In this fourth week of 2011, we really like the idea of gyms that charge you for NOT exercising. We also read about how our food supply depends on environments hospitable to pollinators, that we should fear chairs, not bikes. We were excited to hear about H&M’s new sustainable collection and devastated to hear that FDA approved the unrestricted planting of GMO alfalfa, but determined to look forward nonetheless.
HEALTH & WELLNESS: Gyms that charge you for NOT going
Every year one of America’s top New Year’s resolutions is to join a gym and get in shape. And every year America just gets fatter. So what if our workout facilities started hitting us where it really counts; not in our guts, but in our pocketbooks?
Idea: A Gym Membership that Charges You for Not Exercising, GOOD
HEALTHY HABITAT: The fate of our food supply depends on how hospitable our gardens are to pollinators
Besides offering us space to grow flowers and vegetables, our gardens serve many purposes over the seasons and over the years — as quiet retreat, buffer from neighbors or place for kids and dogs to romp. Our gardens also play a vital though mostly invisible role in the health of our cities and suburbs. It’s probably not hyperbole to say the fate of our food supply and hence our world depends on how hospitable our gardens are to pollinators. Whether or not we notice, these busy creatures do their indispensable work in urban and suburban gardens.
Cultivating a healthier Seattle, one garden at a time, By Valerie Easton, Seattle Times
HEALTH & WELLNESS: Fear the chair, not the bike
Afraid to ride a bicycle? You’re not alone. We know that bicycling is good for public health: More bicycling and less driving leads to improved air quality, noise reduction, fewer car crashes, and reduced carbon emissions. But what about personal health — that is, YOUR personal health and safety?
Don’t fear riding a bicycle, fear sitting in that chair, by Elly Blue, Grist
SUSTAINABLE STYLE: H&M launches sustainable style collection
H&M is kicking off Spring with eco-smart fashions bursting with color, from gorgeous dresses to Divided’s urban collection there’s something “green” for everyone this time around. The collection in-stores now, is made from organic cotton, recycled polyester or wool, and will have a green label (much like the Garden Collection) including all details of the materials used. For women H&M aimed for a more feminine feel whereas the menswear went with a more preppy effect. Here’s a peek at what they have to offer (all dresses shown are $19.95, cheap and eco-friendly – my hero).
H&M Launches Another “Green” Collection, The Frugalista Diaries
FOOD & WELLNESS: GMO alfalfa is approved by the FDA — what do we do now?
I am no stranger to the rush of radical activism, to the satisfaction of identifying an enemy and throwing heart and soul into righteous indignation. In this complicated world, it’s tempting to reduce shades of gray to simple black and white. Sometimes that’s the only way to achieve a reassuring sense that we know where we stand (and therefore who we are). As a college student a decade ago, I devoted endless hours to organizing protests against the Keck Graduate Institute, the first university in the world dedicated solely to biotechnology.
Team Organic will Never Surrender to Monsanto: Now We Continue the Fight, Together, by Megan Westgate, Non GMO Project
