For the Love of It...

Just got back from a fantastic adventure in the Cascades! Wow...Wow...Wow! I had signed up to do a week-long mountaineering course on Mt. Rainer with Summit Climb, an organized climbing expedition company. Dan Mazur, a famous Himalayan mountaineer, taught the class of 22 people. Not exactly sure on what to expect and a bit anxious, we started the first day of the class by reviewing our gear with Dan and picking up things we needed from local gear shops. The next morning we arrived on Mt. Rainer and began the hike to our home for the next 5 days. It was foggy and wet while we hiked on the Nisquali Glacier to our campsite. Being from Texas, I have to say that I was surprised how much snow was on the mountain in the summer. During a break, Dan showed us how to self-arrest properly and glissade with our ice axe. Um, so much fun! We all felt like kids again sliding down a hill screaming. First, we had to self-arrest facing towards the mountain. Easy, right? Well, the we had to slide down on our backs which everyone was very timid about doing. Last, we slid down upside down (someone held our legs) while on our backs. Let me tell you....when you are dangling by a boot upside down on a steep slope....you will understand what fear is. Once we arrived at our camp, everyone began to dig out an even area in the snow to set their tents. Lesson #1: Make sure your campsite is perfectly level or you'll find yourself at the bottom of the tent in the morning.

Since I couldn't sleep, I got up at 5AM and walked around. The morning had dissipated the fog cover and you could see all around. There were about 5 waterfalls all around the camp. The clouds were beneath us as if we were floating on them. Gorgeous, isn't it?!On this day, Dan showed us how to get into rope teams and use our ice axes and crampons. Rope teams are assembled to prevent any member from falling into a crevasse through self-arrest and setting up a belay system. At the end of the day, we got to do a multi-pitch ice climb! It was calf-blazing hard...but absolutely worth it. You can be sure that your adrenaline is on over-drive at this point.

Throughout the whole trip, I got to know Dan and his style of leadership better. I would describe him as funny, humble, caring and genuinely sincere. He would make rounds every morning and night to every team member to see how they were doing. When we asked him about his climbing adventures on Mt. Everest or Ama Dalbam...he doesn't go around praising his successes but tells us about the expeditions from the team's perspective. I have to say that Dan earned respect from every single person on the trip. What an incredible guy! He organized this whole thing, taught us about mountaineering, and let us use his equipment (tents, cooking stoves, fuel) all for free. He does it, because he loves it! I am so grateful for have gotten to opportunity to climb with someone like him.

It wonderful to see people like, Dan Mazur, who generously share their time and knowledge to helps people like me further our passions for climbing!

On the last day, our group summitted Mt. Rainer (14,500ft) at 9AM. I lost a toe nail, but gained so many memories...thank to everyone for making its a trip of a lifetime :)

My Green Monsters in the Morning

Since first introduced to green monsters (not the overly sucrosed, caffeinated drink), I've been drinking them every morning and felt absolutely amazing! It's the smoothie that Popeye would endorse. Ok what it has in it:
- 2 large handfuls of organic spinach
- 1/2 organic apple
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 tsp of almond butter
-1/2 cup of Almond Breeze almond milk
- 1 spoonful of Jarrow rice protein
- 1 serving of Jarrow green defense
- 4-5 ice cubes

Blend well and drink! It only takes about 4-5 minutes to prepare and it is delicious! Trust me, you'll be surprised by how good it is. Sometimes I will put in 1 or 2 tsp of Agave Nectar if I want something more sweet. It's important to use organics for the spinach and apple since they typically carry the most pesticides. Banana has one of the least amounts of pesticides so save your money on that purchase. Not that bananas are that expensive in general. Hope you will try it! Enjoy!!!

Who said I am a hippie?

I'd never define myself as a hippie...someone wearing a headband while smoking pot and making the peace sign with my fingers all while hugging some tree. No, that's definitely NOT who I am. However, people have a difficult time categorizing this new and quickly growing breed of Americans who are well educated and understand the importance of sustainability. The one's that truely "get it."












Today, I went to my best friend's finale party which celebrate the end of their 1 year trip around the U.S. to document the enivornmental stories in each state (check it out at YERT.com). The speaker held up a scale and asked where do we fall on it. Do we classify outselves on the white side or the very green side of the scale? Well, a majority of people raised their hands as medium green. I'd characterize this group of people who are doing things like buying local products, drying hybrids, recycling, and/or composting. This group of people doesn't just taking about being green, they practice it in their daily lives. They are the example of normal Americans who can live a very similar lifestyle compared to other people but with a slight twist that helps the environment.

I think people spend too much time fretting about how "difficult" it is to live a green lifestyle or compaining about how inconvenient it is. However, it really is not the case. Especially as products become tailored to this fast-growing group of Americans, it will make being green a lot easier. For example, Chico Bags is a brand of shopping bag that folds up into a tiny pouch so you can easily slip it into your purse and have it with you when your shopping. Buying organic products are a lot easier to find in everyday groceries stores and are better priced than in the past. There are also delivery services that bring locally grown produce straight to your door. One example is called Spud which has operations in Washington and Canda. Even my friend's family in Pittsburg has a local farm delivery fresh and organic groceries every week to their house! I mean talk about convenience!

I'm not saying run out this instant a go buy a hybrid or a compost bin. Rather, just be willing to take that first step into doing something green. There are a million of things normal Americans can be doing to help the enviornment but they are the ones that will have to do it. No one else can and the best part of all is that you'll realize "wow, that wasn't hard at all!"

Smahta than the Average Joe

Earlier this year, a friend and I travelled to a remote monastery in a small town of Nemo in Tibet. Since it was wintertime, the nights there were quite cold. The tricky part was that you wouldn't feel it at first but it crept up on you and within a few minutes you are wondering why you are shaking uncontrollably. The Tibetan's have a remedy for that...its Yak butter tea. Being one that hates...I mean strongly dislikes diary, the yak butter taste is very overpowering. However, holding the tea cup defrosts the once shaking hands and drinking small sips warms you down to the core. After you politely finish one cup, a huge thermos is retrieved and more butter tea is poured to the brim. As I looked at the wall, I saw dozens of giant thermoses filled with butter tea. Not sure my small bladder could handle much more tea; I decided to walk around the monastery. On the roof I noticed these huge wing like steel flaps with tea kettles sitting on top of them. It almost looked like a homage to kettles or something. When I asked a monk what it was for, he explained that they were used to heat the water! How ingenious, right? In the U.S. we spend gobs of money on solar panels that quite often break. We buy $70 dollar organic t-shirts to reduce pesticide usage on cotton crops. We even spend thousands more to buy a hybrid cars. These green acts are great starts but for an entire nation to be sustainable, it needs to be affordable as well. Here in Tibet, they spend a couple of cents to buy a small curved piece of cheap steel and they harness enough solar power to boil water in 30 minutes or less. Now that's what I call rocket science!

To be or not to be Organic?

So we all have heard that its better to buy organic products...but why? Organics are much more expensive and with gas prices as they are why spend more on produce. Well, some foods should be bought organically because they are more attractive to bugs than others. Therefore, requiring the use of large amounts of pesticides. In addition, pesticides flow into ground water which ends up in our taps. Double dose of pesticides anyone?

Here is the list of foods with the highest amount of presticides...also formerly known as the "Dirty Dozen":

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Imported grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

On the positive side, you don't have to shell out a pretty penny for these foods...

1. Onions
2. Avocados
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapples
5. Mangos
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Kiwi
9. Bananas
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Papaya