It seems that John Mayer may just have a point. For many UW-Madison students, spring is a favorite season. However, as the snow melts away and everything begins to bloom, we have to remember that at the rate we are living our lives (and destroying our planet) what is so beautiful now might not be around for much longer.

Our society and fashion designers alike have finally started to come to the realization that something needs to be done. While it is unrealistic to assume that tomorrow you are going to rush out and buy a new hybrid car, there are many easier, smaller scale contributions you can make to help the movement progress.

The voice of Bono's Red Campaign helped to really start this movement of clothing with a conscience. So far, the Global Fund has committed $7.1 billion to 460 programs in 136 countries worldwide. Companies involved in the (RED) campaign include Motorola, Emporio Armani, Mac and American Express, among others. With the success of this particular campaign, it is no wonder other companies are jumping on board to do their part, as well.

Ecoganik, a clothing company based out of California, understands the importance of clothing with a conscience. The environmentally friendly clothier offers a collection of styles suitable for the concerned yet trendy consumer. They hold true to the standards of the Green movement and craft only products made of certifiably organic or eco-friendly fabrics — not to mention highly-fashionable.

Other companies to watch for are Bamboosa, Loomstate and Madison's own Fair Indigo. For some more mainstream names, Anthropologie released a line of 100-percent organic cotton garments while Patagonia uses reliable organic and chlorine-free wool as well as organic cotton — they also recycle their old clothing. According to their website, vertically integrated family clothing company American Apparel also believes that "being profitable does not have to mean degrading the environment or making people settle for a low standard of living." Their long-term goal of the company is to gradually work pure, organic cotton into its main production line to ensure a larger percentage of organic fibers in American Apparel creations.

And the eco-savvy trend doesn't stop at textiles. The magazine industry is also lending its support in more ways than just showing advertisements for designers. For example, the latest issue of Foam Magazine featured a page layout with multiple options for clothing with a conscious. The article, titled "Made from Concentrate," displayed the idea that "There is nothing more chic than sporting fashion pieces made from 100 percent organic material." More specifically, the spread featured items from everything from Ezekiel to Element to Roxy. LA Magazine also offered its support this month listing "25 Ways to Go Green Without Going Insane." Making a valid and often overlooked point that even down to switching your dry-cleaners to one that is perchloroethylene-free (such as The GreenEarth chain which uses a silicone-based solvent that's considered environmentally safe) could help decrease the emission of chemicals into the air.

With your help and the help of these companies, this year the world is already off to a more eco-friendly start. We are no longer "waiting on the world to change" — we are the change. It is no longer about what we expect of ourselves as a county, but as individuals. Fashion has made the transition from just looking good to actually feeling good. An age of change is upon us — how will you make your mark?

Sydney Burdick is a freshman intending to major in fashion journalism and is going green and trendy. Direct your fashion questions or comments to [email protected].