the power of one

"Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

I came across an article within the last week about a 10-year-old boy in California who started his own recycling business after learning about the importance of recycling on Earth Day at his elementary school several years back.

Wanting to make a difference, he started riding his bike around his community picking up trash and taking it to the local recycling center.  In addition, as his business continued to grow, this young entrepreneur started to donate some of his proceeds to charity because he said: “every little bit matters.”

This story warmed my heart and filled me with hope.  I decided to Google search and see if there were any similar stories, and was delighted to find quite a few!  What a wonderful thing to know that children across the world believe they can be the change and are doing something about it!

This reminds me of a quote that I am quite fond of and that can be found on one of my free to be yoga tees® styles--it’s a Gandhi quote that says:  “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”  The story above reaffirms how true this is--we all have the power to do good in the world.  Each and every one of us.

Until next time...

Namaste

lead the change

“When you live on a round planet, there’s no choosing sides.” ~Wayne Dyer

On Monday, President Barack Obama discussed the elephant in the room so to speak, by addressing climate change in his second inaugural address.

I am proud he took a strong stance and am hopeful he will be able to use his second term to leave a lasting legacy in leading the change on environmental issues and global warming.

He said: “We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity.  We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.  Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.  The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult.  But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it.  We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise.  That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks.  That is how we will preserve our planet...”

Inspiring words to say the least.  The first true test will come in the next few months when he must decide whether or not to approve the Keystone XL pipeline that would run from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

How does this effect you and me?  The Keystone XL Pipeline would produce heat-trapping gases and contribute to global warming.  Coming off the hottest year on record, do we ready need to create something that will make the problem worse?

In addition, there is threat of a spill, which would have devastating effects (an example of such is the Embridge spill in 2010 in the Kalamazoo River).  Plus, according to the National Wildlife Federation, the tar sands create toxic waste ponds that are so large they can be seen from space.  Is that what you want the heart of America to look like?

As an aspiring tree hugger, I hope the project does not move forward.   It’s time to move away from dirty oil and seek cleaner sources of energy.   Here’s to a cleaner, greener future!

Until next time...

Namaste

new direction

“A different world cannot be built by indifferent people.” ~Dr. Peter Marshall

As a collector of quotes, every once and awhile I find one that ignites a fire and deeply inspires me.  Such is the case with the powerful quote, above.

I think it’s the perfect way to describe the fun, new direction I plan to take the free to be yoga tees® blog.  I am fueled by my passion for the environment and wildlife, and I plan to begin using this blog more to dive into such topics.

While I will still certainly blog about the tees from time to time, I envision using this blog to tie in the bigger picture of what I hope to do with free to be yoga tees®--use them as a platform for change.

With climate change in the headlines daily; controversial topics like drilling in the Arctic, fracking and the Keystone XL pipeline heating up; more and more species facing the threat of extinction--the time was now to step up and use my voice.

Yes, I am just an average person with no real background in any of this--just interested and believe educating others on what is going on and how we can all collectively make a difference is vital to a better world.  I don’t pretend to know it all and I certainly have room for improvement, but as I learn more on my journey to live a greener and more meaningful life, why not take others along for the ride.  :)

As Steve Jobs once said, “...the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

So here we go....time to be the change!

Until next time...


Namaste

A new year

“If you’re not living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” ~ Anonymous

Happy 2013, everyone!  Hope this year is off to a great start for you!!

Here at free to be yoga tees®, I’m looking forward to the new year and the possibilities that lay ahead.  As always, the ideas are flowing and I’m excited to see where they lead.  Stay tuned for some new designs coming out a little later this year, plus some other fun surprises!  Yes, I’m going to leave you hanging on that one for now.  :)

On another note, one of my goals for the new year is to take this blog into a fun, new direction.  More on that soon!

In the meantime, I encourage you all to connect with free to be yoga tees® by signing up for our e-newsletter.  Click here (http://eepurl.com/kRvrn) to receive e-mails from free to be yoga tees®, and you’ll be the first to know about new designs, sales, free shipping and more!  Hint: you might want to sign up before the end of the weekend!

If you’d prefer not to receive e-mails into your already crowded in-box (I can completely relate!), please make sure to connect with free to be yoga tees® via Facebook (facebook.com/freetobeyogatees) and/or Twitter (twitter.com/freetobeyogatee).

Until next time...seize the day!

Namaste