Azgreen magazine resolutions love 2011 by BEAM, llc

Resolutions & Love AZGreen Magazine ❃ winter 2011

Connecting People, Planet, Profit

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ELEVEN RESOLUTIONS FOR 2011 love more be informed heal a broken heart age with vitality master your destiny transfer assets travel with a cause save energy be a trendsetter learn from a visionary become a trillionaire

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Eat, Drink, & Be Healthy Organic pizza, pasta, and salads. Happy hour every day.

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Building for the Future The Edwards Design Group design and build environmentally progressive homes for families who choose to live in health and harmony. We respect your dreams and the planet. awarding winning custom home design / build

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Inside

ResolutionsandLove2010 In every issue Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Letter / Eco-Village

26 25

The Genius of Arcology:

The Power of Inspired Vision:

Who Wants to Be a Trillionaire?

25 30

Pathway to Vital Aging: Dr. Mark Force

Sustainable Theories of Paolo Soleri Revisited

You Can Manifest Your Own Destiny

Sustainability as Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Exportable Commodity

explains the key to living healthier longer

Transferring Assets: Breast Augmentation Au

A2Z Departments

A ZGM Features

Books: Organic Manifesto & Naked In Eden

Eco-Centric: Scrap Metal Magic

Energy: Intelligent Choices

Essentials: Show the Love! Earth-Friendly Gifts

Farm Fresh: A New Year at the Farm

Health: Healing a Broken Heart

Travel: Travel with a Cause!

Trends: Greenolutions: Trends to watch in 2011

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Give just $5 today. Post your catâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo on the National Geographic website. Show your support for endangered cats.

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I N S P I R AT I O N | A W A R E N E S S | S T E W A R D S H I P Resolutions & Love / winter 2011 co-publishers Rebecca Edwards: Snowden Bishop

From the Editor:

Resolutions and Love The start of a new year always finds me pondering this journey called life. The process usually begins by conducting a personal inventory about accomplishments and failures of the year past, finding gratitude for where I am today, and making new resolutions and aligning my intentions for the year ahead. This year was no different, except the lists appear to be a little longer – and a lot broader. I found myself pondering how I’d like to see the world we live in progress in 2011. It occurred to me that my personal resolutions mirrored changes I’d like to see occur on a global level. I’m a big believer that as individuals we have the power to make profound change in the world. Even the smallest steps we take to create a more sustainable life can have a profound impact on the entire planet when multiplied by the billions of us that inhabit it. On a deeper level, however, sustainability isn’t just about going “green” or recycling or conserving water; it is also about elevating our consciousness and opening our hearts enough to care, not just about our own future, but about the future and well being of everyone sharing this planet we call home. Interestingly, love has a lot to do with sustainability. After all, it is love for our families, our communities, nature and the beauty of our planet that drive us to want to protect them. It is love for ourselves that drives us to seek healthy alternatives to keep us vital. It is that love that helps us to form our values, which in turn determine our priorities and strengthen our resolve to prosper. To be truly sustainable, we must come from a place of love, for it is the love we carry within us that ultimately affects the world around us. It’s been said that love heals all wounds. Given that truth, love has incredible potential to heal our planet. Therefore, it seemed only fitting to dedicate this issue to Resolutions and Love. On behalf of all of us at AZGreen Magazine, may your resolutions be sustainable, may your Valentine’s Day be green, and may the rest of 2011 be happy, healthy, prosperous and filled with love!

Snowden Bishop, Editor-in-Chief

editorial & features Editor-In-Chief: Snowden Bishop contributors Mark Force, DC/Peter Greenburg Arianna Houston /John M. Kennedy, MD Ann Mack/Kate McClendon Carrie Morgan/Lynn Mushorn Gabrielle Saveri design & production Creative Director: Rebecca Edwards photography Snowden Bishop/Joan Gellatly John Vogel/Cosanti Foundation website Rebecca Edwards/Ben Winton sales & marketing Premiere Media/Threads of Connection Mike Edwards/Rusty Miller Karen Thovson advisory board Philip D. Allsopp/Doug Edwards Kevin Edwards/Evelyn Carlson Mary Lynn Kelly/Roslyn O’Connell Star Simmons/James M. Strock printer Schuster Printing & Marketing digital publisher Texterity contact AZGreen Magazine 480.473.1430 8015 East Vista Bonita Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85266 www.azgreenmagazine.com advertising adsales@azgreenmagazine.com art department design@azgreenmagazine.com editorial submissions & guidelines editor@azgreenmagazine.com general inquiries info@azgreenmagazine.com subscribtions www.azgreenmagazine.com ©2010, AZGreen Magazine AZGreen Magazine is a bi-monthly publication published by AZGreen Magazine, LLC. The digital edition of AZGreen Magazine is available globally, via electronic delivery free of charge. Free hardcopy edition is distributed throughout Arizona by authorized outlets. Home delivery of hard copy is $29 per year by subscription only. The entire contents of AZGreen Magazine is copyrighted. No portion of this publication, including but not limited to public service announcements and ads created and designed by and/or photographs supplied thereto by AZGreen Magazine, may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no liability for the opinions contained within the publication provided by sources, contributors or advertisers. Publisher shall not be held liable for performance of goods and services provided by advertisers. Questions or concerns should be directed to appropriate contacts listed above.

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The Sustainable Theories of Paolo Soleri

was a beautiful mid-winter Indian summer day that inspired a feeling that all things are possible. A slight breeze stirred a cacophony of bells hanging from every valance of the massive concrete enclaves standing as structural reminders of a visionary ideal only partially executed but fully realized long before its time. With the potential to come full circle given today’s movement toward environmental consciousness, the architect’s own principles are recapturing attention of urban planners seeking to set new standards of sustainability. The soothing chimes amplified and echoed through the architectural half domes that now serve the practical purpose of housing their creator’s workspace and showcasing the kinetic audible art that supports his very existence. So rare is the opportunity to enter the company of one who arguably could be considered one of the greatest visionary architects and philosophers still alive today – whose principles, had they been implemented, could have vastly improved the we live in the world – that it inspires reverence and reflection about endless possibilities that still lie ahead for the future. Seated across from me was Dr. Paolo Soleri. He was reading to himself from a small note card he held in his hands. After a deep sigh, he looked over his spectacles and said, “I have prepared a statement. Would you like me to read it?” Naturally I was intrigued and gestured as if to say, please. He continued, “The gigantism of the car landscape and the consequent urban sprawl are the main obstacles to sustainability. The Choice is between the hermitages of urban sprawl and the leanness of the city self containment – a reformulation of the American Dream that is a reformation of culture away from materialism.”

by Snowden Bishop

Paolo Soleri was born in Italy during the height of the industrial revolution and became an adult as the world was at war. He was awarded his Ph.D. with highest honors in architecture from the Torino Polytechnico in 1946. He came to the United States in 1947 and spent a year-and-a-half in fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in Arizona, and at Taliesin East in Wisconsin. Whereas most of his architectural contemporaries pursued lucrative careers designing buildings according to their commissioners’ requirements, Soleri devoted most of his career developing theories, constructing models and building prototypes for what he calls “Arcologies” defined as the combination of architecture and ecology to generate complex, compact, highly active, pedestrian cities. Since the early 1960's Soleri has worked almost exclusively with the design of alternative urban planning models. By 1970 he had designed thirty Arcologies and began construction on a prototype town known as Arcosanti, Soleri’s most important experiment to date, located approximately 60 miles north of Phoenix. Soleri envisions a modern society based on sustainability and strong community bonds with self-contained, self-sufficient civic clusters, the design of which would minimize human impact on the magnificent surrounding nature. Each Arcology is centered around a cluster of half-dome structures or “apses,” which are positioned based on directional orientation to maximize passive solar effects for climate control. The structures act as anchors for the adjoining buildings, which serve as workplaces and domestic dwellings, and surrounding infrastructure such as greenhouses, water systems and waste management, all of which support the town’s population.

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“Modestly and imperfectly I am trying to put into concrete and tangible form what I firmly believe is the call of the Urban Effect. It is the triggering of an urban-environmental re-form that is the comprehensive opening of the doors to environmental sanity, pollution and waste reduction, social and cultural enrichment, waning of guilt, effective coping with population inflation, proper and frugal use of our physical, biological and human resources, and last but not least, a tangible and exhilarating contraposition of ‘immense’ nature and ‘intense’ humanness.” ~Paolo Soleri

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During an era of economic prosperity when cars, highways and inexpensive gas reinvented the American Dream to include spacious suburban homes on an abundance of land, once pedestrian cities became decentralized and public transportation infrastructure was dismantled, Soleri held fast to his belief that the growth occurring was unsustainable. Perhaps sacrificing prestige or popularity, he continued to design according to his principled hypotheses. Nearly a half-century later, the state of our nation proves his theories about the environmental impact of modern development were right all along. Now that environmental concerns are commanding media attention and infiltrating mainstream consciousness, Soleri’s designs have the potential to resurface and regain well-deserved attention by urban planners hoping to revitalize city centers and alleviate some of the ecological conundrums we now face.

