Non-conformity

** [|image.png][|image.png]TASK: Week 1 **
//�To be great is to be misunderstood.� � Ralph Waldo Emerson//

Pittsburgh: A Unique Place
The City of Pittsburgh has contacted your ecovillage for help: Pittsburgh needs an image make-over. In order to stand out from other mid-sized cities in America, you has been tasked with drawing a correlation between the city of Pittsburgh and a famous non-conformist. Just as Emerson cites examples of non-conformists, such as Pythagoras, Socrates, Jesus, Luther, Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton, your group should choose a Pittsburghian non-conformist to represent our city, prepare a report explaining your selection, and develop an advertising campaign to publicize Pittsburgh as a unique place to live by paralleling qualities of the non-conformist�s life with our city�s offerings.

Resources: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/ http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Pittsburgh http://www.netstate.com/states/peop/pa_peop.htm

** TASK: Week 2 **
// �Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old, return to them. Things do not change; we change.� // //� Henry David Thoreau// ** American Eagle�s Summer 2010 Collection: USC Style ** American Eagle has asked your knowledgeable ecovillage to inject new interest into their Summer �10 collection. Drawing your inspiration from Thoreau�s experiences and beliefs, design a cutting-edge clothing line for American Eagle that does not conform to the typical �teenager� style of dress. You must produce at least 3-5 designs that incorporate elements of "green" living or environmental awareness. Remember, though, American Eagle is looking for designs that will result in high sales for the summer season in order to beat out other competitors such as J.Crew, Abercrombie, and Gap. Explain the connection between your designs and any of Thoreau�s philosophies presented in //Walden//. ** Resources: ** [|http://www.ae.com]

For the summer season Natural Beauty line, the latest designers have tapped into their transcendentalist spirits to capture the true splendor of nature to use as their main inspiration for the newest addition to the clothing line. As shown above, the designers have created the ultimate show stopping but all natural ensemble, perfect for any warm summer evening. The top piece of the dress is made out of rare deep maroon petals from a rain forest jungle located in Costa Rica. The belt connecting the skirt to the top is made out of dried, caramel colored plant skin with a touch of deep brown. The skirt, capturing the sweet aromas of summer, is made from flattened bamboo skin and handpicked daisies. To match the dark maroon top color, the daisies have been died with 100% all natural coloring oil. For the shoes, the designers chose to use a pair of ballet-inspired sandals made with the same bamboo and daisies as the skirt. The shoe laces are made out of vines straight from a tree�s limb. To finish off the forest friendly look the designers used a neck piece made from hunter green leaves and tree bark, complementing the dress nicely. The eco-dress portrays the utmost beauty of nature while giving a high fashion-esque look as well. Throughout the whole designing process, the transcendentalist designers wanted the buyers to feel one with nature, to see the beauty in everything nature has to offer. What better way to become unified with nature than actually wearing what the natural world has been kind enough to give us?

