Spring has sprung. Are you ready for the season of sunshine and optimism?

The natural world is unfurling and coming alive – and we invite you to celebrate the season of renewal and boisterous good health with a springtime selection from our archives.

These flowering plants grow in the wild on open fields throughout the country. Distinguished by its spiky leaves, thistles can serve as a tasty potherb. Just cut off the leaves’ sharp tips, peel the rind off the root and use salt water to boil these parts of the plant.

A Guide to Foraging for Food: 20 Tasty Wild Plants

If you are applying to college, you have a better chance of getting in with lesser grades on a sunny day.

Uri Simonsohn is the behavioral economist at the University of California at San Diego who conducted a study of the science of sun. As he told Psychology Today, “Applicants who are strong academically are more likely to be admitted on cloudy days, whereas candidates who are strong socially are more likely to be admitted on sunny ones. Cloudy days call to mind thoughts of staying inside to read or study.” No word on what snowy days say about academics.

10 Benefits Of Sunshine

Tumble-drying needs huge amounts of energy (see below). So go for a combination of an eco-friendly spin dryer for when it’s raining, and washing lines (standard or fancy) for when the sun’s shining.

Tumble dryers use around 2.5 kwH of electricity per hour. Compared with the rest of your appliances, that’s huge. Dry naturally, and you’ll save $100s a year. Oh, and millions of tons of CO2.

Save the Planet, Save Cash: 25 Best Ways to Green your Green

Traditionally, spring-cleaning involved scouring the house from top to bottom. Our grandmothers rolled up their sleeves, grabbed a scrub brush and bucket and went to work. Comforters were packed away, windows washed until the glass gleamed, rugs beaten and aired out in the sun. That sounds like a lot of trouble to me…

From Dreaded Chore to Refreshing Ritual: How to Reinvent Spring Cleaning

Many of us want a bronzed look, but achieving a safe summer glow can be tricky. We want to look gently kissed by the sun, not smacked in the face by a metallic tangerine. So check out our favorite products this season for sun-less (and safer) color.

The Gold Guide to a Safe Summer Glow

Forget the days of mindlessly jumping in a taxi to go from point A to point B. Urban hiking is all about planning, executing and enjoying the journey, another great example of slow travel. According to the Urban Dictionary, urban hiking is “the exploration of diverse urban environments on foot.” Conservation and travel groups alike promote urban hiking, as it not only gets people outdoors and active, but also allows them to explore the ins and outs of urban landscapes…

The City Girl’s Guide to Urban Hiking

Images: Matt McGee, foxypar4, WarmSleepy, nicephore, Evil Erin and brartist.

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EcoSalon’s weekly playlist pick from 8tracks.

For the first playlist of the year, one inspired by sun seemed fitting. Fourteen Shades of Gold includes a little Joni Mitchell, Matt Costa, Elliott Smith and more. All to make you happy as you head into the new year.

Listen to the playlist 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: Dave De Hetre

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Some lesser-known benefits of safely sitting in the sun.

I’m walking on sunshine, and don’t it feel good? Or so say the lyrics of peppy 1980s ditty by Katrina and the Waves. Turns out, awesome 80s pop music got it right. I live in sunny Southern California, but I spend much of my time in a writing cave populated by social media clicks and a chipped coffee mug I sometimes bang against the window pane at the outside world. When this happens, I just step outside to soak up the sun.

Why am I doing this? It turns out that that sunlight can have some great health benefits. So here’s ten lesser-known reasons to make sure you get some safe time in the sun.

Sunshine puts us in a better mood.
When you step outside and suddenly feel like smiling, odds are that the sun is smiling down on you. David Strohmetz is a psychologist at Monmouth University. As he told Psychology Today, “nice days put us in a good mood, which engenders helping and generosity. When we’re in a good mood, we want to maintain that mood.” This even makes us better tippers.

Sunshine helps you heal.
A 2007 study found that not getting enough direct sunlight could increase our chances of cancer by at least 70%. However, sitting in too much sun without protection can cause skin cancer. Happy mediums for all!

Sunshine influences the stock market for the better.
The stock market is three times as likely to go up if the city of the exchange is having a sunny day. No word on if traders have figured out a way to beam sunlight onto the floors of the New York Stock Exchange.

Sunshine helps you smoke less.
Psychology Today points out that on cloudy days, we “compensate artificially.” This means that those who smoke, drink, and do whatever else makes them feel “good,” really lay it on thick. Note to self: stop doing rain dances.

