As a writer, I am married to a machine: my computer. I also happen to carry a lot of stress and tension in my neck and shoulders. So while I believe much of pain relief comes from addressing emotional issues we carry and getting exercise, fresh air, and balance, there are natural tools to help as well.

Here are four my fabulous new chiropractor recommends that I've found super useful in managing sometimes aches and pains (I'm not a health care professional so what I say is not intended as prescription, just possibility):

1. Traumeel. This homeopathic cream or gel (take your pick) is safe and natural and anti-inflammatory and has healing stuff like arnica for injuries,aches, pains, and even bruising. I've found it effective.

2. MyoCalm--with Valerian Root Extract. For those more serious episodes of muscular pain, this natural muscle relaxer with Valerian Root along with Calcium and Magnesium truly soothes.

3. Dr. Riter's Real-Ease Neck Support. This is not a green product at all in that it's fashioned from plastic and some scary foam, but I really like it in terms of how it works. I use it once a day for about 15 minutes (a great excuse to lie down and meditate) and it truly does ease and relax all the muscles of the neck and shoulders. My chiro says it's a must for all her writers and computer workers.

4. Epsom Salt. Totally natural (and dirt cheap at any drugstore!!) Magnesium Sulfate is a huge treat for sore selves and can be used in a variety of ways for muscle and mind relaxation (see 13 ways to use epsom salts for relief here). I've been putting a cup or so in a warm bath (along with jojoba oil and lavender) for a splendidly soothing soak.

You can also take a peek at my latest lim(b) project: self-care for the weary office worker for my ongoing ways to support well-being and whistling as I work.

To your health.

I'm a proponent of living less, living lighter, living better. Balanced. But it's funny how sometimes it's hard to pull that off in one's own life. Or at least how it's certainly a process, at times a painful one.

I fully believe that if we give one thing up, we let something else, something better into our lives (see my recent article "When Less Is More: Living Light and Thriving" in the Simple Living Network newsletter to see what I mean).

I've had a chance to put that into practice, to go out on a limb, something I quite easily do in the eco parts of my life, but was recently prodded to do in my work/personal life as well. But I've done it (better late than never). 

I've given up an ongoing freelance job that was good in all sorts of ways but was also draining me of the time I need to cultivate my writing life, to follow my dreams. And in giving it up, I'm giving up all the cultural stuff that goes with our times: to have worth you must make money, that more is always better, that simplifying and streamlining is for sissies as is listening to yourself. The thing is, I knew in my gut that I should let it go and follow my intuition and trust that one way or another, I'd get more of something in the process. I'm still in the throes of self-doubt and fear, but I'm already seeing what I'll get more of: time and space to do what I feel called to do and create. More health and balance. More integrity with my principles. More following those dreams.

So I wanted to share that here, the place I promote less is more and balance. It works! By not shouldering so much, by letting it go, my literal and figurative shoulders are releasing a great burden and are now free and light to take on something not so heavy as I go forward.

And wouldn't you know it, this week I was directed to a Salon advice column titled "I Feel Like Quitting Writing" in which Cary Tennis advises a sixty year old writer who feels like giving up:

Sound advice indeed, and the same could be said for those of us on the less is more (balanced) journey. We may be in fundamental opposition to dominant culture, but we can honor what our own voices tell us. We can fight to hear ourselves. And we can listen to the wisdom of lightening our loads.

In a perfect world, we would have zero waste picnics and July 4th barbecues. In a perfect world, we would all bring our own reusable plates and bowls and utensils. And while I advocate bringing reusable napkins no matter what and think there are times when we can achieve no waste gatherings (parties hosted at home for example--even if you don't have enough plates to go around, you can have guests BYOD-ishware), it's a tall order when you're at a park or the beach or hosting fifty people in your backyard.

So, for those times, there are better choices than plasticware.

One such choice I just heard about is bagasse ware. Bagasse is the stuff left over after sugarcane is crushed to make sugar. Those fibers can be made into plates and bowls and cutlery like those at My Green Table, manufactured from a renewable, otherwise industrial waste product and, should one go the extra mile, can actually be composted (the step that is often missed in "compostable" dinnerware) so no trash is trucked to the landfill. 

I imagine in some parts you can simply put the discarded dishes in your green/yard waste trash collection bin, put them in a municipal composting facility, or, if you've got one, in your own backyard pile or worm tray or what have you.

