A new survey indicates that Gen Y consumers—a.k.a., Millenials, those born roughly between 1982 and 1993—are more interested in hybrids and electric cars than they are in traditional, gas-powered automobiles. The problem, from the automaker’s point of view, is that thus far consumers in this age demographic haven’t shown nearly as much interest in cars as the generations that came before them.

Based on the results of a study conducted by Deloitte, it’s clear that if Gen Y are going to own cars, they prefer vehicles with some degree of “electrification.” In other words, they like hybrids or EVs, which to varying degrees both utilize battery power rather than old-fashioned gasoline power.

A majority (59%) of those polled said they prefer an “electrified vehicle” (hybrid of EV) to a car or truck with any other style of powertrain. For now, hybrids such as the Prius are the clear favorite, with 57% selecting that option over all others. Only 2% of Gen Y consumers would pick a pure EV at this point—understandable because of the “range anxiety” associated with electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, which can be driven a maximum of 100 miles before needing a recharge.

The survey results bode well in the long run for sales of hybrids, which had a bad 2011. The year was a relatively good one for overall sales, increasing by around 11% from 2010, yet hybrids accounted for just 2.2% of all vehicles sold in the U.S., down from 2.4% the year before. Craig Giffi, an automotive consultant who works with Deloitte on its annual survey of Gen Y drivers, tells the Los Angeles Times that this group of consumers will be “game changers” for the auto industry:

“At nearly 80 million strong, they are one of the biggest automobile buying market segments and the largest consumer segment since the baby boomers,” he said. About 1 out of 4 new automobiles sold this year, and 40% of vehicles sold in the next 10 years, will be purchased by Gen Y consumers, according to the accounting firm.

Given that this group is already interested in “electrified” cars, and that gas prices are likely to creep upward, perhaps passing $4 or even $5 a gallon, and that government regulations will force automakers to improve mpg ratings fleetwide, the future of hybrids, EVs, and more fuel-effient seems especially bright.

What happens, however, if a broad swath of Gen Y decides that they can go without cars entirely?

Recent studies have shown a noticeable drop in the percentage of American teenagers and 20-somethings with drivers’ licenses. The decline has been blamed on the recession, as well as rising costs related to auto insurance and gasoline, and even on the Internet, texting, and smartphones. The idea is that because young people today are so connected, there’s less reason to need a car.

Another survey focusing on Millenials released last year indicated that this demographic isn’t particularly antsy to get behind the wheel. The study, which was conducted by an independent research firm but sponsored by the car-sharing service ZipCar—which obviously has an interest in discouraging car ownership—showed that 69% of consumers ages 18 to 34 would drive less if alternative options like public transportation or (naturally) car sharing were readily available and convenient in their area.

Like so many things, the results of this survey pretty much come down to money. The reason given most often for reduced driving was the high cost of owning a car. The success or failure of hybrids and EVs will also come down to money: If and when drivers of all generations decide they’re better values than the other options on the market, sales will take off.

“Will Gen Y Lead the Shift from Gas-Powered Cars to Hybrids and Electric Vehicles?” republished with permission from EcoSeed.

Images courtesy of Design By Zouny, alexindigo, and Andrew Currie {Flickr}.

Ecoseed is a leading source for global green news, finance, and other resources in delivering green and renewable energy to mainstream business. Ecoseed’s mission is to provide global, complete, innovative, and up to date news, information, resources, and opportunities, catalyst to incorporate environmental awareness and responsibility into lifestyle, and in business practices. This world-wide platform is the place to find the latest and most relevant in-depth news and data covering the entire spectrum of the renewable energy industry and the low-carbon sector.

Will Gen Y Lead the Shift from Gas-Powered Cars to Hybrids and Electric Vehicles? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

One of the biggest problems of stress is recognizing it in time. If your head starts hurting while you are painting your apartment, you quickly make a connection to toxic fumes and escape. With technology, the situation is different. Technostress can show up in many ways, affecting both our physical and mental health. We need to exercise awareness when working and living in a highly connected technological world.

