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If you're new to yoga or you've been at it for many years, you either need a mat right now, or you'll need a new one some time in the future. Maybe you started out with one of those colorful cheap mats, but found out it stunk to high heaven of chemicals? Or maybe you went the earth-friendly way and got a yoga mat made from jute. It didn't smell bad, but then it didn't last more than two months either. What's a yoga practitioner to do?

Standard Plastic yoga mats

This is a common first-timer mistake, but it's the cheapest type of mat and therefore expected of the newbies. But it IS a mistake if you intend to keep doing yoga. If you're not sure, this type of mat may just turn you away from yoga altogether! First of all, it's very thin and doesn't provide much in the way of cushioning. Additionally it really smells of chemicals, and these chemicals are not conducive to good health! These types of mats are made from Phthalates. This chemical turns hard plastic soft and causes lung and kidney damage in rats. Don't leave this type of mat in your car, either. It will release this harmful chemical when it gets hot. And if you're concerned about the environment, these aren't for you, either. They are made using and environmentally dangerous process.

Cork or Jute yoga mats

Cork and jute yoga mats are environmentally friendly, but they have drawbacks of their own. They are made from porous plants, and therefore absorb your sweat when you practice your yoga. This results in a matching smell to your well-exercised but un-showered body, and a weakening of the structure over time. Now, it won't fall apart like that "other brand" of paper towel on the commercial, but don't expect it to last very long if you practice yoga with any regularity.

Rubber yoga mats

This is the best type for the environmentally-conscious money saver. They are sturdy yet inexpensive. Rubber is a replaceable resource, but be sure your mat isn't made of synthetic rubber. This is made from an environmentally unfriendly process, and is liable to have the same health detriments, although not as bad as the phthalate mats. Natural rubber mats could be a problem for you if you're allergic to latex, but they do make phthalate-free and latex-free mats for a bit more in cost. They are well-worth it rather than exercise on harmful chemicals or the rubber/latex that causes your allergies to flare up.

pilates Mats?

Can you use pilates mats for yoga? Sure, but watch for a few things: First of all, a pilates mat is much thicker than a typical yoga mats because you spend more time on the floor doing pilates than doing yoga. It's beneficial in saving knees, hips, elbows, shoulders, and spine from contact injuries. You may want to consider it to cushion an old injury to prevent further damage. Second, pilates mats aren't necessarily made with non-slip surfaces. You need this for yoga, so be sure it has this feature. If you do both yoga and pilates and want to use just one mat for both, definitely use a pilates mat. Using a mat meant for yoga when doing pilates could cause injuries.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga

The sounds of engines breaking the silence of Saturday morning and the smell of freshly cut grass tells everyone that summer is in full swing. Up and down the neighborhood people keep an eye out for the fine manicured lawn with the must beautiful lush grass. But for every lawn the neighbors envy, ten others struggle, fight and battle their grass with problems, stress and frustration. For some the idea of artificial grass would solve all their lawn problems.

The Lawn Secret

The secret to that perfect lawn does come down to a perfect fertilizer to produce lush green miracle growth or depending on the yard man to cut the grass every week, or even pay to have a company come by once per once to give the lawn a look. The secret of a great looking lawn all comes down to good old fashion work and sweat.

Taking advantage of professionals to service the lawn for pest and fertilizer may provide some value. However, with a few basic tips and a little know how, your lawn can soon fight for the title of best looking lawn of the neighborhood.

Grass Types

Depending on where you live will help determine the type of grass and type of care your lawn needs. For example, many in the southern states find lawns of St. Augustine grass or many prefer centipede. Moving up into northern climates the best solution may be a mixture of grass types to produce a thick, dense carpet of grass. Check with the local nursery or state extension agency for the recommended grasses for your area.

Mowing the Grass

As tempting as it may be to cut down on the frequency of mowing the lawn, never cut the grass to low as this can cause the grass to burn from the intense summer sun. Bagging or raking the grass is a best practice for lawn care for a number of reasons. Small piles of grass can prevent sunlight from reaching the grass causing brown stops. Also, cut grass will wither and decompose. The decaying grass can be an invitation for bugs and pest.

The frequency of mowing will be determined by the weather conditions, grass health, fertilizer, rainfall or irrigation schedule, time of year and the period between the previous mowing.

Soil Aeration

Aerating the soil golf courses do this all the time - and adding topsoil in the spring can prepare your grass for the hot summer sun. Aeration will help encourage root growth as well as the grass blades while the topsoil adds nutrients and stability.

Watering & Irrigation

Watering the lawn too much can cause just as much harm as watering too little. We should all work to conserve water and not run sprinklers when it is raining. A simple rain sensor should be installed to reduce watering the lawn too much.

Grass as a plant is pretty forgiving, when you see the grass getting crispy, wilting or browning it is time to water. Watering scheduling is always a big debate and topic of water use discussions. Watering twice per week should meet the needs for most lawns. Water long enough to get a good deep watering of the soil moist to about two inches below ground level.

Fertilizing and Weeding

When selecting any fertilizer check at the local garden center for the best formulation for your type of grass and also the best formulation for the time of year applied. Some fertilizers come with a weed and feed formulation to kill weeds and fertilize the grass. Make sure you read the label and apply correctly. Weed and feed fertilizer applications should not be applied when temperatures reach certain levels.

Large weeds should be pulled or dug up then placed in the trash. Simply running a weed eater over them will not make them go away. If you choose to apply a weed eater be careful when spraying. Most weed killers will also kill the grass.

Beautiful lawns do not just happen; they are slowly built over time with tender loving care and attention. Focus on growing a good, strong, healthy root system and youll soon have a lawn the neighborhood will envy.

Lawn Problems? discover the right - fertilizer for grass as Thomas Fryd shares his 25 plus years of plant care and landscape experience at www.Plant-Care.com. Learn practical professional advice on landscaping and houseplant care.