>> Up next on Eco Company.
>> Eco Friendly Guitars.
That's right, and what makes them good for the planet.
>> We've written a responsible timber policy here at Taylor Guitars.
Woods are available.
It's our responsibility to procure those woods legally and do it responsibly.
>> What some guitar makers are doing to preserve natural resources and eliminate waste.
>> Plus, eco-friendly shopping.
Alternatives to going to the mall.
>> So someone will come in to our store and trade in their old clothes to purchase new
clothes.
>> What you can do to get brand name fashions and save resources, too.
>> Then two girls with a passion for the planet and buying local.
>> You know, you really want to promote this idea around supporting local businesses and
supporting local industry.
>> Looking good and doing good while dressing retro.
>> And one inspiring teen.
You learn that, you know, adults listen when kids are talking.
>> From books to movies to speeches, this Southern Californian wants to inspire change.
>> All that and more coming up on Eco Company.
>> Hey guys, thanks for tuning in to Eco Company.
I'm Brendan.
>> And I'm Julina.
Everyone loves a great guitarist, right?
>> Yeah, but do you ever think about how their guitars are made?
>> Or whether they're made with a planet in mind.
>> Adam's visiting one guitar maker to find out.
>> We hear a lot about organics and sustainable products every day.
But here's one you might not have thought of before.
Guitars.
>> Let's go see how they make them.
>> Welcome to Taylor Guitars in El Cajon, California, acoustic and electric guitars line
the walls in every color of the rainbow.
But underneath it all, they're all green.
>> We're talking green as an eco-friendly.
>> We've written a responsible timber policy here at Taylor Guitars and we also have a floor
policy which addresses the forest floor and how we will continue to sustain that environment
for the villages and work with them to continue that process.
>> Whether it's getting the wood from forests in Central America or making masterpieces
back at the shop, these guitars were made with a thought for the planet every step of
the way.
>> The office two pieces and it's considered a book match top.
>> Chris Wellins has spent nearly 20 years here.
>> My first job was actually working in the milling department, cutting various pieces
of wood for the guitars.
>> Now he's VP of manufacturing and he's giving us a factory tour.
>> So what we've done with this chunk of wood is we've cut it and removed it from this
end.
We've milled it to a smaller size.
This is where the three heels of the neck will come from.
>> Our manufacturing has come a long way.
New technology and better design helps save resources.
>> We're taking one block of wood and we would cut two necks out of that block of wood.
Through this process of the NT or new technology neck, we increased our yield by 33 percent
and now we're able to get three necks out of the same size block of wood.
That's made a huge impact on not only the yield and the wood usage but also the sustainability
at the forest level.
>> It all starts with the source and that's toned wood that is wood used to make musical
instruments.
>> Woods are available.
It's our responsibility to procure those woods legally and do it responsibly.
>> Taylor sources much of its wood from Central America.
>> So this is an example of the mahogany lumber that we procure from Central America.
It comes to us in this rough form.
It's kiln dried and what we do here at Taylor Guitars is take this lumber, mill it down
to a smaller size four by four square lumber, smooth on each side and then we'll actually
re-saw this into the three pieces of the neck wood that we saw on that guitar earlier.
>> Mahogany is widely popular around the world but has been over harvested through the years
so some varieties are commercially extinct.
Taylor is using other methods to obtain it.
>> Yes, it's actually started with us using dead mahogany trees and seeing if we could remove
those from the forest and utilize them for a source of neck wood along with a variety
of other parts that go inside the guitar.
>> Guitar makers know it's vital to sustain their main resource so Taylor and three other
manufacturers are all part of the Greenpeace Music Wood Coalition.
Its goal is to change logging practices.
>> The purpose of the music wood coalition is to actually go to the forest and see it.
>> One thing that many of us don't know is they'll go in and clear cut an entire forest
trying to get specific trees and what they're doing is cutting down everything in the process.
What we're looking to do is get sick of spruce out of the forest and let other trees grow.
>> Helping villages sustain their economies is also a priority.
