Just because you like to move your booty to the music doesn’t mean you have to support sexism in the process. Keep your summer vibes strong with this specially curated summer playlist.

With summer parties, adventures, and road trips in full swing, you may have already burned through a summer anthem or two. Not to worry — EcoSalon is here to put a fresh batch of beats in the hopper.

Now, this isn’t just any summer playlist. Inspired by the question “Can I Listen to Sexist Music as a Conscientious Person?”, this mix has been specially curated to include an interesting array of summery songs that also happen to not promote misogyny, objectify women, or blur any lines.

And just because a little bit of social consciousness went into this mix doesn’t mean it lacks any sauciness or fun, so turn up the volume, throw this playlist on shuffle, and keep your summer (and conscience) going strong.

EcoSalon’s Sexy-Not-Sexist Summer Playlist (30 songs)

CLICK TO LAUNCH IN SPOTIFY WEB PLAYER

Track list:

1. “How Did I Get Here” — Odesza
2. “Lemonade” — Fly Moon Royalty
3. “Waulking Song” — Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
4. “Strawberry Letter 23” — Shuggie Otis
5. “Water Fountain” — Tune-Yards
6. “Talk Is Cheap” — Chet Faker
7. “All Your Love” — Hudson Mohawke
8. “Delorean Dynamite” — Todd Terje
9. “Baby” — Donnie and Joe Emerson
10. “Gold” — Oberhofer
11. “I Ain’t No Joke” — Eric B. & Rakim
12. “Mornin'” — Star Slinger
13. “Party” — J Rocc
14. “Let Go” — Little Dragon
15. “My Number” — Foals
16. “Prom Night” — Anamanaguchi
17. “You’re Not Good Enough” — Blood Orange
18. “Sissy That Walk” — RuPaul
19. “Ka Ba Ta Bo Da Ka” — And So I Watch You From Afar
20. “I Wanna Get Better” — Bleachers
21. “Rimbaud Eyes” — Dum Dum Girls
22. “Giving It All” — Bondax
23. “Seasons (Waiting On You)” — Future Islands
24. “So Far To Go (Instrumental)” — J Dilla
25. “Turn Your Love Around” — TOPS
26. “Closer” — Tegan And Sara
27. “Sails” — Hooray for Earth
28. “Coconut” — Benny Sings
29. “Pharaohs (feat. Roses Gabor)” — SBTRKT
30. “Hawaii (Niva Remix)” — Blackbird Blackbird

Thank you to all the wonderful people who collaborated to make this playlist happen.

Follow Garth on Twitter @garthinkingcap

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Photo by Chris Zielecki

The post EcoSalon’s Sexy-Not-Sexist Summer Playlist appeared first on EcoSalon.

An exclusive EcoSalon playlist for the end and everything after. 

FIN by BehindTheWalk-In

Oh twisted me I came to eat
At the hall where we danced to some duds
my crowd of pals observed my fingers
And prayed for the lunch I had hung
And cheers rolled out and
I thought early of tunas in tennisons tubs.

That should turn into something
You should turn into something

Oh blissful bleed I came out peaking
And leaked out like a wet clown
My tears rolled down and arms went round
At night I gapped at her gowns
So often green but she held me
My curtains were covered in hounds

She said
Oh my sweet goodness wish you could be here every time
But don’t miss me goodness because I rub away every time
Then groan at the goodness but do you mean not every time
Then gone in the goodness wish I could stay here everytime

A mistful meet with teachers speaking
There muffled by buzzes and hums
So headphone tones do float me home
My chair was begging to come
And im not bummed some works not fun
Then we crawl in the carpet like bugs

Unrestful eve I sipped on leaks
And sat in the room had a grudge
The jumping dust made catfish bust
From corners now dripping with mud
And she knocked twice and we got silly
And no one knew what would come..

