What Does it Mean to Declutter Your Holidays?

When you think of classic holiday images what comes to mind? Curling up by the fire with a loved one? Children joyfully opening long-awaited gifts? Steaming cups of hot cocoa? How about a small group of family and friends laughing together over a plentiful dinner?

Unfortunately, the reality has become images of angry crowds on Black Friday, frantic runs to the grocery store, and the chaos of holiday parties no one even wants to be at.

All of the holiday songs promise us a season filled with joy, peace and goodwill toward all. Instead, we have turned them into obligation-filled days of family gatherings and holiday parties that lead to frustration, guilt, anxiety, and exhaustion.

By decluttering your holidays, you can simplify them and bring back the joy and gratitude of the season. Take control with these tips to rediscover the joy of the season.

Carve Out Quality Time

With the craziness of the holidays, families find themselves running here, there, and everywhere together without ever actually spending time with each other.

As soon as you enter most traditional of holiday parties, the kids run down to the basement to play with their cousins, one group of people is gathered around the TV to watch football, and another group is torn between helping prepare the meal, making sure the kids in the basement aren’t getting into trouble or sitting down in front of the TV.

Your family unit deserves to have time prioritized to spend together.

Instead of getting lost in the chaos, intentionally declutter your holidays and plan for time alone with your spouse and your children to share holiday traditions with meaning.

Try one or two of these this weekend.

• Play board games instead of hiding in technology.
• Bake holiday treats together.
• Share hot cocoa personalized with marshmallows, whipped cream, and sprinkles.

Minimize to Maximize

Take it back to basics by choosing which people you want to spend your holidays with. Spending them with the people you’re afraid to disappoint feels like you don’t have control over your own experience. Purposefully giving yourself quiet time can make it much easier to face the noise and chaos of a traditional holiday gathering.

Minimize your holidays by planning a special night out to eat. My husband and I spend every Christmas Eve together, just the two of us, at a special holiday dinner a local Scottish restaurant every year. You can create your own new traditions that bring back those cozy holiday images of couples at a candle-lit dinner or a small group of friends sharing a cup of cheer.

Is there a restaurant your family loves to go to? Or a new place you’ve been waiting to try? Many restaurants offer special holiday meals, just be sure to make reservations ahead of time as you won’t be the only ones with this idea!

Learn to Say No

It’s okay to say “no” to any holiday parties you aren’t excited about, even family parties. You don’t have to go to every single event over November and December.

Attending every gathering out of a sense of obligation will fray your nerves. Running from one party to the next, putting on and taking off coats, boots, and mittens over and over, often in the same day, will leave you so exhausted you won’t be able to enjoy yourself. You know I’m right.

Write down which events sound fun or enjoyable, and which ones sound like they’ll drain what little energy you have left. Simply let the hosts of the events you won’t be attending know you aren’t available that day – you don’t even have to give an explanation!

Saying “no” is setting a healthy boundary that we hesitate to use out of fear of upsetting others. You might be surprised at how accepting people are of your “no.” If there are some who try to change your mind by playing on your guilt, that’s what tells you that you definitely made the right choice.

Skip it Altogether!

A trend that has been gaining momentum in recent years is that of traveling somewhere fun, special or unique for the holidays. I’ve even done it!

Thanksgiving 2018 I was with my husband in Cusco, Peru. We got Kentucky Fried Chicken (close enough to turkey), took it back to our hotel room, and ate sitting on the bed together. That is the most memorable, and cherished Thanksgiving I have ever had.

You don’t have to go that far, of course!

Whether you have children or not, you might choose to go somewhere within a reasonable drive, like a quaint little vacation town, or a big city. Or you might choose to fly to somewhere warm if you live in the north. You can change it up next year!

These are memories that will last. “Remember that year we went to…?” will become a common phrase in your home. Whether a cozy cabin in the woods, a quaint bed and breakfast, a bright city holiday, or a beach vacation you can create a unique holiday experience all your own.

Are You Ready to Declutter Your Holidays?

The old rules don’t apply any more. You get to take control and rid yourself of the frustration, guilt and anxiety of previous holidays. Regardless of whether you’re on your own, celebrating with a partner, or with children, you get to choose what your holidays look like. New traditions start today. So, if you’re ready to be done with the aggravation of obligatory holiday gatherings, it’s time to declutter your holidays!

Kate Evans

Kate Evans is the owner of Soulful Space, a virtual life coaching and decluttering company. Kate helps overwhelmed women declutter their lives and homes. She has worked in the field of psychology since 2004, is an RYT-200 certified yoga teacher, and a writer currently working on a book bringing self-help and decluttering together for lasting change. To learn more about Kate, the work she does, and to read her weekly blog for your mind, body, soul, and space, go to www.soulfulspacecoaching.com. Kate can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @soulfulspace.coaching.

www.soulfulspacecoaching.com

The post Declutter Your Holidays to Bring Back the Joy of the Season appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Importance of Essential Oils for Body, Mind, Soul, and Space

Essential oils have powerful effects on our mind, body, soul, and space. Using essential oils can be an easy way to reduce the toxins in your home, and uplift the energy of all who reside there. As an integrative life coach, I base my view of people on the feng shui foundation of attending to the mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and the home environment. The whole being.

Essential Oil Wisdom

As a yogi and general free-spirited gypsy kinda gal, I have lots of friends with lots of awesome skills in health and wellness that I incorporate into my work. One of these amazing people is Lindsay Luker, essential oils expert and owner of Good Leaf Life, an integrative wellness company. Having both a yoga and science background has made Lindsay my trusted go-to for all things oil-related. So, when I wanted to share some of the essential oil awesomeness that I’ve learned, it made sense to get some recipes and hints directly from Lindsay for your mind, body, soul, and space.

Essential Oils to Uplift the Mind

According to Lindsay, “When our minds feel like they’re trying to run away with us, we need all the help we can get to adjust that energy.”

• Uplifting and energetic: lemon, grapefruit, wild orange, lime, mandarin, and peppermint.
• Focus and concentration: lemon, rosemary, and spearmint.
• Rest and restore: lavender and cedarwood.
• Calm anxiety: frankincense, wild orange, and laurel leaf.

Any of these oils can be combined into a roller ball bottle and applied topically. Apply to pulse points (wrists, neck, eye of elbows, even bottom of feet) 1-4 times per day.

• 10 ml glass roller bottle
• 15-20 total drops of essential oils
• Fill with fractionated coconut oil
• OR diffuse 3-8 drops total

Use your third eye (6th chakra) intuition to lead you to the individual oils or combinations that meet the need of your mental state. That lavender and cedarwood combo is one of my favorites and is always in my bedstand drawer waiting for me.

Essential Oils for the Body

Lindsay shares the following wisdom, “The products we put in our bodies and onto our skin become a part of us. Moving toward a simpler, more natural system for your body will help ensure your overall health. Finding the right products for your face can be a lifelong search….especially as its needs change with more birthdays!”

• Lavender Oil: This floral oil is filled with anti-inflammatory components. Excellent for red, blotchy skin or puffy face, the relaxing aroma also decreases the inflammation found between you and your truest self.
• Tea Tree Oil: This is the mother of anti-everything! Antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory. Tea Tree is a medicinal oil that is great for a deep cleansing during outbreaks and/or acne. Meanwhile, the fresh green aroma cleanses negative energy, especially from relationships. *Be careful if you have a pet who likes to give you kisses. This oil is not okay for them!
• Cedarwood Oil: This oil is filled with broad spectrum antibiotic activity and anti-inflammatory properties. It mixes beautifully with lavender after a really fun, late night with your buddies! Its earthy aroma reminds you that you are connected. You are loved. You are not alone in this wild world.
• Frankincense Oil: The king of oils, this rich resin-derived oil is known for cellular regeneration. Use frankincense oil to get rid of dead cells and support a healthy glow. The musky, yet sweet aroma also goes straight to the brain to calm anxiety induced by cyclical thinking.

How to use body oils

• Mix 1 drop in your palm with your favorite unscented face cleanser or facial moisturizer.
• Go about your routine as you normally would!
• You can even mix them depending on what you need on a particular day.

I spent years trying many different face products before settling on a set routine of a few targeted products. Now, by following Lindsay’s advice I’m upping my face game. My favorites are adding frankincense to my moisturizer, and using tea tree oil on cold sores.

Essential Oils to Soothe the Soul

When it comes to soulful use of essential oils, Lindsay says, “The simple use of essential oils can enhance your journey of spiritual exploration, too. Apply 1 drop of any of the following oils to your third eye (6th chakra) and/or your crown (7th chakra) during meditation.”

• Frankincense
• Sandalwood
• Myrrh
• Rose
• Roman chamomile

These can also be combined into a roller ball bottle and applied topically. Apply to pulse points (wrists, neck, eye of elbows, even bottom of feet) 1-4 times per day.

DIY Your Roller Ball Essential Oil Blend

• 10 ml glass roller bottle
• 15-20 total drops of essential oils
• Fill with fractionated coconut oil
• OR diffuse 3-8 drops total

I’ve always been drawn to sandalwood, but I was surprised when, with a recommendation from Lindsay, I discovered an affinity for roman chamomile in my diffuser recipes. The experience reminded me how important it is to continue to expand ourselves and try new things.

Essential Oils to Enhance Your Space

Your home is the nest in which you nourish and nurture loved ones, including yourself. Somewhere along the way we evolved to clean our homes with toxins… literally, poison.

The surfaces in our homes and the air you breathe might be doing as much harm to your body and mind after cleaning, and burning synthetically scented candles than if you left the dust and funk there.

Happily, step by step you can move toward a purely clean home in which you can live with peace in body and mind.

Essential Oil Based Household Cleaning Spray

Citrus oils contain d-limonene, an antiseptic, and it supports the white blood cells in your immune system for extra safeguard against germs. Meanwhile, the uplifting zesty citrus aromas cleanse negative mental energy and invigorate your mind!

• Lemon
• Wild Orange
• Lime
• Grapefruit
• Mandarin

What you will need to create your spray:

16 oz dark glass spray bottle (light can break down the compounds in oils and shorten their shelf life; plastic can be broken down by the oils and sprayed into your home’s air).

• A spoonful of white vinegar
• Distilled water
• 40 drops of essential oils

Liquid Hand Soap Antiseptic oils:

• Lemon
• Grapefruit
• Juniper berry
• Tea tree

Anti-infectious oils:

• Geranium
• Lavender
• Tea tree
• Ylang ylang

What you will need to make your soap:

• 8 oz dark glass bottle with pump
• Unscented castile soap
• 40-80 drops total of oils, depending on your liking.

We all know how important hand soap became to us in the past year so I had to add this is as an extra for you.

An important point Lindsay made to me when I began making my own cleaners was to stick to the ratios she has outlined here.

We can be prone to thinking more is better, however, as she explained to me, too much actually impedes the usefulness of the oils and the purpose of the solution.