>> We are paying the villages specifically for their work and their value added work versus
paying a third, fourth and fifth party where one vendor, one corporation would go onto
the ground and clear cut the entire area and then produce parts or pieces out of that
lumber and then sell it all over the world.
>> Back in the factory, it's show time.
>> They use precise lasers and efficient design to get the most out of every piece of
lumber.
>> They take this portion here and they cut multiple truss rod covers out of it which
is used to cover the truss rod opening on the peg head of the guitar.
>> Okay.
>> Whereas in years past, this would have just ended up being thrown away.
And check this out.
Utilizing the laser, we've increased our yield because look at the laser line here.
It's very small and we're not just throwing wood away with every pass of the cut of the
table saw.
We're able to utilize this entire piece and get two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve pieces
out of this versus more than likely six if we've cut this on a table saw.
>> Tracking where wood is sourced from is also an important part of the process.
>> What they're doing is working on barcoding all the lumber, actually taking photographs
of the tree that they're cutting and barcoding each stick or each log or piece of lumber coming
from that tree and then coating it and tracking it up for us so we can actually track that
barcode back to the tree that it was cut from.
>> From sourcing sustainable wood and helping villages to reducing waste and recycling.
Taylor's giving new meaning to what it means to be a guitar hero.
>> This mahogany guitar sounds great.
And you would have known that it's made sustainably too.
>> Something to think about next time you're strumming a tune.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Coming up, stopping with the planet in mind.
>> So someone will come in to our store and trade in their old clothes to purchase new
clothes.
>> Saving resources, energy, and money and looking fabulous.
>> Then two girls making retro fashion trend.
>> We just really embrace the idea that you can actually repurpose a lot of things and
still look cutting edge.
>> Making old new again and keeping it local.
More eco company is next.
>> Everyone likes to look good and shopping for clothes that can be a lot of fun.
When you want to shop, where do you think of the mall, right?
But did you know the choices you make when you shop can actually make the world a better
place?
>> Here's one of my favorite stores, let's go check it out.
>> This is Crossroads Trading Company, it's a used clothing store and it could be a lot
more fun than shopping at the mall.
Instead of racks and racks of the same things, you'll find unique clothing to fit your unique
style and there's something for everyone.
Of course one good reason to shop at a used clothing store is the prices.
>> I think I'll try this one, it's cute.
>> You can find cool clothes in great condition for a lot less money.
>> Reprisings a quarter to a third of what it sold for at retail.
>> There are a lot of top labels and you can be creative in putting things together.
>> These are cute and they're my size.
>> Big clothing companies use a lot of resources and a great deal of energy to produce new clothing
and much of it ends up in landfills.
They also spend millions of dollars on advertising which goes into the cost.
>> I definitely like this one.
>> Buying used clothes.
It's perfect for summer too.
Saves the national resources and the energy used in the production and transportation of
new clothes.
>> I'll try that on.
>> And you can recycle too by selling, trading or donating clothing you've outgrown or just
don't want to wear anymore.
Store manager Julia Washburn explains how it works.
>> So someone will come in to our store and trade in their old clothes to purchase new
clothes and we go through their clothes and we're looking for things that are in current
style and good condition so we will give it a retail price and then you can get 35% cash
or 50% trade.
>> Okay.
It's time to go try things on.
>> Yes, you can often get great stuff and name brands at a store like this but no matter
where you go to donate or trade or sell your used clothing, you are reusing and recycling.
Saving natural resources, saving money and having fun too.
>> That was amazing.
I got great clothes for a great price.
You know, there's a lot of used clothes stores out there and everyone seems to have their
favorite store.
Jordan found one started by two girls with a passion for the planet.
>> Hey guys, we're headed to one of my favorite stores.
And let me tell you.
It's a unique shopping experience.
Yep, it's right here.
What do you say we check it out?
>> This narrow path leads to retrofit republic.
It's a vintage clothing store.
You are greeted by founders Julia Rea and Jenny Taun as you enter their small showroom
lined with racks of clothes.