Although, for the most part, some of Soleri’s most ambitious designs remain unbuilt, the genius behind them is lauded among architectural scholars, scientists, engineers and ecologists alike. Early in his career, he gained international recognition for a bridge design displayed at the

Museum of Modern Art and published in The Architecture of Bridges by Elizabeth Mock. His most recent commission is a pedestrian bridge over the Arizona Canal in downtown Scottsdale. So rare are completed Soleri designs that one attempt to demolish the aging

Paolo Soleri Amphitheater located at the Santa Fe Indian School on the Pueblo Indian Reservation in Santa Fe caught the attention of U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, who offered their assistance to the All Indian Pueblo Council if they agree to preserve the historically significant building. The Cosanti Foundation has actively fought to stop the demolition. In a press release issued last summer, Soleri stated, “Imagination was at the origin of the theater, imagination is essential now. This American culture is bent on demolition in all fields. It is a deleterious way of making history and forfeiting memories, the very memories cutting the landscape of history for a country in search of culture and civility.” Preservation of the amphitheater has garnered a groundswell of support from a myriad of organizations and area residents who have bombarded the Pueblo Council with petitions, letters and even a “Save Our Soleri” group on Facebook. So far,

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four years after the intended demolition was announced, the amphitheater remains unscathed; but it has yet to be removed from the chopping block. “Although the theater is small, seating maybe 500 people, it offered one of, if not the best concert experiences in New Mexico. The diverse, and generally wellknown acts that toured through the venue every summer were a privilege to see in a setting that was so intimate you literally felt like the artist had invited you personally to attend,” said Cherith Cutestory in an article that appeared in Archinect.com. Intimacy and connectedness are intended effects of Soleri’s designs. In fact, the Arcologies are meant to promote a sense of community cohesiveness. One has only to look into the trial and error of Arcosanti in order to understand its intrinsic value. Intended for 5,000 inhabitants, Arcosanti embodies Soleri's

organic vegetables for Arcosanti residents. “The project was met with much excitement in the 1970s during the oil crisis, for many people thought that this was the solution to gas consumption,” stated Ben Terris in an article for the Huffington Post. “Today, as oil prices rise again, members of Arcosanti say there has been a renewed interest in the design, but even forty years after Soleri broke ground, the graying utopia is less than 10 percent of what the model promised.” Soleri is quick to blame the automobile for the urban sprawl he so abhors. In fact, he contends it is the value that we place on material possessions, including our cars, that has brought us to the environmental crisis we face. “Somehow, after 200 years, we have become hyper consumers possessed by materialism, buying our happiness,” said Solari, who repeatedly expressed concerns that the waste we create will

t i ite i e t at in r ne r i a t ga ine rtage we n t ee t e energ ri i a it i a e ing in i g i e t wi r e t w at we ae en t ng ag t e ea t in r it an a e a t t i en t e i e t e an tain e itati n wi a ten t a int w at a e re erre t a t e r an e t a n iti n in w i t e i ari erati e in enti e ia t ra reati e r en itie w an an a e a re a ra e i ie in w i t ri an at a ra ti n t e ri e we n w re tant a r re e t a Paolo Soleri on The Urban Effect, from The School of Thought

theories were so far ahead of their time, they might have seemed like premonitions to a general public that failed to believe in limited natural resources then, but realize differently now.

urban ideals, and was designed to maximize the interaction and accessibility associated with an urban environment; to minimize the use of energy, raw materials, and land, thus reducing waste and environmental pollution; and to allow interaction with the surrounding natural environment.

have catastrophic results unless we begin to change our way of life. He asserts that our automobile culture has caused us to move away from what is most important. “It has segregated our communities, wasted our resources and moved us away from the glory of culture, which should be appreciated as a great miracle.”

Since 1970, well over 6,000 people have participated in Arcosanti's construction. Their international affiliation group is called the Arcosanti Alumni Network. As of 2010, construction is underway to complete Arcosanti's Greenhouse Apron, a series of tiered gardens protected by greenhouse elements, which will provide

As urban sprawl proliferated amid the materialism that seemed to define the American Dream, Soleri’s Arcological designs might have seemed radical – such as utopian settings of science fiction novels and films. Perhaps not so far fetched, Soleri was intrigued by the futuristic novels of Jules Verne. The irony is that Soleri’s

“Twenty years ago I proposed that physical, emotional, racial and functional segregation were a greater evil than waste, pollution and environmental destruction. I think that I was on target then and that I am now,” said Soleri. Some of his most ambitious Arcology models, designed to accommodate up to a half-million people in vertical cities, would retain pedestrian accessibility, completely autonomous ecological support systems and social cultural centers that promote human interaction and belonging. But what is even more remarkable is that they are designed to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impact on the surrounding nature.

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“Without question, he is one of the most important architects of our time, and hasn’t received even a fraction of the notoriety he deserves. Like many great artists of our passed he’ll get his recognition in our history books” said Doug Edwards of Edwards Design Group. “Some of the most modern fundamentals of green architectural design being used today are have been handed down and inspired by Paolo Soleri especially here in the Southwest. In fact, according to Edwards, the most sustainable building practices now considered fundamental to green building have been integral to Soleri’s designs for more than fifty years. These include architectural elements such as solar orientation, calculated shading and shadowing, venturi-effect corridors promote healthy airflow, and subterranean structures that utilize the thermal mass of the earth for natural insulation, which are strategically utilized to naturally

A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT Paolo Soleri was awarded his Ph.D. with highest honors in architecture from the Torino Polytechnico in 1946. He came to the United States in 1947 and spent a year-and-a-half in fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright. Soleri’s philosophy and works have been strongly influenced by the French philosophers Henri Bergson and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. As a youth, he was inspired by science fiction of Jules Verne. Soleri returned to Italy in 1950 where he was commissioned to build a large ceramics factory, “Ceramica Artistica Solimene” in Vietri on the Amalfi coast. The ceramics industry processes he became familiar with during its construction led to his award-winning designs and production of ceramic and bronze windbells and silt cast architectural structures. For over 30 years, proceeds from sales of the windbells have provided funds for construction to test his theoretical work. In 1956 he settled in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his late wife, Colly, and their two daughters. Dr. and Mrs. Soleri made a life-long commitment to research and experimentation in urban planning, establishing the Cosanti Foundation, a nonprofit educational foundation.

maximize warmth in the winter and cool the air in the summer – without using mechanical devices.Architects and architectural students continue to visit Arcosanti from all over the world, and as long as they continue to visit, Soleri will continue to engage them in his School of Thought. Asked what he’d most like people to learn from him, Soleri replied, “Talk to your conscience more often and you will learn a few things.” Then he added with a smile, “Come to visit. Come and help. Please buy a bell.” The Soleri Bells continue to support the research and ongoing development and construction of Arcosanti. For more information, visit www.arcosanti.org.

The Cosanti Foundation’s major project is Arcosanti has been under construction since 1970. The work in progress provides a model demonstrating Soleri’s concept of “Arcology,” architecture coherent with ecology, as well as learning grounds for aspiring architects and urban planners participating in ongoing experiments. Arcosanti is also home to Soleri’s School of Thought, an educational think-tank of modern philosophy, as well as the Paolo Soleri Archives, the collection of all of Soleri’s art and letters. Prestigious advisors to the Soleri Archives represent the US National Gallery, MOMA, CCA (Canadian Centre for Architecture), The Getty, Eastman House, Taliesin, and The Smithsonian. Soleri’s work has been celebrated throughout the world with landmark exhibitions that have broken records for attendance. In 1989 “Paolo Soleri Habitats: Ecologic Minutiae” was presented at the New York Academy of Sciences. Soleri has received fellowships from the Graham Foundation and from the Guggenheim Foundation (1964, Architecture, Planning, & Design), and has been awarded three honorary doctorates. He has been awarded numerous lifetime achievement awards including the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, Leone d’oro at the Mostra di Architettura di Venezia (Venice Architecture Biennale), the Silver Medal of the Academie d’ Architecture in Paris, a Gold Medal from the World Biennial of Architecture in Sofia, Bulgaria, and the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal for Craftmanship. Soleri remains a distinguished lecturer in the College of Architecture at Arizona State University and a member of the Lindisfarne Association, and continues to lecture weekly to students at Arcosanti.

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“When the voice and the vision on the inside become more profound and clear and loud than the opinions on the outside, you’ve mastered your life.” Dr. John Demartini, The Secret

wer n ire i i n

by Snowden Bishop

was a chilly Wednesday night and the auditorium was packed with hundreds of people who ventured out for some mid-week enlightenment. The anticipation in the air had an electric charge as people waited for the talk to begin. The topic: Inspired Destiny. “How many of you have dreams that you have inside that are vastly more profound than you are allowing yourself to live?” Dr. John Demartini looked around the auditorium to see just how many hands went up. He continued, “Did you do everything you could with everything you were given?” That was a really good question. How many of us really have done everything we could with what we have? Throughout the talk, Demartini drove home the notion that we have more power and potential than we imagine, to succeed, to prosper, to heal and to change the world. To grasp the truth of what he said, it is important to consider the source. Demartini is a living example of how one can overcome adversity by sheer will and not just survive, but live an abundantly rich life. Having been told at an early age that he would never succeed because of severe learning disabilities, and having spent most of his childhood in braces to correct a physical handicap, Demartini had lost faith in his own abilities and developed a burning desire to be free. The freedom he sought came at a price. By the time he was seventeen, his life was spiralling out of control. It wasn’t until a near death accident and a chance encounter with Paul Bragg, a nutrition and fitness expert, motivational speaker and healer, made such a profound impact that Demartini began to alter the course of his life path. “I was lucky to have met him when I did,” Demartini said of Paul Bragg. “He was the first person who was able to make me believe in myself. He said, ‘The

greater the cause, the greater the life.’ He helped me to realize that we have more potential than we imagine. That was one hour that altered my life forever.” So inspired by the principles of health and wellness taught by Bragg, Demartini elected to study medicine, and eventually chose an early career as a chiropractor instead of becoming a medical doctor. His life has been on an upward trajectory ever since, and he seems perfectly unencumbered by the disabilities that plagued him as a child. “I went into the field of chiropractic healing myself because I had a belief that the power within us is really the great healer. I loved learning about pathology, physiology, neurology and all the different disciplines related to them, but I had observed that a thousand health conditions also have underlying emotional and psychological causes,” he explained, noting that chiropractic healing was more aligned with his philosophy in principle. “I believe that ultimately we have more potential and power within ourselves and we subordinate ourselves to outside authoritative systems and minimized ourselves in our power to heal.” In his practice, he teaches people to look inward for healing – mastering their own skills such as dietary regimens, exercise programs and positive thinking – and to take a healthier approach that includes preventative measures rather than crisis management in all aspects of their lives. Eventually, Demartini began to expand his healing practice into teaching others what he has learned about integration of the body, mind and spirit and their relationship to wealth, to health and to meaningful purpose in life. He stresses the importance of gratitude and love for family, society, inspirations, our bodies and our spiritual path, and states that gratitude and love are the greatest immune system stimuli we have access to every day.