To help you identify technostress and to catch it before it become a serious problem, I created a short list of symptoms that are usually reported by those experiencing technostress. Go through the list and see how many you check off.

Some of the symptoms of technological stressors are:

• Memory loss, forgetting what you started to do or why you walked into a particular room
• Impatience with self and others
• A lessened ability to relax or slow down
• Anxiety over having lost access to your cell phone, palm, TV or other types of techno equipment
• Headaches, stomach discomfort, back pain, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Continuously checking your e-mail, voicemail, surfing the web, and other types of techno equipment, and not turning it off for the night

The Cure: Managing Technostress

Ethel Roskies, who writes on stress management, makes the point that stress has become the fashionable disease of today – the treatment of which is a popular and profitable activity. To manage the high-tech addiction of overload, we must go to the place it originates: the brain. To help the brain retain cognitive fitness, we must look at factors that affect the brain:

• Glucose (sugar) and H2O (water) – Low levels of glucose (hypoglycemia) and dehydration significantly affects the functioning of the brain. Eating complex carbohydrates, fresh fruit and vegetables is a great way to replenish glucose and not feel run-down. The slow release of glucose from complex carbs keeps the brains energy level consistent with less dramatic spikes representing a healthier choice then that of simple carbohydrates like fruit juice, candy or sweet treats which break down immediately causing the body to have dramatic spikes.
• Hydration – Keep your brain hydrated: about 80% of your brain is actually water, and the rest of it is taken up by both physical and biochemical structures. Your brain uses about 25% of the oxygen and sugar that your body circulates for nutritional needs.
• Rest - Recovery, downtime and sleep. Studies show that optimal amounts of sleep range from 7 to 8 hours per night for men and 6 to 7 hours for women. Ignoring sleep is like ignoring your credit card bill – if you don’t pay, things are only going to get worse.
• Time Management – Give yourself more time to do everything by building a margin for error. Schedule time to take care of specific daily tasks.
• Time Out – Set regular “Time-Out” periods or simply go outside and take a break or meditate.
• Self Care – Meditate, Stretch, and Exercise. Get out of the office or home and do some deep breathing.
• Eye Strain – Take a short vision break every 30-minute.
• Focus on the Moment – Limit multitasking and practice being present.
• Boundaries – Make clear distinctions between work times and free times. Limit the times of the day when you check emails, cell phone, play games, watch TV or access other technological devices. Use technology to create and publicize your boundaries. Educate and contract realistic timelines with others.
• Prioritize – Ask yourself what is of primary importance in your life. Think about what refreshes you and deliberately plan to fit that activity into your schedule.

The bottom line is, technostress manifests itself in each and every one of us to various degrees. It is not a matter of “if” but rather “when” a technological glitch nails you. Your problem solving and ability to cope make the difference in the degree of perceived hassle.

My belief is that technology is not the problem; time management and unrealistic expectations are. Technology should be viewed as a sport which requires conditioning, cross training, proper nutrition, and recovery time.

How do you deal with stress caused by endless emails, meetings, and to do lists?

Images courtesy of Quantum Learn and Mykl Roventine {Flickr}.

Mike

Mike Conner helps individuals reinvent the conversation between their brain, body and food.  A Wellness, Food and Kitchen Coach who spends endless hours helping her clients create meaningful life plans as she infuses their lives with fresh ways of thinking about lifestyle change.  As Conner says: “there is no such thing as bad or good genes, good or bad karma. There are solely life’s trails and corrections.” She encourages people to figure out ways to explore the edges of the world around them, from changing their physical environment to the cultivation of new interests and habits. Visit coachconner.com for extended versions of health and wellness articles.

Technostress: How You Catch it and How You Cure it! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Associated Press has reported that Haiti’s president Michel Martelly hopes to double the number of rural households that receive electricity within two years through loans to buy solar kits. Dubbed “Give Me Light, Give Me Life,” the program is part of a $45 million energy package that aims to bring electricity to families that live in two of the most remote corners of the country – the Grand-Anse and the northwest province.

