Healthy Living Tips

Delivering Happiness

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by Ted Ning

I recently attended a conference where the keynote speaker was successful entrepreneur Tony Hsieh, CEO of the successful online apparel shop Zappos.com. In 1999, at the age of 24, Tony Hsieh sold LinkExchange, the company he co-founded, to Microsoft for $265 million. He then joined us as an advisor and investor, and eventually became CEO, where he helped us grow from almost no sales to over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales annually, while simultaneously making Fortune magazines annual Best Companies to Work For list. In November 2009, Zappos.com, Inc. was acquired by Amazon.com in a deal valued at $1.2 billion on the day of closing. I was very interested to know what makes Zappos so unique.

Tony shared with the audience that he views things differently than most. He perceives Zappos as not a shoe company but rather a service company that happens to sell shoes. One of the key things I heard Tony say was that they take funds that are typically set aside for advertising and apply it to customer service. In 2008 over $1 billion of sales was done with repeating customers and word of mouth. What was it that makes people come back to buy things at Zappos? Tony stated it was because they consider customer service as the number one priority. This is nothing new to sales and marketing. I think we have all heard this before but what Zappos does differently is apply it to their corporate culture. Instead of viewing customer service as what the customer receives they view it as to what the customer experiences. Because Zappos is an online store their phone service is vital for success. They have their number in big numbers on every page of their website so people can easily find it and call. They recognize that the customer service must be good. But the people who call don’t often result in a sale and this is not the focus of the call center. Instead Zappos uses the call center as a branding opportunity. Yes sales do happen through the call center but that is not the call center’s primary focus. This is a very different way of looking at a call service center. They also provide overnight shipping anywhere in the U.S. They recognize this is expensive but it adds to the customer experience and out paces competitors. Zappos considers the extra costs as a marketing cost rather than an additional expense.

You would think the mantra in the company is all about customer service. It is a strong component of what Zappos is all about but the larger priority is creating a strong corporate culture and they work on maintaining, nurturing and protecting it. Zappos human resources department has an interview on culture for new employees to see if they are a good fit. Once they are accepted by Zappos the new hires go through a 5 week training course and once the training is complete they are given a choice to either join the company or be given $3,000 on the spot to leave. This process weeds out those who are focusing on the paycheck and not committed to the Zappos culture. Internal annual performance reviews value 50% based on culture and growth within the company. They want employees to contribute to the success of the Zappos culture with recommendations and initiatives. All new hire training covers history of the Zappos culture and experience in their call center. Customer service is not just a department but part of the whole company. All have to answer calls and understand the skills it takes which include executives, accountants, IT and other non-customer service related departments. When customers get the perfect fit of all of these it equals happiness. If customers get what they want and have a tremendous experience they feel happy. Therefore Zappos believes they are delivering happiness.

Zappos created 10 core values for their company. Tony stressed that it is important to not make these values meaningless. They must be committable core values. At Zappos they are used for hiring and firing people.

Here are Zappos 10 Core Values:
1. Deliver WOW Through Service
2. Embrace and Drive Change
3. Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
4. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
5. Pursue Growth and Learning
6. Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
7. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
8. Do More With Less
9. Be Passionate and Determined
10. Be Humble

This results in every employee living the brand alignment of value and in doing this it equates to long term sustainable growth. Zappos is now educating other companies on culture with online tools and seminars. Recently a refrigerator company has gone through the training and have seen their sales increase.

Another ingredient for success is to focus on a higher purpose beyond profit. It is important to think bigger than money and focus on what motivates you? Create that vision and chase the vision not the dollar. Perhaps it is being a good parent or good citizen. Tony stated in his talk, “Don’t chase the paper, chase the dream.”

He also pointed out the difference between motivation and inspiration. Motivation can be used to a point and makes up a large part of how leaders relate to their teams. But there also needs to be elements of inspiration that tap into the deeper and stronger soul energies of a person.

With today’s technology and digital aspects of sales there is a difference with high touch compared to high tech. High tech provides broader and faster access to customers and is a good tool. But it is only a tool. High touch provides an emotional connection with people to ensure their experience with a company is top notch. Zappos focuses on the high touch because it believes it makes customers happier. An example of a company that does this well is Cirque de Soleil. They are not in the circus business they are into the experience and emotions business.

Zappos is currently creating a new community building imitative in Las Vegas where they are based. Rather than go the Nike and Google campus model Zappos will integrate their main headquarters into the existing local community and use existing buildings. They plan to build residential businesses and use existing areas to build other business opportunities around Zappos with the Zappos mission. They offer daily tours of their headquarters to anyone interested. They will pick you up from the airport and share their story with anyone willing to listen.

Tony said according to happiness research we are really bad at predicting what will make us happy. For example most think that winning the lottery will provide happiness. But studies have shown that many winners are not happier than they were before. In fact in some instances it has caused more problems than benefits.

Why is happiness so mysterious to attain? It is because our current society messaging values perceived control and progress which are to demonstrate accomplishment which we are told will make us happy. Instead we should focus on connectedness and meaning which give us a sense of community, well being and contentment.

There are three types of happiness: 1. The Rock Star lifestyle with riches and fame where everyone loves you and what you do. This is very rare. 2. Flow which is when someone is in synch with their challenges. Athletes talk about this when they are in the zone. This is not as rare but more sporadic and based on the correct circumstances. 3. A clear understanding of meaning and higher purpose. This is something that can be called upon from an individual at all times and anywhere. This is much more long lasting and sustaining.

But people always aim for rock star. We should reverse our efforts – meaning, flow, rock star. Once we do this happiness will ultimately follow.

How LOHAS Fits With Occupy Wall Street

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 by Ted Ning

This last week I had a chance to listen in on a discussion with some of the leaders of the Occupy Wall Street demonstration happening in New York. Unlike many of my Facebook friends who have been quite vocal on the demonstrations, I have been a bit of a quite bystander on the sidelines not really understanding what to make the protests nor clear on who is exactly leading the viral movement or what it really stands for. Furthermore, I did not see how the Occupy Wall Street movement and the LOHAS intersect. By being a part of this conversation with those who not only were sleeping in the park but actually leaders of the NY Occupy group I hoped would bring some answers to these burning questions. The first thing that struck me about the representatives of the demonstration was how young, energetic and passionate they were for their cause. All were in their twenties and full of zeal. Each of them wore several hats of responsibility ranging from tactical to basic services. One was part of the kitchen/comfort team that provided infrastructure needs. Another was a recent grad who has large student loans and was on the communications team for outreach and press. Another was a facilitator of meetings and responsible for damage control. They gave the ground rules of how there were going to interact with the business audience that I was a part of and did so in an untypical way. For example if you liked something you waved your fingers up. If you didn’t, you waived them down. The business group asked them what their demands were and they replied that there were no demands right now as they recognized that this movement/demonstration was still evolving and they did not want to be compartmentalized to specific demands yet. They explained that the movement is open source movement that focuses on equality and sharing for all involved. They said they had been mentored by those involved in the recent Egyptian movement and recognized revolution theory and practice must work in parallel and not one after the other. I think this is one of the most difficult things to understand from the outside looking in. The fact that this movement is being created on a completely seperate set of standards and rules are a bit perplexing. This certainly is a fluid movement that we are witnessing ebb and flow before our eyes. The Occupy Wall Street representatives spoke of a new breed of activism they were creating and were preparing for a long haul. One interesting thing I noticed is that they were not seeking money from the business audience which I would expect they want. This was the SVN conference with many investors and socially responsible entrepreneurs who were already active participants in the Occupy Wall Street movement. I couldn't think of a better place to ask for cash. But they didn't see it that way. They said they had $500K in a fund and were afraid it would get too large and unruly to manage. Instead they were asking for gifts of service and hard goods rather than money. One said ‘Giving money does not provide control by the giver once the check is passed. This is the mode of the traditional economy which we are protesting against.’ They want to promote and develop a new form of economy - a gift economy. What they said they needed most were the gifts of hard goods like strong and warm tents for the winter, food and supplies, educational training and more action oriented people to join them. They also want a gift economy website and a new open source web that was not draconian dominated by large search engines like Google. I found this discussion to be quite informative and gave me a better understanding of the thinking of the leadership. The open source and evolving platform is definitely new and challenging for institutions to understand since there are no demands. It is also challenging to hear what they are for rather than see what is reported on the news and see the hand made signs of what they are against. Listening to this meeting helped me understand their thinking a bit more. For those who want more information The Occupy Wall Street general assembly has a call to action document online at www.nycga.net.

