May 23, 2025 • 44 mins
Come and listen while Host Gia-Raquel Rose, owner of Airs Above Yoga chats with today's guest Ann Scheerer.
Ann Scheerer, PhD, is a professor of environmental sciences and sustainability and a longtime meditation and yoga practitioner. Ann's courses explore the current "unsustainable" planetary situation and engage students in designing social responses to prepare for changing conditions. Ann believes contemplative practices like meditation and yoga are crucial for personal resilience in these complex and uncertain times. She came to Yin Yoga practice to slow down and listen to her body. Through deep and long Yin yoga poses, she found a deeper connection to her body and to the earth. These practices have supported Ann's teaching and influenced her curriculum. As a proponent of slowing down, Ann encourages students to be more aware of our choices and self care. Ann embraces change and has shifted her career a few times following her curiosities and earning multiple degrees. In addition to her PhD, Design and Planning, she has obtained two Master's degrees - MSLS (Master of Strategic Leadership for Sustainability) and MPA (Master of Public Administration).
What if sustainability wasn't just about saving the planet, but about creating a more fulfilling life for ourselves? Our guest, a university sustainability instructor and yoga teacher, reveals how her path shifted from corporate work to community-based sustainability action, forever changing her perspective on what truly matters.
At the heart of sustainable living lies a powerful concept: efficiency. Before investing in solar panels or electric vehicles, we must first address the efficiency of our homes, habits, and systems. As our guest explains, "Efficiency is really the number one thing to look at because it usually can be addressed by a behavior change." Those changes—sealing windows, insulating properly, reducing food waste—create the foundation for meaningful environmental impact while often saving money and improving quality of life.
The conversation explores the "tragedy of the commons," where public resources become degraded when no one takes ownership, and how community cooperation offers the solution. When we engage with our neighbors through river cleanups, trail maintenance, or local food systems, we not only protect shared resources but fill our own cups through meaningful connection. These community bonds represent the antidote to convenience culture, where quick decisions often lead to environmental harm and disconnection from place.
Simple swaps emerged as powerful tools for change—bringing reusable bags to farmers markets, carrying water bottles instead of buying single-use plastic, walking more often, buying in bulk to reduce packaging, and supporting local businesses. The "100-mile diet" challenge of sourcing most food from within 100 miles exemplifies how sustainability practices can deepen our connection to place while reducing environmental impact. As our guest reminds us, "It's not like all doom and gloom based on maybe mainstream what we hear in the news, because those people are still doing the work."
Ready to ground yourself in sustainable practices? Listen to this episode, then join us for our special Earth Day meditation designed to deepen your connection with the natural world. What one small change will you make today to benefit both yourself and the planet we all share?
For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Divas that Care Radio Stories, strategies and
ideas to inspire positive change.
Welcome to Divas that Care, anetwork of women committed to
making our world a better placefor everyone.
This is a global movement forwomen, by women engaged in a
collaborative effort to create abetter world for future
generations.
To find out more about themovement, visit divasthatcarecom
(00:24):
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After the show.
Right now, though, stay tunedfor another jolt of inspiration.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Namaste and welcome to the Divas that Care Network.
I'm your host, gia Raquel Rose,owner of Heirs Above Yoga, and
you're listening to Above theGround podcast, if this is your
first time tuning in.
Our network is going into its15th year and is listened to in
over 30 countries.
I'd like to personally thankyou for giving me the gift of
your time, as it is my honor tohold space with you, and today
(00:56):
again, we are in for a veryspecial treat with a dear friend
and also yoga instructor, byday or by night and share, and
with a very important and very,very oh gosh I want to use the
word magnanimous, quote unquoteday job, and she is here to
share with us.
You know what called her heartthere, the reasons why she made
(01:18):
the shift, and with that wouldyou please introduce us and let
us know exactly what called youto sustainability and to you
know how we can all better serveourselves, our communities and
our planet.
I hope, yeah.
Thank you yeah exactly In time.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, thank you very much for the introduction and
for having me back here.
For the introduction and forhaving me back here.
I appreciate that greatly andgives me a chance to to talk
about myself and my work.
So that's always fun.
But yes, ask questions if I getoff topic.
Yeah, I really appreciate thechance to talk a little bit
(02:01):
about my role as teachingsustainability courses to people
and what is sustainability andwhy does it matter?
I came upon sustainability as atopic in general back 1997, last
century, when I was making acareer change and I had been in
(02:27):
the corporate world and was kindof looking for something that I
could kind of understand betterin terms of my place in the
world.
So I decided to do a careerchange, moved to Seattle and got
involved with some volunteeringon the ground and community
around, gardening and connectingwith a lot of like-minded folks
(02:50):
that were looking for a littlebit more from life than maybe
the corporate world.
So I connected with this groupand really got involved in
sustainability at the communitylevel, like that's where it all
starts.
So I myself got involved withthat, worked for a local
government, worked for somenonprofits, helping to.
You know, a big part of it isto do outreach and get do
(03:13):
community education as todifferent choices, right
Transportation choices that wehave out there, ways that we can
reduce our waste and dispose ofwaste.
So I really got into working onsustainability issues and
decided to pursue my education.
(03:36):
So I've been always lovinglearning new things, so I
followed that path in as kind ofthese issues were emerging in
the world, and so that was apivotal time, I think in my
career was to engage insomething that now, as one of my
primary philosophies teachingphilosophies is to get students
(04:01):
engaged in their community in away that they can observe what
sustainability might look likein their community.
So I do a lot of community-basedprojects and where students are
teaching, both online studentsas well as students that are on
(04:21):
campus in my past role, studentsthat are on campus in my past
role.
So we've done things like awaste audit for the university,
so a practical application ofwhat does the waste look like
here.
That's a via, you know, kind ofcharacterization study so we
know how to get to the rootcause of things and stop those
(04:44):
behaviors that are causingcertain ways and how do we
design programs around that.
So we do a lot of problemsolving and depending on kind of
frameworks that spell out theprinciples of sustainability and
strategies for for movingforward sustainability and
(05:07):
strategies for moving forward.
So, in a nutshell, teaching,you know, undergrads and
graduate students to think abouthow to apply some of these
lofty concepts in the real world.
What I'm trying to do.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And would you say that, you know, sustainability
has kind of what I will say,almost a direct parallel or
correlation to efficiency,Because it sounds like just by
and again we're just picking youpicked the audit that you did
as an example, but you know,when we're talking about long
term trends of of, let's say,usage, consumption, that kind of
(05:43):
a thing Is it?
Efficiency has to play a rolein not only waste on a mass
level, the way that you'retalking about, but even in our
communities, in our day to dayand in our own personal lives,
right?
So would you say that thatplays.
How important role isefficiency and how does that
(06:05):
help us?
You know, on the macro versusthe micro level.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Oh, that is huge.
Efficiency is really the numberone thing to look at, because
efficiency usually can beaddressed and responded to by a
behavior change.
Responded to by a behaviorchange.
So if we look at energy whichis a good example, so like our
energy usage in our home, we canthere's two strategies.
(06:30):
Basically, efficiency howefficient are you?
Is your tight?
Is your envelope of yourbuilding tight, so you're not
losing a lot of energy, you know?
Are you?
You know insulated?
Is it insulated well enough?
Are your windows?
You know air leak?
So just really it insulatedwell enough?
Are your windows?
You know air leak?
So just really the tightness ofthe envelope of your home is
really the efficiency of yourhome.
(06:52):
And then are the kind ofstrategies to do more of a
adaptation or reducing as yoursource.
So you can put on solar panels,for examples.
But if you don't have anefficient house to begin with,
it doesn't make a lot of senseto do solar panels because it's
(07:13):
such an investment.
So you got to make sure you'vegot a tight building.
That actually can be a lot ofsavings there.
Um, so efficiency is number onestrategy.
But but then you can also doget renewable energy sources so
you might reduce your carbonemissions, which we've proven
have caused a greenhouse gaseffect which is trapping heat
(07:36):
gases in our planet.
That is causing climaticweirdness, right, right, um,
wildfires, uh, flooding, youknow things happening.
Extreme storms in the gulfs, uh, gulf coast.
So we're seeing these thingsplay out.
Uncertain as to how the climatesystem will change.
(07:58):
It's changing so in a way thatwe haven't seen, um, so that you
know part of the teaching islike how do we deal with these
uncertainties?
Well, we're not only doing themitigation piece, where we're
reducing emissions, but we'realso doing the adaptation piece,
which is more preparing for theimpacts.
(08:21):
Right, ok, we're going to stilltry to reduce our carbon
emissions, our greenhouse gasemissions same thing.
But at the same time, we knowwe might have an extreme storm,
sea level rises that mightaffect our beach house, so we
might have to adapt thelandscapes with maybe more green
we might have to adapt to notliving on the ocean shore people
(08:46):
.
You know it's development hascaused a lot of these issues, so
there's an adaptation is a hugepart of thinking through long
term.
You know potential impacts fromthings like climate change or
biodiversity loss those areprobably the biggest.
You know out of control thingsand just trying to mitigate and
(09:08):
adapt.
So we think about those thingsyeah.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
And so one of the things I think that this comes
into play for us again, on the,I can only speak with my limited
knowledge on the on thesituation to.
You know the, the micro levelof, of, unfortunately,
convenience.
The problem is that convenienceis, nine times out of 10, a
direct, the opposite ofefficiency and it's the opposite
(09:34):
of a thought through plans.
