LOHAS is a slightly awkward acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability.
Essentially, it is a movement to encourage individuals and businesses to find ways of promoting sustainability, and its aim is to bring balance to both the environment and people's lives.
Approximately17 percent of consumers in China’s top five cities -- a combined population of more than 60 million -- reckon they follow such as a lifestyle.
Pollution, rampant urbanization, traffic and food safety issues have also resulted in a rapid development of the LOHAS market in Shanghai.
Here are six of the best options to help you make the sustainable lifestyle leap.
BIOfarm loads Shanghai tables with organic fruit and vegetables.
Many of us are concerned with the quality of what passes for “organic” in local stores, and rightly so, as there is still a great deal of confusion surrounding labeling and certification in China.
However, some respectable local companies are doing their best to comply with international organic certification and provide anorganic option to Shanghai consumers.
BIOfarm is one such option, raising 120 different organic crops a year.
The farm, which is located on the outskirts of Shanghai, offers weekly delivery of “Farmer’s Baskets” containing the freshest and best produce available.
For instance, the singles basket (for households with one or two people) includes five to seven types of fruit and vegetables. New customers can stipulate if there are any foods they want to avoid when they sign up.
“Basket deliveries are a convenient way to plan your vegetable supply for the week, and you can rest assured it comes fresh from the ground or vine,” comments Amena Schlaikjer, wellness innovator andAsia-Pac LOHASShanghai Manager.
BIOfarm, 8019 Chuansha Lu, near Metro line 2 Chuansha Lu station 川沙路8019号, 近地铁二号线川沙路站, +86 400 620 0789, +86 21 6469 1721,www.biofarm.cn
Cozy restaurant Annamaya can satisfy the most eco-friendly stomach.
2. Eat at Annamaya
The first thing that strikes you about Annamaya is that it feels cozy, like the inside of someone’s home (someone who is a fan of books, lanterns, "Buena Vista Social Club" and furniture with that lived-in feel).
And its veggie/vegan/macrobiotic food matches the home-style vibe, with plenty of options, including soups, salads, curries, risotto and a veggie burger (RMB 65) that has been known to impress the most meataholic burger connoisseurs.
It’s the perfect place to hide away from Shanghai’s glitz for a while.
The staff are welcoming and seem to know what they’re talking about when it comes to healthy eating recommendations.
The chef we spoke to (there are several) was very helpful in working out a nut-free veggie burger for our allergic dining companion.
According to LOHAS master Amena Schlaikjer, “the food experience goes beyond taste and 'feels' grounding and nourishing.”
Annamaya, 3 Taojiang Lu, near Hengshan Lu 桃江路3号, 近衡山路, +86 21 6433 4602, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
China's largest natural homeware chain provides everything you'll need for a green home.
3. Buyhomeware from Eco-home
Eco-home is China's largest chain of natural organic homeware products and has earned a name for not only being good, but also looking good.
Here you will find a chic collection of pillows, towels, linen, home decorations, gifts and some clothing made from natural, organic fibers with sustainable packaging designed to help you get closer to nature in your own home.
Patrick Wing, who works for business consultancyEcowing, describes Eco-home as a truly “classy” retail option for sustainable shopping.
“If you need to find a birthday present for a friend who leads a very LOHAS life, this is the place to go,” says Wing.
Eco-home (Lujiazui branch), Booth 6F02, Super Brand Mall, Lujiazui Xi Lu, near Shiji Da Dao 陆家嘴西路168号正大广场6F02室, 近世纪大道, +86 21 5047 2280, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., www.ecohome.com.cn
Move into the model village in the heart of Shanghai.
Jiashan Market is made up of former factory buildings that have been revamped as a model of sustainable lifestyle in the heart of Shanghai.
One segment of the development contains 10 “urban loft” apartments. These one- and two- bedroom flats are currently fully occupied for monthly rents of around RMB 24,000.
The spaces have been retro-fitted with contemporary and recycled materials and fixtures to create open-plan, light-filled residences, featuring high ceilings (3.5 meters on average), exposed concrete pillars and woodwork.
Another drawcard for potential tenants is the proximity to the rooftop restaurants, bars, coffee shops that make up your neighbors.
Room H3, 25 Lane 550, Shaanxi Nan Lu, near Shaoxing Lu 陕西南路25号550弄25号3楼H3室, 近绍兴路, +86 21 5465 9519,http://jiashanmarket.com
Lohas.ly: China's LOHAS web portal.
5. Shop and learn online from lohas.ly
This growing website is full of tips on how to live a more LOHAS lifestyle in Shanghai.
“An important aspect of being LOHAS is the idea of conscious consumerism ... not just buying green,” LOHAS expert Amena Schlaikjer says.
“So I support this site which is also trying to educate consumers on the idea of 'excess' being wasteful.”
If you do come to the site to shop, you won't be disappointed with the range of environmental-friendly organic cosmetics and food products.
Its reasonably-priced food stock ranges from rice to chocolate.
Lohas.ly website:www.lohas.ly
Retreat to the green bamboo forest in Moganshan at the weekend.
6. Holiday at naked Retreats
The properties that make up naked Retreats at Moganshan are village homes that have been converted into bungalows and smaller studios using primarily recycled materials.
It isn’t the height of luxury -- there are no in-room massage services or hot tubs on offer -- but the atmosphere is certainly inviting.
And there's no doubting the green credentials of the place -- with lighting, heating and cooling systems that conserve energy and water from a “gray water” recycle system.
There aren’t a lot of “sights” on the mountain, but most visitors seem content to spend their days either tucked up inside, or wandering the mountain trails through the leafy bamboo forests to famous Moganshan landmarks like the national park or a little further to the Buddhist nunnery.
Naked Retreats soft-opened a higher-end resort,naked Stables Private Reserve, in October.
The sister brand is equipped with upscale accommodations and more recreational facilities. The grand opening date has yet to be announced.
Naked Retreats Home Village, Sanjiuwu, Laoling Village, Moganshan Town, Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province 浙江省湖州市德清县莫干山镇老岭村三鸠坞, booking hotline: +86 21 6431 8902,
Traffic tips: To get to Moganshan from Shanghai, take the train from Shanghai Railway Station to Hangzhou, then transfer to a train or a long-distance bus from Hangzhou to Moganshan. Or, take a long-distance bus from Shanghai old North Station (老北站) or Shanghai long-distance Bus Terminal near Shanghai Railway Station to Huzhou (湖州), then transfer to a bus from Huzhou to Moganshan.
