Comparative Study of Common Vegetable Starches Essay Example for Free

Comparative Study of Common Vegetable Starches Essay ABSTRACT The purpose of this experiment is to be able to help the society with its environmental issues by creating biodegradable plastic out of common vegetable starches. Here, the The procedures that the researcher use in this investigatory project were all experimental and were based on Scientific Method. The researcher used environment-friendly materials which can be made into biodegradable plastics that will not harm the environment and will not add to pollution problems. Among th The result was found that the product exhibited the desirable properties of a biodegradable plastic thus the product is completely biodegradable at disposal. The researcher conclude that among the different vegetable starches, _____________ starch is the most effective raw material for the development of biodegradable plastics due to its availability in large quantity, its relatively low cost and its biodegradability. INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study The ever unending problem of waste disposal specifically the non-biodegradable one had contributed to the alarming worldwide problem of global warming. As an example, the experience storm surge of the island of Leyte due to increase of sea level, increase of water level among streets during heavy rain due to clogged drains, canals and sewerage. Using vegetable starches in developing biodegradable plastic is one big step to lessen, if not total eliminate, our global concerns. Generally, this study is conducted to replace the conventional non-biodegradable plastics to a more friendly biodegradable plastics using different vegetable starches. The cassava root is long and tapered, with a firm, homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about 1mm thick, rough and brown on the outside. Commercial varieties can be 5 to 10 cm in diameter at the top, and around 15 cm to 30 cm long. A woody cordon runs along the roots axis. The flesh can be chalk-white or yellowish. Cassava roots are very rich in starch, and contain significant amounts of calcium (50 mg/100g), phosphorus (40 mg/100g) and vitamin C (25 mg/100g). However, they are poor in protein and other nutrients. In contrast, cassava leaves are a good source of protein, and are rich in the amino acid lysine, though deficient in methionine and possibly tryptophan. These components are components of biodegradable plastic. The squash The sweet potato B. Significance of the Study Once one of these vegetable starches known, this study will be very essential in the production of biodegradable plastics, which can lessen the tremendous piled up non-biodegradable garbages made by plastics thereby reducing harm  to our environment. C. Statement of the Problem The problem is to compare which among the different vegetables; squash, sweet potato and cassava, which are rich in starch will be an effective component for biodegradable plastic. D. Hypothesis Cassava starch is the most effective component for biodegradable plastic. E. Scope and limitations This study will be focused on the comparison of the three common vegetables, namely, the squash, principal variable of this project is the cassava starch. The locale of this project is it could help save the environment and reduce use of plastic that takes a lot of years to degrade. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The word plastic came from the Greek word plastikos, meaning capable of being molded. Plastics can be as hard as metal or as soft as silk. They can take any shape in almost any form due to the versatility of the carbon, the most common backbone of polymer chains. Plastics can be conveniently divided into two categories: semi-synthetic, in which the basic chain structure is derived from a natural product, such as cellulose; and synthetic, which is built up chemically from small units or monomers. Despite the various applications of plastics, drawbacks have been encountered in three major points. Firstly, there are certain chemicals used in the manufacture of .plastics that may cause allergic reactions. Three is a need man from these threat. Secondly, since cellulose films are biodegradable; they are readily attacked by bacteria. Films and packaging materials from synthetic polymers are normally attacked at a very low rate. New polymers