You know it's, it's thestyrofoam cup theory, right,
it's the.
It's easy, it gets the it'seasy, it keeps your hands from
getting burned, right, and thenit's going to pollute and toxify
our, our existence.
So it kind of comes into thesame thing like a fast food
model, right?
So again, I'm going to comefrom the health and well, I have
(09:54):
, like, that's my background.
So totally like, yeah, is itwhat's quicker and easier?
Stopping at some sort of noname mentioned drive through to
get your food, or going to afarmer's market, taking a
biodegradable bag with you,going home to your home and
making a meal that's going tonurture you and is going to take
(10:19):
, oh, I don't know, quadruple,10 times the amount of time
versus grabbing something in thecar on the way?
And again, that element ofconvenience.
You know, when you it kind oftriggered me, when I don't be
triggered a negative way, butwhen you mentioned, you know,
living on the coast.
Well, yeah, people love to goto the coast.
It's super inconvenient to haveto drive there, right?
So the people that live on thecoast generally have deep
(10:42):
pockets and the ability tochoose, to choose to purchase
properties such as that andthey're beautiful and they're
wonderful and amazing.
But are they doing harm?
And is that convenience or thathuman instinct of me?
First, that Darwinian, wereached the top of the food
chain by dominating everythingaround us, right?
(11:03):
That mentality definitely comesinto play when we're talking
about the harm potentially thatwe're doing to the planet and
our maybe lack of foresight orour potential selfish impulses
that we put in front of theimmediate desire that comes
before.
You know, our children'schildren are going to have to
(11:24):
worry about that.
Oh yeah, not a problem.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Right, right, well, those are perfect.
You know.
Comments Like first of all,what you're describing is
tragedy of the commons.
There's, like that's a theorywhere you know if it's a public
space in general, then you knowno one's taking ownership of it,
and so it becomes the commonsand it gets trashed, and that is
a tragedy in that humanbehavior for sure.
(11:52):
So how is it solved?
There's been all sorts ofscholars trying to figure out
how to solve the tragedy of thecommons, but it usually boils
down to cooperation.
You know, let's all worktogether to make sure that we
take care of our coast, you know.
But the other thing you knowyou started with talking about
like so you know, what do I do?
Go to the farmer's market withmy, you know reusable bags, or,
(12:15):
if I can't, go to Walmart, well,I think that at the bottom line
of it all is we do, we'reembedded in this system for sure
.
So that's part of the thingright, in this system, for sure.
So that's part of the thingright.
And so how can we do with ourchoices?
Shift the system, buy locallywill be helpful.
Maybe we don't give as muchmoney to corporations that are
(12:36):
outside of our place becausethey don't care that much about
our community, maybe we have.
There's a continuum.
One end of the continuum is theultimate carry.
You're doing everything right.
Like you said, you're walkingto the farmer's market with your
reusable bags, buying onlylocal produce, and then, on the
other end of the spectrum,you're driving your SUV to the
(12:59):
Walmart and buying, loadingthings, a lot of things up that
are plastic, you know, packagedwith lots of plastic and things
that don't biodegrade.
So you've got two ends of thespectrum and the idea is, in
between, to kind of educateourselves or become aware of
what are my choices.
In between.
There there's always tradeoffsand yeah, so we don't want to
(13:20):
beat ourselves up, but werealize that, yeah, that could
be the most.
Well, maybe I'll just thendrive my car to the Basel
bandwagon and get organic foodInstead of you know shameless
basal bandwagon, because that'swhere I do all my shopping.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
But I love that?
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yeah, I love, that, I do, I love them.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yes, yes, Ralph is the best.
I will tag them when I post it.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Totally.
Well, you know there's tradeoffs to everything and we can't
do everything right.
But then you know there's tradeoffs to everything and we can't
do everything right.
But then you know, oh, maybeI'll ride my bike two days this
week to work, or, you know, leaninto it right, like we do
across the street, right.
So, and you know then there'shealth benefits too.
So it's it's not necessarilyjust a you know tree hugger,
(14:07):
woke, you know way to look atlife, but it also, you know it
feels good and you connect withyour community.
You can, you know, get moreexercise, walk around your
community healthy, eat healthyfoods.
So anyway, there's a lots oftrade offs involved.
But kind of thinking through,you know, as we, being aware of
(14:27):
the choices we're making, we sit, make so many every day.
You know what could be the onethat would be, you know, meet
all those things.
That's economically, you know,feasible for me.
It's not a lot of packaging,it's not that much of a you know
imprint on the planet and youknow it supports my local
economy, you know.
So as best, best as possible,like trying to think of those
(14:49):
things when we're makingdecisions, um, so getting
students to think about that,like we've, I have them, you
know, create a, an audit fortheir um household, and so you
know what are the things thatyou know based on these
sustainability principles of um,you know land degradation, um
(15:12):
toxic, you know persistentchemicals, there's like three
ecological, um sustainabilityprinciples that you can really
apply to seeing what you'redoing, that might, you know, not
be super sustainable.
But we can't do everything justkind of getting students to
think in those terms andapplying it and reflecting on
(15:35):
things.
And you had mentioned to me howyour theme this week is filling
your cup kind of, and I think,just based on what I know about
you and how you, um, engage inyour community, I think that
(15:56):
would be such a big thing to do.
To fill your cup is, you know,get involved in your community
in some way.
That, um, you know, helps youconnect to people and also make
it a, you know, the world abetter place.
So if it's a river cleanup,which we've got one happening in
Highbridge and I'm, you know,I'm kind of telling myself this
(16:16):
too, because I'm fairly new tothis area and I need to, you
know, connect more with mycurrent community here, your
backyard.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
So Well, and I do sit on the board of a local land
trust, so I'm working in thatand we do cleanups monthly and
we have a 10 mile trail systemthat we're putting together and
it's the Tewksbury land trucks.
I'll plug that as well, why not?
So please join us anytime.
And yeah, it's, it's huge andit's how I've met so many people
in the area with shared andcommon values.
(16:49):
And I think that it really,when it comes to you know the
idea of filling your cup and youknow it's really about.
It's about what serves yourhighest good, not so it's like
the opposite of convenience.
It's not what serves yourimmediate need, it's what serves
your, your best overall.
The macro right, like what areyou keeping that nurtures your
soul?
What are you doing for yourself, what you know?
(17:11):
and I kind of jokingly plugMarie Kondo and the sparking joy
, but but in all seriousness, inthat mindset, you know, as you,
as you purge your closet, asyou purge your life, as you
purge your diet, as you gothrough the audit of your home
and the energy efficiency ofthat home, or your, your impact
that you're having.
You know what.
What is, what does spark thatjoy?
(17:33):
What are you going to keep?
And it's all about bringingthat balance in because, as yoga
instructors, as meditators, aspeople who are conscientious,
right like it's about beingconscientious at life for
yourself or for yoursurroundings and for your planet
, and I've said so manydifferent times that you know,
when I'm talking about this isusually on a Reiki bent, but
(17:55):
when I'm talking about you knowbeing that light making someone
stay brighter, like anyinteraction that you have.
If you see someone in a storeand you like her glasses, like
your glasses, or your, you knowyour beautiful necklace, and you
just say, hey, that's abeautiful necklace, and that
person right, it's kind of likepay it forward that person
smiles and maybe they werehaving a crap day and maybe they
(18:17):
feel a little better and andyou know, you're just being that
little bit of light.
And I always imagine it as thepicture of the planet at night
again, for sustainability, notideal, but with the cities lit
up, right, as you said, it's allabout your local community and
it's like if I do that littlelight and you do that little
light, and then everybody lightsup and it's a choice, it is
(18:39):
absolutely a choice whetheryou're going to be that light or
whether you're going to be theperson that cuts in front of
that same lady who's got abeautiful necklace and is having
a bad day right.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
And make it a little worse.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
So it's really about consciousness.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
That's so true and I think that when you have a
community that comes together towork on something to better the
community, there is that kindof bond that happens, you know,
amongst people and a shift thatyou know that can really shift a
community.
(19:15):
And I think that, you know, Ireally felt that in my high
school years, like because I wasinvolved with all these
community things but then I wentoff to college and the
corporate world and I just feltso disconnected from that and it
did affect, like from acommunity kind of stance, like
who's my neighbor down there?
You know I lived in a big cityand so, you know, coming back to
(19:41):
kind of more of thiscommunity-based work really did
nurture my soul as far as mylife's work.
And I think maybe the theme is,you know, what we all need to
ask ourselves and be curious andabout you know, what does
fulfill us and fill our cup, youknow, if it's engaging in
(20:02):
community, what way is that?
You know, maybe we need to do acommunity-based yoga in the
park.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Absolutely we should absolutely do that.
Yeah, yeah, and we're I'mactually spoiler alert.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I may already have a have a nod to that with the,
with the board that I sit on,but, but maybe you can comment
on.
We can.
We can share that.
If you'd be happy to teach aclass, yeah, or you can just
come in and I'll leave the class, and we can do that too, yeah,
um, but yeah, you know yoga isits own.
The other thing that's wonderfulabout this is is, you know,
again, to not to be trite, butthe whole think, think global,
(20:36):
act, local, is basically kind ofwhat we're touching on Right
and and that aspect of you knowyoga is is its own community and
with how much connectivity wehave to to everyone on the on
the planet.
In theory, most people um theability to, to share positivity
(20:59):
and to to.
