Kaz Brecher

Having recently self-published a mixed-media art and poetry book, The Art of Wooing: An Email Tale of Modern Courtship, Kaz has gotten more involved in sustainable tourism and eco-conscious design through the TribeWanted.com project. As the elected April 2008 chief of the project, she art directed the production of a limited edition of responsibly-made Baby Zaishu children's chairs to raise money for arts and sustainability education at the Mali District School in the economically-depressed north of Fiji.

Outdoor Activities: Hiking, canoeing, hula hooping, foraging, observing nature

Supported Causes: Sustainable tourism, efficient low-impact design and living, preservation of natural habitats

Kaz's Website: www.theartofwooing.com

Kaz's Story

Some time between being raised by two physicists outside Boston, attending Stanford University, and finding myself chief of an eco-tourism project on a tiny island in the north of Fiji, I became one of those wacky "green" people that were frequently used as a punchline in cafes in Cambridge. But, far from embracing hemp and Birkenstocks, I am a deep believer that we won't be able to effect change on our planet unless we make environmentally-friendly products accessible to the mainstream consumer. To me, this means that everyday products must be appealing, efficient, and a good value.

This stems partly from traveling extensively - from the Amazon to the Pyramids, the Great Barrier Reef to Angel Falls - and partly from a penchant for observing human behavior. I focused heavily on Social Psychology in my studies and am a believer in the truisms of Malcolm Gladwell and his views on trends. There is both science and art in the ways that ideas spread. And I have chosen to simply lead by example, finding that my enthusiasm for brilliant product design and environmental awareness often sparks others to ask questions and consider making changes in their lives.

As a self-professed design snob who spent many years immersed in science, I do this by rigorously testing products, asking lots of questions, and keeping an eye out for innovation. I can't help myself from seeking out odd new household cleaners or ordering attachments for my Nalgene. I subscribe to too many online newsletters, believing that one of them may contain the next amazing time-saving revelation. I talk to shop owners and email designers, and this is precisely how I came to head up the Baby Zaishu project for TribeWanted.

I started thinking about collaborating with Matt Butler, the designer of the Zaishu flat-pack stool, shortly after purchasing one for myself and falling in love with its design and the company's ethos. In May 2006, I got involved with TribeWanted.com as it aligned with all of my interests - a sustainable tourism initiative which leverages online community to benefit an island community in the economically-depressed north of Fiji. It struck me that we could do a limited edition of the Baby Zaishu chairs, painted with Fijian patterns, to benefit the local school...raising awareness locally about flat packing and sustainable ideals while also calling attention to the impact of global warming on this island community.

So, after my first trip to visit Vorovoro, a small island in the Mali District, I met with Helen Punton, of Zaishu, while in Sydney, who was excited about the idea. After chatting on and off with the owners of Reform School, a gift shop in LA that carries responsibly-made or recycled/reformed art products, about my involvement in Tribewanted.com, I proposed that they carry the Baby Zaishus, and they agreed.

So, one year later, after running to be the April chief of the TribeWanted.com project, I was off to Fiji again, this time with silk screens and water-based paints in tow. Each month a chief is elected and given a small portion of the operating budget to use towards a legacy project. I used this money to help defray the hefty cost of materials. The raw laser-cut wood pieces were shipped from Australia to Fiji. And I brought everything else with me.

Patterns were carefully chosen for their significance in Fijian culture, silk screens were readied, and members of both the international and the local Mali tribe set about hand-painting details and working together. Gifts were presented to the Mali District School, to the Chief of Mali and to elders of the tribe who were instrumental in the project. I then hand-carried the chairs back to LA as luggage, so as to cut down on more shipping carbon impact. And the chairs are now available for sale at www.reformschoolrules.com

During the 5 weeks on Vorovoro, I also shared samples of different kinds of toothpastes (asking people to consider the marketing differences between terms like "all natural," "biodegradable," and "non-toxic"), tested mixing kits by Eco-Me for making non-chemical cleaners at home, and delighted in the wonders of the SolLight LightCaps and LightShips which had been donated to the project. It's amazing what a difference simple things like renewable and handy lighting can make to the quality of life of a small community on an island with no water or power. The LightCaps were bright but not blinding (as headlamps are), convenient and rugged, standing up to both equatorial sun and downpours at the end of the rainy season. And the brilliant design of the LightShips meant that, as opposed to the basic LED lighting that was wired and fading only months after installation in our dining area and kitchen, we could move them from hooks in the dark kitchen to suctioning on the tin roof wherever we needed them, so we could see what we were eating. SolLight is a perfect example of what I love to find - amazingly low-impact but highly effective products designed to improved our experience anywhere in the world. During Earth Hour on March 29th, we used the LightCaps during a sustainability forum. And, my hope is to continue being a part of illuminating the simple but effective ways that we can change our habits and change the world.