She said
Oh my sweet goodness wish you could be here every time
But don’t miss me goodness because I rub away every time
Then groan at the goodness but do you mean not every time
Then gone in the goodness wish I could stay here every time

But you’ll turn into something
You should turn into something

Animal Collective

Tracklist:

1. Love Like a Sunset (Animal Collective Remix) – Phoenix
2. I’m In Your Church At Night – Active Child
3. Welcome – Balam Acab
4. Asleep at a Party – Memory Cassette
5. Wide Eyes (Teen Daze Remix) – Local Natives
6. You Won’t Need Me Where I’m Goin – How To Dress Well
7. I Love How You Love Me – Bobby Vinton
8. Turn into Something – Animal Collective
9. Some Things Last A Long Time – Daniel Johnston
10. My Autumn’s Done Come – Lee Hazlewood

Image: Peter Zoon

The post 10 Songs For the End of a Long Road appeared first on EcoSalon.

An exclusive EcoSalon playlist to prove you’re just as awesome as your new phone.

You know your just dying to show it off. Here are ten songs to show how cool you and your shiny new phone are next time you’re out.

iPLAY 6 by BehindTheWalk-In

Download the entire playlist for free here.

Tracklist:

• Poison – Bell Biv DeVoe
• Too Close (Extented Version) – Next
• Honey – Mariah Carey
• You – Atlantic Starr
• Throb – Janet Jackson
• Humpin Around (Vocal Club Version) – Bobby Brown
• This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan
• Let The Beat Hit Em – Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
• Hit Me Off (Acapella Version) – New Edition
• All 4 Love – Color Me Badd

Like what you hear? Check out the rest of our 10 Songs series. 

Image: William Hook

The post 10 Songs To Play On Your New iPhone 5 in Public appeared first on EcoSalon.

An exclusive EcoSalon playlist for moments of birth.

Because sometimes… you just gotta reach for the baby.

KK by BehindTheWalk-In

Download the entire playlist for free here.

Tracklist:

1. Genesis – Grimes
2. BREAK UP (SINGLE EDIT) – PETE SAMPLES
3. I Belong In Your Arms (Japanese Version) – Chairlift
4. ◯ – Slow Magic
5. Beez In The Trap ft. 2 Chainz – Nicki Minaj
6. I’m On One (Shlohmo Remix) – Drake
7. Putty Boy Strut – Flying Lotus
8. Until We Bleed (Niconé Remix) – Lykke Li
9. La Ninya (Afrodub Version) – John Talabot
10. The Pining pt3 – Clark

Like what you hear? Check out our entire 10 Songs series. 

Image: fabrisalvetti

The post 10 Songs To Help You Pull Your Baby From Your Vagina Like Kourtney Kardashian appeared first on EcoSalon.

An exclusive EcoSalon playlist that’s better without a cover.

Here are ten tastefully done cover songs, covered so well, that clothing is optional.

❤² by BehindTheWalk-In

Download the entire playlist for free here.

Tracklist:

1. La Isla Bonita – Jonathan Wilson
2. Be My Baby – UFO Club
3. Doctor – Atlas Sound
4. What to do – Meat Puppets
5. I Only Have Eyes for You – Summer Camp
6. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – Amy Winehouse
7. Into The Black – Chromatics
8. Come Talk To Me – Bon Iver
9. Your Love is Forever – Band of Horses
10. Runaway – Oberhofer

Like what you hear? Check out our entire 10 Songs series. 

Image: Sarah Cairncross

The post 10 Cover Songs to Listen to Naked appeared first on EcoSalon.

An exclusive EcoSalon playlist for when it’s all about you. 

Here is a mix designed to heightened anticipation for your guests, as they wait for you, on one of the biggest days of your life. Or just another dinner party.

RSVP †1 by BehindTheWalk-In

Download the entire playlist for free here.

Tracklist:

1. The Big Ship – Brian Eno
2. Suns Hula – Monster Rally
3. Honey Moon – Monster Rally
4. Evensong – Brian Eno & Robert Fripp
5. Gewiss – Hans-Joachim Roedelius
6. Steal – Monster Rally
7. The Ocean (Part One) – Two Bicycles
8. Sunset – Two Bicycles
9. I’ll Come Running – Brian Eno
10. Albatross – Fleetwood Mac

Like what you hear? Check out our entire 10 Songs series. 

Image: Steve Snodgrass

The post 10 Songs For Your Guests, As They Eagerly Anticipate Your Arrival appeared first on EcoSalon.

An exclusive EcoSalon playlist that’s as hot and smooth as the decade that inspired it. 