As for cups, I'd request guests bring their own, but they exist made from bagasse as well.

Then continue being creative about the journey to no waste good times.

I love this:

At Recycle a Tee, tees are made from organic cotton and water-based, eco-safe dyes. And while that's been done (and needs to be done more!), it takes it a step further. The Recycle part of the name comes in with its clever recycling program. 

To get the numbers down on clothes tossed in the trash (80 pounds of  textile waste per person goes to the landfill every year), wear your Recycle a Tee and when you're done, recycle it and get 25% of the price as store credit! Then re-shop and close the loop some more. 

Here's how it works:

The honor system. Log in and tell the company you gave your tee to a local charity like the Salvation Army and you'll automatically get the credit.

Let them do it. Mail it in and R.A.T. will either donate your item or send it to a textile recycling plant to be made new again.

 

If you're lucky enough to have an iphone, now you're really in luck.

The new Locavore app [via MNN] has links to local food options in your area: what foods are currently in season, what'll soon be in season, where to find them at local farmers' markets, and recipes to whip them up.

Then, there's iRecycle that'll find over 100,000 recycling drop-off locations anywhere and everywhere you happen to be. That's right--info on where to recycle anything, delivered to your phone. You'll see the nearest centers on your screen with details about what they accept and when they're open and all that jazz.

Some items are trickier to recycle than others. Take cosmetic containers--those lipstick tubes, bottles, jars, and caps that house our makeup, creams, and body elixirs.

Here are three programs I know of that help you turn those tubes into something new:

M*A*C makeup offers a free lipstick when you bring in six of its primary packaging containers. The cleverest part is that you can set the whole thing up online. See the Back to M*A*C program here.

Aveda is a shade greener than M*A*C and offers a  Recycle Caps program. Since most pesky bottle caps don't get recycled and end up hurting marine ecosystems in a major way, Aveda takes any bottle caps at its stores (from any brand cosmetics to shampoo to soda bottles) and recycles them for you.

Origins now accepts used but clean cosmetics containers of any brand for recycling. You can get the details and find an Origins store near you.  Origins is the most natural of the bunch and boasts a Plant A Tree program to prove it.

How cool is that?

It's officially summer, my favorite season--no pretty leaves or cactus blooms, but no cold feet either.

Summer also means being outdoors and soaking up hiking, biking, beach, mountain, vacation or staycation weather. And while I wear some every single day of the year, it's especially important to protect your skin these months.

I was recently given some Reozone 40 Sunscreen by Arcona. It's for women (as it's lightly tinted) and doesn't just boast being oil-free and non-greasy, but is actually healing for skin--protecting it from sun damage and preventing it from future damage. Plus, it's natural (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide do the trick).

So I gave it a try for a week. The verdict? It's smooth. It looks lovely on. It works!

I'm not used to wearing any makeup, so the tint took some getting used to. But I decided that it appears to be a good shade for any skin color and I came to really like it. Not only does it give natural sun protection without the risk of that white chalkiness in some natural sun safe products, but for non-makeup wearers like me, it made me feel like I looked kind of special. Only secretly. It makes skin look good but doesn't read makeup or foundation loud and clear. And it makes my face feel great too.

Read Arcona's approach to skincare full of fresh enzymes, essential oils, antioxidants, vitamins, plant lipids, and amino acids (none of the bad stuff!) cold processed and mixed in small batches 

My plea: See it, see it, see it!

See Food Inc. for revolutionary animal farmer/hero/great guy Joel Salatin.

See it for the story of a woman who lost her son to Ecoli in a hamburger.

See it for the true face of factory farms and where our food comes from including how the animals and workers are treated.

See it for the scoop on how Monsanto chokes weeds and farmers with its pesticides and GMOs.

See it to make a difference.

I had quite a food-issue heavy weekend as I also read Righteous Porkchop by Nicolette Hahn Niman, a super read that goes behind the scenes of factory farms and CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) exploring how they affect the animals and our air, land, and water. I love that she's a vegetarian (who does eat dairy) who married a humane, eco-cattle rancher through her work. The bottom line? Buying animal products from family farms who care is the way to go for everybody all around.

Righteous Porkchop (from an independent bookseller near you).