such is nylon, polyvinyl chloride and Polystyrene have replaced cellulose, the pioneer plastic material. As a result, these plastic materials have become permanent wastes. There are various methods in making biodegradable plastics. The simplest is the production of plastic from the extraction of casein from milk. Casein is obtained in two ways by souring, with the use of lactic acid, arid by boiling together with an additive, such as acetic acid. Starch is a natural organic polymer manufactured by green plants through photosynthesis s to serve as metabolic reserve It occurs in the form of grains in many parts of the plant, principally in embryonic tissues such as seeds, fruits, roots and tubers. Polyvinyl alcohol is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, thermoplastic synthetic resin. It is usually used for grease-proofing paper, in adhesives, in gas- and oil-impervious films and Coatings. This substance, although soluble in water, is insoluble in Common organic solvents. Glycerol is the simplest trihydric alcohol. In commercial form, it is called glycerin. It is a colorless odorless and viscous liquid with a sweet taste. It is completely soluble in water and alcohol but is only slightly soluble in many common solvents, such as ether, ethyl acetate and dioxane. It is widely used in coatings and paints, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Plastic production is relatively new technology. Experiments are being conducted to relieve the negative effects of overproducing plastics. By changing its raw materials and additives, commercial plastic may be improved so that it will become degradable while retaining its good quality. Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also called manioc, tapioca or yuca, is one of the most important food crops in the humid tropics, being particularly suited to conditions of low nutrient availability and able to survive drought (Burrell, 2003). The plant grows to a height of 1 to 3 m and several roots may be found on each plant. Although cassava leaves are sometimes consumed, the major harvested organ is the tuber, which is actually a swollen root. The plant is propagated mostly from stem cuttings. A major limitation of cassava production is the rapid post-harvest deterioration of its roots which usually prevents their storage in the fresh state for more than a few days (Okezie and Kosikowski, 1982). Cassava ranks very high among crops that convert the greatest amount of solar energy into soluble carbohydrates per unit of area. Among the starchy staples, cassava gives a carbohydrate production which is about 40% higher than rice and 25% more than maize, with the result that cassava is the cheapest source of calories for both human nutrition and animal feeding. A typical composition of the cassava root is  moisture (70%), starch (24%), fiber (2%), protein (1%) and other substances including minerals (3%) Compared to other crops, cassava excels under suboptimal conditions, offering the possibility of using marginal land to increase total agricultural production (Cock, 1982). METHODOLOGY Cassava Tubers were ground and squeezed to extract its starch. Starch obtained was weighed and divided into three equal parts; 50 grams in trial 1, trial 2 and trial 3. T1, T2 and T3 also consisted of 50 ml Polyester resin and increasing variations of Polymer MEKP Hardener; 50 grams for T1, 100 grams for T2 and 150 grams in T3. The components in every treatment or trial were mixed, stirred and then poured in 3 different shirts with Petroleum Jelly and then sun-dried. Afterwards, different methods were used to test the effectivity of the plastic. T1, T2 and T3 were sun-dried but they did not look like a plastic at all. The researchers observed the product while waiting for it to dry but there were no signs of turning into a plastic. The Cassava starch was too thick and the researchers realized that it would not turn into a plastic because of its heavy weight and it would take more time before it would dry because of its thickness. After letting T1, T2 and T3 dry under the sun, it became hard. Although the researchers had unexpected results and the Cassava starch did not turn into plastic, studies have already proven that Cassava starch could be used for making various types of packaging products. Cassava is a promising raw material for the development of biodegradable plastics.

