Meet the Sexy New Star Bringing Green Mainstream

Evette Rios

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In November I attended one of the coolest eight-course organic food and wine tastings around. Yes, I went home feeling like Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies. However, this one was also a bit of a surreal experience. I mean for starters, it was in Staten Island. Now for those who don't know, Staten Island is a borough of New York City that is predominantly been made a landfill. Don't get me started.

I arrived at the Nicotras Ballroom at the Staten Island Hilton for a Food Network charity event, which they called The Green Gala. It was hosted by Evette Rios from the Rachel Ray show. Evette has also been seen on the Today Show and many others, and is a field correspondent for The G-Word on Planet Green. Her segment "Salvage" is about creating amazing furniture from curbside junk.

Anyway, I am all in for great food!! Right...I mean look at me! Find out more about the night.

Shortly after the party, Seth Leitman had a sit-down interview with Evette Rios. Here's an excerpt:

Evette Rios: I started in design probably about eight years ago, although I started on the path a lot earlier. My parents were both avid DIYers and as a kid we owned two homes that we never lived in, but we spent a lot of time rehabbing together as a family. I think that started my love of design and all things home.

Then after college my first job was as a receptionist in an architectural firm. I instantly fell in love with the work they did and threw myself into the field. Then it was on to design firm after design firm where I learned as much as I could about design.

The food stuff I just kind of started to fall in love with. Working with Rachael you can't help but fall in love with food, her enthusiasm for it is totally contagious, and for me culturally, being Puerto Rican, food has always played a huge part in my concept of home. So I understand and appreciate great food but I am by no means a foodie...YET!

Green Living Guy (Seth Leitman): I hear ya about culture and food, my family is Jewish and all there is every holiday, celebration or bris is food. I have been to Puerto Rico once a long time ago and loved the food, culture and climate (who wouldn't?). When did you decide that your designs and food choices should be eco friendly?

Evette: I always knew that I wanted to create spaces and designs that "tread lightly." I have a tremendous amount of love for the outdoors and for all of the animals and plants that make up the incredible, diverse and beautiful world that we live in. Recently though, while working on the G-Word on Planet Green, I started to become exposed to the new outcrop of new, eco-friendly products, and I now try to use them whenever possible.

Green Living Guy: How did you get hooked up with Rachael Ray?

Evette: I did my first segment on Rachael Ray during season one of the show, and we are now in season four, so that was a while ago, geesh, time does fly. I was lucky enough to have a friend in common with a producer on the show. The producer liked what he heard about me and gave me a shot! That's what we all need, right, for someone to believe in us and give us a chance.

Read the rest of the interview to find out Evette Rio's thoughts on going green, how green is Rachel Ray and much more.

--This is a guest post by Seth Leitman, editor of the TAB Green Guru Guides. Check out the recent book he edited, Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle.

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