The smaller Haitian banks have been called on to issue $30 million in loans with an interest rate of 7%, payable over seven years. The credit will help families purchase solar kits that will each cost between $250 and $350. At a news conference, President Martelly said, “If a country wants to talk about development it’s imperative to talk about energy and electricity.”

Following the earthquake two years ago, over half a million Haitians are still living in nearly 800 tent camps, making the need for energy in the country critical to the reconstruction of much of the devastated southern half of Haiti.

The 40-year-old state-run Electricity of Haiti can only power 200,000 homes, said President Martelly and only 30% of the population in this country of 10 million has access to a power supply. Even then, most parts of Haiti only have electricity for a few hours a day, forcing many businesses and some homes to rely on generators and expensive fuel imports.

Another part of the program, budgeted for $15 million, will give the government loans so that mayors in the countryside can line 235 miles of streets with lamps, due to begin in the next three years. The government project will also focus on urban areas. It will repair street lights and electric posts in 10 popular neighborhoods with $300,000 from the national treasury.

The program joins other efforts to boost energy production in Haiti. Last summer, the Nation of Islam purchased a $150,000 solar water purification system for the country. There have also been solar projects organized by students from the US bringing portable solar lamps to underdeveloped areas of the country.

The Inter-American Development Bank last month announced that it had approved a $20 million grant to help refurbish Haiti’s Peligre hydroelectric plant, the country’s largest renewable energy generation facility.

“Haiti leader launches US$45 million solar power program” republished with permission from EcoSeed.

Second image courtesy of Lori Greig {Flickr}.

Ecoseed is a leading source for global green news, finance, and other resources in delivering green and renewable energy to mainstream business. Ecoseed’s mission is to provide global, complete, innovative, and up to date news, information, resources, and opportunities, catalyst to incorporate environmental awareness and responsibility into lifestyle, and in business practices. This world-wide platform is the place to find the latest and most relevant in-depth news and data covering the entire spectrum of the renewable energy industry and the low-carbon sector.

Haitian Leader Launches $45 Million Solar Power Program is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Technostress is just another modern day addiction. The symptoms associated with this techno-centered syndrome range from irritability to a high degree of factual thinking, poor focus, limited access to emotions, and an insistence on efficiency while displaying lack of empathy for others.

In 1984, Craig Brod coined the phenomenon in his book Technostress, which identified the techno phenomenon as promoting breaks in concentration, feelings of being overwhelmed, and a high degree of anxiety. The state of being constantly stimulated or perpetually “plugged in” affects our brain and can eventually lead to strong mental or emotional responses including technological stress.

Technology has radically altered the way we build our personal and professional lives and how we interact with others. It has also altered our expectations and time perception. In a society where time is money, we often choose to confront the symptoms of mental and physical sickness, instead of looking to find a root cause.  This quick fix mindset determines how we treat disorders that are created by technostress. We reach for sleep medications, boost our alertness and mood with caffeine, take antacid to get rid of indigestion and Viagra to improve sex. We don’t regard technostress itself as a potential problem.

Sadly, technology increases time spent in sedentary work habits. Sitting before a computer screen or accessing other technological equipment for long periods of time increases mental labor, which in turn consumes a tremendous amount of energy, leading to a deep, emotionally based fatigue that is quite different from physical fatigue. At the end of the day the inexorable advances associated with this “time saving” technology meant to help us stay more connected serve instead to keep us from ever fully disengaging.

Technostress is just like any other addiction; you become an excessive-compulsive addict interacting with technology. The stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol fuel arousal and create the need, the rush and the high of being connected. When we decide to put our mind and body on the back burner, we are eventually going to receive an invoice in the form of necessary healing. This technological addiction has produced a population that is fragmented, lacking purpose, depressed, and filling doctor’s offices with an array of aliments, without intimate connections, and isolated from community support.

One of the most pressing problems associated with technostress was that people don’t get to unwind or recover. There is a continual, unrelieved build up of stress on a chemical level which in turn eventually contributes to a behavioral and/or physical problem.

How is technology effecting you? Have you ever experienced technostress?

In the next article Mike Conner will help you explore technostress symptoms and find effective ways to deal with it.