Food Democracy Now

Happened on this book at a local crafty store recently and immediately thought of at least two friends (you know who you are) who would fall in love with it and perhaps could've written it themselves.

A DIYers dream come true. Over 50 projects that scream mid-century modern without the screaming price tags. Plus, the satisfaction of making it from your own two hands.

It's yard sale season! Actually, on my street, it's been yard sale season this whole long recession. But regardless of when it begins, it's oh so summer fun to search sales near you for treasures. And if you're feeling a pinch in a more serious way, yard/garage sales can mean getting what you need for you and yours and having more forkfuls at dinner.

And as we all know by now, buying used and meeting a neighbor at the same time is good for the environment.

While I love eyeing and following those handmade signs, there's a new tool afoot to help you get to more hidden treasures.

Check out the Yard Sale Treasure Map where you type in your address and all the sales around town come up (culled from Craigslist and local papers). Then Google Maps comes in to figure out your best route and to plan your weekend sale-hopping itinerary. [via Re-nest]

Pretty cool.

m o r e (socially responsible motoring)

I've been a member of AAA since I got my first car. I definitely feel more at peace on the road when I know that somebody's got my back should I get a flat or a juiceless battery. But when I heard about Better World Club, I decided I'd be much more at peace with an auto club that has my back and the world's back as well. 

What do I mean? BWC is a roadside assistance provider that actually lobbies for the environment. 

Better World Club:

*Donates 1% of its profits to environmental efforts.

*Offers travel carbon offsets.

*Gives discounts for hybrids.

*Provides resources for eco-friendly travel through its Travel Cool program.

*Has the only bicycle roadside assistance program!

Imagine that, an auto club working to build a better world. All this while giving all you'd expect in roadside assistance--members are giving glowing reviews of this alternative auto club for environmentally-minded drivers (and riders).

If you want to make the switch like I'm going to this month, BWC will match your current membership cost and if switching from AAA waive the sign-up fee. Check out this handy chart if you're a cost-benefit analysis kind of consumer.

I was lucky enough to eavesdrop on my friend K's (of Better Living Through Design) home consultation with Green Irene last month as her Green Irene consultant, Jeff, gave her the full scoop on energy efficiency for her newfound pad.

You can read my full article, "Green Irene: The Footprint Doctor is In" over at Your Daily Thread.

Here are some hot home facts and figures Jeff shared that day:

*Invest a few bucks in a fridge thermometer. It should read between 37 and 40 degrees F, so if it's lower (colder), you can turn your fridge down a notch and save energy as that appliance eats up 8% of your monthly electric bill. (Talking with Jeff convinced me that the next major purchase I make--after a natural mattress--will be an energy-efficient fridge. Most utilities will pick up and recycle your old one for free or may even give you thirty bucks to haul it off!)

*More on the fridge: see if a dollar bill will stick in the door to make sure your suction is working well and trapping cool air as it should.

*15% of your energy use is lighting, so switching to CFLs is a super duper energy saver and the best first place to focus your efforts.

*Using a power strip to cut off phantom power could cut 9-12% off your energy bill.

*20% of home heat loss escapes through leaky, uninsulated windows.

*Electric stoves are more efficient than gas ones.

*If you have a gas stove, make sure the flames are burning blue.

*Set your water heater (until investing in a tankless) at 120 degrees F.

And that's just skimming the surface. If you're not in the complete know about energy, waste, and water for your own home (or apartment), one of Green Irene's consultants will come to your place loaded with facts, figures, worksheets, data, action plans, stats, and helpful advice, all at an H&R Block kind of price.

I found out about Baby Hank Vintage from Small Magazine's blog.

I've always thought it was crazy to buy too many really cool baby clothes that will be outgrown in a nanosecond (though handmedowns are a super solution). But then I can see some people's difficulty in searching out fabulous thrify finds on their own.

That's where Baby Hank's got all the bases covered: absolutely adorable vintage threads that make me think of lemonade and old-fashioned trucks and summer days feeding ducks. And they contain no new materials. And, they're affordable!!

Even though I grew up practically living on airplanes a couple months of every year, I am not, as a grownup, a graceful traveler. For those of you who also feel nauseated, worn out, jetlagged, or just plain cranky when subjected to soaring the skies, Dr. Singha's tonic of all-natural extracts may help.