I know that, especially whenwe're talking about
sustainability, part of themotivation I'm sure for many
people involved in in what youdo is I don't want to say it's
fear based, but it's realitybased, and the reality is not
necessarily pleasant, right,like we are, our impact as a
(21:19):
species on this planet is notloving, it's it's a little more
take, take, take and a lot lessgive, give, give and so like.
How can we come from that placeof love and support of Mother
Nature, of what sustains us, ofwhat literally like the one
(21:41):
episode that I did was Aprilshowers to fill your cup, what
literally fills our cup?
The rain that literallynurtures our soil, that
literally feeds us?
The bees, the gentle bees, like?
What can we do for the bees?
Speaker 3 (21:53):
You know, I mean, like focusing on miracles, yeah,
of life all around us the birdsand, yeah, coming out and all
the babies yeah, it's really amiracle, isn't it?
So that's that's kind of thatconnection between you know,
somehow these bigger humanactivities and they're so beyond
just our control, but we cancollectively shift systems.
(22:15):
If we try, and we are, it ishappening.
I mean, there are the farmer'smarkets, now more than ever.
Now there is a lot of, you know, clean, organic food available.
There might be moretransportation options, you know
, more rail or like bike trailsand rail trails than maybe there
was 15 years ago.
But so we're making progressand so it's not like all doom
(22:37):
and gloom based on, maybe,mainstream, what we hear in the
news.
Right, because those people arestill doing the work and we do
need to make behaviors that wewant more convenient.
So that is a big challenge.
Um, you know, like the EB andthings you know slowly get
adopted and prices come down ifthey do get adopted.
(22:59):
So you know, market transitionsare never easy.
Um, but new technologies comein and, um, there's lots of, you
know, uncertainties with inlife in general.
So for me, I think, having youknow a grounding in some ways
that I can kind of particularlyview my actions and things.
(23:21):
Is is helpful and you know,just also have faith that the
the planet will stay for us,stay good, clean and good for us
.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Yes, so to that.
And may I ask, are there anyI'm kind of air quote the word
convenient are there any tipsand tricks that you can share
for the average bear homeowneror you know, or or family, um
other, other than, obviously,like small, smaller things than
(23:54):
you know, redoing all yourwindows, like accessible daily
things?
That maybe are I like to callthem like simple swaps, right?
So think of, like, when you'retalking about dietary things,
swapping avocado for mayo, right?
Like easy health swaps, like,are there any sustainability
swaps that we can, you know,other than, obviously, like
plastic bags are already nolonger a thing in New Jersey, I
think you know which is a goodthing, but are there other?
(24:16):
small things we can do.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I guess I think you know.
First thing, I just reallyplastics are such a problem on
the planet.
You know there's the plasticfloating garbage patch out there
and you know plastics don'treally break down all the way.
I mean, they're going to bethere forever.
Then they're breaking down intoPFAS kind of microplastics that
are seeping into waters andstuff.
(24:42):
So I would say that plastics,if you can just avoid.
Plastic packaging, yes, it'snot convenient.
And oh I, just those plasticwater bottle.
You know plastic bottles filledwith water from the convenience
store.
That really makes me so upset.
So if we can kind of justeliminate all the plastic that
(25:05):
comes into our life, I thinkthat would be great.
Um, and you know food waste isanother big source of methane
emissions.
But if you compost it, or maybeif there's, I don't know food
waste is something to try tokeep out of the landfill and out
of your garbage can.
So are you able to compost inyour jurisdiction?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
I'm going to be a very, very bad human by telling
you that I don't actually havethe answer to that question and
I should, but I would imaginewe're a very, very bad human by
telling you that I don'tactually have the answer to that
question and I should, but Iwould imagine we're a very rural
community community, so myguess is probably yes, um, but
we also have a lot of all of ourwaste disposal is private, so
that may play a role in that aswell.
(25:51):
Like there's, we don't havepublic municipal waste here that
I'm aware of.
It's all privately sourced.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Okay, well, you know in general.
You know when you look at kindof global emissions, food waste
is can be a big share.
So keeping that to a minimum inthe landfill, throwing it into
your garbage can, is alwaysrecommended, but it's hard to do
so.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
composting out here is generally referred to as
feeding the fox, is what I'mgoing to be honest about.
So if there's like food stuff,it's all like nine times out of
10 with anyone that I that Iknow in the area.
It's like you know, we havesome very happy crows out bag.
We have some very happy foxes,like that food waste.
If there's again a plastictakeout container that came home
with you that you didn't get tobear fox raccoons, some someone
(26:38):
out there is eating well thisevening let's put it that way
more so than garbage.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
We also have a fox.
So yes, I totally, totally canrelate to that.
So, but if you just do plasticsno, and just you know, think
about other ways to.
If you can walk to your storeor walk to your local restaurant
, you know, maybe once or twiceyou are always walking around
your neighborhood, but I thinkin general it's such a you know
(27:07):
that's another thing that fillsyour cup is walking around your
community.
I think don't you Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Absolutely, oh my walking, I think, don't you?
Absolutely, oh my walking, Ithink?
If there's, you know, and Iwill, it's again touching a
little bit on the on the not sothrilling side, but I have an
elderly father and he had a hipinjury.
Well, he had a, an issue thatcreated an issue with his hip.
And I'll tell you, he was, hewas always so active, he worked
out all the time, and when thathip, hip issue, he can't really
(27:34):
walk and work out anymore.
And mobility and as, as youknow, so the yoga instructor,
like if you don't move it youlose it.
Like walking, if you do nothingelse in your life for your, for
your physical health, walkanywhere, everywhere, exactly,
keep walking it is so and so,and yeah, not only is it
(27:55):
wonderful for you, it helps theplanet, right, if you, if you're
lucky enough to live in an areawhere you can walk to places
right, and so you know it's,it's, it's it's, only I mean, I
don't think there's anything butbenefit to it.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Mm, hmm, I agree, yeah, and it's such a good way
to connect with the critters andthe plants, and just you know.
Yeah, I agree that if there'sanything, let's take a walk
every day in our neighborhood isprobably a good thing for our
psyche horse bathe, and you know, and go on a hike.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
You know it's, it's just that's, that's just so
positive for your body and yourmind right the surroundings.
Do play, do play a part, forsure.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Yes, I've been doing my earth meditations this week.
Spoiler alert.
Oh, it's hard not to.
Things are bursting or orstarting to, yeah, but not
bursting.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Yet it's happening, though it's very exciting.
So, as you brought that up,that was going to be, you know,
one of the things that I wantedto, you know, push off till the
very end.
But when we talked aboutconscientiousness, we talked
about, you know, these thingsthat you can do, being conscious
of plastic, right Like, and youknow we try to be, I know
(29:20):
everyone tries to be, but itseeps into our existence and so
having that be, you know that ifyou can do nothing else, do
that right.
That's the most important thing.
But of that idea of mindfulness, and you know those little
swapsaps, those little beingpresent enough in the moment to
take a pause and say I'm gonnabring a metal water bottle with
(29:41):
me instead of grabbing that gasstation water bottle.
But that that mindfulness, umhas to come from, and that
conscientiousness has to comefrom being able to take a moment
outside yourself, beyondyourself, and to be in the
present.
And to be in the present moment.
(30:02):
And can we do that on a?
Speaker 3 (30:04):
large scale level.
Excuse me, I was thinking withthat like really being
intentional in that presentmoment I intentionally am going
to just pay attention to theplastic that comes in my life.
You know, my partner neverreally paid attention to that
and he was yeah, plasticsandwich bags.
I'm like oh my gosh, there'sreusable pipe, you know.
(30:27):
Bags, oh, but these are justplastic, you know.
So, anyway, that's a hardbehavior to change.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Yeah yeah.
Well, but you know what you have.
The first step is acknowledgingit right, like you have to, and
I will be honest, I will plugthem again.
I would buy, you know, gallonsof alkalized water and I saw my
recycling bin and I saw like howmuch, and I was, and certain a
certain store, which shallremain nameless, just kidding,
(30:55):
that's Basil Bandwwagon, has aflow water machine.
And I saw not only the pricedifferentiation, because a lot
of times people, I think, gethung up on the oh well,
organic's expensive or oh well,you know, I've literally had
people say to me like basilbandwagon's so expensive.
I'm, like you know, like I'mvery dietary restrictive and
it's, you know, pretty mucheating for eating for one.
So you know it's, it's I don'thave a family of four to shop
for.
But also, to that end, it'ssignificantly less expensive to
(31:20):
bring a bottle and fill up onthe flow water machine that they
have there.
It's, it's a significant lesscost versus you know, like.
I encourage you to check it out,um, but, and that has saved I
don't even know how many plasticwater bottles from entering
landfill, and I saw the extreme.
(31:42):
I was like, wow, this is on mypart, like so confession, right,
like sheepish hand raise.
I like it was me, I am theproblem, right.
But and I saw it, and now Itake my metal water bottle to
the gym and I have my gallon jugand I fill it up and you know,
I think, I think it's isbecoming aware.
I think awareness is not news toanybody.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
But, you're so right, being intentional, and, and
there's always going to be anopportunity to buy something to
solve that problem.
But you know we got.
Do we need to buy something new?
Is another big question we askourselves.
Like you know, it's great Imean, I love new stuff too but
we, you know, consumption is outof control and some you know
(32:25):
another thing you know mypartner loves Amazon.
