Kerala Beach

Finally, a dream come true vacation for any yogi – a perfect present for yourself for the New Year, and the best value-for-money investment in self-development!!! – A Yoga and Ayurveda Retreat to Kerala, India.

If ever since your first downward dog you’ve been curious about the place where yoga was born or if you’ve simply been waiting for an opportunity to take a dream vacation to another part of the world, this retreat is for you!!!

What: The Yoga and Ayurveda tour of Kerala is a 15 day unforgettable tour along the most beautiful places of Kerala in South India. Unlike other tours, this tour is so much more than the sum of it’s parts.  For two weeks you will be surrounded by like-minded people who are looking to expand their horizons and explore the

Kerala Tour

mysteries of the human nature. Aside from daily yoga practice, you will get to visit a traditional yoga ashram and mingle with people who live a “yoga” lifestyle, without the benefits of modern technologies.  For one day, you will get to share their lifestyle, eat their food, breathe their air and practice yoga by their side. We will also explore the beauty of the Kerala backwaters on houseboat cruise, learn the secrets of Ayurvedic cooking during a cooking workshop, and enjoy the incredible skills of Indian dancers at a cultural dance show. You will get to see authentic fishing villages, untouched by the modern society, on the coast of the Arabian sea and enjoy delicious fresh seafood, prepared right in front of you. We will finish our vacation at an Ayurvedic resort, where experienced ayurvedic practitioners will unravel the mysteries of staying healthy and young, while pampering you with famous abhayanga (oil massage). Your soul will be delighted and happy – this is a once in a lifetime experience!

Where: Kerala, India. Simply put, Kerala is one of the most beautiful places in the world, ranked by Lonely Planet and National

Karala sunset

Geographic as one of the top “must see” destinations on planet Earth. Kerala is a tropical paradise and a leader in ecotourism in India. Famous for its gorgeous nature and diverse culture, Kerala is one of the most developed states in India. Kerala has it all, from mesmerizing sunsets, enchanting countryside, swaying palm trees, to lagoons and picturesque backwaters. It is ultimate delight to human senses.

When: March 23 – April 7
Spring is a very special time – time for rejuvenation, purification, and reassessment.

Ayurveda

It is a perfect time to detoxify from a long holiday season, shed off winter pounds, and refresh with an exciting adventure. There is no better way to achieve all three than with Yoga and Ayurveda. Besides becoming healthier, you will get to see the most mesmerizing nature, one of the oldest cultures of the world, and tan on the beaches of the Arabian Sea.

Who: The tour is organized by Nadya Andreeva, a Strala Yoga Instructor and an Ayurvedic enthusiast. Nadya fell in love with India while studying yoga and Ayurveda there. Having travelled all over the country she was inspired by India’s culture, traditions, and hospitality. She hopes to share the beauty of India and its people during this retreat. Throughout the retreat Nadya will be teaching daily yoga classes and talking about implementing Ayurveda in daily life.

Why this tour is going to be awesome:

• 

  Kerala, India

  The views and culture are breathtaking! Kerala is one of the most beautiful paces in the world and India is known for its ancient knowledge of Yoga and Ayurveda all over the world since time immemorial.

• We will do lots of yoga. Yoga is an art of transforming the inert body to the level of vibrant mind in order to unite your body and mind into one with the serenity of the self or soul. Yoga helps in and rejuvenating your mind and soul and brings out the best in a person. Whether you are new to yoga or an experienced yogi, you will enjoy the tour as your practice will be enhanced and revived. Immersing yourself in daily yoga practice can truly be a life changing experience.

• You will never be bored.  Our tour will be full of activities, workshops, expeditions, entertainment and much more. Everything will be taken care of, all you need to do is just enjoy!

• You will have plenty of time to relax and rejuvenate. Optional ayurvedic consultations and treatments can be an easy way to lose weight, get rid of toxin build up, and deal with chronic illnesses, such as psoriasis or arthritis. Experienced ayurvedic practitioners will create a customized program based on your needs.

For complete itinerary and full details, visit Real Yoga NYC.