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Demartini has since applied the same principles to business, and frequently consults with Fortune 500 company CEOs. He has observed that improving the spiritual, emotional and psychological wellness of a workforce can dramatically improve the overall health of a company. There is no question that people who wake up fulfilled, and do what they love to do every day have healthier lifestyles and healthier bodies, and therefore healthier workdays,” he said. According to Demartini, employees who take the time to define what is most important to them can find meaningful purpose in even the most mundane tasks by keeping their focus on the value assigned to what is most important. For example, if having abundant resources to start an orphanage someday is what is most important, then an employee can find value in performing even the most mundane task as a teacher’s assistant that inches them toward that goal. According to Demartini, when employers can learn what an employee values most and assign tasks that best access the employee’s highest values, then the employee will remain motivated and inspired. Across the board, tapping into what motivates us helps us to attribute a higher purpose to what we do. “When we identify highest values of individual workers and show job descriptions to their highest values, and show in length so they can see they will fulfil their highest values in pursuing these duties, they can’t wait to get up in the morning and do their service,” Demartini explained. In fact, studies have shown that companies that incorporate valuebased human resources strategies tend to have happier and healthier employees. One very high profile investment banker, a regular client of Demartini who shall remain nameless, takes a human resources inventory before investing any money in a company. His assessments include interviews of employees – and he looks for four criteria: that employees love their jobs, they are enthused about what they do, they are inspired when they do it and they are grateful to be there. “If he sees that the employees are empowered by their management and fulfilled in their jobs – no matter how mundane their tasks may be — then he is confident that the company is being run efficiently and

has potential to be a great investment.” Demartini stresses the importance of value-driven management – encouraging CEOs to link job duties to their employees’ higher values so they feel that going to

emotionally, mentally and spiritually. On a personal level, what Demartini calls Inspired Destiny is key to living a fulfilled, happy life, and such is the title and topic of his latest book. “Fulfilling goals throughout your life will encourage you, but an inspiring vision will give meaning to your achievements,” noted Demartini, who explained that without a great purpose and vision, great events, accomplishments, and financial resources are unlikely to arise. “If you don’t have a purpose greater than your physical life, you probably won’t have any impact beyond it. If you’d love to make a difference in yourself, you’d better have a vision at least as big as your family.”

“Don’t underestimate the power of inspired, soul-directed vision; it’s the most powerful resource you have access to. There are many people out there who pay lip service to the idea of a vision yet no one in this world can create one for you. If you practice and refine your ability to tune into your vision, “impossible” things can happen and the rewards far outweigh the time and energy spent.” – Dr. John Demartini work has meaningfulness. This approach to human resources brings a corporation to life, inspires creativity and social responsibility, and ultimately is more efficient and sustainable. “People don’t get heart attacks and other health problems because of working too hard, they get sick because they are getting resistance, not seeing how they are fulfilling their values and not doing meaningful things.” Likewise, a sense of purpose and clarity of vision also contributes to all aspects of a person’s wellbeing – physically,

The freedom he so desired as a youth permeates his life today. He travels the world, has written countless books and gives talks to sizable audiences more than 300 days out of the year. He attributes his success to his willingness to awaken a potential that had been dormant, and to the power behind his intention. He also spends a great deal of time looking within. “I’ve been exploring human consciousness for more than 31 years, and I’m convinced that there’s an immortal part inside of you that calls and directs and pulls you to do something amazing with your life,” said Demartini, who explained that it might be writing words that will change people’s lives, creating music that moves them, committing yourself to a cause that will truly make a difference, finding a cure for humankind’s physical or social ills, making a beautiful home or garden, or raising a family with such love and wisdom that the world is a greater place because your children are in it. “Whatever it may be, there’s a magnificent mission in everyone, regardless of age.” Demartini is convinced that the vitality in every human being is directly proportionate to the vividness of his or her vision and one of the great joys in life is knowing that you are of service and producing something of value. “I’m leading the life I want to live and doing everything I have ever wanted to do because I have a strong sense of purpose and vision.”n

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Every Child Deserves To Go To School...

...not every child gets a chance. Imagine living in an area so remote that schools simply don’t exist, so savage even the army stays away. Imagine that by the age of nine, your child is brandishing a gun instead of reading a book. It seems unfathomable, but this is the reality of children living in Naina, a remote tribal war zone of Western Kenya. This is the territory of the Pokot tribe, a traditionally honorable people who now are literally forced to fight for survival.

There is Hope. You can Help. Save the Date-April 9, 2011

Learning for Peace / The Pokot School Project

A Gala Celebration to benefit the Children of Naina

Please join us for a candle light dinner, a silent auction, a special performance by The Phoenix Symphony, and screening of the film “Pokot: A Path To Manhood” by Kire Godal To learn more about the Pokot tribe, Learning for Peace and Friends of Africa, please visit us online: www.friendsofafricaaz.org or call: 480.363.000

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Connecting People, Planet and Profit

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Sustainability as Arizona’s Exportable Commodity

the heels of another tragic event that centered the State of Arizona in the national spotlight, President Obama delivered the State of the Union address and asked Congress to put aside partisan differences and come together in a new era of cooperation to move our nation forward. “At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else,” he said, adding that the first step is to encourage American innovation. He announced plans to invest in biomedical research and information technology, especially clean energy technology, to strengthen national security, protect the planet and create jobs. Sustainability – and the opportunity that comes with it – is now officially called into action on the national agenda. “Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik, we had no idea how we would beat them to the moon. The science wasn’t even there yet. NASA didn’t exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn’t just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and

By Snowden Bishop

millions of new jobs,” said Obama. “This is our generation’s Sputnik moment.” Where have I heard that before? That statement belongs to a collective conscience – a universal knowledge base that has been circulating amid visionaries and is now surfacing in the mainstream. Nearly a month after being named a Green Pioneer by the Phoenix Business Journal, Your 3BL Radio host and CEO of GreenNurture Derrick Mains gathered a group of individuals he believes to be leaders in the sustainability movement in Arizona to share his vision about Arizona leading the nation with innovation, development and production of sustainability as an exportable commodity. Just as Idaho is known for its potatoes and Silicon Valley is known for its technology, Mains believes that Arizona is poised to become the hub of sustainability. “Who wants to be a trillionaire?” he asked. A study conducted by the World Watch Institute last year concluded that sustainability would be a 2.74 trillion dollar industry in the next five years, with 50% attributed to process efficiency. Another survey indicated that 96% of global CEOs polled stated that sustainability will

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be integral to every aspect of their corporations within the next five years. And yet, only 22% of the same CEOS surveyed believe that sustainability is important to their investors. “There is a convergence of things happening around sustainability, consciousness and technology simultaneously, which puts us in this very specific time in history, sort of like Sputnik,” said Mains, who explained that for years going into space was science fiction to most people. “No one believed it could happen until one day, they looked up into the sky to see Sputnik, the fi rst satellite launched into space by the Soviets.” That event set into motion a change in beliefs – and nationwide support of science and technology to move us to the next level. The movement of sustainability is happening the same way, especially here in Arizona. So far Arizona legislators haven’t always supported environmental initiatives despite the fact that there is a grass-roots movement of innovation and technology that is leading sustainability nationwide happening here.

REDUCE YOUR ENERGY & INCREASE YOUR COMFORT Eco Friendly / Insulation Radiant Barrier / Ventilation Energy Audit If your home as little as 5 to 10 years old, you likely have one ofthe 46 million under-insulated homes in the US, according to the Harvard University School of Public Health.

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But to get legislative support and nationwide recognition, Mains believes it will require a shift in paradigm – changing belief systems about sustainability the way Americans changed their belief after seeing Sputnik. “Most people believe that sustainability is merely about the environment, but they don’t see how sustainability affects their own bottom line. There is a real disconnect between people who believe that global warming is not real and those who insist that it is.” said Mains. Drawing from his background in theology, he made an analogy about the debate between creationism and evolution. Some believe the world was created in seven days by God, while others believe in the Big Bang Theory. “It shouldn’t matter which scenario you believe in. What I try to tell people is that either way, it was a miracle. So rather that disagreeing about how the earth was created, let’s just agree that we need to protect the miracle.” Mains believes that capitalizing on sustainability will require transformation of the perceptions around it, and coming together as a region with a vision and

support it. He maintains that this will require new legislation that will support sustainable business and energy eff iciency, and attract people to our state with new jobs and innovative technology. Despite the lack of political support for sustainability in Arizona, there are incredible innovators and companies producing exportable green technology from solar to biotech, green building to organics. New plant-based plastics are manufactured here, and one innovative company has figured out how to make biofuel with agave. “We are a land of pioneers and risk-takers. However, to the rest of the country, we’re best known for the immigration controversy, real estate bust, political antics, and now a tragic incident that has had a ripple effect across the nation. Despite what people think of our sheriff or governor, they are known nationwide,” said Mains. “Let’s face it, we have a governor with a lot of moxy, and when she makes a statement, she’s on CNN. That’s an asset we should be tapping into to do something really positive. That can work to our advantage to help position our state as a leader in sustainability.”

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But that will require us to come together as an industry. To do that, Mains called upon Arizona’s leaders in sustainability to help him create what he calls SustainAZility, an online wiki platform intended to bring the sustainability industry leaders together to share information and build on the momentum within the community. “The premise behind SustainAZility can be likened to the practice of barn building,” he noted. “Why? It’s not just about coming together as a community or doing good things for your neighbor. It is good business, and shows cooperation. If you help your neighbor build his barn, then your neighbor will help you build yours.” It is that spirit of cooperation Mains believes can place Arizona in the forefront of sustainability and secure our leadership position. “Think about what Arizona would be like if we became leaders in the foundation of a trillion dollar industry. We have a real opportunity to make sustainability Arizona’s number one exportable commodity – to become the Silicon Valley of environmental commerce and technology.” With that ambition, Mains aff irms that the mindset about sustainability will begin to change from a political debate to a shared economic vision. Regardless of whether global warming is fact or fiction, one thing everyone can agree upon is that sustainability is good for the economy. A fringe benefit is that the same eff iciency and conservation is also good for the environment and good for everyone on a spiritual level as well. Mains invites anyone to participate in the wiki, which is similar in nature to the famous Wikipedia, easily navigated and edited by anyone with a computer. The platform is intended to encourage innovators and thinkers to collaborate and share information that can help to lead Arizona into the forefront of the sustainability movement, and publicize the groundbreaking work that is occurring here. For more information or to join the conversation, log onto www.sustainAZility.com.

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by Dr. Mark Force

to Vital Aging After recovering from our initial shock and getting to know each other, we completed a full geriatric assessment including an electrocardiogram. Nakajimasan was in outstanding health, with the exception of a mild cardiac disturbance known as a first-degree heart block – a mild slowing of the conduction of electricity through the heart and considered harmless and very common to elderly patients. When we informed him of our findings, he exclaimed, “Chaganjuu,” which in the Okinawan dialect means, “I am in perfect health!” And he was right. There was basically nothing wrong with his body after 100 years of use!