Here is a warm and breezy mix,
To help you softly reminisce,
That the last days of this here summer,
Weren’t always a total bummer.

90° by BehindTheWalk-In

Tracklist:

1. The Power – Snap!
2. Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
3. One More Chance / Stay With Me (Remix) – The Notorious B.I.G.
4. Back & Forth – Aaliyah
5. Fantastic Voyage – Coolio
6. Baby-Baby-Baby/Intro – TLC
7. How Do U Want It (Edit) – 2Pac & K-Ci & JoJo
8. Tha Crossroads – Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
9. Farewell My Summer Love – Michael Jackson
10. Summertime (Reprise) – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Like what you hear? Check out our entire 10 Songs series. 

Image: boltron

The post 90°: 10 Songs to Help You Appreciate The Last Week of August appeared first on EcoSalon.

Easy to make recipes for a 4th of July bbq revamp.

Nothing captures the 4th of July quite like images of outdoor eating with family and friends. It marks the beginning of barbecue season and kicks off the summer with cheer. All is fun and games until you stop by the food table, which boasts fare that is everything but forgiving to your waistline. But there’s no need to miss out on that which makes the 4th of July so special! We’ve revamped typical July 4th barbecue dishes so that you can have a happier and healthier holiday feast without missing out on the tastes you expect from an outdoor summer celebration.

Potato Salad

Mayonnaise makes this otherwise vegetable-centric dish a nightmare for health enthusiasts. One tablespoon of mayonnaise contains some 90 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 5 milligrams of cholesterol. These stats alone are reason why the potato salad actively contributes to heart disease and weight gain.

Switch up the traditional recipe with a Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette, which includes hearty  dried cranberries, nuts, parsley, sage and arugula. And whistle while you work to a playlist fit for a potato salad maker!

Burgers

We’ve explored the nutritional downfall of the Big Mac, but homemade versions are not always much better. If you are still using white buns and cooking animal protein, there still exists the hurdle of empty calories and saturated fat.

To give the burger a healthy twist, use a whole-wheat or whole-grain bun and cut the saturated fat by using lean cuts of meat and reducing other superfluous additions, such as bread crumbs and egg yolks. For a much healthier alternative, nix the animal protein and opt for a Chickpea Burger. Not only is this variation healthier but also packs a ton of flavor.

Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are severely low on the scale of nutritional value. Hot dogs are processed meat crammed with some 18 grams of fat per serving. They clog arteries and increase the risk for heart disease. Hot dogs are also loaded with sodium – up to 1,000 milligram – leading to weight gain, water retention, bloating and increased blood pressure.

When searching for a hot dog to lay out on the grill, keep your eyes on nutrition labels. Look for a brand with no more then 3 grams or less of saturated fat and 370 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. Remember that the less ingredients there are, the better for your health the hot dog is bound to be. Avoid white flour buns and opt for either a whole-wheat or whole-grain bun or eat the hot dog wedged between lettuce leaves. Avoid sugar and sodium-packed condiments and opt for a topping of fresh vegetables. Check out the My Vegan Cookbook website for an excellent Seitan Hot Dog recipe.

Chips

Original variations often included the preservative, Butylhydroxytoluene, commonly known as BHT. This fat-soluble chemical is also used in petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. BHT can lead to cancer when consumed in high amounts. Other health violations include high levels of sodium, artery-clogging trans-fats and calories. However, there are now so many brands offering healthy alternatives – vegetable-based or baked –without sacrificing the taste and crunch.

Homemade chips may be an intimidating endeavor, but they’re much more hassle-free than you think. Try these simple Sweet Potato Chips and then individualize them with your favorite spices and oils, like as was done for these Mustard and Dill Potato Chips.

Pickles

Pickles are essentially cucumbers that have soaked in vinegar and salt and fermented over time. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average 4-inch long dill pickle has about 1,181 milligrams of sodium, which is nearly your maximum daily intake requirement. As a basis of comparison, a 4-inch cucumber prior to pickling contains only 6 milligrams of sodium.