Nadya

Nadya Andreeva is a yoga instructor and a health writer in NYC. She currently teaches at Strala Yoga (www.stralayoga.com) and Viva Vinyasa (www.vivavinyasa.com). Originally from Russia Nadya grew up in the family of doctors surrounded by ideas of health. She started practicing yoga at the age of 12. Nadya studied yoga and Ayurveda in Russia, India, and the US with the most prominent teachers, including Dr Lad and Yug Purush Swami Parmanand Giri Ji Maharaj. She currently maintains a blog on Ayurveda and Yoga at (http://realyoganyc.wordpress.com/).

Yoga and Ayurveda Vacation to India is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Dear EarthTalk: What’s being done to “green up” professional sports? I know that the last two Olympic Games both made some effort, but are there others? — Rob Avandic, Chicago, IL

Kevin H., courtesy Flickr

The last two Olympics were indeed greener than any before, but environmental awareness isn’t limited to the realm of international amateur competition. In fact, in just the last few years all of the major professional North American sports leagues have made strides in greening their operations.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has helped blaze the trail through its “Greening the Games” initiative. Since 2003, when the National Football League’s (NFL) Philadelphia Eagles turned to NRDC for help saving energy and reducing waste, NRDC has helped dozens of pro teams evaluate their environmental impacts and make changes. Today the Eagles obtain all of their energy at Lincoln Field from wind power, pour fans’ beverages in biodegradable corn-based plastic cups, power their scoreboard with solar panels and have reduced electricity use overall by a third. The NFL itself has also jumped on the bandwagon, implementing various green initiatives at the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl and other big events.

In 2008, NRDC teamed up with Major League Baseball (MLB) to first green the All Star Game and, the following year, the World Series. Subsequently, NRDC assessed each team’s environmental footprint and made recommendations for improving it. Several teams have gone on to build or refurbish their stadiums with sustainability in mind. Boston’s Fenway Park, Atlanta’s Turner Field, Washington, DC’s Nationals Park, and San Francisco’s AT&T Park all get high marks for pro-environment features and operations.

In 2008, NRDC began working with the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) to green its signature event, the U.S. Open. For one, this led to a move to 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper for tournament programs. And an environmental review of all operations at the National Tennis Center in Queens, New York led to a number of green improvements, including the switch to 90 percent post-consumer recycled paper for some 2.4 million napkins and a move to wind turbines for the tournament’s electricity.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) jumped on the NRDC sports bandwagon in 2009, working with the group to organize its first annual Green Week in early April whereby the entire league works in concert to generate environmental awareness and funding for related causes. As part of the festivities, which took place in 2010 as well and will happen again in April 2011, each NBA team hosted community service events including tree plantings, recycling drives and park clean-up days.

NRDC got the National Hockey League (NHL) in on the act as well, helping to green the Stanley Cup Finals and working with individual teams as it did with baseball and football. In announcing the launch of the NHL Green program, league commissioner Gary Bettman commented that it’s only fitting for professional ice hockey to care about staving off global warming: “Most of our players learned to skate on outdoor rinks. For that magnificent tradition to continue through future generations we need winter weather—and as a league we are uniquely positioned to promote that message.”

CONTACTS: NRDC, www.nrdc.org/greenbusiness/guides/sports/; MLB Team Greening Program, mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/team_greening.jsp; NBA Green, www.nba.com/green; NHL Green, www.nhl.com/ice/eventhome.htm?location=/nhlgreen; USTA, www.usta.com.

EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

"Greening up" Professional Sports is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Global Green Pals™ creates eco-friendly and educational toys that inspire positive world action through play and imagination.  Committed to offering safe, innovative and quality toys, Global Green Pals encourage simple, creative, and positive actions that can create positive environmental change and ultimately change the world by giving our children a good outlet to learn and play.

Each doll:

• are made of Oeko-Tex 100 certified organic cotton.
• feature clothing and accessories are made with organic, natural and tested fibers and low impact dyes.
• are stuffed with 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic PET bottle stuffing.
• appeal to parents, educators and toddler boys and girls ages 3+.
• have detailed, embroidered faces, removable clothing and high play value.
• comes with a detailed and imaginative character tag printed on recycled paper, printed with soy based inks, that tells each character’s story and offers kid-friendly “green tips” on how to help the Earth.

For each doll purchased, a portion supports earth-saving efforts around the globe through One Percent for the Planet.

