Persephone and Demeter
For the past week I have had over three dozen press releases from PR firms , touting their clients wearing, wafting and applying 'green' products; all seemingly jumping on The Earth Day bandwagon. I began to think about the idea of EARTH nearly six months ago when AHAlife.com, (where I am a Fragrance Curator), asked“the world would be a better place if?” My answer was: “If everyone watched Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot video“. I don’t think many did. It’s not a sound bite. (The 'Pale Blue Dot is a photograph of Planet Earth taken in 1990 by Voyager 1 from a record distance, showing it against the vastness of space. By request of Carl Sagan, NASA commanded the Voyager 1 spacecraft, having completed its primary mission and now leaving the Solar System, to turn its camera around and to take a photograph of Earth across a great expanse of space).
My own connection to NATURE is limited, after spending thirty years in New York City, nature is wrapped in cellophane at the corner deli. But my connection to Earth Day is strong and can be summed up in John Lennon’s song Imagine, his artwork, the works of Carl Sagan’s and in this quote by Thomas Edison:”Until a man duplicates a blade of grass, Nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge. Remedies from chemicals will never stand in favorable comparison with the products of Nature, the living cell of a plant, the final result of the rays of the sun, the mother of all life.”
Ira Einhom the founder of Earth Day
Earth Day is celebrated every April 22, 2011 since its inception in the early 70s, when twenty million participated now, in 2011 it is a global event that over a billion people celebrate. I asked some friends in fragrance to write a brief paragraph on what Earth Day means to them.
Jessica September Buchanan, Perfumer
So what’s an important and perfumed activity that you can do this Earth Day? Get out there and plant flowers! (and just say NO! to plastic) Bees for Trust, an organization that helps people in impoverished countries to establish themselves as beekeepers. In doing so, they can have a sustainable income while nurturing pollinators. In general, the nurturing of bees is crucial- and is another way we can all make a difference; by making our yards and gardens organic and bee-friendly. Bees For Trust is only one of many organizations dedicated to the well-beeing of pollinators
Charna Ethier, Perfumer, Providence Perfume and Member of the Natural Perfumer’s Guild
Some of my earliest childhood memories are of gardening with my mother. I remember kneeling in the dirt, planting seeds, and weeding. I remember the hot sun on the back of my neck, the buzz of insects and a drowsy contentment. I would run through the paths in our garden, arms outspread like an airplane, my fingers softly brushing the tops of fragrant basil and rosemary on each side. At the end of the path I would flop to the ground and press my hands against my face, close my eyes and inhale the herbal scent that clung to my fingers. I loved the aroma and still do.
Now I hope to pass this love of fragrant herbs, gardening, fresh local food and respect for nature onto my children. Gone is the large garden of my youth. It is replaced by a small postage stamp sized yard in the city. We have a small herb garden and tomato plants. We talk of the special power of bees, listen for the sound of the lone woodpecker, and look for earthworms. The children speak more quietly and tread more gently. I watch with pride as their chubby fingers gently push seeds into the earth. I feel the hot sun on the back of my neck, the buzz of insects and a drowsy contentment.
Amanda Feeley, Natural Perfumer
I am a Unitarian, Universalist, and I am committed to making the world a better place for everyone on “Gaia”, the name of the Earth (from The Greek word “γαῖα”) and I honor ALL – humans, animals, plants, fungi, minerals – all life..
JoAnne Bassett, Natural Perfumer, Bespoke Perfumer and member of the Natural Perfumer’s Guild
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. Clean air, clean water, and a healthy, sustainable environment free of toxins are very important to me. Saving Gaia, our dear Mother Earth is becoming more of a challenge for this grassroots movement. To create my natural perfumes I use sustainable ingredients and support the farmers who care for the living plants and the land. Organic essential oils, organic jojoba, and organic grape alcohol are used in my vegan and organic natural perfumes. I use recyclable packaging that keeps bottles out of the landfills.
