Ohmtastic Blog

illustration friday: spooky

2010-10-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

illustration friday: early

2010-05-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

illustration friday: linked

2010-04-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

stration friday: linked

illustration friday: expired

2010-03-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

inspired by the binge

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2010-03-19T13:46:00.001-07:00

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illustration friday: brave

2010-03-05T13:26:00.001-08:00

illustration friday: perspective

2010-02-26T17:07:00.000-08:00

illustration friday: propogate

2010-02-19T10:56:00.001-08:00

illustration friday: muddy

2010-02-05T12:55:00.001-08:00

illustration friday: clumsy

2010-01-22T11:08:00.001-08:00

illustration friday: wilderness

2010-01-15T16:15:00.000-08:00

illustration friday: confined

2010-01-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ridiculous

2008-03-14T10:07:00.001-07:00

But who's surprised?

"The Environmental Protection Agency weakened one part of its new limits on smog-forming ozone after an unusual last-minute intervention by President Bush, according to documents released by the EPA."

Read the rest of the article in today's Washington Post.

the intricacies of eco-accounting

2008-02-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

oh, my poor neglected blog...life's been keeping me way too busy...

but i came across this article today and had to post. it's good to be aware of how much pollution we are causing and try to reign it in, right? but when the calculations are parsed ad infinitum (i had to look that up) it becomes discouraging and counterproductive. witness today's new york times:

"If you walk 1.5 miles, Mr. Goodall calculates, and replace those calories by drinking about a cup of milk, the greenhouse emissions connected with that milk (like methane from the dairy farm and carbon dioxide from the delivery truck) are just about equal to the emissions from a typical car making the same trip. And if there were two of you making the trip, then the car would definitely be the more planet-friendly way to go.

These results would vary, of course, depending on exactly what kind of car you’re using and what kind of food you eat (or, if you’re going by pedicab, what kind of food your cabbie eats)."

analyzing every potentially pollution-causing decision i have to make in a day like this would cause my head to explode. i'm sticking with the imperfect but livable strategy of prioritizing where i can have the most impact, conserving when possible, using common sense, and not sweating the small stuff.

Time on Yoga

2007-10-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

Time has a short online article today on the risks of Yoga.

"Over the past three years, 13,000 Americans were treated in an emergency room or a doctor's office for yoga-related injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission."

This begs the question, how does this statistic compare to other popular workouts? Yes there are risks, as with any type of exercise, and yoga practitioners are (or at least should be!) taught not to push their bodies beyond their limits.

Yes, yoga may not burn as many calories as calisthenics, and it is not a weight-loss method - it is certainly not for everybody. But the increased flexibility, balance and strength (yes, strength - try a plank or down-dog pose series if you don't believe me) that can be gained from regular yoga practice are a big factor in its popularity. I find it too bad that this article fails to present a balanced view of both risks and benefits alike - I would expect better from a mainstream publication such as Time.

Bright idea

2007-09-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

I, for one (and I seem to be the only one) cannot stand the lookalike granite countertops that have sprung up in every kitchen built or remodeled in the past ten years. Now here is a solution that is beautiful, functional, and makes a good use of wasted resources - countertops out of recycled glass. Check out the Vetrazzo site for more info. (via Luxist)

rome is burning, play on

2007-08-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

The decline of our society may one day be pinpointed to this moment:

Artist Damien Hurst decorated a human skull with platinum and diamonds (8,601 of them to be exact) and sold it to an investment group (of which he is part) for $100 million dollars. (cue Dr. Evil: "one hundred MILLION dollars! mwa-ha-ha")

Excuse me while I pick up my non-jewel-encrusted jaw off the floor.

Visualize your electric bill

2007-08-31T11:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of interesting ways to better understand electricity costs and usage...

A New Zealand energy co. has developed an online game for kids which involves building a virtual city and managing its energy resources. (via Treehugger)...

A stateside company produces a visual energy price/usage monitor which plugs into the wall...

And a crafty power station manager has hacked a glowing paperweight to create a visual display of energy prices can sit right on your desk. (via Inhabitat)...

Can you shop your way to carbon neutrality?

2007-08-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yes indeed, there is a credit card which will offset carbon for every dollar you spend. I'm still ambivalent about carbon credits, and this looks to me more about feeling good than doing good...but I'd take this over the alumni credit card offer I received recently (support your alma mater! whose tuition you are still paying off!) anyday.

New Resource Bank

2007-07-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

1) Vacation in Greece was pretty cool. No, I didn't buy carbon credits to offset the jet fumes.

2) I was just reading about New Resource Bank, which started up last year in San Francisco. This is pretty cool, a community bank with an entrepreneurial & solar energy bent. Check them out here.

That's all I got for now.

A Good Block Party

2007-06-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

Cuz nothing says "summertime" like a block party!

From GOOD Magazine:
Sunday, July 15, 12noon to 8pm
111 Minna Gallery
San Francisco, CA

"Our San Francisco Block Party is coming on July 15 with Diplo, A-Trak, Kid Sister, Bedtime for Toys, The Deadly Syndrome, and others -- Save the date. GOOD is looking for volunteers to help out with the block party; if you are interested, please email goodevents@goodmagazine.com, with the subject heading: "SF Volunteer" and send your full name and phone number."

Home Sweet Home

2007-05-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

so, i have been looking for a new place to live the last few weeks and oh boy the liars people are about apartments (i am not going to think about how much worse it is with real estate)

luxury apartments = has a garbage disposal

convenient location = so close to the freeway/main street each passing car sounds like it is going to drive into your living room

newly remodeled = painted over the holes the last folks left in the wall

hot tub = lukewarm at best

oh, and then there are the scary for rent ads that read like alternative lifestyle personals:

"We are four single guys in our mid to late twenties looking for a fifth roommate. We have a five bedroom, three bath house in the hills of [city]...We're four very mellow guys who live with aloha. We're looking for a female between the ages of 21 and 28 who is outgoing and mellow and attractive..."

"RENTER NEEDED: We are currently searching for a kiteboarder, snowboarder, or action-sport enthusiast ..."

"Looking for another masculine, health concious, respectful, considerate, clean, man to share house in [city]."

and the people who want someone else to figure it out for them:

"I posted an ad yesterday...I have a stable job and would just like a decent living arrangement. I have stated that it should be for only 6 months, only due to the fact, that if my landlord does not like me..or vice versa..we should not be stuck with each other. I do want a cottage with privacy and I only ask that there be a bath or shower. If you have a kitchen in the cottage that is functional and room for a futon or hide a bed, I can provide all the rest that I need to be a comfy, compatible tenant. I pay ahead and on time. I have no problems with doing that, to prevent confusion. I do not want to be responsible for yard work. I have no tools for that..THANK YOU in advance and please do not message if you are someone in the personal market for a maid. I have referrences, so if you ASK, please be more specific. I also do not want to live in [neighborhood] or [neighborhood], it is too busy."

"The most I am able to pay is $225.00 per month. I am clean and stay to my self, with no criminal record...I like Washing cars+ Organic Gardening + Good Cooking including BBQ...I'm Funny + 41 I like good Artwork + Sports + fishing. I'm wishing to make a one year commitment, please contact me at the number listed below or the email address provided...Post Scpript I love Jesus the Christ + I like animals + music, class C CA. perfect driving record, i could upgrade to class A + if needed."

that's just a sampling of today's rental ads. glad the ordeal is over with - now on to the actual moving!