I have some in my cupboard, but since I haven't been on a plan in two years, I haven't had occasion to use it (I plan to when I lift off in October however).

If you want to give it a try, you can check it out Dr. Singha's travel tonic here. The Isabella Catalog raves about this stuff.

I used to sport those snazzy sea-bands for motion sickness, but sipping some tonic throughout a journey might be less offensive to the fashion-conscious.

Either way, bon voyage!

I've talked a bunch of times here about meat's effect on the environment. The good news for meat eaters is that yes, cutting back is the best thing to do. But you don't have to cut it out altogether. It turns out that pasture-raised, grass-fed beef is not only healthier for you (and for them as corn works a number on their digestive systems) and even tastier, it's better for our world in terms of greenhouse gases and water quality and pretty much everything else.

Methane is one big beef with beef and grass-fred cows have been accused of creating even more gas. But not so, says Mother Earth News [via Crunchy Chicken]. 

And consider this:

So by going back to a natural way of raising cattle (as opposed to intense, grain-based factory farms), we can decrease global warming pollution and get healthier protein. Even the soil benefits from the deep root systems of native, nutritional grasses.

I'm not a beef eater, but this database led me to the bison in my area I've heard so much about and I'm thinking I must go to its farmer's market stall someday soon to have a taste of that all-American animal raised on good old-fashioned grass.

I'm a renter. And I'm green. And on many levels, my hands are tied. But there are still things we green renters can do to make our pad as sustainable as possible. (I got my landlord to let me replace carpet with bamboo flooring and he's at least *interested* in an insulating blanket for the water heater.)

Check out my article at Your Daily Thread with seven things apartment dwellers can do have power in their homes, no landlords required.

And if you're a landlord or lady yourself, check out the ways you can get your renters to agree to green practices at Green Living Ideas.

I first saw one of Jon Muth's extraordinary picture books at a book fair this spring. Just the title and cover art were enough to make me make a note of it and put a hold on all of his books I could get a hold of at my local library. After reading Zen Shorts and Zen Ties, I'd love to actually add them to my bookshelf.

You might too, at least if you're a picture book junkie like me, as these are contemplative and lovely for adults just as much as kids.

Almost too hard to describe, Zen Shorts is set of three ancient Japanese stories told to three different siblings by a giant, magical panda named Stillwater. Each one is deeply allegorical and speaks obliquely but powerfully to what that child needs to hear. At the end, three kids who are first isolated in their family end up forming a little bonded gang.

Zen Ties, the followup, has the same characters, along with Stillwater's nephew, "Hi Koo" (yes, that's haiku, and he speaks using only those exquisite, simple poems). This time, they have an encounter with an old woman in their neighborhood and everybody ends up transformed by it.

Kim Abeles is an artist in Los Angeles. Her work is intriguing and inventive as it riffs on some of the issues of our times. My favorite series involves smog--she "collects" it on her balcony in certain charged shapes. And a recent piece she did at a local high school is of a 30 foot tall paper person made of paper discarded in its dumpster.

Feel free to read the profile I wrote of her for Your Daily Thread a couple of months ago: Kim Abeles: Artist and Smog Collector.

Congratulations to C on winning the copy of The New Coffeehouse Investor!

Happy reading!

H.G. Wells once said, "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race."

If you're not opting for a staycation like so many folks, here are a few resources to help you tread as lightly as possible this summer. When I was in Sedona recently, hiking the red rocks, I was particularly struck by the forest service's admonition to "leave no trace of your passage."  A formidable but worthy goal in all our travels.

*Sustainable Travel International [via Gaiam Life] is a nonprofit working to promote eco-friendly travel to travelers and the tourism industry. I'm liking its eco-directory of environmentally responsible travel destinations and providers.

*Green Map [also via Gaiam Life] is a compilation of maps to explore (365 of them so far--one for every day of the year) that chart what's going on with green in different communities all over the world. Search a destination for its green attractions here.

*TerraPass has all kinds of carbon offsets to placate your conscience about your travel emissions, but the latest to catch my attention is its car rental opt-in offset program.  When you're at the rental counter at Enterprise, Alamo, or National, you can pay $1.25 to offset 300 pounds of carbon. Seems a small price to pay to me, and it's working. The program has generated 440,000 dollars for offset projects (that's through customers and the rental companies matching donations) and 42,000 metric tons of carbon offset. Projects include farm power projects that capture landfill methane and put it to good use.

