May 18 Questions: Astrid Swan

1. What is your name?

Astrid Swan.

2. What is your occupation?
Fitness trainer & healthy lifestyle coach.

3. Do you have a “green” memory growing up?
Every saturday morning my mother and I would drive to the recycling center (we didn’t have the luxury blue bins outside like we do now) I loved throwing the cans and bottles into the gigantic bins but the most memorable day was when my mom also threw the car keys in the bins. You should have seen us trying to figure out how to climb in to retrieve them!

4. What’s your favorite meal?
My favorite meal…. Sushi! I can eat and I’m not afraid of the rice 🙂

5. Who/what inspires you to be more “green” in your life?
My friend greg baldwin has worked with environmental causes for years, includingwww.Ema-online.Org where they use the power of celebrity and the media to communicate and educate about the environment! He also loves to drive his chevy volt!

6. Where on the “green scale” do you fall?
I would say I am a 7 on the 1-10 ‘green’ scale! I try to use cloth bags when I grocery shop. If I do have to use paper bags, i reuse them over and over & will then put my recycling in them and recycle! However, I think we can always find ways to improve and be green!

7. What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your job?
I love my job! The most rewarding part is seeing people not only transform physically but the mental strength and confidence that blossoms makes my heart warm. The most challenging part of my job is when people don’t believe in hard work. It does take work to make change….At least change that lasts! It drives me crazy when people don’t try

8. Where’s your “green spot” food, body care/beauty, oceans, home or neighborhood, explain:
Cafe gratitude in Larchmont & Kimberly Synders glow on melrose. They both have recycling on hand and use biodegradable containers.

9. Where do you turn for your news?
Cnn.Com, good morning america & the today show in the morning while I am getting ready
10. What is one environmental change you vow to make in the next year?
Turning off lights when i walk out of a room. I always think i am going to come right back and then something distracts me. Just turn the lights off!

11. If you could trade places with one person from any time in history (past or present) for one day—who would it be and why?
Grace kelly is someone that I admired for her classic beauty, her career as an actress and well, she became a princess!
12. You have a meeting with the leader of every country in the world. You have 30 seconds to tell them anything you want. Go!
Peace starts within, what we teach our kids, how we treat our neighbors all can make our tomorrows a brighter place to be.

13. You have the chance to send one tweet to all the tweeps in the world. Let’s hear it in 140 characters, or less!
If you don’t have your health, you won’t have anything else either-put the time in for your body, it’s a place that you call home!

14. If there was one industry/product that you could make more eco-friendly, what would it be?
Packing materials for shipping and moving. Why do we need all those ‘peanuts’?!

15. Where in the world would you most like to be right now?
Los angeles! I am here! I am home! I always knew I wanted to live here & I am grateful every day! Especially when i get to see the hollywood sign!

16. What is the best book you have read recently?
I always reread the secret but I am also in the middle of 50 shades of grey! I’m behind on the trend!

17. What makes you cringe?
Bad form when working out! If you are not going to do it correctly, why do it all! Also, chalk on a chalk board gives me major goosebumps!

18. What do you want your legacy to be?
I want my legacy to be that I am someone to look up to when it comes to health, fitness, & confidence and that I always keep my humor, wit and never let things get to my head! I am a girl from the midwest that went for her dreams to live in Los Angeles and make a difference in how people feel about themselves when they look in the mirror.