Living Room Yoga Special Events

2007-05-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

Corinne at Living Room Yoga of St. Petersburg FLA wrote in with some of the studio's upcoming events. If you are in the area, check them out:

Yoga Workshops and Specialty Classes

Psychic Development Course, by Dwarka Prasad, disciple of Yogi Gupta. 4 consecutive Sundays beginning June 3, 10am - noon.. $350 by May 27; $380 afterwards. Learn the Yogic techniques handed down by word of mouth for thousands of years for the creation of psychic phenomena to help you materialize the things you need in your life and fulfill your dreams; learn the theoretical aspects of psychic phenomena as well as the practical exercises of mantras, pranayama, mental exercises and guided visualizations. For a full description and to register, go to http://www.livingroomyoga.biz/id15.html.

May Tues Yoga for Stress/Anxiety Series, five Tuesdays, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 7:30 to 9:00pm. Yoga classes to calm body, mind, and emotions, using yoga postures, breath, and meditation; final meditation will prepare you for sleep. $85.

May Yoga for Scoliosis, Friday May 4 and Friday May 11, 6:30-8:30. Geared toward persons with a lateral or S curve in their spine, Stacy teaches you proper stretching, stengthening, and breathing for your curve to slow the progression and manage pain, principles you can apply in any alignment-based yoga class. Participants have shown great improvement in alignment, pain reduction, and reduced emergency visits to their chiropractors.

Private Yoga with Dorota Grochala Special, $50/hr or 10 sessions/$450. Call today for your first appointment.

REIKI Classes
Register directly for Reiki events with Karuna Reiki Master Ellen Schulman at 727-385-3939 or racewalk51@aol.com. Each class includes a written manual & is payable by cash or check before start of class.

Aromatherapy & Stress Management. Sun, May 6th -1-4PM; $40 early; $50 at door. Learn stress types& use of essential oils for each; combine with sound & energy work for relaxed environment at home, work, exercise.

Reiki II Workshop. Sun, May 13-12:30PM to 5PM. $125 early; $150 at door. Learn to do healing on a mental & emotional level; Learn & use Reiki II symbols for present and distance healing; Reiki I required.

Meditation Types: Which Is For You? Sun, May 20; 1-4PM; $40 early; $50 at door. Learn about different meditation types and experience 3! Use meditation when you need it and know potential physical, mental, & emotional effects with regular use!

Social Networking for Greenies

2007-04-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

Someone sent around a press release yesterday about Riverwired, a social networking site for the eco-friendly community, knowing that I would likely write about it the next day. =)

It sounded to me like someone said, "hmm, what are the two hottest business trends right now? ooh ooh, i know! you tube meets treehugger meets myspace!" I was expecting not to like the site but came away neutral. The first page has a blog mash-up which is kind of nice. I couldn't tell you the difference between this and Urth.tv and all the rest - the greenie demographic will be the judge and jury on how useful these all are.

Yoga Retreat in Sedona

2007-04-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

For those interested in some yoga-centric relaxation, Stacy Renz of Living Room Yoga sent over the following info about a September retreat:

Healing Yoga in Sedona Retreat
Wednesday evening, September 26 through Saturday evening September 29, 2007.

Savor dry warm days and cool nights as you bask in the inspiring beauty of Sedona, Arizona. Hike and practice yoga among the beautiful red rocks with seasoned trail guide and author Dennis Andres and yoga therapist, teacher, and Living Room Yoga studio owner, Stacy Renz. Feel the stress of modern life drop away as Dennis and Stacy lead you on a guided healing adventure in one of most beautiful and healthy places on earth. Begin each day with a silent hike to a vortex site, yoga and meditation at the site, and a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, explore Sedona on your own or with the group, ending the day with restorative yoga and a breathtaking sunset.

More details here.

Ohmtastic March Newsletter is up

2007-03-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

This edition is all about the movies - Convenient Truths at Treehugger - Black Gold and the Fair Trade Debate - The Electric Car: Not Quite Dead Yet - 20% off at Ohmtastic.com

Black Gold

2007-03-08T07:35:00.000-08:00

I had the good fortune to be invited to a free screening of the coffee trade documentary Black Gold last night. Very powerful - once you see it you'll never want to buy coffee that isn't fair trade again.

I have to say though, I found it a bit disconcerting that a number of people in the audience saw fit to tsk tsk at every scene of poverty, and snicker at every scene of western coffee consumption. I will make the generous assumption that these people *never* go to starbucks and *always* buy fair trade coffee. Is that enough to transmute a sense of responsibility into a sense of righteousness? It's easy to buy coffee that costs a bit more and call it a day. Before we tsk or snicker we should also give of ourselves - our time and talent as well as our money - to improve the situations we abhor.

By the way, tying real-world coffee bean pricing to commodity trading is an artificial construct. When enough consumers vote with their dollars for fair trade coffee, that construct will collapse. If you can't find it in your local store, you can buy fair trade coffee online.

And also, Yirgacheffe is the bomb!!!

Most Polluted Cities at BWeek

2007-02-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

The BusinessWeek website has a slideshow of the world's most polluted cities. I was surprised by the results - according to their list New Orleans has become the most polluted American city as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Ad Council Tells Young Adults: Save Your Money!

2007-02-13T00:23:00.000-08:00

I've spotted several billboards around town urging me to put more away in my piggy bank. The "Feed the Pig" ad campaign is brought to us by our country's concerned CPAs in collaboration with the Ad Council. I agree we should all save more of our money but I find the campaign off the mark. Is it funny? ironic? tragic? to see this in a country whose economy turns on the wheels of consumer spending? And nice touch rubbing in the high cost of higher education - I'm sure most of us repaying massive student loans would have preferred to go to school for free!

A Volt of Electricity

2007-02-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

Sustainablog has an interesting post on Chevy's concept plug-in hybrid car...here's to hoping it makes it into production!

"'Green vehicles' aren't always particularly sexy, so Chevy wanted to bring some of the emotional attachment of the Corvette and Camaro to a greener vehicle."

not bad, eh?

sustainablog: Chicago Auto Show: A Closer Look at the Chevy Volt
image via AVEM

Suave

2007-01-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

Overheard in Oakland:

"Excuse me miss, can I have a quarter?....How about your phone number?"

Conscious Consuming goes to the source

2007-01-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

Conscious Consuming had a great post recently that talks about where our food comes from.

"Coffee, bananas, and pineapples are back-breaking crops. Coffee berries don't ripen all at once, so each berry has to be picked by hand when it's ready. Since bananas and pineapples are so easily bruised, each fruit has to be carefully grown, picked, and packaged by hand. This labor-intensive work means lots of jobs, but jobs where the worker is bent over, in the sun, for twelve hours each day."

Thinking about the high cost of *making* a living in other parts of the world is always enough to make my own problems in life look like a cakewalk.

Read more here: Conscious Consuming: Where does your food come from?

Adbusters says: Whoa, There!

2007-01-11T20:05:00.000-08:00

In an effort to promote more mindful living, Adbusters is touting Jan. 14-20th as Slow Down week. Recommendations for taking full advantage of the Slow Down effect include:

"For one week, instead of running to catch the bus or zipping in and out
of traffic, try walking to work. Instead of grabbing take-out on the
way home, cook a meal with your family. Leave the TV and computer off,
and play an old-fashioned board game, or just sit and catch up with
family and friends. If possible, take a day off work — and then while it
away with a long walk and an afternoon nap."

I know all of those ideas aren't feasible for everyone, but it's nice a nice reminder. There is a cute cartoon up on the Adbusters site promoting the big Slow.

Puff Daddy = Cruella de Vil?

2006-12-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one who thinks "fake fur" should mean "material NOT derived from living creatures"?

"P Diddy, the king of bling and a fashion inspiration to millions of hip hop fans, has been heavily criticised for selling designer coats made with fur from dogs. The animals, from China, are killed using barbaric methods.

Multi-millionaire Diddy - real name Sean Combs - has been selling the coats under his designer label Sean John. A £122 hooded snorkel jacket was being sold through the Macy's department store's website with an 'imitation rabbit fur collar'.