Production History of Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot Essay

Production History of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Samuel Beckett was forty-two years old and living in post-war Paris when he wrote Waiting for Godot as an exercise to help rid himself of the writer's block which was hindering his work in fiction. Once he started, he became increasingly absorbed in the play, and scribbled it almost without hesitation into a soft-cover notebook in a creative burst that lasted from October 9, 1948, until he completed the typed manuscript on January 29, 1949. After some revision, he offered the script to several producers, but it was refused. Although Beckett himself gave up hope with the script, his wife was more persistent, and, acting as his agent, she continued to approach producers. Finally, she met with actor/producer/director Roger Blin, who had produced a string of four under-funded and under-attended productions of Synge and Strindberg. Blin was immediately delighted with the piece. Unfortunately, money to produce the play was difficult to come by. Years passed betwee n the writing and the actual production of the work. In the meanwhile, while Blin continued to search for backers, he worked with Beckett to flesh out the play in choosing costuming (Beckett had only envisioned the bowler hats), style, and movement. Blin never asked Beckett to analyze the play, noting that "The play struck me as so rich and unique in its nudity that it seemed to me improper to question the author about its meaning." Instead, Blin worked almost instinctively through the three years of sporadic rehearsals. Casting was difficult; even though he was quite certain of his choices, contracts were only drawn up a few weeks before opening. Of necessity he ended up playing the part ... ...ted in Esslin 2-3)    Although it took much of the world a little longer than these inmates to recognize the value of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, there is no doubt that it is now considered a classic. It has been translated into numerous languages, and according to Bair, into more editions than Beckett could recall, far more than all his other plays combined. Waiting for Godot is the play that will continue building his reputation for many years to come. Sources Cited Bair, Deirdre. "Samuel Beckett," in British Dramatists Since World War II . Ed. Stanley Weintraub. Detroit: Bruccoli Clark, 1982, pp. 52-70. Cohn, Ruby. "Growing (Up?) with Godot," in Beckett at 80/Beckett in Context . Ed. Enoch Brater. New York: Oxford, 1986, pp. 13-24. Esslin, Martin.   The Theatre of the Absurd . Rev. ed. Garden City: Anchor, 1969.

Does Homework Help or Hinder Academic Success Essay

The debate about homework has been going on for a long time. Some say too much homework is bad, but there are different views. There are some people that believe that there is a minimal relationship between homework and if it helps or hinder academic success. A little amount of homework is said to be linked to better school results as well. Homework may also have a small effect on how a student does in school on a test. Homework may hinder academic success due to lack of sleep, stress, and no fun in between work, but at least 2 hours may prove to be beneficial to healthy homework habits. There are two sides to this debate, one side that says that too much homework hinders academic success and the other saying that it doesn’t affect it at all. Too much homework takes away free time for children. Once children get home, depending on how much homework they get, they have to work on all their homework. For example, children need time to themselves to play and just have fun not do work all the time. Jessica Lahey the author of the article â€Å"I Hate Homework. I Assign It Anyway. † states, â€Å"Children need time to themselves to play, read and imagine. † (Page 2). This displays that there are some people who do agree with the fact that kids should have fun and play. They shouldn’t be bombarded with homework. Children should also be able to spend time with their family. Yes, they do see their parents’ everyday but they do not really get to spend time with them because of all the homework given to them. The article, â€Å"Homework’s Diminishing Returns† by Harris Cooper states, â€Å"Opponents of homework counter that it can also have negative effects like increasing boredom with schoolwork and reducing the time students have to spend on leisure activities that teach important life skills. † (Page 2). Spending time with their parents’ can help them and their children bond together and learn life lessons together. Overall, playing and having fun can really make a child happy instead of being upset about homework. It raises their morale and he or she will become much happier knowing that there can be breaks for fun from time to time. This can affect academic success positively because children will become more content with how things are doing that they won’t mind the little amount of homework as long as they can have a little fun still. Homework can also cause stress as well. At a young age a child should not be stressed. In other words, children could just become tired and tired of staying up all night doing homework. Jessica Lahey, the