How do you build up your bank account? By putting something in it every day. Your health account is no different. What I do today, I am wearing tomorrow. If I put inferior foods in my body today, I’m going to be inferior tomorrow. It’s that simple. Jack Lalanne

rom Okinawa… After getting hopelessly lost on the twisting narrow roads, we finally approached Nakajimasan’s small wooden cottage. There on the veranda, sorting through a variety of gardening tools, was a sprightly man who appeared to be about seventy years old. He was casually attired in a white tee-shirt and long pants, the kind of clothes we North Americans might wear on weekends to putter around the garden. Upon seeing us, he greeted us with a wave and a winning smile. We naturally figured he was Nakajimasan’s son, and asked him in our broken Okinawan where we might find his father. We had imagined that the 100-year-old man was quietly resting in the house, safely protected from the scorching sun, probably dressed in a yukata, a loose kimono traditionally worn by men of older generations. But in Okinawa things are not always as they seem. The energetic man was not seventy. We were astonished to learn that we were speaking to Nakajimasan himself. At the ripe old age of 100, gardening was just one of the daily chores he was preparing to do.

Okinawans are known to be the longest living group of people in the world, and they tend to retain vitality and live independently throughout their lives. Proven by extensive research and observation during our field studies of Okinawans and their way of life (The Okinawa Program, Three Rivers Press, 2001), their longevity can be attributed to a healthy diet, high level of physical exercise, and quality of their peaceful and purposeful lifestyles. Is there something special in addition to their lifestyle habits about Okinawans, such as genetic predisposition or other environmental factors that accounts for longevity and quality of life? Perhaps. But when researchers consider the longevity of certain people in western culture, the findings about lifestyle choices remain constant. For example, long-time Muscle & Fitness columnist and author Clarence Bass is in his 70’s. He repeatedly tests in the 95th percentile (better than 95%) for fitness in the 20 to 30 year old age group. The “Godfather of Fitness,” Jack LaLanne, now in his 90’s, can lift heavier weights and has more endurance and vitality than most men in their 30’s. Paul Bragg, the man who is credited for launching Jack LaLanne’s health and fitness career, died at 83, but not of old age. He drowned in a surfing accident in

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Hawaii. Several decades ago, when these men were thought to be middle-aged, the average expected natural lifespan was thought to be 72 years of age. Yet their lives provided proof positive that a healthy lifestyle can significantly improve longevity and add quality years to our lives.

increased longevity and minimizes the loss of abilities commonly associated with aging. A number of geriatric researchers have extensively studied various groups of people who were able to maintain their health with very little decrease of ability until shortly before death. Their studies have consistently determined that this type of “Vital Aging” should be deemed “normal,” and that increased disability and illness often associated with aging are more likely directly related to poor lifestyle choices made earlier in life.

Vital Aging Strategy Improves: Concentration & Memory Function of the Nervous System Muscle Mass & Bone Density Absolute Strength Coordination & Balance Reflex Speed and Tone Flexibility Cardiovascular Health

What is Natural Lifespan?

Metabolic Balance

There are many ideas circulating about how old we should be able to live. The evidence seems to support the notion that today our optimal and natural lifespan is ninety years, plus or minus ten years depending on genetic constitution and the quality and consistency of our self-care. Living longer than 100 years of age is rare enough that it can be considered an unrealistic goal, especially in our culture where it is rare to meet centenarians. However, people who make healthy lifestyle choices throughout their lives can expect a natural lifespan beyond 90 years.

Hormonal Balance

While some people put great emphasis on longevity as a primary goal, longevity alone is not much of an achievement if your quality of life is compromised by illness and disability. Unless the goals of maintaining function and minimizing disability are achieved, increased longevity is ordinarily associated with exponential increases in impairment and illness While many consider such deterioration a “normal” part of growing old, there is more and more evidence that continuously making healthy lifestyle choices that support optimal function leads to

Sensation Life Span Biological Age Secondary Healthcare Disability Energy Well Being Quality of Life

What Is Vital Aging? Vital aging is the state of having maintained most, if not essentially all, of your inherent physical, mental, and emotional capacities until the end of your natural lifespan. Vital aging enables people to remain independent and capable throughout their lives, and maintain their inherent capacities at a high enough level for them to continue to grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. Vital aging enables people to live their lives ever more deeply in accord with their experience, wisdom and maturity.

What is so exciting about the study of vital aging is that its tangible benefits, all of which have been extensively researched, documented and proven, are achievable by practicing functional selfcare that optimizes genetic expression and reinforces good health.

Comparing Anti-Aging and Vital Aging Strategies Let’s face it, youthful appearances are revered in our western society. As a result, restoring youth has become big business. The concept of anti-aging, fighting the aging process and somehow overcoming it, has become especially popular in the last decade. Aging is inevitable, and preventing its occurrence is impossible. Attempting to do so can be risky and very costly. However, aging well with vitality and joy is possible without anti-aging quick fixes. You just have to be willing to invest in more effective, functional healthcare over time and exercise your will to practice self-care. Many doctors practicing anti-aging medicine are more than willing to provide complex, exotic, and expensive supplement regimens, prescription drugs for “off-label” use, various hormone replacement therapies such as growth hormone injections and testosterone or estrogen pellets implanted under your skin, and various cosmetic procedures, such as laser resurfacing, liposuction, botox injections, and implants. All too often doctors practicing “antiaging” medicine have had little specialized training in gerontology or internal medicine. For many, their primary motivation is making money – anti-aging medicine can make for very lucrative practices – rather than promoting health and wellness. In fact, some anti-aging medicine practitioners are not doctors at all – a number of licensed cosmeticians, herbal anti-aging specialists, and nurse practitioners peddle their anti-aging “secrets” to throngs of Fountain of Youth-seekers. But, do these anti-aging remedies work? Not always. On the plus side, some antiaging treatments can measurably improve body functions such as bone density, muscle mass, cholesterol, blood sugar, body fat percentage, and metabolic rate. While anti-aging medicine can conceal some apparent manifestations of aging and produce the illusion of youth, more

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on pharmaceuticals (medicine) to treat disease, vital aging or functional healthcare is based on the incorporation of simple strategies (diet, exercise, moderation, non-toxic environment, meditation, contemplation, and prayer, and others) that strengthen your health and enrich your life without medical intervention. Understanding the difference between functional and conventional healthcare delivery as well as their strengths and weaknesses requires a closer look at the relationship between functional illness and pathological disease. often its results are primarily cosmetic and its effects are commonly short-lived and frequently rife with side effects. Using drugs for hormone replacement and “off-label” use over time can often compromise body systems, such as downregulation of your natural hormone production, liver stress, imbalance of hormone and metabolic pathways, and neurotransmitter imbalances. Some antiaging treatments can increase your risk for very serious side effects such as cancer. Anti-aging medicine is treatment focused, and it usually requires very expensive, repetitive procedures or medications. Unfortunately, therapies often used in “anti-aging” medicine are very loosely based on studies that are inconclusive or have been misinterpreted, either as an outcome of inadequate background or worse, intentionally. So why rely on anti-aging medicine that has the potential to actually diminish rather than increase the level of your health overall and make you dependent on ongoing and expensive drug and hormone therapies? Unlike expensive, intrusive and risky antiaging remedies, a prescription for vital aging is not exotic, expensive, invasive, or laden with dangerous side effects. Nearly all of the desired anti-aging results can be achieved naturally and inexpensively through disciplined eating, exercise and determination. Vital aging medicine, as a practice, incorporates the cultural and lifestyle habits of people who have experienced longevity and life-long healthy vitality. The effectiveness of these habits leading to vital aging is well-documented, and synergistically based on extensive

observation and experiment. Actual people and populations studied represent living proof that vital aging medicine strategies for life-long wellness work.

Benefits of Effective Self Care: Is clear & easy to utilize Is relatively inexpensive Has measurable outcomes Produces predictable results Optimizes genetic expression Optimizes function of body systems Minimizes need for secondary healthcare Maintains vitality & independence throughout life

A Model For Vital Aging Healthcare Whereas the current conventional healthcare model relies on diagnostic tools and treatment strategies that aid in the identification and elimination of disease, the practice of vital aging medicine advocates functional healthcare - a primarily self-directed process that is achieved mostly through self-care for the purpose of preventing disease. Whereas conventional healthcare relies

The Continuum of Health Conventional healthcare tends to look at health as an either/or phenomenon – you’re either healthy or you’re not. But, the reality is more nuanced than that. Most illnesses fall somewhere between health and pathological illness. This is especially true for certain illnesses that persist after a patient has seen numerous doctors and received a multitude of treatments without receiving any confirmed diagnosis or prognosis. Patients suffering from such persistent illnesses versus diagnosable diseases often have a form of “functional” illness – they aren’t well, but don’t have a diagnosable pathological illness either. Without a definitive diagnosis, they may be told “everything seems okay,” “we don’t know what to do for you,” or “you’ll just have to live with it.” The gray zone may be frustrating. Often, such dis-ease, or lack of wellness caused by poor lifestyle habits, leads to conditions of illness in which the body may or may not still have the capacity to heal itself with functional healthcare alone. Here a combination of conventional and functional healthcare together may be required. Commonly people who have functional illnesses get dropped through the cracks when trying to get answers through conventional medicine; not because conventional medicine is inadequate, but because it’s not the right tool for the job. Conventional healthcare is the right tool for treating pathological illnesses and specific injuries. Examples here are antibiotics for pneumonia, surgical repair of a knee injured in an accident, replacement of a heart valve weakened from an infection, and insulin injections for someone with type I diabetes.

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Functional healthcare, on the other hand, is the right tool for treating functional illnesses and for maintaining and protecting your health over time; and these are the essentials for people to experience vital aging. Functional healthcare includes a synergistic combination of natural therapies, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, clinical nutrition, craniosacral therapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and osteopathy

Keys to Vital Aging Breathing Water Salt Foundation Diet Non-Toxic Environment Detoxification and Fasting Exercise Sleep, Rest, and Relaxation Recreation (Play) Moderation Meditation, Contemplation, and Prayer Relationships Mission and Purpose Contribution

as well as conventional diagnostics such as physical, orthopedic, and neurological exams, x-rays, MRI, CAT scans, and laboratory testing.

