The eco tote is here!

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~John Muir

I’m excited to tell you about the newest addition to free to be yoga tees®--it’s an earth-friendly tote that’s proudly made in the USA--and just in time for Earth Day!

The ‘free to be eco tote’ features Gandhi’s “Be the change” quote on one side, and environmental facts on the impact of using a reusable bag on the other.

The new ‘free to be eco tote’ is made from a blend of 80% recycled cotton and 20% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.  The tote, which comes in an earthy natural color, is great for running errands, a trip to the farmer’s market, and more!

According to the Council for Textile Recycling, 25,000 tons of new textile fiber is disposed of by North American spinning mills, weavers and fabric manufacturers each year.  Recycled cotton is recovered cotton that would be wasted during the spinning, weaving and cutting processes.  Up to 40% of cotton grown is wasted between the harvest and the manufacture of garments.  In the past, this waste went directly to landfills.

Why use a reusable bag?  Here are some facts that may make you think twice!

-Americans use about 100 billion shopping bags annually.

-At least 12 million barrels of oil are used per year in the 
manufacture of those plastic grocery bags.

-Approximately 5% of plastic grocery bags are recycled in the U.S.

-A single plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill.

-10% of the plastic produced every year worldwide ends up in the ocean.  70% of which finds its way to the ocean floor, where it will likely never degrade.

-Every square mile of ocean has about 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in it.

-It's estimated that 1 million birds and thousands of turtles and other sea animals die each year after ingesting discarded plastic bags.

(Sources:  Environmental Protection Agency, National Wildlife Federation,The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Mother Nature Network, Reuseit.com)

If we all made a pledge to start using reusable bags more often, just imagine the impact we could have!  To learn more or purchase a ‘free to be eco tote,’ visit freetobeyogatees.com

Until next time...

Namaste

an eye-opener

“If all the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to the man.  All things are connected.  Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the Earth.”  ~Chief Seattle

A friend recently passed along a link to me--it’s a trailer for a documentary that is scheduled to come out later this year.  The film explores the devastating effects trash has on wildlife, in particular a large sea bird called Laysan Albatross.

I encourage you to watch the trailer, less than four minutes long.  While it’s a little disturbing, it’s also reality--and will open your eyes to a problem that deserves far greater attention.

Click here to watch the trailer.

After watching this, and exploring online, I found some startling statistics that I thought were worth sharing.

*Every square mile of the ocean has about 46,000 pieces of floating plastic in it.

*10% of the plastic produced every year worldwide ends up in the ocean. 70% of which finds its way  to the ocean floor, where it will likely never degrade.

*Marine animals and sea birds mistake plastic refuge as food, which can result in deadly consequences.

That same day, after doing this research, I took a walk around my neighborhood, and was horrified by how much trash I found along the side of the road during my 20 minute stroll.  How do we fix this problem?  Is it so difficult to properly dispose of trash--and furthermore, recycle items such as plastic bags and bottles?

Something to think about...something certainly needs to change.

Until next time...

Namaste

baby, it’s cold outside

“Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.” ~Karen Kaiser Clark

Have you heard?  New free to be yoga tees® styles have arrived!

The new additions include super cozy sweatshirts to keep you warm during this cold winter, plus the exciting new free to be baby line.  And lets not forget the brand new women’s baby-rib ‘be the change’ tank in aster blue--the perfect reminder that spring is right around the corner!

The new unisex eco hoodie, featuring the ‘peace love detroit’ design is guaranteed to keep you warm during these chilly winter days.  Made from a blend of organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles, the hoodie is available in heather coal in small thru extra large.

Another exciting addition to the collection is the introduction of free to be baby!  The brand new long sleeve infant one piece, made from 100% organic cotton, comes in canary which is great for a baby boy or girl.  Available sizes include 3-6 months, 6-12 months and 12-18 months, and features the ‘peace love detroit’ design.

And last but not least, a free to be favorite is now available in a fresh new color just in time for spring:  aster blue (which can best be described as a purplish-blue.).  The women’s baby-rib tank top, made from a blend of organic bamboo/organic cotton/lycra comes in sizes small thru large.

All of these styles are eco-friendly, proudly  made in the USA and on sale now.  Visit freetobeyogatees.com to shop these new styles and the entire free to be yoga tees® collection.

Until next time...

Namaste

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