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Summer Internship Positions Now Available!

May 12, 2012 By

Karine Brighten Events is now accepting applications for summer internships.

This is an unpaid position that requires a minimum 10 hours each week for 3 months. Telecommuting is ok, but we prefer someone local to be on-site for events.

If you’re a professional with a strong work ethic and positive attitude, we’d love you to be involved with some very unique and inspired projects lined up for the next few months.

Please submit your resume with relevant experience and cover letter explaining why you’re interested in the position. Deadline: May 26th

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Thanks & Kudos

April 25, 2012 By

With the Second Annual Berkeley Vegan Earth Day officially recorded into history, it’s time to extend a lot of praise and appreciation for the many people who helped make this event a rousing success.  Ancient wisdom says it takes a village to raise a child; in many ways, growing the seed of BVED 2012 can borrow from this adage.

The collaboration of sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, volunteers, friends and supporters rendered a flawless affair where visitors were greeted with an abundance of fun, food, information and hard truths about veganism and the environment; the absence of any one of you involved with this second annual event would have lessened the overall community impact. That’s how valuable this collective village was in cultivating and nurturing organizer Karine Brighten‘s vision.

Vegucated played to a full house and markedly changed the perspective of at least three people who offered their positive opinions after the screening. Below you’ll find a testimonial from one volunteer whose experience exemplifies the very reason we all worked so hard to create a fun and educational event. Here’s more good news:

  • Animal Place received $300 from the silent auction
  • Save Japan Dolphins received 10% of ticket sales & BVED merchandise for $320
  • 20 vendors, 17 speakers and 20 volunteers kept attendees happy, fed and informed

Enjoy more event photos by Josh Rodriguez Photography, and check back here for upcoming presentation videos, as well. Stay abreast of what we’ll be planning for next year’s event by subscribing to our free newsletter. We still have some BVED bottles ($10) and bags ($5) that for a limited time we’ll donate 50% of sales to Save Japan Dolphins. Email us to place your order.

And remember, planning BVED is just one of the many eco-friendly, socially responsible events we organize here at Karine Brighten Events, which include film screenings & premieres, corporate networking events, trade shows, conferences, grand openings, nonprofit fundraisers and weddings. Contact us at 510.269.7252 or via email for your free consultation.  Enjoy $125 of planning for just $95 on your first event (a 24% savings) with this certificate.

We’d love to get your feedback about the event! Fill out our survey and be entered into a drawing to win a prize.

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Testimonial from volunteer Terri

This is my second year volunteering at Berkeley Vegan Earth Day.  It has grown from an evening event to a whole day filled with valuable vegan information and delicious food. As a non-vegan myself, I felt disconnected, like this wasn’t my cause, and was just sitting at the registration table all morning.  Like a lot of non-vegans, I am trapped in the myth that vegan food must taste flavorless, so the food vendors weren’t that attractive to me either.

Surprises started coming when I indulged in Local Love’s waffle bar, and find that it tastes pretty much like regular waffles.  Then came lunch time, and I grabbed an Avocado Kale Wrap from Natures Express, and boy, was it de-li-cious!  This sort of opened up my appetite and prompted me to shop around the vendor area.  As I find more delicious food, and realize they taste pretty much the same as what I normally eat, some of them even better, I was more determined than before to see the afternoon film, Vegucated.

The film was all that I imagined it would be, and much more.  The featured people were funny, the way it was filmed was very endearing, and the information and scenes were shocking and sad, but only because my ignorance had made me look the other direction prior to this.  Like what one of the featured people said, it’s hard to eat meat after having seen everything that happens to them just to become our food.  After having seen that they’re treated like food even when they can still feel the pain and suffering.

Although this film hasn’t fully converted me into a vegan, it’s definitely something on my mind.  Since the event, I’ve actually been vegetarian for a couple of days now.  I am debating on starting my own 6-week (vegetarian/baby steps) experiment, and have been dragging people to Nature’s Express hoping to find a friend to do it with me.  It was a great event in all aspects, but especially in the educational and awareness-raising areas.  More people need to see Vegucated, that’s for sure!

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Compact and Eco-conscious Media Kit

March 28, 2012 By

At Karine Brighten Events we are always looking for ways to reduce paper.  All our invoicing and contracts are done electronically.  When we do have to print, we use scrap paper from our local recycling center.

Today we came across this video that demonstrates how you can you put together a compact and eco-conscious media kit.  We LOVE the idea and hope that you will implement it as well.