 

m o r e (meaningful money matters)

I read Bill Schultheis's newest edition of his investing philosophy last weekend, The New Coffeehouse Investor, in a couple of sittings. Whether or not you can sit with financial books very long, I suspect you'll find this one refreshing. 

The book is well-written and simple to follow and could be summed up like this: Invest in index funds that come without messy, wealth-decreasing fees and that actually outperform most mutual funds, stick to the plan you've got, and then focus on the really important things in life.

I love that Schultheis doesn't think it's such a good idea to be money and stock crazy, no matter the times. Instead, he shares a strategy that ideally allows you to invest some money, amass security for later in life provisions, and then do what you love (in his case mountain climbing and pie-baking).  

This guy talks about removing financial clutter and creating balance. He asks questions about how much is enough in terms of how much money we really need and how much stuff we really need. He says connection matters more than coin. He admonishes the reader to tune into herself, her friends, and her community. I like the sound of all that. Oh, and he also gives all the nuts and bolts to save money for retirement in a sane, secure way that works too.

There's a documentary afoot that's based on the popular book Handmade Nation. The author turned director, Faythe Levine, independently produced an hour long doc showcasing devoted crafsters in 15 cities.

No DVD as of yet, but there are screenings to catch all around the country this summer to see handmakers of all stripes in action (see the sidebar).

If you're planning a summer bash, be it graduation, barbecue, baby shower, birthday, rehearsal dinner, father's day, or fourth of July, sending an invitation makes it fun and official. But sending an e-invitation is easy on paper and the environment. We all know about evite, but my favorite paperless invite service is pingg. 

I find that it's got great design and fun features, like an event exclusive website where you can post pictures, messages, and would be guests can post their own questions, comments, and general silliness.

Find out more about paperless invites at pingg.

And if you love sending physical invitations too much to pass, consider the eco-friendly cards at Paper Culture. They're the real deal: 100% post-consumer recycled paper; wind-powered production; chlorine-free; 100% carbon free through carbon offsets!! Keep in mind that they're mostly for kid-events and birthdays of any age.

May your bash be a big success, and may your invitations send a big message.

I'm loving Aliato's one of a kind "book bags." The designer takes an old book cover and fashions something fashionable from it (though nothing could be quite as fashionable as reading, in my book anyway!).

Namely, purses with either soft handles or hard handles, or mini clutches. 

See Aliato's purses here and then give her a call if you'd like a particular dewey decimal number.

I mentioned Into the Wild (the film) without mentioning the incredible soundtrack courtesy of Eddie Vedder. Here's a sample, complete with a shout out to "less is more."

Discovered Aloha Bay's all-natural, fair trade palm wax pillar candles on my recent trip to Sedona, where they were ev-ery-where. For good reason. I purchased a couple (green's my favorite!) and have been thoroughly enjoying their scents and my better feelings when they're burning.

Each is infused with essential oils targeted to enhance a certain chakra (chakras, according to Hindu philosophy are the seven energy centers of the body).  From protection to healing to happiness, there's a tailored scent to suit you.

I admit it, I have a desk job, albeit a desk job in my home office where I make my own hours. But still, I do sit at a desk for many of those hours everyday. And that takes its toll, no matter how much I like the work. So here's a rundown of my ongoing project: self-care while I work.  

My body/sanity essentials for a computer workday:

*My backless yoga chair that promotes balance and an engaged core. As someone with a history of low back pain, I can speak truthfully here: this chair changed my life.

*Set the mood with perfect background music and natural (beeswax/essential oil/soy) candles. Lavender or other peaceful aromatherapeutic scents are great.

*Wrist warmers, of which I have two varieties. One is just a knit set of warmers from an etsy crafter that keep my pulse points warm, keeping me warm and keeping my circulation going in my typing fingers. The other is a wonderful warming variety that I slip in the microwave for a minute and then slip on my aching wrists as I work. They're even filled with lavender. See those wrist comforters here.

*Flex balls: this set of balls you can also warm up are designed for arthritis-sufferers. I warm one up before my evening walk and flex it as I go--it relieves pain and builds up those constantly flexing muscles. Great if you're watching a film or talking, too.