Living a Toxin-Free Life

In my own journey I went from Neutrogena and Mary Kay, to Grown Alchemist and Sahara Rose, two paraben and sulfate-free, cruelty-free companies. I went from Formula 409, to Mrs. Meyers plant-derived products, to my own energizing lemon and mandarin oil cleaning spray. All of our journeys look different. I love knowing each of my own steps have gotten me closer to non-toxic living.

Homemade and all-natural products can be found in every room of my house now.

Try some of Lindsay’s recommendations and let your root chakra (1st chakra), with its grounding sense of safety, guide you to the solutions that are best for your own mind, body, soul, and space.

Kate Evans

Kate Evans is the owner of Soulful Space, a virtual life coaching and decluttering company. Kate helps overwhelmed women declutter their lives and homes. She has worked in the field of psychology since 2004, is an RYT-200 certified yoga teacher, and a writer currently working on a book bringing self-help and decluttering together for lasting change. To learn more about Kate, the work she does, and to read her weekly blog for your mind, body, soul, and space, go to www.soulfulspacecoaching.com. Kate can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @soulfulspace.coaching.

www.soulfulspacecoaching.com

The post Essential Oils for Integrative Living appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Living Holistic: Lifestyle Suggestions for Yoga Practitioners

Living a yogic lifestyle involves more than the time we spend on the mat (although that time is meaningful). Yogic entrepreneurs are creating sets of tools and supplies for green, holistic living that supports the many facets of our practice. We’ve curated this list of lifestyle suggestions for the modern yoga practitioner to enjoy a yogic summer season and beyond.

Mahina Cup

Mahina Menstrual Cup is a soft, luxury silicone will keep you confident and clean in your summer style. With 12 hours leak free protection, you can play as long as the sun’s up. Yoga shorts, pool parties, long fights, late nights and your period are now BFFs! Mahina Cup is an easy, ocean-friendly luxury period solution that will revolutionize your life! mahinacup.com

Komuso Design

The Shift necklace is the most versatile piece of jewelry you’ll ever own. Not only is it timeless, it also has purpose. When exhaling through it, its specific circumference guides a longer exhale that helps your mind and body become calm. The Shift by Komuso Design serves as a reminder to breathe and an organic tool that guides you to a better place. Use LAYOGA for 15% off. komusodesign.com

Affirmats Yoga Mats

Affirmats adds an emotional layer to Yoga by wrapping form, function, and a dash of inspiration in PURE LOVE. Life gets crazy and yoga makes us happy. Not only are these yoga mats comfortable and stylish, each provide an affirmation for that extra kick of awesomeness and support in your day. affirmats.com

Farmacy Bliss

These natural and potent sublingual CBD drops by Farmacy Bliss provide an effective and convenient way to relieve stress, anxiety, pain and inflammation. Made from organically-grown hemp, the full spectrum CBD oil is free of any additives, chemicals, and allergens. It’s the perfect companion to begin your holistic summer. farmacybliss.com

HUMineral

HUmic Mineral delivering nourishment/hydration to body. Polyphenols and electrolytes, hydrate, replenish, restore. Take straight, add to food, coffee, tea, water, smoothie. Every mineral the body requires. Healthy Cells = Healthy Body – Increase collagen, detox, energy, immune, joint/muscle, sleep, stamina. Vegan – Gluten, Soy, Dairy, Sugar free.  Call 888-765-0087 or visit humineral.com.

Paavani Ayurveda

Stay cool, calm and collected this summer with The Aromatherapy Ritual! This intuitive kit includes PAAVANI Ayurveda‘s four Aromatherapy Spritzers to balance each dosha and all moods. Use Vata to feel calm and grounded, Pitta for heart opening and cooling, Kapha to elevate and motivate and Tridoshic for balance and bliss. paavaniayurveda.com

Waxing Kara

Waxing Kara’s popular Sea + Tea line includes a face and body scrub, body oil and bath salt, formulated to be reminiscent of warm days spent in the airy fields and beaches of Kara’s coastal farm. Each product is designed to cleanse and exfoliate with a blend of salts, plant oils and botanical extracts that allude to a dusky coastal feel. waxingkara.com

LovePray Jewelry

Benefit from the healing power of gemstones with Lovepray Jewelry‘s wrist malas. Made in San Diego. Follow them on Instagram to learn more. Learn more: loveprayjewelry.com. Follow on Instagram: @LoveprayJewelry. 

MoveMe

MoveMe’s new Core Collection is incredibly soft, fitted and uses innovative SPF 50, quick-dry technology, exuding a buttery softness and cool, naked sensation. The line currently features leggings, tank tops, crop tops, sweatshirts, shorts, dresses and long-sleeved shirts available in magenta, iris, seafoam, and black. moveme.fit/all-products

Bliss Kit

Bliss Kit is a thoughtfully curated box of natural products and enlightening rituals for women of all ages who yearn to feel beautiful inside and out. Each quarter we create a themed Bliss Kit with natural/organic products to create a pampering wellness experience, sharing mindful ways to live a healthier, happier life. blisskit.com

Summer Solace Tallow

Summer Solace is an artisan line of ethical and holistic organic tallow balms, soaps, and candles handcrafted with local ingredients from Northern California. We are actively reviving the nourishing traditions of using local pasture-raised animal fat to moisturize effectively and soothe skin irritations. Enjoy a free tube of Summer Solace lip balm with the discount code: LAYOGA. Order: summersolacetallow.com.

Civetta

civettala.com Turquoise is one of the oldest protection stones and was known as a symbol of wealth in many ancient cultures. Many kings, shamans and warriors have worn it. This stone is known to recharge energy, attract friendships, bring luck and happiness. Turquoise activates the throat chakra, boosting communication skills. Wear turquoise by Civetta.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Green and Holistic Lifestyle Suggestions for all Seasons appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Nicole Landers at Community Healing Gardens

Women Changing the Landscape of Our Cities

“Every patch of soil is an opportunity to grow food,” says Community Healing Gardens Co-Founder Nicole Landers. In the greater Los Angeles area, where the 365-day-a-year growing season means that there are abundant opportunities for everyone to be an urban gardener, Nicole is member of a pioneering group of women transforming the modern cityscape.

There are a number of good reasons to grow your own or to participate in community gardening efforts. You have an intimate relationship with the soil and can even contribute to soil remediation. You know where the seeds are coming from (and can even join groups like the Seed Library of Los Angeles) and can go even better than organic by controlling what is sprayed on the plants.

Community Healing Gardens

Urban gardening is a great way to bring communities together. Just ask Nicole Landers of Community Healing Gardens (CHG). The nonprofit started with garden boxes in the city spaces along the streets of Venice, where she resides. The raised beds offer opportunities for growing food that are open to the community that wanted — or more importantly needed — these opportunities. Now three years after founding the organization, there are 66 boxes sprinkled throughout Venice accompanied by after school programs developed to teach kids about gardening.

Nicole learned about urban gardening at UCLA where she studied under the Sustainable Certificate Program. Her interest sprouted as a kid, when she learned to grow tomatoes, herbs, basil, oregano, chives, onions, and spinach. Her father had a plot of land at a community garden space along the Westside Highway in NYC. She’s brought this passion to her present-day home community to address areas of food insecurity and food deserts throughout the southland. For example, CHG has partnered with the nonprofit St Joseph’s Center to use product harvested by CHG in the culinary program of the Center’s work experience kitchen, where they feed upwards of 100 homeless and transitioning men and women a day.

In Watts, CHG has stepped in to build an innovative relationship with the community’s only public middle school. They’ve cultivated the earth in one acre of land to grow food with their school farm and orchard program. CHG is teaching kids about the importance of growing their own food, showing how fun it is, and then giving that food back to the community. Anyone can participate through harvesting the food or joining in on community planting days. People can also adopt a box or a tree and learn about the beauty and necessity of urban gardening. “The one thing that binds us all is food. We all need nourishment and the food we put in our body fuels us.”

For more information, visit: communityhealinggardens.org.

Urban Gardening Q & A with Nicole Landers

What does gardening mean to you?

Nicole Landers: Farming means strengthening community through urban gardening. We can build connection, community, and jobs, and shift the consciousness on planetary and human health by growing food locally, especially in urban areas in need. Our soil can save us.

What is your favorite thing to grow?

NL: My favorite season is spring into summer and growing tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, herbs, kale, and arugula.

 

LA Urban Farms

LA Urban Farms

If you’ve always wanted a garden, but don’t have the space, a vertical garden may be for you. LA Urban Farms has created state-of-the art, patented, vertical technology that allows you to farm in an urban setting using 90% less land and 90% less water.

Wendy Coleman is the founder of LA Urban Farms with partners Jennifer Crane and Melanie Dorsey. These three women share a passion for farming and helping others grow their own healthy food. Wendy found her work passion with the help of her daughter who was majoring in sustainability and environmental awareness.

Wendy came across vertical gardens growing right in the middle of a parking lot in front of a café. She inquired about buying one for her daughter Jess’s birthday. One vertical garden turned into three in the family’s backyard. “We had never had our own edible garden before; we even had fake plants in our house.” Wendy and her family couldn’t believe that in only 21 days they had the most delicious leafy greens and herbs for their smoothies, salads, and grilled vegetables.

Shortly after that harvest, they collaborated with the developer of the vertical garden technology, Tim Blank. Tim worked for 12 years as the chief horticulturist and greenhouse manager at Walt Disney World’s attraction The Land at Epcot Center. There, they grew hundreds of different food crops from all over the world in many different hydroponic and aeroponic systems. Wendy felt that her team’s enthusiasm combined with Tim’s expertise was a recipe for success. Thus, LA Urban Farms sprouted.

They created their first aeroponic farm on the rooftop of the old Google building in Santa Monica. It was the first of its kind on a commercial office building in LA. Now, almost five years later, their urban gardens are found in backyards, greenhouses, and with top chefs at restaurants, resorts, universities, and businesses throughout LA and beyond. They’ve even installed a garden at LA Mayor Eric Garcetti’s home.

For more information visit: laurbanfarms.com.

Urban Gardening Q & A with LA Urban Farms

What does farming mean to you?

Melanie Dorsey: Farming is about making a personal connection to your food while also connecting to people who are passionate about growing their own food. My hope is that more people connect to how their food is grown and become inspired to make healthier choices for themselves and the environment.

What is your favorite thing to grow?

MD: My favorite thing to grow is cucumbers. I have three daughters and my six-year-old Ellie adores pickles!  She loves to grow her own cucumbers and educate everyone she meets about how to grow your own food. I enjoy teaching in my girls’ schools and seeing the joy on the children’s faces when they eat food that they’ve grown. They feel so proud. Another favorite is edible flowers. My girls love putting them in ice cubes for their lemonade stand, and also making soap with them.

