Sea•thos Foundation

Vik Beach, Iceland

The town of Vik, considered to be one of the wettest places on earth, is 110 miles away from the capital Reykjavik and the southern most city in Iceland. The village is home to less than 300 inhabitants and to one of the world’s most beautiful black basalt sand beaches. The western cliffs of the beach are home to a large puffin population!

There is no land mass between Vik and the arctic which leaves it prone to intense weather and rough seas. It should, therefore, be no surprise that the beach is littered with monuments commemorating those sailors and fishermen taken by the sea.

Vik lies directly under the Mýdalsjökull glacier which lies atop the Katla Volcano. The color of the sand was likely created by hot lava flowing into the frigid ocean, causing it to fragment into little pieces. Katla has been largely inactive since 1918. This relatively long period of inactivity has led many to believe that a volcanic eruption is likely to occur soon! If an eruption does occurs it would have the potential to melt a substantial amount of ice. This could lead to a huge flash flood and leave the exposed town defenseless against the powers of nature.

The town church which lies high atop a hill is believed to be the only structure that would survive the potentially devastating forces of nature. For this reason there are periodic drills to train the inhabitants of this small town to literally ‘run for the hills’ at the first sign of an eruption.

With the holidays just around the corner many of us are searching for the perfect gift ideas. This year try to avoid the awkward smile and uneasy interactions after receiving or giving a gift that sucks! By being more mindful of the impact of your gifts will have, you will not only dodge uncomfortable situations but will also be friendlier to the health our planet and oceans. Here are a few important things to remember this gift giving season:

1) Buy less: It is not just the thought that counts! Think about it…Wouldn’t you rather receive something like a meaningful card or a donation in your name to your favorite nonprofit than a gift that you hate but have to pretend to love!?!?  This season make a pact with your friends and family to cut out the ‘thoughtful’ gifts and only buy each other things that are useful and necessary. You can also arrange gift exchange where each one only buys a gift for one other designated person. By reducing the number of gifts bought you are not only saving money but also reducing the amount of waste you are putting out (think of all the plastic packing on most items these days!).

2) Keep it close to home: Buying locally made goods are a great why of supporting your local economy as well as keeping your carbon footprint to a minimum. You will get extra brownie points from the green gods by purchasing local goods made from recycled material.

3) Recycle: Why let that ill suited gift sit in your closet any longer?! After all ‘one person’s trash is another one’s treasure’! There is nothing wrong with re-gifting something to someone who will get better use out of it. Its a win win situation; you get to reclaim your closet space, spend less money and give someone something they will actually use!

4) Make it last: In this day and age many products are designed to break down or become obsolete within a relatively short period of time. It is, therefore, important and more environmentally sound to choose gifts that are not only durable but will remain practical for a substantial amount of time.

5) Give back to the planet: Many companies and organizations are becoming increasingly conscious of the need to give back to mother earth. Why not give a gift that is not only practical but also helps improve the health of our planet and oceans. This year the Sea•thos foundation is offering a limited holiday special on our environmentally friendly tote bag + Lifefactory water bottles. Other gift ideas are bus passes, bicycles and donations to environmental organizations.

6) Holiday wrap: Avoid the metallic and shiny wrapping paper! It is not only tacky but also non-recyclable. Try to re-use wrapping paper, ribbons and bows whenever possible. There are some companies that now make eco-friendly wrapping paper from fibers such as hemp. Fabric scrapes, newspaper, old calendars, maps or poster are creative and alternative materials that can be used as wrapping paper.

7) Make your own cards: Making your own cards not only adds a personal touch but is also much more earth friendly. Get the kids involved and make an afternoon out of it!

Happy gifting

Working out is good for our minds and bodies. Here are a few tips on how to stay fit without making the environment sweat it:

1. Be mindful of your threads: Did you know it takes over 400 gallons of water and a third of a pound of pesticides to make a SINGLE cotton teeshirt. The chemicals used to grow cotton are extremely harmful to the surrounding soil, insects, bodies of water and marine life. Some sports wear is covered in bug/sweat/water resistant chemicals that are absorbed by the body (especially when pores are open from sweating) and are particularly detrimental to aquatic life. Clothing made from eco-friendly fibers such as hemp and organic cotton are stylish and a green way to keep it clean. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should only consume what you need. Simply refrain from buying clothing that is not essential!

2. BYOB: As we all know slow degrading plastic water bottles are filling landfills to the brim. Over 60 million water bottles are discarded annually. Many even end up in the ocean effecting sea life and ultimately our own health. Bringing your own (glass) water bottle to your workout is an affordable and easy way to reduce plastic pollution and save the ocean.