*Daily walks, sometimes more than one to get the blood pumping. For people with repetitive motion disorder, walks are crucial--big movements and blood flow really do help you heal from all those itty bitty motor movements.

*Balance board: this inexpensive exercise tool helps heal and prevent injury by doing what the name implies, increasing balance.

*My favorite heat pack of all time is the cherry stone version I've praised before. It is filled with natural cherry pits and can be perfectly draped over tense shoulders during work or during relaxation.

*Looking out the window helps a bundle, especially when you're lucky enough to have a killer view like I am. If not, a potted tree and pretty something or other hanging in it will help.

*An ergonomic set-up. I use a laptop but ended up setting it up like a desktop complete with two mice and an ergonomic keyboard. I recently found I was off to one side unknowingly--I'm remedying that right this second. 

*Breaks to breathe. My computer alerts me to every fifteen minute that passes otherwise I'd forget to breathe. I try to get up every thirty or forty-five minutes to get water and/or do some quick stretches. A jaunt to the mailbox, some light cleaning, anything to stop the stagnancy. I'll hop on my exercise bike to pedal during a phone conversation for a change of position. It's so easy to forget to unhunch the shoulders, keep the tummy tight, and most of all, to take deep, relaxed breaths when caught up in a project.

*Regular massages. I've been treating myself to a monthly massage for a while now. If the money for that is a stretch, ask your partner (I do this often also!). If alone in the evening, you can massage your own feet with some sesame oil. 

*Stretching! Qi gong has been my lifeline for a while now, but just circling the shoulders/arms and leaning from side to side a few times is a huge help for we desk-sitters.

*For the end of the day, I slather some sleep balm on my pulse points to help clear my mind and drift off. Magical stuff. 

The name of the game is whatever works to make you feel better and be your best, most productive self on the job. It helps to remember that you're more valuable than your work, that you can't do it well unless you're feeling well.

A third of Americans are canceling vacation plans, their finances strapped and tapped from this economy. If you're one of them, don't worry. Forget about a vacation. Take a staycation.

Nature Rocks has put out a whole guide on having a staycation versus a vacation. What is a staycation? It's simply taking some time off (if this recession is giving you enough space for that) to stay at home with friends or loved ones and taking to nature instead of a plane, train, or automobile. It's finding the trails and outdoor spaces that may exist in your community and be closer than you think.

You can check out the staycation guide here.

I've done this a number of times (albeit not necessarily calling it by this name) and I find it absolutely refreshing. The key for me is telling people I work for I'm going on vacation (and letting them think that's out of town if they don't ask for details) and shutting down my email. Then, it's all about making time for what fills me--hiking, nature, cooking, daytrips, maybe even a movie, and reading books by the handful. The planet, your planner, your peace of mind, your pocketbook may all thank you.

For a techie who loves gadgets but wants to support cleaner technology, green innovation, and energy efficiency, Green Electronics is his/her new bookmark. 

Here are the symbols that mean an electronic product is up to environmental snuff.

And find products from laptops to to TVs to solar chargers on the home page.

Then find out how to keep them going and going at the end of their life span, either by passing them on or recycling right. Check out its ReGreen your electronics for that.

I find the Chicken Tracker tool from Murray's Chicken fascinating [via Eat Me Daily].

Each chicken has a special code that you can track at home on your computer. While dinner is roasting in the oven, you can see its life up until then--the farm where it was born, how it was raised.

Murray's hens are humanely grown without antibiotics and with fresh air in Pennsylvania (even the packaging is eco). So if you're out east, they could be worth buying and then tracking your bird.

I loved this recent feature in GOOD, a primer on growing bike scenes around the country. It lists each bike-friendly city, its population, and facts and figures about its bikeability--workers who commute on two wheels, Critical Mass attendance, miles of lanes and trails. 

Even in Austin's hot, humid summers and Minneapolis's frigid winters, people in both cities are taking to their bikes for transportation.

And check out the international city that's changing lanes: Mexico City. In April 09 bike parking was installed as part of its Change Your Lane project to make it easier to bike the streets there, transitioning from car lanes to bike lanes. And read how other Latin American cities are answering problems sprawl and pollution with ecological alternatives.