And so easy just to click,click, click and get something
the next day if you need a screwor a you know tool or you know
whatever.
And you know, each time you doan Amazon order, you know you
should try to collect them atone time is the might.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Hit the all in one box, button right yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Right, sorry, thank you for letting me have a little
bit of uh, you know airing outmy hey, listen, I mean, you know
, I've been told by count.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Like I have a partner of mine who says you know, why
don't you just order your dogfood from chewy?
Well, because I'm going to goto the little mom and pop pet
store that I've been going tofor over a decade and I'm going
to support my local tiny tinylittle dog food store, because
everyone and their brother shopson chewy.
And no, you know, nocondemnation, but like it's, you
(33:19):
know, the Amazon of pet foodproducts right Like so you're
not that you can't get dog foodon.
Amazon, right, like that's kindof the joke.
But you know, I think I thinkagain, the intentionality of it,
you know, is and then you cango down the rabbit hole of, well
, I have to drive there, right?
(33:40):
So is that any?
Is that?
Is that carbon emission now?
Now, is it, is it better tojust have it delivered?
But at a certain point I thinkno, because it's a rabbit hole,
right, and you have to thereagain, much like yoga and like
you have to have balance, youabsolutely have to have balance.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
But I'd much prefer to give money to to the local
pet store um that's been therefor a hundred you know however
many years um, and I just, andso you know I'm a big fan of
supporting local and uh, I thinkthat that is a great way, maybe
not necessarily forsustainability, but at least for
the mentality surroundingsustainability right,
(34:15):
sustainability is all aboutcommunity-based, local context.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Yeah, the ecological aspect, but the human ecological
interaction, because theseecological problems are because
of human activities.
So you can't just say it's.
You know they're separate,they're all interconnected.
So how can we think about that?
Yeah, small communities aroundhere.
(34:40):
You know they're separate,they're all interconnected.
So how can we think about that?
Yeah, community, smallcommunities around here, you
know, are so cute with thedifferent um, you know keeping
maintaining the history and um,and really you know inviting
people in.
So that's huge tosustainability is maintaining
kind of cultural you know thingsand and connecting with those
small store owners.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
So for sure, yeah, there's an element of simplicity
, purity, you know, and I alwayssay when we're talking about
diet and nutrition, I think youcan probably make the same
correlation for, forsustainability is, you know, the
simplest ingredients, right,Like I.
Just my last episode that's,that's that's air was about
filling your, filling your mugand healthy beverages, right,
(35:19):
and you know the lessingredients.
One of the big things that Isaid was use raw honey unless
you have some sort of, you know,glucose intolerance, right, but
like, instead of buying a sodathat has sweetener in it, you
know, put, put a little rawhoney in in some a blueberry,
smoothly, like if you need thesweetness, but like it's going
to be healthy, If you can findlocal honey, if you can support
(35:42):
local right.
Like it's all about I'm, I'mtaking.
It takes extra effort, it takesyour time, it takes your effort
, it takes your intention andyour conscientiousness, but it
also if the ingredients that I'mputting into my body are just
as important with what you drinkis what you eat.
And if you're going to do that,like raw honey is one of the
top healthy sugars that yourbody can have, right, Like sugar
(36:03):
not necessarily is a greatthing, but that's one of the
best ones and you're supportingyour local farmer.
You're hopefully helpinghealthy bees right.
I'm all about saving the bees,like you know.
So so much about saving thebees.
So you know, I think that allthose are again bringing it back
to the intentionality.
But simplicity andsustainability and purity, like
(36:27):
in.
You know the roots of the areathat you're growing up in,
staying true to yourself,staying true to you.
You know the nature of the farm, the local farming like.
If you think about localfarming versus mass farming, you
know there are areas here whereyou can go and you can buy your
cow and it's running aroundright there and you can split it
with your neighbor, right it'slike that's the thing that
(36:49):
happens around.
We're very blessed right to livehere, but that's the thing that
happens around here all thetime.
So you know it's made very sadfor that, like, oh my gosh.
A friend of mine said a cowthat had a really good life and
one bad day.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
And really well, you know that is.
That's kind of the other thingis like looking at who, what is
the source of this food you know, knowing where it comes from,
because a lot of times we don'tknow and we're like buying
chickens or you know eatingchicken and all sorts of stuff.
We don't know where it comesfrom, so that you know and so
there could be you know.
You just don't know what theydo, but what buying locally,
(37:27):
like that.
You know you're the source ofthat beef and so you trust that
it's really well, you know,well-raised and it's going to be
healthy.
You know another thing withthat you had kind of mentioned
about filling your honey cup.
Is it made me think of anotherbehavior?
That is something to thinkabout and I struggle to keep it
set up well in my pantry is bulkbuying.
(37:48):
So instead of buying, you knowan at the basil.
Basil bandwagon, like WholeFoods, there are, you know, and
at the basil bandwagon, likeWhole Foods there are, you know,
opportunities to buy in bulkand so you really minimize
packaging.
At that level you can buy for along period of time, usually
for less money, and then youknow you don't have to deal with
(38:08):
all the smaller portions thatyou buy over the six months.
But it does take.
You know preparation for thingslike beans and you know to cook
them up and not have cannedbeans.
So that's a transition, but youcan save a lot of packaging and
money, yeah, by buying in bulk,for sure.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
Absolutely, and that is, again, a great place, a
great place to do that.
Um, and another person that youmay want to check out is uh,
that came on to this podcast is,uh, jason de salvo, and he owns
coldbrook farm, and they are100 organic farmer in this area.
So if you are looking, just foryour own benefit to plug him
again because he was kind enoughto come on.
(38:49):
Um.
He's huge in sustainability, inorganic and regenerative
farming.
Um, and if you want local, hedoes his own honey, he does his
own grain, so definitely yeah,check out the website because
they sell their own grain.
They sell and it's very it'sheirloom.
I mean, he, he went all out inthat.
(39:09):
So by all means, please checkhim out, because it's something
that you could probably takethat a bit from, especially if
you're talking about buying inbulk and you know talking about
know where, know where it comesfrom.
It comes from you know, astone's throw away.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
Right, you know this reminds me of a program we did
around this was in Oregon aroundthe hundred mile diet.
So join me on the hundred milediet, where you try to buy all
your foodstuffs within 100 milesand so you know we were kind of
doing a challenge, you know, tosee if we could do it, and of
(39:41):
course you really can't do it100%.
But you know we also talkedabout where we can get great
local foods for good prices oryou know different things.
But the whole idea was, I think, to do 80% of your diet buying
food from within 100 miles,which is a real sustainability
thing, because you know then youdon't have transportation of
goods further away and you know,so you minimize that way your
(40:05):
carbon footprint, and then youknow your local farmers and all
that.
So that's another thing wecould do is go on the 100-mile
diet and Jason DeSilva wouldyeah 100 mile diet and Jason
Silva would yeah, he wouldsatisfy that, he would
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
Well, we're very like I said, we're very blessed in
this area to be able to eatpretty well on that 100 mile
diet just because we live in theGarden State.
Right, got that name for areason.
Yes, yeah, exactly.
But now that we are, you know,reaching towards our end, I
would like to do a little.
Well, it's not really going tobe a teaser at this point, it's
gonna be a straight up spoileralert.
(40:40):
But I did give a teaser thatyou may be hosting the
meditation for this month andall about the intentionality.
And you know we're tongue incheek, it's Earth Day, it's
April, so we're going on thatevent.
But would you just give alittle bit of a teaser to our
audience about the meditation oranything about it that you
(41:00):
might care to share, and thenwe'll?
We'll have that up and out forthem and, you know, in the
upcoming before.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
Yes, yes, I'm working on it and we'll record it
tomorrow, and so I just reallywant to take the opportunity to
and Earth Day gives us a greatreason to do it on a podcast is
to just ground ourself in theearth for 20 minutes, and I've
(41:31):
got some very good I.
I've got a reading I want tobase it in from Thich Nhat Hanh,
who has done many earth-basedmeditations from walking on the
earth.
I mean, if you want to beinspired, that's a good resource
to look at, um and into justyou know some good uh ways to um
(41:53):
in our meditation.
Ground ourself so we can kindof start our day off at a
centered place in a centeredplace.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
I love that Well, and thank you for doing that.
I'm very much looking forwardto enjoying the meditation, as
opposed to leading it.
I love the meditations that Ileave, but it's also I'm very
much looking forward to actuallypracticing the guided
meditation.
So thank you for sharing thatfor not only myself but for all
of our listeners.
And it's so funny that youmentioned that, because on the
board that I sit on for the landtrust, we did a Thich Nhat Hanh
(42:27):
walking meditation, a silentmeditation, around one of our
land trust preserves.
So we did that last year.
So I will definitely make surealthough I probably let your,
your, your partner you'reprobably calling your partner in
crime at this point, but yourpartner in crime.
I will make sure to give you theheads up, Even when we do that
again this year, because I thinkyou'd really enjoy it, but yeah
he is a wonderful I meanmeditation father of meditation.
(42:51):
I think he may be dubbed.
So, amazing resource and I verymuch look forward to the
bringing some intentionality andsome grounding and some
connection with our Mother Earthinto into our lives and it'll
be evergreen because it'll be upon, you know, social medias.
And again, and I thank you somuch for sharing your time with
(43:14):
me today.
It's such a wonderful treatevery time we get together and I
can't wait to practice yogawith you at some point.