But when customers took delivery they found that the jacket carried the wording 'genuine raccoon fur'. Tests conducted by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), America's largest animal charity, found that the fur actually came from raccoon dogs, which are found across Asia but raised in huge numbers in China specifically for their pelts."

Macy's pulled the garment from stores, Combs pleaded ignorance and duly admonished his licensees.

Get the whole story at The Independent

The Economist Poo-Poos Conscious Consumption

2006-12-20T22:40:00.000-08:00

More or less....here's the argument in a nutshell:

"The standard economic argument against Fairtrade goes like this: the low price of commodities such as coffee is due to overproduction, and ought to be a signal to producers to switch to growing other crops. Paying a guaranteed Fairtrade premium—in effect, a subsidy—both prevents this signal from getting through and, by raising the average price paid for coffee, encourages more producers to enter the market. This then drives down the price of non-Fairtrade coffee even further, making non-Fairtrade farmers poorer."

I will agree that subsidies interfere with the mechanics of a free market, but I'd rather see them go to farmers than to defense contractors.

Read the entire article here.

Via Conscious Consuming.

Vegetarianism linked to higher IQ

2006-12-15T13:09:00.000-08:00

Yes, folks, really.

According to a study that compared IQ scores of 8000+ 10-year-olds in 1970 to their lifestyles today.

"A Southampton University team found those who were vegetarian by 30 had
recorded five IQ points more on average at the age of 10.
Researchers
said it could explain why people with higher IQ were healthier as a vegetarian
diet was linked to lower heart disease and obesity rates."

The full article is available here if you want to learn more or try to poke holes in the results.

(In the interest of full disclosure: I'm not a vegetarian. My sister was one for many years but has recently given up the veggie lifestyle. She's still pretty clever, though. :P )

Sustainable gift-giving

2006-12-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

This month's EarthEasy newsletter included some great tips on earth-friendly gifts for the holidays, such as giving services or experiences instead of objects. Read more of EE's suggestions here...

Happy holidays!

The Need for "Activity-Friendly" Suburbs

2006-11-18T18:49:00.000-08:00

I was visiting with a friend this past weekend in the town we grew up in - a bedroom community of 120,000 and we were remarking how incredible it is that the town has never had much for young people to do. Options include: catch a movie (at the strip mall); go out to eat (at the strip mall); go bowling (at the strip mall); go shopping (at the strip mall). The neighborhoods are so spread out that few kids bike or walk to school and they need a car or a ride from someone to meet up with friends. Bike lanes are few and far between, and cars view bicyclists as a nuisance. It's not the most pleasant place for a child to grow up - no wonder all the kids are staying home and playing video games.

A recent study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine attempts to address this issue with a "top-10 list of ways to turn sedentary cities and suburbs into 'activity-friendly' communities. The point, they say, is to fight obesity by encouraging people to get more incidental activity into their daily lives."

The study's authors pinpoint the amount of time we spend in our cars each day as a contributing factor in low levels of exercise.

Suggestions included creating more bike lanes and scenic walking routes, improving mass transportation, and developing mixed-use communities that would allow people to walk to routine destinations.

World Wellness Weekend

2006-11-12T11:21:00.000-08:00

I just heard of World Wellness Weekend, which just occurred in San Jose, CA last week. The website features Deepak Chopra front and center, and describes WWW as "a unique community 'lifestyle' annual event representing a multi-dimensional, complimentary view of health and wellness." I've been looking for articles, comments or reviews to get an idea of how interesting/useful the content is but no such luck. With classes ranging from nutrition to psychology to something called "stellar rejuvenation," looks like it could go either way.

The Wellness Express is heading to Austin, Chicago and Denver in 2007.

Inc. Feature on Green Business

2006-11-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

"Every few years or so, American companies and consumers embrace the concept of green business. But something seems different about our current green awakening. This time, the action is being driven as much by markets as morality. Here's a look at 50 of the most intriguing companies that are helping to drive today's green revolution. You might say they've found a way to do good and get rich."

Enlightened Credit?

2006-11-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

"Plastic charge-card consumerism and yoga-minded, organic-eating activism - they seem to clash.

But there they are, fused in new Visa credit cards bearing such images as a meditating Buddha and sunlit hands folded in prayer. Called the Enlightenment Card, the rewards-style credit card is being marketed to the socially conscious set as a way to earn points toward making the world a better place...

...For every dollar spent on the card, these peaceful warriors earn points they can then redeem as monetary donations to a host of charities such as Trees for the Future, or for personal use on yoga classes, organic products and spiritual retreats."

Ah, if only finding enlightenment was that easy!

courant.com | Credit For A Cause

Recycling = Big $$

2006-10-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

Or should I say Big RMB?

The eco-bloggers are loving this story...who knew recyclers were rolling in the dough?!

"A female paper recycling entrepreneur worth an estimated $3.4bn has topped the list of mainland China's richest people, the first time a woman has been ranked as the wealthiest person."

FT.com / Home UK / UK - Woman tops list of China's richest people

Via TriplePundit and Treehugger

Karma Capitalism at BWeek

2006-10-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

Business Week poses the question: "Has the Bhagavad Gita replaced The Art of War as the hip new ancient Eastern management text?" The article explores the increasing interest in eastern philosophy among business leaders, which it dubs Karma Capitalism.

Doing some GOOD

2006-10-18T23:18:00.000-07:00

GOOD Magazine, a self-proclaimed "new voice in media (which) embraces this generation's merger of capitalism and idealism" just launched its inaugural issue. From the magazine's homepage, GOOD looks to me like an appropriately GenX blend of politics, technology, art and culture. Six issues of interesting, thoughtful soundbites from trendy tastemakers with a social conscience can grace your coffee table for $20, with the subscription fees donated to a charity of your choice.

Food Politics

2006-10-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

Last night was the INFORUM panel on the Politics of Food. Such a broad topic - we heard about the concentration of our country's food supply, what the future of organic food looks like, genetically modified food, community programs that are trying to increase the supply of natural foods in inner-city neighborhoods and more.

It was a buffet of food topics; we sampled many different issues but didn't go into depth on any of them. I left the table wondering if the answers are out there or if we are going to just have to wait for the issues to evolve some more.

A couple of the speakers had new books out which sound interesting:

Eat Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen by Anna Lappe and Bryant Terry

Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines our Health and How to Fight Back
by Michele Simon

Sorry for the lack of blog posts!

2006-10-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

I've have been looking for a new day job the past couple of weeks, which hasn't been leaving me a lot of blog time.

If you know of anyone who needs a marketing/research manager - contact me!

Let's catch up with some of the exciting things happening in the world:

++ Natural Products Expo East just ended (Oct 4-7). Get the recap.

++ The Bioneers Conference is coming up (Oct 20-22).

++ October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Conscious Consuming points to an interesting website that urges consumers to evaluate cause marketing campaigns and show support in more ways than shopping.

++ October is also Fair Trade Month. We have so many causes, we need more months! Global Exchange has some Fair Trade promotions.

October is Fair Trade Month

2006-10-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Ahoy Fair Traders! Transfair has a calendar of events and promotions for the month of October.

Fair Trade is defined by Wikipedia as:

"(A)n organized social movement which promotes equitable standards for international labour, environmentalism, and social policy in areas related to the production of labelled and unlabelled goods, which may range from handcrafts to agricultural commodities. The movement focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries."

Click here for more on the history (and controversy) of the Fair Trade movement.

ThisNext

2006-09-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

In theory, I try not to buy things I don't need, but looking around my apartment I see a ton of things that again, in *theory*, I could do very well without. So when ThisNext invited me to create a list of products I love and would recommend to others, I was sure the exercise would culminate in a self-imposed guilt trip and vows to quit shopping for a month. Well, no, indeed, in *reality* I enjoyed thinking about which products I find helpful and clever and sharing that with the world.