Chef Helene Henderson of Malibu Farms

Malibu Farms Restaurant

If you just want to enjoy the bounty from area farms, try the incredible farm-to-table meals in a magical setting at Malibu Farms Restaurant on the Malibu Pier. Chef Helene Henderson started with cooking classes and farm dinners out of her home and backyard. Now, her backyard is on the Malibu Pier and includes a casual counter service café at the end of the pier and a full service restaurant and bar at the beginning of the pier. She also has locations in Orange County, Hawaii, and Florida.

Helene loves the simplicity of both gardening and cooking. The heart of her business is to serve simple, healthy, homestyle cooked meals without becoming too fussy. Where she grew up in the northern part of Sweden, Helene was always gardening. The family had their own potato community garden plots and strawberry pots on their city balcony. When she moved to Hollywood, Helene would manage to find space for a small garden, and even raised backyard chickens. Helene says, “Gardening is easy and gardening is hard. Some seasons are a breeze and others are a struggle. There really isn’t any right or wrong. Hopefully most times, you reap what you sow, and eat what you grow.”

For more information, visit: malibu-farm.com

Urban Gardening Q & A with Chef Helene Henderson

What does farming mean to you?

Chef Helene Henderson: Farming means everything. Farming even on the smallest scale, means the ability to feed yourself and others. Food does not come from the market. If we can forage food, and if we can grow food, we can grow.

What’s your favorite thing to grow?

HH: My favorite thing to grow is arugula, because snails don’t eat it, rabbits don’t eat it, coyotes don’t eat it; so it is all for me to eat with a squirt of good olive oil, a sprinkle of coarse salt and a squeeze of lemon.

Growing Your Own

As Chef Helene Henderson says, food does not come from the market. Food comes from the soil, even if it’s in a pot on a windowsill or balcony. Urban gardening can lead the way for families to eat better. Planting some seeds wherever you can find a small plot to call your own or sharing a space with your community are good places to start.

And there are many ways you can become more involved in urban gardening. Sponsor a Community Healing Gardens box. Volunteer or participate in a harvest. Exchange seeds. Take a gardening class. Look into building your own raised beds. Call LA Urban Farms. Or find ways to support local farmers and gardeners who are innovating organic and local farming. Join these women and be part of the next wave planting the seeds of change in backyards and communities.

Tiffany Paige

www.greenwithtiffany.com

The post Creating Food Security through Urban Gardening appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Goddess Garden Team and Family loves the beach so they produce and advocate for reef safe sunscreen.

Working for Reef Safe Sun Protection for People and the Planet

In the long days of summer (as well as year-round), we want to enjoy the benefits of our time in the sun while protecting our skin from excess exposure. According to Dermveda expert dermatologist Raja Sivamani, MD MS AP, “Sun protection used to be about avoiding a sunburn. But, we have come a long way from then and have become more sophisticated with our science and our approach. Good sun protection means you reduce or eliminate overexposure to ultraviolet type A, ultraviolet type B, and high energy blue light.”

Reef-Safe Sunscreens

While sun protection is important, so is protecting our sensitive coral reefs; the delicate ecology of coral reefs can be affected by some of the chemicals in conventional sunscreens. Two of the ingredients that have been identified as being the most problematic are oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Kate Solomon is the founder and CEO of Babo Botanicals. She’s one of a group of skincare companies who are committed to making products that are healthy for both people and the planet. She says, ”Millions of people visit beaches each year and it has been proven that chemicals in sunscreens can destroy reefs, as well as be an endocrine disruptor in humans. I founded Babo Botanicals so people would have environmental and healthy choices.”

Kate is in good company. Goddess Garden Founder and CEO Nova Covington is another entrepreneur on a mission. “My daughter’s allergies to the chemicals in common skincare products inspired the start of our company. But these chemicals are also impacting coral reefs. A single drop of oxybenzone, a common chemical sunscreen, can kill the coral reefs in an area the size of 6.5 Olympic-sized pools. Because every bottle of natural mineral sunscreen used is one less bottle of chemical sunscreen in the environment, we focused on making clean, reef-safe options easily accessible to everyone.”

Advocacy for Reef Safe Sunscreens

Babo Botanicals, Goddess Garden, and other companies are taking a leadership role in this area. Their focus is to develop reef-safe sunscreen formulations by providing labeling and engaging in advocacy and education. These organizations are even working with legislative bodies to provide protection for reefs.

One of their meaningful initiatives is focused on the Hawaiian Islands and the effect swimmers have on the coral reefs there. On May 1, the Hawaii state legislature passed a bill to ban the sale of oxybenzone and octinoxate. This legislation is currently sitting on the desk of Governor David Ige. Nova Covington, Founder of Goddess Gardens, is collecting signatures on a Care2Petition to encourage the governor to sign the bill. Sign the petition here!

Ingredients to Avoid

So when it comes to choosing reef-safe options , just say no to oxybenzone and octinoxate. Some of the other chemicals to avoid include: avobenzone, avobenzine, ethylhexl, methoxycinnamate, homosalate, octisalate, and octocrylene.

What is reef and skin-safe?

Zinc oxide and titanium oxide are reef-safe mineral-based sunscreens. Choose non-nano, mineral-based options for body, face, and lips. Be an informed consumer and take good care of your skin.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Why Choose Reef Safe Sunscreens appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Why #MarchAgainstStraws and Refuse a Plastic Straw

Every day, 500 million plastic straws are used in the US alone. That number represents enough straws to wrap around the Earth 2.5 times. These straws take more than 200 years to decompose and are rarely recyclable. Plastic straws have become an epidemic that is littering our oceans, streets, forests, and natural lands. Every year, our excessive use of plastic straws contributes to the death of over one million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals. (This research was compiled by the campaign #onelessstraw created by the nonprofit One More Generation.)

Communities and organizations around the world have begun initiatives to address this problem. For example, nonprofits organizations, activist groups, ethical businesses, and individuals are coordinating beach cleanups. In addition, entire cities are enacting laws against restaurants distributing plastic straws unless requested. Some current cities include: Malibu, San Luis Obispo, David, Seattle, and Fort Myers. These initiatives have a worldwide impact.

#MarchAgainstStraws

Through Green Foresters, I decided to motivate people to join the movement with #MarchAgainstStraws. This campaign challenged people to go without using a plastic straw throughout the month of March. People from all over the world participated. This push helped people implement the practice of refusing straws into their lifestyle. My hope is to encourage people to make refusing plastic straws a habit for life.

Madi Giordano, founder of Green Foresters and #MarchAgainstStraws

Refusing straws is a simple action with a huge impact.

I urge you to implement this practice too! It is so simple. When going to a bar, restaurant, smoothie shop, or anywhere you would be issued a straw, simply ask, “Can I have a ______ please, with no straw?” You will find that people are usually receptive and most people even love to ask about the movement. If you enjoy drinking out of a straw, choose a reusable option and carry it with you. Reusable straws made from a variety of materials are available including stainless steel, bamboo, glass, and silicone. My personal favorite is stainless steel. I find that drinking from stainless steel makes everything a little more refreshing.

Straw Facts

(Source of facts: https://get-green-now.com/environmental-impact-plastic-straws/)

Malibu Bans Plastic Straws

During the February 26, 2018 meeting, the Malibu City Council voted to prohibit the sale, distribution, and use of single-use plastic straws and cutlery within the City of Malibu.

“Malibu is a leader in environmental protections, and we’ve made great progress in addressing plastic pollution, including bans on plastic bags, plastic sandbags, and polystyrene foam,” Mayor Rick Mullen said. “We are now adding plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery to the list of plastic pollution that we will stop at the source so it doesn’t reach our beaches and the open ocean. The ocean, beaches, and natural surroundings are a central part of life in Malibu, and we are absolutely committed to keeping them clean for ourselves, our children, and their children in the future.”

This legislation goes into effect on June 1, 2018. Learn more at: malibucity.org

Malibu’s Sustainable Straw Giveaways

Stop by Malibu City Hall during office hours to pick up #KeepitCleanMalibu branded reusable steel straws to use instead of plastic straws. Post photos on social media using the hashtags #MalibuForAStrawlessOcean and #KeepitCleanMalibu.

The City of Malibu will also provide a box of environmentally safe #KeepitCleanMalibu paper straws to area restaurants.

Straw Reduction Initiatives Worldwide

The challenges are gaining momentum! A number of municipalities, governments, organizations, businesses, and individuals are taking on the challenge to find alternatives to single-use plastic straws. You can take the #SurfriderPledge or commit to using less plastic at: onelessstraw.org. Another trending hashtags include #refusethestraw. Campaigns from the organization @5gyres and the initiatives from @oceanfriendlyrestaurants are also gaining traction. It’s even gone mainstream. Bacardi, the world’s largest spirit company, is one example. They have implemented an in-house program that involves removing plastic straws and stirrers at company events. As we talk about these programs more often, here’s hoping other companies look for their own alternatives!

Madi Giordano

greenforesters.com

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Make Every Day Earth Day

If you want to make every day Earth Day, follow this simple rule of thumb: Use Less of Everything.  Jettison the waste hidden in your daily routine.  This is great for your personality and for our planet.

Use Less of Everything

(And have more money for the things you love.)

Housing

Who really needs a McMansion?  Unless you’re the king on the hill entertaining leaders from another country, heating and cooling cavernous empty spaces is very hard on your wallet and humanity.  If you were mining the coal, storing the spent nuclear fuel rod or tracking the gas yourself— instead of flipping a switch — you’d definitely be more mindful.  Eight-six percent of power we use comes from nuclear and fossil fuel sources.  Downsize.

Water

Drought-resistant plants and xeriscaping are beautiful, easy, and appropriate for the Southern California climate.  Let the water flow to the farmers and focus on conservation.

Electricity

Smart choices can result in savings of up to 90% on your electric bill.  Insulate.  Don’t heat or cool your home or our water when you’re not there.  Adjust the thermostat when you leave, put a timer on the water heater, or choose a water heater that heats on demand.  Power down all electronic devices and unplug your phone and computer chargers when not in use.

LED Lighting

Going for incandescent to LED light bulbs represents a savings of 74 watts per bulb saving you up to 80% on your lighting costs.

Gasoline

America’s oil addition is staggering.  We suck up almost nine million barrels every single day.  Over $2,000 per household was spent on oil and gas last year.  Bike to work, anyone?  (Also walk, take public transit, carpool, or drive a fuel efficient hybrid or electric vehicle.)

Organic Food

Your body craves nutrients, not calories.  There is a growing body of research supporting the evidence that buying organic means you’re choosing more nutrient-dense foods.  (Check out the Organic Farming Research Association.)  Kick the junk food addiction and spend less money on health care (a nearly $3 trillion annual bill in the U.S.).