The Green Yoga Association is on a mission to help practitioners of tree and mountain and crow pose to honor the earth even more through their earthy yoga practice. According to Whole Life Times, it was pivotal in the search for non-toxic, eco-friendly mat alternatives and is now looking ahead. 

Many a yoga studio is making it a priority to help itself and its clients protect the planet through myriad actions. Could be encouraging biking to class and installing a bike rack, could be serving organic, Fair Trade tea, could be carbon offsetting, could be switching to energy-efficient lighting, could be using reclaimed materials in flooring.

You can see a list of green yoga studios here. And find resources for where to start thinking green about yoga, whether you own a studio or want to encourage the owners of the one you frequent. Now if only we could get regular old gyms to go this route.

Wanted to share Earth 911's recent post on five ways to repurpose household trash.

Some are obvious, others are absolutely inspired. I especially like the ideas on repurposing used coffee grounds, culled from bleeding espresso's 21 ways to use coffee grounds, Did you know they can be used to repel pests in the garden? Or as a closet deodorizer? I love that. I'm not even a coffee drinker, but who doesn't love the aroma?

On our recent road trip to Sedona, my husband and I took along the audio version of Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild. We'd seen the Sean Penn directed film, which was astoundingly beautiful in its construction, and it had sparked enough conversation that we just had to find out more.

And conversation was surely sparked, one or the other of us reaching for the pause button on our car stereo every few minutes to pose a burning question or let out a comment we couldn't contain.

It's the story of Chris McCandless's two year plus cross-country odyssey that ended in the Alaskan wilderness and that, tragically, ended up killing him. Krakauer does an exquisite job of looking at all sides of the boy and the story, Chris's idealism, his naivete, his family background, his wisdom, his charm, his intellect, his risk-taking, his principles, his loner tendencies, his extremity, his many-sidedness. And while some folks have claimed that McCandless was acting in stupidity when he went into the wild, in some ways unprepared, I couldn't help but be drawn to him, to relate to him, to wish fervently he'd exercised more caution so he could've come out of the wild, a still very young man alive with all he'd learned there.

It is not only the story of McCandless though. It is the story of many a wanderer, a mountain climber, an explorer, a nature-lover (including the author, Krakauer himself) and how McCandless fits into the many molds of men who've felt kinship with the wild, those who survived it, and those who didn't.

We usually think of risks as high adventure, out there kinds of actions--hang gliding, investment schemes, moving, quitting, buying something eccentric. When I was first introduced to The Compact my first thought was that it was a huge risk. Just a risk of a different kind.

My first thoughts: Could I do it? What would my hardest non-purchases be? What big items did I have my heart set on this year that I'd have to forgo? What do I need? What is a need?

So while I didn't dive in and take the risk of buying nothing for one year officially, I am drawn to it and do try to consider any purchase mindfully (and, sometimes, painfully), one woman I was introduced to through the Simple Living Network newsletter did. 

Fellow Angeleno Angela Barton has been documenting her experience of buying nothing (or almost nothing--see her exemptions) on her blog, My Year Without Spending. It's fascinating. And what I like most about it is the questions she raises, asks readers, and grapples with herself. 

So whether you commit to not buying almost anything for a year (or like Dave Bruno, giving up what you do have save 100 things), or simply to asking more questions any time you reach for your wallet, her blog will be a good companion on the journey.

You can read my article, "When Less is More: Living Light and Thriving" along with some really great stuff while you're there.

And check out the whole simple living site, an all around excellent resource.

By now we've all heard about the dangers of Teflon pans, I hope (the emissions of which are set to be reduced by 95% next year). That non-stick one time wonder product can emit little bits of plastic into cooked food and release toxic gas at high temperatures according to Eartheasy, who has an entire list of good alternatives to Teflon and aluminum pots and pans.

Over the last year in my kitchen, I've invested in two items that have proven to be fabulous, one super healthy and one super efficient. And the ones I already had that were stainless steel. Here's my roundup of pots and pans:

*A Lodge cast iron pan that is totally safe and even beneficial, adding iron to foods cooked in it. Since it takes a while to heat up and cook things, I use it for poultry and cook extra--making two to four servings at once to lay off using it for a couple of days in between firings. You don't ever use soap on it--just rinse/scrub with a brush. The best part? This item will last a lifetime. Or more! I got my cast iron skillet here for less than twenty bucks.

