On a recent gorgeous sunny Santa Monica day the yogitoes crew took a field trip to one of the greenest buildings in the country…the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Robert Redford Building. Just a couple of blocks from the Santa Monica Pier, the NRDC’s Southern California headquarters houses The David Family Environmental Action Center (named for supporter Larry David of Curb Your Enthusiasm) and The Leonardo DiCaprio e-Activism Zone. This walk-in exhibit space and shop exists to raise the awareness of critical environmental issues and to empower citizens to protect our natural resources. The rest of the three-story building is where the action happens… it is where NRDC’s team of lawyers and scientists work, the people who I have invested in to fight for better laws, safe and preserved environments, and a better world for all living creatures.
The NRDC gives free tours of their building, upon which was bestowed a LEED® platinum level recognition in green function and design. Every aspect was considered in planning and construction; from the source and type of materials, water and energy used, to the energy expenditure in transporting to the building site. As a result, the building uses 60 – 70% less energy and 60% water than a conventional office of the same size. It features more local resources so fewer emissions are generated and less energy is used.
We were shown every corner of the building from the rooftop to the bowels of the basement. The building’s rooftop is white to counteract the heat island effect present in cities, where dark roofs cause temperatures to rise 5 –7%. Solar panels are also present providing 20% of the building’s energy. Rooftop vents release hot air that has risen inside the building while skylights and an open floor plan below allow natural light to move down two levels reducing the use for most artificial light.
The wood used throughout the building is sourced from fast growing and replenishable and sustainably managed forests (for example poplar and bamboo forests cut in sections so that wildlife can still exist).
Groutless rooftop tiles allow rainwater to seep down into a collection system. Once processed, it is used for toilets, sinks, and showers (provided to the employees as biking to work is encouraged) and though the water IS drinkable the city currently doesn’t allow it (an example of old rules and regulations not quite keeping up with new technology).
Other fabulous ways the building maintains green status are…
- Motion sensored lighting in offices that turn off when you leave.
- Each office has it’s own air-conditioning thermostat to help conserve energy.
- Sensored windows that, when opened, automatically signal the air-conditioning to turn off.
- The use of transom windows over doors allow air to move through the building.
- No-water urinals are used.
- Marlomeum flooring, made from linseed resin, is used in place of linoleum and is better for the environment.
- Furniture and floor covering come from companies that use recycled materials without sacrificing aesthetics (see Knoll, Bentley Prince St.).
- Drought resistant plants are planted on the property.
- The exterior of the building is constructed with ‘hardiplank’, a mixture of sawdust and concrete which by nature is fire and termite resistant.
- This location was chosen because it is in a busy pedestrian center and the mass transit system can easily be taken advantage of.
"Using advanced but off-the-shelf technology, this building shows it's possible to protect our natural environment, achieve greater energy independence, and also save money."
The NRDC was founded in 1970 by lawyers who saw an imminent need to defend the environment. Its mission today states: The mission of the Natural Resources Defense Council is to safeguard the earth: its people, its plants and animals, ad the natural systems on which all life depends. Now it is the most effective environmental organization in the nation, supported by over 1 million members. You can find out more about his incredible organization at www.nrdc.org and www.savebiogems.org.
May 22, 2009
Sri K. Patthabi Jois (July 1915- May 2009 and beyond...)
we honor Patthabi Jois' light, and trust his legacy will live on...
as humanity continues to transcend from his light that shined so brightly on earth...
we bow to his lotus feet a loving namaste,
yogitoes
as humanity continues to transcend from his light that shined so brightly on earth...