Natalie Pace

Natalie Wynne Pace is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project and the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. Since 2002, Natalie Pace has been touring the world and featuring the most sustainable businesses, farms, individuals, restaurants and homes. Download your free Earth Gratitude mini ebooks, featuring The Dalai Lama, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, Elon Musk, The Duchess of Northumberland, Deepak Chopra, Life is Good, the Earth Day Network, Global Green USA, Arianna Huffington, Lynne Twist, Ron Finley and more, at http://earthgratitude.org/. Learn more about Natalie Pace at http://www.nataliepace.com/.

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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with 5 vegan friendly and “green” beers

While green-colored beer is a St Patty’s Day novelty, a number of factors make a beer genuinely green in terms of the environment, including what is in the beer, how much water is used in its processing, the materials of the beer can or bottle, as well as the company’s commitment to ethical practices. The Vegan Oktoberfest featured some of my favorite “green” and vegan friendly beers.

1. Einstok Icelandic White Ale

Einstok uses water from glaciers in Iceland, and heats the water using lava. The freshness is obvious in their beers, especially the White Ale. I am usually a dark beer drinker but the White Ale won me over with its complex flavors including orange peel and coriander. Brewed with pure Icelandic water, it is incredibly refreshing.

2. Bison Brewing Organic Chocolate Stout

Bison was the first brewery to earn the B Corp Certification, which means they meet strict standards of social and environmental performance. They brew organic beers, and they participate in and advocate for Meatless Monday, so I love them even more. I’m a true Stout and Porter fan, so their Chocolate Stout is a must-drink.

3. Angel City Brewery Pilsner

Angel City is a local LA brewery, and their pilsner is one of the best I have ever had. And, the people at the brewery are amazing; they were a highlight of Vegan Oktoberfest.

4. Sierra Nevada Pilsner

Sierra Nevada consistently supports environmental and animal rights-related events, and their commitment extends to their operating practices. They own and operate one of the largest privately owned solar arrays in the country. Their Nooner Pilsner is a great day drinking beer with a solid hoppy flavor that is both refreshing and light.

5. Stone IPA

Based in Escondido, Stone’s sustainability practices are praised by the Sierra Club. I love their Go-To IPA—a solid beer with a hoppy flavor that finishes off with crisp/refreshing citrus notes.

Staff Writer Lakshmi

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When we consider a partnership related to sacred business, we can recognize that Americans collectively already have a lot of experience in sacred partnership. For example, we co-created over generations what we call the land of the free and the home of the brave. It isn’t by accident—and it isn’t perfect. We know that many freedoms were (and continue to be) hard won.

For example, in the 1850s, after a bloody and horrific Civil War, we outlawed slavery. In the 1920s, after a dedicated suffragette movement, women were finally granted the right to vote. But, progress doesn’t require bloodshed. The collective effort of the country in 1962 meant that we pooled our resources creatively and financially to put a man on the moon.

The solutions to our current challenges lie in our hands. High oil prices? A collective effort to increase commuting by bike and train could impact this dramatically. Thermonuclear meltdown in Fukushima? If everyone cut their energy use by 90%—and even more significantly—invested in powering the grid with renewable energy, we could reduce our reliance on risky nuclear energy. If we compare this effort to landing on the moon, it is certainly easier to power the grid with renewable technology, much of which already exists, than rocketing an astronaut “on an untried mission to an unknown celestial body.”

Here on Planet Earth, we are collectively engaged in a sacred business partnership. It’s time to step up our commitment and courage—to reach beyond personal comforts and ask ourselves the hard questions. What we pray for must be what we do daily. For example, we must co-fund a clean tomorrow rather than allow cronyism economics and destructive businesses to flourish by tapping into the trillions in our retirement plans and 401Ks. We must kick our oil addiction and commit to new habits as a society.

More than money, this requires wisdom and right action. We can all take action now.

Natalie Pace is the author of the Amazon bestsellers, The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is, which are both available now for 99 cents on Amazon. Natalie has been saving homes and nest eggs for 14 years, while at the same time earning the ranking of No. 1 stock picker. Learn more at NataliePace.com.

Supporting Solar

The US Department of Energy’s 2015 Solar Decathlon is being held at the Orange County Great Park. Student teams from around the world participate in a competition to design and build a solar-powered home. Four Orange County universities: University of California Irvine, Saddleback College, Irvine Valley College, and Chapman University have joined together as Team Orange. The competition has begun and houses will be open to the public for viewing in October, 2015. For more information, visit: solardecathlon.gov

Clean LA Solar

The Clean LA Solar Coalition continues to support solar installations on rooftops in Los Angeles. For more information, visit: cleanlasolar.com

Earth Friendly Products Solar

One of the SoCal business committed to solar powered initiatives is Earth Friendly Products. The family-owned Orange County producer of environmentally friendly detergents and cleaners is powered by a solar array on the roof: ecos.com

TreePeople’s Rain Barrel Rebate

Rain barrels allow for reuse of water for landscaping in drought prone Southern California. SoCal’s Water Smart program offers rebates for purchasing up to four barrels. TreePeople organizes truck load sales through Rain Barrels International at below retail prices. The next truck sale is at the Mar Vista Farmer’s Market on February 28. For more information, visit: treepeople.org/rain-barrel-and-tank-information

Natalie Pace

Natalie Wynne Pace is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project and the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. Since 2002, Natalie Pace has been touring the world and featuring the most sustainable businesses, farms, individuals, restaurants and homes. Download your free Earth Gratitude mini ebooks, featuring The Dalai Lama, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, Elon Musk, The Duchess of Northumberland, Deepak Chopra, Life is Good, the Earth Day Network, Global Green USA, Arianna Huffington, Lynne Twist, Ron Finley and more, at http://earthgratitude.org/. Learn more about Natalie Pace at http://www.nataliepace.com/.

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The 5th annual Hemp History Week was celebrated June 2 – 8 across the nation.  We caught up with Stephanie Lana, activist for peace, industrial hemp, and organic foods, who hosted a screening of the documentary film, Bringing it Home, in celebration of Hemp History Week.

LAYOGA: What inspires your commitment to activism?

Stephanie Lana: People inspire my commitment to activism. The idea that we can create hundred of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars back into our economy with industrial hemp. The love of families and everyday people, helping contribute to the future and present of this country’s economic status.  According to Time Magazine, Detroit was the richest city in the world and is now bankrupt. Henry Ford built the plant based car near Detroit in the 40’s.  This could be a major crop for the country. Popular Mechanics called Hemp a “billion dollar crop” in 1938 and that it could be used to make over 25,000 items. This gets me excited about creating jobs in America!

LAYOGA: How did you get started as an industrial hemp activist?

SL: I met a girl at a birthday party who told me about industrial hemp.  I researched it on my own after meeting, learned about www.VoteHemp.com. Right away I started organizing music and activism events to educate people about this wonder crop.

LAYOGA: What moments have been meaningful for you in your work promoting industrial hemp?

SL: Working with my husband, Deepak, on this year’s Bringing it Home film screening and every other event that we do together to promote industrial hemp is so meaningful.

LAYOGA: What outcome do you hope to see?

SL: The outcome I hope to see is that industrial hemp is classified as an agricultural crop and that the federal ban is repealed forever.  That Universities and States research and grow this crop and develop new processes that replace plastic and petro-chemicals.

How can you make a difference?  Click on the link to take action in California hemp legislation.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

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The Ultimate Earth Day Celebration. 

Ironically, it was on Earth Day, 2010, when the Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 men and spewing at least 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf. This was a wake-up call for the Bike Power Community, which has been celebrating Earth Day as a Day Without Oil ever since.

There are no rules. The Bike Power organizers encourage everyone to garage the car and power their lives by bike for a day. There is so much to learn from and be inspired by taking a day off from oil. The day moves slower. Ideas spark. Meaningful and lasting change takes root.

31 Suggestions for Earth Day

1. Gift a bike to your local Goodwill or children’s advocacy group so that those most in need can pedal their way to health and greater fiscal health, too.

2. Ride a bike to work and to do your errands. Plan now to make this happen all day (or all weekend) long.

3. If you can’t ride a bike or walk, choose mass transit or carpool, instead of driving, or telecommute to work.

4. Videoconference instead of flying to a meeting.

5. Use reusable bags instead of plastic.

6. Eat local, organic and low on the food chain. (This means no chocolate or coffee for Americans and Canadians. Acck! Drink local beer, wine and spirits.)

7. Plant a tree.

8. Pay bills online.

9. Reduce, reuse and recycle.

10. Compost.

11. Replace your light bulbs and CFLs with LED lighting.

12. Test drive an electric car.

13. Send this article to your local newspaper and ask them to publicize Bike Power Weekend.

14. Send this article to 10 friends and ask them to send this article to 10 friends.

15. Join the Facebook community page at: facebook.com/BikePowerWeekend

16. Have fun.

17. Organize an Earth Day event at a local school; help parents peddle their kids to school.

18. Stop investing in oil in your 401K, IRA, annuity and pension plans. Learn more in my Green Investing article and radio show.

19. Invest in a clean energy exchange traded fund. Search iShares and PowerShares for options. Here are three possibilities: (ticker symbols) ICLN (iShares), PBW (PowerShares) and PBD (PowerShares).

20. Use wind, solar and geothermal energy to power your home, office and electric car.

21. If you must drive, gas up on Monday and don’t refuel until after Wednesday.

22. Get creative about avoiding gasoline and petroleum products for an entire week!

23. Wear cotton instead of polyester.

24. Organize a bike ride in your town or city.

25. Unplug your cell phone chargers immediately after your phone is charged. (Leaving it plugged in is like leaving the lights on all the time — a big energy drain.)

26. Tour the first platinum LEED-rated home in the U.S. online at LivingHomes.net.

27. Join or start a Bicycle Advocacy Group to make your community more bike-friendly and to raise awareness of the benefits of bikes through advocacy, programs, education and outreach.

28. Get more green tips in the Energy Savers Guide at: energysavers.gov/tips

29. Learn more about energy efficiency retrofits and Passive House building at PassiveHouse.US.

30. Buy and use less of everything!

31. Check out innovative products, like the TagaBikes.com bike/stroller.

Natalie Pace

Natalie Wynne Pace is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project and the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is. Since 2002, Natalie Pace has been touring the world and featuring the most sustainable businesses, farms, individuals, restaurants and homes. Download your free Earth Gratitude mini ebooks, featuring The Dalai Lama, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, Elon Musk, The Duchess of Northumberland, Deepak Chopra, Life is Good, the Earth Day Network, Global Green USA, Arianna Huffington, Lynne Twist, Ron Finley and more, at http://earthgratitude.org/. Learn more about Natalie Pace at http://www.nataliepace.com/.

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M.C. Byles didn’t start out saving seeds. He went to work picking cotton when he was four years old. He didn’t have an education; he didn’t even attend third grade. Through wily inquisitiveness, he ended up as a truck mechanic at the base of a massive mountain in West Virginia where heavy-duty mining and logging trucks constantly blew out their radiators in the summer heat. Once the radiator lost its cooling, the trucks would roll back down the mountain to Mr. Byles’ shop where he became known as ‘Radiator Charlie.’

