Happy First Day of Fall

I have been in such a green frenzy lately that I have stepped a bit of course in terms of my own wellness. But as the September full moon approaches on September 26 and with the recent fall equinox I am naturally drawn into a state of reflection of the old and inspiration for the new.

Thanks to my friend and owner of Solid Gold Academy she has propelled me into a renewed state of health and pampering with some amazing tips below (don't worry it is all green and all about taking care of the most important person out there - you!) Check it out and Happy First Day of Fall!

Fall is the time of the year that introspection comes in to play. We are now to take a long look at how we spent the last six months being productive, give thanks, and bring it down a notch. Take care of YOU for the next couple of months. That being said here are some
ways to keep your skin and hair looking their best for the season.....

FALL WELLNESS TIPS

• Exfoliate and peel dead skin naturally with a weekly Pineapple Pulp Mask(see under)
• It is getting cooler our and it's just the way it is, your body will naturally store fat to protect you from the cooler weather. Limit animal fat but increase your intake of vegetable fats. Eat an avacado at least once a week and more seeds, nuts, and olive oil.
• Sprinkle an additional teaspoon of ground flaxseed on your cereal, cooked veggies, or salads. This will bring out beauty and luster in your hair and skin.
• Perform a 1-Day Super Cleanse once this season, where you consume only pineapple and papaya and water for the entire day. They promote detoxification and the extra fiber will help cleanse your system and allow for more efficient elimination of toxins.

PINEAPPLE PULP MASK

• Cut up a fresh pineapple. Grind it up and take the pulp to your face and neck. This is a powerful natural peel that helps remove dead skin. Leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

For those in Austin, check out Solid Gold's amazing fall offer:

• Receive either 6 Microderms, glycolic peels or enzymes for $175. This means committment! Once a week for 6 weeks and you WILL see a big difference in the texture and feel of your skin.
• Don't forget 1/2 off week and this is the last week for $50 1.5 hour massages.

Contact Anya Jack at:
anya@solidgoldacademy.com
1601 East 5th Street No. 102
512.350.6412

An Idealist View of Climate Change Conspiracy

A friend recently asked me my opinion on Bjorn Lomborg, who is creating a great deal of controversy with his new book Cool It, The Skeptical Environmental Guide to Global Warming. I was a bit embarrassed because while I had a rough recollection of what he was talking about, I couldn't currently engage in debate. But thanks to a recent posting on green LA girl, then it came flooding back to me. After first hearing about Bjorn in 2003 via a New York Times article, I immediately dismissed this man's viewpoint. I appreciate a good alternative perspective just like the next gal, but I live according to an idealistic (and probably somewhat naive) philosophy to not committ my energy to negative views that are clearly misaligned and lack credibility. The NYTimes article described Lomborg as:

An author whose upbeat analysis of environmental trends has been embraced by conservatives, displayed ''scientific dishonesty'' in his popular book, ''The Skeptical Environmentalist.'' Professor Lomborg, who has a doctorate in political science and teaches statistics at the University of Aarhus, has portrayed the book as an unbiased scientific refutation of dire pronouncements by environmental groups. But it has been attacked as deeply flawed by many environmental scientists since its publication in English in 2001 by Cambridge University Press.

Let's assume that perhaps the whole climate change awareness is all a big scheme based in no reality. As I see it, there are two major outcomes of this supposed "falsified theory":

1. A raised consumer awareness of individuals taking notice of their impact on the environment and making tangible personal and global changes to alleviate that.

2. Corporations stepping up to the plate at a level of transparency regarding social responsibility and green initiatives that is making noticeable industrial reductions.

So even if the concern of global warming is not real (which it is), these are pretty impactful outcomes that are only producing positive benefits for our personal and environmental welfare. This may be too "The Secret" for some, but if we keep drawing our attention to those things that negate what we are trying to accomplish, those things are only going to gain more attention and unfortunately gain ignorant validation. So while I wish I had the where withall to properly debate my friend's inquiry into the ridiculous claims of Lomberg's new book and (I know, I know I am trying to let it go:-), thank goodness for the good, articulate, and intelligent folks of grist to do the hard work for me and rebuke Lomberg's latest efforts to derail what is a positive movement for change. Check out the three part theory debunking many of Lomberg's claims including:

The great polar bear irony
Lomborg misrepresents possible sea level rise
Lomborg's a real nowhere man

We are at such an exciting time where we have a collective opportunity to truly make a difference in simplifying our lives, conserving our planet's resources, and make a real statement of affirmation to all the conspiracy theorists out there. Stay in the light people:-)

More Plastic Bag Controversy

The New York Times came out with an article articulating the growing trend of more cities moving to proposed city bans and consumer awareness campaigns around plastic bags. Whenever I see articles like this in mainstream media, I can't help but feel like posting a gold star (or should I say green) for the green/sustainable movement.