Save the dates
On November 5th Occupy Wall Street asking everyone to move their money from the large banks to credit unions and community banks. The large banks continue to thrive while many are starving. Everyone has a credit union near them even if they don’t know it. For a list of national credit unions visit - www.thecommunitybanker.com/cu_links

Another option is a community bank which is one that supports investments locally. www.findabetterbank.com/community_banks_credit_unions.html

On November 17th they are planning a large scale demonstration. They want to disrupt all the bridges in the U.S. This is meant to have the 1% feel the pain of disconnection and cut off as the other 99% feel. People feel like their lives are falling apart and they want others to get a taste of that.

What The Occupy Wall Street Movement is Asking
The representatives were clear that you don’t need to spend the night in the park although you are welcome to do so. This is not about just occupying a square but also occupying hearts and minds of people. They ask all who support their cause to be visible! The Occupy platform in new and is a new way to approach the current economic problems that is open source – use it! Participate!

To learn what events are happening and where go to www.occupytogether.org

To promote an event and needs of demonstrators go to www.occupywishlist.org/tos.html

One person in the business group asked about the potential anger and backlash from the Nov. 17th planned protest and disruption by those who are not part of the 1% yet are affected and caught off guard and in the crossfire. Their response was that the demonstrations need to be adjusted to various situations and reminded everyone that this is a work in progress and is open source. Another asked if there are there concerns with infiltrators. The Occupy representatives recognized that security is a challenge but also pointed out that it is difficult to penetrate a horizontal model with no top down leadership. If there were people planning to undermine initiatives it is easier to see who they are and point them out to everyone involved. A question was raised on the relations with the NYPD union and if they are backing the Occupy movement and the concerns with police brutality. The Occupy representatives replied that the union publicly does not support them but police individually do. However the New York correctional facility union is publicly backing Occupy and is providing food for those camping out. This is probably putting some pressure and scrutiny on the NYPD union for their position. The question of police brutality came up and what they are doing about it. They also acknowledged that both sides have been the facilitators of abuse and that educating protestors on how to behave was a high priority.

So how does LOHAS fit into this? A challenging question to say the least. LOHAS is not only about healthy living and environmentalism but also social justice. When someone sees injustices they are typically inclined to act whether it be fair labor practices with coffee, child labor, blood diamonds, animal testing and all other forms of injustice that so many LOHAS products promote that they are against. Clearly there are a lot of people in pain and there is a feeling of imbalance and pain which has people seeking answers to the very complex process that got us to where we are. LOHAS can help shape this movement and direct it. LOHAS is not just about the sale of products and services to the Whole Foods shopper. It can be used as an agent of change. Because this is open source movement it can be whatever we want it to be. I think we all agree that there is something quite interesting happening here and we are watching something happen in our country that we have not seen for a long time. We can’t put the genie back in the bottle. There is something going on. Those who believe in LOHAS principles needs to speak out but do so in a way that maintains balance in a situation that is ripe for polarity. If we do not we risk falling into the quarrels of black and white when everything is really grey. We must work on maintaining a voice to ensure there is a balance with in the movement. We must integrate both the qualities of defiance and protest with those qualities of bridging process and nurturing. It is easy to get caught up in our differences and overlook our similarities. We have become a country of residence instead of citizens who are active in our community and ensuring it improves for all. Our power must serve our purpose not the other way around. We aspire for that perfect life where all are equal, the environment is clean and we are at peace. But to have that happen we need to get involved. We must expand our way of thinking since our old methods of structure clearly need an upgrade. This is what I believe the Occupy Wall Street is demanding. So is this what we have been waiting for? I ask for those out there to participate in some form to help shape this in a LOHAS way. Initially it looks a bit fragmented and dysfunctional and perhaps it will dissipate as time goes one. But that is what they said in Egypt. Stay informed on the matters, talk about it with others and educate them on the details. If you choose to get involved more by moving your money or donate gifts of goods and services to the cause or camping out and being an active demonstrator I applaud you. Being active in a LOHAS way can assist in the transformation of our world into one that provides healthy living and sustainability for everyone.

Here is MSNBCs Ryan Ratigan losing his cool but he does have a point.

Mindfulness in the Workplace

Monday, October 24, 2011 by Ted Ning

I recently had the opportunity to present at Naropa University in Boulder with Google’s Chade Meng Tan who has a job that I wish I had. He gave me his business card and his job title is Google’ Jolly Good Fellow (which nobody can deny). Really! He is one of the earliest engineers hired by Google and his job description is "Enlighten minds, open hearts, create world peace". I had a chance to speak with him about his role and his goals. The guy is a real gem - funny, unassuming and very approachable.

How did you come up with your job description?
One of the unique work policies at Google is the ‘20 percent time’. This means that throughout your work time at Google they allow employees to work 20 percent on anything that they want. One day I went on a walk and decided that I want to work on world peace through compassion.

That is great. Many people have dedicated their lives to this cause. How does yours differ?
My approach is a little different since I am an engineer and hardwired in logic and practicality. I want compassion to be a part of modern day living in the U.S. I believe that in order for this to take root it needs to have proven positive results.

Wouldn’t we all? Do you have an example of this?
In 1927 Harvard created the fatigue lab and wanted to study exercise to prove exercise is healthy. At the time this was thought of as nonscientific and no one would support the funding of the research. The only support they got was from the Army. The study had some amazing results and found that a fit person is a fit person is physiologically different from an unfit person. Today health is universal and everyone knows the following: 1. Everyone knows health is good. 2. All know how to get fit and information is available and accessible. 3. People can do it at work. 4. It is completely integrated into society. My goal is to apply the same principles to meditation.

That would be great! There are plenty of people who are stressed at work don’t you agree?
Yes indeed. At Google people wear stress as a badge of honor to show how strong they are and how much they can endure. I want to change the concept of stress reduction to a model of success. I want to create this to be customer focused and the by product will be world peace.

So world peace is a bi product and not the focus?
Yes mindfulness leads to emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence, if properly trained, leads to inner peace, inner joy and compassion. All 3 are needed. Inner peace alone will not do it. You must have all 3 at a global scale.

How do we implement this?
At Google we have the motto launch early and launch often. Some other engineers and I sat in the room trying to figure this out. We created the ‘Search Inside Yourself’ initiative and a building authentic relationship course and empathy course. This helped create the Google University.

Impressive! What does the ‘search inside yourself initiative’ teach?
The search inside yourself initiative focuses on attention. A calm and clear mind creates the foundation. How this is done is through mindfulness. Moment to moment non judging attention. A study was done on the brain. The amygdala is part of the brain that contains our emotions. If you perceive a threat your amygdala takes over. People with mindfulness training can downgrade the amygdala take over. When meditating we are calm and joyful. This joy is non energetic, is highly sustainable and subtle therefore takes a quite mind. This inner joy can be called on demand. Happiness is not what we pursue but what we allow.

And what do we do with our attention?
We create what I call ‘high resolution perception’. This causes subtle changes in process of emotional perception. We can experience the detection of emotion and create the option of choice. This leads to emotional mastery and develops confidence. Body emotional awareness increases empathy. Empathy reflects others emotions in and on my body and therefore I can view the emotional process. Emotions are physiological processes, and recognizing that allow us to change from ‘I am angry’ to ‘I am experiencing anger in my body’. The emotion is not a part of being. Kindness and goodness are mental habits. Compassion fosters habit of helping others. These are trainable. If you want to be happy change your interactions with others. What you think you will become.

How do you bring this to the corporate world?
We must bring science and statistics to it. We need to own the knowledge and be customer oriented and meet people where they are in order to have it be applied to daily life easily.

How can it be communicated in business to those who don’t believe in the theory or think it is too strange?
There are 3 things that need to be implemented to be affective. The first thing is the correct language. Language is extremely important. We cannot go beyond the current level of expertise of people or it will be over their heads. At Google ‘deeper awareness’ training has been reworded to ‘high resolution perception’ training. This is much more acceptable to employees and human resources department. Remember human resources is coming from a place of caution and risk prevention for the company. Therefore you need to have empathy for their point of view in order for them to support a companywide initiative. Secondly, we need to use the minimum affective dose. If we overdose we will push people away. We teach people a simple 2 minute meditation exercise. This is about the same amount of attention time that my 12 year old daughter has for this so I think it is a short enough time for people to practice. Thirdly, is to get an appropriate instructor. You need someone with a deep practice who owns the science and provides credibility and speaks the language of the audience. Saving the world will fail as a goal. But if you work on mindfulness and compassion it will be a byproduct of the end results.