author of â€Å"I Hate Homework. I Assign It Anyway. † says â€Å"In her film, Ms. Abeles claims that today’s untenable and increasing homework load drives students to cheating, mental illness and suicide. † (Page 1). Children should not have to think about things like this because choices like that can affect their whole life. This will make them do anything to try and get homework out of the way. The stress factor is very large with children dealing with homework and this may cause even students from top schools to become frustrated. Jessica Lahey states in her article, â€Å"Even elite private schools in New York City are vowing to lighten their homework load. † (Page 1). This is very important to note because elite schools are obviously expected to give a lot of homework. If they’re willing to lower their homework then that must mean that even top students probably feel that all that homework is too much for them. The bottom line is that homework can cause children to make bad decisions and create more problems than what they seem to have. It may also hinder academic success because the bad decisions, if made, can cause that child to have too much on his or her mind to even pay attention to how well they’re doing in school. Although, there are bad sides to homework, there is also a good side of it. Two hours of homework can prove to be beneficial towards a child’s academic success. Harris Cooper states in his article, â€Å"Homework’s Diminishing Returns†, â€Å"A little amount of homework may help elementary school students build study habits and learn skills developed through practice. † (Page 1). This showcases that there is a good side to homework. This doesn’t necessarily mean that homework should be taken away completely, but it means that some homework is good for students. Creating study habits by doing some homework can help a student’s academic success because this will help them with future assignments and so he or she can remember what they learn. Some children also seem to like having an ample amount of homework as it doesn’t cause too much stress. Harris Cooper also writes, â€Å"All children can benefit from homework but it is a very rare child who will benefit from hours and hours of homework. (Page 2). This proves that only very few children can really have something to say about how many hours of homework allow them to improve on what they have done in school. While a couple of hours of homework can prove to help academic success positively, too much of it may be moving more towards the negative side. Homework can hinder academic success stress and no fun in between work, but at least 2 hours may prove to be beneficial to healthy homework habits. This shows that there are both sides of the argument shown. There can be less time to have fun, spend time with family; it can cause problems for students as well. Although there are many actions being done based on opinions, this debate still goes on and there may not be a solution at all. Many people have different beliefs on homework and what should be done about it. It may continue on for a while and more questions may branch out from the main question: does the amount of homework determine if it helps or hinders a student’s academic success?

The modern yoga body image - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2851 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/08/12 Category Sports Essay Level High school Tags: Yoga Essay Did you like this example? Shifting throughout history, the ideal yoga body has changed over time and place but in modern western society, it has looked the same—young, white, thin, females. Trends in the model yoga body size have shifted with culturally dominant body ideals over time. These shifting trends pose a few questions: 1.) has modern yoga become a practice for white, elitist, fit, females? and 2.) has modern yoga neglected majority of the population by branding itself as elitist? and 3.) have modern yoga advertisements featuring such models left a negative impact on those who do not represent the ideal yoga body? and 4.) how does the intensity and self-investment for the ideal yoga body compare to that of any religion? These questions I plan to address throughout this paper by examining multiple scholarly sources, as well as, conducting my own research on how the ideal yoga body is represented today in advertisements. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The modern yoga body image" essay for you Create order I also plan to address if any yoga brands have taken initiative to include a more diverse representation of the modern yoga body. Back in 2013, lululemon, a high-end yoga apparel brand was finally criticized for only stocking sizes eight and under. The exiling of larger clothing by lululemon is a central piece of the company’s strategy to market its brand as the look of choice for the stylishly fitness-conscious† (Bhasin, 2013). This discriminatory treatment of larger clothes and customers left a sour taste in the eyes of the media, but has that really changed? Indeed it has not, with slowing growth and staying away from the $14 billion-dollar plus-size industry, lululemon has no interest in attracting plus-size shoppers in order to protect its brand image. In fact, when cross referencing