To check it out, you need an appointment and that gets you personal service and people
come over, we want them to feel like guests or home, you know, they could hang out with
Jenny and I.
We're a lot of fun, we think.
>> Everything in their showroom is secondhand or vintage and you'll find a bit of everything.
They love the classic look of antiques and everything here represents their personal style.
Everything in the store is hand-selected by Julia myself and everything is really taking
care of with love, if there's anything that needs to be mended, if you do it all, everything's
cleaned.
>> Jenny says the idea for the store began with a yard sale.
>> A lot of people came out and we got a lot of great feedback and people were asking
us if we were going to do this again and then that's when it clicked.
There's a lot of people who are interested in the items that we were selling and at the
same time it falls into the line of sustainability where we're not selling things that are new,
so people aren't buying items that are manufacturing new.
>> It's a philosophy that began at a very early age.
>> Growing up there was never this idea of throw away anything, it was like with a little
bit of work, you could repurpose, re-edit, recycle anything and everything from food to
clothes to toys.
>> When we started out with Retrofit Republic, we just really embraced the idea that you can
actually repurpose a lot of things and still look cutting edge.
>> On that note, I would love to get my own fashion consultation to possibly find that
one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly outfit, what do you guys say we get started?
>> Yes!
>> We tried to be very creative in how we source things, it could be anywhere from yard sales,
garage sales, thrift stores, vintage stores, the nations, we try to diversify how we get
things.
>> That's super cute, I love the patty dress, perfect for the spring so much time.
>> There is one in particular thing, perfect purple, my favorite color is so cute and classy
at the same time, I love it.
>> Okay, let's try them on.
>> Okay, let's do it.
>> The dress looked great, but these girls believe in accessorizing, so they suggested
a vintage belt to add shape and an eye-catching accent, some simple classy earrings, a vintage
watch, a natural vintage bag, and voila, a complete outfit.
>> Well, I definitely love it, you guys did an excellent job putting this together, which
I didn't think it was going to work at the beginning, but you know what, we definitely
made it work.
>> Yeah, making it work is what these guys do.
Buying used for vintage clothing from places like Retrofit Republic not only saves resources
and energy by reusing and recycling, it also supports local businesses.
>> You know, we really want to promote this idea around supporting local businesses and
supporting local industry and this concept around slow fashion that you don't have to
like turn through everything within like a matter of three months, but you know, hold
onto that garment, you know, with, you can belt it, you can accessorize it, you can do
a lot of different things with it.
>> We're a huge supporter of the local economy, obviously.
>> So people can look cute, save money, save resources, save energy, so literally it's
a win-win situation for everybody.
>> We think so.
>> Look good, do good.
>> Coming up, one teen on a mission to inspire.
>> I first have to change myself before I ask anyone, you know, to change.
>> Now she's inspiring with a book, videos, and speaking engagements.
Her story straight ahead on eco-company.
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>> Some of us are cynical about climate change, and understandably so.
>> Is it real?
How does it affect me, and is there anything I can do about it?
>> All common questions, and this next scene was definitely from that camp.
>> Until she found there are solutions, and we can all do our part.
>> Good afternoon, my name is Jordan Howard.
>> Meet college student, Jordan Howard, an environmental activist, public speaker, film
maker.
Oh, and yeah, she's even helped edit a book.
>> I hope to inspire people to change their behavior.
>> This green teen's mission to educate and inspire others to protect the planet is one
we had to hear about in person.
So we traveled to the coast of Southern California to chat with this multi-tasking powerhouse.
So this all started at your environmental charter high school.
Tell us about that, tell us about the programs offered to the students, and how the whole
school sort of worked.
>> Well, I'm going to try to high school, it's a small school in Longdale.
The purpose of the school is to teach us to be lifelong learners, and to be agents of
change in our community.
>> It was there where Howard learned about global warming in the ninth grade, but her
road to eco-activism was anything but smooth.