Product Review: Spirulina Crunchies from Green Tara

Monday, October 3, 2011 by Kathleen May

I have never been a fan of spirulina simply because of its taste. Having worked in the health foods and natural beauty industries, I have been fully aware of the health benefits of spirulina and really wanted to love it for those reasons, especially given my anemia - as spirulina is very high in absorbable iron. But I could never move beyond the "dirty weeds" flavor of this blue-green algae superfood - even in tablet form.

Spirulina was an important food source for the Aztecs and other Mesoamericans through the Sixteenth Century and remains a popular nutritional supplement among natural health advocates today. It provides a rich combination of absorbable iron, protein, antioxidants, 10 of the 12 amino acids (all of the 8 essential aminos, making it a complete protein), chlorophyll, and a wealth of vitamins and minerals - including high leveles of B-12, which can be hard to come by. Spirulina is easily digestible and absorbable by the body - however, Phelylketonarics should be aware that Spirulina contains phenylalanine.

I was willing to give Spirulina Crunchies

from Green Tara a try because of their claim that their spirulina product tastes more like munching on a popular, healthy breakfast cereal than eating weeds and dirt. While I wouldn't say that these savory little nuggets are my favorite snack, I will agree that they are far better tasting than any other spirulina pruduct I've tasted so far (and I've tried lots). I popped a small handful into my mouth and was pleasantly surprised that the dirty flavor of spirulina I'd disliked was replaced by a toasted, nutty, sage-like flavor. At last, I have a way to get spirulina into my diet! In fact, these toasty little granules have now become a regular addition to my morning health smoothie.

Kat's Favorite Smoothie recipe
(all foods are organic):

1 peeled ripe banana
1 cup frozen mangos & strawberries
4 fresh pineapple wedges
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 cup carrots
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup orange juice or water
4 tablespoons liquid daily vitamins
1/2 cup flaxseed
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup unflavored whey protein powder
2 tablespoons Spirulina Crunchies®

*provides 3-4 servings

Drink to your health!

Netflix Subscribers See Red, But Video Streaming Is All Green

Monday, September 26, 2011 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

When Netflix CEO Reed Hastings raised prices dramatically to discourage use of mail-in DVD service in favor of internet streaming, all holy hell broke loose with both customers and investors. The company has lost nearly half its market value since July and nearly one million customers have abandoned ship.

Amidst this fury, I began thinking about Netflix as a customer and as a environmental advocate. My conclusion is that while Mr. Hastings probably needs some brushing up on his bedside manner or maybe should attend charm school, his edict is a blessing for the green world. Alas, Blockbuster, R.I.P., and as much as I like popping a couple of those little red envelopes filled with my favorite films into my brief case so I can view them anytime or anyplace, this practice as well needs to end.

Logic prevails when analyzing the Netflix situation. Think about the amount of fossil fuels burned by thousands upon thousands of SUVs with well-meaning suburban mom and 60 pound kid aboard, driving in traffic to the video store to grab the latest new release of Twilight or Justin Bieber's Never Say Never. Or more recently, the U.S. Postal Service trucks and vans, filled with hundreds of thousands of those red envelopes, transporting them across the nation to the mailboxes of America -- and back. It is impossible to estimate the amount of fuel needed for this logistic.

Enter video streaming. From a green perspective, this is a brilliant way to save gazillions of gallons of fuel, and deliver movies to Netflix customers in real time. And while I feel badly for our continually shrinking U.S. Postal Service, the elimination of the red envelopes will save untold amounts of fuel and emissions since delivery and pickup is no longer part of the equation. Admittedly, the tens of thousands of computers, servers and televisions that will be used to view the streaming movies still create quite a bit of ambient heat. However, from a sustainability standpoint, the score is streaming one, delivery/pickup zero. Not to mention, Netflix will increase its profit margin by saving many millions on packaging, postage and handling.

A United States Postal Service truck seen in Carson City, Nevada. Photographed by Coolcaesar on December 24, 2005.

A recent story on Gigaom quoted an NRDC study showing that streaming is vastly more energy efficient than other forms of movie watching. Netflix believes in this so deeply that it is splitting the company into two separate entities, probably in secret hopes that the DVD delivery side will be phased out. (The new "hard copy" DVD delivery and return side will be called Quickster.)

There will be some losses of jobs at both the Netflix warehouses and USPS, which again, I feel badly about. The overall result however speaks for itself: streaming video is way, way greener than any other way to watch a film. So, my sustainable friends, our recommendation is that you forget about the Great Netflix Controversy, cancel your Quickster subscriptions, and take the streaming-only portion of the subscription service. Here is another case where going green is not only the smart and environmentally conscious choice, but also good for the company. We like it, and Netflix will, too.

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

CAM: It's not Magic, It's Medicine

Friday, September 23, 2011 by E. Feigenbaum, Ph.D.

Like the LOHAS movement itself, integrative medicine is also on the rise despite recent economic trends and challenges. As Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) becomes more mainstream, skeptics of integrative medicine have also become increasingly vocal. Thousands of years and countless studies support the efficacy of treatment options within fields like Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), though often critics of holistic medicine focus their attention on newer, less researched, and less regulated fields that remain on the fringe of holistic medicine.

In response, many CAM users may speak with an unyielding defense, enthusiasm, and "belief" in alternative medicine. However, bundling the "fringes" of holistic alternative medicine along with more credible CAM options may actually confuse new patients about what is appropriate for their conditions. Moreover, adamant "belief" of users may misrepresent the science and rigorous training of licensed CAM providers.

Whether seeking to manage a chronic condition or support to maintain healthy lifestyles, there are a number of CAM alternatives that effectively meet patients' needs. For companies seeking access to credentialed CAM providers, CAM PPO of America, Inc. offers access to a national network of CAM practitioners. Because of the emphasis on healthy living through lifestyle management, including non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical alternatives, investing in integrative medicine options offers an innovative addition to an overall

green business strategy.

There Is No Yoga Without Love

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 by EdandDeb Shapiro

Yoga has lost its essence, its core meaning, from what it was originally meant to be. It is wonderful that what is popularly known as yoga has reached millions of people, as the physical practices are brilliant in promoting health and well-being, but this is a bit like having a tiny slice of delicious pie and thinking you have the whole pie. There is so much more pie to go, as the vastness of yoga takes us into deepening our understanding of the whole of ourselves.

Unfortunately, yoga's very popularity has led to the loss of the key ingredient: love. Without love, yoga is dry, a physical and mental exercise that doesn't truly touch our inner being. It lacks what yoga is authentically meant to be about, which is a direct way to realize our full potential, our creative nature, our pure understanding and transcendence. We can read all the books and know the teachings, such as the Vedas, yoga sutras, and specifically the Bhagavad Gita, but these just point the way and are not enough to awaken.

With love, yoga comes alive, opening the heart wide with compassion, awakening kindness, joy, generosity, caring and laughter. The real joy, the heart of yoga, is love. Love reveals the way for us to live in truth.
If you are doing it to look better or lose weight then it may be good but it isn’t yoga. If it is a physical exercise class or a social event to have fun then it isn’t yoga. But if it is touching your heart, if it is reaching deep into your being and revealing the goodness of who you are, if it is giving you a glimpse into what is possible, then you are tasting of the beauty of yoga. If you feel joy and peace beyond understanding, that is yoga!

Rather than struggling to perfect awkward-looking postures, we learn to transform our minds and emotions and to connect deeply with our inner selves. Ultimately, this leads to awakening, the discovery of who we really are, free from obsessive ego identification. En route to awakening is the heart.

Opening our heart as wide as the universe is one of life's most powerful experiences. The heart is the core of our being, the place we point to when we refer to ourselves. And it is the center of love. The purpose of yoga is to realize our authentic true self, rather than focusing on the egoistic and superficial self we relate to daily. To do this we have to be in love, we have to be in the heart.

We do not have to go in search of this love, or fear giving away so much that we have none left. We can never lose love; we can only lose sight of it. Love could not happen if it was not already an integral part of who we are. How can we lose what is our nature? How can we be left with nothing when love is the source of all life? This is the fearless embracing of ourselves and all others, enemy and friend alike!

When we complete the journey to our own heart, we will find ourselves in the hearts of everyone else—Father Thomas Keating, from our book, Be The Change

This is seen in the following Native American story of a child learning the lessons of life from his father. “There are two wolves that are fighting each other in my heart," his father says. "The first wolf is angry, jealous, dishonest, bitter, and hateful. The second wolf is kind, caring, compassionate, generous, and honest.” The child asks which of the wolves will win the fight. His father replies, “The one I chose to feed.”