Yes, I love that.
Speaker 3 (43:24):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Let's do that.
It's truly been inspirationalto learn about not only what you
do but how what you do canimplement such mass hopefully
mass change from the local, likeI said, all those little lights
lighting up from from juststarting where you are, meeting
yourself where you are, andcontinuing on to to grow that
little bit of community so thatwe can all benefit from
(43:47):
intentionality andconscientiousness with our
actions and our behaviors.
Thank you so much for thatDefinitely Well said.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Thank you for the opportunity.
Thank you so much for thatDefinitely Well said.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Thank you for the opportunity and thanks to each
and every one of you for sharingyour space with us today, and
please feel free to share thesame with your loved ones For
more goodness.
Follow me on all the socials atAbove the Ground Podcast, or
visit my websiteairsaboveyogacom and, as always,
definitely check out my otherepisodes and all of the amazing
sisters at DivasThatCarecom.
(44:16):
You can find us on SoundCloud,Spotify, Odyssey, Apple or
anywhere else that you may feelguided.
Again, my name is Gia RaquelRose, owner of Heirs Above Yoga,
and you are listening to Abovethe Ground Podcast, where every
day is a good one.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
Thanks for listening.
This show was brought to you byDivas that Care.
Connect with us on Facebook, onInstagram and, of course, on
divasthatcarecom, where you cansubscribe to our newsletter so
you don't miss a thing.
It's Divas that Care Radio Stories, strategies and
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Welcome to Divas that Care, anetwork of women committed to
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This is a global movement forwomen, by women engaged in a
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To find out more about themovement, visit divasthatcarecom
(00:24):
.
After the show.
Right now, though, stay tunedfor another jolt of inspiration.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Namaste and welcome to the Divas that Care Network.
I'm your host, gia Raquel Rose,owner of Heirs Above Yoga, and
you're listening to Above theGround podcast, if this is your
first time tuning in.
Our network is going into its15th year and is listened to in
over 30 countries.
I'd like to personally thankyou for giving me the gift of
your time, as it is my honor tohold space with you, and today
(00:56):
again, we are in for a veryspecial treat with a dear friend
and also yoga instructor, byday or by night and share, and
with a very important and very,very oh gosh I want to use the
word magnanimous, quote unquoteday job, and she is here to
share with us.
You know what called her heartthere, the reasons why she made
(01:18):
the shift, and with that wouldyou please introduce us and let
us know exactly what called youto sustainability and to you
know how we can all better serveourselves, our communities and
our planet.
I hope, yeah.
Thank you yeah exactly In time.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, thank you very much for the introduction and
for having me back here.
For the introduction and forhaving me back here.
I appreciate that greatly andgives me a chance to to talk
about myself and my work.
So that's always fun.
But yes, ask questions if I getoff topic.
Yeah, I really appreciate thechance to talk a little bit
(02:01):
about my role as teachingsustainability courses to people
and what is sustainability andwhy does it matter?
I came upon sustainability as atopic in general back 1997, last
century, when I was making acareer change and I had been in
(02:27):
the corporate world and was kindof looking for something that I
could kind of understand betterin terms of my place in the
world.
So I decided to do a careerchange, moved to Seattle and got
involved with some volunteeringon the ground and community
around, gardening and connectingwith a lot of like-minded folks
(02:50):
that were looking for a littlebit more from life than maybe
the corporate world.
So I connected with this groupand really got involved in
sustainability at the communitylevel, like that's where it all
starts.
So I myself got involved withthat, worked for a local
government, worked for somenonprofits, helping to.
You know, a big part of it isto do outreach and get do
(03:13):
community education as todifferent choices, right
Transportation choices that wehave out there, ways that we can
reduce our waste and dispose ofwaste.
So I really got into working onsustainability issues and
decided to pursue my education.
(03:36):
So I've been always lovinglearning new things, so I
followed that path in as kind ofthese issues were emerging in
the world, and so that was apivotal time, I think in my
career was to engage insomething that now, as one of my
primary philosophies teachingphilosophies is to get students
(04:01):
engaged in their community in away that they can observe what
sustainability might look likein their community.
So I do a lot of community-basedprojects and where students are
teaching, both online studentsas well as students that are on
(04:21):
campus in my past role, studentsthat are on campus in my past
role.
So we've done things like awaste audit for the university,
so a practical application ofwhat does the waste look like
here.
That's a via, you know, kind ofcharacterization study so we
know how to get to the rootcause of things and stop those
(04:44):
behaviors that are causingcertain ways and how do we
design programs around that.
So we do a lot of problemsolving and depending on kind of
frameworks that spell out theprinciples of sustainability and
strategies for for movingforward sustainability and
(05:07):
strategies for moving forward.
So, in a nutshell, teaching,you know, undergrads and
graduate students to think abouthow to apply some of these
lofty concepts in the real world.
What I'm trying to do.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And would you say that, you know, sustainability
has kind of what I will say,almost a direct parallel or
correlation to efficiency,Because it sounds like just by
and again we're just picking youpicked the audit that you did
as an example, but you know,when we're talking about long
term trends of of, let's say,usage, consumption, that kind of
(05:43):
a thing Is it?
Efficiency has to play a rolein not only waste on a mass
level, the way that you'retalking about, but even in our
communities, in our day to dayand in our own personal lives,
right?
So would you say that thatplays.
How important role isefficiency and how does that
(06:05):
help us?
You know, on the macro versusthe micro level.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Oh, that is huge.
Efficiency is really the numberone thing to look at, because
efficiency usually can beaddressed and responded to by a
behavior change.
Responded to by a behaviorchange.
So if we look at energy whichis a good example, so like our
energy usage in our home, we canthere's two strategies.
(06:30):
Basically, efficiency howefficient are you?
Is your tight?
Is your envelope of yourbuilding tight, so you're not
losing a lot of energy, you know?
Are you?
You know insulated?
Is it insulated well enough?
Are your windows?
You know air leak?
So just really it insulatedwell enough?
Are your windows?
You know air leak?
So just really the tightness ofthe envelope of your home is
really the efficiency of yourhome.
(06:52):
And then are the kind ofstrategies to do more of a
adaptation or reducing as yoursource.
So you can put on solar panels,for examples.
But if you don't have anefficient house to begin with,
it doesn't make a lot of senseto do solar panels because it's
(07:13):
such an investment.
So you got to make sure you'vegot a tight building.
That actually can be a lot ofsavings there.
Um, so efficiency is number onestrategy.
But but then you can also doget renewable energy sources so
you might reduce your carbonemissions, which we've proven
have caused a greenhouse gaseffect which is trapping heat
(07:36):
gases in our planet.
That is causing climaticweirdness, right, right, um,
wildfires, uh, flooding, youknow things happening.
Extreme storms in the gulfs, uh, gulf coast.
So we're seeing these thingsplay out.
Uncertain as to how the climatesystem will change.
(07:58):
It's changing so in a way thatwe haven't seen, um, so that you
know part of the teaching islike how do we deal with these
uncertainties?
Well, we're not only doing themitigation piece, where we're
reducing emissions, but we'realso doing the adaptation piece,
which is more preparing for theimpacts.
(08:21):
Right, ok, we're going to stilltry to reduce our carbon
emissions, our greenhouse gasemissions same thing.
But at the same time, we knowwe might have an extreme storm,
sea level rises that mightaffect our beach house, so we
might have to adapt thelandscapes with maybe more green
we might have to adapt to notliving on the ocean shore people
(08:46):
.
You know it's development hascaused a lot of these issues, so
there's an adaptation is a hugepart of thinking through long
term.
You know potential impacts fromthings like climate change or
biodiversity loss those areprobably the biggest.
You know out of control thingsand just trying to mitigate and
(09:08):
adapt.
So we think about those thingsyeah.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
And so one of the things I think that this comes
into play for us again, on the,I can only speak with my limited
knowledge on the on thesituation to.
You know the, the micro levelof, of, unfortunately,
convenience.
The problem is that convenienceis, nine times out of 10, a
direct, the opposite ofefficiency and it's the opposite
(09:34):
of a thought through plans.
You know it's, it's thestyrofoam cup theory, right,
it's the.
It's easy, it gets the it'seasy, it keeps your hands from
getting burned, right, and thenit's going to pollute and toxify
our, our existence.
So it kind of comes into thesame thing like a fast food
model, right?
So again, I'm going to comefrom the health and well, I have
(09:54):
, like, that's my background.
So totally like, yeah, is itwhat's quicker and easier?
Stopping at some sort of noname mentioned drive through to
get your food, or going to afarmer's market, taking a
biodegradable bag with you,going home to your home and
making a meal that's going tonurture you and is going to take
(10:19):
, oh, I don't know, quadruple,10 times the amount of time
versus grabbing something in thecar on the way?
And again, that element ofconvenience.
You know, when you it kind oftriggered me, when I don't be
triggered a negative way, butwhen you mentioned, you know,
living on the coast.
Well, yeah, people love to goto the coast.
It's super inconvenient to haveto drive there, right?
So the people that live on thecoast generally have deep
(10:42):
pockets and the ability tochoose, to choose to purchase
properties such as that andthey're beautiful and they're
wonderful and amazing.
But are they doing harm?
And is that convenience or thathuman instinct of me?
First, that Darwinian, wereached the top of the food
chain by dominating everythingaround us, right?