Have you heard all the high celebs and designers buzzing about the new style for spring? Throw out all your old chemically charged and hard to care for clothing! Welcome to the new age of Bamboo fabric! With its fast growing popularity and eco friendly quality, Bamboo fabric is a multi-beneficial fabric. This fabric is great for simple elegant women who love to enjoy and save the environment while looking fabulous! The neutral earth toned knot dress is a simple design for any occasion, from a daily errand such as retrieving water from the pond near by or partying all night with fun-loving critters from the forest. Bamboo fabric has great a soft natural texture and easy to wash by one dip in the local creek. It is also naturally anti-static which causes the dress to drape elegantly giving the wearer curves in all the right places. For those active women looking for something cute to quickly slip on while running out the door on the way for a quiet hike, bamboo clothing has anti-UV ray properties in conjunction with amazing moisture control properties. The unique crossing of bamboo fibers allows the fabric to absorb and evaporate perspiration effectively and quickly. With micro-gaps and holes in the clothing allows the fabric to breathe and cool the skin while enjoying the outdoors during the coming spring. Forgoing all the chemicals mixed with other clothing lines, Bamboo fabric retains a natural anti-bacterial agent called "Kun" that bonds the bamboo cellulose together and keeps the shape of the clothing after many wears and keeps the colors vibrant! In addition to the benefits of forgoing the chemicals, sensitive skin is totally safe from irritation and allergic reactions because there are no chemical agents needed to be mixed in with Bamboo fabric. The simple design of the dress and the cooling properties will transition nicely from the spring to summer months and can be worn again and again over the years, for it will never lose its shape or color nor will it ever go out of style! Women, you will never need more than just this dress for the warm seasons! Stye and fashion has never been so simple! Want to keep up with the latest trends from American Eagle? Try going "green" this season with recycled fabrics! It's better on your wallet as well as on the environment. Have any old shirts or pants that don't fit anymore, or maybe just seem like they are so last year? Why not take them apart and combine them to make something unique and new? Take for example this patchwork coat shown above. Made of nothing more than several old sweaters found in a girl's attic, this vibrant and edgy coat is a perfect example for someone who wants to get into the upcoming "green" fad as initiated by AE's new fashion line. A coat like this appeals to a transcendentalist style for a couple of reasons, the first being it's composition. Being that the coat is made of old retired fabrics that have been brought back to life, it is almost a parallel to what someone like Thoreau would put as "living off the land." Though in this case, rather than living off the land, the creator of this coat decided to live off of her fabrics. Nothing new purchased, nothing old wasted. She took good advantage of what she had with her, and turned the not-so-useful items into a beautiful masterpiece, and she did it herself as well. She did not need to depend on factories or professionals to make this lovely piece. Another very obvious reason that this coat would have appeal to a transcendentalist would be the fact that it is exceptionally unique. If you're looking to go against the grain, recycling your old fabrics to create something new is the way to go. When you recycle your old clothes to create a new outfit, it becomes a one-of-a-kind, one in a million item. That is, nobody will have anything like it. What you wear is a helpful tool to show who you are, so put down the mass-produced jacket you got from your local store and throw together some of your retired clothes! This is the new trend of the season, and it's finally a trend that allows you to be creative. With that said, take advantage of the inspiration that the new AE line has to share with you for this season!

PEACE, LOVE, BEN ZHANG<3:

[] We designed this set with the theme more weighted toward "nonconformist," keeping in mind that American Eagle's shoppers' styles most likely vary from conservative to wild and back again. The pieces shown are just samples of similar designer items to the pieces in our line. Every article of clothing or accessory we produce for this line will possess some degree of ecofriendliness and/or multipurpose. The heels in this set would be made from reinforced, recycled plastic. The shiny puff-sleeved minidress will be crafted from furniture coverings and curtains. All jewelry and metallic detailling will be made from recycled sterling silver, mixed with alloys of less precious metals to keep cost low but demand high. These pieces are designed to endure, and will not fall apart or need mended anytime soon, unlike some competitors weak designs. The Greenly Nonconformist set from the new American Eagle line is inspired from the Henry David Thoreau quote, "Things do not change; we change." As we grow older and gain knowledgable insight, our attitudes and outlooks change. Why should our style not change as well? An individual's style can be just as unique as he or she is, and this aspect of our line promotes our changing individuality and growth.

[] This set for the new clothing line was designed with Thoreau's philosophy of //simplicity// in mind. We wanted to go for a much more natural side of "ahead of the curve" with this eco-friendly and outdoors inspired theme. Most of the items featured in this set offer some kind of green aspect. The soles of the deep brown combat boots are made from recycled tire tracks, putting some old rubber to good use. The featured sandals represent a simpler take on the red-hot nude-tone trend, managing to be the epitome of cuteness with just one little bow for an accent. Another rising trend is the rucksack, such as the one shown here, which is actually made from recycled coffee sacks. A pattern throughout our line, most of the jewelry featured is made of 100% recycled sterling silver, or is handmade like the wooden bangle on the right. The biggest eco-surprise is perhaps the pair of aviator sunglasses: they are made of recycled metal and plastic, packaged in a recycled cardboard box, and a tree is planted with every purchase. Wow! We think Henry David Thoreau himself would approve of this line because of its natural and simplistic effect.

[] Finally, the menswear set. With the mentality of giving our very own Henry David Thoreau's style a transcendental update, we designed Transcend Men's for all those teens out there who feel lost without the smell of the outdoors all around. The set is very reminiscent of Thoreau's experiences at Walden, including a Walden t-shirt, eco-friendly work boots, and a scarf and heavy jacket for outdoor warmth. Thoreau's old school style of dress has been updated to a stunning ruby red sport coat that bears a striking resemblance to Canada and Ben Zhang, flashy bow ties, and a high class veg tanned eco leather belt, which is said to age beautifully over many years, enduring the wear and tear of outside work. This set fits nicely with Thoreau's philosophies applied during his time at Walden: living simply and being an individual. Transcend Men's has its own flavor of woodsy, new, and unique.