And if you're curious, here are my lists:

Keeping It Simple, Sweetheart and Food Politics

High Stakes PacMan

2006-09-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Conscious Consuming points to an interesting article on the growing phenomenon of socially/environmentally responsible consumer goods companies being bought out by industry heavyweights.

Ben and Jerry's was bought out by Unilever. Fresh Samantha was devoured by Odwalla, itself owned by Coca-Cola. Converse by Nike. Stonyfield Farms by Danone. Aveda by Estee Lauder. The Body Shop by L'Oreal.

The milliion dollar question is, of course, who is being pulled into whose orbit. Sir Isaac Newton tells us that gravity "is dependent of the mass of the two objects; the greater the mass the larger the gravitational force," which may not bode well for the smaller companies.

In the best case scenario, the parent company leaves its new acquisition to do what they do best, and incorporates some of its best practices on a larger scale. On the other hand, we just need to look at Snapple for a reminder of how the parent company can muck things up.

Conscious Consuming: Selling Out or Buying In?

Former veep continuing the fight against global warming

2006-09-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

Al Gore is receiving praise for a speech he gave last week at NYU which spelled out actionable ideas to combat damage to the environment.

Gore received reviews from Sustainablog, the Huffington Post, and Grist.

The entire speech can be read on GristMill. Give it a whirl.

Via Sustainablog

Super-Skinny = Scary

2006-09-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

Do you remember that commercial where the announcer says to the model "That burning desire within, it's called hunger!" (or something like that)

You know things are out of control when the government is stepping in to tell the fashion world what to do. Apparently the industry doesn't have the good sense to regulate itself on issues that seem obvious to the rest of us - such as models should not literally be starving to death.

Setting such unrealistic standards for female beauty not only encourages women to starve themselves to achieve the perfect size, but also discourages others who are trying to eat healthy and exercise but can't achieve that kind of figure.

"The ban on 'skinny' models performing in shows, instituted by Madrid Fashion Week organizers after a model died during a show in South America last month, sent shivers around the world of haute.

But many people in and out of the fashion world believe the new ban is long overdue, and should have been considered even before 22-year-old Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos reportedly died of heart failure after stepping off a runway during Fashion Week in Montevideo."

It's a shame that someone had to die for someone to take action.

ABC News: New Message to Models: Eat!

Big Box Organic

2006-09-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Triple Pundit has an interesting post on the growing corporate interest in organic foods.

"According to Janel LaMonica, VP-creative director at Bernstein-Rein, there have always been two things holding back the growth of the organic food market: one, the difficulty in finding organic products, the other, the difficulty of affording them. She makes the claim that 'Wal-Mart has taken down both these barriers.'...

...One worrying aspect of corporate interest in organic products is its emphasis on competitive pricing over ethics."

So, here is the thing...why do people buy organic food anyway? Do they think it is healthier? Are they trying to support local production? Does it taste better to them? Do they believe it is produced more ethically? The consumers, and their motivations for supporting organic products, are what will ultimately determine the viability of a mainstream organic movement. We're in for some growing pains, but it will be exciting to see where it all goes.

Triple Pundit: What You Bring to the Table

Is your cell phone stressing you out?

2006-09-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

One of the most important pieces of advice I've ever read was to never interrupt an in-person conversation to take a call unless absolutely necessary. The phone can wait.

Otherwise, the phone becomes an electronic leash - even more so if it is a mobile phone in question. Now studies conducted in the U.K. show some evidence that cell phones cause stress in a percentage of users.

"People are becoming addicted to mobile phones, causing them to become stressed and irritable, work suggests.

Dr David Sheffield, of the University of Staffordshire, found problem behaviour linked to using a mobile in 16% of 106 users who were studied.

In a separate study, to be presented at a conference in Essex later, he found blood pressure was lower in those who had given up using mobile phones."

You know, cell phones are great in many situations, but people, if they are stressing you out, it is ok to turn them off from time to time!

BBC NEWS | Health | Mobile phone users 'stressed out'

Yoga Haters Anonymous

2006-09-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

I like yoga, and you probably do too if you found my site, but once in a while it's fun to hear a contrary opinion...

"I hate yoga. I really, really do.

I could have told you this long ago, but because I try not to make unfounded accusations, I decided I would borrow a yoga DVD from the library and try it out. I was skeptical at first, but I dutifully popped in the disc and prepared to start my exercises. And, to my surprise, it wasn’t bad! No, it transcended the laws of suckery and was even worse than I had previously imagined!

Is there something I’m missing about yoga or is it really that stupid? Let me know what you think, but don’t tell Rodney what I said – he’ll probably come after me in his black Speedo, which I can safely say I never want to see again."

I've tried several times unsuccessfully to convince my mom to try a bit of yoga and her opinion is pretty much the same. While I like to think that with the right style of yoga or the right teacher, most people can find something they enjoy, I have to remember that it's just not for everyone.

A+E Interactive: TARAHFYING THOUGHTS: Confessions of a yoga-hater

2006-09-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Food Politics

2006-09-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

I read the Omnivore's Dilemma not long ago and the book brings up a lot of questions about our country's food supply and all the various food movements that have picked up steam in the last 20 or so years (organic, slow food, biodiversity, locally produced, family farming, etc.). The author (Michael Pollan) leaves it to each reader to discover the answers for him/herself, though he is going to be at the Commonwealth Club on Sept. 12th to discuss it all in person for those of you in the SF area.

After finishing the book, I re-read the exchange of letters between Pollan and Whole Foods founder John Mackey with renewed interest. There are good points made on both sides about the nexus between organic and industrial and the tradeoffs between local and imported products but isn't the ultimate issue getting consumers the transparent information they need in order to make informed choices? I don't think we can depend on either the government or business to take on that responsibility, so who is going to step up?

Speaking of informed choices, there is an INFORUM panel on The Politics of Food on Oct. 10th in SF as well.

Malcom Gladwell makes a case for Geothermal

2006-09-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Malcolm Gladwell says:

"One of the frustrating things about the current discussion over our dependence on imported oil is the persistent notion that real solutions will require some future technological breakthrough. I think we have a lot of the answers. We just haven’t made consumers and public officials aware of them."

This was at the end of a post describing the geothermal heating system his father installed in his house, which sounds very complicated but quite the low-tech heating and cooling solution.

Occam's razor, anybody? "Entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity."

gladwell.com: The Case for Geothermal

Junk Mail Awareness

2006-09-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

This post from Conscious Consuming made me laugh...click here for more info on the Junk Mail Awareness movement.

"A few weeks ago, I called on my governor to endorse Junk Mail Awareness Week, a campaign by the Center for a New American Dream. She did it, for which I am proud and grateful. However, the way in which she decided to inform me boggles my mind: she sent me junk mail."

Not only have I been receiving my own junk mail lately, I'm getting junk mail at my address with my parents' names on it. Someone seems to be sleeping on the job.

Conscious Consuming: A refined sense of irony?

Happy Labor Day!

2006-09-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

I apologize once more for the absence of posts, I was out of town for a week a bit unexpectedly with only a dial-up connection in the vicinity. Now I know that it is *possible* to blog via dial-up, but it sure is a lot less fun! More soon.

You go, girl

2006-08-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

"It's one small step for womankind.

Iranian-American businesswoman Anousheh Ansari will become the fourth person and the first woman to become a space tourist."

Apparently Ansari (a phenomenally successful telecom engineer) was one of the backers of the X-Prize for space travel.

I love it. Little girls (and big ones too) need more role models like this.