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Going the extra mile

March 26, 2012 By

by Lori Corrigan

The commitment Berkeley Vegan Earth Day has for presenting the community — and the world — with a prototype for the future of eco-friendly event planning goes well beyond food choices and best business practices. In fact, BVED is so devoted to demonstrating how an event like this is doable on virtually any scale that we want to give you a quick behind-the-scenes look at some of the environmentally-conscious features you’ll see on April 22nd.

  • The wasteful practice of printing out tickets has transformed into the paperless version with Brown Paper Tickets.
  • Decor will have that special touch from regenerated Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer.
  • All signage will be constructed from reused cardboard.
  • Vendors are held to high standards to use recycled paper products for their food-related items.
  • The scavenger hunt and art competition will use paper from a recycling center.  Pieces used on only one side are given a second life before heading back to be repurposed.

From sandwich wrappers to chopsticks and piano keys to ping pong balls, forest byproducts have become an inextricable commodity for the human species. However, there isn’t any shortage of alternative approaches for reusing the products that already exist before stripping more from the global landscape. It’s just a matter of making a conscious effort to be part of the solution.

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MEET KBE’S GREEN EVENT PLANNER

February 21, 2012 By

Karine BrightenIf there’s one thing certified green event planner Karine Brighten wants folks to know about her industry, it’s that being eco-friendly doesn’t mean being mundane. From the moment she embraced the socially conscious approach to organizing events, Karine hit the ground running with one unique idea after another; today it’s not at all unusual to find her multi-tasking between the equally popular speed dating and fashion show, while also making dreams come true for eco-conscious brides and lining up participants for the annual Berkeley Vegan Earth Day. Thanks to Carmen Lee for the following glimpse into Karine’s life and vision.

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In February [2009], Karine Brighten Events became a Certified Bay Area Green Business. Karine’s success is impressive when you consider that she’s relatively new to the SF Bay Area. Karine and her husband were married two summers ago while they both worked as interns in the SF Bay Area. Their wedding photographer was Genevieve Shiffrar, a 2007 Women’s Initiative graduate. Back in her native Canada, Karine worked for Montreal’s largest event planning company. In August 2009, Karine and her husband relocated to the SF Bay Area and while waiting 3 months for her work visa, Karine enrolled in Women’s Initiative training based on Genevieve’s referral. In October, Karine organized Farm Sanctuary’s Walk For Farm Animals fundraiser in San Francisco. In November, while still taking the Women’s Initiative course, Karine started her own business specializing in eco-friendly events that are kind to animals and the planet.

In addition to her high-profile corporate and non-profit fundraiser events, Karine does weddings and other social gatherings. Karine’s work in coordinating the silent auction, sponsors, speakers, performers and volunteers at the Walk For Farm Animals event impressed one bride-to-be so much that she asked Karine to plan her June wedding!

True to her eco-conservation values, Karine puts into practice the permaculture principle of turning problems into solutions. This allows her to keep business costs low so her clients can benefit from affordable, eco-friendly events. For example, instead of taking on debt with a start-up business loan, Karine found ways to minimize both her expenses and her carbon footprint like working out of her home. At the same time, she says she enjoys working from her home, where she cares for her two dogs, and setting her own hours. Since she no longer enjoys Canada’s universal health care benefits, she’s adjusted by taking better care of herself such as eating well on her vegetarian diet while establishing herself as the East Bay’s only vegan event planner.

Karine gives back to the community by volunteering to causes she truly believes in.

For more information about booking a green celebration or business function, go to  Karine Brighten Events.

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Extraordinary Makeup for Everyday Wear

November 29, 2011 By

With the rising popularity of mineral makeup, choosing a brand that is right for you can be pretty tough. A lot of the lines seem like they’re all basically the same thing. The reality is that they aren’t though. Know that you pay for what you get – if something seems to good to be true, it most likely is. You’re not going to get high quality makeup at bargain bin prices.

However, Everyday Minerals does offer high quality mineral makeup at affordable prices. They use locally-sourced, natural ingredients in their products and one of the best things about their makeup is that its super basic – no unnecessary ingredients are added to their formulations. As someone who values purity in beauty and skincare products, this is very important to me.

Despite using really basic ingredients, the colors can really pop. Everyday Minerals eyeshadow and blush pigments are super rich in color and they offer a range of colors for everyday wear, as well as for special occasions or evening wear.

