How to Grow Your Own Food in Small Spaces

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in EcoLiving, Home & Garden | Leave a comment

How to Grow Your Own Food in Small Spaces - The Urban Ecolife

By Dr. Mercola

You probably know already that organic foods are good for you. The major problem most people have with organic food is the expense. However, there are several different ways to radically reduce the cost of your food.

Growing your own is probably one of the best, and can be extremely satisfying. I am convinced that growing sprouts is more practical and useful for most people and takes less space and time but it will be a bit longer before I am able to provide a comprehensive article on how to do that.

9 Healthy Travel Snacks For The Backpacker Who Prefers Not to Live Off Instant Noodles

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in EcoTravel | 5 Comments

It’s all too easy to forgo your health whilst travelling when adopting the, “I’m on holidays and therefore I’m allowed to indulge and do whatever the hell I want…. again, because I’m holidays.” Yes, ok, in some situations, it’s amazing to indulge. Granted, you are on holidays. I get it. So I’ll let that excuse to slip in on the odd occasion. For some people, taking a short weekend trip or even a trip that’s less than a month, ‘indulging‘ may not be such a big deal. Soon enough, you’ll be home and able to resume life as normal and all will be back to normal. For those of us who are on the road for a prolonged or even undefined period of time, if you maintain this attitude and lifestyle beyond a few weeks, you may simply find yourself either lacking energy, your immune system burned out or yourself locked forever in the toilet cubicle or worse yet, your head in the gutter. All that, and not to mention the rather depressing number dwindling in your bank account.

June Giveaway! Win a $300 Amazon Gift Card!

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in Giveaways | 12 Comments

Enter to win a $300 AMAZON GIFT CARD to spend on anything you like!

Earth Lodge: An Eco-Retreat Paradise Outside of Antigua

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in EcoTravel | Leave a comment

As we winded our way up the mountains and Antigua faded away behind in the background, I suddenly felt a sense of relief. Don’t get me wrong. I loved my time in Antigua, Guatemala. Who could say otherwise when you spent a large portion of that time stuffing your face with some of the best organic chocolate, coffee and macadamias on offer. Not to mention, the luxurious stay at the Yellow House Hostel which I have the The Globetrotting Girls recommendation to thank for. On arrival at this hostel, I couldn’t help but childishly grin as the lady at the desk welcomed me and showed me around, making a point to emphasis the solar power panels on top of the terrace. It was like a little piece of jungle paradise in the middle of Antigua. But this post isn’t about the Yellow House. I’d recommend staying there anyway, even if it was just for the delicious breakfast, comfortable beds, impeccable bathrooms, hot showers, unbeatable ‘all day’ happy hour, and chilled terrace vibe.

My Visit to an Organic Macadamia Farm Reveals Why Macadamia Lovers Can Rejoice!

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in EcoTravel | 1 Comment

I never intended this blog to become a travel blog and it won’t, for the most part anyway. So don’t fret. My intention has, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, to share with you The Urban Ecolife. My life right now though, being on the road and exploring the wonderful diversity of the world, is something I cannot NOT share with you. The incredible glimpses into other ways of life that reflect the ecolife I want to embody myself is too good of an experience to pass up on sharing. So share I will and gladly so. Buckle up. Today, we venture to the delectable organic macadamia nut farm located on the outskirts of Antigua, Guatemala.

Is there such thing as Sustainable Coffee? (and it’s not just about being Organic)

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in EcoLiving, EcoTravel | 14 Comments

Confession time. I’m a caffeine addict. Whoa Emily… starting it off heavy.

I’ve been this way since who knows how long. Probably when my Dad bought his first espresso machine back when I was fresh out of high school. I figure I could have worse addictions because at least this one brings with it some health benefits (but I won’t delude myself into believing that there aren’t plenty of downsides as well). There’s something about the morning ritual, the social experience and the indulgence of splurging ridiculous amounts of money on just one cup of coffee at a nice cafe (in Australia at least) that does more for me than simply the caffeine hit. Something I’m sure other addicts can agree with me on. Of course, I’m not swigging the cup of Joe like water (depending on the day) and I do try to keep it in moderation, but being in Guatemala, where organic and sustainable coffee appears to be the norm and costs little more than a bottle of water, I can’t help but down a few cups here and there. Seriously, this stuff is good.

Jazzed Up Spiced Roasted Root Vegetables

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in Recipes | Leave a comment

Vegetables are the core of my diet. Yeah, go figure. I eat a heck of a lot of them, more so than probably most people I know. My favourite way of preparing vegetables would have to be roasted, doused with ghee or coconut oil, and with copious amounts of salt, spices or herbs sprinkled on top. THE BEST. Gone are the day or boring steamed vegetables. Ok, I’ll admit. Some days I really do just crave good ol’ steamed vegetables. Trust me on this though; you need to jump on the roasted root vegetables bandwagon if you haven’t already.

The Homesteading Life in Guatemala

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Emily Uebergang Posted in EcoTravel | 1 Comment

It’s been touted from the rooftops that reverting back to the simple, homesteading lives of our forefathers is the way of the future. Well, at least for those of us seeking a low-impact, healthy, abundant and sustainable way of life.

So what have we to learn from those who live out this way of life naturally? That is, those traditional cultures that maintain this way of life, even in the midst of an ever globalizing world. Yes indeed, we have much to learn from them.