Images courtesy of Naaree.com and mark sebastian {Flickr}.

Mike

Mike Conner helps individuals reinvent the conversation between their brain, body and food.  A Wellness, Food and Kitchen Coach who spends endless hours helping her clients create meaningful life plans as she infuses their lives with fresh ways of thinking about lifestyle change.  As Conner says: “there is no such thing as bad or good genes, good or bad karma. There are solely life’s trails and corrections.” She encourages people to figure out ways to explore the edges of the world around them, from changing their physical environment to the cultivation of new interests and habits. Visit coachconner.com for extended versions of health and wellness articles.

The Hidden Cost of Being Plugged In 24/7 is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Last month, IKEA announced plans to incorporate solar power at every single one of its stores in the Southern US. Collectively, the stores and distributions centers will account for 10.7 megawatts of solar generating capacity. Reinforcing the company’s long term commitment to sustainability, IKEA will own and operate each of its PV systems to top the buildings across the ‘Sunbelt’ states of Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

“Part of the reason for our doing this is that it is good business sense to reduce electricity consumption, reduce energy costs and decrease operating costs,” Spokesman Joseph Roth told GreenBiz. But the strategy is also part of the company’s “Swedish culture of controlling and being responsible for your own destiny,” he added.

In 2006, the company announced its long term goal of having all of its buildings eventually run solely on renewable energy. According to IKEA’s last sustainability report, reaching those goals are being developed on a country by country basis this fiscal year, including some 150 buildings around the world.

After the permitting process, the solar projects are expected to commence this winter and be completed by summer. Other areas to receive solar energy systems will include Utah, Connecticut and Oregon this spring, which will bring the total number of IKEA locations with rooftop PV systems to 23.

Additionally, IKEA has installed EV charging stations at nine stores in the US through a partnership with ECOtality. By the end of next year, the project is expected to make about 30 Blink EV chargers available at those locations. Going one step further, the company is also investing some $77 million on research and development to extend solar panels and green products to its customers over the next five years.

IKEA has already started to sell its own prefab houses, equipped with solar and geothermal energy and built out of renewable materials, but will incorporate these new PV developments into its future homes.

As the prices of solar panel materials have rapidly dropped in the last year, IKEA’s announcements are a sign of the market’s new potential–solar is finally becoming a commercial reality.

“IKEA Expands Solar Power Across US Sunbelt” republished with permission by EcoSeed.

Images courtesy of twicepix and normanack {Flickr}.

Ecoseed is a leading source for global green news, finance, and other resources in delivering green and renewable energy to mainstream business. Ecoseed’s mission is to provide global, complete, innovative, and up to date news, information, resources, and opportunities, catalyst to incorporate environmental awareness and responsibility into lifestyle, and in business practices. This world-wide platform is the place to find the latest and most relevant in-depth news and data covering the entire spectrum of the renewable energy industry and the low-carbon sector.

IKEA Expands Solar Power Across US Sunbelt is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Biofuels have become a victim of their own success, it appears: for the first time in a decade global production has dropped. Production in 2011 dropped a touch from 1.822m barrels a day in 2010 to 1.819m in 2011, according to IEA statistics (p30) highlighted by the Financial Times.

The key reason has been the rising cost of the feedstock for most biofuels, corn, sugar and vegetable oil. And the main reason for the rising food prices is, many argue, the huge quantity consumed by biofuels. It’s a big business. The global biofuels business would, if a nation, rank 16th in the world for oil production, just above the UK and Libya and a bit below Norway and Nigeria, all major oil producers. In the US, 40% of the corn crop now gets diverted into fuel tanks, giving the US 50% of global biofuel production.

On top of the peaking of production, the US has just phased out some fat subsidies and tariffs protecting the domestic biofuel industry from international competition. So is the biofuels boom over?