First Female Space Tourist Ready To Go, Anousheh Ansari Will Be On Sept. 14 Russian Mission To Space Station - CBS News

YogaTunes

2006-08-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

Lifehacker points to Yoga Today for daily downloads of yoga lessons:

"When a reader recently asked for advice on getting into yoga, it turned out that a lot of our readers keep their minds and bodies in focus with a little bit of the yoga. Whether you love yoga and you're looking for a little more spice in your routine, or you want to try yoga but don't want to pony up the greenbacks to buy a video or join a class, Yoga Today's videos could be just what you're looking for."

Get free yoga videos delivered daily - Lifehacker

The Greenest Schools in the Nation

2006-08-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

There is a great article on the country's greenest schools on Green Guide. Schools were ranked on a variety of criteria, including design construction, recycling, curriculum, food quality, transportation and energy. Punahou School of Honolulu, Hawaii topped the list.

"Living on an island," says Dave White, seventh-grade science teacher at Punahou's Case Middle School, "we've got to feel the urgency now." Resources such as water, fuel, forests, landfill space and food, are all limited...(the) school mixes the commonplace with the unusual, offering students opportunities to test their limits, while ensuring a rigorous education in the fundamentals.

Via Sustainablog

p.s. apologies for my dereliction of blogging duty last week. busy times!

Sweden Going Oil Free

2006-08-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

We Americans have technology, resources, and brainpower that is second to none. So while the U.S. is sitting on the sidelines of the next big technological revolution, while Sweden is stepping up?

"The attempt by the country of 9 million people to become the world's first practically oil-free economy is being planned by a committee of industrialists, academics, farmers, car makers, civil servants and others, who will report to parliament in several months.

The intention, the Swedish government said yesterday, is to replace all fossil fuels with renewables before climate change destroys economies and growing oil scarcity leads to huge new price rises.

'Our dependency on oil should be broken by 2020,' said Mona Sahlin, minister of sustainable development. 'There shall always be better alternatives to oil, which means no house should need oil for heating, and no driver should need to turn solely to gasoline.'"

peopleandplanet.net > climate change > newsfile > sweden plans to be world's first oil-free economy

Carbon Credit Debate

2006-08-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

Finally, someone is making sense to me on the issue of carbon credits. This excerpt from Charles Komanoff's recent Grist article (that's eco-activist economist Charles Komanoff, according to the magazine) makes the so simple common-sense but overlooked argument that carbon credits don't actually reduce carbon emissions - they just assuage the accompanying guilt for those so inclined to feel guilty.

I think we should fund clean energy for sure, but we still need to give the car a rest if we want to clean up our skies.

"When you stop and think about it, the whole idea of driving a car, paying money into a green kitty to offset the CO2 from burning the gas, and then calling the car trip carbon-neutral, is ludicrous.

The windmills may offset the driving, mathematically, but so what? The windmills should, and likely could, have been built without my 6 cents or even Dave's $216,000. (Indeed, wind turbines and other clean energy would be sprouting up everywhere, without green offsets, if the prices of fossil fuels included a charge for their climate destructiveness.) Crediting me or the DMB with climate neutrality for financing green energy, while the actual implementer -- a wind developer here, an insulation installer or a mass transit builder there -- also takes credit, is double-counting.

But it's worse than padding the books. Carbon offsets are disturbingly redolent of the sale of indulgences in the Middle Ages, by which the wealthy could expiate their sins without prayer or good works by greasing the palms of the Church hierarchy. Leaving aside whether carbon emitting is 'sinful,' the purchase of carbon offsets smacks of the same corruption that turned indulgences into 'get out of Purgatory free' cards and helped set off the Protestant Reformation."

Carbon offsets: what would Gandhi do? | Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist Magazine

All Headline News - Internet, "Netroots" Activists Help Topple Lieberman - August 9, 2006

2006-08-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

One down, 99 to go. Vive la revolution!

"Washington, DC (AHN)-Sparked by opposition to the Iraq war and dissatisfaction with the Bush administration, liberal grass-roots and Internet activists were key assets in securing a political victory over Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

Ned Lamont, a millionaire businessman who has never held state or federal office, had almost zero name recognition and very little political experience when he entered the race.

But his opposition to the Iraq war drew the attention of activists, bloggers and groups like MoveOn.org, which unleashed an army of volunteers who went house-to-house in Connecticut for months and made 80,000 phone calls in the days before the primary vote.

Carol Darr, director of George Washington University's Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet, tells Reuters, 'What you're witnessing is the democratization of democracy and don't expect it to be pretty.'"

All Headline News - Internet, "Netroots" Activists Help Topple Lieberman - August 9, 2006

Business/Responsiblity

2006-08-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

I was listening to a debate on the radio today; one guy worked for a non-profit and the other guy worked for an oil company. In regard to a question on pollution, oil exec's position was that it is the responsibility of business to make the money possible, and it is the responsibility of government to set the rules that protect the good of the people. (this is sounding a bit like that debate between Mackey and Friedman a while back).

I would have to say, in a perfect world, that makes sense. Free market theory, however, assumes the existence of a free market. What happens when government bends to the will of business and upsets the balance with tax breaks, subsidies, or straight up corruption? What happens when the government is not interested in the good of the people, but the good of its chosen few?

Well, that does put us in a bit of a bind. But lucky for us, for the market to keep on functioning, that means someone has to buy what the other is selling. If the people decide to protect their own good by supporting businesses that operate ethically, then pretty soon good ethics become very profitable indeed. The oil execs of the world might just have to adjust their rearview mirrors, because alternative envery, organic goods, sustainable architecture and the like look like they're headed for the big leagues.

Body Image Obsession => Higher Suicide Risk

2006-08-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to tell the people you care about how beautiful they are to you!

"NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with 'body dysmorphic disorder' are 45 times more likely to commit suicide than people in the general population, a new study shows.

The findings underscore the importance of recognizing and treating this 'often secretive' psychiatric disorder, Dr. Katherine A. Phillips, the study's co-author, told Reuters Health.

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, have a distorted body image and think obsessively about their appearance, often for hours a day, explained Phillips, who is at Butler Hospital and Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island.

The disorder frequently leads to self-loathing and social isolation, she added. It is not uncommon for people with BDD to tell no one about their condition, even a spouse or very close friends."

Suicide risk high with body image obsession | Health | Reuters.com

Another Business Giant sees the Jolly Green Light

2006-07-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

Imagine Gordon Gekko spouting "Green is Good."

"Vanity Fair has dubbed green the new black. While that may be fine on fashionable Madison Avenue, black still means profit and it still rules on Wall Street.

But one venerable investment bank is charting a greener course to the bottom line.
The Goldman Sachs Group, which announced what many regard as the banking industry's most aggressive environmental policy less than a year ago, has invested more than $1.5 billion in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, according to a senior company official. And with big plans to become a major liquidity provider in emerging energy markets, reduce its carbon footprint and support a federal emissions cap-and-trade regime, Goldman appears to be just warming up.

Wall Street is watching closely just how far Goldman's new Chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein will take the world's largest investment bank in an unprecedented green direction. While environmental and free-market advocates are divided whether Goldman should stay the course and whether other investment banks should follow, Goldman's most recent investments are clearly in the black."

Goldman Sachs sets pace in new 'green' marketplace via TriplePundit

Wal-Mart = Green?

2006-07-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

More on the greening of Wal-Mart today in Fortune.

"Wal-Mart (Charts) says it will invest $500 million in sustainability projects, and the company has done a lot more than draw up targets. It has quickly become, for instance, the biggest seller of organic milk and the biggest buyer of organic cotton in the world. It is working with suppliers to figure out ways to cut down on packaging and energy costs. It has opened two 'green' supercenters.

Plenty of people won't buy it - or anything else from Wal-Mart. To labor leaders, left-wing elites, and the small-is-beautiful crowd, the $312-billion-a-year retailer stands for everything that's wrong with big business."