Promote Health By Restoring Function: Depending upon the outcome of the initial physical exam, take steps to correct any imbalances and make a plan to make adjustments to your daily routine in order to restore physical health. For example, if your cholesterol is high, you can reduce fatty food intake, or to improve stamina, start a regular exercise routine. Other early warning signs of disease can be detected, and you can take steps to reverse it. Learn about Self-Care that Promotes Vital Aging: Essentially, self-care is conscious manipulation of environmental factors that affect your health to your best advantage in order to optimize your personal liberties and quality of life throughout your life. Ultimately, the most powerful, predictable, and costeffective approach for creating the right conditions for vital aging is to practice functional self care. Effective self-care needs more than good intention; it requires discipline and planning ahead. What you do for yourself on a daily basis to nurture and protect your health will, in the final analysis, always be more beneficial than relying on conventional medicine to repair damage that might have occurred as a result of poor lifestyle choices. Healthy choices such as a low-fat fiber-rich diet, plenty of exercise and meditation or other stress relief programs for emotional wellbeing combined with regular medical checkups reframes healthcare from being reactive (symptom-focused) to proactive (function-focused). Your health is really up to you. Vital aging requires commitment and discipline, but the benefits are tangible, rewarding and enduring.

EDITOR’S POSTSCRIPT: Shortly after finalizing this article, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Jack Lalanne, an iconic personality whose name is synonymous with good health and fitness. At 96 years of age, he epitomized vital aging, and throughout his entire life, he retained the strength and endurance of a young man. Often thought to be the Godfather of Fitness, Lalanne brought physical fitness into the mainstream like no one else before him. As a founding member of President’s Council on Physical Fitness under President Kennedy, Lalanne helped to create standards for physical fitness curriculum in schools nationwide. Via his numerous books and television appearances, Lalanne showed us by way of example how to maintain vitality and strength at any age with a healthy

Functional Healthcare As A Means To Vital Aging

diet and lots of exercise. Mr. Lalanne, thank you for raising

Regardless of the type of doctor providing care, three primary goals need to be met for healthcare to be truly health promoting and lead to vital aging. Measure Health Status Through Measuring Body Function: A routine physical examination with basic lab work can help to determine physical fitness, balance of your body chemistry, and emotional wellbeing.

awareness about good health and inspiring us to be fit. You Dr. Mark Force is a chiropractic physician and author of Choosing Health: Dr. Force’s Functional Selfcare Workbook. For more about vital aging, visit www.theelementsofhealth.com

will be missed. We send heartfelt condolences to your surviving family.

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The AZLCV, a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization is keeping score. Visit us online to view the 2010 Scorecard and see how your representatives voted on environmental issues. Our mission is to empower you to make informed choices for the benefit of future generations. Arizona League of Conservation Voters www.azlcv.org

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ran erring et Breast A

Augmentation Natural

What woman hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t longed to move fat from her thighs, abdomen or other troublesome areas and send it directly to her breasts, only to believe that it was wishful thinking?

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by Carrie Morgan

y friend Kelly called me the minute she returned from an international anti-aging conference in Las Vegas. She had heard some exciting news that would be music to most women’s ears: natural breast augmentation using fat transfer is now a viable option for women desiring a larger bust size, but who are turned off by the risks and the artificial look and feel of artificial implants. Dr. Todd Malan of the Scottsdale-based Innovative Cosmetic Surgery Center told the conference attendees about a natural alternative to silicone or saline implants that restores volume and makes breasts larger by extracting fat from the thighs or abdomen-- almost any trouble spot on the body-- and transferring it to the breasts. “I just love that this procedure uses body fat! I like the idea of reorganizing my own assets to tune up my body – rather than relying on plastic and silicone,” said Kelly. I was fascinated. Kelly is the last person anyone might guess would opt for cosmetic surgery of any kind. She lives a very wholesome lifestyle complete with a highly organic diet, lots of outdoor activities and naturopathic healthcare. An avid runner, Kelly has a trim, athletic build. But since I’ve known her, she has battled the belly fat that has persisted since she reached her 30s, and she has always been dissatisfied with her bust size. Like most women who have ever breastfed children, Kelly’s breasts diminished in size and even became a bit droopy after breastfeeding her son. “I don’t want to look like a porn star,” said Kelly matter-of-factly. “I just want to fill out a dress.” It occurred to me that she’s not alone. Millions of women dream about having a more voluptuous bust. Breast

augmentation surgery has always been extremely popular and has consistently ranked as the most frequently requested cosmetic surgical procedure across the nation, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Despite its popularity, breast augmentation using artificial implants is a risky procedure fraught with complications. Women who prefer a more holistic lifestyle often reject the idea of artificial enhancement because of the risks associated with these procedures – and rightly so. More than 30% of women who receive artificial breast implants wind up having a second procedure within a year to correct shifting or repair implant leakage.

e o e

In a show of solidarity, I agreed to accompany Kelly to her consultation. We discussed the evolution of the natural breast augmentation procedure with Malan, who is a founding member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Physicians, and the first physician to teach accredited courses on fat transfer and stem cell enhanced breast augmentation procedures. Some interesting newer developments came to light. Recent years have seen significant improvements in the use of water-assisted liposuction to extract fat without inflicting the trauma of traditional liposuction. Also, by extracting and utilizing stem cells from the patient’s own fat during the procedure, Dr. Malan has been able to make the fat transfer permanent. That means no additional surgeries would be required to maintain results as time goes by. But that’s not even the best part. Achieving a natural look and feel of the breasts is what makes this procedure perfect for women like Kelly, who want to increase the volume of their breasts by one or two cup sizes. With the key word, of course, being “naturally.”

o hat e a t s at ra reast a

e ta o

The procedure requires fat to be removed from one area of the body via liposuction, then carefully re-injected into the breasts. According to Malan, this innovative procedure utilizes one’s own stem cells to build new blood vessels and keep the fat alive once transferred to the breasts, which eliminates many of the risks that are common to artificial breast augmentation methods. “By using a liposuction technique called “Body-Jet,”, the fat is gently harvested using water-assisted liposuction, then transferred to the breasts,” said Dr. Malan. “This form of lipo keeps connective tissue intact, decreasing the risks of lumps, bumps and sagging skin commonly associated with traditional lipo. Because we are using fat from parts of the body deemed as storage areas, the fat tends to remain even if the patient loses weight. And it tends to be the first place patients gain weight, actually further increasing the volume of the breasts.” Since the fat is taken from and inserted into the same patient during a single procedure, there is no risk of fat rejection by the patient’s body, no risk of leaks or ruptures, and little-to-no impact on breast feeding or mammograms. It also remains exactly where it is placed, with no risk of shifting. The stem cells promote fat survival when they are placed into the breast by building new blood vessels and bringing oxygen to the transferred tissue. The end result? An increased cup size via the patient’s own fat cells. Nothing artificial! Dr. Malan asserts that he is the first physician in the U.S. to provide the stem cell enhanced natural breast augmentation procedure, starting back in late 2008. “As awareness continues

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to grow, I fully expect fat transfer to the breasts to be the leading trend in 2011 for cosmetic aesthetic procedures,” Malan explained. “Women just don’t want to put foreign materials into their bodies when there is an alternative. In many ways, this option not only provides natural results, but is also much less invasive and disruptive over the long term than implant surgery.” In fact, as I researched breast implants, I found he had a really good point. As opposed to natural breast augmentation, implants have multiple inherent dangers and undesirable side effects such as the loss of sensation, undesirable scar tissue, unnatural cleavage and breast shape, leakage and shifting of implants over time. All of this is not to mention that most implants need to be replaced every ten years, which causes increased risk of additional scar tissue and other complications. Because of physicians like Dr. Malan, who was the first to offer the procedure in the United States and rigorously trains physicians from all over the globe, fat transfer to the breast has become a viable surgery with predictable, permanent results. The surgery has now gone mainstream with successful results.

“As we age, our bodies start making fewer of the cells that keep us looking youthful, such as collagen, plus our cells regenerate and repair much more slowly,” said Malan, who explained that in the new stem cell enhanced procedure, stem cells naturally within fat tissue are gently freed from the fat matrix using advanced liposuction techniques that do not destroy the tissue or the stem cells, carefully concentrated, then injected into the breast along with the prepared fat tissue. “The use of stem cells greatly improves the long-term fat survival and tissue healing after the procedure,” he added.

Fat transfer isn’t just for the breasts; it can also be injected into the hands, the face, buttocks and other areas where common signs of aging can be offset by plumping the skin.

Before deciding on any cosmetic procedure, it is critical to gather as much information as possible and write down questions prior to consulting with a physician. Look for a physician who is regularly sought out for his/her expert opinion, and who participates in innovative clinical trials as a sign of his/her dedication and expertise. Never consider price the deciding factor when choosing a cosmetic surgeon.

te e s re t those o tro ers a

Because the use of stem cells is the most recent evolution of “regenerative aesthetics,” the newest term for anti-aging procedures, less consumer information is available about the surgery, which leads to misunderstandings. As an abundant source of stem cells, fat tissue is ideal. “Stem cells are in virtually every part of the body, but fat tissue is a particularly rich source,” Malan noted. Why is stem cell enhancement so important to cosmetic surgery? It uses one of the body’s own assets to restore elasticity to the skin and actually kicks that clock backwards - bringing aging skin back to a younger state.

Natural breast augmentation can be done with or without the addition of stem cells, but either requires advanced liposuction as part of the procedure. Patients cannot use another person’s fat. Fat transfer breast augmentation was banned in the 1980s due to poor technique and technology. Due to recent advancements in the technology, the ban has finally been lifted. That was great news for Malan, who warned, “Unfortunately, some physicians are unaware of these advancements and are using old-fashioned techniques and equipment proven to be ineffective.”

