In honor of Earth Day, we recently held a contest asking you, our earth friendly readers, to share your tips for going green. We were shocked by all the amazing ideas you ladies shared with us so we thought we’d reduce, reuse and recycle them into a handy list for everyone to use.

If you’re looking for a way (or many ways!) to reduce your carbon footprint without making your life more difficult (or getting all tree huggy), here are a few easy ideas to get you started:

1. Walk. To class, up the stairs, to the grocery store….you’ll save gas and wasted electricity. Bonus: you’ll burn major calories.
2. Switch to energy efficient light bulbs. They are a tad more pricey, but they last FOREVER.
3. Instead of buying bottled water, invest in a cute, reusable bottle and a water filter for your fridge.
4. Unplug any electronics you’re not using – keeping them plugged in, even if they’re not on, still wastes electricity.
5. Bring your own mug to your favorite coffee shops – some places even give you a discount for being green!
6. Don’t throw out old clothes, furniture, or just stuff in general – donate it! Someone could always use what you have to give, and sharing it with someone else keeps it out of the landfills.
7. Use a recyclable shopping bag on your next run to the grocery store or even mall. In fact, keep one in your bag for any errands you might run on your way home or while you’re out.
8. Go for thrift stores! Vintage clothing means no new materials are being wasted. Plus, it’s affordable, fashionable, and one-of-a-kind.
9. Recycle newspapers, old books, or magazines to decorate notebooks, furniture, or make cool projects to spice up your dorm room.
10. Air dry your clothes! It saves a ton of electricity.
11. Instead of buying new sheets or dresses or comforters – try dyeing them to revamp their look!
12. Go paperless and pay your bills online.
13. Bike to class! Not only is it green, but it’s a great workout.

Oh, and don’t forget word-of-mouth! If you’re recycling, tell others and get them to join you. We all live on this earth and need to keep our planet and ourselves as healthy as can be. And when things are this easy, there’s no reason not to greenify your life.

The following 5 companies are all my favorite eco-friendly brands. These are brands that include being kind to the earth in their manifesto and take steps towards “greenifying” their processing, despite the hike in cost. Often, they supply products on or above par with their less eco-minded competitors and are definitely worth a look!

Make Mother Nature proud and check ‘em out (just make sure you have your credit card handy!):

What other earth friendly companies should we know about? Sound off below!

Nothing brightens up an ugly rainy day like bold, colorful rain boots. Especially on those icky, brooding, stormy days where going to class seems like a life or death decision. That’s where Kamik comes in!

Kamik, a Canadian footwear company, manufactures the very rain boots that make a gray day that much brighter! Not only are they beautiful, they’re also functional. They’re waterproof, have great traction, and have soft, insulated Polartec on the inside of the boots to keep your feet warm and dry, despite any wind, rain, or snow!

But the coolest part of it all is that they’re made out of completely recycled materials. Can you believe it? The boots 100% recyclable!

The way these boots are made is also amazing. Kamik uses a green hydro-generated power source that uses and reuses the water so there’s practically no waste at all! Also, Kamik has had a long-standing recycling program that rescues scraps and old boots to create fresh pairs. From start to finish, Kamik is completely and 100% eco-friendly! How many other companies can say that?!

And because we think they’re so awesome – and because it’s Earth Day! – we’re going to give one of you, our devoted readers, your very own pair of Kamik rain boots.

How do you win?

1. Leave a comment below telling us one thing you’re doing to reduce your personal carbon footprint. That’s it. You’re automatically entered if you do that.  Oh, and make sure to use your real e-mail address so we can contact you if you win.

2. Contest closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday, April 24th, 2011

3. Please note this giveaway is only open to US residents. Also please expect 4-6 weeks for delivery. For official rules and more legal mumbo-jumbo, click here.

This Friday, April 22, is Earth Day. In honor of that, I figured now was the perfect time to highlight some great eco-friendly fashion! Only a few short years ago, clothing made from sustainable and earth-friendly materials – such as organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp – were either ridiculously expensive or just didn’t exist. But these days, you can find them in many different stores and at affordable prices — so anyone, not just celebrities, can have access to them.

Here are some great eco-friendly fashion choices for just $20 or less each!

The following post is courtesy of our gal pals over at CollegeFashion.net. Check them out for all your fashion and beauty needs!