When not fixing trucks, Mr. Byles turned his attention to his backyard garden. He planted German Johnson tomato, famous for its fine flavor and good production. He then bought seeds of the largest tomatoes he could find and sowed them in a circle around his prize. Using rudimentary tools, Charlie used the pollen on the big tomatoes to fertilize his named variety (still available today) over a period of seven summers. Then he began selling tomato seedlings for a buck apiece to his neighbors—who knew his large and tasty tomato. Charlie sold enough plants to pay off the mortgage on his house. A legend was born and so was the tomato variety you can still buy today: Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter.

All the food produced in the world prior to 1950 was almost exclusively the work of men and women who were not professional plant breeders, but were folks much less educated than an average high school graduate. And yet, the wealth of food we enjoy today rests on their work and imagination. Scores of grandmothers and grandfathers handed down seeds to the coming generations: seeds more valuable than land. These became ‘heirloom seeds’ and have stood the test of time in flavor and other benefits for the home gardener. These varieties of vegetables (and herbs and flowers) represent years of selection by generations who cared about passing on the best they could give to their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Each of these seeds has a story not unlike Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter.

Today, with the advent of genetically modified organisms (GMOs or genetically engineered, GE) many people are concerned about our food system and the apparent lack of will on the part of our government to look out for the average citizen’s well-being. When governments from both parties are composed of senior officials of some of the companies that have vested interests in GMOs, many feel powerless to ensure that their food is as safe and clean as it can be.

Saving heirloom seeds is one way a conscious person can become more responsible for the food they eat and feed their children. But to ensure these seeds are available year after year, a lot of those same people are saving the seeds from the past and growing them out again in the years ahead.

Saving seeds takes very little knowledge, although a few important bits of data are essential. It requires more mindfulness about your garden – which of course is not a curse; though it often does involve an uncomfortable learning curve. Beyond the seeds themselves, some of the value of saving seeds includes the additional wildlife that will become part of the woof and warp of your garden, the masses of flowers that you’ll enjoy as some of your plants advance to seed-bearing stage and a whole new way of relating to your garden and the nature it embodies.

It is important to note: don’t try to save seeds from fruits and vegetables you purchase at the supermarket. Although the fruit might taste good, those seeds are probably from a commercial hybrid that might have been grown thousands of miles away and may dislike our climate. If you want to open up a melon or a winter squash and scoop out the seeds to plant in your garden, you will have a better shot with those purchased at a farmers’ market. They will have been grown closer to home (hopefully) and you can ask the seller, “Is this a hybrid?”

If the answer to that question is no, you have a real good candidate for seed-saving. If yes, pass because it won’t bear a duplicate fruit in the coming season. If she hedges, assume it’s a hybrid and don’t bother with it. Another consideration when seed saving: The fruits for sale from most plants in commercial production have not been left on the plant long enough to allow the seeds to fully form. I like to start with seeds from a seed company and grow them  out, marking my plants in the field and in a notebook so I’m sure of what I am saving. Another good source for seeds are gardening friends or neighbors.

Start with the easy ones: tomatoes and beans in the summer garden are some of the easiest and most satisfying to grow and save. They have self-pollinating flowers and so it is highly likely that the seeds you save will produce plants you might expect; unless you have desperate bees in your garden that pry these flowers open and pollinate them, these will be a sure-fire easy-peasy way to start.

Bean seed is inside the pod you eat; that’s easy to see. You can buy bean seeds in the bulk food section of your neighborhood co-op. They should germinate just fine. Allow a few beans on several plants to stay there until they begin to dry up. Once you’ve picked them, dry them some more and then package with a label (you must label, as you may not remember the seeds’ identity later) and store in a cool dry place. The refrigerator is one of those places. Seeds of all types last the longest in cool, dry environments.

It is the same for tomatoes, you will leave a couple of fruits on the vine longer than you would like if you were going to eat it. This insures the seed inside has fully matured. Carefully harvest your over-ripe tomato from the vine. Imagine that the stem end is the North Pole and the blossom end is the South Pole. Cut your tomato across the ‘equator.’ Squeeze the seeds and accompanying gel into a shallow bowl. You can do several tomatoes in a small bowl, but keep the varieties separate.

Add a couple tablespoons of water per tomato and set out covered in a warm place where you can’t smell it. It will stink.

In a day or two, a scum will form on top. This will vary depending on many conditions, but will be about several days. Once the scum has formed, strain the seeds under cool water and wash off the scum. Dry on a paper towel or a coffee filter for a few days, then put in an envelope, label, and save for next year. The scum forming on top breaks down a covering on the seed that inhibits sprouting and helps your growing next year.

Other seeds require a little more attention. Lettuce is self-pollinating, but it dries in an odd pattern which you will discern by careful observation a lot faster than I can describe it here. Suffice it to say, each flower gets ripe at its own pace and so requires many visits to see which ones are ripe (very brown and dried) in order to get it all – if you simply let the seed fall to the ground, it will sprout in the appropriate season and you can move the baby plants to where you want them. Arugula and cilantro are two other plants this works well with. For a lot of gardeners this is the extent of their seed saving.

Peppers and eggplants are two others that are more or less easy to save, although they are pollinated by bees and other insects. If you grow only one variety of pepper or eggplant at a time, you have nothing to fear for the most part – unless you are growing in a community where a lot of other plants abound; then you’ll need to be pro-active.

If you have gardening neighbors or you garden in a community garden, you’ll need to try to grow your plants out somewhat later than your neighbors. You can control the pollination, but there is more to that process than can be covered here.

This advice also relates to squashes, cucumbers and melons, which are the most ‘promiscuous’ of the vegetable garden. They are pollinated by bees who are not particular as to variety. Ms Bee will happily go from squash to squash crossing between different varieties. Not all squashes will cross, but enough of them will to make you crazy. A gardener ends up with zucchinis crossing with crooknecks and in the next year’s garden, those seeds produce zuccanecks or crookinis. They might taste fine. They might not. Either way, they will occupy a lot of space in your garden.

Almost all cucumbers will cross with other cucumbers – the exception is the Armenian cucumber which is actually its own species and so can be saved very much like tomato seeds and without worry of cross-pollination.

For seed saving, the fruit has to be ripe beyond the good eating stage, so select which one to save and allow it to get really ripe on the vine. That plant will stop producing more cukes, so grow more than one plant. Split the chosen cuke open and remove the seeds. These can be washed and dried at once, without the fermenting step. Remove all the pulp. It will rot if it remains. If you only have one variety of the other cucumbers growing in your garden, or a neighbor’s, you can save seeds from those too.

Pumpkins are a squash, but because they fruit so late and most other squashes are finished by then, we can usually save them and they’ll reproduce nicely. Besides, if you only grow them for Halloween, you may not be concerned if they don’t maintain good pie-making quality.

Once you have begun, you’ll soon be hooked on seed saving and, like any greater understanding of a new adventure, will find your appreciation enhanced for your garden and the plants in it. Over time you will enjoy the more life in your garden and feel a sense of kinship for your ancestors and your place as one of the guiding generations for the children that are yet to come.

David King is the Gardenmaster at The Learning Garden, on the grounds of Venice High School, for the last ten years. The Founding Chair of the Seed Library of Los Angeles, he teaches gardening and sustainability for gardeners at UCLA Extension.

SLOLA – The Seed Library of Los Angeles

Saving seeds in a group or community has advantages. The Seed Library of Los Angeles, housed at The Learning Garden on the grounds of Venice High School, maintains about 160 different varieties of vegetable seeds for members to check out. Members ($10 for a lifetime membership) grow the plants and return at least as much as they took for others to check out next year.

Through the years, varieties become more adapted to our climate and our soil. The seeds themselves are cost-free and non-GMO. Seed libraries work for greater food justice enabling individuals to make a clear statement about what we want in our food supply. It also allows us to maintain ownership of seeds and our food.

SLOLA meets on the third Saturday of each month. Lifetime dues are $10. Seeds are checked out for free on the promise that you will return an equal or greater amount of seed after harvest. They teach you how: slola.org

David King

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David LaTour

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  Beyond Organic, Think Sustainable.

The definition of sustainable agriculture is the ability for a farm to produce food indefinitely, without causing severe or irreversible damage to ecosystem health.

Did you know that the modern conventional agricultural system uses nearly 20% of the U.S.’s total energy supply? In addition to the fossil fuels burned in mechanized agriculture, most pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides are petroleum-based.

When you buy organically-produced food you support sustainability, reduce petroleum use and its effects on climate change, and minimize the downstream impact of chemicals used in conventional farming on soil, streams, and watersheds. On a personal level, you’ll save your liver from the need to process residues of these chemicals in the produce you eat.

While locally grown, certified organic items are ideal, some small-scale farmers are actually using sustainable methods, but don’t have the resources to go through the process to obtain organic certification. Talk to your local farmers to learn more about their practices. To inform your choices when buying food, check out the Environmental Working Group’s list of the dirtiest and the cleanest produce items at foodnews.org.

Shop Locally.

The average conventional food product travels 1,500 miles to reach you, representing a tremendous amount of fuel burned in transportation and refrigeration.

Buying locally not only shortens the distance between farm and fork, it also helps us to eat what’s in season and picked at the peak of ripeness with better taste and nutrition.

Ayurveda teaches us that when we adapt our lifestyle to nature’s seasons, we cultivate greater balance with our surroundings and therefore ourselves.

Find local farmers’ markets, farm stands, or Community Supported Agriculture organizations in your area at localharvest.org

Think about collecting and reusing (even returning them to your farmer) plastic berry containers, fresh-cut flower sleeves, rubber bands, twist ties, and other packaging materials instead of dumping them into the landfill.

Slow Down, Sit Down And Eat.

Avoid eating on the run and especially stopping at drive-thru restaurants. You’ll digest your food better when you actually stop to enjoy it. Slowing down helps break the stress response in your body so you’re better able to absorb the nutrients you’re consuming.

Plus, visitors to drive-thru restaurants burn fuel while idling and these establishments are notorious for over-packaging. So take the time to eat mindfully – to see, smell, touch and taste your food without the distraction of driving – and actually enjoy your meal.

Decrease or Eliminate Consumption of Meat And Dairy.

Conventional beef and dairy products contribute about 50% of a household’s carbon footprint. By minimizing your consumption of these foods, you’ll decrease your intake of saturated fats which have been linked to cardiovascular disease, weight gain, and diabetes.

When you do eat meat and dairy products, opt for organic products from farm animals which are fed pesticide-free food not grown with petroleum-based fertilizers and free from artificial hormones (rBGH or rBST) and antibiotics.

Choose Sustainable, Wild Seafood.

If you choose to eat fish, make sure it’s as local as possible, wild caught and frozen at sea (not farmed). Approximately 80% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, and nearly all of it takes to the skies, bringing a long contrail of aircraft exhaust to the table. For added health benefit, opt for smaller fish which are lower on the food chain, are more sustainable, and contain fewer contaminants such as PCBs and mercury.