We recently had to opportunity to chat with Global Green Pals Founder, Malini Goel.  Listen to learn more about her and her innovative company.

Meet Global Green Pals Founder, Malini Goel is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

1.  If you want to play a truly “green” golf course, look into The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.  This is an award winning education and certification program to help golf courses to protect the environment and preserve the heritage of the game.  Search the directory to locate an eco-friendly golf course in your area.

100% Recycled Polo Shirt

2.  Skip the traditional polo and consider one made of recycled bottles.  It’s true, 8 Bottles offers a comfortable,  100%post-consumer recycled performance polo made from PET bottles.  For every 8 bottles saved, a shirt is made thus the name.  Since there are no additional dyes involved the shirt comes in only one color – a light green reflecting the color of the bottles it is made from.  I ordered one for my husband and it’s a nice, well-made shirt. Shipping was fast and the packaging was all recycled and recyclable which was much appreciated.

Dixon "Earth" Golf Balls

3.  It’s estimated that over 300 million golf balls are discarded every year.  Though I do not have personal experience, I’ve read good things about Dixon Earth‘s eco-friendly golf ball.  Unlike other balls which are made of harsh heavy metals like  tungsten and lead, the Dixon Earth core is made up of a polymer that is 100% renewable.  The other components of the ball itself can also be recycled into other products and the packaging is made from 100% recycled material.  Even better, the company gives a $1.00 ball for ball credit towards the purchase of Dixon Earth golf balls for every Dixon ball recycled in a Dixon Golf Recycle Center located at a participating retailer.  They will also give a $0.50  ball credit for any other brand of golf ball recycled in a Dixon Golf Recycle Center.  Here’s a past article from Golfers with some commentary on the performance of the ball.

photo 8bottles

4.  Take the Green Golfer Pledge through Golf and The Environment, a partnership with US Golf Association, The PGA and Audubon International by committing to specific actions such as:

• Voicing support for the environmental efforts undertaken at your course.
• Using trash and recycling receptacles appropriately and encourage others to do the same.
• Purchasing environmentally-friendly products for the game.
• Encouraging others to learn about the benefits of environmentally responsible management on the course and in their community.

So get out, green up and get your environmental golf score on par.

Jeanne Blaisdell

Jeanne Blaisdell publishes TheGreenSamaritan.com, her personal blog highlighting green living tips and information in order to help herself and others on their journey towards greater environmental awareness. She has also launched EcoAvenueLtd.com, an online shopping site featuring the latest deals and promotions from a collection of earth-friendly merchants. Jeanne lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with her husband Tom and two boys, Jack (10) and Ben (7). Find The Green Samaritan on Facebook, follow on Twitter @GreenSamaritan and @EcoAvenueltd.

Fore! Ideas to Green Up Your Golf Game is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

...but we'll be back!

Okay, so perhaps the Elvis reference is a bit too much.  And no, we’re not really going fishing…per say.  But we are taking a much needed break, a hiatus you might say.  Our offices will be officially closed starting today May 17th thru May 30th.  Don’t fret, we’ll be back all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first thing Monday, May 31st!

To keep you occupied while we’re away be sure to check out all our really cool podcast interviews and video profiles!  And don’t forget all the other cool eco-stuff we’ve been writing about these past few months.

We’ll be back before you know it, so…y’all come back now, ya hear!

Elvis has LEFT the building! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag

Today we’re featuring a two part series as our last hoorah for Summer!

Yes, I know that it is technically Fall, and for many this is the prime time to focus on sweaters and boots.  Heck, I already put out my Stylish Eco-fashion Fall Picks!  Well, aside from the fact that we live in Southwest Florida where the temperature yesterday was a balmy 91 degrees and going to the beach is still an option…we’re hippies!  We cannot be bound by tradition or conformity!  Be damned “the Man” who tells me I must adhere to the confines of a calendar!  Ok, truth is I just got my hands on some pretty amazing eco-swimwear from Eco-Panda that I just have to tell you about and Shayna is pretty ga-ga for something that shall remain nameless because it wouldn’t be the same if I told you.  You’ll read about it in her article Finding “The One” coming up next in Part I.

We hope you enjoy our Last Blast of Summer series complete with a sweet surprise ending!

Last Blast of Summer! is a post from: Modern Hippie Mag