LOHAS

SUMBA, INDONESIA—When I bid on an “Eco Resort Experience” last March at the : Christie’s Green Auction, I thought we were probably headed to a typically exotic deluxe vacation spot on the other side of the world.  It turns out that I was in store for one of the most memorable experiences of my life, reminiscent of Marty McFLy traveling in his “Back To The Future” DeLorean car.  A visit to Nihiwatu in Sumba, Indonesia is truly a trip back in time.

After scanning health and wellness trends for 2012 here are a few that caught my eye along with my own perspectices that are LOHAS related.

If you’re reading this blog, there’s a good chance that your corporate culture doesn’t see plastic bottles and paper bags as disposable items with a limited shelf life. You wouldn’t toss a soda can into the garbage or throw a milk jug in the dumpster. So why would you spend valuable time and effort creating purposeful, inspiring content and let it go to waste? Like all good products, the content you develop can have a second life. Be a conscious leader and recycle your content too.

3 Reasons to Recycle Your Content

Here is a great infographic on some easy ways to cut your energy bills at your home or office and save some $$$!



infographic provided by Coba Europe

What does mind/body wellness have to do with environmental concern? What is the glue that holds the broad Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability umbrella together? What do the practices of yoga and meditation have to do with environmental awareness? Systems thinking shows the folly of disembodied mind, disconnected individuals and deracinated culture, while providing glue that cements together the disparate LOHAS threads. 

The 2012 investment world is rife with challenges, issues, corruption, greed and mainly a void for real social concerns.  The rise of the "Occupy" movement may have helped the world to realign personal values with personal spending.  Hundreds, thousands and millions of personal investment dollars are being spent on companies that do not support positive impacts.  Yet, the first impact in this new type of investing is upon you… the willing contributor. 

 

John Rooks did an amazing job presenting a compelling argument on a civic approach to branding that drives behavior change. It was one of the most favorite sessions of last year's LOHAS Forum for me. Check out all the old commercials and movie clips playing behind him. Not many people new it but he had a VJ behind the screen  following his talk and splicing the clips together in real time. Very edgy and very cool! I can't wait to see what John has up his sleeve for the 2012 LOHAS Forum.

John Rooks: Sustainable Economy- LOHAS 2011 from The SOAP Group on Vimeo.

Ask businesses why they don’t tout green achievements more often, and their answer will likely be fear of greenwash.

Before you let such fears deter you from making investments in sustainable technology or promoting your green achievements, consider how difficult it is for any advertiser to gain consumer trust.

Consumers have always been skeptical of advertising. Take the food industry, for example. Food brands have long been under government scrutiny for their advertising claims. Today, companies are getting smeared for overpromising health benefits, leaving consumers confused about what’s actually true. But we don’t call that “food wash.”

After reviewing the numerous trend articles out there and considering my own perspectives I have put together some that I think are relevant to LOHAS. Here are a few that I feel are relevant for the coming year:

I find color fascinating. The light frequencies we experience as color define our world in wondrous ways. Visualize an azure ocean, a verdant forest or crimson sunset, these are all examples of color environments, which positively influence our emotions and restore our health.

As an interior designer I know the power color has in defining a space and ‘creating a mood’. We have all experienced that instant chill when entering a ‘cold room’, which had nothing to do with its temperature. Conversely, we automatically feel more relaxed and engaged in a warm hued environment, think of a dining room painted a luscious burnt umber (dark red orange) - All around YUM (even without any food)!