It is most critical to have the utmost confidence about your choice in doctors while making certain that the methods and procedures offered are right for you and aligned with your desired result. As my friend Kelly discovered, living a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t necessarily require living without some of the physical enhancements that can improve our enjoyment of life. But it is nice to know that these enhancements are available without introducing artificial objects into our bodies. And, that’s great news for us all! n

energy

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nte igent i e Natural gas is not just for heating any more! hen it comes to energy efficiency, European countries seem to be decades ahead of the United States. It’s not that Europe is more advanced, but rather more frugal. The cost of energy throughout Europe has always been high, whereas the cost of energy in the U.S. has remained lower than nearly anywhere else in the world. Depending upon climate conditions, heating and cooling typically account up to 30% of all electricity used in conventional homes and buildings. The percentage is even higher in older homes with original HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) units, and higher still in office buildings with large open areas. As energy costs steadily increase, so do our concerns about finding energy efficient ways to heat and cool our homes and businesses. The demand for new technology capable of significantly reducing the amount of electricity needed to regulate room temperatures has been met with a new supply of high-tech,

low-energy heating and cooling devices developed right here in the U.S. In 2010, IntelliChoice Energy, a Phoenixbased HVAC technology development company unveiled its new line of natural gas-fired HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems based on technology that has been available elsewhere in the world for more than two decades. According to IntelliChoice COO Tim Cone, more than 600,000 gas-fired HVAC systems have been employed globally, and with successful results. Despite the fact that our natural gas supply is at an all-time high and costs a fraction of what we are willing to pay for electricity, the U.S. has been slow to adopt the technology in mainstream building. So far, fewer than 1,000 gas-fired HVAC systems have been installed here in the U.S. Cone attributes this to several factors. First, since the economic slump has found company budgets slashed and homeowners squeezed for cash, spending money to replace existing HVAC systems

has not been a top priority. Prior to the recent surge in energy costs, the relatively low cost of electricity had made us even more complacent. As a result, the demand for alternative heating and cooling systems has not kept pace with the technology, especially in commercial applications, where return on investment would not justify the investment considering the existing low cost of electricity. Secondly, gas-fired HVAC systems were first developed for commercial application, while development of residential units have largely remained on the back burner. Natural gas has been commonly used in homes to power stoves, water heaters, furnaces, dryers, bar-b-cues and fireplaces. However, other residential applications of natural gas are not widely publicized in the U.S. Amid rising concerns about environmental conservation coupled with escalating costs associated with scarcity of natural resources, the trend toward cleaner, greener and more efficient energy use is gaining steam. On a commercial level, a gas-fired HVAC system can reduce the cost of heating and cooling sufficiently to pay for itself within three years, which over time means a much greater ROI than if the same investment had been made in previous years. Likewise, residential HVAC units can reduce average heating and cooling bills by 75% overall, and homeowners can see their investment returned within five years. Now in its 28th year, The New American Home is constructed annually in conjunction with the National Association of Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show to showcase innovative building technologies incorporating the latest breakthroughs in green building and construction technology and will utilize a state-of-the-art energy efficiency package. Last year, The New American Home was constructed in Las Vegas, where summertime energy use exceeds national averages due to its hot, dry climate. “This was a certified Green Building Project that surpassed all of the green

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building guidelines,” said Tucker Bernard, executive director of The New American Home Las Vegas. The home’s energy saving features included a variable speed 95% AFUE gas furnace, and variable speed dual-compressor condensing units with an average 17 SEER performance, and a high-efficiency energy recovery ventilator (ERV) that helps ensure good indoor air quality by providing a controlled source of outdoor air. According to Bernard, the space conditioning system uses approximately 65% less energy for heating and 66% less energy for cooling than a home of similar size built to code in Las Vegas. “As people learn about the amount of money they can save by using natural gas to heat and cool their homes, they will begin to replace their aging HVAC systems with cleaner natural gas units,” said Cone, who acknowledged that the environmental benefits add yet another level of incentive. “There is no question that we can reduce carbon emissions significantly once natural gas HVAC units are more widely used.” When considering environmental impact, the carbon emissions of natural gas are considerably less than the carbon emissions expended to produce equivalent units of power supplied by electricity. Replacing one residential 15-ton electric HVAC system with a same-capacity natural gasfired system is equivalent to removing five cars from the road, or saving 8 acres of forest, every year. Replacing commercial units has even greater impact and a 110ton unit can reduce carbon emission of 39 cars per year – or save 61 acres of forest every year. Cone is convinced that as natural gaspowered appliances take hold, the effects will benefit everyone. “I believe we can learn from the wide usage of natural gas in Europe and other developed nations. We would like to see everyone here pay more attention to their own environmental impact while making choices that have a positive impact their bottom line,” said Cone, who acknowledged we are on the right path. His company aims to make people aware of the benefits of making the switch, and he didn’t hesitate saying, “Making intelligent energy choices is good for people, profits and planet.”b

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Organic Manifesto

How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World and Keep Us Safe

Maria Rodale says, “If you do just one thing to change the world, go organic.” We say, if you want to make sustainability a priority this year, Organic Manifesto is a must-read. Written by Maria Rodale, granddaughter of the “Grandfather of Organic Farming,” Organic Manifesto addresses the most pressing issues facing our food supply from GMOs to chemical contamination and dispels the myths and propaganda that have sheltered us from the truth for generations. The adage, what you don’t know can hurt you, comes to mind in nearly every page. The astounding truth about the processed food we consume brings to light the real costs we incur by remaining ignorant. Childhood obesity, diabetes, asthma, heart disease and autoimmune diseases are just a few of the health problems that can be reversed if we begin to wean ourselves off of food produced by conventional farming methods and select wholesome foods produced organically. Drawing upon countless case studies and published scientific reports, Rodale eloquently makes the connection between environmental and economic consequences of industrial farming such as polluted drinking water, livestock feed contamination, deleterious health effects and farm subsidies, to name a few. Rodale also offers solutions and examples that demonstrate how choosing to go organic can reverse environmental damage done and result in sustainable, healthy and profitable farming methods that are practical for large industrial farms as well as small family farmers. (Published by Rodale Books, 2010; 224 Pages)

Naked in Eden

My Adventure and Awakening in the Australian Rainforest Naked in Eden chronicles the transformational journey of a woman who makes radical changes to free herself from the confines of autism and consequences of life-threatening disease. Having left behind a civilized modern existence to live off the grid in the Daintree Rainforest in Australia, author Robin Easton bares her soul in a beautifully written journal about her daring path to wholeness. Not without danger, her adventure exposes a very brave woman’s search for deeper meaning in her life as she confronts her worst fears and abandons creature comforts most of us take for granted. In her new life, she learns what it means to be part of the evolutionary food chain and how to thrive while connected with the raw elements of nature. What she discovers is a new way of looking at the world and, ultimately, healing from the inside out physically, emotionally and spiritually. Naked in Eden reads like an adventure novel, but is far from superficial; Easton’s story is rife with conscious inspiration and grounded in practical wisdom. So if escaping into a great storybook that also elevates your awareness and enriches your soul is what you’re after, this book won’t disappoint you. (Published by HCI, 2010; 360 pages)

books

editor’s picks / 2011

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c i g a M l a t e m p a r Sc ter the t a s e n i h s t hibi x e e l l i v r a l 3 R So Cen

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Can you have any more fun than skulking around junkyards for salvageable stuff, and making money doing it? Enter a local fabrication company who specializes in the three R’s - reuse, repurpose and recycle. They are refreshingly eco-centric across virtually every aspect of their business. So who is it? Down in the industrial district of Phoenix lies a fascinating workshop that transforms seemingly useless plastic, steel and aluminum discards into beautiful, dimensional signage, exhibits, kiosks and displays. For a perfect example, check out this utterly fabulous custom table made from recycled automotive parts for a PIR charity event. What guy wouldn’t want this treasure? Detail Design & Fabrication (DD&F) works with architects, developers, retailers and others like Chase Field, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Arizona Cardinals, Pulte Homes, Phoenix International Raceway, Westcor, The Children’s Museum of Phoenix and many others to create custom display or signage needs of any type.

Bringing Solarville To Life

Principal Sandy Bruce and Shad Bruce of DD&F, whose intriguing title is Creative Chaos Guru, spoke enthusiastically about a recent project. “One of our favorite projects was creating the Solarville exhibit at the Arizona Science Center . Partnering with Campbell Fisher Design for the creative, we fabricated 22 new displays by reusing parts from older exhibits and pulling in other used or recycled materials wherever possible. It was challenging beyond our wildest dreams, and very exciting.” Sandy Bruce added, “Can you imagine making a trash-compacting exhibit that is 100% childproof and tough enough to withstand hundreds of touches a day for years? It was incredibly rewarding to bring it to life, then show it to my own children. What a thrill. “ As an employee-run company, DD&F encourages each person to first consider the environment, then consider function

and efficiency. Their business practices follow the same philosophy of minimizing environmental impact. For example, DD&F leverages the latest technology to reduce waste to a degree far beyond the effort most fabrication companies pursue. To maximize the efficient use of each piece of material, the item (such as a sheet of metal scrap) is scanned into their CAD (computer aided

Over 45% of the exhibits use pieces of older exhibits, retrofitted and modernized for a fresh feel. A kid-powered wind turbine is housed in a funky, repurposed wine barrel, and the “bird on the wire” exhibit uses an old telephone pole. If you have children, it is a “can’t miss” exhibit that has a permanent place in the science hall. Not to worry that it’s a traveling exhibit soon to be gone – it’s not, so you can visit whenever you have the chance. Admission costs $12 for adults, and $10 for children under 17.

Cars to Music at The Children’s Museum

design) software, then manipulated online before precision cutting to minimize waste. If there is material left over from a project, it is saved, re-scanned and reused repeatedly until gone. The Arizona Science Museum project was no different.

Renewability At Its Best

The Solarville exhibit showcases sun, wind and algae as alternative sources of energy using a combination of new exhibits created from reclaimed materials, and remanufactured older exhibits. Children take a tour through an eco-friendly town called Solarville, learning about renewable energies all along the way. Two of the most fun exhibits? Kids of all ages delight in the “poop to power” exhibit that uses a repurposed wheelbarrow, and love the thrill of riding a bike from one balcony to the other over the lobby. The “Pedal Power” exhibit showcases human power and the difference in energy efficiency across LED, CFL and traditional incandescent lighting. Fun superhero personalities help the message sink in and keep the exhibit lighthearted and appealing.