It’s undeniable: the eco-friendly fashion movement is growing stronger every day. From Harry Potter’s resident fashionista Emma Watson designing her own collection of magical duds for British brand People Tree to Seattle’s hosting of the first ever Eco-Chic Expo in April, sustainable style is spreading like wildfire. (Oops–bad metaphor for an eco-friendly fashion post?)

Whether you’re new to eco-fashion or just want some tips on greening your wardrobe, never fear: I’ve boiled down the basic lingo & facts you need to know into a quick, easy-to-understand guide. Read this, and you’ll be ready to embark on your first green shopping trip in no time!

Green Fashion Terms to Know Before You Shop:

Sustainable: A sustainable product has the ability to be produced (over & over & over again) without doing much harm to the environment.
Renew-ability: Renewable resources are derived from something living (plant, animal, ecosystem) that can regenerate.
Cruelty-free: Cruelty-free companies do not test on or use animals in their products.
Carbon Footprint: A carbon footprint is a measurement of the impact human activities have on the environment. In terms of fashion, a clothing’s carbon or ecological footprint is the impact the piece of clothing has had on the environment from start to finish.

Eco-Friendly Fabrics to Try:

Bamboo: Bamboo is one of nature’s most sustainable resources! Added bonus: It drapes super-nicely across the human bod.
Organic Cotton: Organic cotton is harvested using what are called “organic farming methods” and doesn’t require pesticides or herbicides to grow.  (On the other hand, regular cotton is usually permeated with chemicals!)
Hemp: Hemp doesn’t need pesticides, herbicides or fungicides to grow, so it’s a popular fabric used to make organic clothing. Plus, it’s very comfortable to wear.
Other Eco-Chic Fabrics: Soy, Eco-Spun (fabric made from soda bottles/cans!), SeaCell (a mix of seaweed and wood pulp fiber), Wool (in place of other furs).

Need some eco-fashion inspiration? Click here for earth friendly outfit ideas.

You’ve seen the commercials (and most likely remember them because they used to discuss “the big O”), but have you actually perused Overstock.com? The site might be overwhelming to some, but that is because it is chock full of awesome deals on clothes, shoes and accessories (in addition to home goods, decor and linens). Overstock.com brings you items that are marked down by up to 80% (!!) and they ship fast and cheap. Could you think of anything better?

Overstock is a website that can fit the needs of everyone and if you haven’t given it a go, you most definitely should. To get you started, here are a few of the hundreds (maybe even thousands) of items they have for under $20.

This dress will certainly flatter those curves of yours and work year round. Either color can be worked for any season; pair it with tights and a cardi for winter or with some gladiator sandals and bangles for the summer months.

Go green (or pink or yellow) with one of these totes that are eco-friendly and perfect for lugging your books, groceries or beach goodies come Spring Break.

How can you refuse these darling vintage-inspired skimmers?  They’ll be adorable with skinny jeans, leggings, summer dresses or shorts.

Unfortunately, we’ve still got a few cold months of winter left to go, but have no fear; there’s no need to sacrifice your style for your warmth.  This hat is not only totes cute, but it’s fleece lining will help keep you warm from head to toe.

Gloves can not only be a nuisance (especially when you’re trying to get out a string of texts en route to class), but they’re not always the most fashion forward piece of clothing around. Not these guys. They are sassy, classic and totally fashionable. Oh, and they’ll definitely keep those digits warm and toasty.

I love, love, looooove the turquoise and boho look of these earrings.

This tunis is not only flattering to any shape, but it’s versatile to boot. It will work perfectly with skinny jeans and knee high flat boots for class, or you can pair it with black pants and pumps for that internship you’ve got lined up for the summer.

It might seem silly to buy a bikini in the middle of winter, but that’s when they’re cheapest and if you’re gonna need one eventually anyway, now’s the time to buy. I love the fun geometric print on this one (how good will that look with a tan!?), not to mention the sexy ties on the bottoms.

I knew I just couldn’t lie to the intelligent ladies that you are, so I scrapped the article and came up with this.

Here are some of the worst snack options and their greener replacements to reduce your environmental impact… and your waistline. Seriously, think about this next time you go shopping; we’re all probably doing more harm than we even know.