I tried two eyeshadows, as well as two blushes and decided to create two looks – a more natural, glowing day look, and a darker, smoky evening look.

For the lighter, day look I used Freedom eyeshadow, which is a lovely neutral earth tone. It has a bit of shimmer to it and is a great overall color. I just brushed it all over from the lid to under the brow bone. It is a nice color to give a little extra pop to your eyes and it looks fantastic paired with mascara – the color is light enough that it allows your eyelashes to really stand out. I also used the Sprung! blush, which is a gorgeous dark pink (described as berry on their website) color with a hint of shimmer. The blushes are so rich in color that you really only need to use a tiny bit.

For the evening look, I used the Freedom eyeshadow under the brow as a highlight color, and I used the Starry Eyed eyeshadow for the lid and crease. Starry Eyed is a rich, deep brown color with loads of luster! If you want a smoky eye look, this is perfect for it. I used a lot of this eyeshadow so that it would really show in the pictures – you could definitely use just a little and wear it to work or everyday settings as well. I think it’s perfect to bring out your inner rock diva though! I used the Rhapsody in Peach blush, which is so fabulous – it’s a peachy color with hints of gold shimmer throughout.

I really loved these products. Everyday Minerals has a positive mission to support feminine beauty naturally while protecting our environment. They do not test on animals, all their products are vegan, and they also offer excellent customer service. So if you’re in the market for makeup for your wedding, a bachelorette party, or just everyday use, I highly recommend checking out Everyday Minerals!

Also, I haven’t yet used their foundations, but I am really impressed by their selection of shades – they offer far more shades than most any company I’ve seen, which is great for finding a true match for your complexion. They also have sample kits they can send you so you can find your true base color before purchasing the full-sized product.

So, what are you waiting for? Get over to Everyday Minerals now!

In case you’re curious, I’m wearing an Aveda foundation in the images, Zuzu Luxe mascara, Aveda black eyeshadow as liner in the evening look, and DressGreen (Etsy) tinted lip lush for the evening look.

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Over the River and Through the Woods

August 29, 2011 By

Bodies of water seem to possess this magical power of bringing a sense of calm and peace about to those near them. Often wedding ceremonies take place at a beach, a lake, or other majestic locale near water. Of course, they also provide a great backdrop for photos to cherish in years to come.

Another great thing about water is the option of canoeing. Catch a Canoe & Bicycles, Too! is a company located in Mendocino at the Stanford Inn by the Sea. They offer canoe, kayak, and bicycle rentals, and also have a retail shop for boating/cycling needs. They have high quality, hand-crafted redwood canoes and paddles available for one to nine people per canoe. These would be a great idea for a bachelor/bachelorette party, or for a meet-the-parents gathering for a couple.

The location is just perfect. It’s on a 7.000 acre tract called the Big River. This area was purchased by a joint effort of state, federal, non-profit and private organizations in order to protect the integrity of the natural landscape for now and future generations. The water is absolutely gorgeous – it’s calm and picturesque.

If you’re interested in an especially romantic visit, make sure you sign up for one of their special tours. They offer a Bioluminescence Tour, on which you get to see phosphorescent algae light up as tiny green lights. They also offer a Full Moon Paddle that allows you to see the sun set and the moon rise over the majestic Big River. Check their schedule for dates.

Even if you’d just like a fun family outing, this would be a great idea. Kids will love it and dogs are allowed as well, so no family member will be left behind! For more information, check out their website at: http://catchacanoe.com/

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A Rain Forest in Your Shower

August 1, 2011 By

Skincare is always important – especially during stressful times before a wedding. Make sure you’re taking care of your skin not only through a daily cleansing, toning, and moisturizing regimen, but also with high quality, plant-based soaps. There are lots of options out there these days and the latest product I’ve come across is Wembé
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Wembé is a company originally based in Paraguay. It was started by a mother and her son, Rolando Zuccolillo several years ago in an effort to share the health benefits of Amazonian plant life with the world – to help their own community and make efforts to help the rainforest at the same time. Their products contain no silicone, petroleum, parabens, sulfates, phenoxythanol, polyethylene glycol, synthetic fragrances, or dyes. They also use organic ingredients whenever possible and carry an array of vegan and gluten free products that are hand-crafted in Paraguay. They employ roughly 20 people and pay fair wages to their workers.