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, Perfumer and Certified Aromatherapist, Member of the Natural Perfumer’s Guild
Honestly, everyday is Earth Day to me. Whether this feeling is in the choice of products we design, the packaging we use or how we go about running the office, Earth Day is in the details of the choices we make and how we think. First and foremost, I feel that there is a reverence for the materials and where they come from that shines through in all of DSH Perfumes. Choosing to create with an emphasis on the intrinsic value of naturals is a way that we celebrate the Earth and it's ever surprising and diverse beauty.
In terms of EARTH DAY as an event, it might seem trite to some that there is a day set aside to consider that we are a part of and must be supported by the Earth, but to me it's really akin to Mother's Day. The sense of April's renewal and rebirth that coincides with Earth Day helps us to remember our Mother; I like to celebrate it like that.
Anya McCoy, Natural Perfumer, and President of the Natural Perfumer’s Guild
Environmental protection and action were the major points I took away from attendance at the first Earth Day, April, 1970 on Belmont Plateau, Philadelphia. Loving fragrant plants and natural oils were also a big part of my life then, and have become my lifelong obsession, and my profession:
From 1972- 2010 (Highlighlights) – I studied horticulture and crop science. When I host a party, I brought out the essential oils and dab everyone, using their fingers as scent strips. Successfully petition the University of California to create community gardens and Ddscover Irving Kaufman's book Perfume, with Jean Carles method, and begin systematically testing oils, comparing and contrasting.
2011 – I promote the local planting of kewdra flowers and other endangered natural aromatics to lessen the perfumer's dependence on faraway source and to insure the future availability of raw materials for the art of natural perfumery.
Elise Pearlstine, Natural Perfumer of Bellyflowers Perfume and member of the Natural Perfumer’s Guild
“Earth day reminds me of these things:
That somewhere a warbler builds a nest in a balsam fir
That vetiver grows wild along the rivers of India and hills of Haiti
That heritage rose are treasured and wild roses ramble
That lavender of all varieties grows wild and tame
Cedar trees extend their roots wide and strong
Juniper trees are covered with sharp, aromatic blue fruits
Tuberose and jasmine fill the night air with perfume
Violets peep through the vegetation and clary sage holds its head up high
Honey bees hum, bumblebees bumble and hummingbirds flit among the flowers
That somewhere someone is working every hour of every day to keep these things true”.
These fragrant friends all provided responses and did not solicit me. They provided draws AT my request and I will share each with you a little about their draw prizes:
Jessica September Buchanan offers a 5ml sample of Regalisse Noir AND her yet to be sold scent inspired by honey and bees to one reader. www.1000flowers.ca
Charna Ethier offers to one reader Chiffonade her newly introduced solid perfume richly scented and evoking grennery (no wimpy scent here!) that rests on a silky shea butter rich base.http://www.providenceperfume.com/solid-perfumes
JoAnne Bassett offers to one reader 1 oz of My Malmaison EDP spray “I named it after the famous Napoleon and Josephine's Malmaison chateau in France. I recreated the fragrant gardens in this exquisite perfume. Josephine gathered all of the rare and beautiful flowers there. She loved roses and the tea rose was developed there. She had almost every known species and over 250 varieties of roses. She was doing what we do today with saving seeds of rare plants and creating new flowers”. http://www.joannebassett.com/royal.htm
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz is offering Bancha organic shea butter creme,(not pictured) “It seemed fitting to honor Earth Day with a draw from our Gaia Perfumes collection” https://www.dshperfumes.com/collections_pdba.asp?page=17&id=21
Anya McCoy is offering to one winner her Kewdra, EDP created for the The Mystery Of Musk Internet project www.anyasgarden.com
Kewdra *is referred to* *as a “modern Indian-style musk perfume”,
inspired by Alobar’s Hindu beloved, Kudra- in Tom Robbins’novel
/Jitterbug Perfume/ -Ida Meister
In additon she is giving you a choice between Kewdra or Temple:
“My Temple has mitti, which is a soil attar, and tincture of soil I made. It's meant to help heal those who have been through, or who are in the middle of a trauma”
A portion of Temple sales will be donated to The Hatian Relief fund.
Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
To enter our draw: Imagine what would make this world a better place and leave a comment & you are eligible for one of seven fragrant prizes. Was there a quote here that resonated with you? Draw closes April 24, 2011