(11:03):
That mentality definitely comesinto play when we're talking
about the harm potentially thatwe're doing to the planet and
our maybe lack of foresight orour potential selfish impulses
that we put in front of theimmediate desire that comes
before.
You know, our children'schildren are going to have to
(11:24):
worry about that.
Oh yeah, not a problem.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Right, right, well, those are perfect.
You know.
Comments Like first of all,what you're describing is
tragedy of the commons.
There's, like that's a theorywhere you know if it's a public
space in general, then you knowno one's taking ownership of it,
and so it becomes the commonsand it gets trashed, and that is
a tragedy in that humanbehavior for sure.
(11:52):
So how is it solved?
There's been all sorts ofscholars trying to figure out
how to solve the tragedy of thecommons, but it usually boils
down to cooperation.
You know, let's all worktogether to make sure that we
take care of our coast, you know.
But the other thing you knowyou started with talking about
like so you know, what do I do?
Go to the farmer's market withmy, you know reusable bags, or,
(12:15):
if I can't, go to Walmart, well,I think that at the bottom line
of it all is we do, we'reembedded in this system for sure
.
So that's part of the thingright, in this system, for sure.
So that's part of the thingright.
And so how can we do with ourchoices?
Shift the system, buy locallywill be helpful.
Maybe we don't give as muchmoney to corporations that are
(12:36):
outside of our place becausethey don't care that much about
our community, maybe we have.
There's a continuum.
One end of the continuum is theultimate carry.
You're doing everything right.
Like you said, you're walkingto the farmer's market with your
reusable bags, buying onlylocal produce, and then, on the
other end of the spectrum,you're driving your SUV to the
(12:59):
Walmart and buying, loadingthings, a lot of things up that
are plastic, you know, packagedwith lots of plastic and things
that don't biodegrade.
So you've got two ends of thespectrum and the idea is, in
between, to kind of educateourselves or become aware of
what are my choices.
In between.
There there's always tradeoffsand yeah, so we don't want to
(13:20):
beat ourselves up, but werealize that, yeah, that could
be the most.
Well, maybe I'll just thendrive my car to the Basel
bandwagon and get organic foodInstead of you know shameless
basal bandwagon, because that'swhere I do all my shopping.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
But I love that?
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yeah, I love, that, I do, I love them.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yes, yes, Ralph is the best.
I will tag them when I post it.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Totally.
Well, you know there's tradeoffs to everything and we can't
do everything right.
But then you know there's tradeoffs to everything and we can't
do everything right.
But then you know, oh, maybeI'll ride my bike two days this
week to work, or, you know, leaninto it right, like we do
across the street, right.
So, and you know then there'shealth benefits too.
So it's it's not necessarilyjust a you know tree hugger,
(14:07):
woke, you know way to look atlife, but it also, you know it
feels good and you connect withyour community.
You can, you know, get moreexercise, walk around your
community healthy, eat healthyfoods.
So anyway, there's a lots oftrade offs involved.
But kind of thinking through,you know, as we, being aware of
(14:27):
the choices we're making, we sit, make so many every day.
You know what could be the onethat would be, you know, meet
all those things.
That's economically, you know,feasible for me.
It's not a lot of packaging,it's not that much of a you know
imprint on the planet and youknow it supports my local
economy, you know.
So as best, best as possible,like trying to think of those
(14:49):
things when we're makingdecisions, um, so getting
students to think about that,like we've, I have them, you
know, create a, an audit fortheir um household, and so you
know what are the things thatyou know based on these
sustainability principles of um,you know land degradation, um
(15:12):
toxic, you know persistentchemicals, there's like three
ecological, um sustainabilityprinciples that you can really
apply to seeing what you'redoing, that might, you know, not
be super sustainable.
But we can't do everything justkind of getting students to
think in those terms andapplying it and reflecting on
(15:35):
things.
And you had mentioned to me howyour theme this week is filling
your cup kind of, and I think,just based on what I know about
you and how you, um, engage inyour community, I think that
(15:56):
would be such a big thing to do.
To fill your cup is, you know,get involved in your community
in some way.
That, um, you know, helps youconnect to people and also make
it a, you know, the world abetter place.
So if it's a river cleanup,which we've got one happening in
Highbridge and I'm, you know,I'm kind of telling myself this
(16:16):
too, because I'm fairly new tothis area and I need to, you
know, connect more with mycurrent community here, your
backyard.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
So Well, and I do sit on the board of a local land
trust, so I'm working in thatand we do cleanups monthly and
we have a 10 mile trail systemthat we're putting together and
it's the Tewksbury land trucks.
I'll plug that as well, why not?
So please join us anytime.
And yeah, it's, it's huge andit's how I've met so many people
in the area with shared andcommon values.
(16:49):
And I think that it really,when it comes to you know the
idea of filling your cup and youknow it's really about.
It's about what serves yourhighest good, not so it's like
the opposite of convenience.
It's not what serves yourimmediate need, it's what serves
your, your best overall.
The macro right, like what areyou keeping that nurtures your
soul?
What are you doing for yourself, what you know?
(17:11):
and I kind of jokingly plugMarie Kondo and the sparking joy
, but but in all seriousness, inthat mindset, you know, as you,
as you purge your closet, asyou purge your life, as you
purge your diet, as you gothrough the audit of your home
and the energy efficiency ofthat home, or your, your impact
that you're having.
You know what.
What is, what does spark thatjoy?
(17:33):
What are you going to keep?
And it's all about bringingthat balance in because, as yoga
instructors, as meditators, aspeople who are conscientious,
right like it's about beingconscientious at life for
yourself or for yoursurroundings and for your planet
, and I've said so manydifferent times that you know,
when I'm talking about this isusually on a Reiki bent, but
(17:55):
when I'm talking about you knowbeing that light making someone
stay brighter, like anyinteraction that you have.
If you see someone in a storeand you like her glasses, like
your glasses, or your, you knowyour beautiful necklace, and you
just say, hey, that's abeautiful necklace, and that
person right, it's kind of likepay it forward that person
smiles and maybe they werehaving a crap day and maybe they
(18:17):
feel a little better and andyou know, you're just being that
little bit of light.
And I always imagine it as thepicture of the planet at night
again, for sustainability, notideal, but with the cities lit
up, right, as you said, it's allabout your local community and
it's like if I do that littlelight and you do that little
light, and then everybody lightsup and it's a choice, it is
(18:39):
absolutely a choice whetheryou're going to be that light or
whether you're going to be theperson that cuts in front of
that same lady who's got abeautiful necklace and is having
a bad day right.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
And make it a little worse.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
So it's really about consciousness.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
That's so true and I think that when you have a
community that comes together towork on something to better the
community, there is that kindof bond that happens, you know,
amongst people and a shift thatyou know that can really shift a
community.
(19:15):
And I think that, you know, Ireally felt that in my high
school years, like because I wasinvolved with all these
community things but then I wentoff to college and the
corporate world and I just feltso disconnected from that and it
did affect, like from acommunity kind of stance, like
who's my neighbor down there?
You know I lived in a big cityand so, you know, coming back to
(19:41):
kind of more of thiscommunity-based work really did
nurture my soul as far as mylife's work.
And I think maybe the theme is,you know, what we all need to
ask ourselves and be curious andabout you know, what does
fulfill us and fill our cup, youknow, if it's engaging in
(20:02):
community, what way is that?
You know, maybe we need to do acommunity-based yoga in the
park.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Absolutely we should absolutely do that.
Yeah, yeah, and we're I'mactually spoiler alert.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I may already have a have a nod to that with the,
with the board that I sit on,but, but maybe you can comment
on.
We can.
We can share that.
If you'd be happy to teach aclass, yeah, or you can just
come in and I'll leave the class, and we can do that too, yeah,
um, but yeah, you know yoga isits own.
The other thing that's wonderfulabout this is is, you know,
again, to not to be trite, butthe whole think, think global,
(20:36):
act, local, is basically kind ofwhat we're touching on Right
and and that aspect of you knowyoga is is its own community and
with how much connectivity wehave to to everyone on the on
the planet.
In theory, most people um theability to, to share positivity
(20:59):
and to to.
I know that, especially whenwe're talking about
sustainability, part of themotivation I'm sure for many
people involved in in what youdo is I don't want to say it's
fear based, but it's realitybased, and the reality is not
necessarily pleasant, right,like we are, our impact as a
(21:19):
species on this planet is notloving, it's it's a little more
take, take, take and a lot lessgive, give, give and so like.
How can we come from that placeof love and support of Mother
Nature, of what sustains us, ofwhat literally like the one
(21:41):
episode that I did was Aprilshowers to fill your cup, what
literally fills our cup?
The rain that literallynurtures our soil, that
literally feeds us?
The bees, the gentle bees, like?
What can we do for the bees?
Speaker 3 (21:53):
You know, I mean, like focusing on miracles, yeah,
of life all around us the birdsand, yeah, coming out and all
the babies yeah, it's really amiracle, isn't it?
So that's that's kind of thatconnection between you know,
somehow these bigger humanactivities and they're so beyond
just our control, but we cancollectively shift systems.
(22:15):
If we try, and we are, it ishappening.
I mean, there are the farmer'smarkets, now more than ever.
Now there is a lot of, you know, clean, organic food available.
There might be moretransportation options, you know
, more rail or like bike trailsand rail trails than maybe there
was 15 years ago.
But so we're making progressand so it's not like all doom
(22:37):
and gloom based on, maybe,mainstream, what we hear in the
news.