To avoid the sodium overload, soak a sliced cucumber in a bowl with red apple cider vinegar for a few hours before serving. The cucumbers will soak in the sourness of the vinegar without the addition of salt. If you are keen on the pickled effect, homemade pickling is a great way to control what goes into the process. Fermented vegetables are exceptionally good for you. The healthy bacteria created during pickling benefits your gut flora when consumed, improving digestion. Try the Healthy Green Kitchen blog’s Spicy Lemon Cucumber Pickles, which keeps the sodium in check and the flavor on high!

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a health violation that really shouldn’t be. All is well until the butter is slathered and the salt is shaken one too many times. To make this July 4th staple healthier, try brushing the corn with olive oil instead of butter to ensure less saturated fat. Also, dash salt into your palm first, as opposed to shaking it directly over the corn, in order to avoid over seasoning.

To bring some extra nutritional value to the dish, chop some chives, parsley, garlic, dill, or any of your favorite herbs and mix them with olive oil before applying to the corn.

Baked Beans

Beans are full of heart-healthy fiber and plant-based protein, but canned baked beans are often so full of sugar, their nutritional benefits are canceled out. The sugary syrup that canned beans generally come with will only cause an increase in blood sugar and insulin levels, contributing to heart disease and diabetes.

Check out the Homemade Classic Baked Beans from the Recipe Renovator blog to slim down the traditional recipe without compromising taste or texture.

Condiments

Ketchup, mustard, relish, and mayonnaise are barbecue mainstays, and for good reason. We often don’t realize how heavily we rely on them to kick up the flavor, and we often ignore their significance in our daily diets. However, it’s in these condiments where we find those empty calories. Ketchup, mustard, and relish are no stranger to sugar, sodium, and preservatives while mayonnaise has a lot of artery-clogging saturated fat.

Why settle for store-bought sugar and sodium-packed condiments when you can make your own in a matter of minutes? Even if you aren’t slicing the fat and calories, it’s always important to keep the ingredients real and untainted by preservatives, coloring and other sketchy add-ins.

Seltzer with Bitters

Regular soft drinks have been linked to stroke risk, elevated blood pressure, obesity, cancer and kidney failure. They’re full of sugar, and even their zero-calorie alternatives hold some dreaded preservatives and chemicals.

Get the bubbly without the downsides. Prepare a Honey, Ginger Sparkling Lemonade with Rosemary and expect to quench your thirst in a much more refreshing and aromatic way.

Dessert

A lot can go wrong come dessert time. First there’s the obvious bad guys – nutritionally-empty white sugar and white flour – and then there’s the addition of butter that has you worried.

Try your hand at some healthier alternatives, such as Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Sea Salt, Avocado Chocolate Pudding, Fig and Coconut Walnut Cake, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Vegan Strawberry Shortcake. These recipes are forgiving to the waistline and overall easy crowd pleasers.

Photo by The Recipe Renovator. © 2012. Used with permission.

The post Extreme Makeover: Revamping the Traditional 4th of July BBQ appeared first on EcoSalon.

Two wheeled and ready for speed.

This week we celebrated both National Bike To Work Day, and the week before, National Bike Month (as we’ve done for years). We admit it – when it comes to the human-powered, pedal-driven single-track marvel known as the bicycle, we’re biased. But it’s not just about machine-worship. As these 6 stories from our archives demonstrate, bicycles can make our world a better place…

The goal for Asha 2012 is to provide bicycles to girls who have endured and transcended similar situations of slavery and abuse, in turn empowering them to take part in their communities, attend school and grow as strong women.

“We’ve found that girls tend to appreciate the bikes more and demonstrate greater maturity [owning the bicycles]. Women and girls deal endure and transcend tremendous abuse and unequal rights, especially in the developing world. We believe focusing on girls has the greatest overall impact on the community. We want to do everything we can to foster leadership and healing among heroic girls who’ve risen above challenging circumstances beyond their control,” says 88bikes co-founder Dan Austin.

88Bikes’ Asha 2012 Program: Empowering Girls With Bicycles

So why aren’t more of us riding? In many places, cycling for women is affected by a serious gender gap. But women have been riding through the ages, changing gender stereotypes along the way.

As Susan B. Anthony once said, “I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives a woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.”

From the first woman to bicycle around the world, to using the bicycle to promote cultural change, biking has been an empowering tool for women throughout the ages. In honor of female cyclists, here’s a visual look at women on two wheels from the last century.