we bow to his lotus feet a loving namaste,
yogitoes
May 7, 2009
JAI UTTAL - Kirtan / CD release party
Saturday, May 2nd... Exhale Center for Sacred Movement, Venice Beach, CA... Entering the studio was like entering a nest, bathed in warm light and filled with welcoming, embracing energy. The atmosphere was full of love before the Kirtan even began. "Kirtan" is a devotional form of yoga, where mantras are chanted/sung in call-and-response, accompanied by Indian instruments, like harmonium, drums, bells, and cymbals... Defined by Jai Uttal on his website "Kirtan is the calling, the crying, the reaching across infinite space — digging into the heart’s deepest well to touch and be touched by the Divine Presence." Jai Uttal was our leader, or Kirtanwala this Saturday evening... Telling short stories and anecdotes between songs, he began by explaining that he was unaware until that very afternoon that this Kirtan was a "CD release party" and he had gone back and forth in his head as to whether or not to perform his Westernized music from his new CD 'Thunder Love' in which he forgoes the traditional harmonium, playing a guitar and singing in English... He blamed his being a Gemini as the culprit of his indecision... After playing several more traditional pieces, and with plenty of excitement and coercion from the audience, he moved aside the harmonium and to my surprise, picked up a Banjo! A guitar I was expecting, but a Banjo I was not. He explained that the Banjo was his first love as a child, and as he began to lull us with his melodic tunes and poignant lyrics, the banjo seemed irreplaceable as a component to his beautiful music... Anyone who was dubious of this western Kirtan with English words, was soon wrapped up in this music as much as his traditional Kirtan, which he flowed back into for the last part of the evening. The whole event was so joyous... As the pace, tempo, and volume accelerated during each chant, I felt utterly compelled to jump up and dance, which I found most of the entire studio felt too. It was hot, sweaty, and entrancing. Audience members pulled out their own instruments, found their own harmonies, and made the experience their own, adding to the love and divine light each person in the room added to this cosmic blast of brightness that surrounded us. As the Kirtan came to a close, with the vibrational residue still spinning in our souls,
I felt myself mentally hugging everyone in the room.... and i felt the hug coming back to me... I am looking forward to experiencing Jai Uttal's Kirtan again at Bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree, September 11-13, 2009. I encourage any and all to come and loose yourself in pure devotion during this three day festival where Jai, among other amazing yogis/yoginis/Kirtan-ers will be performing and coming together to celebrate all that is... Photo #1 (above) right to left, Jai Uttal onstage with a phenomenal singer, who's name I do not know, and Daniel Paul...
Photo #2 (right) right to left Zan Roberts(me), Susan Nichols, and Heather McCall with eyes still glowing after the Kirtan..
May 1, 2009
Fifteen Yogic Reasons to Join a Beach Clean-up
While participating in a beach clean-up this past weekend sponsored by Aveda and DEEP, benefiting the Surfrider Foundation, I realized that THIS was yet another way of practicing yoga… while reaping some added benefits!
Here are fifteen yogic reasons to join a beach clean-up:
1. It creates a safer beach for adults and kids.
2. It creates a safer environment for other living beings – land, sky and water.
3. You get to breathe all those negative ions in that ocean air.
4. Your body absorbs it’s daily dose of vitamin D from the sun (but don’t forget your sunscreen).
5. It’s a real eye-opener to what is happening to the environment in our own backyard (you wouldn’t believe what you come across AND the sheer amount of it).
6. It is great exercise for the feet and legs.
7. You get a FREE foot exfoliation!
8. You get to practice ahimsa – non-violence, towards mother earth.
9. You get to practice satya – honesty, and svadyaya – self study, as you ask yourself “what part of this mess did I play”?
10. You get to practice asteya – non-stealing, as you help to give back a healthy home to the ocean dwellers.
11. You get to practice saucha – cleanliness, extending this concept beyond what you label “me” and “mine”.
12. It is a wonderful walking meditation to the soundtrack of gently crashing waves and singing gulls.
13. Your heart feels warm as passers by smile, thanking you for your efforts.
14. You feel sense a unity consciousness.
15. Lunch afterwards tastes so much better!
Stay tuned for a yogitoes sponsored beach clean-up in the future…
Here are fifteen yogic reasons to join a beach clean-up:
1. It creates a safer beach for adults and kids.
2. It creates a safer environment for other living beings – land, sky and water.
3. You get to breathe all those negative ions in that ocean air.
4. Your body absorbs it’s daily dose of vitamin D from the sun (but don’t forget your sunscreen).
5. It’s a real eye-opener to what is happening to the environment in our own backyard (you wouldn’t believe what you come across AND the sheer amount of it).
6. It is great exercise for the feet and legs.
7. You get a FREE foot exfoliation!
8. You get to practice ahimsa – non-violence, towards mother earth.
9. You get to practice satya – honesty, and svadyaya – self study, as you ask yourself “what part of this mess did I play”?
