Living Roundup: Organic Beauty, Good Karma & More

Every week we highlight the best articles, blogs, news, videos and interesting Web tidbits to help you live green, be healthy, and connect with your sense of spirituality. Read our roundup for info that just helps you live better.

The Lunch Sak, Kooling off the Earth a Kid’s Way

Want to stop global warming? Just ask a kid. More specifically ask Hunter Gross, a 12 year child from Long Island whose desire to save the Earth resulted in the creation of Project Kool’s Lunch Sak. These canvas lunch bags were created to reduce the endless stream of plastic and paper attributed to children’s lunches. (Green Talk)

Build a Better Dad

Still looking for that perfect Father’s Day gift? Skip the mall and give all the guys in your life an introduction to yoga. Research shows that yoga increases lung capacity, builds muscle, and enhances alertness and balance, even in men over 90. So imagine what it can do for younger dads. (IYogaLife)

Exercising for Two

Exercise is a green approach to health care. Yes, a green pregnancy means making the most of what you take into your body, through what you eat, drink, and breathe, and also absorb through your skin, hair, and nails. But how you move your body is another powerful green way to make a difference. (Eco Child’s Play)

Flip Your Karma: 8 Tricks to Turn the Bad Into the Awesome

Life deals out its blows, and leaves us discouraged, angry, frustrated, depressed, drained. And once we’re in that bad place, in a mood where we just don’t care about anything, it’s pretty hard to get out of it. But let me share a little secret to happiness and self-improvement here: all that stuff? It’s all in your mind. Here are 8 tricks I use to turn anything bad into something truly awesome. (Zen Habits)

Withstanding Extremes through Meditation

Wim Hof, a 48 year-old Dutchman, can withstand extremely cold temperatures and climbed Everest while wearing shorts. Doctors say one of his secrets may be “Tummo,” an Ancient Himalayan ritual used for generating heat and remaining calm, which helps control the heart and other important organs in the body. (ABC News)

Get Tax Credits for Going Green

Although most of us cringe during tax season, Uncle Sam may look favorably upon you if you’ve made energy-saving improvements to your home within the past two years. New energy-efficient windows, added ceiling insulation, and a new high-efficiency air conditioner can all add up to a substantial tax refund of up to $500. (Planet Green)

New Standard for Beauty, Personal Care Industry Launches

Organic And Sustainable Industry Standards (OASIS), the first organic standard for the U.S. beauty and personal-care market, wants to bring you some peace of mind, especially when it comes to organic product claims, which can get confusing as more companies resort to greenwashing to sell their wares. (TreeHugger)

VIDEO: Gentle Whale Shark Swims Swiftly

Relax as you watch the world’s largest fish move calmly and gracefully in the waters of Southern Africa. (EarthTouch)