Well, isn't it nice that they're making an effort? The million$ question is whether this brings green to the mainstream, or turns the green movement into a hollow shell of a marketing ploy.

Wal-Mart sees green - Jul. 26, 2006 via TriplePundit

Money Apparently Doesn't Buy Happiness After All

2006-07-25T10:18:00.000-07:00

I split a lottery ticket with a friend last week. It was the first time I'd played the lotto and for a minute I thought about what I would do if I actually won. (I guess that little dream is what you really buy with your $1.) I'd travel more, pay off my student debt, spend some money on my family, spend some money on myself. But I realized my life would be essentially the same, just with upgraded accessories. I don't think I'd be any happier - and the media is backing me up on this one.

"The current Money Magazine has a story on money and happiness -- being poor is a big drag, being middle class is pretty good, but being filthy rich doesn't make you that much happier than a middle class person. Apparently, having 12 cars doesn't make you much happier than just having one."

I can't find a link to that specific story, but here is an older one on the same theme and a similar one from Forbes.

Conscious Consuming: Are we getting through?

Greening up IKEA

2006-07-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

For those of use who want to be green without breaking the bank; take heart. IKEA to the rescue.

"IKEA’s U.S. locations aim to reclaim 90 percent of store waste by the end of 2009 (the stores currently average 67 percent). All new stores need to be built to a certified green building standard. Organic goods — starting with coffee, strawberry jam, blue cheese, tomato sauce, and schnapps, the Swedish aquavit — will be phased-in to both IKEA’s restaurants and its “Swede” shops. In the same three-year goal period, the company plans to encourage 10 percent of its customers around the world to travel to its stores using public transport."

Treehugger: Ultra-Efficient IKEA Has More in Store

Reading The Writing On The Wal

2006-07-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

Interesting comment on the Writing on the Wal blog about Wal-Mart's energy conservation plans:

"Unfortunately the big problems have to do with our dependence on transportation (liquid fuels), the continual increase in electric power use and the rapid rise in the standard of living in China and India...

The plans being discussed to deal with the liquid fuel shortage include ethanol from corn (uses more energy to make than it yieds) and diesel from coal (creates three times the carbon dioxide that a similar amount of oil does).

What is not being discussed in scaling back consumption to a sustainable level. Driving a Prius only means that people can drive farther for the same cost as before. This is exactly what happened after the fuel shocks of the 1970’s, efficiency went up, but the number of miles driven and cars went up as well. The net effect was no savings in fuel usage."

It seems logical to me that reducing our usage is the best way to
A) save on energy costs
B) ease the burden on the environment and our infrastructure
C) stick it to the oil barons getting rich off of $3/gallon gasoline

Championing increased efficiency over reduced usage is like saying "Ooh, yay, this ice cream has 1/2 the calories (or fat, or carbs, or whatever you're trying to kick) than it used to. I can eat twice as much!!" We all know that's not the way to diet - and we definitely need to cut down on our carb(on)s.

The Writing On The Wal » Blog Archive » Coincidentally, I just let my Newsweek subscription expire

Easing in to Yoga

2006-07-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a discussion on Lifehacker on how to ease into a yoga practice. Readers shared tips on styles of yoga, types of classes, yoga camps and instructional materials such as books and DVDs.

Read it here:Ask the Readers: Get into yoga? - Lifehacker

Save Money and the Environment at the Same Time

2006-07-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

I had no idea my old air filter was making my car less efficient...TerraPass has a snazzy spreadsheet to help you figure out the impact in dollars. Keeping your tires inflated properly also cuts emissions, according to another TerraPass analysis.

"Replacing your air filter could help you save up to $150 a year…and allow you to afford your favorite coffee maker, a thermos, and finally drop those pesky disposable cups. It will also eliminate over 1,000 lbs of CO2 emissions...

The Department of Energy claims that replacing a clogged filter can improve fuel efficiency by up to 10%. 10%? Smokes. That’s about thirty cents on every gallon of gas. Newer filters also sport improved designs. For example, you can find more environmentally friendly washable filters at autopart stores."

How to finance your monthly coffee or yearly TerraPass Tip

Never too late to get up and get moving

2006-07-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

I did manage to get up and get moving this morning, even though I really wanted to hide under the covers...

"LONDON (Reuters) - It's never too late for couch potatoes to start exercising and cut their risk of heart disease, according to research on Tuesday.

Neither does it have to be strenuous activity -- even just walking can make a difference.

'You don't have to go to the gym. Just get off the couch,' said Dr Dietrich Rothenbacher of the University of Heidelberg in Germany. 'It is never too late to start exercising,' he told Reuters."

It's never too late to start exercise | Reuters.com

It's Bastille Day

2006-07-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

For those of you celebrating the French national holiday, this website lists some interesting Bastille Day drink recipes. Bottoms up!

YogaTrends

2006-07-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

YogaLila posted a link a while back to GoogleTrends, which allows you to get an idea of who is searching for what.

Top 5 cities for "yoga:"

1. Pleasanton, CA, USA

2. New York, NY, USA

3. San Francisco, CA, USA

4. Vancouver, Canada

5. Denver, CO, USA

Top 5 cities for "ayurveda:"

1. Trivandrum, India

2. New Delhi, India

3. Delhi, India

4. Mumbai, India

5. Bangalore, India

Top 5 cities for "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious:"

1. Seattle, WA, USA

2. Chicago, IL, USA

3. San Francisco, CA, USA

4. Atlanta, GA, USA

5. New York, NY, USA

What I love about the various googlyapps is that once they are released, someone somewhere out there uses it in a way that its creator never imagined. Not that I have a clue what this one might turn into...

Movement => Longer Life

2006-07-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

It's easy to fall into the trap of regarding your body as something that gets your head from place to place. Here's another study showing that even a little bit of movement can benefit health in a major way in later life.

"Elderly people who load the dishwasher, climb stairs or just keep moving are bound to live longer than their sedentary counterparts, a study said on Tuesday.

The study of 302 people aged 70 to 82 found those who engaged in more physical activity -- not necessarily formal exercise -- were much less likely to die than those who did not move as much.

'The message here is that for older adults, any movement is better than no movement and that this can come from usual daily activities,' said study author Todd Manini of the U.S. National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland."

Move around and live longer, study says | Reuters.com

Ohmtastic Teams up with Fit for Cause

2006-07-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

Ohmtastic is sponsoring Fit for Cause, a non-profit startup in the SF area that brings free fitness training to worthy organizations. The group had their first training session at the crack of dawn this past Wednesday and have an ambitious schedule set up for the rest of the summer. If you are located in the Bay Area and intersted in participating (or if you're located elsewhere and interested in donating) let me know and I'll put you in touch with the organizers.

John Mackey Likes to Write Letters

2006-06-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

The link below leads to an exchange between John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods, and Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma. What we have here are two colliding views on the future of organic/sustainable/locally-sourced food...

Will the movement be pushed into greater consolidation/industrialization or will it pull the rest of the food industry toward organic and sustainable practices?

Whole Foods Market : Company : John Mackey's Blog : Detailed Reply to Pollan Letter

And here's a link to a previous post about John Mackey's exchange w/ Milton Friedman, which is worth a repeat read. =)

Eco-Soccer?

2006-06-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

A cool idea from Groovy Green that takes a look at the sustainability of World Cup contenders.

Germany, the tournament host, has also apparently made an effort to incorporate green education into the stadium experience.

"As one of the leaders in renewable energy and sustainability, it is a fitting coincidence that this year's host country is Germany. Not only will the event bring money and spectacle, but it will also give exposure to the green projects, ideas, and practices underway.

Germany has created a site called The Green Goal to highlight their efforts this tournament."

Groovy Green - 2006 World Cup Green Report

Carbon Credits Appealing to Big Apple Bank

2006-06-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Bank of New York is getting in on the carbon credit business...