In a word, no. The key driving factor is the price of ordinary oil. In the medium and long term, crude prices seem very likely to remain high and vulnerable to shocks, such as the current Iranian situation. “Once oil is over $70 a barrel, conventional and new generation biofuels become cost competitive, certainly with tar sands and shale, and with oil from much of the Middle East and Brazil’s new offshore fields,” said Jeremy Woods, at Imperial College, when I spoke to him in March. Today, Brent crude is at $113. The IEA predicts a 20% rise in biofuel production to 2.2m b/d by 2015, although that is a slower rise than in the past.

This brings us to the environmental crux. “The less biofuel you have the more gasoline you need,” Amrita Sen, oil analyst at Barclays Capital in London, told the FT. With petrol and its emissions known to be harmful to the atmosphere, and frequently the land and oceans, surely environmentalists would campaign for more biofuels?

As we know, that has not been the case and with good reason. Rising food prices, destruction of forests and other habitats and poor treatment of workers – which I have seen with my own eyes - has brought opposition from greens. Better public transport and electrified private transport are the answer, they say, and in any case many biofuels do not even lead to cuts in climate-warming carbon emissions.

However, there’s one very striking line in the IEA statistics I linked to above. There is virtually no biofuel production in Africa, a continent where energy is frequently in desperate demand. The like-for-like replacement that biofuels offer means cheap, existing vehicles could be run on them. And Africa has land, lots of land. In the best of worlds, sustainable and equitable biofuels produced in African countries for domestic use would solve many problems.

The economic pressure on Brazil’s biofuels industry – from poor sugar crops and underinvestment – is relevant here. Brazil will not let its biofuel industry wane: it has ambitions to be the “world’s first environmental superpower.” A grand phrase, you might think, but it’s backed up by some hard facts too. Brazil has more patents related to biofuels than any other nation and it is working hard to export that know-how to Africa.

Producing biofuels that do more good than harm is not easy and the hard graft of standards and regulation must be ground out. But with crude prices showing no prospect of falling, biofuels certainly have a future, especially in the developing world. So we’d better make it a good one.

“Biofuels Become a Victim of Own Success – But Not For Long” republished with permission from EcoSeed.

Images courtesy of Lee Jordan and tonrulkens {Flickr}.

Ecoseed is a leading source for global green news, finance, and other resources in delivering green and renewable energy to mainstream business. Ecoseed’s mission is to provide global, complete, innovative, and up to date news, information, resources, and opportunities, catalyst to incorporate environmental awareness and responsibility into lifestyle, and in business practices. This world-wide platform is the place to find the latest and most relevant in-depth news and data covering the entire spectrum of the renewable energy industry and the low-carbon sector.

Biofuels Become a Victim of Own Success – But Not For Long is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Part of the Fall 11' M2F Collection

Colored jeans are all the rage. Everything from red to green has been hitting the sidewalks, not to mention they dominated the runways.

While colors are in, dyes can be harmful to the earth. Chemicals, such as starch and caustic soda, are produced which can be inhaled by workers and washed away into our waterways destroying aquatic and animal life. Some jean companies are aware of the concerns and are working hard to eliminate our carbon footprint left behind.

Part of the Fall 11' M2F Collection

M2F denim is doing their part by finding resources to reduce toxic chemicals and pollution. Using Made2Fade yarn technology, that is certified free of harmful substances, these jeans are individually colored in a dye bath. The process uses 50% less energy and water while eliminating toxic chemicals that are produced by traditional dyeing methods.

“Our eco-friendly, Made2Fade Technology® Yarn and Clear H20 Colors® Dye Process are leading the way. Together, these dynamic breakthroughs are enabling us to build a denim company committed to preserving the environment.”- M2F website.

M2F denim comes in a wide range of styles and colors with names including eggplant, chili pepper, and purple rain. You can choose the fit and color you want. This fall they have even introduced vests and jackets into the mix. Celebrities like Whitney Port and Maria Menounos have caught on to the green trend, sporting jeans and cut off shorts by the eco-friendly company. The vintage-inspired jeans run about $130 and can be purchased from retailers everywhere.

James Jeans uses organic cotton and a unique dry aging process to create the perfect “worn” look. The dip-dyed jeans are all created with dyes made from plant indigo. Available in a wide range of colors and styles, the patterns are hand-made and have couture draping techniques for a fit all your own.