Eat Soy? Choose Organic.

Soy is one of the most frequently gen-etically modified crops grown in the country: Estimates suggest that over two-thirds of the US soybean crop is genetically modified. Genetically modified foods or organisms (or “GM” or “GMO” foods for short) are designed to withstand large sprayings of chemical herbicides, thereby enabling farmers to kill weeds without damaging their crops. Biotech companies state that these herbicide-resistant crops require less chemical usage than conventional varieties. However, research suggests that farmers are actually spraying these crops with more herbicides.

For more information about finding GMO-free foods, nongmoproject.org.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Water Bottle).

Disposable plastic water bottles create 1.5 million tons of plastic waste a year in the U.S. alone, not to mention the amount of petroleum used to manufacture and ship the bottle.

Instead of bottled water, drink purified water from your tap using a filtration system or pitcher. When out, bring your own water with you in a reusable container, or try a reusable water bottle that comes with its own filtration unit.

Filtering helps remove chlorine and parti-culates to improve taste and minimize the impact of free radicals.

Just as every breath we take has the power to bring presence and change, every bite we take has the power to impact our own health and that of our future environment. We can vote with our forks for a food system that will sustain or endanger our planet. What will you choose to eat? How will you vote? Incorporate a yogic approach to your eating!

Choose to make conscious food choices for a greener plate today and healthier planet (and life!) tomorrow.

RED JEN FORD is a certified holistic health coach, Yoga instructor and manager of the Westwood Farmers’ Market, located in the Vets’ Garden Thursdays from Noon to 5:00 P.M.

Jen teaches her customers and busy clients the simplicity of eating local, sustainably grown food. Contact her on (917) 971 – 1941 or at: www.redjenford.com

By Red Jen Ford

Red Jen Ford

Red Jen Ford is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Instructor and Seasonal Eating Expert. Jen teaches her clients the benefits and simplicity of eating local, sustainably grown food. Enjoy more of her dishes in her seasonal recipe booklets or her online course, Simply in Season: Recipes to Celebrate Healthy, Easy Seasonal Food.

www.Redjenford.com

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The Five Elements at Home 

According to Ayurveda, the universe is made up of Five Great Elements. These are: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. When are ready for a home makeover to create a healing home environment, it is helpful to look at our home in terms of the relationships of these elements.

Ether is the space that connects life together in all of its manifestations.
Air represents everything in a gaseous state, for example oxygen, vapor, and wind.
Fire is the transforming aspect of nature manifested through light, heat, and friction.
Water is the liquid form of nature found in everything fluid and flowing.
Earth is the solid form of nature found in all substances hard, heavy, and dense.

These five elements in their physical forms surround and interact with us in all aspects of our daily experience: what we smell, taste, see, feel, and hear. How we interact with these elements can have a profound effect on our overall well-being. Too much or too little of any element can create imbalances within our body, mind, and spirit.

Harmony and Healing at Home

To create harmony in our living space we can begin by observing each element in its current state, noting any excesses or deficiencies. We can then take steps to rebalance our home environment.

The following suggestions will explore some simple and practical ways to maximize the healing potential of any home environment:

Elemental Home Makeover: Space

ETHER (Akasha): How cluttered is your space? Do you need to clear space in your home in order to induce a sensation of freedom and expansion? Or does your space feel too open creating a sense of emptiness and insecurity?

Clutter often stifles creativity. Whenever possible, keep the center of a room empty. A room’s center is considered the place of Divine Consciousness (Bhramasthana). When kept free from material objects, this spiritual power is free to radiate in all directions.

Remove all unused and unwanted objects from your home.

• It’s best to focus on one room at a time.
• Start with clearing out closets to make room for things you decide to store.
• Consider how each item makes you feel. Does it add to the harmony you are creating?
• Keep it, throw it away, give it away, donate it, sell it, recycle it, or store it.

Elemental Home Makeover: Air

AIR (Vayu): What are the sources of air pollution in your environment? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, levels of indoor air pollutants often measure three to seven times higher than levels outdoors. Prana, the life-force energy, is directly absorbed through the air we breathe. Depending on the quality of air in our environment, this vital element may feed our wellbeing or our dis-ease.

Balance the Air Element

Identify sources of air pollution in your home.

• How many different household cleaners do you use?
• Are you exposed to vapors from paints or stains?
• Are you exposed to fumes from bedding? Polyester mattress pads, sheets, and pillows are typically treated with formaldehyde—an extremely potent carcinogen and respiratory irritant.
• Are you exposed to fumes from furniture? Furniture, cushions, and bookcases are also often treated with formaldehyde and may emit fumes for up to five years.
• Are you exposed to fumes from your clothes? Dry cleaned clothes can fill a home with toxic vapors for a week or more.
• Are you exposed to fumes from outside? Living on a busy street or near a freeway can expose you to car exhaust and airborne particles from rubber tires.

Clean your air!

• Switch to eco-friendly, all-purpose cleaners or make your own. Simple, natural ingredients can be prepared in a variety of ways to clean most everything in your home.
• Move toward eco-friendly paints, furniture, and natural fabrics for your next home upgrades.
• Use eco-friendly dry cleaning services. Hand wash clothing whenever possible.
• Keep a variety of houseplants throughout your home. Many species are known natural air purifiers. They also help offset electromagnetic field radiation from electronics.
• Consider cleaning your home’s vents or having them professionally cleaned annually.
• Invest in a quality air purifier and clean or change its filter regularly.

Elemental Home Makeover: Fire

FIRE (Tapas): How much natural light does your home receive? Are you chronically living in a dark, dim space or are you exposed to extreme doses of afternoon sun? Either end of the spectrum can create chronic imbalances in energy throughout the day and quality of sleep at night. Modern living removes us from direct sunlight, disconnecting us from the natural circadian rhythms. Artificial indoor lighting during evening hours also contributes to the disruption of our natural sleep cycles. Honoring the Fire element by maintaining a balance of natural light has a harmonizing effect on energy, mood, and immunity.

How does the temperature within your home suit you? Is it comfortable or a source of discomfort? Excessive cold or frequent shifts in temperature aggravates vata, the dynamic force of movement in the body. Vata imbalances can manifest as anxiety or digestive irregularity and are at the root of many chronic diseases. Excessive heat or sunlight exposure aggravates pitta, the metabolic force of heat and transformation in the body. A pitta imbalance may manifest as anger and irritability and is the source of many inflammatory conditions.

Balance the Fire Element

To balance excessive darkness:

• Remove any obstructions to natural light. Move plants or rearrange furniture in front of and around windows.
• Consider repainting walls with lighter colors to help reflect natural light. Pastel colors are particularly useful as they increase the qualities of lightness, purity and clarity.
• Change window coverings that are too dark, heavy or obstructing. Replace with sheer, light fabrics.
• Use full spectrum light bulbs throughout your home.

To balance excessive light:

• Use indoor or outdoor plants, drapes, shades and room dividers to buffer sharp sun exposure.
• Consider repainting walls with deep, rich colors. Earth tones absorb light and help create a stable, grounding sensation.

Make any necessary adjustment to the temperature of your home.

• Consider using a space heater or portable AC unit in the room where you spend most of your time.
• Utilize nature whenever possible. Often closing up windows and doors during the day and opening them at night can keep a space cool during hot seasons. Close your room off to drafts by installing thresholds below doors and draft guards at the base of windows during cold months.

Elemental Home Makeover: Water

WATER (Jala): Are you able to flow from space to space freely, or are there physical obstacles in the arrangement of your furniture and home accessories? Are there surfaces that perpetually collect excessive items, or are all of your shelves and bookcases completely filled? Is the balance of moisture in your home right for you? Does it create too much dryness or is it too moist or humid for you?

Moisture and flow provided by water is the basis of life itself. A proper amount of water element within the body (called rasa) is responsible for nourishment of all cells, proper absorption of prana, efficient elimination of waste and emotional contentment. Keeping the optimum quantity of moisture flowing in an environment contributes to a healthy amount of rasa flowing throughout one’s being. Creating fluidity in the structure of a living space allows for ease of mind and inspires the flow of creative juices. Visually representing the water element in a home induces a sense of softness and nourishment.

Balance the Water Element

Incorporate a balance of the physical and energetic representations of water throughout your home.

• Rearrange furniture to create more flow.
• Consider rearranging or removing books and décor on shelves and bookcases to allow for more space and visual fluidity.
• Bring the water element into your home through a simple water feature. Consider using a small fountain, a round vase with floating candles or flowers, or a fish bowl or aquarium.
• Decide if you need to invest in a humidifier or a dehumidifier to balance the moisture levels in your home.

Elemental Home Makeover: Earth

EARTH (Prithvi): What thoughts, feelings or emotions do the objects you surround yourself with evoke? Are you keeping anything because you feel like you have to, even if the items evoke negative memories? How much nature is represented in your home? Evaluate everything from furniture to décor, photos, and artwork. Earth is the grounding, stabilizing force of our natural world. Honoring this element throughout our home can provide us with a sense of protection, strength, and stability.

Balance the Earth Element

Surround yourself with objects that reflect the highest vision of you.

• Remove all things that are not contributing to the balance that you are now creating. Keep in mind the subtle impact that objects hold and mindfully choose what you keep.
• Incorporate aspects of nature that you find harmonious. Plants, clay pots, or décor made from glass, stone or wood can be excellent choices.
• Finish by decorating your home with symbols of Divinity and spirituality that resonate with you.
• Our senses are the gateway to consciousness. Our physical well-being and the evolution of consciousness depends on what we absorb and assimilate through each of our five senses. Clearing, cleaning, and arranging our home environment to reflect harmony and balance will enhance and expedite these aspirations. Honoring the five elements through an Ayurvedic home makeover is an inspiring and rewarding way to encourage positive change.

Mary-Alice Quinn

Mary-Alice Quinn, CAS is dedicated to spreading the practical benefits of living an Ayurvedic life. She conducts her private practice in Los Angeles and is an instructor for the California College of Ayurveda. MaryAliceQuinn.com

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Five Questions With Daryl Hannah

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Finding Health Freedom Through Our Food appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Leslie Hendry

Leslie Hendry is an advanced Ashtanga Yoga practitioner who lives in Los Angeles and is also rooted in India and her native Texas. A former New York attorney, she designed the #3-ranked kids app “Everything Has a Home” and is working on her second book.

www.azawhistle.com

The post Life Is Messy; Clean It appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Photo: Derek Feniger, fenigerphotography.com; Pictured: CEO Matt Petersen and COO Richard Wegman

Global Green was founded in 1993 by philanthropist and activist Diane Meyer Simon as the American arm of Green Cross International (GCI), an organization launched by President Mikhail S. Gorbachev in order to inspire people to reconnect to the environment and thereby shift attention to sustainability. They’re one of the few (if not the only) national environmental nonprofits headquartered in Southern California. And they have a unique and multifaceted means of affecting change, addressing education of consumers and the general public; advocacy for legislation on municipal, state and federal levels; applying technical expertise to actually implementing building projects; and accessing capital to instigate concrete change.