We recently led the Sunday morning service at our local Unity Church. At the end of our talk, over the loud speakers, came the Beatles' famous song: All You Need Is Love! The only way out of political madness and confusion and world suffering is love. Yes, what the world needs now is love.

Do you do yoga from your head or from your heart? Do comment below. You can receive notice of our blogs every Tuesday by checking Become a Fan at the top.

******

See our award-winning book: BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors Richard Freeman, Seane Corn, Jane Fonda, Jack Kornfield, Marianne Williamson, Ram Dass, Byron Katie, and many others.

Our 3 meditation CD's: Metta—Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi–Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra–Inner Conscious Relaxation, are available at: www.EdandDebShapiro.com

There Is No Yoga Without Love

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 by EdandDeb Shapiro

Unfortunately, yoga's very popularity has led to the loss of the key ingredient: love. Without love, yoga is dry, a physical and mental exercise that doesn't truly touch our inner being. It lacks what yoga is authentically meant to be about, which is a direct way to realize our full potential, our creative nature, our pure understanding and transcendence. We can read all the books and know the teachings, such as the Vedas, yoga sutras, and specifically the Bhagavad Gita, but these just point the way and are not enough to awaken.

With love, yoga comes alive, opening the heart wide with compassion, awakening kindness, joy, generosity, caring and laughter. The real joy, the heart of yoga, is love. Love reveals the way for us to live in truth.

If you are doing it to look better or lose weight then it may be good but it isn’t yoga. If it is a physical exercise class or a social event to have fun then it isn’t yoga. But if it is touching your heart, if it is reaching deep into your being and revealing the goodness of who you are, if it is giving you a glimpse into what is possible, then you are tasting the beauty of yoga. If you feel joy and peace beyond understanding, that is yoga!

Rather than struggling to perfect awkward-looking postures, we learn to transform our minds and emotions and to connect deeply with our inner selves. Ultimately, this leads to awakening, the discovery of who we really are, free from obsessive ego identification. En route to awakening is the heart.

Opening our heart as wide as the universe is one of life's most powerful experiences. The heart is the core of our being, the place we point to when we refer to ourselves. And it is the center of love. The purpose of yoga is to realize our authentic true self, rather than focusing on the egoistic and superficial self we relate to daily. To do this we have to be in love, we have to be in the heart.

We do not have to go in search of this love, or fear giving away so much that we have none left. We can never lose love; we can only lose sight of it. Love could not happen if it was not already an integral part of who we are. How can we lose what is our nature? How can we be left with nothing when love is the source of all life? This is the fearless embracing of ourselves and all others, enemy and friend alike!

When we complete the journey to our own heart, we will find ourselves in the hearts of everyone else—Father Thomas Keating, from our book, Be The Change

This is seen in the following Native American story of a child learning the lessons of life from his father. “There are two wolves that are fighting each other in my heart," his father says. "The first wolf is angry, jealous, dishonest, bitter, and hateful. The second wolf is kind, caring, compassionate, generous, and honest.” The child asks which of the wolves will win the fight. His father replies, “The one I chose to feed.”

We recently led the Sunday morning service at our local Unity Church. At the end of our talk, over the loud speakers, came the Beatles' famous song: All You Need Is Love! The only way out of political madness and confusion and world suffering is love. Yes, what the world needs now is love!

When one has once fully entered the realm of love, the world – no matter how imperfect – becomes rich and beautiful, for it consists solely of opportunities for love. -- Kierkegaard

******

See our award-winning book: BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors Jon Kabat-Zinn, Jane Fonda, Jack Kornfield, Marianne Williamson, Ram Dass, Byron Katie, and many others.

Our 3 meditation CD's: Metta—Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi–Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra–Inner Conscious Relaxation, are available at: www.EdandDebShapiro.com

Top LOHAS-ish Fall Conferences for 2011

Thursday, August 18, 2011 by Ted Ning

Here it is mid August and already I have to start working on my conference attending schedule for the fall of 2011. It seems like I have to do this earlier and earlier each year primarily because there are so many LOHAS oriented conferences being added or are catching my attention that I did not know of before. I have done a post on what events I think are important the past 2 years and here is my 3rd installment of top green/health and wellness/social enterprise/sustainability/leadership conferences worth considering as you plan your conference schedule for the fall.

For those new to the conference scene, there are two seasons – fall and spring. There are associations and organization that provide 1 or 2 events a year usually during those months. This is primarily because summer is a time when many set up personal vacation time and winter has more holiday time and weather issues.

Conference strategy
In determining which event is best for you take a look at the speakers and topics that will be presented. It is also important to look at the sponsors and how the event is presented via the event website. This will give you a feel on the type of companies that will be attending the event and what type of audience the event is trying to attract. By viewing the agenda content you can get an idea on how in depth they plan on going on topics. Also look at the networking opportunities that are in the program. Some events consciously embed them in the program via receptions, meals and outings and others do not. It is really up to you to make the best of the time for your own networking purposes.

On site
I find attending events to be incredibly stimulating. However I also find them to be extremely exhausting. Make sure you eat right, drink plenty of fluids, keep to a good sleep schedule and maintain a steady energy balance. For the large trade shows make sure you wear comfortable and supportive shoes for those hours on the exhibit floor. There are plenty of after party events to attend at which you can have some great business talks. It is up to you to make sure you know what formula works best for you. Set up meetings in advance if you can. That way you have some anchors to build the rest of the day's plan around and not get too lost in the shuffle of things - especially if they are large trade shows.

Leadership
Women in Green - August 30-31st Santa Monica CA
Focuses on women in leadership positions that promote green business. Although all the speakers are women you don’t need to be of the double X chromosome to attend. This is the second year of the event and according to people who attended last year it was about 200 people. This year there should be more.

Conscious Capitalism - OCT 12-14 Austin TX
You need an invite to attend this prestigious event that brings many CEO’s together to discuss conscious leadership within organizations. It is a relatively small event with around 200 attending. John Mackey of Whole Foods co-founded this and has people ranging from the CEO of the Container Store to Jean Houston speaking on how business can drive conscious change.

Green
Green Initiatives Conference Sept 29-30th Ft Lauderdale FL
A new event on my radar that has some interesting presenters and sponsors. The event team that is putting this on look like they have a tech background and may be one of the main focuses of the event. There are larger corporations participating such as DOW, HP and Coca Cola. It looks like they will focus on sustainability within larger companies and case studies from experiences.

SXSW Eco Oct 4-6 Austin, TX
SXSW music festival looks to sing a new green tune this year with the addition of a green event. Former LOHAS speakers who will be presenting include Simran Sethi and Philippe Cousteau. This is thier first year and the B2B event looks interesting. A great idea tagging it onto SXSW.

Opportunity Green Nov 9-10 Los Angeles, CA
OG is in its 3rd year and brings together green business and sustainable design in LA. They have about 800 attendees from all walks of life – corporate, entrepreneurs, media and of course Hollywood. They hold a great green design competition and it is a high energy event with interesting sessions and booths ranging from LED lighting for studios to BMW to water filters.

BSR - Nov 1-4 San Francisco, CA
The big one for the larger corporations that has been around a long time focusing on the corporate responsibility of multi-national corporations. Last year they had over 1000 in attendance. If you are looking to connect with the bigger companies on CSR initiatives this is the one to check out.

Funding and Finance
SOCAP Sept 7-9 Fort Mason, San Francisco CA
A vibrant event focusing on investing into social entrepreneurship. This event brings together large funds and banks with social entrepreneurs. Competitions on business plans are submitted ahead of time for a competition for funding and there is great education on raising capital for the startup and social enterprises.

SRI in the Rockies OCT 2-5 New Orleans, LA
A flagship event for social responsible investing(SRI) that brings SRI funds together with financial advisors. They also bring in a mix of speakers who focus on humanitarian, social and environmental impacts such as Jane Goodall, David Bornstein, Hunter Lovins and Bill McDonough. If you want insights on SRI and where it is headed this is THE event to attend.

Slow Money OCT 12-14 San Francisco, CA
Slow Money is a network of food activists, investors and entrepreneurs who nurture a range of conversations in order to actively develop funding and investment channels for local and sustainable food enterprises. Like Slow Food, they have local gatherings and a larger main event promoting a slow and steady investment into businesses who are seeking an alternative to the conventional Wall Street type investor. Speakers include David Suzuki, David Orr and Vananda Shiva.

Investor's Circle OCT 26-27 Philadelphia, PA
A membership organization that support a great entrepreneurs that are addressing social and environmental issues. They look at 10-15 high impact deals that are seeking investment. They also provide a due diligence process that starts once the event is complete. It is about 200 people in attendance who are angel investors, fund managers, family office managers, foundation executives and trustees, wealth, financial and philanthropic advisers and their clients and other accredited investors.