multiple sites for their sizing charts, all of them are similar, expect for lululemon’s. lululemon’s sizing chart does not go above a size 14, which they deem as an XXL. When cross referencing multiple women’s sizing charts, a size 14 was a L. Clearly, they have no motivation to change their s mall size perception as the ideal yoga body. However, when also looking at the models on lululemon’s site, 12/13 of models featured on the front page, are not in fact, white. The models are diverse in backgrounds and ethnicities. One thing they share in common though, is their tall body and small frame. Although lululemon itself may not be deemed as â€Å"white elitist† in terms of their advertisements, in the eyes of many yoga teachers and consumers, it is still elitist. Paying an average of $98 dollars per pair of yoga pants that do not seem to be keep in mind the comfort yoga teachers are looking for when practicing is something many teachers see as being elitist. The only people wearing those pants are the stereotypical â€Å"lululemon moms and daughters.† Also known as, white women wearing expensive fitness apparel (Boccio, 2012). As lululemon’s online advertisements may be more diverse with the intention of being inclusive, their customer base is not. This leaves the majority of women, especial ly in the US to feel left out, as their body sizes and wallets do not match the ideal yoga body that lululemon and many other major yoga advertisers have created. â€Å"Got yoga?† was a study conducted on advertisements seen in Yoga Journal spanning over a four decade period of time. The results suggested that Yoga Journal now contains significantly more advertisements for food, nutritional supplements, and apparel and fewer advertisements for meditation and nutritional practices than in its early years of publication. Apparel took a 2500% increase between the years of 1975-2015, which increased its need for models. The study also found that overtime, models were more frequently rated as white and in their 20s and 30s. Across all four decades, 53.4% of models were rated as white, 57.1% were rated in their 20s and 30s, and 52.2% of the models were rated as underweight or low-normal weight. A range of BMIs (between 16-28) was used to rate the body size of these models and over a four decade period, only one model was found to have a BMI over 25, most models averaging a BMI of 18.5. This study suggests a shift away from yoga’s tradi tional philosophies to an increasingly objectifying and commercialized yoga culture emphasizing the purchase and use of products and an ideal â€Å"yoga body.† Most notably, I want to address that between 1985-1994, models in all yoga advertisements were significantly thinner and majority being white, than models featured in past and later decades. This specific period in time suggests the association between the consolidation of affluent white women and yoga shifting from counterculture to pop culture. As yoga has become increasingly popular among these western consumers, they have been the center focus of yoga advertising within the industry. As yoga’s ideal practitioner has shifted over history, it has become known in the US as the affluent white female. However, years prior, the ideal yoga body was represented by Indian men who sculpted their bodies to look like Scandinavian men through the use and practice of yoga. With the help of Iyer, Indian men were starting to body sculpt and bodybuild through the use of yoga. They were the face of yoga and they were the ones assisting in the formation of postural yoga. Soon thereafter, a shift from male models to female models began as more women became involved in physical activity in the 1930s. Through harmonial gymnastics in Britain, many women were adopting the trend of building the body beautifully. â€Å"The gender division established at the dawn of modern physical culture between regimens aiming at (masculine) strength and vigor on the one hand and those that sought to cultivate (feminine) grace and ease of movement on the other persists throughout the twentieth c entury and into the twenty first† (Singleton, 159). The transformation of ideal yoga bodies started early and has continually shifted throughout decades. As yoga was introduced in the US and consumers became more intrigued by yoga and less afraid of it, that Indian male model has morphed its way into a young, white, female. This shift can be attributed to the introduction of yoga to women in Britain, as well as, yoga becoming popular culture rather than counter culture. The philosophies and mental practices have faded, while the physical aspects (asana) have received most attention from the affluent white contingency. As the workout craze of the 1980s hit, affluent white women have helped shift the pre-existing model into what it is today. Yoga is said to be all-inclusive, and beyond all man-made ‘isms’, yet, many people feel that yoga has a racism problem. Noted from the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, about one in every fifteen Americans practices yoga, yet more than four-fifths of them are white. As outlined above, the ideal yoga body has shifted throughout history. It is likely that it will shift again, but for now, it is still predominantly the affluent white female. This has left