Many of their crucial environmental initiatives have been centered in this part of the world, such as their six-plus year collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to convert and/or build CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance) certified green schools, and helping facilitate the placement of solar panels on schools in Santa Monica in order to reduce the buildings’ energy expenditures. So far in the LAUSD, six green schools have been completed and Global Green has helped review and certify 56 new schools that are under construction and will, serve over 64,000 students and teachers every year. This makes an important difference for kids beyond the environmental impact of the buildings themselves because studying in a green school increases productivity dramatically. This has been documented, as evidenced by studies which show students’ test scores increasing by as much as 25% in environmentally friendly environments, as opposed to the alternative with little or no natural daylight that is often toxic-fume filled.

Global Green has worked with communities in Southern California, including the cities of West Hollywood, Irvine and Malibu to develop forward-thinking comprehensive environmental policies. The green building policy adopted by the City of Los Angeles with Global Green’s assistance, is one of the most robust in the country, according to Global Green Communications Director Ruben Aronin. This focus serves to silence critics who claim that building green is either too expensive or suitable only for the wealthy and elite. Global Green is visibly changing this assumption as it is involved in pioneering projects to build affordable housing developments using green principles and sustainable energy (including installing solar panels) that save residents money while improving their health and well-being.

They’ve also been involved in some ground-breaking collaborations around the country, including innovative efforts to rebuild in New Orleans’s Ninth Ward, where they’ve already built five low-income green built homes and are in the midst of constructing a sustainable community and climate action center and fundraising to put in green low-income apartment buildings. Their rebuilding plans were a leap of faith amidst much derision, but held true to Petersen’s vision to pick some small corner of the world to make it better, and through that, serve as an example to other communities.

These examples are powerful markers for all of us. We sometimes forget that as the consumers in this economy, we have the power to make the choice as to how we consume, how we vote with each dollar, each quarter, each penny. But sometimes, according to Petersen, too much emphasis is placed on green in terms of consumption. With an earnest gaze, and an attitude like he’s used these lines before, Petersen says, “I’d like people to just connect the dots and become more aware. Not that people aren’t more aware now, but I want to see the shift of consumers to citizens.”

Before we feel overwhelmed by the idea of that imperative, it’s important to remember that being a citizen is both the benefit and the responsibility that we have as a result of living in this democratic nation. Being a citizen is something that we can weave into the routines and rituals of our everyday life. And it means something. Petersen cites the recent efforts of groups like Heal the Bay in banning single-use plastic bags (which have been demonstrated to be lethal to sea life), but it is only through the corresponding voice and efforts of ordinary people demanding legislative change, that inspire the shift in government.

And while we can feel discouraged at the state of the federal government and the quagmire of arguments at that level, Petersen affirms that we have the power to affect positive change, particularly by working at the level of our cities and states. We can be conscious citizens and make our voices heard at city council meetings or by writing letters or calling in our opinions to the officials who report to us.

Uniting the local and universal efforts and messages, this month, Global Green hosts one of their four annual fundraisers that has become a signature event for the organization – the Global Green pre-Oscar® Party. They’ve created the go-to green-themed celebrity-attended green carpet anchor event for the week. What has become an extravaganza with a message began as a way to draw attention to environmental issues. Their first effort was a push to encourage celebrities to arrive to the red carpet in hybrid cars. At the time, hybrid cars were clunky and didn’t have the sleek environmental warrior street cred as a status symbol they enjoy today. So, for those collecting style points, this was a sacrifice, but one that made a statement of another kind, leading to write ups and cartoons in The New York Times and The LA Times.

One of their initial events that launched the current incarnation, titled Rock the Earth, wasn’t during awards week at all, but was held in August, 2002, a few weeks before an environmental summit in Johannesburg. There, Leonardo Di Caprio and a few of his friends, including Cameron Diaz and Tobey Maguire, helped Petersen call on President George W. Bush to encourage him to travel to Johannesburg and represent. The result? The celebrity-studded Global Green event generated more press than the Johannesburg conference. As Petersen says, “It showed what we can do to break through the clutter of the media to get the message out.”

With the traction of Rock the Earth and the excitement around the hybrid caravan to the Oscars, Global Green has combined them for an awards week extravaganza combining music, celebrity, the media, people in the community for a night of great music, great fun and education related to Global Green’s ongoing initiatives.

According to Petersen, “There are two principles behind our pre-Oscar party. One is educating and activating people who attend and people who read about the event. The other is, as humans, we need to have fun sometimes.” The event is an example of the positive power of celebrity to disseminate messages about the good we can actually do in the world. It’s an antidote to the perception that celebrity and awards are only about vanity or the proliferation of overconsumption. It also provides a platform for people to talk about their commitment to Global Green, to the environment and to the change they want to see in the world.

One of the initiatives being launched this year is the unveiling of Global Green’s new interactive online City Carbon Index. According to Petersen, this tool is designed to track where action is being taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and give people specific action items they can engage in throughout their daily lives.

Energy – It Can be Clean and Green

Something that many Angelenos may be surprised to learn is that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the dirtiest West of the Mississippi, generating 50% of our power from coal, according to the Global Green team. Even though Mayor Villaraigosa has stated some lofty goals related to changing how we procure our energy, upholding those takes commitment from the community. This a situation where we have the opportunity to be not just consumers of power but citizens advocating for a more sustainable present – and future.

The aforementioned interactive City Carbon Index is designed to give the City of Los Angeles an actual grade on the pollution that comes from producing power – including showing the raw tonnage of CO2 emitted annually. As Aronin says, “I think of it as a tool for bringing awareness to the people of Los Angeles to understand what their city is doing for climate change. It also puts some pressure on politicians to do what needs to be done to get us off of coal. Solar initiatives are gaining ground in a country like Germany that has dramatically less sunshine than California. This shows that a lot can get done with the right incentives in place.”

The growing environmental awareness within the Yoga community is helping to fuel these kinds of initiatives – if we put our awareness into action. “Awareness about your own body tends to increase awareness of what is around you,” according to Global Green Chief Operating Officer (and yogi) Richard Wegman. Through this, we can transform the nature of our interaction with the environment from being an issue (save the Earth, go green) to the paradigm shift and adjustment of our core values that Petersen sees as being needed so that our relationship with the environment is part of our every consideration. Considering the Earth in every action from the ground up – in building, in how we choose to power up our ability to turn a light switch and even how and where we practice Yoga – rather than being a separate deliberation, is what will make the biggest difference in all of our lives. Supporting the work of Global Green is one component of this. Another is to take action from our hearts, every day.

For more information about Global Green’s local, national and international initiatives, attending the Global Green Pre-Oscar Party, receiving regular Action Alerts or supporting the nonprofit financially, please visit: globalgreen.org.

Felicia M. Tomasko

Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.

www.blissnetwork.com

The post Global Green appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Permaculture (named for “permanent” and “agriculture”) is a worldwide movement founded by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. This methodology of working with the earth in garden, home, landscape and all aspects of the environment is a process of design protocols and methodologies; it is a design science of “connecting.” The basis of permaculture design is to model the concept of functional connections.

Imagine a culture that produces more than it consumes. Permaculture is a design system that goes beyond creating a sustainable (social, economic, environmental) world; its emphasis is to support a whole culture that is regenerative in nature. Through permaculture, we as humans can reduce the impact our settlements have on non-renewable and renewable resources and instead create an abundant living environment, for the needs of all living creatures.

We can see the problem of living in an urban settlement (as many of us do) as also being the solution. It is possible to utilize the comprehensive expansive design to become sustainable in the city. As Larry Santoyo states during the first weekend of his Permaculture Design Courses: “One doesn’t do permaculture, one uses permaculture.”

The following are five ways to consider using Permaculture in the city:

1. Grow your own healthy food and medicine: Even in backyards, sunny windows and balconies, we can grow herbs, fruits, berries, and perennial herbs and greens that can be harvested throughout the year and enjoyed in salads, soups and stews. By growing even one edible plant of our own, we participate in the complex connection with all other living things.

2. Create community gardens or an ecovillage with your neighbors and friends: Build greenhouses and plant gardens in empty lots. Participate in community garden initiatives or join a transition movement in your community. Turn grass lawns into beautiful gardens that also produce food. As city neighbors we are discovering that our own yards provide us with enough space to incorporate many diverse plant species. In the permaculture design approach, all of these plants are part of an interconnected system in relationship with other plants.

A condominium association can be a model of an ecovillage, where individuals own their buildings while the land is owned and managed collectively. If you live in a condominium, talk to your neighbors about creating an ecovillage.

3. Use of Microclimates: Use the presence of buildings, porches or balconies to cultivate plants that need partial shade or vertical climbing space. City dwellers are blessed with numerous microclimates within their own yards. South facing walls, for example, can provide an excellent location for heat loving plants like grapes, tomatoes, or peppers and can also be good locations for extending the growing season.

4. Incorporate a water catchment system: Water Harvesting is the process collecting run-off water from the roofs of our houses; it can provide all the water needs for the garden by redirecting water to trees, shrubs and beds, or by storing it in rain barrels for later use.

5. Composting and Mulching: There is no substitute for homegrown compost! Intensive composting allows for the recycling of resources within one’s permaculture system and contributes greatly to soil fertility, structure and long-term sustainability. If you live in an apartment, complex or area without a yard, explore the use of composting in community gardens, or vermicomposting (keeping a “farm” of worms in a box in a contained area).

Going green or being sustainable in a city is possible. It involves activating our values of Social Awareness and Ethical Ecologically to provide honest community services and responsible commerce. With the right intention and commitment we can all create beautiful, healthy, living environments, and rebuild our cities (or our home in a city) and making sustainable areas creating opportunities. Once we look at the city’s elements as opportunities to create beauty through design, we begin to find solutions. This is Urban Permaculture.

Recommended Reading:

Permaculture: a Designers Manual By Bill Mollison

Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home Scale Permaculture By Toby Hemenway

Recommended Classes:

Simple Strategies for a Sustainable Society/LA Permcualture Design Courses with Larry Santoyo earthflow.com, sudhaprem.com

Recommended Media: covolv.org

Staff Writer Lakshmi

The post Permaculture In The City Five Suggestions For Sustainable Living appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Benefits of Forest Bathing and Taking a Walk in the Woods

One can easily enough imagine a walk in the woods as peaceful and promoting a feeling of well-being. The Japanese, having acknowledged the therapeutic benefits of such time, even have a word for it – Shinrin-Yoku – forest bathing.

Immersing oneself in nature is such an inherently wise idea for those of us who are in urban or suburban dwellers. The benefits of forest bathing are more than psychological, more than simply being lovely and restful.

