TRENDINGGreen
Rosy Soil Raises $3.6 Million to Create Gardening Soil From Captured CO2
Rosy Soil, a sustainable soil company founded in 2022, has raised $3.6 million in seed funding to offset the environmental impact of peat-based potting mixes. Using biochar to create carbon-negative, high-performance soils, the company aims to enhance plant growth and combat climate change.
EarthDay.org Releases the First-of-its-Kind Live Tracker to Monitor Climate Education
EarthDay.org has launched the Climate Education NDC Tracker, a first-of-its-kind tool to monitor climate education in the Nationally Determined Contributions of 194 countries and the EU under the Paris Agreement. The free tracker helps stakeholders track global progress, urging nations to integrate climate education into their climate action plans.
Compassionate Carbon and Catona Climate Join Forces to Scale Nature-Based Projects
Catona Climate has partnered with Eden's Compassionate Carbon to finance nature-based agriculture, forestry, and other land use projects across the Global South. These projects aim to restore land, remove millions of tons of CO2, and benefit local communities and biodiversity.
FirstEnergy Reaches 100,000 Trees Planted and Donated
FirstEnergy Corp. has planted its 100,000th tree, surpassing its 2024 goal with nearly 34,000 trees planted this year. The company's employee volunteers have organized nearly 300 planting events across six states, focusing on underserved areas. The program enhances communities with native trees, as well as with fruit trees for local food banks.
EV Owners Can Now Charge OffGrid, Anywhere, Even While Driving
DartSolar LLC has launched a 1,000-watt solar roof rack for electric vehicles, offering water-, wind-, and dust-proof protection. It expands in 15 seconds and charges at 360 watts in drive mode. Priced at $2,950, it transforms EVs into mobile power sources and supports disaster preparedness.
OUTRAGEOUSCool Stuff
BY ANNA DORL
As the holiday season fades and winter continues, self care becomes more important than ever. With the days still short and often colder than usual, this time of year can be a difficult one for prioritizing health and wellness. If you’re looking to treat yourself, or you’re trying to finish up some belated shopping for loved ones on your list, this list is for you. Take a look at our picks for five essential items to bring mindful meditations and eco-conscious care into your routine this season.
Baloo Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets have been taking the world by storm in the last several years, and for good reason. As a simple, science-based, and relaxing way to engage in deep pressure therapy at home, this item can be simply life changing. This version from Baloo is particularly perfect. Made with washable cotton, the blanket’s weighted and lead-free glass beads create a calming weight that encourages relaxation. It’s available in three sizes: throw, full/queen, and king. Choose from Pebble White, Silver Sage, Luna Blue, or Spruce color options. Baloo’s commitment to eco-friendly e-commerce continues with the company’s carbon neutral status and green packaging. www.balooliving.com
Bamboo Journal
Everyone can use a new notebook every now and again. Even if you’re the kind of person who has empty journals lying around, waiting to be used, this option offers something new. This bamboo journal from Bamboo Switch via The Unwaste Shop is fully compostable and made from 100% bamboo, including its exterior shell. The notebook’s interior includes unbleached and unlined paper also made from bamboo. Whenever you’ve written your final thought inside, or you’re just ready to give it a new life, simply recycle or compost the journal. Bamboo Switch’s mission seeks to help people “make the switch to a zero-waste life.” www.theunwasteshop.com
Organic Cotton Reusable Menstrual Pads
If you have a period, you know how essential it can be to have well-made and useful hygiene products on hand when that time of the month comes around. It’s also equally important to make sure that the ingredients that go “down there” are healthy for your body. Rael offers all kinds of mindfully made period products, but one of the brand’s most unique is its Organic Cotton Reusable Menstrual Pads. Available in regular, large, overnight, and petite sizes, these pads are good for up to 120 uses, saving landfills from waste. Each pack comes with three pads, made almost entirely from 100% cotton with polyurethane backing and nickel snaps. www.getrael.com
Lavender Comfort Neck Wrap