majority of the population feeling left out. This may have to do with the fact that most, if not all yoga studios are concentrated in wealthy white neighborhoods. This leaves postural yoga under the criticism that there are also religious, economic, and social divisions that underlie yoga’s racial divide. A 2011 CDC report, â€Å"Health Disparities and Inequalities,† found that people who live in households with incomes below $15,000 experience significantly more health problems due to inactivity, and are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes or asthma and to be obese than those from households with incomes above $50,000. There are often fewer parks, gyms, and recreational facilities in poorer neighborhoods, which reduces the likelihood that people in these communities will exercise at all. Comprehensive current data is difficult to find but a 2002 survey of just over 31,000 yoga practitioners published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that they tend to be female, college-educated, and white. Forty-eight percent of respondents made $65,000 a year or more. Advertisements of postural yoga, have not helped to mediate these issues. Nearly every spread within LA Yoga, Yoga Journal, and Yoga Magazine features a thin woman, usually in slim yoga pants and a tight t ank, stretching her arms toward the sky or closing her eyes in meditation. Again, nearly all of these women are white. Due to the shift throughout time, yoga’s focus is now based mainly on physical wellness rather than it’s philosophies. This leaves room for racial and socioeconomic inequalities. Yoga is advertised under health and wellness, an industry that is largely accessible to affluent white people and neglecting many others. When searching for the price of a yoga class, I found many results, therefore I took the average of those prices and found that the average price for a single yoga class is around $20. With postural yoga classes priced so highly, with the advertisements neglecting majority of Americans, and with the ideal yoga body being an almost unattainable image, yoga leaves a large divide in today’s society. Good branding and advertising is inclusive. It is important that audiences can experience reassurance and comfort that comes with seeing themselves reflected in the media they consume. The entire yoga advertising industry, has neglected to do that. Yoga, being under the wellness industry, should be accessible to everyone. Not only has yoga neglected many consumers who are not white, but it has also neglected many women who are not skinny. Another research article called, â€Å"Is the â€Å"Yoga Bod† the New Skinny?† examines a set of 142 yoga magazine publications from 2010-2015. Results show that models were mainly white females, who are lean and fit, portraying the media fitness aesthetic. Implications of this show that to practice yoga, women must be thin. Not only are yoga advertisements leaving out other races, they are leaving out a large majority of their core target market, white women. The average American woman is around 5’3 and wears around a size 16-1 8 (Zarracina, 2018). All models are a minimum of 5’7 and a maximum size 2-4. It is estimated that 68% of American women wear a size 14 or above (Plunkett, 2018). This statistic, does not take into account the percentage of women between sizes 6-12 which are sizes also not represented in yoga advertisements. When consumers cannot see themselves in a brand, they will not partake in the brand’s practices, in this case, yoga. For those that do see themselves within brand advertising, those brands can be like a religion to them. One instance of a religious-like brand is goop, a brand closely studied by Dana Logan in her article called, â€Å"The Lean Closet.† goop is a minimalist brand that follows the â€Å"religious now,† an imperative that combines contemporary capitalism and spirituality. â€Å"It is an overlap between religious practice and economic habit. As a brand it participates in the institutional history of the Christian church as a form of ascetic piety† (Logan, pg 602). goop distinguishes itself from other lifestyle brands through its distinctive take on elimination as lifestyle. For instance, detox is a form of consumption found in goop that requires purchase at almost every point through juices, saunas, retreats, etc. Even though it is supposed to be a minimalist brand, it still requires multiple purchases. â€Å"It blends the practices of religious asceticism and cons umption through the highly mediated form of post industrial capitalism, where capital accumulates without proximate relations of making, selling, and buying objects† (Logam, pg 603). Thus relating directly to the branding and advertising of yoga. As goop is a minimalist brand that has a background in the Christian church, lululemon and yoga journal have backgrounds in multiple religions associated with yoga. Both goop and lululemon overlap between religious practices and economic habits creating forms of consumption that consumers did not know they needed but now want or aspire to. Like goop, many yoga brands have an aspirational goal that many want to achieve by buying and living the brand’s lifestyle. For many yoga brands, that aspirational goal may not be enlightenment but rather, the