Hot Green and Serene Products from LOHAS

Hot, Green, and Serene Products from LOHAS

By Valerie Reiss

For the last 11 years people committed to eco-friendly, holistic lifestyles have gathered annually at the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) conference. What started out as a glorified farmers' market is now the hub of a booming industry raking in about $34 billion a year. Green is big business; this year sponsors included Office Depot.

How do the people who brought the movement to this point make sure it stays true to its roots? How can we be centered and spiritual as the big boys take over with high-priced hype? These questions and more were bandied as we enjoyed the blossoming of something whose time has finally come--over organic vodka martinis, of course.

Here are our favorite things from that three-day frenzy--from Mariel Hemingway's new book to organic flowers to the recipe for that delicious "green-tea-ni."

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Valerie Reiss is Beliefnet's Holistic Spirituality editor.

How Green Is Your City?

The conference opened with a panel on sustainable cities (OK, it really opened with Tae Bo with Billy Blanks at 7am... but, well, sorry, Billy). As with everything at LOHAS, it was part education, part promotion. The panel members, reps from Portland, OR, Chicago, IL, and Long Beach, CA, talked about their city's eco challenges and coups and the moderator, Warren Karlenzig, showed off his company's new book "How Green Is Your City? "

By the end we all wanted to move to Portland (#1 greenest city) and not live in Long Beach (#30). The book is actually pretty groundbreaking. It rates cities based on things like air quality, traffic congestion, tap water quality, affordable housing, and natural disaster risk. You can see an abridged version of your city's rankings here: SustainLane.com

Billy Blanks' Tae Bo DVDs

You likely recall when Tae Bo was the new aerobics. And you may even have a dusty Tae Bo video from the days when you kicked, lunged, and punched your way through a grueling workout in your living room. That's the man. I had no idea he was so spiritual, funny, and inspiring until about 30 of us sat in a casual room with low sofas and heard his talk "How Tae Bo Got Kickstarted."

Apparently his workout spread when he changed Paula Abdul from baby-fat cute to sleek sensation. Blanks talked to us about faith in God and the importance of committing to your body and yourself. And who knew Tae Bo is also an acronym?* Tae Bo is still the best-selling exercise video series in history. And he keeps cranking out new versions.

For his latest DVDs, info on his charity, and more inspiration, go here.

*Tae Bo=
Total Commitment to Whatever You Do
Awareness of Yourself and the World
Excellence, the Truest Goal in Anything You Do
The Body as a Force for Total Change
Obedience to Your Will and True Desire to Change

Shift Organic Energy Drink

Another great speaker was Gary Hirshberg, the President and "CE-Yo" of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt. His talk, "The Best Way to Predict the Future is to Invent It" covered everything from sea hypoxia (when everything in a body of water dies from pollution) to his company's zero-emissions factory; 10 percent of SF's profits go to eco causes.

To counter the rise of kids drinking caffeinated Red Bull energy drinks (he calls it Red Bull****), Stonyfield has come out with Shift, an organic drink designed to give kids a genuine, natural lift.

It comes in Berry Boost, Power Punch, and Strawberry Banana. Find it on the Stonyfield website, where you can also sign up for "Moosletters" and adopt a happy cow.

Mariel Hemingway's "Healthy Living" Book

In the same room we saw Billy Blanks offer tough love and inspiration, we sat in a cozy circle around the lovely Mariel Hemingway. The long-time yogi and meditator talked poignantly about her husband's struggle with melanoma: "The first time he had cancer it was all about me," she said. She was the Fritos police. After his recurrence, though, they became a healing team.

She sums up her control-freak struggle like this: "Even when I thought I was surrendering I was controlling how I surrendered." And on healing from her very intense family: "The journey of being crazy lead me to the journey of peace." This gal is for real and I've found her book, "Healthy Living From the Inside Out," inspiring and helpful. You can buy it here.

Ed Begley, Jr.'s FixingthePlanet.com

Not selling a thing except the saving of our planet--and, OK, the upcoming second season of his quirky HGTV reality show "Living With Ed" (see picture at right)--the actor and activist gave an inspiring chat.

In addition to talking about cook-boxes for Africa (a really great cause) and doing what we can for the environment, Begley talked about the importance of silence to renew the soul. Not what I expected from a guy who talks a mile a minute about rain-collection barrels and solar panels. "Don't just do something, stand there," he quoted. He wrapped up with: "I hope you can all find the serenity and the quiet time to go out and do the hard work before us." Indeed. For more on Ed's work and causes: FixingthePlanet.com.

Rainforest Green-tea-ni

At the final LOHAS cocktail party in the "glow" lounge, we chatted about green investing and green-washing and shared green gossip, while sipping delicious "green-tea-ni"s-made with organic vodka, tea, and juice. Here's a one-drink recipe from Square One Organic Vodka's Allison Evanow:

2 oz. Square One Organic Vodka infused with Numi Organic Teas*

1.5 oz. unsweetened fresh lime juice

.5 oz. organic agave nectar

1/4 oz. Cointreau

Lime zest for garnish

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake for 15 seconds.

Strain into martini glass.

Using a cocktail zester, add a tiny amount (1-2 passes) of lime zest to finish cocktail.

*Infusion: Pour vodka into glass pitcher and put in 3 bags of Rainforest Green tea and 3 bags of Ginger Sun green tea per 750 ml of vodka.

Infuse for 4-6 hours.

Remove bags and pour infused vodka back into bottle for use.