Named after her husband, Seun Lim founded James Jeans in 2004. The environmentally friendly washes have become a hot commodity for celebrities like Blake Lively, Charlize Theron

, and Jessica Alba
 who want to bring a little green into their lives. The mainstream denim runs anywhere from $120-220 and can be found at places like Barney’s, Shopbop, and the James Jeans website.

Kuyichi Fall 11', Love the World

Kuyichi jeans are taking it one step further. While these jeans don’t have many colors, the sustainable concepts are exciting for the eco-friendly fashion world. According to Women’s Wear Daily, for Spring 2012 Kuyichi is launching three new sustainable styles of the fabric; dry-processed, no-water-wash jeans and one constructed of Tencel, a fabric made of cellulose removed from wood pulp of eucalyptus trees.

The Dutch jean label also plans to increase its organic fabric content to 97%, aiming to make their products as sustainable as possible. “We are constantly experimenting on new sustainable concepts like recycled polyester, Tencel®, spare denim and hemp.”-Kuyichi website.  Retail prices range from $139 to $265 and can be ordered from Yoox.com or a number of places in Europe.

Here are some other great eco-conscious jean brands.

Celebrating new colors, Reuse models show off the bright skinnies

Reuse Jeans: These jeans are constructed from 80% recycled fabric to create a new, stylish pair of jeans. “We recycle fabric from the textile waste stream to manufacture eco-friendly jeans with minimal new material.”- Reuse Jeans website.

Agave Jeans: A look into Agave's Fall 11' collection

Agave Denim:  These jeans are put through the ozone washing process, eliminating toxic chemicals. The husband and wife team created the brand to “design and produce the best tailored, most beautiful and highest quality denim jeans, authentically sewn and hand finished exclusively in California“-Agave website.

Monkee Genes: No slave or child labor, blood, sweat, or tears

Monkee Genes: An organic label out of the UK and the only jean company certified by the Soil Association. The pop art inspired colored jeans are produced with no pesticides and no chemicals. The Monkee Genes’ motto: no slave or child labor, blood, sweat, or tears.

These eco chic jeans will give you the style you want while making the earth, and your closet, a little greener.

Jody

Jody Marich is a stylist/Co-Manager by day and a fashion blogger by night, shinning the light on issues in the fashion world. A published freelancer, Jody created the fashion column “What’s Haute” for Flagler College’s newspaper and updates her own fashion blog, Tickle Me Chic, on a regular basis. She has been featured on Independent Fashion Bloggers and continues to focus on hard-hitting stories in the fashion industry.

Jeans to Dye for is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Didn’t get your voice heard the first time around? You’re in luck! We’ve relaunched this giveaway; it will be running until January 31st. Read on for details.

Calling all men! Here is a fantastic new item from Eternal Creation that I have just received fresh from India. Not only is this fabric 100% cotton, like all Eternal Creation clothing, it is Fair Trade. This particular shirt is slim fit and a wonderful mix of blue, green, and brown all tossed together in a vibrant paisley pattern.

At first I noted that the fabric wasn’t extremely soft for 100% cotton, but with a quick wash and dry it turned into a wonderfully soft material. Out of the dryer it had virtually no wrinkles, making it a great on the go option. And the price point was a hit at only $50! Want to win a $50 gift card toward Eternal Creation? Keep reading. This super trendy shirt can be worn on a weekend getaway with loved ones or a night out with the boys.

You might say: who is Eternal Creation? This is a sustainable company born in Dharamsala, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. Seventy Tibetan, Nepalese and Indian tailors design and produce clothing in the Himalayan Tailoring Center. Providing the largest employment business in the area, the line has now grown from focusing mostly on woman’s sleepwear and accessories to a much larger company that now sells men’s and children’s wear.

Designer Frances Carrington started this company with a dream and a $5,000 loan that she had received from her father after graduating college. On a volunteer trip to India, Frances became head of the tailoring department at the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala and the rest was history. She wanted to stay and use her skills to benefit the local community. Though they started out with very little staff, Eternal Creation is dedicated to growing their workshops rather than outsourcing orders. You know your purchase will assist in improving the lives of recently arrived political refugees by providing jobs, training, health care, and accommodations.

