Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
Nov
21
Art with no limitsSome of the most unique pieces in the world are made by artists that take everyday things, that most people throw away, and make unbelievable art. The artists mind is the only limitation to his work, and these few artists have no limits. Their art enables you to look at things in a much deeper and meaningful way. Ha Schult, a German artists, is world renowned for his work with garbage. He has made “trash people” that have been featured in famous places throughout the world. The “trash people” are life sized and are made from mostly recycled cans and old computer parts, but Shult incorporates anything and everything that he finds. These statues make a definite statement, however, the meaning of that statement is left to individual interpretation.
Dr. Evermor has created the world’s largest metal scrap sculpture as well as an entire park devoted to his creations. The park is located in Wisconsin and it incorporates metal from as far back as the 1880’s. Dr. Evermor’s work began nearly 30 years ago with just a simple exhibition. Evermor always liked collecting odd metals and other objects. As time went on he let his inner child free and decided to make something extraordinary out of his hobby.
Based in London, Tim Noble and Sue Webster have created multiple exhibitions that allow people to see garbage in a beautiful way. They accomplish this by playing with light and shadow. They create art pieces that look like nothing more tha a pile of trash, but all it takes it the right amount of light to be able to see a shadows of the most amazing forms.
There are many other artists such as the ones described above. They all work to bring awareness to the growing problem of pollution and the importance of recycling, reusing and re-purposing your old materials. Along with conveying an important message, the artists are revolutionizing modern day art.
Companies and people are gathering in cities all over America to promote an eco friendly life style. Green festivals allow attendees to browse different green products and hear new and innovative ideas from various companies and guest speakers. Although this event is an educational one it does not take away from the festive atmosphere. People who attend these festivals do not only enjoy tips and hands on experience with eco friendly products but are also able to taste fresh, organically grown food from the numerous restaurants and listen to live music. The Green Festivals have something for everyone, from kids to adults from fashionable women to rugged men. The Green Festival first began ten years ago and has been growing and improving ever since. Today the number of attendees reaches one million! This event incorporates many aspects of sustainable living, environmental, social and economic problems and solutions. To see more about these festivals, check out the link below. Green Festival (San Francisco)
The Dee family, consisting of Jeanne, Vince and their daughter Mozart, has discovered a way of traveling the world and a lifestyle that is cheaper than living at home. They consider themselves enjoying a “Digital Nomadic Lifestyle.” This family of three decided to retire early by selling their home and a small vineyard. The couple, in their 50s, with their daughter dubbed themselves the Soultravelers3. They commenced their odyssey around the world back in 2006. Currently they are in their fifth year of traveling and living on about $23/day/person in the midst of a road trip of Europe. They wish to spread the word to everyone about this exciting lifestyle. For more extensive information about this incredible family’s adventure visit them on the Soultravelers3 website or follow them on Twitter.
Mar
11
An Eco Sanctuary
Popularity of green living is growing fast. We keep seeing information on it on TV, the radio, even in our favorite stores but many people are not nearly as educated on this subject as they need to be. The Eden Project in Cornwall, United Kingdom is doing a big part to educate people about our environment. The Eden Project is an attraction that includes projects, programs, shows and events. It also has the world’s largest green house. Inside, the huge golf ball like enclosures, you are exposed to surreal and mystic beauty of various exotic biomes, unique figures made from soil and countless visual effects. It is almost like you are being transported to a different world and a different era. Aside from showing people the true beauty of our world, Eden Project also makes it its primary goal to teach young students about ways they can help the environment. They offer workshops to educate kids on the subjects of biodiversity, ecology, botany, etc. These workshops take place inside the Eden project and therefore provide an education that will be hard to forget. The Eden Project also gives back to their community by including homeless people and prisoners in their projects. Prisoners learn how to garden and grow their own food but they also acquire skills like marketing, construction, sales, etc. Homeless people have an opportunity to gain valuable and practical experience that they can apply in future jobs. Eden Projectis hard to describe to its full extent. It incorporates many factors that not only help our environment, educate people and give back to the community but train young kids so they continue and progress the eco-friendly movement. So if you are ever in the UK make sure to visit this unbelievable place!