*A Fagor pressure cooker. I use this for soaking and cooking beans and grains (my faves being barley, black beans, adzuki beans, and chickpeas). To cook two or three cups of black beans only takes 8-10 minutes after boiling! Compare that to the two hours it took with my regular old pot and that's a huge energy cut. Across the board, pressure cooking takes a third of the time as regular boiling and simmering. Plus, cooking beans in a pressure cooker offers a perfect alternative to meat and it's also an easy way to stock up on whole grains that will last the week. (And don't worry, these days they're safe!)

*A stainless steel steamer and a stainless steel saucepan--the first I use for steaming veggies or making soup, the second for oatmeal and noodles and everything in between.

*A stainless steel electric kettle. This little appliance is the most efficient way to heat up water, and if you get a good quality stainless steel variety, you won't get any icky metal or mineral build ups. I clean mine with six tablespoons of vinegar every month and it's squeaky clean and long-lasting. You can buy an electric kettle here. 

*Finally, a toaster oven is highly efficient for little warm-ups that would take a lot of time and energy in a stove or broiler. I use mine for warming tortillas mostly....

*One great chef's knife (and a sharpener to keep it sharp forever). I recently got a Victorinox chef's knife that was recommended by a guy who wrote a whole book on knives, so he should know.

*Bamboo or stainless steel ladles, spoons, and such. Stay away from plastic serving/cooking utensils as the plastic can, and seems to me, will melt. 

Overfishing really got on my radar when I watched Sharkwater last year and through it, was introduced to the amazing modern-day pirates protecting our oceans at the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Now, it's becoming more mainstream. I hope. 

But there's also a lot of confusion. Should I eat wild? Farmed? No fish at all?

A recent NY Times article exposes how a third of all wild caught fish are ground up for fish oil or fish meal--in other words, cat (and pig) food.  In it, Greenberg also tells us that in 2000, it took three pounds of wild fish to produce one pound of farmed salmon. 

Complicated catch indeed.

So perhaps the solution is that our cats and land animals can simply eat land-grown foods (that will eliminated mercury and other contaminants getting in them, and then, for meat-eaters, us). If you have a pet kitty, consider vegan cat food. But what about us?

Monterey Bay Aquarium's excellent Seafood Watch program is a fabulous place to start. It tells us how technology increased fish yields by 400% in the last century, but that those yields leveled out because well, there are only so many fish in the sea. And some of those fish have lifespans of hundreds of years--so if you kill them off early, that's it. And then there are the ways we fish. Using bottom trawlers results in tons of bycatch--birds, sharks, and unwanted fish that are tossed back to sea, dead or dying. And fish farms, while a good way to stay away from natural populations, damage the environment with antibiotics and runoff from overcrowded pens and breed similar problems as industrial farming on land, for all of us.

What to do? Check out the Seafood Watch Seafood Guides before you buy or bite. There's a handy chart of best/worst choices too. And the very popular fish selection pocket guides, specific to your region.

I just had my first can of one best seafood choice, sardines, this week--delicious.

And I'm looking forward to finding out more when the documentary End of the Line comes out--the film claims our seafood will run out in 2048.

For now, take the pledge and get the seafood widget.

I'm a huge walker. So when I discovered lunabag, I was over the moon about it. Strapping it at the hips  (reminiscent of a fanny pack but lower-riding and way, way cuter), my arms are free to swing on strolls around my neighborhood, on jaunts to errands, and on hikes in the mountains. It's a genius way to carry stuff without that lopsided shoulder ache from a messenger or one strap bag while being a lot more user-friendly than a back pack. No taking it off to grab something from it required.

Not only that, the lunabag is actually good for your lower back as it engages your core and helps align that spine. As someone who's struggled with back issues, I can attest to its helpfulness in that department. And having just returned from a few days hiking around the red rocks of Sedona, it certainly served me well.

Here's the one I have--lunabag's eco-friendly version made from all-natural hemp and recycled plastic. I wanted to share it with you now that for some of us the weather is warm and for others of us, the warm is on its way and walking season will soon be in full force. (For drivers, you can use it there too--just slide the pocket side to the front.) I haven't yet tried it on my bike, but I'm sure it'll work there too.

See the hemp, hip, lunabag for yourself.