Industry Specific
EcoTourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference Sept 19-21st Hilton Head SC
With over 30 inspiring sessions, 50 leading industry partners, and impactful and engaging keynote presentations, the ESTC 2011 (Hilton Head Island, SC, USA, September 19-21, 2011) sets the platform for ongoing dialogue promoting innovative ideas and practical solutions, driving change in global tourism.

Expo East Sept 22-24 Baltimore MD
Attended by as many as 25,000 industry professionals and featuring thousands of exhibits, Natural Products Expo East is the largest natural, organic, and healthy products trade show on the East Coast. With the newest and best-selling products and branded ingredients available this show features the best in organic at All Things Organic/Organic Products Expo-BioFach America, offers an extensive retailer training program and provides an advocacy platform through a strategic partnership with Natural Products Association East. Natural Products Expo East is ranked as one of the top 200 tradeshows in the US.

Greenbuild Oct 4-7 Toronto Canada
Greenbuild is the green building industry's can't miss event. It's where we go to learn about what's new in green building practices through the extensive educational sessions, see the latest technology and innovation in the exhibit hall, and perhaps more importantly, where we go to do business. Greenbuild is a one-stop shop for credential maintenance. From pre- or post-show LEED workshops to sector-specific summits, from green building tours to concurrent educational sessions, you will find the education you need at Greenbuild. Most sessions at Greenbuild will be approved for continuing education credits for LEED and other professional credentials, allowing you to maintain your credential with ease.

Beauty/Wellness
Natural Beauty Summit Oct 6-7 NYC
This is a smaller and formal event for the natural and organic beauty industry that brings together the mission driven companies such as Dr. Bronners and Weleda with the larger corporations such as Este Lauder, L’Oreal and Avon. It is more of a lecture format and a lot of presentation intake. If you are a data hound you will get your fill. If you are a networker you will need to work for it but there are good connections to be made. The group is a bit insular if you are an outsider but if you are seeking to enter the luxury skincare market it may be worth considering.

Green Spa Network - Oct 9-12 Sundance, UT
This event is made up of a group of spa resorts and products that want to go the extra mile in promoting green efforts in the spa industry. The event has about 100 passionate people who want to move the spa world in the direction of holistic and sustainable integration. They are a very open and friendly group that welcomes newcomers (and new members). Plus the events are always at pristine green resorts.

ISPA - Nov 7-9 Las Vegas
If you are in the spa industry you have to go where everyone goes which is the International Spa Association Conference. Every other year they have their annual event in Las Vegas which brings investors, products and service providers, spa techs and directors together. This is THE most well groomed event I have ever experienced with exhibitors providing facials, teeth whitening and massages. There is good data provided on the spa world and great sessions specific to spa owners and employees. ISPA provides great data on the spa market as well.

Social Venture Network Oct 27-30 Philadelphia, PA
SVN is a membership organization of successful social entrepreneurs ranging from Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, creators of Ben & Jerry’s, to Van Jones, former Green Czar to Obama, to Tom Szaky founder of Terracycle. It mixes sustainability with community building and innovation and a ton of passion. You can’t leave this event without 2-3 bonding hugs. It is a great place to seek mentorship, collect ideas and also potential funding from successful entrepreneurs and community leaders who are interested in helping others. This overlaps with the Investor’s Circle previously mentioned.

Net Impact Oct 27-29 Portland, OR
Net Impact is a large event that brings 2500 students and corporations together. They have chapters associated with Universities all over the country with a large membership and the event focuses on social enterprise, green business strategies, and nonprofit work.

Public Events
Yoga Journal Conference Sept 18-25 Estes Park, CO
For yoga die hards and trainers interested in the business of yoga or just to improve their own yoga practice. Famous yoga instructors such as Rodney Yee, Sean Corn and Shiva Rae have taught classes here. There is a vendor area as well.

Greenfestivals
Greenfests are the creations of Green America and a designed to celebrate green and diversity in various regions. Their flagship event in San Fran pulls in 30,000 attendees and they have some amazing keynote speakers such as Dr. Weil, Deepak Chopra, Amy Goodman, Jim Hightower and many more. Companies large and small mingle together with the public selling their products and services. I think these are great not only to see what is being sold but to see who is buying and the similarities and differences each region has as it relates to green. There is always a colorful audience at Greenfestivals.
New York 10/1-2
Los Angeles 10/29-30
San Francisco 11/12-13

Bioneers San Rafael, CA 10/14-16
Bioneers is where ecology meets activism meets celebration. I could spend hours in the parking lot just reading all the bumper stickers on people’s cars (mostly hybrids). If you are into fighting injustices of the underserved, hearing the wisdom of traditional cultures and the stories of animals and unique journeys of people this is an event for you. There are workshops on business, youth, art, peace and more. It draws about 3-5,000 who are all there because of the larger mission Bioneers embodies. Networking is great but you will need to be selective on who you connect with since there are so many types of people there.

Of course these are just a few of the many events out there of interest to me. There are many others that are international that I did not include. If there are any other events you see I am missing please feel free to comment and add.

Even Politicians Need Love – Ask The Buddha!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011 by EdandDeb Shapiro

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter, and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. -- Abraham Lincoln

The political arena right now can make any sane person feel sick and angry, because of the few selfish leaders imposing their own egocentric whims. As we have seen in the last few weeks in Washington, politicians appear to enjoy butting heads, creating chaos, and getting close to ruining millions of people's lives while they're at it. Granny may not get her Medicare or Ginger be able to pay her college tuition, but do they genuinely care about this, about the pain and suffering of others? How many lobsters, fancy cars, houses or private jets do they need? The awful horror is that these things can never make anyone happy but they certainly can pay for a hospital bed, overdue bill or foreclosure. We're pretty sure they didn't include such greed in their election campaigns.

It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways. -- Buddha

Seems like the Buddha got this one right as there is no doubt the majority of politicians appear sleazy, selfish, stubborn, and focused only on what they think is right, regardless of anyone else. The late senator Ted Kennedy was one of the few who really cared, but as President John F. Kennedy said: Mothers may still want their favorite sons to grow up to be President, but . . . they do not want them to become politicians in the process.

For example, during his recent TV show Lawrence O'Donnell played a video of Tea Party Rep Joe Walsh saying, "I won't place one more dollar of debt on the backs of my kids" before noting that Walsh owes those kids $117,437 in child support. Banning Walsh from his show, O'Donnell added "He can go tell his lies about his family values and his sense of fiscal responsibility elsewhere."

Dangerous consequences will follow when politicians and rulers forget moral principles. Whether we believe in God or karma, ethics is the foundation of every religion. – The Dalai Lama

However, this is actually a wonderful opportunity to take all politicians, as difficult as it may be, into our hearts – yes, our hearts — as it will free us from negativity. When we hate someone it is in ourselves that hate is felt, the other person feels nothing.

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. -- Buddha

We need to recognize that such selfish behavior arises from ignorance. If politicians genuinely understood we are all equal here and in it together, they could not behave like this. Therefore, we can have compassion for them. Although challenging, caring unconditionally makes us more decent individuals and allows us to open our hearts even more. It is easy to love someone we care about but can we be at peace with someone who may cause us suffering? This is not easy but it is liberating. Only then can we be free. We don’t have to approve or accept their actions but we can care about the being inside.

Despite being a wondering mendicant living without paying a mortgage, without health care expenses, and without having to have a regular job, the Buddha had remarkable insights into the intricacies of human nature and how best to live a more balanced life.

He extoled his followers to tell the truth, to be honest with both themselves and others: There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting. – Buddha. And: Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. -- Buddha

He expressed the power of words and the importance to use them wisely: Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill. – Buddha. And: Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace. – Buddha. And: Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world. -- Buddha

He also stressed the need for skilful behavior. Unskilful behavior is harmful, hurtful, creates unhealthy circumstances and suffering. Skilful behavior generates positive outcomes, treats others with respect and dignity, and ensures that all the needs of all are met.

In particular, the Buddha emphasized that it is man's own mind that is at the root of our difficulties: All wrongdoing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrongdoing remain? -- Buddha

The Dalai Lama, often considered to be a modern day Buddha, recently retired from the head of the Tibetan government, while remaining their spiritual leader. In a current article in Rolling Stone Magazine he says, "I often tell people that this century should be a century of dialogue. Peace will not come from thought or from Buddha. Peace must be built by humans, through action. So that means, whenever we face a problem – dialogue. For peace we need inner disarmament. … It will not come immediately but we have to make the effort."