"The Bank of New York Co. has created a registry it hopes will ease and increase trade in the growing global market for voluntary greenhouse gas credits, sources at the company said Friday.

'We saw an opportunity coming out of the Kyoto Protocol where companies ... can buy varieties of gas emission reductions to offset their direct emissions or offset carbon products and services to customers,' a Bank of New York source based in London told Reuters in a phone interview."

Now, I understand how the offset business works and how it helps keep emissions under control...but is this going to ultimately encourage corporations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

CNN Money via sustainablog: Sustainablog

Former Clinique Exec Turns Focus Inward

2006-06-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

LOHAS companies used to be seen as granola-loving fringe enterprises, but more and more seasoned business execs are getting in on the action.

After 20+ the Estee Lauder group, Sue Ong is now heading Himilaya Herbal Healthcare, an HBA company selling products formulated according to Ayurvedic principles.

A mountain worth climbing: "Seeing that her staff have their hands full, Sue Ong steps in to help. The CEO of the company that retails the Indian-made, Ayurvedic-formulated health and body products is certainly the perfect advertisement for the brand. She’s dressed in a white kurta top and Indian drainpipe trousers, and as she flits among the customers, she is the picture of health and calm – ethereal-looking almost.

Sue Ong believes it was karma that led her to Himalaya and its business philosophy – a healthy lifestyle which everyone can afford.
She speaks softly and precisely, and is engaging as well as convincing when it comes to her favourite subject.

“Try this chilli and spearmint ointment,’’ she tells one Omani who complained of a pulled muscle as she hands him a box of Muscle and Joint Rub. Then she turns to his friend who is looking for a pick-me-up.

“Ashvaganda is a stress reliever and will help you sleep better and give you more energy,’’ she says. “Or Guduchi, which can help with your immunity?.’’

She spouts the Sanskrit names her products bear so effortlessly that anyone would think she’s being doing this forever. But up to a year ago, Ong was more familiar with the latest Western manufactured beauty products than difficult-to-pronounce ancient remedies.

The company's founder kept his Ayurvedic formulas on recipe cards, which offer invaluable information to the research team today.
She retired last August after 22 years as head of the Clinique brand of skincare and cosmetics that comes under the vast umbrella of the US Estee Lauder Group.

So what made her swap hats and transfer her passion from an American prestige brand to a back-to-basics range from India?

“Call it karma ? I feel that this is something I was destined to do,’’ offers Ong, 50, the daughter of a tin merchant from Taiping who admits to always dreaming big dreams for herself. “Before I was painting faces, but now I am painting the insides,'' she says, referring to the natural goodness of Himalaya's extensive line of pharmaceuticals and consumer health products derived from herbs. "

Study finds yoga helpful for breast cancer patients

2006-06-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Good news that something this simple might ease recovery. Interesting to see what else we'll find out as more research is done on yoga and other alternative therapies.

"Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center focused on 61 women who had surgery for breast cancer and now were getting six weeks of radiation treatment. Thirty women were assigned to a test group that took twice-a-week yoga classes. The others did not.

At the end of six weeks, study participants filled out detailed questionnaires grading their ability to lift groceries, walk a mile and perform other physical activities. They also were asked about feelings of fatigue, their sense of well-being and other aspects of their quality of life.

Their scores were converted to a scale that ranged from 0 to 100. The researchers found the yoga group consistently had higher scores in almost every area. It was most pronounced in physical function -- the yoga group had a mean score of about 82, compared with 69 for the other group."

CNN.com - Study: Yoga helps breast cancer patients - Jun 6, 2006

Ted Koppel on Troop Withdrawal

2006-06-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

I found Ted Koppel's commentary on today's Morning Edition really spot on. Basically it goes, of course the war is about oil and, no matter what John Kerry or other Dems might propose as far as withdrawing troops, the next president is going to be hard-pressed to reduce military numbers in Iraq.

While I have to believe *everyone* would love to see our soldiers come home, at some point the government (this administration or, more likely the next) is going to have to admit we've created a mess and develop some actionable plan for stabilizing the situation. That's going to mean an ongoing commitment of resources; financial, military, humanitarian and the like.

Daily car bombings = nowhere near stable.

Tony Campolo: Being an Oxymoron | The Huffington Post

2006-06-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

Interesting post from the HuffPo. Hey, I think liberalism is all about conserving the dough. Energy efficiency = saving $$. Preventative healthcare = saving $$. Waging war only when necessary = saving $$.

"Allow me to add to my advocacy for certain liberal social policies a commitment to fiscal conservatism. This present government, so supported by most Evangelicals, has mortgaged the future of our children and our children's children. This is a consequence of funding the war in Iraq and giving gigantic tax breaks to the richest people in our country, as well as to huge corporations such as price-gouging oil companies. Our national debt increases by close to $2 billion each week, with the People's Republic of China being the major party picking up our loans. The communists will not have to bury us, as Khrushchev had hoped. Soon they will own us."

The Blog | Tony Campolo: Being an Oxymoron | The Huffington Post

Pajama Yoga

2006-06-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to do some yoga but don't have the time, there's a new video out with asanas you can do in your jammies. I like to drift off to sleep in with my legs in half-lotus every now and then myself =)

"As the popularity of yoga continues to grow, so, too, does the number of workouts emerging from it.

Among the latest are ones you can do – in bed!

Nationally certified New York yoga instructor and Yale grad Edward Vilga developed several.

They're in a new DVD called, appropriately enough, 'Yoga in Bed,' based on an earlier paperback titled, 'Yoga in Bed: 20 Asanas to do in Pajamas.'"

Yoga In Bed, Workouts To Help Get You Going, And Help You Relax To Get To Sleep - CBS News

A fond farewell to Vegan Lunchbox

2006-06-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't happened across this great site, Vegan Lunchbox showcases one mom's culinary creativity as she prepares nourishing, animal-free lunches for her favorite kindergartener. Though the lunch box blogging is essentially over, the site is a great resource with photos, recipes, and info on an upcoming cookbook by the author. Thanks for the inspiration, Mama Schmoo!

TerraPass

2006-06-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

I read about TerraPass recently on TriplePundit:

"Undoing the global warming impact of your car's CO2 emissions is easier than you think.

TerraPass funds clean energy projects like wind farms, methane capture and more.

Third-party organizations verify that TerraPass has a guaranteed impact.

TerraPass is surprisingly affordable – a whole year of emissions for as little as $29.95."

Great idea. Love to think that my $29.95 will offset the damage I do to the environment with my car. But isn't that math incorrect? I'm still causing pollution, even if I'm assuaging my conscience with a donation to clean energy. Shouldn't we also work to cut our emissions?

Granted, funding clean energy in this way will hopefully help promote its widespread adoption in the long run. But telling us we can offset our pollution by purchasing a clean air hall pass seems not quite right.

Better than doing nothing, though!!

Japan is Loco for LOHAS

2006-06-06T02:15:00.000-07:00

The LOHAS movement is apparently catching like wildfire in Japan.

"TOKYO (AP) -- A U.S. lifestyle concept that combines consumerism with a bit of ecological conscience is proving a hit in shopping-crazy Japan, where workaholic 'salarymen' are looking for quick fixes for stress and thinking green is becoming fashionable.

LOHAS, which stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, an approach to purchasing and investment that originated in the United States about a decade ago, encompasses a wide range of products pushing social and environmental responsibility -- organic soap, recycled paper, hybrid cars, solar heating and herbal tea.

...The recent Tokyo exhibition included an ergonomic chair, non-allergenic detergent, water bottles and Crocs Inc. sandals. A glass fishbowl by Italian designer Andrea Branzi had a glass birdcage inside so that goldfish swim around parakeets, making for what organizers said was a statement on coexistence.