Fall 2011 Collection

Enter to win $50 from Eternal Creation’s online store to spend however you like.

TO WIN YOU MUST

1. Simply leave a comment on this entry telling us who you plan on outfitting with Eternal Creation and why. Best comment wins, so make it inspiring!

2. Subscribe to Your Weekly Vibe to know if you’ve won!

For additional entries, chat us up!

• Follow Eternal Creation on Facebook.
• Blog about this giveaway and link to this post.
• Share this giveaway on your Facebook wall.
• Add Modern Hippie Mag to your Blog Roll or Featured Blogs list.

 More details:

Open to U.S. entrants only. Recipients chosen by Modern Hippie Mag based on one stellar comment. Won something in the last thirty days?  Last month’s winners are ineligible for this giveaway. Giveaway EXTENDED TO 12pm on January 31st, 2012.

Heather

Heather Meade lives in Glastonbury CT, where she has worked as a stylist at a well known men’s fashion boutique for the past decade. She has been eating, breathing and dreaming fashion since she was a little girl. Discovering a new love for eco fashion – from its on trend designs to the ever-expanding eco menswear – Heather will bring you news and reviews on men’s eco-fashion. Along with fashion, Heather has found a new love for Mother Nature and our planet, eating in a more organic fashion, and taking care of her mind, body, and spirit.

Hope Springs Eternal – RELAUNCHED GIVEAWAY is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

There is no doubt that over the many years that mining has been carried out across the globe, the practice has caused untold damage in a myriad of ways. The non renewable nature of fossil fuels means that many beautiful landscapes throughout the world have been ravaged. In addition, large mining companies have been accused of abusing the human rights of those in their employ and polluting the local environment.

However, in recent years, as worries about the damage we are doing to the world have increased, many people involved in mining have tried to find ways to lessen the impact of mining and make it more environmentally friendly.

Replenishing the Environment
For many larger mining companies, planting trees on old mining sites has become an important part of what they do. For example BSGM, one of India’s largest mining companies, who extract minerals from quarries, have planted over 30 000 trees in and around disused quarries. The company have also planted trees on wasteland, roadsides and around office complexes. BSGM have pledged that they will plant at least another 2000 trees annually.

Creating Homes
AngloAmerican, one of the biggest mining companies in the world, have devised a way to build eco friendly housing using the waste materials from mining. The company have been purifying water which had been polluted in the process of mining for coal. They realised that the by product of the purification process, gypsum, could be utilised to make highly energy efficient bricks. These bricks are now being used to build houses all over South Africa.

Ethical Responsibility
Diamond mining has caused much controversy as the world was made more aware about the exploitation of miners, particularly in Africa. Brilliant Earth, a jewellery company based in the USA were among the first to ensure that all the materials they use, including diamonds, are ethically sourced. The company uses only recycled metals to create their jewellery and ensures that any precious stones and diamonds used are ethically sourced.

Decommissioning
Many energy management companies, such as UK-based SLR consulting, have been working within mining industries across the globe for many years, working to help companies in less developed countries plan their mining practices to create the least environmental impact possible. To date, SLR have helped to create recreation areas, housing and nature reserves in several countries.

Mining on a Small Scale
After the industrial revolution, small scale mining became practically non existent as new machinery allowed mining to be carried out on a much bigger scale. Today, more and more small companies are realising that small scale mining, such as gold mining, can be lucrative and impact far less on the environment. Some companies have returned to much more traditional methods, such as using water to flush gold fragments out of sand or gravel. Small scale mining has very little impact on the environment because it does not use any chemicals processes and no deep digging is required.

The human race has become reliant on the materials we gain from mining and it is very unlikely that we will ever stop mining completely. However many companies, such as the ones mentioned here, are looking for new and innovative ways to make mining a more positive practice.  Rules and regulations regarding how industry impacts the environment will only continue to get tougher which will hopefully lead to even greater reductions in the harmful effects of mining.

