In case you haven’t been to a Whole Foods recently I’ve got an update for you. Since Earth Day (April 22nd, 2008) Whole Foods stopped offering plastic bags to their customers. Only paper bags will be offered, or you can bring your own.

This is a great example of an authority figure nudging the public towards healthier living (more…)

The term has been subtly creeping into the lexicon: greenwashing.

Now I’m hearing it all the time - and I understand why. According to the U.S.-based watchdog organization CorpWatch, greenwash is “the phenomena of socially and environmentally destructive corporations, attempting to preserve and expand their markets or power by posing as friends of the environment…” Wow. (more…)

When I worked a serious corporate job, where I wore fitted suits and A-line skirts, dropping my expensive garments off to the dry cleaners was a normal part of my Saturday routine. I had wanted even then to try an organic dry cleaner, but you know what they say, location, location, location… Nothing worse than being told you have that unexpected early morning meeting and your organic dry cleaner is on the other side of town. However, I know when I was using a traditional dry cleaner, my clothes wore out faster, had that “chemically” smell and felt stiff. (more…)

The second and final part of this eco-travel series takes us further away from mainland USA and North America. If you’ve got more time on your hands, have been saving for a truly exotic getaway and want the destination to be as green as possible, you’re in luck. Some of the most pristine eco-travel destinations can be found in Africa, Asia and Southeast Asia. Let’s take a look.

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With spring upon us and summer around the corner, naturally our thoughts will turn to vacations and getaways; shedding the day-to-day routine and just being free. For many of us living a conscious lifestyle, it makes sense that our vacation destinations match our lifestyle philosophy. Enter the new darling in the hospitality and lifestyle arena: eco-travel. This arena is so large, that sifting through the different interpretations took some thorough investigation. Many travel outfits state that they offer eco-friendly tours, but beware.

At beYOU.tv, (more…)

T-shirts made out of hemp, baggy pants of bamboo, loose fitting tops of organic cotton? I’m here to attest that beautiful clothing does exist in the land of organic and sustainable fibers used for apparel. But first off you may ask why bother with clothes made from those materials? Because, they are coming from sustainable sources and not filled with harmful chemicals and pesticides that could pose a threat for you and the environment. I love the beautiful and practical garments and accessories that are being made from hemp and bamboo. A primer on hemp will give you the skinny on why it’s such a great product (more…)

As beYOUmag.com’s resident Eco-Living Expert, I was thrilled to see that we now carry Green by Design TV. All of their topics are timely and informative, but I want to give you a feel for what Connie and Greg Mattison bring to the green table. First and foremost, Connie, Greg and their dog Guiness are approachable, real, and not preachy. I like that they dub themselves “newly green” versus coming off as major “treehuggers…” (Not the site, which we love, but the extremists…) (more…)

At beYOUmag.com, we’ve been counting down to Earth Day and it’s finally here! To get you started and/or motivated, we’ve created a PDF and a JPEG of our tips so you can take them with you. Print them (on recycled paper) or save them as your desktop and start going green today!

In case you missed them, here are our tips:
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The following is part two of my Q & A session with New York and Paris based Feng Shui and Yoga Consultant, Jade Dressler.

Michelle Barge, beYOU.tv:
That’s so deep and profound, Jade (re: the Ba-Gua). How does color and placement play a role?

Jade Dressler:
Think about what happens when you enter a park, (more…)

Q & A with New York and Paris based Feng Shui and Yoga Consultant, Jade Dressler

I’ve always been fascinated by Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese system of balancing the energies in your work and living environments to insure health, wealth and prosperity. As a yogi, I toyed with it a bit and have a few tips I’ve learned (more…)