Looking for the perfect pair of fall shoes? Stay away from brands that are doing damage to Planet Earth and take a look at an amazing and sustainable pair of shoes, instead! Coclico is a sustainable shoe brand that is designed in New York City and made in Spain. The shoes are beautifully designed and incredibly well-crafted. The fall line is absolutely gorgeous; you’ll certainly be catching some eyes! Take a step in the right direction, and put some sustainable shoes on your feet. Some of our fall favorites:
Odanak Tupelo
Sep
6
Eco-Friendly Day SpasThe weather is beginning to turn and it’s back to school for all, so why not plan a day of relaxation? There are hundreds of award winning Green Day Spas in which one can relax without doing damage to this planet we call “home.” Check out some of our favorite eco-friendly day spas, and feel free to some exploring on your own. After all, nothing says “relaxation” like an environmentally friendly day at the spa. Spa Eastman, Quebec: Spa Eastman is an award winner in the “Sustainable Tourism” category. Its waste management program diverts over 23 metric tons from landfills, which is equivalent to an 81% recycling rate. The implementation of the Reduction, Reinvestment, Recycling & Validation program [3RV] is done systematically and yields impressive results. Spa Eastman prides itself on paying particular attention to the source of food products: majority of the products are organic. Also, spa’s gardens provide the kitchen with organically grown herbs, edible flowers, sprouts, veggies and even berries.
Golden Door Spa, Scottsdale: The Golden Door Spa at Scottsdale’s Boulders Resort recently further expanded its menu of organic spa services to include new Eminence Organic Skin Care. This line of revolutionary products is created from all natural, organic ingredients. Some of the new and most popular organic services include a variety of organic scrubs with seasonal body soufflé “flavors” such as Pear & Green Apple (fall), Cranberry & Pomegranate (winter), Blueberry Soy (spring), and Cucumber Mint (summer). Nothing sounds more relaxing than a body scrub with nature’s natural scents!
Crystal Mountain Spa, Michigan: Crystal Spa has elevated the model for a green spa to a new level: the 18,500 square-foot facility was designed and built to minimize its impact on the environment while maximizing its efficiency and relaxation. The technologies and materials used in the process have enabled Crystal Mountain’s Crystal Spa to be the only LEED certified spa in the Midwest, and one of only six in the U.S. Talk about a step ahead!
For a complete list of some of the world’s most eco-friendly spas, click here. And don’t hesitate to do some research on your own: responsible relaxation is worth a little bit of work! Ready to make a change in NYC’s eco-friendly nightlife scene? Make sure to vote for Fair and Square. The Fair and Square goal is to bring about New York City’s first Fair Trade bar, which will serve wine, beer, and even artisanal liquors. This will certainly change the current bar scene: it’s a company desperate to show they care, and an opportunity to encourage responsible decision-making.
In addition to a trendy bar, Fair and Square will provide a daytime coffee shop, a place for ethical city-dwellers to relax in peace. The comfortable and stylish place will serve Fair Trade products to further improve the lives of all Earth’s inhabitants. Fair Trade provides relief for impoverished communities who are belittled by the traditional sales method. Fair Trade ensures that those workers receive the most value for their product, and that buyers receive the best quality. As Fair and Square proudly states, “The solution is to trade fair & combat global poverty with our purchases.” Well, let’s help them out! Visit the Fair and Square Web site for more information or if you want to vote. It only takes a second, and it will greatly benefit those in foreign countries, and across America. Voting ends June 14, so make sure to act quick! Look out, New York City– the Fair Trade bar is coming! The weather is getting nicer and— while it’s important to stay healthy— there are other options for staying fit than using endless amounts of electricity in the gym. Instead of using the treadmill or elliptical for hours, try going for a walk with a friend. This will make it easier to get up and exercise, plus much more fun to keep going. Plus, 30 minutes of brisk walking you’ll burn approximately 150 calories. If you’re going for the real cardio workout, take a run along a nice outdoor trail. It will clear your mind and force you to push yourself. The average amount of calories burned in a moderate paced 30 minute run? 390.