ideal yoga body. When researching in the Journal of Consumer Culture, I found that highly successful forms of branded fitness such as bikram yoga, give insight into the enormous power and permeation of branded sensibilities into everyday life. In this case, going so far as to inform how consumers relate to, and attempt to modify, their own bodies. â€Å"Branded fitness is to be quite literally embodied: experienced within the devotee as well as on display, sometimes in highly promotional ways, to those with whom the devotee interacts† (Powers, pg 528). The article â€Å"Branded Fitness and Promotional Culture† explains how capitalism and the state have exercised biopower to discipline the body into a productive asset and most notably, how a fit body may pro duce physical capital for the person who possesses it, reflecting a sense of diligence, self-care, and self-worth. This sense of intense diligence, self-care, and self-worth associated with a fit body, I argue are the aspirational goals similar to that of an actual religion. The costs associated with the ideal yoga body for certain brands like lululemon or non-yoga brands like goop, are very high. Again, take into consideration that one pair of lululemon leggings cost an average of $98 and to reach the ideal, yoga models must have multiple pairs of those leggings, and dressed head to mat in lululemon. Attaining the end goal of the ultimate yoga body is no easy feat and requires a lot of money, time, self-investment and brand investment, similar to a religious institution. Religious institutions require their practitioners to invest much of their time, money and self into the institute before attaining the end goal. Yoga brands have become forms of religion in this post industrial capitalist society that require their brand ambassadors/practitioners/consumers to partake in the brand at almost all times, not just through fitness initiatives. Unfortunately, these brands are leaving many consumers behind who cannot afford to partake in the religious-like intensities of the brand. Throughout my research, I have attempted to find yoga brands that are more inclusive in race, body type, age, and gender. As lululemon advertisements are diverse in race, they are not diverse in body type. Good American, a clothing brand by Khloe Kardashian, shows models diverse in race and body type but all women shown are young and there are no males on the site at all. Also, Good American fitness apparel does not appeal to everyone as the average price of leggings on the site are around $129. Again, although the advertisements may look diverse and indicate inclusivity, the price reflects the elitist brand culture. Searching through multiple sites and brands like Yogaoutlet, Manduka, Athleta, Fabletics, I found that the models on these sites are barely diverse in race, age, body-type, and gender leading me to believe that yoga has become branded as a young, white, fit, female, elitist culture that neglects majority of American consumers. This is also reflected in the pricing of the clothes on each site. Sadly, brands have yet to take a stand and promote inclusivity but some non-profits have taken a stand by insisting that yoga practice is for everyone, not just for people who can afford the class and a mat. In response to the non-inclusive brands, organizations like Street Yoga and Yoga 4 Change are aiming to bring yoga to populations that cannot afford it. Yoga 4 Change trains teachers to bring yoga into places where people do not usually have access to it, including schools, veterans’ facilities, public housing, and substance-abuse treatment centers. â€Å"When we come in, this is the first time that 90 percent of our students have experienced yoga† Kathryn Thomas (founder of Yoga 4 Change). By bringing yoga into places where yoga is not found, it increases the inclusivity that yoga was once about. Hopefully, brands will start pairing up with these non-profits to increase the overall number of yoga practitioners. Throughout my research I have found that the ideal yoga body has shifted throughout history but for the past 30+ years, it has stayed relatively the sameyoung, affluent, white females who portray the perfectly sculpted yoga body. Brands have neglected majority of Americans by only catering to the target audience of affluent, white women. They have left women and men alike to feel left out by not giving them the ability to attain the perfect yoga body due to high prices and elitist culture. Yoga advertisements have shown a clear pattern in their model choices by only showing models who are under a size four and who are mainly white. For those who have taken on the ideal yoga body, I argued that these people have a certain brand that they have adopted as their religion. To attain the ideal yoga body, these people have invested a multitude of time, money, and their physical and mental selves, much like that of any religious institution. As the yoga body continues to shift throughout his tory, my hope is that brands take the initiative to become more inclusive, at the very least in their advertising by showing a variety of races, genders, ages, and body types so consumers can see themselves within the ads and not feel so neglected. Yoga was intended to be inclusive, brands should be too.