10. You get to practice asteya – non-stealing, as you help to give back a healthy home to the ocean dwellers.
11. You get to practice saucha – cleanliness, extending this concept beyond what you label “me” and “mine”.
12. It is a wonderful walking meditation to the soundtrack of gently crashing waves and singing gulls.
13. Your heart feels warm as passers by smile, thanking you for your efforts.
14. You feel sense a unity consciousness.
15. Lunch afterwards tastes so much better!
Stay tuned for a yogitoes sponsored beach clean-up in the future…
April 24, 2009
The Organic Pharmacy of Beverly Hills
The Organic Pharmacy of Beverly Hills
The Organic Pharmacy is the first and only pharmacy in the world dedicated to health and beauty using organic products and treatments.
Their promise:
No artificial preservatives
No artificial colorants
No artificial fragrances
No petrochemicals
No harsh detergents
No DEA, TEA
No toxic ingredients
No animal testing
From their herbal and homeopathic dispensary they custom blend remedies to suit your needs. Expert advice from their qualified professional team means you are able to fulfill all your health and beauty needs.
Our friends at the Organic Pharmacy Beverly Hills are offering all yogis and yoginis
special introductory prices:
Rose Crystal Lymphatic Drainage Facial (90 min) for $100 (usually $160)
or
Signature Health Assessment for $120 (usually $170)
For a limited time only… from now until the end of June.
453 North Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310.272.7275
http://www.theorganicpharmacy.com/
April 21, 2009
EnlightenUp! the Film
Filmmaker and yoga enthusiast Kate Churchill is determined to prove that yoga can transform anyone. In her documentary, EnlightenUp!, she invites Nick Rosen, a journalist new to yoga, to be her guinea pig. For the next six months she follows him as he samples various yoga studios, styles and methods around the world. As Rosen begins to uncover the many dimensions of the practice of yoga, his tendency is to have an analytical and skeptical take on his experiences. This seems to frustrate Churchill whose questions directed at Rosen begin to become more emotionally charged in turn seeming to increase the pressure for enlightened results. The dominant theme that seems to emerge for Rosen is the apparent conflict between the physical and spiritual aspects of yoga. It is possible that Rosen may not recognize the depth of his resistance as he doesn’t seem to make a connection between his yogic exploration and the deep feelings about his mother that keep rising up in his consciousness. The film inadvertently conveys that one cannot force transformation on someone else’s schedule. Yoga enthusiasts will have an easier time identifying the essence of modern yoga as presented in EnlightenUp! whereas others may walk away with the idea that the current phenomenon of yoga is less than what it purports to be.Featuring: B.K.S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, Norman Allen, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Gurmukh, Dharma Mitra, Cyndi Lee, Alan Finger, Rodney Yee, Beryl Bender Birch, Shyamdas, Diamond Dallas Page and many more!
Currently playing in New York, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Irvine and coming to many more cities soon:
http://enlightenupthefilm.com/in-theaters/
April 10, 2009
YOGAGLO, Nonviolence, and Ecology...a modern dialogue
‘A’ – negating
‘han’ – to strike with the intent of doing harm
‘imsa’ – indicates desire
From ‘negating the desire to do harm’ we have thus come to the modern definition of ahimsa as ‘nonviolence’.
So how does this quality resonate in our own lives? How does it move from within you, out into the Universe? And how is it cultivated? These were some of the questions addressed in “Yoga, Nonviolence (Ahimsa), and Ecology”, a recent talk given at Yogaglo by renowned theologian Dr. Chris Chapple, Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. The talk explored how the principle of nonviolence and the practice of Yoga meditation can be combined to heighten our awareness of nature and the need for environmental activism. Yoga, defined as union is not only the union of the mind and the body through our breath, but also our union with the Divine, which not only lies within but also without in the form of our fellow creatures, the earth and even beyond into the cosmos. Through honoring this world around us, ahimsa is cultivated. Through our yoga practice we have the opportunity to become attuned to the various forms ahimsa takes. How does it play out in our yoga practice; do we listen to our bodies above our egos? How does it play out in our personal life; do we recognize and accept our uniqueness and our rightness in the present moment? The energy of what we choose to (or not to) practice carries out into our daily lives and radiates outward into the world like ripples moving toward the outer edges of a pond. Thus, no small act or thought goes without affecting the greater consciousness.
According to the Green Yoga Association, another organization Dr. Chapple is involved with, we must learn to live in balance with nature. Some of the ways to do this are:
- Educate ourselves about the needs of the biosphere as a whole and our local ecosystems in particular.
- Cultivate an appreciation for and conscious connection with the natural environments in which we live, including animals, plants, soil, water, and air.
- Include care for the environment in our discussion of Yogic ethical practices.