I got to try a few of their soaps myself and would love to share my experiences with you. I tried the Assai Berry Detox soap, the Mango Cleansing Blend soap, and the Loofah Exfoliating Blend bar. The first two were similar in texture – they left my skin feeling refreshed and very soft and smooth. The soaps are very aromatic and smell so pure – you get nothing but real, potent essential oils. The Loofah Exfoliating Blend has somewhat coarse plant sponge in it that helps scrub away dead skin. It is a bit abrasive, but to me in a good way, because that means it’s cleaning on a deeper level than something more gentle – it’s also kind of like getting a nice back scratch.

They also carry a moisturizing stick, a make-up remover bar, and a skin treatment bar. For a nice cooling soap, try their Snow Cleansing blend – it has mint and eucalyptus that will at least temporarily lower the temperature in the middle of a heatwave.

Whether you’re planning a wedding shower, gifts for bridesmaids, or just want to treat yourself to an at-home spa experience, give Wembé a try. They make high quality products that really deliver and they’re a Green America Approved Business. They even have gift sets available that make gift-giving easier. For more information, please check out their website here: Wembé.

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Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!

July 25, 2011 By

Have you ever craved desserts but found yourself limited because of one allergy or another? These days, gluten allergies are especially common and more and more options are arising, but often the alternatives are specialty items in an otherwise allergen-loaded facility. Unfortunately this can lead to a mediocre product from a company that doesn’t fully know what they’re doing.

If you’re looking for a gluten free wedding cake, vegan desserts, or other allergen free items, then you’re in luck, because Let Them Eat Cake specializes in products that can be free of eggs, nuts, gluten, and/or dairy products. The company was started by a husband and wife team – Amanda Macdessi (Executive Pastry Chef) and Jason Kraft (Business Manager). Amanda has over ten years of personal experience making allergen-free desserts as a result of preparing items for her husband who has severe food allergies.

The company has been in operation since 2008 and has a certified kitchen to serve the San Francisco area. They do not at this time have a storefront, but gladly accept online orders through their order forms. They make specialty cakes for any occasion and are able to make gorgeous wedding cakes and desserts for you and your guests. Often the dreaded combination of both vegan and gluten free puts a halt on things, but don’t worry, Let Them Eat Cake can work with your dietary needs and deliver the product you’re seeking.

Even if you don’t have any food allergies yourself, it’s good to consider guests who may. Their fruit tarts and truffles would be great options for the wedding reception. Their easy ordering process allows you to put together the perfect dessert options to fit your tastes.

Contact them now for a tasting – for $30 you can try up to two cake flavors and two frosting filling flavors. For more information, please visit their website here: Let Them Eat Cake.

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A Rainbow in Full Bloom

July 18, 2011 By

Is your dream wedding a vision in white or a splash of color? In recent years, many couples have decided to stray from the traditional white and add bursts of color, which makes perfect sense to me – a wedding is a celebration of life, of love, which comes in all forms and colors.

Floral arrangements are a great way to incorporate bold colors, textures, and shapes into your wedding ceremony. Let your selections reflect who you are, both individually and as a couple. I’m sure all couples have a vision of what they want and Gingerleaf Floral of Oakland, California is here to help manifest that vision into a sublime reality.

Fu Wong Photography

Gingerleaf Floral is certified by the Bay Area Green Business program, as well as Here Comes the Bride Guide. The business was started by owner Ellen Kim, who has an extensive background in design, architecture, and floristry. Her unique set of skills come together to create stand-out, eye-popping floral pieces for your special day.

It is the goal of the staff at Gingerleaf Floral to listen to what it is that you want. You can schedule a free consultation during which you give as much detail as possible so that they can do their job best. Come prepared with pictures of yourselves, of floral arrangements from magazines that represent what you are looking for, etc. You don’t need to know what specific flowers you want, but having a feel for the mood and emotion you want to evoke will really be of value.

Silva Stills & Cinema

Gingerleaf Floral is one of only two green certified florists in Alameda County. They source many of their flowers locally and incorporate daily green practices into their business, including recycling, reusing, and conserving. Sometimes using environmentally sound flowers means decreasing the variety available. Ms. Kim believes that often design is more central, and that can be executed through more than one specific blossom.

I almost wish I were getting married now after looking at the stunning arrangements displayed on Gingerleaf Floral’s website. The colors are so rich and the composition ethereal. Don’t take my word for it though – check it out here: Gingerleaf Floral.

Prime wedding season starts in spring and goes through fall, so if you’re interested in using Gingerleaf Floral, make sure you contact them with plenty of advance notice.

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