We eat less chocolate on sunny days.
Chocolate makes us happy, so we need less of it when the sun is shining. Because we’re already happy! But is this really a benefit? Only if you’re watching your weight.

If you are applying to college, you have a better chance of getting in with lesser grades on a sunny day.
Uri Simonsohn is the behavioral economist at the University of California at San Diego who conducted a study of the science of sun. As he told Psychology Today, “Applicants who are strong academically are more likely to be admitted on cloudy days, whereas candidates who are strong socially are more likely to be admitted on sunny ones. Cloudy days call to mind thoughts of staying inside to read or study.” No word on what snowy days say about academics.

Sunshine can influence your cholesterol.
Our bodies make Vitamin D from sunlight, which is necessary for a whole host of important health issues. Your body converts a type of cholesterol into Vitamin D.

Sunshine helps you sleep better.
If you get a lot of natural light during the day, your circadian rhythms will align. Natural light also increases melatonin which increases sleep. So good night, sweet sun.

Sunshine makes you play more.
In the sun, you feel better and want to get active. Consequently, you have more of an urge to frolic under the sun like wood nymphs in a Shakespearean comedy.

Sunshine can help clear up acne, eczema, psoriasis, athlete’s foot and more.
Some experts urge that getting moderate amounts of sun can help clear up skin disorders. And even still, sun may improve your digestion and metabolism.

*And as always, don’t overdo it, keep your sunblock handy, and talk to a medical professional before treating major ailments with sunshine.

Images: wanko,  johncohen, 33498942@N04, XLordashX, Cara Photography

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Winter has arrived, and for some of us it has brought along snowy roads and snowy or ashy skin hues. And hey, that’s not so bad for anyone cultivating an alabaster hue. But others can find it hard to give up the seemingly healthy glow of summer. We’ve already written about how to get that summertime glow while the sun is shining. But how to achieve it now that the Winter Solstice has the sun at its farthest southern point?

Invest in a good moisturizer that has a little color Revolution Organics offers up a new product called Freedom Glow ($34.00). Called a multi-tasking beauty balm, it’s designed to add a “healthy, moisture-infused glow” to lips, cheeks, forehead, nose, and décolleté. It is available in “sunkissed,” “bronzed” and “blush,” as well as a color-free version in an all-over body balm. Further, it contains certified organic ingredients and is free of chemicals, mineral oil, synthetics, petroleum and parabens. The Skin Deep database also gives it a safe sign-off.

I have naturally pale skin so “sunkissed” is about as dark as I can go without looking like I spent the week in a tanning bed. It works like a self-tanner without the self-tanning while leaving you with a pretty strong moisture. I find that a single swipe of “sunkissed” makes me look instantly mid-summer. My young friend Michelle, who is naturally about five shades darker than me, loves the “bronzed” shade and finds that it gives her a nice summertime look.

Pick your wardrobe carefully. I am the first to admit that half my wardrobe is black and various shades of gray. And considering I have skin most suited to blend in with an Arctic ice shelf, this can make me look like a corpse. But even if your ancestors hail from the African Sahara, sheathing yourself in the color of mourning isn’t going to do much to brighten up your appearance. Considering adding a dash of color to your ensemble, even if it is just a scarf.

Check into organic soaps The chemicals and fragrances in traditional soaps can irritate and dry out your skin, giving it an ashy hue. Dr. Bronner’s Classic Bar Soap is an excellent choice, offering up an organic, biodegradable suds with a safe rating from the Skin Deep database. Also, while we’re talking suds, don’t forget to exfoliate. The easiest way to brighten up your skin is removing dead skin cells.

Spend a few minutes of the day in the sun without sunscreen We already mentioned this in our article lauding the tips for a natural summertime glow, but it’s worth repeating. Vitamin D is essential to bone health and immune function. Further, it is a key component to Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a depression that afflicts people who don’t get enough sun. While you always want to be careful you won’t burn, consider spending your coffee breaks out in the sunlight. It may lift your mood and the pallor off your skin.

Smile. I know this seems like it was submitted by Captain Obvious. But when it is so cold your moisturizer has frozen on your face, (I have been there,) the best thing you can do is just grin and carry on. You may be cold, but your inner beauty will shine through.

FTC Compliance

Images: gribanov, piterpan, wtlphotos, dakima-arts

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