also touches on the energy of the place: "You happen to be in the most exciting place in America right now because this is the place where hope hits the streets." ~Mitch Landrieu
It is also a city that is severely susceptible to the effects of climate change. How soon will it happen? Many say 2050 and others that it could be at the end of this century for a 3’ rise in sea levels, at either point it is too close. We, as a society have chosen not to believe in science for too long on this.
It is part of Matter’s mission to establish sustainable manufacturing jobs in the area, creating work that is healthy for both the people and for the planet. As evidence of climate change, post Industrial Revolution becomes more and more concrete, the associated costs of the items that we purchase comes to mind regularly. What is the cost of no longer having precious wetlands, which protect during Hurricanes and are an essential balance for our eco-systems? Or, the full costs of manufacturing items too inexpensively, as seen in the recent garment factory collapse in Bangladesh? Or, the true cost of air pollution to our health? Sidenote: An unfortunate reality, there is a twitter feed for Beijing’s air quality, which regularly tweets ‘unhealthy’ levels and once dipped so far off their measurement scale, they called it ‘crazy bad’ for lack of a measurable level.
All of these side effects are not currently tallied in ‘cost of goods sold.’ As climate change increases, these costs will also rise. An article in the Guardian discussing flooding costs states that by 2050 these will rise to 1 Trillion Dollars per year. Considering the worst case scenario should be the gauge for decision-making making in city planning, manufacturing, and energy. The most hopeful case scenario or blind-eye scenario is what we have been using since the Industrial Revolution and the time to change that is now. There is no denying that our over-use society is creating climate change.
Sustainable decision making is at the forefront of what we need at every level. Sustainable = able to be maintained at a certain rate or level. I founded Matter, the first Benefit Corporation in the state of Louisiana, to focus on creating sustainably made, daily-use products that create meaningful connections for our most important social and environmental problems. Matter aims to focus not only on the effects of decisions made now, but also for a healthy, sustainable future.
Matter’s launch product is BirdProject Soap, which I began in order to help raise funding for oil spill cleanup post BP’s Gulf disaster in 2010 (considered the largest accidental disaster in the history of the petroleum industry). Each all-natural black, bird shaped soap contains a white, ceramic bird, which remains as a keepsake once the outer soap has washed away. Through the daily act of washing, you will eventually free the clean, white, ceramic birds inside - potent symbols of restoration and recovery. 50% of proceeds are donated to groups working on restoration post BP Oil Spill disaster, we are proud to have donated $18,000 to date.
Hope. Hope is what I try to achieve in each Matter product, a first step to help solve large & overwhelming problems. My title at Matter is Chief Eternal Optimist, but it’s one based in reality and much research. We can create change and make a significant difference in our communities, but we do have to take the steps to make realistic, often seemingly daring, sustainable decisions to do so.
I am delighted to now introduce three new meaningful, community-based products that give back. These focus on building literacy, education in low-income neighborhoods, and rebuilding needed post Hurricane Sandy. Please watch our video to see them in action here & find out more about each one below. We are currently raising funds to create this new line of poetic products, please help us make them here on indiegogo.
The first is a series of letterpress notebooks, made of 100% recycled paper in New Orleans. A sketchbook is a trusted confidant and a place where dreams begin. As you fill these notebooks with your dreams, you also help students stay in school via donations of proceeds to the "I Have A Dream" Foundation.
Two, Rabbits for Reading is a child and adult sized flax linen napkin set. Once folded, a rabbit appears! This new reading toy builds upon the benefits of learning and play, fusing fun and reading. In our growing era of tech and gadgets, play and imagination with analog things is ever important. Donations go to S.T.A.I.R., a one-on-one tutoring group & First Book, who give books to schools in need.
Third, Inspired by the needs brought by Hurricane Sandy, this new blanket forms a heart upon your chest once wrapped around you, essentially giving a warm hug. Soon available in multiple sizes, we are beginning with the smallest size for infants (30" x 30") and then will work our way to a full, adult-sized throw blanket. These blankets bring you warmth while also raising funding for rebuilding communities that are still affected by Hurricane Sandy. We will give a percentage of proceeds to Architecture for Humanity who rebuild communities affected by disasters around the world. What makes them different is their focus on the long term & true consideration of each unique community.
Less than 48 hours left! Please help us get to 5K for our making-fundraiser (now at $4100) & Merci Beaucoup for your support!
3 New products on Indiegogo & GOOD 100
Hello & happy Friday! I'm so excited to be featured in the GOOD 100 this week as 'one of 100 people moving the world forward'! See the full feature here: 'GOOD 100: Meet Tippy Tippens, Designing for Social Change.' So grateful to GOOD & the GOOD community. I'm also really excited to introduce 3 new Matter products!! They are currently on Indiegogo, we are seeking your help to get them made for you this Fall. We have already reached 1/10 of our funding goal to finalize details and create a first run of each product. I appreciate your help in making this happen so very much, please back if you can & if not, please help us spread the word! Please visit Indiegogo for all of the details & video below: We are making all three sustainably & with inspiring makers in New Orleans: 1. A blanket that forms a heart upon your chest once wrapped around you that helps fund disaster relief needs brought by Hurricane Sandy 2. A flax linen napkin set that creates a rabbit once folded. These rabbits fuse fun & reading, as well as raise funding for student literacy groups. 3. A first in a series of 5" x 7" notebooks. This set of four has letterpress covers and use French's 100% recycled paper. The covers share some of my fave mantras such as 'There is always today' & also a note from my Mom. Her words are here: 'Free yourself from the past, keep only the parts that make you happy. Be light, a heavy spirit slows you. Be happy and kind, you will draw the same towards you. Be the kind of person that you admire and you will draw that too. First, love and know yourself. Enjoy and celebrate each new day, each new day is a birth of a new you. Take good care of yourself.' See it all here & thank you!
A life treat to see the Dalai Lama speak in New Orleans yesterday
Yesterday I bicycled over to UNO with dear friends to hear the Dalai Lama speak. Points discussed were: Compassion, connection, equality, fairness, gratitude, peace, hope, unpretentiousness, appreciation, enjoyment, & laughing. I wish that the Dalai Lama could be global president.
October in New York for Syracuse University Talks & the Feast & Pavilion in NYC!
Excited for travels coming up next week! First I will be traveling to give talks to students in design & entrepreneurship at Syracuse University! So excited to visit & meet these students Oct. 3,4. And also for an added bonus of getting a little peek of fall! Directly following that will be heading to my old/always hood NYC for a few days to attend the Feast for Social Innovation Week. And I am so honored for Matter's Goods to be for sale at the Pavilion on October 5, 6! Come on by, be so glad to see you! Also** October 5, host a dinner for Social Good around the world, be a part of the Feast wherever you are! Details here.
Proud to be part of GOOD Ideas for Cities/Neighborland in New Orleans. Woohoo Broad to Bayou Bikeway + bikebusnola.com!
I was honored to be selected to be a part of the Neighborland + GOOD Ideas for Cities Initiative & part of the Better/Safer Biking Team this summer! Each team received $500 & a few weeks to spend on their group's project which started from Neighborland posts on city needs. Our Better Biking project resulted in the Broad to Bayou Bikeway & the textable bike to bus directions app & website bikebusnola.com! See our presentation video at NOMA here on GOOD.. don't worry it's not too long.