Right, because those people arestill doing the work and we do
need to make behaviors that wewant more convenient.
So that is a big challenge.
Um, you know, like the EB andthings you know slowly get
adopted and prices come down ifthey do get adopted.
(22:59):
So you know, market transitionsare never easy.
Um, but new technologies comein and, um, there's lots of, you
know, uncertainties with inlife in general.
So for me, I think, having youknow a grounding in some ways
that I can kind of particularlyview my actions and things.
(23:21):
Is is helpful and you know,just also have faith that the
the planet will stay for us,stay good, clean and good for us
.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Yes, so to that.
And may I ask, are there anyI'm kind of air quote the word
convenient are there any tipsand tricks that you can share
for the average bear homeowneror you know, or or family, um
other, other than, obviously,like small, smaller things than
(23:54):
you know, redoing all yourwindows, like accessible daily
things?
That maybe are I like to callthem like simple swaps, right?
So think of, like, when you'retalking about dietary things,
swapping avocado for mayo, right?
Like easy health swaps, like,are there any sustainability
swaps that we can, you know,other than, obviously, like
plastic bags are already nolonger a thing in New Jersey, I
think you know which is a goodthing, but are there other?
(24:16):
small things we can do.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I guess I think you know.
First thing, I just reallyplastics are such a problem on
the planet.
You know there's the plasticfloating garbage patch out there
and you know plastics don'treally break down all the way.
I mean, they're going to bethere forever.
Then they're breaking down intoPFAS kind of microplastics that
are seeping into waters andstuff.
(24:42):
So I would say that plastics,if you can just avoid.
Plastic packaging, yes, it'snot convenient.
And oh I, just those plasticwater bottle.
You know plastic bottles filledwith water from the convenience
store.
That really makes me so upset.
So if we can kind of justeliminate all the plastic that
(25:05):
comes into our life, I thinkthat would be great.
Um, and you know food waste isanother big source of methane
emissions.
But if you compost it, or maybeif there's, I don't know food
waste is something to try tokeep out of the landfill and out
of your garbage can.
So are you able to compost inyour jurisdiction?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
I'm going to be a very, very bad human by telling
you that I don't actually havethe answer to that question and
I should, but I would imaginewe're a very, very bad human by
telling you that I don'tactually have the answer to that
question and I should, but Iwould imagine we're a very rural
community community, so myguess is probably yes, um, but
we also have a lot of all of ourwaste disposal is private, so
that may play a role in that aswell.
(25:51):
Like there's, we don't havepublic municipal waste here that
I'm aware of.
It's all privately sourced.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Okay, well, you know in general.
You know when you look at kindof global emissions, food waste
is can be a big share.
So keeping that to a minimum inthe landfill, throwing it into
your garbage can, is alwaysrecommended, but it's hard to do
so.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
composting out here is generally referred to as
feeding the fox, is what I'mgoing to be honest about.
So if there's like food stuff,it's all like nine times out of
10 with anyone that I that Iknow in the area.
It's like you know, we havesome very happy crows out bag.
We have some very happy foxes,like that food waste.
If there's again a plastictakeout container that came home
with you that you didn't get tobear fox raccoons, some someone
(26:38):
out there is eating well thisevening let's put it that way
more so than garbage.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
We also have a fox.
So yes, I totally, totally canrelate to that.
So, but if you just do plasticsno, and just you know, think
about other ways to.
If you can walk to your storeor walk to your local restaurant
, you know, maybe once or twiceyou are always walking around
your neighborhood, but I thinkin general it's such a you know
(27:07):
that's another thing that fillsyour cup is walking around your
community.
I think don't you Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Absolutely, oh my walking, I think, don't you?
Absolutely, oh my walking, Ithink?
If there's, you know, and Iwill, it's again touching a
little bit on the on the not sothrilling side, but I have an
elderly father and he had a hipinjury.
Well, he had a, an issue thatcreated an issue with his hip.
And I'll tell you, he was, hewas always so active, he worked
out all the time, and when thathip, hip issue, he can't really
(27:34):
walk and work out anymore.
And mobility and as, as youknow, so the yoga instructor,
like if you don't move it youlose it.
Like walking, if you do nothingelse in your life for your, for
your physical health, walkanywhere, everywhere, exactly,
keep walking it is so and so,and yeah, not only is it
(27:55):
wonderful for you, it helps theplanet, right, if you, if you're
lucky enough to live in an areawhere you can walk to places
right, and so you know it's,it's, it's it's, only I mean, I
don't think there's anything butbenefit to it.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Mm, hmm, I agree, yeah, and it's such a good way
to connect with the critters andthe plants, and just you know.
Yeah, I agree that if there'sanything, let's take a walk
every day in our neighborhood isprobably a good thing for our
psyche horse bathe, and you know, and go on a hike.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
You know it's, it's just that's, that's just so
positive for your body and yourmind right the surroundings.
Do play, do play a part, forsure.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Yes, I've been doing my earth meditations this week.
Spoiler alert.
Oh, it's hard not to.
Things are bursting or orstarting to, yeah, but not
bursting.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Yet it's happening, though it's very exciting.
So, as you brought that up,that was going to be, you know,
one of the things that I wantedto, you know, push off till the
very end.
But when we talked aboutconscientiousness, we talked
about, you know, these thingsthat you can do, being conscious
of plastic, right Like, and youknow we try to be, I know
(29:20):
everyone tries to be, but itseeps into our existence and so
having that be, you know that ifyou can do nothing else, do
that right.
That's the most important thing.
But of that idea of mindfulness, and you know those little
swapsaps, those little beingpresent enough in the moment to
take a pause and say I'm gonnabring a metal water bottle with
(29:41):
me instead of grabbing that gasstation water bottle.
But that that mindfulness, umhas to come from, and that
conscientiousness has to comefrom being able to take a moment
outside yourself, beyondyourself, and to be in the
present.
And to be in the present moment.
(30:02):
And can we do that on a?
Speaker 3 (30:04):
large scale level.
Excuse me, I was thinking withthat like really being
intentional in that presentmoment I intentionally am going
to just pay attention to theplastic that comes in my life.
You know, my partner neverreally paid attention to that
and he was yeah, plasticsandwich bags.
I'm like oh my gosh, there'sreusable pipe, you know.
(30:27):
Bags, oh, but these are justplastic, you know.
So, anyway, that's a hardbehavior to change.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Yeah yeah.
Well, but you know what you have.
The first step is acknowledgingit right, like you have to, and
I will be honest, I will plugthem again.
I would buy, you know, gallonsof alkalized water and I saw my
recycling bin and I saw like howmuch, and I was, and certain a
certain store, which shallremain nameless, just kidding,
(30:55):
that's Basil Bandwwagon, has aflow water machine.
And I saw not only the pricedifferentiation, because a lot
of times people, I think, gethung up on the oh well,
organic's expensive or oh well,you know, I've literally had
people say to me like basilbandwagon's so expensive.
I'm, like you know, like I'mvery dietary restrictive and
it's, you know, pretty mucheating for eating for one.
So you know it's, it's I don'thave a family of four to shop
for.
But also, to that end, it'ssignificantly less expensive to
(31:20):
bring a bottle and fill up onthe flow water machine that they
have there.
It's, it's a significant lesscost versus you know, like.
I encourage you to check it out,um, but, and that has saved I
don't even know how many plasticwater bottles from entering
landfill, and I saw the extreme.
(31:42):
I was like, wow, this is on mypart, like so confession, right,
like sheepish hand raise.
I like it was me, I am theproblem, right.
But and I saw it, and now Itake my metal water bottle to
the gym and I have my gallon jugand I fill it up and you know,
I think, I think it's isbecoming aware.
I think awareness is not news toanybody.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
But, you're so right, being intentional, and, and
there's always going to be anopportunity to buy something to
solve that problem.
But you know we got.
Do we need to buy something new?
Is another big question we askourselves.
Like you know, it's great Imean, I love new stuff too but
we, you know, consumption is outof control and some you know
(32:25):
another thing you know mypartner loves Amazon.
And so easy just to click,click, click and get something
the next day if you need a screwor a you know tool or you know
whatever.
And you know, each time you doan Amazon order, you know you
should try to collect them atone time is the might.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Hit the all in one box, button right yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Right, sorry, thank you for letting me have a little
bit of uh, you know airing outmy hey, listen, I mean, you know
, I've been told by count.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Like I have a partner of mine who says you know, why
don't you just order your dogfood from chewy?
Well, because I'm going to goto the little mom and pop pet
store that I've been going tofor over a decade and I'm going
to support my local tiny tinylittle dog food store, because
everyone and their brother shopson chewy.
And no, you know, nocondemnation, but like it's, you
(33:19):
know, the Amazon of pet foodproducts right Like so you're
not that you can't get dog foodon.
Amazon, right, like that's kindof the joke.
But you know, I think I thinkagain, the intentionality of it,
you know, is and then you cango down the rabbit hole of, well
, I have to drive there, right?
(33:40):
So is that any?
Is that?
Is that carbon emission now?
Now, is it, is it better tojust have it delivered?
But at a certain point I thinkno, because it's a rabbit hole,
right, and you have to thereagain, much like yoga and like
you have to have balance, youabsolutely have to have balance.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
But I'd much prefer to give money to to the local
pet store um that's been therefor a hundred you know however
many years um, and I just, andso you know I'm a big fan of
supporting local and uh, I thinkthat that is a great way, maybe
not necessarily forsustainability, but at least for
the mentality surroundingsustainability right,
(34:15):
sustainability is all aboutcommunity-based, local context.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
Yeah, the ecological aspect, but the human ecological
interaction, because theseecological problems are because
of human activities.