Another “funtastic” exhibit created by DD&F includes an interactive transportation-themed display at The Museum of Phoenix made from an old truck bed, musical instruments made from reclaimed cars and auto shop tools, a vintage motorcycle with a removable tire, a race car with movable engine parts, and a seating area made from a fullsize Chevy truck bed. All instruments were created from tools and used auto parts. The entire exhibit demonstrates DD&F’s commitment to “reuse, recycle and repurpose” by using cleaned and refurbished materials from junkyards and auto shops. Way to go green, guys! For more information on DD&F and other fun projects, such as the Speedway Cantina they created at PIR, check out their Facebook page or website at www. ddandf.com.b

Columnist Carrie Morgan is founder and president of Rock The Status Quo, a Phoenix-based marketing, public relations and online visibility consultancy firm. She is also author of A Fragile Planet, www. rockthestatusquo.com, a green blog focused on Arizona’s journey to a sustainable future.

eco-centric

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Rest your head on my... Pillow! Inhabitat Living has set out to hange the World This pillow by Inhabitat Living may very well change the world ou’ll rest easy knowing that the hand printed and handmade in the SA with environmentally friendly inks with no chemical waste or disposal generated. Materials: 00 sustainable recycled polyester Pillow. Insert feather down. All paper waste from this process is repurposed as shredded packing material. Product is recyclable at the end of this life cycle.

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Will you marry me? ules of engagement have changed Promise to love and cherish her with an eco friendly, conflict free, ethically produced diamond ring e sure to add a commitment to onsciousness when saying “I do.”

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Ah, the Sweetness of Nectar! Say goodbye to toxic perfumes! Instead try sweet organic scents containing 100% non-synthetic, pure, precious, plant-distilled essential oils and absolutes. Each is meticulously developed to create a perfectly balanced, ultra-complex and sophisticated fragrant mélange. Ajne: www.ajne.com

Earth-friendly, fair trade gifts for your Eco-Valentine Coffee, Tea or... Chocolate? What could be sweeter than organic, fair trade indulgences to share with your sweet heart L rganics presents their specialty teas in recyclable, reusable metal containers without any plastics or toxic materials. ual xchange presents their organic, free trade and ethically produced offee/ hocolate pairings in gift bags and their gifts support fair trade world wide.

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essentials

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You deserve to breathe easier and so do the billions of people who rely on unsafe light sources. AZGreenMagazine

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Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Ellis

erosene lamps, diesel and other fossil fuels account for 1.5 million fire-related deaths every year. You can help provide safe, solar light to people in need by donating a Nokero solar light bulb to PROJECT C.U.R.E., the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics throughout the developing world.

To donate a bulb and learn more about Lights for Life, visit www.nokero.com/buygive.php

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www.projectcure.org

farm fresh

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Turning the Page A New Year at the Farm

With the turning of the calendar page, New Year’s brings forth new possibilities, a clean slate, and the hope of making right those things we want fixed. But with that comes the inevitable fear that after the glow of the holidays has worn off, so will the intentions and dedication promised to seeing those resolutions through. It happens every year, to all of us, myself most especially. On a farm, however, a particular date on a calendar doesn’t hold much weight. January 1st isn’t all that different from December 31st or January 2nd. You don’t wake up on a farm and decide that everything is going to be different because the page turned on your calendar. Instead, the changes on a farm are more gradual. As we move from one season to the next, there is the daily work that keeps that continual momentum moving forward. The ground is tilled, the soil prepped, the seeds planted, the water checked, all while allowing weather and time to make the changes you wish to see become a reality. Just as you are greeted by the harvest and the abundance of your efforts, weather and time are still working to then take it from you.

Acceptance of what you cannot control is as important as focusing on what you can. The seasons will continue on their cycle. Tomatoes and basil flourish and then wither. Eggplant and asparagus thrive one season, citrus and broccoli the next. A cold spell can mean the end of one vegetable and the start of another. A heat wave can do the same. Through each of these cycles, we adjust and accommodate the unexpected. A hailstorm once took out an entire crop of arugula. Months of work and rows of the beautiful, fragrant herb were taken out in minutes. With nothing else to do, the arugula was pulled up, the soil tilled, and the process started anew. Despite these challenges, the goal remains the same: nurture the ground to produce a bountiful harvest. Time does not stop and the weather is ever changing. This season will end and the next will come. So you work with what is at hand, knowing that what you do today may not be realized for months, but it still needs to be done. This year my resolution is to take these lessons and apply them within my own life. The farm has taught me that with

by Kate McClendon

enough patience, focus and hard work, beautiful things can happen. But they don’t come overnight and they don’t last forever. So I will appreciate the good things in their moment and continue to focus on what I need to do. And when it hails, I will adjust and move forward.

Contributor Kate McClendon works with her family on their organic farm, McClendon’s Select, located in Peoria. They are a supplier of farm fresh organic food for some of the area’s top chefs. For more culinary delights, visit www. mcclendonsselectblog.com. And be sure to visit her at local farmers’ markets this season: Town & Country Farmers’ Market in Phoenix on Wednesdays 8:30am-2:00pm, and Old Town Scottsdale Market in Scottsdale on Saturdays 8:30am-1:00pm. To learn more visit McClendonsSelectBlog.com

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hEALING A BROKEN HEART: by John M. Kennedy, MD

How Love, Relationships & Stress Affect Your Cardiovascular Health

For centuries, the heart has been associated with love and passion. As an invasive cardiologist, I’m constantly reminded of the significance of this age-old-adage – especially how it relates to our overall cardiovascular health. In fact, data supports the notion that “making love not war” can significantly reduce risk when it comes to your heart health. Lovers’ Quarrels can Break Your Heart

The Broken Heart Syndrome is a peculiar and occasionally lethal cardiac condition that often mimics a heart attack and can be triggered by an intense emotional experience such as a marital spat or domestic abuse. These emotionally charged events lead to sudden surges in stress hormones (adrenaline), which cause a rapid and profound decline in cardiac function. Fortunately, unlike a heart attack the condition is usually reversible. Additional research relating spousal arguing patterns and cardiac events was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2007. The study showed that arguing with your spouse could be hazardous to your cardiovascular health and that individuals who experienced high levels of negativity in their close personal relationships — especially marriage — were 1.34 times more likely to experience chest pain, heart attacks and even sudden cardiac death.

A Loving Heart is a Healthy Heart

Although bad relationships can be harmful to your heart, it stands to reason that good relationships can soothe, heal and protect your heart. Substantial evidence suggests that having a strong social network with friends and intimate relationships can decrease your cardiovascular risk. And a

number of previous studies showed that married people in general are less likely to develop heart disease. During the last several years, I surveyed more than 3,000 doctors about the benefits of reducing stress. Each was asked if emotional stress precipitates heart disease, to which they unanimously affirmed my findings – that emotions definitively impact morbidity and mortality. However, when I asked the same doctors what we do to teach our patients to reduce stress … Zero. Not one doctor was teaching patients how to reduce stress. Doctors don’t actually get paid to do this, and most don’t have much time to do this. Medical doctors are taught to diagnose and treat physical illness, few are taught to diagnose and treat emotional issues that cause illness.

Heart Helpful Hints for Relationships

So, in summary, difficult relationships can take a toll on your heart and conversely, healthy, loving and supportive ones can help protect your ticker. And some helpful hints to maintain a healthy relationship include: Exercise together. Run or ride stationary bikes together. It will allow you to spend quality time together while protecting your heart.

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Date night is a must for your heart! Be romantic. Go out to dinner and have a glass of wine—it will help your heart in more ways than one. Remain intimate. Physical intimacy between partners can offer physiological as well as emotional benefits. BREATHE! Learning to manage stress in your daily life will be healthy not only for your heart, but also for your relationships.

WHO WANTS TO BE A TRILLIONAIRE

Dr. John Kennedy is an invasive cardiologist and board member of the American Heart Association. He has a particular interest in the negative impact of stress on our cardiovascular system and speaks regularly to businesses about managing stress in the workplace. Dr. Kennedy is co-author of the book The 15 Minute Cure: The Natural Way to Manage Stress and Heal Your Heart in just Minutes a Day published by John Wiley & Sons, February 2010. To learn more about how Dr. Kennedy’s Breathe™ Technique can benefit your cardiovascular health, visit www. BreatheforWellness. com.

It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them -the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas. Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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To find out how one can gift can support 29 of the leading environmental and conservation nonporfits in Arizona, visit www.efaz.org

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TRAVEL WITH A CAUSE Ecotourism to Voluntourism by Peter Greenberg

travel

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ver the last few years, eco-tourism has become popular among nature enthusiasts and environmentally conscious travelers seeking to minimize their carbon impact, explore untamed natural settings and support resorts and travel companies practicing mindful sustainability. In the wake of the myriad of natural and man-made disasters that have devastated whole regions lately, a growing trend in travel has emerged – a global call to action is being met with an outpouring of generosity by tourists and travel companies alike. It’s always great to hear about travel providers that use their resources to give back. It is especially heartwarming to hear that their good will is attracting tourists who enjoy knowing that their travels are making a positive impact, not just on the environment, but on humanity as well. Despite the economy’s effect on tourism, a number of organizations are making donations to support selected causes, coordinating disaster relief efforts or contributing to other concerns impacting their areas. For example, the Rabbit Hill Inn a well-known country house in Vermont quietly rolled out a monthly package for those hit by the economic crisis. Their “Pink Slip Getaway” promotion offers a free two-night stay to travelers who have been unemployed for more than six months. During Breast Cancer Awareness month last year, Mandarin Oriental hotels launched its Spa for a Year program where guests can enter a raffle to win a year’s worth of spa therapy. All proceeds were directed toward the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Even airlines get involved. For example, United’s Eat for Good program means that with every purchase of an in-fl ight snack box, the airline will donate $1 toward hunger relief efforts. In addition to integrating giving programs into itineraries, a number of travel organizations are also answering the call by coordinating volunteer excursions in packages known as Immersive & Cultural Volunteer Vacations. Depending upon world events and annual cause drives, these travel organizations enlist support of traveling volunteers. The trend has gained steam. According to a U.S. Travel Association poll, at least 25% of travelers surveyed indicated that they were interested in cause or service-oriented vacations. Immersive volunteer vacations are a great way to get to know an area while making a positive impact on a community or conservation area in crisis. The idea behind these trips is to combine learning experiences with volunteering.