If only a few of the people in a position of power were to follow some of this sage advice, perhaps our country and even the world would not be in the state it is in.

What would you like to say to politicians?

******

Our 3 meditation CD's: Metta—Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi–Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra–Inner Conscious Relaxation, are available at: www.EdandDebShapiro.com

Crowd-Sourced Moo-Lah for Food Pioneers

Friday, July 29, 2011 by Ted Ning

By Nathan Rice of Haberman

Where does a pioneering filmmaker with the idea to celebrate agriculture in the U.S. go for funding? What about a scientist with an innovative plan for improving the growing potential of urban gardens? What about someone kicking around a design for a new farmer’s market? Kickstarter.com, or its crowd-based funding brethren Kiva, is a great place to start. Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com) is a relatively new website designed specifically to support the funding of creative projects. These projects can range from promising innovative concepts to some that might be categorized as duds. That is the beauty of the system – those with a pioneering attitude and an entrepreneurial spirit can both get funding, while kicking the tires on an idea at the same time.

The inspiration behind Kickstarter is to get a large community of people backing a project in an all-or-nothing funding style (i.e., only fully-funded projects receive the money donated to them). Users of the platform offer various incentives to encourage backers to rally for their product. These incentives can vary significantly – a personal visit from the funder to report the results directly to you, a DVD of a documentary of a film, a personalized thank you card, or in one case of a $1 donation to help scientists study soil saturation in an urban garden – “a wink and a nod for being sustainable.”

A few examples of some kick-starters from food pioneers shows the great thinking and innovative concepts seeking crowd-sourced funds:

Small Farm Rising is a documentary short “inspired by first generation farmers who are redefining agriculture in America.” It is also a recipient of 103 microloans totaling more than $14,000 to help get the film finished. They blew past their goal of $9,000, giving these filmmakers both the funds and the inspiration to carry out their objectives. Thanks to the micro investors on KickStarter.com it looks like the story will get told.

Even the big boys are getting involved. Earlier this year, Sundance Films partnered with Kickstarter and Facebook in an initiative to help their aspiring film makers get a leg up through crowd-based funding.

Seeing Green: The Value of Urban Agriculture is a research project designed to “measure storm water management potential of two urban farms; Brooklyn Grange (a rooftop farm) and Added Value (raised beds) in NYC. The project is currently $2,600 short of its $12,000 goal. This looks like a cool project but fundraising is still fundraising whether it is online or offline – investors need to be inspired.

Atwater Village Farm Market (Northeast Los Angeles) is billed as a connection point between neighborhood, community, city and the environment. The village is projected to allow for “a healthy lifestyle to be sustained or developed,” a truly LOHAS-inspired goal. The group behind the idea is seeking funding to purchase things like refrigeration, food storage and equipment. The project has already received donations totaling $11,000 but is still short of its $20,000 goal with 34 days to go.

As innovators seek funding to expand their ideas and grow the market-share and awareness of Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, digital, crowd-based funding offers exciting possibilities.

Green Marketing Q&A with Seri McClendon, CLEAN Agency CEO

Thursday, July 28, 2011 by Seri Mclendon

The 2011 Green Brands Survey recently found that consumer interest in green products continues to increase and has expanded across categories – from personal care, food and household products to automotive, energy and technology goods. Companies across all sectors are rolling out new and or improved products touting eco-friendly attributes. With such a varied selection of products making green claims, how does one make an educated decision on the best products for their family and lifestyle? Seri McClendon, chief executive officer of CLEAN Agency, shares insight on this issue.

What are businesses doing to meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products and services?

Sustainability has become a key business issue for consumer product companies. They recognize that in order to remain competitive they must shift to meet the changing demands of consumers and of the environment. To do this, businesses are taking a critical look at their supply chains and determining how they can produce better products that have a reduced impact on the environment and can still deliver on their brand promise. Some of the ways this is being done include responsible raw material sourcing, more efficient manufacturing processes and reduced, reusable or recyclable packaging materials to cut waste to landfills. Companies are also beginning to highlight such innovations on their product packaging to promote their commitment to environmental stewardship and gain loyalty from like-minded consumers.

When shopping for green products, what should consumers know about “greenwashing” and how can they evaluate eco-friendly product claims?

Greenwashing has received a lot of attention lately as more and more businesses try to capitalize on the growing consumer interest in green products. Greenwashing refers to deceptive marketing used to promote a misleading statement or perception about a product, policy or service. The first step in making smart purchase decisions is to educate yourself before heading to the store. GreenerChoices.org is an excellent resource for consumers that want to learn more about specific product claims and their meaning. The site provides independently researched, unbiased information on product safety, health and nutrition, updated label claims and other related topics.

Certification labels from reputable environmental organizations can also help consumers choose sustainable products. The Environmental Protection Agency, for example, provides Energy Star certification for energy efficient home appliances and the Design for the Environment label for high performance, cost effective and environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Responsible consumer product companies like Seventh Generation, Patagonia and Aveda also document and substantiate product claims on their web site.

How can consumers further drive sustainability efforts of their favorite brands?

Be vocal! Let the brands you patronize know how you feel about their products and their efforts towards becoming more sustainable. Share feedback on a company’s web site, comment on news stories written about sustainable innovations of your favorite brands and leverage the power of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to let companies know what you want from their products and services.

ABOUT SERI MCCLENDON

Seri McClendon is the CEO of CLEAN Agency. She is an industry veteran with more than 22 years of marketing experience. Seri formed CLEAN, an integrated agency serving the sustainable business sector, from her passion for environmental studies, policy and science. She holds a Masters degree in Geography with an emphasis in Industrial Ecology and a BA in marketing. Seri is a member of The USC Center for Sustainable Cities Advisory Board and was recently recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Environment and Energy Efficiency by the 2011 Women in Business Awards.

New Directions: CAM and Employer Sponsored Health Programs

Thursday, July 28, 2011 by E. Feigenbaum, Ph.D.

Traditional health care coverage has been a mainstay of employer-sponsored health benefits for decades, even as costs hit four times the rate of inflation. The surging expenses suggest that the current approach appears less than sustainable. The costs become even more staggering when the human toll of illnesses are also calculated into the equation.

For the majority of insured people, illnesses are diagnosed, codified, and approved for treatment through standard medical interventions and insurance protocols. Since specific illnesses are typically required to qualify most expenses for eligible traditional care benefits, conscious consumers hoping to improve health before illness strikes are often left with few options.

natural options As interest in health living tips employee interest toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the research also suggests that integrative medicine has the potential to improve employee health and meet employee interest.

Currently, integrative medicine is often paid out of pocket, despite consistent increases in interest and available research to support its effectiveness in preventing and managing whole health. Surprisingly, even though smoking habits and obesity are linked to the top chronic ailments in the US, only about 9% of employers offer smoking cessation plans and a meager 6% offer weight loss programs within coverage. To enhance social accountability a trend toward investing in preventive medicine and CAM is predicted, and already more than 37% of hospitals have some CAM therapies available. LOHAS companies, in particular, may start looking for holistic alternatives and seeking socially responsible Investing options that improve employee health and preventive care through CAM benefit programs.
ginsing

Chinese consumers are more LOHAS than you think

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 by Ted Ning

Written by Renee Hartmann of Hotpot Consulting
US media coverage of China frequently focuses on environmental problems, but rarely investigates how Chinese consumers incorporate environmental concerns, health and nature into their lifestyles.

Chinese consumers crave a sanctuary from daily overdoses of pollution, rampant urbanization, traffic and food safety issues, and are gradually adopting more sustainable lifestyles to cope with the pressure and stress of every day life.

Like Bamboo in the Spring: LOHAS growth bests the West
The convergence of environmental pressures and rising incomes is resulting in a much more rapid ascendance of LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) in China than occurred in more advanced LOHAS markets such as the United States. 17% of consumers in China’s top five cities -- a combined population of more than 60 million -- describe themselves as LOHAS-focused, versus 19% of American consumers, despite the significant head start of the US market’s LOHAS consciousness.

And China’s LOHAS consumers are not price sensitive – nine out of ten consumers would be willing to pay 20% more on average for sustainable products, and are looking for increased product choices and availability.

Chinese LOHAS consumers are growing in number, are hungry for sustainable products and willing to pay higher prices – so why aren’t all sustainable brands investing like mad in the China market?

Complications
It’s complicated. For some brands, government product approvals and regulations create barriers, for others the lack of existing distribution channels requires exceedingly high levels of investment. Some are concerned with Intellectual Property issues and product quality, while others are just plain intimidated by the China market.

Are these concerns justified? Are they enough to prevent your brand from pursuing the growing China market opportunity, even as opportunities in other countries are shrinking?