Save the trip to the gym just for riding the stationary bike. Get in the habit of biking to run errands. This is a great way to get fit and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions and the use of natural gas of cars. You can get an inexpensive bike at garage sales, Goodwill or even brand new and on sale. Not only will you be positively impacting the Earth, but for every half hour of moderate biking, you’ll burn about 280 calories.
Not up for those extensive exercises? Try doing yoga outdoors. Nature’s sounds and the sunshine will calm you and really enhance your yoga experience. If none of these sound appealing, play a game. Organized sports are a great way to interact with friends and get some good exercise in. Or cool off from the summer sun and get fit by swimming laps or treading water. Water is a great place for exercise because your body doesn’t feel the heat, and you don’t realize how tired you really are. 30 minutes of breaststroke will burn about 350 calories, while treading water is about 150.
The options for outdoor health are endless when you put your mind in it, and you’ll be greatly reducing your carbon footprint. Gyms are using an immense amount of electricity, and you can get just as good [if not better] of a workout out in nature. It’s an easy step to take to further improve the world. And think about what you could do with the extra $40 a month you’ll save on gym memberships this summer. You could get a really great reusable water bottle for that! In that every day hustle and bustle, we’ve all seen those boring, reusable shopping bags and bland, carry-all totes. Don’t get us wrong—they’re eco-friendly so they’re totally great—but we’ve got something to show you that’s more, well… hip. New to Verde Lifestyles is a line of Organic Cotton Tote Bags that can please everyone from the most traditional likes to the bold and trendy needs.
These vibrant, earth-inspired totes are for you daring, environmentally-friendly folk. Adorable nature prints adorn the entirety of the bag and are sure to catch the eye of those passer-bys. Measuring approximately 12.5″ wide, 14.5″ tall and 17″ deep, the bags function perfectly as reusable shoppers or daily tote bags. They only cost $17.95, so don’t be afraid to make a green [or blue!] statement!
This subtle striped tote is for our less intrepid crowd. Clean, green stripes against an ivory background add just enough oomph to this reusable tote bag. Priced at $34.00, this tote is a bit larger than the bags described above. It’s great for toting your daily essentials and can easily carry an abundance of groceries. Be careful, though—once everyone sees you keeping the world green with this classic tote, you’ll be fighting them off with a stick! The green movement has finally spread to the travel world! After much demand, several eco-friendly hotels have been popping up all over the globe. Although the most environmentally-friendly vacation includes taking a hike and spending the night below the stars, there are now other viable options. While there are several outstanding green hotels, we thought you’d most enjoy this one: voted the most eco-friendly hotel in the world, the Hamanasi Resort in Belize is the best in its game!
Hamansi began building with environment conservation in mind. They built around the existing trees, leaving animals’ homes and “nature’s air conditioners” intact. When they ran out of space? They built luxury tree houses in the forest! Down on the beach, Hamansi left a strip of vegetation six feet wide past the point of high tide. This little strip heavily reduces erosion and minimizes silting, which eventually chokes the reef. They have set aside over 10 acres around the hotel, keeping it as a stunning nature preserve. This preserve adjoins the swampland savanna which overlooks the Maya Mountains.
Not only is the Hamansi Resort built on eco-friendly ideals, but they maintain these practices in daily routines. All fruit and vegetable scraps are added to the compost pile and used to maintain the rich lands. When replanting, they minimize the use of pesticides and chemical based fertilizers. Old room linens are used for cleaning tools [just like we suggest!] to eliminate waste. The icing on the cake? Any leftover products are distributed to local community! The Hamansi Resort produces virtually no waste, recycles every product, and gives back to the planet by maintaining nature’s natural beauty. Hamansi is a great role model for every resort out there!
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