3. Transport yourself: Walking, running, biking or skateboarding to the gym or your yoga class is a great way to warm up and reduce your carbon footprint. If your gym is too far (or it is an exteremely cold and snowy winter day) take the bus or carpool with a friend.

4. Disconnect from it all: If the treadmill was a car it would be a gas guzzling SUV. Try to find gym workouts that require more use of  exercise ball (such as medicine balls) and less stationary contraption with moving floor! Doing a yoga class is a great way to use your own body weight to build muscle. Take your cardio outdoors by going on a bike ride, a run on the beach or hike in the nearby woods. These are much better alternatives to staying indoors on a stationary machine with your eyes glued to the TV.

5. Share your sole: Don’t throw out those old runners! Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program takes your old soles and turns them into sports courts, tracks and flooring! Click here to find your closest drop off location!

Boulders Beach, South Africa

Boulders Beach aka Boulders bay is a sheltered beach located near Simon’s Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. This area is considered to be part of the Table Mountain National Park. The presence of large 540 million year old granite boulders, from which it gets its name, is not the only distinguish characteristic of this beach. The stinky sunbathing Jackass, which have been around since 1982, have made this a popular coastal destination.

The Jackasses we are referring to here are not some loud drunken vagabonds, rather they are a colony of African penguins whose call resembles a donkey’s bray. The beach’s vulnerable black-footed penguin population has grown steadily from 2 in 1982 to over 3,000 today. This population growth has been partly attributed to the fact that their human neighbors have allowed their colony to thrive with limited interference. Furthermore, the reduction of commercial pelagic trawling in False Bay has increased the pilchards and anchovy stock, a main source of food for these marine birds.

In an effort to protect these adorable (and stinky) friends the South African government has prohibited swimming on the beach were the Jackass hang out. The adjacent Foxy Beach, however, is open to humans. It is not uncommon for visitors of the area to experience the thrill of swimming and catching waves with these amazing creatures !

Thanksgiving is supposed to be the time of year where we give thanks for the things we have; much of which is provided to us by mother nature. Let us show her how thankful we truly are by greening up our Thanksgiving!

Here are a few ways to have a cleaner and greener Thanksgiving:

1) Natural Decorations: This Thanksgiving let nature be your inspiration for decorations. Beautifully colored gourds, pumpkins, squash and maize are in season and widely available. These are great alternatives to those cheesy store bought decorations. Pinecones and the colorful fallen leaves are other natural and pocket-friendly props you can incorporate in your holiday decorations. Try lighting beeswax or soy candles for some mood lighting.

2) Plan ahead: By making an extensive list of everything that you need to prepare your holiday meal you can avoid taking multiple trips to the store; saving yourself both time and gas.

3) Buy Local and Organic: Organic food is not only healthier for you but it also reduces the amount of harmful chemicals that are released into the environment. What’s even better than buying organic food is buying organic food that is grown locally! You can buy most of your holiday meal ingredients from your local farmer’s market or nearby family farm. Localharvest.org can help in your quest to buy locally grown produce! Try to choose recipes which require locally grown, as oppose to imported ingredients.

4) The table: Try to avoid using one-time use items including plates, napkins and utensils. Using actual silverware, dish-ware and cloth napkins will definitely class-up the dinner table! Remember that running a full dishwasher conserves more water than hand washing.  If it is absolutely necessary to use disposables, make sure they are eco-friendly and biodegradable. Wooden plates and utensils are now widely available and a much greener option than their plastic counterparts.

5) The Meal: Not all turkeys are raised equally! Buying a heritage turkey is both a tastier and healthier option. If, however, this option is not available to you, you can opt to get an organic or sustainably raised turkey or chicken. This will ensure that the birds have had access to the outdoors and are antibiotic-free/hormone-free.

Another option is to forget the birds all together and go vegetarian. There are so many yummy meat-free holiday recipes.

6) Left-overs: DO NOT THROW THESE OUT! Remember Thanksgiving is a holiday that reminds us to be mindful and thankful for what we have. If you’re invited to someone’s house for dinner remember to BYORC, bring your own reusable container. Also don’t forget that by letting your food cool down before putting it in the fridge you are saving energy and money.

7) After the meal: Don’t be a couch potato! Put down the remote and actually spend some quality time with your friends and family. Here’s a novel idea: instead of sitting on the couch watching football try getting some exercise by playing the game OUTSIDE! In the fresh air!

Happy Thanksgiving