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But if you want to get even more out of your trip, look for an organization that incorporates cultural and travel experiences along with the volunteer work. Many organizations incorporate some R&R with farm tours, outdoor adventures and cultural programs. For example, you might spend a few days working on a community farm in Zambia or a children’s school in South Africa, followed by a safari on a game reserve. Ecological conservation, construction, social services, teaching, medical aid and disaster relief are just some of the thousands of volunteer opportunities currently being offered by reputable organizations.

accommodations with water and electricity hookups. The same deal applies to many state parks in North Carolina, where campsite hosts get to stay for free.

for how long. Some companies have staff on the ground, and others work with local non-profits and NGOs. The bottom line is that they should have some history in that location.

The New York Restoration Project hosts cleanup and maintenance days at a state park in the South Bronx. At Minnewaska State Park Preserve, volunteer hikers, bikers and skiers help patrol the park; and several other New York-area parks have volunteer openings for aspiring nature photographers.

In an area where the infrastructure has been damaged, relief efforts can face major challenges. Navigating these roadblocks requires having contacts on the ground and a familiarity with the lay of the land. What you DON’T want to do is jump on board with a group that arbitrarily decided to show up in a disaster-hit area, no matter how good their intentions are. Find out what the program’s short, medium and long-term goals are. The more clearly defi ned the plan, the more they can assign specific roles and prepare.

Numerous non-profit organizations enlist the support of volunteers in regions affected by natural disasters, poverty and environmental crisis. With Habitat for Humanity’s Global Villages program, participants work with local communities to build affordable housing. The Planeterra Foundation is a nonprofit organization with more than 30 projects worldwide.

Ask if you can talk to former volunteers – and consider it a big red flag if they outright refuse. Find out about the individual volunteer’s experience, and what they liked and didn’t like, and what (if anything) surprised them. This type of due diligence applies to all volunteer vacations, not just disaster relief.

And then there’s a new company called Roadmonkey, which was founded by a former war correspondent to offer adventure travel with a purpose. An upcoming trip to Ecuador includes three days building a playground for a local children’s foundation, followed by four days of hiking the beaches, learning to surf and exploring the jungle. Another company, i-to-i offers a wide variety of volunteer excursions such as teaching English in Sri Lanka or panda conservation excursions in Xi’an, China. If you’re in the mood to help out while you’re on the road domestically, state parks offer short and long-term volunteer opportunities for visitors--so chances are there’s an activity that fits your schedule. And in many cases, fi nding volunteer gigs is as easy as contacting the state’s off ice of parks and recreation, or department of environmental conservation. Several of Arizona’s state parks offer one-day opportunities, including trail restoration at Dead Horse Ranch in Cottonwood, or volunteer positions at park festivals and parades. Palo Duro Canyon in Texas has longer-term positions for camp hosts, which involves assisting guests and helping with park maintenance. In exchange, volunteers get free camping

Although there is no accrediting body that can fully vet organizations for you, check out CharityNavigator.org, which evaluates how much of the money goes toward programs versus administrative costs. Voluntourism.org is another resource that can provide insight into domestic and international volunteer vacations.■ With the recent natural disasters in Haiti, Chile and China, and right here in our own country, a record number of well-meaning groups are heading out to provide relief efforts. Whether you are planning for an international disaster relief excursion or a local volunteer opportunity closer to home, a word to the wise: be armed with as much information as possible before committing your good will and valuable vacation time. Make sure you spend some time vetting volunteer vacations to sort through wellmeaning vs. well-organized or bare-bones vs. well equipped so you know what to expect. Most importantly, be sure the excursion organizers are legitimate, or you may be doing more harm than good.

ere s hat to oo for

When researching a volunteer organization, fi nd out if they already have a presence in that destination, and

Peter Greenberg is Travel Editor for CBS News, and appears on The Early Show, Evening News with Katie Couric, and across many CBS broadcast platforms. Peter is also host of the nationally syndicated Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio show, broadcast each week from a different remote location around the world. His other current titles include Travel Editor at Large for AARP, Contributing Editor for Men’s Health magazine, and contributor to Parade, ForbesTraveler.com, Bing Travel and Oprah.com. He has been a featured guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Dr. Phil and Larry King Live. For more ways to give back when traveling, check out the Volunteer Vacations / Voluntourism section at www.PeterGreenberg.com Photo Credits: theleap.co.uk / habitat.org / hands.org bounlessjourneys.com / tripwow.com ewb-pitt.org

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photographer : cary jobe

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trends

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GreenOlutions n s to

Not just a passing fancy, the green movement will continue to impact all levels of consumption, from toilet paper purchases on up to luxury cars. Watch as green gets stricter, with wider adoption of new standards for buildings and updated guidelines for green claims. On a macro level, the emphasis will be placed on protecting the world’s forests and making city infrastructure smarter.

th ree

Americans may see more accurate and detailed green claims next year after the Federal Trade Commission publishes the first update to its “Green Guidelines” in 12 years. Under the proposed guidelines, manufacturers touting a product as “green” or “eco-friendly” will have to link those claims to specific attributes (e.g., a 100 percent recyclable package).

atc in

eforesta o

are ess

Forests are capturing the world’s attention again. 2011 is the United Nations’ International Year of Forests, and forests were central to COP16 in Mexico. The World Wildlife Fund recently released a document file format (WWF) that cannot be printed (the tagline: “Save as WWF, Save a tree”). The REED+ Partnership, launched last May with the goal of “slowing, halting and eventually reversing deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries,” had 71 nations on board by October and a pledge of $4 billion over the next two years.

ree

ars

Following the precedent of the electric Tesla Roadster, automakers are targeting eco-conscious drivers who like to motor in style and don’t mind price tags over $100,000. A first among luxury automakers, Mercedes-Benz is putting a four-cylinder engine (small,

by Ann Mack

cheaper, lower emissions) in its top-line S-class sedan for the European market. Volkswagen’s Bentley Continental GT Coupe will offer the option of a V8 engine (cleaner than the standard 12-cylinder), while Porsche and BMW have plans for plug-in hybrid cars within two years; Porsche’s is slated to cost around half a million Euros.

o e

o tors

Consumers are increasingly interested in Energy Dieting but haven’t had an easy way to monitor how much energy their appliances and gadgets use. Now, designfriendly products are coming to market, from Belkin’s Conserve Insight device to GE’s Nucleus home energy manager. And as sales of plug-in hybrids and electric cars take off, home energy management will increasingly be linked to vehicles.

he e

d str

In an increasingly urbanized, congested world with an aging population, people

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will be less motivated or able to drive. So we’ll see forward-thinking automakers experiment with new models focused simply on moving people to their destinations. Daimler has both Car2go—a car-sharing program that uses its Smart cars, implemented in two cities so far—and Car2gether, a ridesharing app and website. Peugeot’s Mu is a rental/Zipcar-like service that offers a range of models, from scooters to vans. “We make cars and trucks today, but who knows?” Ford’s Bill Ford said in 2010 and described the automaker as a provider of “mobility solutions.”

-to-

new and more prolific readers. And with initiatives like Worldreader, e-readers are even bringing books to more people in low-literacy countries such as Ghana.

rea

the oo

We’ll see more rethinking of fundamentals around the book format now that the market for e-reading has taken off. For starters: an iTunes-like market for single

ar har

Services including Spride Share in San Francisco, RelayRides in Boston and San Francisco, WhipCar in London and DriveMyCar in Australia match car owners whose vehicles are idle with people who need wheels. As these personto-person services demonstrate solutions to the obvious obstacles—devices can be installed to prevent theft, novel insurance agreements are used—we’ll see this take on Collaborative Consumption spreading.

e f- o ered e

Studies showing the benefits of taking time away from the multi-screen environment are encouraging people to De-Tech for hours, even days at a time. Look for more employers, schools, media outlets and parents to endorse digital downtime. These mindful breaks from digital input will be intended to relieve stress and foster creativity.

ead

s e rth

Aside from saving trees, recent research has found that e-readers lead to an increase in reading. With the proliferation of these devices, along with tablets and even smartphones, watch for a cohort of

With the fastest urban boom in history and a push for more sustainable living, the coming years will see huge investments in smart infrastructure (embedding digital communication technologies into the framework of existing power systems). Worldwide, at least 90 smart grid pilots are being implemented as the U.S., Japan, China, EU countries and other governments focus investment and development efforts on these technologies. The China Electricity Council reports that installation of smart meters will be worth $3.1 billion in 2011—just a taste of what’s to come: IDC estimates the value of the smart infrastructure business at $122 billion over 2010 and 2011 alone.

tr ter ree ta dards

Look for ambitious environmentalists to push past established standards like LEED by taking on more stringent requirements, such as those advocated by the International Living Building Institute or the Passive House Institute. The ILBI, which awarded its first certifications in 2010, bills its Living Building Challenge as “the world’s most rigorous green building performance standard.”

As scientists develop microchips capable of being powered by small movements or temperature differences, we’ll slowly see new types of gadgets that require no battery or power plug, cutting power consumption. For example, Microsoft has created a prototype of a peppermilllike remote control that’s powered by the turning motion required to use it.

art- frastr t re est e t

chapters, appealing for things like travel guides, anthologies and textbooks. We’ll also see short-form texts flourishing; Amazon is leading the way with Kindle Singles, encouraging writers to fill the niche between magazine article and book. And watch for more serialized works like The Mongoliad, an app that sends subscribers a chapter a week.

e- ree o et a er

Toilet paper is undergoing its biggest change in a century. Kimberly-Clark’s Scott Naturals is coming out with a tube-free version (currently being tested in select U.S. stores), and we’ll see more brands follow suit in a bid to better compete on the green front.v

h dre s - oo s

As simple learning apps for kids proliferate, look for the rise of children’s book applications for the iPhone and more reader-friendly iPad. Traditional children’s publishers such as Random House and HarperCollins have jumped on the bandwagon, as have startups. Ruckus Media, for example, is releasing 26 apps by 2011, with 75 more in the works. Apps like these will turn kids into even more ambidextrous learners, switching seamlessly from text to educational games and graphics.

Ann Mack is the Director of Trendspotting at JWT, a New York-based marketing company with more than 200 offices in over 90 countries employing nearly 10,000 marketing professionals. To view the complete report of JWT’s 100 Things to Watch in 2011, you can do so by accessing it here: www.slideshare.net

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S S AI A A I It s only natu al a e

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AZGreenMagazine

l winter 2011

Resolutions & Love AZGreen Magazine ❃ winter 2011

Connecting People, Planet, Profit

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