It is a holistic article explaining all sides of the paper vs. plastic vs. biodegradable vs. reusable argument. I was all in a green glow until I got to the one quote from Barry F. Scher, a spokesman for Giant Food in Landover, MD

"Bags don't litter — people litter," he said. "There needs to be more citizen education."

The citizen education I agree with, but seriously, for corporate giants and the plastics industry to not take on some accountability is simply unacceptable. Whether driven by fear of having to acknowledge that we are all contributing to the problem (and thus having to committ corporate dollars to finding a solution), or complete ignorance, they are doing more harm than good IMHO. My guess (via the good human) they are scared and feeling guilty deep down inside:-)

It is easy for cynics of the green movement to turn the plastic issue into a political one and turn a blind eye and grasp for the argument of convenience. And I will be the first to agree that reusable bags are not the end all be all. There has to be a major shift in consumer behavior and frankly cuter, hipper, and more user friendly reusable bags (I mean no wonder more people aren't using those grocery canvas bags - how horrendous:-)

And for better or worse, plastic will always be a part of our lives. It is understandable that the plastic industry is doing whatever it can to sustain itself in the midst of this plastic backlash, but instead of grasping from fear and blame, perhaps embracing innovation and sustainability will better further their cause. In the meantime we can all do our part and that starts by simply using less. So if it is reusing/recycling your own plastic bags, or bucking up the $1.50 to try a reusable bag, try and take that first step and simply use less.

Check out the full article here.

Zipcar Confessions

I am one week into my Zipcar experience and for a car-dependent yet socially aware individual trying to be more green, it has been a dream come true. I first heard about Zipcar from a friend who wanted to test drive a prius, not necessarily to become more green but to obtain the clean air sticker to drive in the carpool lane for his commute between San Francisco and San Jose. (sidebar: they have actually run out of the clean air stickers, but the prius is still in demand - check it out here.)

I pride myself on being an early adopter and couldn't wait to jump on the zipcar bandwagon. For those who know me, I am somewhat dependent on my car. Whether it is the freedom that it provides or the fear of public transportation, I am not sure, but I have tried my best to embrace my car-less urban lifestyle. Again, it has only been a week and in that time my parents came to visit me and actually ended up renting a car (which they got upgraded to a Cadillac) so in reality, I can claim no carbon offset, but my combo of zipcar and public transportation has been surprisingly quite manageable.

As far as the actual Zipcar experience, it was so convenient I was amazed. I am all about the user experience and from the reservation process to getting the gas (which they pay for via your annual membership fee) the zipcar folks have thought of every possible step and made the experience fun and easy. I was even able to extend my reservation by 30 minutes at the last minute. There were a few moments as I was singing in the car that I thought maybe someone was watching me and got a bit self conscious, but for the most part you couldn't help but feel like a green hipster (and trust me, I'm not:-). From the amazing key feature where you simply place your zipcard on the windshield to unlock the door to the few remnant reminders like the pair of men's running shoes in the back that were left from a previous zipster, I couldn't help but feel part of a unique collective community all in the name of green. Evidently, 40% of zipsters either sell their car or stop a purchasing decision of a car because of Zipcar. I don't know if I am there yet, but it may not be too far off (if zipcar makes it to austin:-) Today, I dropped off my Honda fit (which is the cutest car ever!), grabbed my Sigg water bottle, and my Whole Foods reusable shopping bag and headed up the hill to my apartment. I realized that while I may appear just a stereotypical LOHAS consumer, I felt a small sense of pride of embracing the innovations that represent the green values that I so much believe in. And if nothing else, my fear of public transportation has been conquered!

Get Your Vitamins From A T-Shirt!

Lululemon Athletica is all the rage in the world of pilates and yoga gear. I challenge anyone to go into a class and not see at least 50% of the students in the sporty yet flattering gear. I was recently getting my Lululemon fix and bought what would appear as just a t-shirt, but this innovative piece of cloth has far more to offer. The BBB Sheer VNeck is an everyday super light t-shirt to wear to the gym and is made with vitasea technology consisting of seaweed which releases marine amino acids, minderals, and vitamins into the skin upon contact with moisture. In addition, the fabric provides anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, stress reducing, hydrating and detoxifying features

Is this for real or just a marketing gimmick? Well, I bought the shirt. Granted, I am an idealist and health advocate to the core (or perhaps just a naive consumer:-) but it is innovative products like these that truly are promoting the core green values of health and sustainability and cradle to cradle design. Gotta go get my sweat/glow on!