Images courtesy of Bert Kaufmann, Esprit de sel, and deltaMike {Flickr}. 

Lucy

Lucy Pitt is a freelance copywriter who writes on various subjects across the web including environmental issues. Lucy works to promote ethical environmental practices. For more information on ethical practices in energy consulting, please check out her blog.

Can Mining Ever Be Environmentally Friendly? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Technology Induced Multitasking

Multitasking is a highly sought out skill. We put it on resumes, claiming that we can work on multiple projects at once; some of us even try to do it all day long. Why wouldn’t we multitask if we can do things simultaneously on iPhones, Blackberries, and laptop (while listening to music and watching TV)?

Technology may have created a perception of effective multitasking, but behavioral economist Richard Thaler refers to the human brain as a slow, erratic central processing unit. The end result is that our minds create the illusion that we can multitask.

Even though technology enables us to maintain the illusion that we can do many things at the same time, the brain becomes overloaded and stressed out trying to keep up. During techno overload, your brain flips your body’s switches in an attempt to absorb large amounts of information in order to maximize performance through learning. When involved in techno-interactions, interruptions from sources such as cell phones and computers create a break in concentration, mental focus and continuity. According to researchers, with each interruption it takes approximately 25 minutes for your brain to refocus and get back to work.

A 2005 study sponsored by Hewlett-Packard found the average worker lost 10 IQ points when interrupted by ringing telephones and incoming e-mails, which they equated with missing an entire night of sleep.

With all the recent technological advancement and constant multitasking comes an invoice. The hidden cost lies in the human brain; it wasn’t designed to deal with such a surfeit of data. Jonah Lehrer makes the analogy that it is like trying to run a new computer program on an old machine; the antique microchips try to keep up, but eventually they fizzle out.

The disease of ‘I can do 10 things at once’ affects the brain, giving people a diminished ability to accurately estimate how long a task really takes to complete. This leads to constantly overestimating performance standards and timelines in the workplace and dampens one’s ability to manage time effectively. Our sped up mental framework becomes a “time warp,” increasing levels of frustration, anxiety, and criticism of self, others and the workplace.

The media consistently reminds us that “connectivity” is the tidal wave of the future – and many times it feels like a tsunami. Technology has increased the availability of information exchange and the speed at which that information can be acquired, giving our society a Polaroid mindset. The pure volume of information being consumed in your techno diet produces information fatigue syndrome. Technology has changed our perception of time and altered our internal clock to fast forward for information acquisitions, which in turn leads to unrealistic expectations.

Technology induced multitasking may be wanted by your interviewer – but do you really want to go through your life doing multiple things at once without being fully present in anything? As in the Adam Sandler movie CLICK, a harried workaholic meets Christopher Walken and gets his hand on a magical remote that he uses to fast-forward his life to get things done and see the results. In the end, Sandler realizes that he has missed out on life, family experiences, valuable learning, health and wellness. A lot of precious memories come from being fully engaged and present, which is impossible with multi-tasking. Unfortunately, you can’t be an engaged mindful listener if you are constantly checking your phone or enjoy your meal fully while watching TV…

Do you believe that you are more efficient when you multi-task, or have you noticed that focusing on one thing at a time produces better results? Please share your opinion and experiences. We would love to hear them!

Mike Conner’s next article will talk about the Hidden Cost of Being Plugged In 24/7

Images courtesy of Noisy Coworkers and ryantron {Flickr}.

Mike Conner helps individuals reinvent the conversation between their brain, body and food.  A Wellness, Food and Kitchen Coach who spends endless hours helping her clients create meaningful life plans as she infuses their lives with fresh ways of thinking about lifestyle change.  As Conner says: “there is no such thing as bad or good genes, good or bad karma. There are solely life’s trails and corrections.” She encourages people to figure out ways to explore the edges of the world around them, from changing their physical environment to the cultivation of new interests and habits. Visit coachconner.com for extended versions of health and wellness articles.

Do You Suffer From an Illusion of Multitasking? is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag