prAna: Sustainable Clothing

We are happy to kick off a series of recommendations for iPhone app’s that may help improve the quality of life for you, your friends and family as well as the planet… and they are ALL free.

It was a tough decision. Android vs. iPhone. PC vs. Mac. Lots of my friends have gone through the process that has split the geek community. I had long ago decided to walk the fence and use both operating systems as there are distinct advantageous to both but having two phones seemed like a ridiculous concept so the decision had to be made. As you can tell from the title of this post, Steve Jobs has won another, albeit minor, battle and I don’t see myself going back unless someone can finally produce an indisputable “iPhone killer”… but I digress.

There are few recent technological advances that I can concretely say make my life both healthier and happier. My iPhone apps unequivocally do. Let’s start with one of the best, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app…

The oceans supply us with food, help regulate our climate, and supply a livelihood for millions of people. Just as important, we depend on the oceans for recreation and renewal. But our seas are not the infinite bounty they appear to be. Today, no parts of the oceans remain unaffected by human activities. And among the many factors influencing our ocean ecosystems, none has a greater impact than fishing. Humans have been fishing the oceans for thousands of years. But over the past five decades technology has allowed us to fish farther, deeper and more efficiently than ever before. Scientists estimate that we have removed as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world’s oceans. In 2003, the Pew Oceans Commission warned that the world’s oceans are in a state of “silent collapse,” threatening our food supply, marine economies, recreation and the natural legacy we leave our children.

Through better practices, we can create healthy, abundant oceans for everyone. Seafood Watch, a program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, has always been about making this vision a reality. Working with consumers, fishermen, restaurants, retailers and suppliers, we’ve been making a difference since 1999.

But there is still much to be done.

As a Pescetarian (fish only vegetarian), our family includes quite a bit of fish in our diet. As we began to learn more and more about the depletion of certain species at an alarming rate, I looked for a resource to guide our purchase decisions and viola’! There’s an app for that. Since its release in 2009, the Seafood Watch iPhone app has helped more than 325,000 people find sustainable seafood. The latest version adds some very cool functionality that includes user interactivity, aka Project Fishmap, where you can add your local sustainable seafood finds. With the addition of badges (think Foursquare), not only can you make a personal contribution to the health of your favorite fish species but also have some fun doing it. Don’t buy much seafood from your local market but love Sushi? Fear not! Seafood Watch also has a handy-dandy Sushi Guide to make your ordering a little simpler “dōitashimashite”.

Still haven’t downloaded the app yet? These 6 features should help close the deal…

Provides free, up to date recommendations at your fingertips with detailed seafood information

Uses your phone’s GPS to load the right regional guide for your location

Enables you to search for seafood quickly and easily by common market name

Allows you to sort seafood by “Best Choice”, Good Alternative” or “Avoid” rankings

Sushi guide lists fish by Japanese names as well as common market names

Highlights our list of “Super Green” seafood that’s good for you and the oceans

Andriod or Blackberry user? You can still access the Seafood Watch pocket guide to slip in your pocket on the way to the store.

For those of you who have not upgraded to a smart-phone, here are more guides to help you shop for seafood in just about any corner of the world! You could even print out a copy and drop it off at your favorite restaurant(s) “OR EMAIL IT” as a coworker just shouted across the room. We can all use a little help sometimes, even if it is just an app…

Additional Resources

• Austria seafood guide (German -  link to web page with link to download the PDF)
• Belgium seafood guide (French  – link to web page with link to download the PDF)
• Belgium seafood guide (Dutch – link to web page with link to download the PDF )
• Denmark seafood guide (Danish – link to web page with link to download the PDF)
• Finland seafood guide (Finnish, PDF)
• France seafood guide (French – link to web page with link to download the PDF)
• Germany seafood guide (German – link to web page with link to download the PDF & Smartphone app)
• Hong Kong seafood guide (English & Chinese, PDF)
• Indonesia seafood guide Seafood guide
• Italian seafood guide (Italian, PDF)
• Malaysia seafood guide (Bahasa, PDF and English, PDF and website: Save Our Seafood)
• Netherlands seafood guide (Dutch – link to web page with link to download the PDF & iphone app and more)
• Norway seafood guide (Norwegian – link to web page with link to download the PDF)
• Poland seafood guide (Polish, PDF)
• Russia seafood guide (Russian, PDF)
• Singapore seafood guide
• Spain seafood guide (Catalan, PDF and Spanish, PDF and website: Guía de consumo responsable de pescado)
• South Africa seafood guide Sustainable seafood initiative
• Sweden seafood guide (Swedish – link to web page with link to download the PDF)
• Switzerland seafood guide (English)
• German online version or PDF version
• French online version or PDF version
• Italian online version or PDF version

• Smart Seafood Guide Food and Water Watch
• Sustainable Seafood Guide Posters
• Seafood Choices Bringing ocean conservation to the table
• Environmental Defense Seafood Selector
• National Audubon Society Seafood Guide
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
• Blue Ocean Guide to Ocean-Friendly Seafood
• What MSC fish products are available in your country?
• In the UK… refer to the Marine Conservation Society – FISHONLINE website
• In Australia.. refer to the Australian Marine Conservation Society



~Andre Walker, Global Interactive Media

Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.

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I had a cow last winter.

It was so good that I just decided to have another one this winter, too. Even better, this winter I found an even more local source of the meat than I did last time – I’m buying my half a cow from someone who lives less than five miles away, as opposed to the two hours’ drive away required for my meat that I got last year. I bought a quarter of a cow last February from a nearby rancher, stuck it all in my freezer, and I’m just now finishing eating it (with Kevin’s help, of course). Time to have another cow, for sure.

It makes so much sense, really, this whole buying local thing, but I didn’t really get the kick in the pants I needed to do it until I read two books pretty closely together, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingsolver and Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, by Paul Pitchford. I also watched the movie Food, Inc. Like a lot of people, I guess even though I knew better, I’d gotten a bit apathetic about the ease of just buying whatever looks good/tastes good/fits the right price range in the grocery store, without reading the ingredients or considering how far things have traveled to reach me (and the resources consumed by those journeys).

Reading these books and watching this movie, I found myself wondering why so many of us are willing to spend extra money on gourmet prepared coffee drinks, shiny new cars, and other such concoctions and objects, and yet we’re somewhat or totally neglectful and inconsiderate about how we fuel our physical beings, our containers for life. Why put high-octane fuel in a car and pay extra for that if you’re not willing to pay a little extra for better fuel for your very own (and only) personal machine, your body? Not to mention the negative impact on the planet that mass-produced food has.

Wondering why I hadn’t really taken charge of exactly what I choose to put into my human machine, I reconsidered much of my already healthy diet (by typical American standards) and made some adjustments accordingly. I starting by thinking about why I became a vegetarian at age 16 (and stayed one for 11 years), and I realized that my convictions are still the same – I wasn’t opposed to meat consumption, but I was (and am) opposed to atrocious and appalling ways of raising animals for human consumption. Ranching is huge in Wyoming, and I thought there had to be a way to buy local beef from someone – and I was right. I found the first rancher I bought beef from on Eat Wild. Right after that, I discovered that I could’ve bought beef from someone even closer, which is what I’ll do this year.

What else changed? I’ll give you a couple other examples. From the Pitchford book, I was shocked to discover the prevalence of refined sugar in just about everything (including table salt), so I started reading labels and trying to find products that had less refined sugar or none at all. Unable to find a single loaf of bread at a grocery store that didn’t have refined sugar as an ingredient, I started making my own honey-sweetened bread in a bread machine (you can pick one up for pretty cheap on Overstock.com or Amazon), using flour from Wheat Montana. Wheat Montana is close to local; it’s a five-hour drive from my house to its location in Three Forks, Montana. The Kingsolver book, among other things, got me to stop eating bananas all the time after considering how far they travel to get to me and the resources consumed by that journey. Nothing against bananas, but it just made sense. I also try now to always buy humanely produced meat and dairy, and I try to incorporate organic foods when it’s feasible (harder than you might think living where I do).

It’s really no big deal, and I’m not a fanatic about it, but the way I see it, just having my consciousness raised has helped give a little bit back to the planet in terms of alleviating its suffering and overuse/abuse, both small-scale and large. I’m encouraging family ranching and the local economy by buying my meat locally, and I’m also endorsing humane practices by choosing local beef, as well as by being considerate when I do buy eggs or chicken to make sure I read how they’re raised. I look for produce and products produced locally or regionally first, and I choose organic products when they’re practical and affordable for me. I can’t buy 100 percent organic or local, not yet, anyhow, but no matter. Even baby steps make a difference. The more people making those baby steps, the bigger those steps become…and the larger the footsteps they leave for the future to follow in.

Breath, life, vitality of the spirit.

These qualities infuse not only our name, but also our aspirations, the things we make and how we make them.

Welcome to mindfully designed, built to last products – born from the experience.

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Cross Posted From Care2

Can you eat a healthy,  whole foods, organic diet, even on a shoestring budget? As a frequent and thrifty shopper, I know it can be done — even if you’re not a vegetarian. First, a few rules:

• Eat in. Restaurant meals are pricey and rarely use the highest quality ingredients. Learn to whip up a few cheap and easy meals — a great omelet, a highly spiced bean and vegetable stew — and you’ll save  yourself a bundle.
• Eat in season. It’s almost always cheaper, and probably better for your body.
• Eat less meat. Meat’s expensive on any budget, and most people eat too much of it. Shift your intake to vegetarian (cheaper) sources of protein, and use meat in small portions, as an addition to meals, rather than the main feature.
• Eat less in general. What would happen if you cut your daily caloric intake by 10 percent? In theory, you’d cut your food budget by 10 percent as well, and you’d probably fare better for it. (And some very compelling research suggests that restricting calorie intake can increase lifespan and reduce the incidence of age-related disease.)

On your next shopping trip, choose from this thrifty list of 16 screamin’ deals — and see how much you save:

1. Cabbage. It’s rich in cancer-preventive compounds. Broccoli has similar nutrition; it’s a little pricier but versatile and worth it. Buy it in season, keep your eyes open for sales, and be sure to use the stems.

2. Carrots. Loaded with fiber and beta carotene, they’re a screaming deal. Sweet potatoes contain the same array of nutrients but cost more; still, they’re a great buy.

3. Kale. It’s more expensive than other produce items, but it’s a dense source of many nutrients, and a little goes a long way. Likewise with other greens, like chard, collards, spinach and turnip greens.

4. Bananas. Buy a bunch — the organic varieties are usually a hard-to-beat price.

5. Apples. In the fall they’re one of the best deals in town.

6. Onions. They’re rich in a number of disease-preventive antioxidants and add volumes of flavor. Garlic and ginger are other great flavor-boosters that cost pennies per serving.

7. Beans. Another ridiculous bargain. They’re a cheap, nourishing source of protein, and they’re loaded with fiber and legumes. Buy a variety, including lentils for fast cooking.

8. Nuts. They’re pricier than other items, but nutritionally so dense, you can justify it. Buy them on sale, store them in the freezer, and use them in small quantities.

9. Seeds. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are cheaper than nuts. And flax, with its high concentration of healthy fats and low price, is the best deal of all.

10. Brown rice. It’s the cheapest buy for gluten-free grains. Other great deals: oats, cornmeal and whole-wheat pasta.

11. Peanut butter. It’s not just for kids; peanut butter is as high in healthy monounsaturated fats as almonds. Make sure you’re buying it from a high-quality store that keeps bins clean to prevent molds from forming. Otherwise, buy your nut butters in jars.

12. Ground beef. Grass-fed and organic varieties are best. You’ll buy less, which means you’ll eat less, which is a good thing. Ground beef is less expensive than other cuts. If you can find it, ground bison is a better, leaner option, and usually only costs a little more.

13. Chicken fryers. Organic, of course. It’s a bigger expense on a small budget, but a whole fryer is an affordable option. Or buy thighs, or ground turkey, for other affordable options.

14. Olive oil. It’s high in healthy fats and antioxidants, and is the most versatile oil choice. You’ll be using it in small quantities, so it comes out to pennies a serving.

15. Yogurt. Unsweetened, of course. It’s high in calcium and probiotics and is much cheaper than cheese.

16. Eggs. As a protein source, they’re as good as it gets. Even the organic, Certified Humane varieties come out to less than 50 cents an egg. Cheap, cheap.

~ Lisa Turner

We caught up with Steph (not an easy task by the way) and asked her some of our favorite questions…

1. prAna gear you can’t live without?

Moab and convertible pants

2. What you would do (activity/career) if you didn’t climb/BASE/wingsuit?

Write and/or something which helps animals.

3. Earliest memory?

Practicing piano

4. Childhood obsession?

Animals.

5. Herbivore or Carnivore?

Vegan.

6. Favorite place in the world? Read the rest of this entry »

Win a weekend getaway at the Himalayan Institute plus a bag of gear and goodies!

Located on a beautiful 400-acre campus in the rolling hills of the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, the Himalayan Institute is a leader in the field of yoga, meditation, spirituality and holistic health.

You’ll have a whole weekend to re-energize and center yourself in a beautiful relaxing environment. Three days and two nights in a deluxe, 2-person suite with a private bath, simple and delicious vegetarian meals made on site, and programs in hatha yoga, meditation, stress reduction, Ayurveda, nutrition, spirituality and eastern philosophy to choose from. Sounds like heaven doesn’t it?

For Complete Details Visit: http://bit.ly/YogaGetaway

Update: Congratulations Dawn Zeig of New Jersey, the winner of the Klean Kanteen & prAna Yoga Getaway. She’s getting loads of swag from us, Prana, Bronwen Jewelry, Smith Optics, and  Chaco, and a subscription to Yoga International. Plus she’ll spend a weekend with her husband relaxing in a deluxe suite at the Himalayan Institute enjoying vegetarian organic meals and a full weekend of classes and workshops!

The Flexitarian Cookbook is a compilation of flexible recipes for vegetarians and carnivores.

100% of proceeds benefit Yoga Bear and Slow Food USA!

Get ready for YERT: The Film. We’re knee deep in the creation of a feature film based on our eco-adventures in every state of the USA, and this little trailer is the first real glimpse into what it…