How to survive family gatherings

“I feel out of sync with my family of origin around the holidays, when I spend more time with them than usual,” wrote one reader recently. “They aren’t interested in honest communication, working on relationships, or other things that are important to me … How can I deal with this in a positive way? This question [...]

10 cold-weather gear essentials for outdoor workouts

Believe it or not, research shows that you burn more calories working out outside in the winter than you do in the summer because you use more energy keeping your body warm. Use this must-list to arm yourself with essential cold-weather workout gear to keep you safe, warm and motivated in winter weather.

6 cool & affordable green gifts for eco-travelers

Looking for a holiday gift for that eco-conscious globetrotter — or a traveler you’d like to help “green up”?  Check out these creative yet practical gifts that won’t add too much excess weight to your credit card. And when you shop online, you lighten the burden on the earth by avoiding extra car trips. 1. Carbon [...]

What Happens to Recyclables After They Are Collected? and More

Play ConcentratiOm, the new yoga memory game by Gaiam, for the chance to win fabulous prizes. Also featured: the process of how recyclables go from being collected to becoming newly manufactured products, conflicting opinions of yoga instructors and the effect of music during practice, and more in this week's Living Roundup.

Winter composting: Should I just scrap it?

Nice … half-frozen veggie scraps molded together in a solid mass. Not exactly what I want to see in my compost bin. With at least five more months of cold weather before warmth and sunshine reappear, why do I even bother keeping the pile going? Me and my veggie scraps Well, I guess I do know why. [...]

Answering Your Questions About “Organic”

What is organic? What does organic mean? These are two different versions of the most-asked question about organic. In a broad sense, organic simply means that it is made from animal or vegetable compounds. In the stricter sense that many of us have come to expect, organic means that only animal or vegetable materials were used in the making of the product from start to finish.

The 5 stages of green (and how to get to the best one)

How do I remain upbeat, knowing what I do about our planet’s peril? The secret to getting through the stages to a place of optimism and hope.

“Glass half full” is step 1 in getting healthier

In all my experiences as a fitness trainer for all types of people, I have never met anyone who thought they were doing everything they could to take care of themselves. I’ve been in the fitness industry for two decades. We are so much smarter now about how our bodies work — yet we are facing [...]

Grab Our Widgets for Daily Green Deals and Yoga Pose Tips

We’ve launched two cool new widgets that we think you’ll absolutely love! Introducing the Gaiam Green Deal of the Day and Rodney Yee’s Daily Yoga Pose. It’s easy to add them to your blog, iGoogle page, Facebook, Myspace and other popular social networking sites — simply press “Share” on the lower right hand corner of [...]

What Environmentalists Can Expect From Obama & More

What environmentalists can expect from Barack Obama when he becomes president, how parents can teach children about giving from an early age, and more in this week's Living Roundup.