** TASK: Week 3 **
** Thoreau’s Social Experiment ** // “Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?” – Henry David Thoreau //

Your ecovillage has been inspired by Thoreau’s example to “transgress at once” an unjust law. Having decided to transgress an unjust prejudice found within Upper St. Clair High School, your ecovillage must design and implement a social non-conformity experiment this week. At the end of the, reflect on how transgressing injustice can result in social change. Post design, participants, and results of experiment.

**Project: Operation Left Freedom** Participants: Greg, Dan, Kristen, Lindsey Synopsis: We decided to break a social norm of walking on the right side of hallways during breaks between classes. There is no written law mandating the walking of students on the right side to the hall, but it has become a //de facto// law that no one dares to break. The four of us decided that we would spend at least three walking times on the left side of the hall and record our results. __**Greg**__ When i started walking on the left side of the hall, there were not many people there. but gradually when more and more people began to come out of their classrooms, the throng of people was enraged by my presence on the "wrong side" of the hall way. When confronted with an angry and confused schoolmate who asked why I was walking on that side of the hallway, I replied, "why not?". When he became enraged and asked me again, I replied in a comical fashion, "I can't turn left" then I continued to walk on the left side of the hallway. Over the course of the day, I got some dirty looks but in the end, nothing was done to really stop me from walking on the left side of the hallway.

For our non-conformity project, we decided to walk on the left side of the hallways during passing time. The reaction I got was overwhelmingly negative. The least offensive gesticulation I received was frequent dirty looks from students and teachers alike. Even freshmen had the nerve to throw me a nasty glance. As I walked past, I often heard whispers from the students whom I had passed, as if my walking on the left side was some sort of freak show to be admired. I was also thrown a couple shoves and frustrated pushes as if I was impeding students' desires to be early to their next class, which actually doesn't even make sense! The most frustrated, however, were the teachers that I passed; they really wanted to tell me that I was disrespecting the school or breaking a rule, except I wasn't actually doing anything against school rules. What I was doing was having some fun, amusing myself between classes. I wasn't breaking any laws, but simply taking an aberration from de facto school rules. I realized that even though we get a lot of freedom in our school, we aren't much more than robots, programmed to follow what we were told to do. Because of this realization, I am going to do my best to continue changing the way people think and improve. __**Kristen**__ I didn't believe that walking on the wrong side of the hall would actually be that big of a deal. However, I was very, very wrong. At first, as I made my way down the wrong side of the hall it was alright. I got some dirty looks but nothing too bad. But, after a while people seemed to get pretty angry. I got no courtesy while walking the wrong way down the hall. I was pushed and shoved in every direction without so much as a "sorry". By the middle of the day I was //embarassed// from being the only one walking on the wrong side of the hall. I could tell my face had turned red at all of the people staring at me and even making comments behind my back. By the end of the day I had had enough. I could no longer walk on the opposite side of the hall. I was frustrated with everyone, and I no longer wanted to be singled out as the //"girl who was walking on the wrong side of the hallway".// Breaking this simple "social norm" turned out to be a lot more complicated than I had thought it would be. I discovered that it is a lot harder to be an individual than to simply follow the crowd. __**Lindsey**__ When I first heard that our task for the week was going to be walking on the left side of the hallway instead of the right side I thought nothing of it. I really didn't think that walking on the opposite side of the hallway was going to be that big of a deal. However, little did I know how much I would in fact be breaking social norms. At first, like Kristen, everything was fine, just some occasional shoves and confused looks. But, as I progressed my way up the stairway the conditions grew worse. Starting off with just "wrong side" and then slowly moving to shoves and evil glares. Surprisingly I heard the "watch it freshman" comment. I knew that this was just for an experiment but I couldn't help but to be extremely embarrassed. Knowing that I still had to walk on the wrong side of the hallway the rest of the day and let people push me down and shove me around, I wasn't sure if I could last any longer doing this. When you think about walking in the hallway, you don't actually think much of it. It's not like there is a rule of conduct about walking in the hallways, however I feel like there should be. It really dug into some peoples skin that I was on the wrong side of the hallway. I know never again to walk on the left side. I never want to experience my name being shout out and the rude remarks again. Remember right is right!
 * __Dan__**

** TASK: Week 4 **
** Yawping ** // “I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.” – Walt Whitman // Sound //your// barbaric yawp. (Really. That’s it. No other instructions. So be creative.)