Almost everyone experiences muscle tension on occasion, and Lavender Life Company offers a consciously crafted solution. The company’s Lavender Comfort Neck Wrap is made with lavender and non-GMO rice grains, encased in a soft 100% cotton shell. Lavender Life Farm grows its own lavender in Michigan, infusing each of its products with home-grown buds that encourage real relaxation. Simply heat it up for a few minutes in the microwave and enjoy comforting warmth for up to an hour. The wrap comes with an ounce of Lavender Fog spray — made with organic lavender and essential oils — to refresh its scent, and it weighs 3.5 pounds for a soothing soft weight. www.lavender-life.com
Pocket Farmacy Mindful Edition
Essential oils are a great way to get your day on a good track, no matter what direction it might be going. The Pocket Farmacy Mindful Edition from Saje is filled to the brim with a selection of oils aimed to assist users with bringing some natural remedies into their day. The set includes five roll-on blends: Energy, Power Down, Connection, Unwind, and Liquid Sunshine, and each is made with a mindfully made blend of 100% natural oils. Unwind, for example, combines lavender, cinnamon oil, and orange to bring users a sense of peace and calm. Its case is made from vegan leather and RPET fabric. www.saje.com
FLOAT INTO WELLNESS
How floatation-REST promotes mind-body healing
BY PAM DELANY
WWater has been at the heart of wellness practices for centuries, celebrated for its calming and restorative properties. Perhaps that is why people vacation by the sea, soak in hot springs, and enjoy warm baths at the end of a busy day. Water is essential to our existence, sustaining life and soothing the mind, making it a vital element of health and healing. Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy), or float therapy, has emerged as a holistic approach that combines the healing power of water and the practice of environmental sensory deprivation.
The origins of sensory deprivation therapy trace back to the 1950s, when neuroscientist Dr. John C.Lilly pioneered experiments in isolation tanks to study human consciousness. His work explored the effects of removing external stimuli, revealing profound impacts on mental states, creativity, and stress reduction. Although initially regarded as experimental, Lilly's innovations laid the groundwork for modern float therapy.
Float therapy involves floating in a pod with a 30% solution of water and Epsom salts. A 180-gallon float pod requires 1,000 pounds of salt. According to True REST Float Spa, a franchised company specializing in float therapy, Epsom salts make the water so buoyant that the body floats effortlessly, creating a sensation of weightlessness while replenishing magnesium in the body. Floating is typically done without clothing to minimize tactile distractions, and the water temperature is maintained to match the skin's surface, adding to the feeling of merging into the environment. Inside the pod, external stimuli such as light, sound, and gravity fade away, providing a unique opportunity for the body and mind to relax.
For Martha Reed, Ph.D., owner of True REST Float Spa in Glendale, Arizona, float therapy is a mission born from her own transformative experiences.
"I discovered floating during a particularly stressful period in my life, and the profound relaxation and mental clarity I achieved after just a few sessions were life-changing," she shares. “In a float tank, you are in complete darkness and silence, with the water kept at skin temperature, which helps your mind and body reach a state of deep relaxation and meditation.”
Reed wanted to create a space for others to experience the rejuvenating effects of floating, so she opened a float spa of her own. Her clients frequently report significant relief from physical and mental conditions. Reed emphasizes that float therapy can be much more than a one-time indulgence but a practice with cumulative benefits.
"We typically recommend a series of three to five sessions for clients to experience the deeper states of relaxation and recovery fully," she says.
The float pod’s zero-gravity environment relieves
pressure on the spine and joints, making it ideal for those with chronic pain or muscle tension. Magnesium absorbed through the skin during a float session reduces inflammation, improves circulation, and supports muscle recovery.
Chery Lewandowski, a customer at Reed's spa, began floating to address neck and shoulder pain after trying chiropractic and acupuncture treatments.
