Originally printed in The Charlotte Observer on August 1st.

Last week I joined 6 fellow NC citizens in DC to convince our senators to pass a comprehensive energy bill. As you can probably guess, those who support it welcomed us, and those who don’t listened with glazed expressions.

Our group of six represented not only a wide geographical area of our state, but also diverse perspectives. We were a retired veteran who served in the Iraq War, two executives of a large solar finance/installation company, two directors from the NC Wildlife Federation, and me: a small manufacturing business owner. My particular outlook comes from operating a local manufacturing business, TS Designs. NAFTA taught us the importance of local sourcing, which is why over 90% of our products are made in the US, 70% right here in NC. For the same reason, we also understand the importance of taking control of our own energy sources, which is why we have been making biodiesel from local waste vegetable oil for over 7 years, and installed two solar arrays and a wind turbine at our facility.

Richard Nixon was the first president to call for the reduction of our dependence on foreign oil, and every president since has echoed his sentiment. Even so, we now import well over 50% of the oil we consume here in the states. That’s over $1 billion per day sent to countries controlled by unstable, hostile regimes that don’t share our values and are at odds with our interests. While in DC, I had the chilling experience of hearing from a retired general and an Iraq War veteran who experienced American soldiers killed by weapons likely funded by US dollars.

Each day the senate delays on a comprehensive energy plan that focuses on non-petroleum-based fuels, our enemies are enriched. Now is the time for bold action. Many say the solution is to drill here. For the moment, ignore any argument you’ve heard about climate change and environmental damage and simply consider this: we consume 25% of the world’s oil, but at most have access to only 2% of the world’s remaining supply. Economics 101 testifies that as we drain that supply, prices will only continue to increase unless we lower demand.

The best way to enact change in a capitalist society is by voting with your dollar. But there are simply no currently viable alternatives to petroleum-based fuels on the market to vote for, and corporations only have one responsibility: to maximize value for their shareholders, not to look out for the long-term welfare of the American People.

No matter how involved you believe the government should be in our lives, most people agree on one thing: the government is responsible for defending Americans from enemies, both foreign and domestic. Our demand for foreign oil is a direct security threat to our country. We need Congress to lay the groundwork for a sustainable energy future for America and let the market take over from there.

by Eric Henry and Eric Michel

On my first tour of TS Designs, I was immediately impressed by each and every sustainable innovation on the premises. One of my absolute favorite features, however, is the Garden of Eat’n. This extensive employee-grown garden provides veggies for those of us who spend a few hours per week hoeing, watering, and loving the plants. It is just one more aspect of TS Designs that makes us so incredibly unique. We not only are all about making the very best t-shirt around, but we plug sustainability into all facets of our lives… our faces being one of those extremely important facets.

“Buying local” has been one of the latest pushes in the Green Movement. As Eric Henry (our beloved President of TS Designs) once said, “Just because you bought that cheeseburger from the McDonald’s down the street from your house does not mean you are buying local.” Unfortunately, some people still fail to make the distinction between products that are “final destination local” and “of local origin”.

I am personally a grocery snob. There, I said it. During the school year, I carpool with my other hippie friends once a month to drive from Elon, NC to Chapel Hill, NC (a forty minute hop, skip, and a jump away) to hit up our nearest Trader Joe’s. They supply fantastic organic, antibiotic-free, grass-fed, crunchy granola groceries from peanut butter to soy nuggets. I love Trader Joe’s. However, with summer in full swing, I’ve been looking to farmer’s markets for my produce runs.

But buyer beware! Ask the vendors where their goods are from. It’s very easy to strike up a conversation with a overall-bedecked fellow peddling tomatoes, “Hey there, these tomatoes look lovely, do you grow all of these yourself?” And you will be met with one of two answers, “Why yes I do,” or “Nope, just shipped these bad boys in from Mexico.” Having been to a Burlington, NC farmer’s market and receiving the latter of the two responses, I make certain I know exactly what I’m buying, and where it came from.

By becoming a conscientious consumer, you are not only keeping yourself informed of what you’re putting in your body, but also knowing exactly where your dollar is going. Buying local supports the local economy, your local growers, and your overall well-being. Not sure where to start your journey to becoming a better buyer in North Carolina? Keep reading.

SAXAPAHAW RIVER MILL

http://www.rivermillvillage.com/farmers.html

A quaint little town filled with history, fantastic people, and even better food. On Saturday afternoons, Saxapahaw boasts an incredible Market & Music Series, bringing the best organic goods, crafts, and musical talent to one riverside hill. Bring your blanket and an empty cooler for an amazing picnic to be contributed to by the Saxapahaw vendors. Don’t forget to stop by the general store! (I highly recommend the goat burger.)

GROWING SMALL FARMS: North Carolina Cooperative Extension

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/SustAg/otherareamarkets.html

This resource contains a plethora of excellent locations all over the Triangle Area to find the farmers market nearest you. I have explored several of the markets on the list, however my favorite thus far is the Downtown Raleigh site in terms of convenience for me.

WHY BE THE VILLAGE IDIOT WHEN YOU CAN BE A LOCAL HERO?

Peace, love & t-shirts,

Natalie

This fall, the Art Department of our local liberal arts college, Elon University, will be working to add an Eco-Art course to its repertoire. A small student research team, led by Professor Samantha DiRosa, aims to create a brand new curriculum set to be introduced in the 2011 spring semester. The class will be centered on the rapid rise in the sustainability movement and its emergent impact on the art world.

This isn’t a tree-hugging, crunchy granola meeting for the exclusive Birkenstock-donning population of the University’s campus. DiRosa and her team want to involve everyone, from the engineers to the biologists and from the sociologists to the journalists. The combination of scientific inquiry and artistic creativity opens up a brand new channel for discovery in both the arts and the sciences. Collaborating teams of students in this course will get a chance to critically address and resolve issues in our community with the implementation of their original sustainable artistic solutions.

Science geeks, meet the art freaks. Now go save the world.

…

If you’re wondering who this new mystery contributor to the TS Designs Blog is, I’m Natalie Saragusa.  I’ve recently come on board to this amazing company as an intern for my senior year at Elon University.  People and the planet are two of my greatest passions in life.  I’ve been after this position for months now, and finally get to be a part of the company that can successfully incorporate both of those aspects into its business.  I am a digital art major at Elon, with a particular interest in printing, graphic design, and fashion.  Looks like I found the perfect niche here, huh?

I look forward to sharing TS Design’s amazing story and all that a more sustainable world has to offer with you, bloggers!  Stay tuned.

PEACE LOVE & T-SHIRTS,

Natalie

Dr. Jack Martin recently completed his first semester class from Alamance Community College’s Green certificate program, the first in the state. The program focuses on “Alternative Energy Technology,” and trains students in concepts of environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and wind-solar-hydro power systems. Dr. Jack’s classes were taught in the large conference room at TS Designs.

TSD was featured as “Printwear’s Planet” in Printwear Magazine’s May 2009 edition.

Go to page 70 to read the article

On March 24th, TSD was honored by Apparel Magazine as one of five Sustainability All-Stars at its Tech Conference West in Irvine, CA. The winners were chosen based upon having taken significant steps toward incorporating sustainable best practices in their businesses.

TSD won this honor alongside sustainability innovators American Apparel, Greensource, Levi Strauss, and Patagonia.

Eric Henry has been invited to be the keynote speaker at UNCG’s Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies‘ Fall Symposium.
The focus of the symposium will be Sustainability, making Eric’s and TS Designs’ stories the perfect discussion-starter.
The event will be held from 2:00pm to 4:00pm on October 9th and is free to all visitors, so if you’re [...]

TS Designs is proud to invite you to the 1st Annual Piedmont Green Gala, an event organized to promote sustainable communities.  It will be held on October 4th from 8am to 6pm.
The focus of the event is to display methods and products that offer a low environmental footprint, including demonstrations of biofuels and wind and [...]