New York Times Article Sparks Green Controversy

The New York Times came out with an article highlighting the trend to green consumerism. It is a highly charged article representing the full array of voices that are influencing this movement.

When I first read the article, I became a bit defensive on the attack of eco-consumption. But after re-reading it, I got the bigger picture. Terms like greenwashing and light greens are being thrown around in an accusatory manner to those businesses and individuals taking only superficial attempts to go green. Yes, at the end of the day it is about creating macro-level change at the civic and government level, and for those green loyalists who have made this their life’s work, I would be frustrated by the sudden hipness hype of being green. IMHO, we are merely at a tipping point in the world of green. An increased awareness exists and people are finding their sea legs as to which approach makes sense for them. Maybe it is all a façade of PR, but whether driven by fear or genuine compassion, it is still change that is being created. As stated in the article:

John Passacantando, the executive director of Greenpeace USA, argued that green consumerism has been a way for Wal-Mart shoppers to get over the old stereotypes of environmentalists as “tree-hugging hippies” and contribute in their own way.

I respect and appreciate both the keen critical eye of the traditional environmental voice but also the budding entrepreneurial perspective of those mavens pushing the green envelope and bringing the vision of conscious consumerism to a wider audience. But at the end of the day, it is about reduced consumption. Alex Steffan of Worldchanging had a good perspective from the article:

The genuine solution, he and other critics say, is to significantly reduce one’s consumption of goods and resources. It’s not enough to build a vacation home of recycled lumber; the real way to reduce one’s carbon footprint is to only own one home.

I often find myself in debates with others as to whether this recent green hype is just a trend and in my mind the answer is clear – why does it matter? This is not like the latest gadget that is being launched and we are in a “wait and see” mode to judge the efficacy of it and whether to buy it. Why can’t we begin taking steps and working with this heightened awareness to see for ourselves because at the end of the day is about our personal and environmental health. It is about creating a sustainable future. Yes it is about reduction, but fortunate or not, some people will only make changes when forced to. Whether it is about buying a Prius to be able to drive in the HOV/carpool lane or living a no-impact lifestyle, the result is the same, less impact. Perhaps they are not measurable equivalents of reduction, but it is step in the right direction just coming from different perspectives and needs.

When I was a pilates teacher, I was pretty consistent about telling people to inhale and exhale on each movement. One of the most common comments I received at the end of most sessions (as they basked in a relaxed state) was “thank you for telling me to breath.” After saying the comment, most people realized the absurdity of the statement, but what they were thanking me for was that I simply reminded them of something they do unconsciously billions of times each day and with just a little of awareness they could literally feel better.

That is how I like to look at this recent swirl of green. Whether it is the die-hard environmentalists, the influencers of the green blogosphere, or even the eco-innovaters of conscious consumerism, these are all various voices that are raising an awareness that we are all capabable of. My advice, everyone take a deep breath, and take a green step of your own and I bet once you do, you will find yourself hooked on empowerment and shopping at your locals farmers market before you know it. Ok, off to pick up my zipcar☺

No More Plastic Water Bottles Ever! (in san francisco)

First plastic bags, now water bottles, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is on a mission to protect natural resources and leverage the impact that his already green consituency can make.

According to the Newsweek Article:

Gavin Newsom signed an executive order banning the use of city funds to purchase single-serving plastic water bottles. The order also prohibits the sale of such water containers on city-owned property. The move is part of a campaign by the city to boost the environmental awareness of its already-green citizens by getting them to use tap water instead of bottled water—and cut down on the acres of plastic generated in the process.

As an incentive to get San Francisco residents involved, people who sign an online pledge will get a stainless-steel recyclable container from the city for free. This is a bold statement against plastic bottle water suppliers. According to Newsom, "these people are making huge amounts of money selling God’s natural resources. Sorry, we’re not going to be part of it. Our water in San Francisco comes from the Hetch Hetchy [reservoir] and is some of the most pristine water on the planet. Our water is arguably cleaner than a vast majority of the bottled water sold as "pure."

I admit to only recently trying to break my plastic bottle habit with my new Sigg bottle. Ironically, I only use my Sigg bottle when I am in San Francisco (as I split time with Austin, Tx). It is not that Austin isn't green in its own right, however, I do feel a greater amount of responsbility/peer pressure when I am in San Francisco. Regardless, there is no doubt that San Francisco is a leader when it comes to making bold civic "green" statements, and this is just one more initiative that will continue to pave the way towards building sustainable communities. Check out the full article.