"The staff has been very kind and truly go out of their way to provide a good experience," she says, noting that small details like a spa tour and an explanation of the process made all the difference in her comfort level.
Lewandowski began to notice pain reduction after three sessions and continues to float regularly to manage her pain.
"The greatest body of evidence is the effect of floatation-REST on reduction of anxiety and stress in both clinical populations and healthy individuals," she explains.
Choquette is particularly excited about its application in improving body image and assisting individuals with conditions such as anorexia nervosa.
"With regard to floatation-REST as a therapy, I am hoping the next stages of research will start to evolve into more intentional and structured applications of floatation-REST. For example, floatassisted psychotherapy is a developing area in which psychological techniques are integrated into the floatation-REST experience with the guidance of a clinician. This approach involves practicing specific therapeutic skills while floating to potentially enhance the therapeutic benefits," she notes.
While this field is still in its infancy, the potential for integrating float therapy into mainstream medicine is promising. Reed shares this optimism, envisioning a future where healthcare practitioners recommend floatation therapy as a complementary treatment for pain management and mental health. She notes that float therapy can be particularly beneficial for
Float therapy's benefits extend beyond physical health to mental health and wellness. According to Dr. Emily Choquette, a psychologist and researcher at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research, the effects of float therapy on anxiety and stress are well documented.
individuals with PTSD. By removing external stimuli, the nervous system recognizes a safe and neutral state, allowing it to reset and renew.
“While it may still sit alongside other naturopathic options, the growing body of scientific evidence and positive patient outcomes could lead to broader
acceptance and integration into conventional healthcare practices,” she says.
Despite its many benefits, some people may hesitate to try float therapy. For those concerned about feeling claustrophobic while floating, Reed points out that float tanks are spacious, and clients have full control over the environment, including the option to keep the lid open and the lights on. Some people also think they will be floating in regular salt or sodium chloride.
"In reality, we use magnesium sulfate, commonly known as Epsom salts, which not only provides buoyancy but also offers benefits like muscle relaxation and improved skin health," she explains.
Additionally, the magnesium absorbed through the skin continues to work for hours after the session, often resulting in deeply restorative sleep the same night.
Health and safety are common concerns for first-time floaters, but modern float centers like True REST take sanitation seriously. Advanced filtration systems and the antimicrobial properties of Epsom salts ensure a sanitary environment. Customers are also instructed to shower before and after floating.
of health and wellness services designed to support holistic well-being," she explains.
These services include massage therapy, which complements the deep relaxation achieved in float tanks, hypnotherapy, guided meditation sessions, and life coaching focused on mindfulness, stress management, and personal growth.
Reed's commitment to holistic wellness extends beyond floatation therapy through her work at Insights for Life, a comprehensive health and wellness center she founded.
"At Insights for Life, we offer a comprehensive range
"Our goal is to create a holistic wellness center where clients can find the support and resources they need for their mental, physical, and emotional health," Reed emphasizes.
At its core, wellness is about creating space to reconnect with oneself and balance mind, body, and spirit. Float therapy, along with other natural wellness practices and therapies, all contribute to this goal. In our fast-paced lives, prioritizing wellness allows us to emerge with greater clarity, resilience, and vitality. Float therapy’s impact on wellness extends beyond the pod into our overall well-being.
Amelia’s by EAT’s Dairy-Free Tomato Bisque
MAKES 12 SERVINGS (2 CUPS EACH)
Ingredients
1 ¼ cup olive oil
8 cups chopped onion
½ cup minced garlic
5 pounds Roma or vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 ¼ cup canned coconut milk
¾ cup filtered water
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Directions
Place olive oil in a large pot over low heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for about two minutes until aromatic. Adjust heat to medium and add in tomatoes and cook until caramelized, approximately 20-30 additional minutes. Add in coconut milk and water and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and salt. Puree the mixture in batches in a blender or use a hand blender to blend until silky smooth. Top with your choice of herb oil, fresh basil, or dairyfree Greek yogurt.
