This is part 2 of a 2 part sneak peek series for Chicago’s Second Annual Project Greenway.

My name is Stephanie Greene and I am a junior at Walter Payton College Prep. I like to spend my time living up to the hype of my last name, and blogging over at All Worn Out (http://all-worn-out.blogspot.com/)- check it out! 

Third: Saul Rodriguez. Saul is a sophomore at North Grand High School, and on the right track to saving our planet. He utilized items that would have otherwise been thrown out, including bubble wrap, a used plastic tablecover, and newspaper. And just like Laura and Nitzah, he saved these items from the doomed landfill.

When asked about his inspiration he said, “My inspiration…  comes from the word reused. Most plastic bags say reuse or recycle and I tend to reuse them into something new something beautiful, a creation that saves planet earth!” He pulled directly from the source for his inspiration, and I have to say, it worked in his favor. Saul realized the potential in these items and took this fashion show as the perfect opportunity, as he says, “To show people what I’m capable of.” Having designed and constructed his bubble wrap dress in just an hour and ten minutes, he seems to be capable of quite a bit. He got involved after attending an ACE presentation at his school, and gives his thanks to this organization for getting him involved. Saul is a testament to the fact that we can find inspiration almost anywhere if just keep an open mind.

And last, but certainly not least: Emily White. Emily is a junior at Loyola Academy, and her designs hit right at home for me. Her dress is made of pop tops, and newspaper. Seeing her sketch, I am reminded of the times spent taking the pop tops off of soda cans to help my brother complete his science project. I am sucker for anything that reeks of nostalgia. Emily says she wants to make “a cute party dress out of recycled materials.” Nothing beats a party dress that calls the earth its friend. The final dress will feature a bodice made of pop tops and a bottom with layers upon layers of newspaper fans. I’m beyond excited to see the end result.

This is Emily’s first time participating in an eco-friendly fashion show, and as she says, “I choose to participate because I love designing and it seemed like a really cool opportunity.” Seems like the perfect reason to get involved. She also sees the long term benefit of participating in an event like that ACE fashion show: “Once consumers start demanding the better products, companies will produce more. Essentially making a cute outfit for this show is a very small baby step in the right direction for everyone.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

I hope to see you all at the fashion show!

What: ACE’s Project Greenway Fashion Show: The culminating event to the TEENs

Environmental Summit

• Watch the VIDEO.

• Time: 5pm- 9pm on Saturday, May 12th.

• Location: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (Directions: map)

• Cost: $1 at the door. (Scholarships available for school groups.)

• Register: Tickets are limited, so register online now.