So you can't just say it's.
You know they're separate,they're all interconnected.
So how can we think about that?
Yeah, small communities aroundhere.
(34:40):
You know they're separate,they're all interconnected.
So how can we think about that?
Yeah, community, smallcommunities around here, you
know, are so cute with thedifferent um, you know keeping
maintaining the history and um,and really you know inviting
people in.
So that's huge tosustainability is maintaining
kind of cultural you know thingsand and connecting with those
small store owners.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
So for sure, yeah, there's an element of simplicity
, purity, you know, and I alwayssay when we're talking about
diet and nutrition, I think youcan probably make the same
correlation for, forsustainability is, you know, the
simplest ingredients, right,Like I.
Just my last episode that's,that's that's air was about
filling your, filling your mugand healthy beverages, right,
(35:19):
and you know the lessingredients.
One of the big things that Isaid was use raw honey unless
you have some sort of, you know,glucose intolerance, right, but
like, instead of buying a sodathat has sweetener in it, you
know, put, put a little rawhoney in in some a blueberry,
smoothly, like if you need thesweetness, but like it's going
to be healthy, If you can findlocal honey, if you can support
(35:42):
local right.
Like it's all about I'm, I'mtaking.
It takes extra effort, it takesyour time, it takes your effort
, it takes your intention andyour conscientiousness, but it
also if the ingredients that I'mputting into my body are just
as important with what you drinkis what you eat.
And if you're going to do that,like raw honey is one of the
top healthy sugars that yourbody can have, right, Like sugar
(36:03):
not necessarily is a greatthing, but that's one of the
best ones and you're supportingyour local farmer.
You're hopefully helpinghealthy bees right.
I'm all about saving the bees,like you know.
So so much about saving thebees.
So you know, I think that allthose are again bringing it back
to the intentionality.
But simplicity andsustainability and purity, like
(36:27):
in.
You know the roots of the areathat you're growing up in,
staying true to yourself,staying true to you.
You know the nature of the farm, the local farming like.
If you think about localfarming versus mass farming, you
know there are areas here whereyou can go and you can buy your
cow and it's running aroundright there and you can split it
with your neighbor, right it'slike that's the thing that
(36:49):
happens around.
We're very blessed right to livehere, but that's the thing that
happens around here all thetime.
So you know it's made very sadfor that, like, oh my gosh.
A friend of mine said a cowthat had a really good life and
one bad day.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
And really well, you know that is.
That's kind of the other thingis like looking at who, what is
the source of this food you know, knowing where it comes from,
because a lot of times we don'tknow and we're like buying
chickens or you know eatingchicken and all sorts of stuff.
We don't know where it comesfrom, so that you know and so
there could be you know.
You just don't know what theydo, but what buying locally,
(37:27):
like that.
You know you're the source ofthat beef and so you trust that
it's really well, you know,well-raised and it's going to be
healthy.
You know another thing withthat you had kind of mentioned
about filling your honey cup.
Is it made me think of anotherbehavior?
That is something to thinkabout and I struggle to keep it
set up well in my pantry is bulkbuying.
(37:48):
So instead of buying, you knowan at the basil.
Basil bandwagon, like WholeFoods, there are, you know, and
at the basil bandwagon, likeWhole Foods there are, you know,
opportunities to buy in bulkand so you really minimize
packaging.
At that level you can buy for along period of time, usually
for less money, and then youknow you don't have to deal with
(38:08):
all the smaller portions thatyou buy over the six months.
But it does take.
You know preparation for thingslike beans and you know to cook
them up and not have cannedbeans.
So that's a transition, but youcan save a lot of packaging and
money, yeah, by buying in bulk,for sure.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
Absolutely, and that is, again, a great place, a
great place to do that.
Um, and another person that youmay want to check out is uh,
that came on to this podcast is,uh, jason de salvo, and he owns
coldbrook farm, and they are100 organic farmer in this area.
So if you are looking, just foryour own benefit to plug him
again because he was kind enoughto come on.
(38:49):
Um.
He's huge in sustainability, inorganic and regenerative
farming.
Um, and if you want local, hedoes his own honey, he does his
own grain, so definitely yeah,check out the website because
they sell their own grain.
They sell and it's very it'sheirloom.
I mean, he, he went all out inthat.
(39:09):
So by all means, please checkhim out, because it's something
that you could probably takethat a bit from, especially if
you're talking about buying inbulk and you know talking about
know where, know where it comesfrom.
It comes from you know, astone's throw away.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
Right, you know this reminds me of a program we did
around this was in Oregon aroundthe hundred mile diet.
So join me on the hundred milediet, where you try to buy all
your foodstuffs within 100 milesand so you know we were kind of
doing a challenge, you know, tosee if we could do it, and of
(39:41):
course you really can't do it100%.
But you know we also talkedabout where we can get great
local foods for good prices oryou know different things.
But the whole idea was, I think, to do 80% of your diet buying
food from within 100 miles,which is a real sustainability
thing, because you know then youdon't have transportation of
goods further away and you know,so you minimize that way your
(40:05):
carbon footprint, and then youknow your local farmers and all
that.
So that's another thing wecould do is go on the 100-mile
diet and Jason DeSilva wouldyeah 100 mile diet and Jason
Silva would yeah, he wouldsatisfy that, he would
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
Well, we're very like I said, we're very blessed in
this area to be able to eatpretty well on that 100 mile
diet just because we live in theGarden State.
Right, got that name for areason.
Yes, yeah, exactly.
But now that we are, you know,reaching towards our end, I
would like to do a little.
Well, it's not really going tobe a teaser at this point, it's
gonna be a straight up spoileralert.
(40:40):
But I did give a teaser thatyou may be hosting the
meditation for this month andall about the intentionality.
And you know we're tongue incheek, it's Earth Day, it's
April, so we're going on thatevent.
But would you just give alittle bit of a teaser to our
audience about the meditation oranything about it that you
(41:00):
might care to share, and thenwe'll?
We'll have that up and out forthem and, you know, in the
upcoming before.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
Yes, yes, I'm working on it and we'll record it
tomorrow, and so I just reallywant to take the opportunity to
and Earth Day gives us a greatreason to do it on a podcast is
to just ground ourself in theearth for 20 minutes, and I've
(41:31):
got some very good I.
I've got a reading I want tobase it in from Thich Nhat Hanh,
who has done many earth-basedmeditations from walking on the
earth.
I mean, if you want to beinspired, that's a good resource
to look at, um and into justyou know some good uh ways to um
(41:53):
in our meditation.
Ground ourself so we can kindof start our day off at a
centered place in a centeredplace.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
I love that Well, and thank you for doing that.
I'm very much looking forwardto enjoying the meditation, as
opposed to leading it.
I love the meditations that Ileave, but it's also I'm very
much looking forward to actuallypracticing the guided
meditation.
So thank you for sharing thatfor not only myself but for all
of our listeners.
And it's so funny that youmentioned that, because on the
board that I sit on for the landtrust, we did a Thich Nhat Hanh
(42:27):
walking meditation, a silentmeditation, around one of our
land trust preserves.
So we did that last year.
So I will definitely make surealthough I probably let your,
your, your partner you'reprobably calling your partner in
crime at this point, but yourpartner in crime.
I will make sure to give you theheads up, Even when we do that
again this year, because I thinkyou'd really enjoy it, but yeah
he is a wonderful I meanmeditation father of meditation.
(42:51):
I think he may be dubbed.
So, amazing resource and I verymuch look forward to the
bringing some intentionality andsome grounding and some
connection with our Mother Earthinto into our lives and it'll
be evergreen because it'll be upon, you know, social medias.
And again, and I thank you somuch for sharing your time with
(43:14):
me today.
It's such a wonderful treatevery time we get together and I
can't wait to practice yogawith you at some point.
Yes, I love that.
Speaker 3 (43:24):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Let's do that.
It's truly been inspirationalto learn about not only what you
do but how what you do canimplement such mass hopefully
mass change from the local, likeI said, all those little lights
lighting up from from juststarting where you are, meeting
yourself where you are, andcontinuing on to to grow that
little bit of community so thatwe can all benefit from
(43:47):
intentionality andconscientiousness with our
actions and our behaviors.
Thank you so much for thatDefinitely Well said.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Thank you for the opportunity.
Thank you so much for thatDefinitely Well said.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Thank you for the opportunity and thanks to each
and every one of you for sharingyour space with us today, and
please feel free to share thesame with your loved ones For
more goodness.
Follow me on all the socials atAbove the Ground Podcast, or
visit my websiteairsaboveyogacom and, as always,
definitely check out my otherepisodes and all of the amazing
sisters at DivasThatCarecom.
(44:16):
You can find us on SoundCloud,Spotify, Odyssey, Apple or
anywhere else that you may feelguided.
Again, my name is Gia RaquelRose, owner of Heirs Above Yoga,
and you are listening to Abovethe Ground Podcast, where every
day is a good one.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
Thanks for listening.
This show was brought to you byDivas that Care.
Connect with us on Facebook, onInstagram and, of course, on
divasthatcarecom, where you cansubscribe to our newsletter so
you don't miss a thing.
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