As I sit here under the dryer at my favorite hair salon, Gilly’s Salon on darling SE Clinton St. in Portland, OR, I’m grateful that getting rid of my gray doesn’t involve any harm to the environment or my hair. Gilly’s uses organic and vegan products in everything including color and perms. Vegan also means selling products that are cruelty-free. I also happen to be in love with my fabulous hair stylist, Emie Otis, (shown at right) of Beauty Mark Designs, who refers to herself as a beauty dominator. We at PPnG are such big fans of Emie that we decided to produce and direct a video short on her work as an eco-fashion designer. Look for it (coming soon) in the video section of the blog.

I asked Emie about her thoughts on green living and here’s what she had to say:

PPnG: How old are you Emie?

EO: 25

PPnG: What do you think of green living and how do you practice it?

EO: Green living is being responsible to the environment and taking action in daily life. To make sure that you are not wasting and not polluting as much as possible. We do that at the salon. For example, we use ammonia free organic color, derived from natural minerals which is so much nicer on the hair and the body. Our products are even safe for pregnant women to use.

PPnG: Because you are a beauty dominator right? Isn’t that your true profession?

EO: Yes, it’s true. (big smile here)

PPnG: So how do people your age respond to issues regarding the environment? Do they feel the same way you do?

EO: Many of my friends (including me) bike instead of drive. That’s a big one, since it cuts down significantly on carbon emissions. I recycle and so do many of my friends who also re-use grocery bags. Many of my friends are vegetarians, shop local and eat organic foods.

PPnG: What is your latest creative project?

EO: I’m working on the Junk-to-Funk show right now, which is an annual fashion show (held in November) where designers use recycled trash to make wearable works of art. I’m collecting bottle caps right now for my piece. So if you have any, please send them my way.

To contact Emie, visit her website: www.beautymarkdesigns.net