Trees and other plants give off phytoncides, antimicrobial substances that protect them from bacteria, fungi and insects. We breathe these in while we walk among the trees, and they protect us as well. Studies have shown that NK cells (natural killer, a type of white blood cells) and other biological immune indicators increase after periods spent in the woods. A more recent study even employed the vaporized phytoncides in a hotel room with similar effect. Homeopathic medicine and aromatherapy have been using similar substances for ages, so many would not be surprised to learn of this scientific proof.

Be a Good Steward of the Forest

It feels good to know that the human body is so fundamentally connected to the ecology of the plant world, other than just through eating them. A walk in the woods satisfies our entire self: body, mind, and spirit. This is one more reason for us to serve as grateful and graceful stewards of our forests and other natural spaces.

Barbara Hirsch

The post Forest Bathing: The Therapeutic Effect Of A Walk In The Woods appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Green Yogi

It’s a tiny detail of everyday life: the packages things come wrapped in, and the ones we buy for putting them inside. If you take a trip to a big box store, or to shops that sell items in large quantity … or, well, any supermarket, drugstore or hardware store … okay, almost ANY store – and look around with plastic-seeking eyes and consider the billions of people doing the same thing…wow, that’s a lot o’ plastic.

All of that plastic is made with oil (close to one gallon per week for each of us). It is not biodegradable, it is toxic when burned, and when sitting in landfills, it leaches into soil and groundwater (excepting the small amount that is actually recycled and often made into products that probably will not be recycled). Approximately one-third of municipal waste is packaging.

This is a sad state, even if a tiny one, in the big country of life.

Some companies understand that consumers might be interested in considering packaging materials. Think of chip bags (billions) made of plastic and (mined) aluminum foil. Sun Chips from Frito Lay are now being produced in bags that are truly compostable under the right conditions, fashioned from the biopolymer Ingeo made from corn. “So you eat the chips. The earth eats the bag.”*

Naturally Iowa is one of a few small companies selling water in bottles also made with Ingeo. Stahlbush Island Farms in Oregon is using compostable packaging for frozen fruits and vegetables. More importantly, large plastics suppliers like Cargill (Natureworks), Cereplast and BASF and Asian suppliers are all working on non-fossil fuel-based plastics.

What about packaging we buy, for things like school and work lunches? Fortunately there are more choices than petroleum-based Tupperware and Ziploc plastics.

First, reuse bags whenever possible. Bags that held dry foods (such as cereals or grains) may not even need washing. While washing plastic bags is an okay solution, it can be water intensive and may require inconvenient amounts of space to dry properly. Other bags such as shopping or newspaper bags can be used if food is wrapped (in paper or cloth) before being placed inside.

Other alternatives include readily available wax paper bags. The small amount of wax in Natural Value bags is petroleum-based paraffin. If You Care makes soybean-based wax paper and natural kraft paper sandwich bags (found at Whole Foods). Two cool old-fashioned alternatives may need to be purchased online: Glassine bags are made of very fine paper, usually bleached; and true cellophane bags are made from wood pulp.

News flash: a new San Francisco company, Green Genius, makes biodegradable plastic zip-close bags for sandwiches and freezing. These contain recycled plastic and organic nutrients that feed on the plastic in the landfill, rendering them into biomass, CO2 and methane (true, we don’t need more of it, but that’s what waste does).

Choosing washable containers uses fewer resources. Reusable stainless steel food containers might be a better alternative to both plastic, which can contain BPA and other leachable chemicals and heavy and breakable glass. These are made by, among others, Lunchbots, Happy Tiffin (pictured), To-Go Ware and Thermos.

Soon, plastics may not be made from oil. While that is great, we need ask: Will there be enough other resources to produce the use-once-and-toss items we now demand? Or will that model, so twentieth century, also get tossed?

References
worldcentric.org

excellentpackaging.com/pages/1/EPSContact.html

nashvillewraps.com/foodpackaging/bakery-bags/c-049793.htm

Barbara Hirsch

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The Green Yogi

Creating An Organic Laboratory In The Valley

Behind Room 28 of Kester Avenue Elementary School in Sherman Oaks, California the Ms. Anita Avalos’ kindergarten class have been becoming kinder-gardeners. The students, along with parents, teachers, and Urban Organic Gardener Michael Lieberman, have been planting the public school’s first organic vegetable garden.

Ms. Avalos, a teacher who believes in creative and alternative approaches to educating students, enthusiastically incorporates activities such as Yoga along with hands-on eco-friendly practices in her classroom. By implementing the garden, she’s trying to address some of society’s current concerns, from the dangerous rise of childhood obesity to the focus on “going green.” Through creating a garden of their own, the interactive project is aimed at giving students the unique opportunity to grow nutritious food in a sustainable, organic fashion.

The activity followed the innovative design and instruction of Michael Lieberman, the Urban Organic Gardener known for his ability to transform small spaces, including fire escapes, into luscious organic gardens. A native of New York – possibility one of the least friendly places to grow vegetables – Lieberman understands the inherent difficulties of growing an organic garden. Determined to make his garden work, as well as inspire others, Lieberman avidly pours his experience and advice onto his blog, titled “Urban Organic Gardener,” as an aid to those seeking the tools to make their own organic garden work.

Ms. Avalos’ community of students and parents successfully collaborated to create an exclusively organic and innovatively sustainable container garden. As a first-of-its kind instructional laboratory for the students, its purpose is to teach proper nutrition, life-cycle of plants, weather, seasons and our connection with the environment. The goals of the project are to help the students make nutritionally and environmentally sound choices, to minimize waste through composting, and to understand the benefits of locally and organically grown foods for the body and planet.

Since she believing that no age is the wrong age to educate our youth on the importance of living a green lifestyle, Ms. Avalos and her kinder-garden class serve as an exceptional example of how action taken now will help create a brighter future for our people and planet.

For those seeking a deeper insight into the world of Michael Lieberman, the Urban Organic Gardener, visit: urbanorganicgardener.com.

By Vanessa Harris

Brian Chance

The post The Green Yogi: Urban Kinder-Gardeners appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Although environmental education is on the rise and an integrated part of many school curriculums, it is still largely voluntary. Typically, environmental education is interdisciplinary and most initiatives provide learning activities that will fit in with state standards for science, social studies and English language arts. The level of support and availability varies by state and by school district and teachers are not obligated to include environmental education in their curricula. While resources are widely available to most schools and teachers, many may feel that they can’t afford to integrate environmental education into their curricula as pressure to “get back to the basics” and “teach to the test” dominate many low performing schools.

Fortunately, resources are available to parents and families to supplement this learning process and provide fun, hands-on learning activities at home. The following is a list of some of my favorite activities and learning resources.

A walk in the woods/mountains/nature trail.
Take along a local field guide to help identify flora and fauna. Concentrate on wildflowers one day, trees the next, low-lying plants, lizards, and so on. Many guides can tell you whether or not the flora you’re viewing is native to the area. Look into volunteering with local environmental groups to help keep up trails and pull out invasive species.

Recycle plastic bottles and materials by making crafts.
Make a terrarium from a plastic bottle, a bird feeder from a milk carton or pet food scooper from a laundry detergent bottle. Reusing items instead of throwing them out can be fun and teach children the art of reuse while being creative. Find more ideas at: kids-going-green.com/eco-friendly-crafts.html.

Create a Backyard Habitat
Put out a birdbath or provide shelter by putting out logs, brushes or rocks in your yard. Choose plants and trees that provide food for wildlife and keep your chemical use to a minimum. For more ideas visit the National Wildlife Federation’s Get Outside Activities: nwf.org/Get-Outside.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Together
From recycling to composting to reducing your water use, you and your kids can find ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Use an online carbon footprint calculator to find out your family’s carbon footprint and track your reductions. The Nature Conservancy features a Climate Change Calculator: nature.org.

Online sources for more activities:

EPA: Environmental Kids Club: epa.gov/kids

Circle of Life: Environmental Activities for Kids: circleoflife.org/education/sustainable/things/environmental_act_kids.pdf

The Wilderdom Project’s Environmental Activities for Kids: wilderdom.com/games/EnvironmentalActivities.html

PBS Zoom’s Environmental Activities: pbskids.org/zoom/activities/action/way04.html

Lori Woods is an educator and writer currently living in Auburn, Alabama. She is committed to animal rights, environmentalism and social justice in her teaching and writings. Reach her at: lorilwoods.com.

By Lori Woods

Brian Chance

The post Ecofact: Green Education Begins At Home appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Green Yogi

Picture and feel the difference between walking down the center aisle of a supermarket, and walking through a Farmers’ Market, where you can actually feel connected to the source of real, live food and you somehow find that your mood is lifted.

Famers’ Markets are growing dramatically every year. In 2009, there were 5,274 registered in the U.S., almost 20% more than in 2006. The number has tripled since 1994 when the USDA first counted them. (The number of small farms is also increasing every year.) At these community-building markets, the beautiful, tasty and healthful food offered is the satisfying result of soil being worked, seeds being planted, old-fashioned honest labors, no huge mark-ups, no incomprehensible dealings, neither Hollywood nor Wall Street is needed to buy or sell these bounties of the Earth. Their pure goodness sells itself.

Though 2009 was also a record year in seed sales, the CEO of Burpee seeds says that sales keep rising. This year, seed sales are already up again, over 15%. More gardens! Even if the recession is a factor – my three dollars worth of organic arugula seedlings just keep on producing – perhaps there is more than money at stake here (speaking of moods lifting).

The number of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) operations, not coincidentally, is also growing rapidly. There were over 2,500 registered with Local Harvest in 2008, with a few hundred more being added to the roles in the beginning of 2009. With these, local farmers can be assisted by their communities, who are guaranteed fresh fruits and vegetables weekly for their dues or labors. Subscribers receive boxes of the goods straight from the harvest and farmers can count on some reliable income as well as a direct connection with their communities.

Finally, it’s good news when a major government report encourages this happy growth. The President’s Cancer Panel submitted their report in April, 2010. Among all of the environmental risks we face, it points to those related to commercial agriculture which have garnered little notice, systematic testing or research funding. One of the report’s conclusions states: “Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing, to the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers and washing conventionally grown produce to remove residues. Similarly, exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications if it is available. Avoiding or minimizing consumption of processed, charred, and well-done meats will reduce exposure to carcinogenic…” substances. (substitution mine).

So, thanks to our gardens and these small farms, healthy foods are on the upswing here in the U.S., and as we know, they are feeding our spirits along with our bellies.

Barbara Hirsch is a recording engineer in Santa Barbara who enjoys her tiny garden, eating plentiful local foods, practicing yoga and getting around with her feet and her pedals, with some occasional fossil fuel assistance.

For more information about Farmers Markets and CSAs in your area, visit: localharvest.org.

By Barbara Hirsch

Brian Chance

The post The Green Yogi: Ecofacts: Spring Food, Real Food appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.