Also on display were designs for 'furoshiki,' Japan's traditional answer to the reusable bag, a piece of fabric for carrying things by simply wrapping them. One with bright pictures of flowers and birds was designed by Environment Minister Yuriko Koike.

What's appealing about LOHAS is that it proposes everyday changes in personal life, proponents say.

'There's been a lot of talk about slow food and slow life,' said Mari Takamatsu, spokeswoman for Mitsukoshi department store, which has a corner devoted to LOHAS cooking this week. 'LOHAS puts a lifestyle into one word that consumers understand.' "

Gentle Ecological Products Enrapture Japan: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

'Tis the season for Lychee

2006-06-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

What did I find at my neighborhood grocery yesterday but fresh lychee? Yum! They should be out and about for the next month in Asian markets. I see the canned version used more and more frequently to flavor beverages and cocktails these days, but the fresh fruit is something else. It tastes...fragrant...like the scent carried by a warm breeze flowing through a summer garden. Or something like that. Try it for yourself and send me a better description!

Lychee recipes and other info here.

Illustration Friday: Portrait

2006-06-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

This is from a collage I made for a friend about 4 years ago. Underneath the portrait I inscribed the following quote from Frank Herbert's book Dune:

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

Whenever I'm afraid or anxious I turn back to this quote and remember that having fear is a good thing, and facing your fear is even better.

The drawing was inspired by a photograph of Inuit masks...for whatever reason when I look at it, I see courage and determination in the face of insurmountable obstacles. Oil pastel on paper.

Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

2006-06-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Sustainablog has a post today about film projects taking place at the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.

And Dancing Rabbit has room for you, too, if you want to live sustainably in the praries of Missouri.

"Join us!
We're excited to have new members join Dancing Rabbit, and are interested in individuals, families, or communities who want to live sustainably. Here, you can have the benefits of small town life and intentional community living, in the company of other progressive individuals supporting each other in living an ecological life."

As much as that idea appeals to me, I think I would miss living near a big city.

Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

And it makes a great coffee table book

2006-06-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

I got this message today and thought I would pass it on for all you coffee lovers. For those of you in the SF area, there is a book-signing event tonight, details below.

-------------------------
Greetings!

We are really pleased to announce the publication of "The Coffee Book: Anatomy of an Industry from Crop to the Last Drop." The book covers all aspects of the fascinating world of coffee—including its origins in the highlands of Ethiopia, ancient coffeehouse history, international trade, production, the specialty coffee explosion, and the growth of sustainable coffees. It was first published in 1999, and it was continuing to do well, but was beginning to be a bit out of date -- a lot has changed in the world of coffee since then.

So we completely revised it and brought it up to the moment--we're really happy with how it turned out!

Please join us for our launch event:

Thursday June 1, 8 to 10pm at

Ritual Coffee Roasters

1026 Valencia Street (Near 21st, in the Mission)

San Francisco

Meet the authors, check out the book, and socialize!

Feel free to bring any friends!

Hope to see you there!

Nina & Gregory
http://www.thecoffeebook.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"The Coffee Book: Anatomy of an Industry from Crop to the Last Drop"

The Coffee Book explores the coffee trade from bean to cup, including production, the history of café society, dramatic tales of high-stakes international trade, health aspects, the industry's major players, and the specialty coffee revolution-including the very latest developments. Finally, the book considers the labor and environmental issues behind mass cultivation, and explores the growing sustainable coffee market.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Using Psychology to Save the Environment

2006-05-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

Robert Cialdini was one of my favorite author/scholar/researchers to study in college. His work is full of interesting studies on influence, communication and messaging. A recent study he conducted with two graduate students shows how specific phrasing can encourage environmentally-sound behavior.

"What works better: Keep Off the Grass or Save the Planet? Psychologists are discovering the types of words and messages that encourage environmentally friendly behaviors. Field research – whether in hotels or literally in the field – are helping everyone from the U.S. Forest Service to conservation-minded businesses to safeguard natural resources more effectively...

Cialdini's colleagues found their hotel results consistent with the social psychological theory that when people are figuring out what to do in a new situation, they take their cue from what seems to be other people's normal behavior – the social norm. Thus, descriptive norm messages that say, “Everybody's doing it!” to promote conservation-minded actions may be most effective.

Meanwhile, in situations requiring people not to do something, injunctive-proscriptive messages (“Don't go off the trail” and “Don't take the wood”) seem to work. In fact, Winter found that an injunctive-proscriptive message was twice as effective in deterring off-trail hiking as a descriptive-prescriptive message (“Stay on the trail.”) Given this evidence, she believes that in this situation, saying “Don't do this” is the most direct route to gaining compliance."

Read the entire abstract here:Shaping Pro-Environment Behaviors

Via TriplePundit

Ricky Williams hearts Yoga

2006-05-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

The interview is subtitles Yoga, Religion and Marijuana. For the curious, here's the full text.

Does Canadian football not have mandatory drug testing??

Kleiner Perkins Green Tech Prize

2006-05-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

The eco-bloggers have been all over this article, so sorry if you've heard it already.

VC's funding green technology!!

If green technology is going to become widely adopted, it has to be embraced by the business community. When a prominent private equity firm places an emphasis on sustainable techlology, it's a sign that the economic and ecologic sense of sustainability is getting through to a wider audience.

Kleiner Perkins launches award to spur green innovation - San Francisco Business Times:

"Three huge trends are driving our Greentech agenda," Doerr said. "First, urbanization is the largest trend on the planet. Four billion people will move into megacities in the next 50 years, and they all want green transportation, water, and energy.

Second, climate change and global warming are accelerating at alarming rates. And third, we are addicted to oil, funding both sides of the war on terrorists, weakening democracy and our economy and damaging the environment.

"We must change our policies and practices and accelerate innovation," Doerr said.

In the meantime, I'm still packing my compact fluorescents!

p.s. "funding BOTH sides of the war on terrorists" - excellent point and i don't think we as a country are giving this enough reflection. of course, the oil industry doesn't want us to think about it toooooo much...

Yoga for the Bedroom

2006-05-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

An article in the Mumbai Mirror details some yoga moves to strengthen the pelvic girdle.

More info on the exercises here

Off to the Big Apple

2006-05-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from blogging 'til 5/23.

Freebies for the Moral Majority

2006-05-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

The New York Times has run a series of articles on Rep. Patrick Kennedy since he crashed his car on Capitol Hill ten days ago. So, if I'm reading correctly, he's been open about his past drug addictions and bipolar disorder. While I feel for his suffering, I don't see how he was deemed fit to make policy decisions for his constituents.

Millions of employees in this country are subject to random drug tests at work, and can be fired on the spot for positive results. Is it too much to ask that our legislators be held to the same standards as the good folk who deliver our packages or assemble our automobiles? Lord knows their work is important enough that we should demand better of them.

Excerpt from the latest NYT article:

"Still, he has traded on the Kennedy mystique, using his celebrity to start his career. His celebrity did not hurt, either, when he got into various scrapes, like the time he shoved a Los Angeles airport security guard or when the Coast Guard retrieved a woman who said the two had argued while drinking on his yacht.

Mr. Kennedy's advisers say he now views these incidents, as well as his addiction and bouts of binge drinking, through the prism of his bipolar disorder, a type of depression marked by extreme highs and lows. But some wonder whether this latest incident must be his last.

'I don't think anybody realized until now how serious his problems were,' said M. Charles Bakst, a longtime political columnist for The Providence Journal. 'Now it all makes sense, and you realize that this kid is on the brink. And I think if it happens again, you are going to see people say, not necessarily angrily or bitterly, but sadly, maybe, that public life isn't for him.'"

Full text here:
For a Kennedy, Fighting the Stigma of Mental Illness Becomes Personal - New York Times