- Commit ourselves to policies, products, and actions that minimize environmental harm and maximize environmental benefit.
- And if we are Yoga teachers or centers, we will incorporate these commitments into our work with students.
Chapple also suggests:
- Reading or re-reading the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita citing that each verse is “one to live by”.
- Becoming aware of and guarding against harmful tendencies.
- Practice pratipaksha bhavanam, doing or thinking the opposite when negative thoughts or impulses arise (see The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 11.33).
As yoga (and the current economical conditions) advocates a radical individuality in the approach to life, we are given license to be as creative as possible in our efforts. Yogaglo is a studio that has grabbed that creative license and ‘flowed’ with it by charging a monthly fee of $18 a month…yes folks, I said EIGHTEEN DOLLARS A MONTH for unlimited classes in studio and online (all in-studio classes are recorded and immediately posted on their website free of advertisements). Through yoga and conscious events, Yogaglo’s intention is to encourage people around the world to invest in the quality of the human condition and to serve as a vehicle for social change. Five percent of their profits go to an organization of your choosing from a list of non-profit partners.
Yoga and meditation are virtually tool kits for eco-sustainability through its principles…all it takes is to pick a tool and get to work…
Chris Chapple also holds Yoga Sutra Sadhana (Study and Practice) Sunday mornings 8:30 - 10:00am at the Hill St. Center in Santa Monica.
‘han’ – to strike with the intent of doing harm
‘imsa’ – indicates desire
From ‘negating the desire to do harm’ we have thus come to the modern definition of ahimsa as ‘nonviolence’.
So how does this quality resonate in our own lives? How does it move from within you, out into the Universe? And how is it cultivated? These were some of the questions addressed in “Yoga, Nonviolence (Ahimsa), and Ecology”, a recent talk given at Yogaglo by renowned theologian Dr. Chris Chapple, Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University. The talk explored how the principle of nonviolence and the practice of Yoga meditation can be combined to heighten our awareness of nature and the need for environmental activism. Yoga, defined as union is not only the union of the mind and the body through our breath, but also our union with the Divine, which not only lies within but also without in the form of our fellow creatures, the earth and even beyond into the cosmos. Through honoring this world around us, ahimsa is cultivated. Through our yoga practice we have the opportunity to become attuned to the various forms ahimsa takes. How does it play out in our yoga practice; do we listen to our bodies above our egos? How does it play out in our personal life; do we recognize and accept our uniqueness and our rightness in the present moment? The energy of what we choose to (or not to) practice carries out into our daily lives and radiates outward into the world like ripples moving toward the outer edges of a pond. Thus, no small act or thought goes without affecting the greater consciousness.
According to the Green Yoga Association, another organization Dr. Chapple is involved with, we must learn to live in balance with nature. Some of the ways to do this are:
- Educate ourselves about the needs of the biosphere as a whole and our local ecosystems in particular.
- Cultivate an appreciation for and conscious connection with the natural environments in which we live, including animals, plants, soil, water, and air.
- Include care for the environment in our discussion of Yogic ethical practices.
- Commit ourselves to policies, products, and actions that minimize environmental harm and maximize environmental benefit.
- And if we are Yoga teachers or centers, we will incorporate these commitments into our work with students.
Chapple also suggests:
- Reading or re-reading the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita citing that each verse is “one to live by”.
- Becoming aware of and guarding against harmful tendencies.
- Practice pratipaksha bhavanam, doing or thinking the opposite when negative thoughts or impulses arise (see The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 11.33).
As yoga (and the current economical conditions) advocates a radical individuality in the approach to life, we are given license to be as creative as possible in our efforts. Yogaglo is a studio that has grabbed that creative license and ‘flowed’ with it by charging a monthly fee of $18 a month…yes folks, I said EIGHTEEN DOLLARS A MONTH for unlimited classes in studio and online (all in-studio classes are recorded and immediately posted on their website free of advertisements). Through yoga and conscious events, Yogaglo’s intention is to encourage people around the world to invest in the quality of the human condition and to serve as a vehicle for social change. Five percent of their profits go to an organization of your choosing from a list of non-profit partners.
Yoga and meditation are virtually tool kits for eco-sustainability through its principles…all it takes is to pick a tool and get to work…
Chris Chapple also holds Yoga Sutra Sadhana (Study and Practice) Sunday mornings 8:30 - 10:00am at the Hill St. Center in Santa Monica.
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