Cycle Chic: Female Cyclists Through The Ages

One way you’ve broken barriers is by mountain biking across dangerous regions of Afghanistan. Can you talk a bit about the cultural implications of an act like that?

Well, Afghanistan is one of the few places in the world where women are not allowed to ride bikes. Around the world the bike is used as an effective vehicle for social justice and it was frustrating to realize that it just wasn’t something we could utilize in rural communities for school transportation, or for midwives and teachers. After working in Afghanistan for a couple of years I realized that I was constantly challenging gender barriers as part of my daily routine. When I’m in Kabul I like to walk as much as I can and interact with the Afghans I met in a more natural way. I ride a motorcycle which I bought in Kabul to avoid the traffic snarls that congest the city at rush hour, thanks to the lawlessness that permeates the country it means that you can ride on the sidewalk, or weave backwards through oncoming traffic, it’s all about the shortcuts. Being a foreign woman means that I find myself in a unique position as a hybrid gender. Men that still treat Afghan women as second class citizens will treat me as an equal and let me challenge gender barriers like riding my mountain bike because they are curious or intrigued but not threatened. It’s a little thing, but I also wanted to show another side of Afghanistan, the beauty, the adventure, and the possibility that what was once a tourist destination, could perhaps be again in the future if peace was ever achieved.

We Heart Our Readers: Shannon Galpin, Mountain2Mountain

The new Google feature delivers information about bike trails that have no motor vehicles, and the streets and routes recommended for cyclists, avoiding motor vehicle traffic, and steep hills. So far, the green and bike loving blogosphere has reacted with mixed reviews, deeming Google Maps for Bikes a good start, but not quite there yet.

We hope that Google’s Bike Maps feature will encourage car commuters to go green and get fit. Biking where you might have driven before can prevent tons of carbon emissions each year, while burning hundreds of calories an hour.

Ecomeme: Cyclists Get Google Maps Love

…bikes tend to appendage themselves to the foyer – hopefully,one with exposed brick. If you fit the demographics jimmied above, your bike has prolly become as elemental to your décor as that aviator chair from Restoration Hardware. Speaking of prolly, the hub of bicycle porn Prolly Is Not Probably takes an optimistic view of the bicycle cum purse rack: “[there’s] nothing like pristine track bikes in pristine apartments.”

Correction: that is, if – and only if – your track bike is sexy. That goes for your dirt bike, too. Here are 20 hot wheels that could be for display only.

Fashionable Bikes You Can Also Use For Home Decor

In early October, 10 miles of roads in East Hollywood, Downtown L.A., East L.A. and in between were closed down for regular traffic. Instead of cars and SUVs, cyclists, skateboarders and pedestrians took over the streets for a day of clean, fossil fuel-free fun. An estimated 130,000 people hit the streets for this third edition of CicLAvia, which has become a day of celebration for Angelenos from all walks of life. Even the city’s Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, put on his helmet and pedaled along, calling the event a good break for a city that’s “addicted to the single-passenger automobile.” All along the now-expanded course was music, food and games, like dodge ball and street chess. That certainly sounds like more fun than being stuck in traffic behind an angry SUV driver, don’t you think?

CicLAvia Gives Bikes & People The Right Of Way For A Day

Images: ClickFlashPhotos/Nicki Varkevisser, 88bikes, Mountain2Mountain, Toronto History, Knife & Saw, CicLAvia and Pixel Addict.

The post From The Vault: Getting The World To Change Gear appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon’s weekly playlist pick from 8tracks.

Today I find myself with a morning view of the Rockies and a light dusting of the snow on the ground. Therefore, despite winter solstice still being a ways off, I need cold weather music. And although it’s a bit different from our usual, crank-up-the-volume-brew-a-second-French-Press madness, sometimes you just need something a little calmer.

Those Cold Autumn Nights of Blankets and Books does just that, with a nice mix of indie rock, including my personal favorite Blind Pilot.

Listen to the playlist by clicking here.

On Music Monday we bring you a featured playlist from one of our favorite music sites 8tracks. From indie rock to electro pop we hope it’s a playlist that kicks your week off right. 

Image: 8tracks

The post Music Monday: Those Cold Autumn Nights of Blankets and Books appeared first on EcoSalon.