It’s getting mighty crisp out there. Right about now you may be realizing the coat on your back just won’t cut it much longer. First question to ask yourself is, do you really need a new coat or do you just want it? Second question: can you get it second hand by trolling vintage stores, Kijiji, Craigslist? If you’re still angling for a new jacket then it’s time to assess which brand actually deserves your money. My philosophy is if they want at your wallet, they better work for it…that means they better have decent sustainability policies in place.  Outwear companies, particular the ones that make technical coats, tend to be pretty good on this front, maybe because the outdoorsy set expects more from them. No doubt, Patagonia and MEC are real leaders. But there are lots of flunkees out there, too – to get the lowdown check out my Ecoholic jacket guide. Keep in mind that even better brands like MEC don’t all automatically feature recycled content or organic cotton so always double check before you buy.

If you’re wondering why we focused on technical coats and didn’t include any more fashionable green jackets, well, it’s because I couldn’t find any  in TO this season. However, if you hop online, you can order some pretty damn cool fall coats from the lovely ladies at NotJustPretty in Victoria. Here’s a little sampling (left, right) of what they have on hand this fall.

Also in this issue, Doing the Math: How Canada’s Blowing Its Carbon Load, California’s Big Chemical Makeover (one we could all learn from), and Greenwash of the Week (sorry, Volkswagan Touareg hybrid, drivers). Read all about it here!

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