Lifestyle

It's HOT outside. With summer upon us, getting dressed for work can be a painful exercise. Ties or jackets in 95*F? Ouch. Turns out that some businesses are noticing that what we wear can cause pain to our planet.  Relaxed summer wardrobes are a good start to easing the pain: the fewer layers you’re wearing, the less air conditioning you need to be comfortable. Bring on the polo shirts! Find out more about how climate change is affecting office attire, after the jump.

I have a rocky relationship with water. I am often negligent and forget to drink water during the day, especially during the summer. I’ve even fainted a few times from dehydration and heat exhaustion. This didn’t mean I didn’t drink a lot during the day. I did. I just didn’t drink a lot of water. In recent years, I’ve fixed this problem by always having a reusable water bottle on hand and by sometimes drinking water substitutes. Water substitutes are a different way to look at water. As such, I have complied a list of five favorite fun ways to drink water. 5 Fun Ways to Drink Water this Summer:

This past semester, I escaped the Polar Vortex and studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. Over four months, I discovered and explored the new city, including its sustainability scene. Copenhagen, the winner of the EU’s Green Capital 2014, is well known for its advanced efforts to as a model sustainable city. Philly has begun its journey to be the most sustainable city in the US, according to Mayor Nutter’s Greenworks plan. How does Philly compare to Copenhagen? Who’s winning the green battle on their respective continent?

Many reasons to live sustainably ultimately benefit one person: you. What's one of the best parts of joining a local CSA? Fresh, delicious veggies and fruit. Like seriously, better than you've ever had before. Although I certainly avoid preaching to the crowd, my body got out of whack lately between traveling, getting sick and work. After seeing some not-so-flattering photos of myself, I decided to do a mini detox. Kicking back into a healthier version of you doesn't require a juice detox or lots of cash. There's a few simple ways to detox - all cheap, easy and locally. Here's 10 Ways to Get Healthy & Detox on a budget:

Happy World Environment Day! Recently, my parents returned an exciting surprise that I had created 22 years ago, confirming my green obsession officially began in 1992. In honor of this day of caring for our planet and to make my 2nd grade dreams a reality, I'm officially publishing my work here for you beautiful people. Call it a throwBack Thursday present for y'all. And Things Got Worse. Didn't I ever reveal that's when I discovered my artistic talents and geography skills, too? Read on, friends. You know you want to.

Over Memorial Day weekend, I escaped to Boston for live music, time outdoors and catching up with my former roomie. Whenever I travel, I try experiencing the local scenery; the seasonal foods, local craft beers and neighborhoods. Since I've only visited Boston once, I spent more time to notice a few sustainability parallels between Philly and Boston. Here are 9 ways Boston is the bizarro sustainable Philly:

Okay, becoming a morning person may not be high on your list of goals, but indulge us for a second. Consider your answers to these questions: Do you feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to tackle your ever-growing to-do list? Do you spend the first hour of your day feeling groggy and resenting the morning? Is caffeine an absolute nonnegotiable in order to feel like a human?   Most of us can probably answer  'yep' to at least one. You may think being a night owl suits you just fine, or maybe you find those who chirp about the "early bird" annoying. That may be the case, but studies consistently show that there's a slew of advantages to being an early riser including a more optimistic outlook, better ability to anticipate problems, and even an easier commute. Find out more about the advantages of waking up early, and how to become a morning person:

I thought a professor lied when he said the only way he survived graduate school without falling into debt was by eating canned beans for every meal. Yet 5 months into grad school, I can see where desperation hit. While beans are a healthy, vegetarian protein, I was not so devoid of hope. It has to be possible as a student to eat at Whole Foods on a budget, right? Testing and proving this theory brought me into foreign territory, one teeming with hormone-free meat and overpriced produce. The foreign lands of Whole Foods. My mission: To claw my way out with a bill less than or equal to $54.90, which is the U.S Department of Agriculture’s low-cost one-week food plan for a 19-50 aged man. Known Success Rate: Unreported, but there have been many a credit card casualty. Wildlife to Avoid: Twenty-something year-old vegans. Although a pleasure to view in their natural habitat, this species is hungry and their movements can be unpredictable. Important Note: Nutritional health is a subject in which everyone has an opinion, and this writer is not an expert but a survivor in this task. Find out if I survived, after the jump.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Zojirushi. The opinions and text are all mine. Regardless of the type of plastic, more than 70 percent of plastics leak estrogen-like chemicals. Makes that microwavable meal really appetizing, right? Yum! Whether you're at home, camping or the office, you can kick plastic from your life in favor of more sustainable products. Here are a few tiny investments I've made over the years to limit my plastic waste in the office.