FEATURES

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There are "zero degrees of separation" between the environment and us, Clodagh believes, "and the planet treats humanity only with as much kindness as we deserve."

Cochran & Johnson—Q Collection
When Jesse Johnson, who holds an M.A. in environmental management from Yale, hired Anthony Cochran to decorate his apartment in 1999, he made one request: Make it ecological.

Cochran was stumped. "I was a regular old interior designer, not green," he says. "As I researched, I found few environmentally friendly things with serious design. Either they were too modern or too granola-crunchy."

Thus, the Q Collection was born in 2001. Cochran is the creative director; Johnson, the environmental specialist. "Q," which stands for quercus, the Latin word for oak, seeks to eradicate hazardous substances from home décor.

"In typical furnishings, a host of chemicals are used that cause cancer and contribute to poor indoor air quality," Johnson says. He cites formaldehyde, found in most wood glue, and polyurethane, used in almost all seat cushions. Q substitutes those with water-based glue and natural foam made from rubber tree sap. The company, which recently launched a fabric line, also uses non-toxic dyes and processes that make textiles flame retardant and stain resistant.

"Beware of 'green-washing,'" Cochran warns. "You see companies who make a chair with recycled wood, glue it together with formaldehyde, and still call it sustainable."