The answer is: it depends – on your industry, your product, your positioning and, most of all, your appetite for adventure.

For example:
- The beauty industry is absolutely booming in China, and has a relatively strong distribution channel already in place. However, government regulations and entry requirements can be onerous.

- Luxury is in. LOHAS products are often associated with luxury in China, which is a good thing for a market that is gobbling up luxury products – both home and abroad. Western tastes like wine and chocolate fall into this category and also take advantage of Chinese customs of gifting and “showing face”.

- Food safety is a huge issue in China. High-income urbanites are actively searching for safe food options that ease anxiety and promote health. Distribution is widespread in this sector, but supply chain issues can often be thorny.

- Children are kings. Literally. Given China’s one child policy, China’s children call the shots, happily emptying the six adult wallets available to them. Toys, bottles, apparel, education, and food – you name it, parents (and grandparents) want the best for their children, and will spend to get it. Chinese shopping habits are ingrained, and will play heavily into your distribution strategy in these industries.

If the brand fits…
Yes, China is complicated. It is a big country, with a widely disparate population going through tremendous changes at a breakneck speed. But, if you play it right, it can be very lucrative for your brand, also providing ample opportunity to give back to the country and enable positive change, which is good for China and good for the world.

How do you navigate all these issues?
HotPot Consulting, Greennovate and The Wellness Works have teamed up to host a LOHAS China Insight Tour this September 20th and 21st to cover issues related to China Market Entry for Sustainable brands. Content will cover legal issues, LOHAS consumer insights, managing supply chain, distribution channels and more. You will hear from experts in many sectors, learn from businesses operating in the market and meet like-minded local distributors and partners. Visit http://goo.gl/bBKz3 for more information or contact renee@hotpotconsulting.com.

The LOHAS China Insight Tour is timed to coincide with China’s largest ECO tradeshow – EcoLifestyles from September 16th – 18th (www.ecolifestyles.cn) which gives sustainable brands an opportunity to meet more than 6,000 business attendees and more than 12,000 LOHAS minded consumers.

www.hotpotconsulting.com
www.greennovate.net
http://www.the-wellness-works.com

LOHAS Goes Jerry Springer. ~ Jolee McBreen

Friday, June 24, 2011 by Jolee McBreen

The Movement of Coalition Branding

The below article is brought to you as part of elephant journal’s ongoing coverage of LOHAS Forum. For our complete coverage, be sure to follow elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

A panel of four, along with a short video, and one semi-Jerry Spring moment, made up the Movement of Coalition Branding presentation highlighting Ecobonus.com.

The video showcased consumers that were “just like us” looking for the right brands, for the right price, and that had the right recommendations.

Even though it bordered on a slightly embarrassing infomercial, the points they made, as consumers, were valid and relatable – though I thought at any moment one of the actors would start banging a tin can on the counter out of frustration with their can-opener, or battling with 20 pieces of tupperware flying from the kitchen cabinet.

One of the main problems that the panel pointed out, as well as the video, was that consumers can’t find the information they’re looking for, or flat out don’t know where to look.

This is where ecobonus.com comes in – launching in the Fall – their website creates a hub of eco-friendly and environmentally sound businesses. The businesses are rated by users and scientists alike to give consumers the most accurate information.

One of the phrases I heard the most at LOHAS – word of mouth. This is one of the key ways to get your business, product, self, whatever, out in the open.

All of this was well and good. It sounded amazing and I would most likely log onto Ecobonus to check out what people were saying about certain businesses. However, my ears didn’t perk up until a business owner in the back raised their hand…

Calling out Good Guide immediately, you could hear the frustration in their voice when they asked why the company only catered to the big brands and not smaller owned businesses – a very valid question she backed with points as the audience applauded her.

As the tension in the room grew, resonating from the back right corner and spilling all over the stage, they continued to voice their frustration.

Good Guide speaker, Josh Dorfman, sympathized as well as he could but insisted that his company simply doesn’t have the man-power just yet.

This little spat went on for a good few minutes as I delighted in all the drama.

This furthered my respect and overall gratitude to be at such an event. Not only one that brings together like-minded people and business owners, but ones who will openly argue in front of you.

Without the disagreements you'll never find the agreements and LOHAS welcomes it all.

Tune Up to Success with Freddie Ravel

Thursday, June 23, 2011 by Lori Batcheller

The below article is brought to you as part of elephant journal’s ongoing coverage of LOHAS Forum. For our complete coverage, be sure to follow elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

Latin Jazz musician Freddie Ravel set the mood for this green conference with upbeat jazz synthesizer and said thank you in over half a dozen languages, which set an atmosphere of inclusion. As it turns out, in Chinese LOHAS means happy life and I believe that living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle will certainly lead to a happy life for the earth and its inhabitants. Freddie literally brought us all (several hundred) into harmony by tuning us to the frequency used by every orchestra before they begin to perform.

Recently, Freddie spent two weeks playing with Carlos Santana at the Hard Rock Cafe. Over the two weeks he spent there, he realized that what he once heard as noise-people, machines, music--was in fact all music. If we're really listening, says Freddie, music is everywhere.

Our own music begins in the womb with the beating of our heart, and then we become a duet with our mother's heart, When we are born, we enter the world as a "little musical masterpiece." We enter, says Freddie, listening and expressing. We are given two ears and only one mouth, he says, because listening is harder than speaking.

Freddie asks us to think about who we are and how we lead. How we listen and collaborate. How we conduct our daily life. What is our score.

Without all four working together on a master level--harmony, rhythm, melody, and score, we are not working completely.

Freddie then put forth the five most important words for the sustainability conference, "How may I help you?"

He then played a latin version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart--another way to contribute to the upbeat atmosphere of this conference.

He ended his talk with a wish that felt like a blessing--"May you always sing your melody, live your rhythm, and celebrate the great score that is you.

This I believe, is how change will happen. Each of us tuning into all of mankind and the world, knowing ourselves, and daring to sing our songs and live our greatness.

Lori Batcheller is a freelance writer, yoga instructor and registered massage therapist who writes about health and wellness and sustainable lifestyles. www.lbcreative.com.

Creating Campaigns That ADD to Society

Thursday, June 16, 2011 by Ted Ning

by Fred Haberman

What if five percent of the $500 billion in global ad spending was instead
invested in making this a better world.

Each year, companies worldwide spend $500 billion in advertising. Corporations enlist talented advertising agencies and brilliant marketers to present their products as boldly and creatively as possible – often at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars per second.

It’s an astounding amount of money. $1.7 million per 30-second spot for the Academy Awards. $3 billion spent on political ads. $12 billion spent by U.S. tobacco companies. $3 million for a 30-second Super Bowl ad – many of which are violent, degrading, or sexist.

As a marketer and parent, it’s given me pause to ask, what does all this money really do to add to our society?

What if these brands could redirect some of these ad spends for for good causes? Could a fast food brand unleash its best creative marketing minds to raise awareness that many Americans have no access to fresh produce? Why can’t an athletic apparel brand run an entire ad encouraging us to donate shoes to the citizens of Haiti?

It’s not just charity, it’s smart marketing. Research suggests consumers want this type of commitment. According to Cone Communications, 79% of consumers say they would be likely to switch from one brand to another, when price and quality are about equal – if the other brand is associated with a good cause. This means that campaigns that add value to our world can also add value for a brand, resulting in the same (or better) increase in sales that an advertising campaign may offer. Two iconic examples are Pepsi’s Refresh Project and Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.

It’s time to begin a deeper dialogue about where and how the companies whose products and services we support spend their marketing dollars. My company is seeding this conversation with a grassroots program we call “ADD or DELETE” that asks fellow marketers, “Could the $500 billion projected to be spent on advertising in 2011 be put to better use?” We hope that ADD or DELETE inspires chief marketing officers at Fortune 500 companies, creative directors at global advertising agencies, designers toiling at boutique shops and struggling copywriters entering the workforce to consider their legacies: do we want to be known for lavish ad shoots or for creating campaigns that positively impact our world?

We’ve created a website, www.ADDorDELETE.com, to provide a forum for all consumers to identify advertisements that ADD value to society vs. merely being “ads” that consumers would rather DELETE. Our video shows why. Please follow us on Facebook to join the conversation.

Our vision is that consumers will inspire business to leverage at least five percent of their advertising or marketing assets to solve social issues. If all were to agree, that would equate to $25 billion the greatest minds on Madison Avenue and creative shops worldwide could devote to stemming the rise in diabetes, fighting cancer, curbing unwanted teen pregnancies, eradicating food deserts and so much more.

Don’t get me wrong. I love humor in marketing, in the workplace and in life. I love ads. But when customers demand better from the companies they patronize, it’s an opportunity for all of us to use our influence, power and resources to help those in need. So, let’s start ADDing more to society.

Who Wears the Green Pants in Your Family?

Tuesday, June 14, 2011 by Margaret McAllister

Green pants When it comes to greening up the household, there’s a bit of a Green Gender Gap in America. According to our consumer research colleagues Amy Hebard and Wendy Cobrda, formerly of Earthsense, more women (81%) than men (76%) believe that an individual can make a difference when it comes to the environment. But more men (36%) than women (29%) think they personally are doing enough. So when you take those few bits of data and put them into one living environment, what do you get? A recent piece by our video insights friends at Snippies in New York may help bring it to light.

An entry in the Snippies-sponsored “Families Struggling to Go Green” video contest shows a typical American family (mom, dad, two kids) and what they’re doing to reuse, recycle, renew, conserve and consciously consume. What it reveals is a difference in attitude and behavior between husband and wife. Both recognize the enormity of the problem. But he is less convinced that their family’s efforts will make much difference in the overall scheme of things and tends to do less. She, on the other hand, tends to do more. Three things keep her motivated: 1) a desire to make a difference, 2) a desire to instill sustainable behaviors in their children, and 3) good old-fashioned guilt. She, for example, is loathe to let gallons of water run down the drain while waiting for the shower to warm up, while he “turns on the shower, walks away and goes and does who knows what.”

Let’s look at this from another angle. The unique psychometric research being done by John Marshall Roberts indicates that business women in the sustainability arena may well be the most effective change agents going forward. Of equal note, Roberts’ preliminary consumer research, segmented by gender, also supports the notion that mainstream women may be the more effective change agents in buying green.

So, what’s the take-away from these findings? Whether you’re a manufacturer or marketer with sustainable consumer products to sell or an ad agency advising your clients, you need to:

1) Recognize the potential of women consumers to boost your products’ market share.

2) Convert her environmental emotions into buying action. She who recycles is more likely to be she who buys green.

3) Provide honest, accurate, meaningful and accessible product information. It’s a deal-breaker if you don’t.

4) Understand and eliminate the barriers to purchase that stand in her way.

5) Give her authentic reasons to trust your brand. If she feels you are disingenuous or negligent about the safety, health and well-being of her family, she will go elsewhere.

6) Hire more women! You won’t find a better gauge of female receptivity to your product development, labeling, merchandising, marketing and advertising.

I’ll just bet if you do your research and dig down into the minds of your customers, you’ll find a green gender gap and a storehouse of environmental emotions you can tap. And if you can’t find them, we can.

Five Ways to Improve Your Marketing

Monday, June 13, 2011 by Margaret McAllister

If your marketing plan for 2011 looks like last year’s model, you may want to step back and take a bigger look at where your business needs to go in the coming years. We all get myopic especially when we haven’t seen a business climate or consumer marketplace like this – ever! Four game-changing trends followed by five plan-changing ideas:

Demographics Are Gross Lumping people together according to their age, household income, or education level was fine in the heyday of mass marketing. But demographics aren’t a fine-enough filter in our multi-channel media-saturated world. It’s not enough to know, in the broadest of terms, who your target audience is. Now you need to know how they are and, most importantly, why they buy. And if you don’t know, you may be watching your competitors eat your market share for lunch.

Technology Converged Personal computer plus Internet plus social networks plus mobile phones equals a convergence of technologies into one massive, uncontrolled, 24/7, global communications platform. At least two things happened: it empowered consumers to talk (or talk back) to brands. And it created new inter-connected means for brands and consumers to connect. Five years ago, we didn’t have to consider how our big branding ad was going to play out as a streamed Internet video linking to a geo-targeted 2-fer coupon accessible via smart phone! The accelerating number of possibilities is enough to keep any savvy marketer awake nights.

Mad Men Meet Joe YouTube You gotta love Don Draper. After a night of drinking, smoking and fooling around, he can show up for a major campaign presentation, pull a single concept out of his fedora, and have the client eating out of his hand. From the 60s to the 90s, big splashy ad campaigns reigned. Did they work? Sure, many did, especially when advertisers threw a ton of money behind them. Especially the funny ones. But then along came YouTube. Now any bloke with a slightly warped sense of humor, a flip camera and a log-in can generate as much buzz as a multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad. That can give marketers heartburn as they re-think how to allocate their budgets.

Consumers Rule Marketing used to be easier. You created a product, you advertised, it you sold it. Back then, it didn’t matter much who bought it as long as enough bought it. It didn’t matter how it was made as long as it didn’t break before it got home. It didn’t matter if the means to the end were sustainable as long as the bottom line was. But in today’s world, consumers’ peer-to-peer influence on your top line is unprecedented. What they don’t like, they don’t buy and they don’t hesitate to yelp their reasons why. And, by the way, most of those consumers controlling the cash are women. Well, three-quarters of it anyway, even when spending is down.

What Now?

The future is now and you can’t afford to wait. Visionary companies are searching for new ways to step up their marketing and engage new consumers using new technology. Here are five things you should consider.

Consumer Centricity Make your business revolve around the consumer not the other way around. Your product is not the centerpiece of your brand. Your customer using your product is.

Know Your Consumer Inside and Out To build your marketing around your consumers, you need reliable, actionable intel. Research tools like Roberts Worldview Assessment, for example, provide psychological insights into various consumers’ values and behaviors and direction on how to engage them.

Total Consumer Engagement Every consumer touch point becomes part of the brand. From the product itself to the ways the consumer can learn about it and interact with it to the retail or etail service experience. Your internal and external support teams need to understand that entire experience and make sure every part of it delivers your brand effectively.

Brand Response Before the Internet, tracking results was a bit sketchy. But with online analytics, the guessing is over. That’s why all advertising roads need to lead to the Internet. We call it Brand Response, the blend of brand ads to get attention, direct response to drive the action and online interactivity to make the sale. Great advertising and accountability ARE possible.

Change the House Rules Look at your corporate culture. Are there any fresh marketing ideas being generated? If not, a more holistic process and a less silo’d organization can help. Sharing best practices to engage consumers should be a full team effort.

10 Things That Make the LOHAS Forum Unique

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 by Ted Ning

1. Cross section of attendees is like no other event. Where else will you find Fortune 500 companies shoulder to start up entrepreneurs next to mainstream media and celebrity. It is a great networking event for those who want to stretch their comfort zone and meet new people.

2. Permission to drop the armor of image is granted and expected. Everyone at the event wants to know who each other is at heart first and then get to professional interests second. This makes the attendees really open to each other and sincerely attentive to each other’s needs.

3. On the cutting edge of what is next. Many events have large corporations as the core of their speakers where at LOHAS you see more of the larger corporations in the audience learning how to enter the LOHAS market.

4. Boulder City is the epicenter of LOHAS activity. Despite being just over 100K in population it is the hub of organics, clean tech, outdoor industry, spirituality, alternative medicine, technology, entrepreneurship and is beautiful place to be in June when the LOHAS Forum occurs.

5. St. Julien Hotel & Spa is the best hotel in Boulder and has a very accommodating staff and has fully embraced sustainability. They provide the measurements for landfill alleviation for the LOHAS forum and organic and locally sourced meal options. Last year we were able to recycle 87% of our waste from the event. We strive to do more this year. The spa is top notch as well.

6. The LOHAS gift room is legendary. Rather than provide a pre stuffed conference bag of brochures that are typically dumped in the hotel room we provide a gift room of various items from LOHAS companies that attendees can pick and choose from. Attendees love this and the gift bags are usually quite stuffed when people leave the room!

7. Market data worth thousands of dollars is presented by a variety of green market trend specialists. Those that are interested on what is happening in the LOHAS space can collect a tremendous amount of insight from these highly sought presentations.

8. Program content transcends green business to include elements to connect with the human spirit and community in a way that is energetic and inspiring.

9. A paperless program for this year and digital signage. The program will be on an app that is also a mobile website. The app will be downloadable on iTunes and will allow those who are not attending to see what is happening by reading the social media feeds, text alerts and uploaded images by attendees. Conference signage are flatscreen monitors that double as media centers for video.

10. Not just a conference but a community celebration! We have a variety of ways built into the event ranging from morning yoga and meditation to musical entertainment to after parties to engage the senses for attendees.

If you are an attendee and have other elements I have forgotten I would love to hear them. Please share!

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Five Ways to Improve Your Marketing

10 Things That Make the LOHAS Forum Unique

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