>> I always got in trouble because I always be the only one to raise my hand and say, why
are we learning this?
This is not important.
I don't think we need to, you shouldn't force this upon us.
I was resistant and I thought it was a movement for hippies, and I thought that I had no relation
to the environmental movement.
But soon she had a change of heart, something clicked that I was resistant because I didn't
know.
I wasn't educated.
I didn't really know what the solutions were to global warming.
We were taught about global warming, and we knew all the effects of global warming, but
we didn't know what we could do to prevent global warming.
I felt empowered when I learned that I could actually do something to combat global warming.
I can do something in my own life, in my family's life, so that's what I started to do.
I first had to change myself before I asked anyone to change.
>> Once the light bulb came on, she didn't waste a second, and it didn't take long for
people to know she meant business.
>> And then I went home and said, okay, we need to bring the house.
We need to start going to farmers markets and refusing plastic bags at the stores, and
my parents thought I was crazy.
She's like, okay, I'll come back later.
So they had to see that I wanted to make the change, and then they wanted to do it as well.
>> She took action at school, too.
Working with the Surfrider Foundation, she started a campaign for teens called Rise Above
Plastics.
>> When I learned my 10th grade year about plastics and how they were harmful for not
only the environment, but for humans, human bodies because of the chemicals that are inside,
I was really empowered to do something.
And I was just like, okay, I know that I'm not the only one that didn't know this before
we learned this.
So I wanted to create something for students, where students taught students to Rise Above
Plastics.
>> She gathered a few dozen students and trained them to go out into the community.
>> So it was all for students.
We ended up going to businesses, schools in our community, different schools, and we
learned that, you know, adults listen when kids are talking this way.
>> These were teenagers.
>> Exactly.
And teenagers listen when teenagers are talking as well.
>> Howard's taken her message to LA's Environmental Youth Conference, to the International
Plastics Our Forever Conference, and to the TEDx series.
>> I use plastic all day long.
So it's easy to get rid of all we have with it through easy to end plastic pollution.
I mean, I use this every day.
We just have to change our behavior.
>> And there's even more.
She's also a filmmaker.
>> My first project was a day in my life.
So when I was first inspired, I saw that the green movement needed education.
People needed to learn because we're still in a time where there are millions and millions
of people that don't even know what climate change is, and they can't explain to you what
climate change is in three sentences.
And that's a problem.
That's a really big problem when we're trying to get people to change their behavior.
So I said that everything that I ever want to do, I want to educate people.
I just want to make sure I'm educating people.
So if we did that with that film, we taught people from little kids to grown-ups to teenagers
how to go green in their lifestyles.
She's also doing that through the latest book she's had a hand in.
It's called "Green My Parents."
>> First thing that we teach in Green My Parents, we teach the kids how to read their
electric bill and how to understand their electric bill and understand kilowatts.
Because I even asked my mom one time, I was just like, "Why we're writing the book.
Do you know how to like read an electric bill?"
She says, "I don't, I actually don't."
So before we start teaching them how to save money, how to shave 10% off of their electric
bill, we teach them how to understand their electric bill and understand the kilowatts
that they use per month, kilowatts that they use per year.
We teach them its energy, water, how to green your pets, how to green your home, how to
green your clothing.
>> Whether it's through public speaking, movies or the pages of a book, for Howard, it's all
about educating and giving people solutions.
It's also about showing teens they can make a difference.
>> We're just reminding kids that, you know, you can, you have an influence over your parents.
You have an influence over your politicians.
>> It's a road to sustainability, Howard plans to stay on for years to come.
>> It feels good.
It feels really good.
>> If your campus is doing something to go green.
>> We want to hear about it.
>> Grab your video camera and start rolling.
>> Create a video and upload it to our website at eco-company.tv.
>> Well, that wraps up another episode of eco-company.
Thanks for watching us.
>> For more information on the stories on the show or to give us your feedback, visit
our website at eco-company.tv.
>> And be sure to check us out on Facebook.
We'll see you next time.
>> On eco-company.
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