Culprit #1: Tyson
Why it sucks: Tyson is one of the largest companies in the meat industry.  According to the movie Food, Inc. (which you all should see!), such large scale farming contributes to pollution, greenhouse gases, depletion of resources, antibiotic resistance and illness in workers and consumers, and poor employee treatment.
Don’t eat: Tyson’s fried chicken fillet sandwich. For so many reasons. Gross.
Eat instead: Gardenburger’s Original Veggie Burgers

Culprit #2: Smucker’s
Why it sucks: In environmental impact scores, Smucker’s ranks a lowly 463^rd out of 500 U.S. companies with a score of 7.8 out of 100.  I think if you got a 7.8% on a test you’d officially get an F-.
Don’t eat: Smucker’s Goober Jam/Peanut Butter sandwich
Eat instead: Trader Joe’s Organic Peanut Butter and banana sandwich

Culprit #3: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Why it sucks:  This beverage company, like most, use large amounts of plastic to make single-serving bottles of soda and juice.  Not only is soda linked to obesity and diabetes, but the plastic is also very energy intensive to make and often end up in landfills.  Yeah, Best Stuff on Earth, my a**.
Don’t drink: Dr. Pepper, Hawaiian Punch, Snapple, or any of that crap.
Drink instead:  Club soda with a squeeze of lime.

Culprit #4: Hormel
Why it sucks:  All of their products are heavily packaged in unnecessary amounts of plastic and glass, both of which use a lot of energy to make and never decompose.
Don’t eat: Hormel Compleats Microwave Meals
Eat instead: Amy’s Microwave Meals

Got an opinion on the food industry or specific corporations?  Have your say in the comments section!

Mother Earth Says: No balloons!

As 2009 winds down and 2010 looms ahead, we all begin thinking about the important things in life.  I think most of us can agree that at the top of our list would be one of the most important things of all – throwing an epic NYE bash!

As always, I will be the one to 1) ruin your fun by saying that your party is killing the earth and 2) make it even better by replacing your old faves with your soon-to-be new ones.  Here are some of the most crucial aspects to throwing an eco-friendly, yet equally bitchin’ New Year’s shindig.

1) Choose eco-friendly champagnes.  This article on TreeHugger.com has a great list of organic sparkling wines at all price ranges.   If you’re like me and still too poor to afford a bottle of anything over $7.99 then you can still opt for the favorites as long as they’re grown and bottled as close to you as possible.  For example, if you’re a California girl, such as myself, you have the pleasure of sippin’ on BevMo’s finest.  That’s right, I’m talking about Cook’s and Andre.  You’re welcome.

2)  Use real champagne glasses. I know you are all classy ladies out there, so kick the red cup habit and get something real stylish.  If you can’t afford the cost and the injuries that result from broken glass, opt for acrylic or plastic champagne flutes.  Just be sure to recollect them at the end of the night so you can use them for your party next year (or next week).

3)  Skip the streamers and confetti. Seriously, who decorates their party with streamers past the age of 6 anyway?  If your party is not complete without the midnight confetti toss and next day incessant vacuuming, then be my guest.  But please, please, please don’t waste your money and our precious resources at an overpriced party goods store.  All you have to do is look in your recycle bin, dig out that old newspaper and start ripping it to shreds.

4)  Ditch the Fritos and get your a** in the kitchen! By whipping something up on your own, your food will be yummier, cheaper, and healthier for you than those nasty processed foods.  Plus, there’s really no way to know exactly how much the Earth died (tiny overstatement) just to get you your frozen spinach dip.  If you’re ready to get your hands dirty but you don’t know how, just follow the recipe of your favorite party foods and then substitute the ingredients for organic, fresher, and less processed alternatives.  Eat up!

5)  Spend your money on booze. And not on your NYE party dress.  Get real, you know you’re only going to wear it once anyways!  Be resourceful and utilize all your resources before heading to the mall.  Borrow clothes from your friends and match them with those shoes that you haven’t worn in a year.  (I promise, nobody will notice.)  If absolutely cannot live without a new party ‘fit, hit your local thrift and consignment stores today!  Not only will you spare the earth’s resources, but you also have a higher chance of buying a designer label that’s actually within your price range.

This holiday season, I urge you to make a resolution that you will actually keep, and that is to take better care of your environment.  Not just because it’s a good thing to do, but also because it’s a gosh darn easy resolution to stick to.  Having a greener existence is all about baby steps, which translates into easy success without all of the leg work.  Here are some of my favorite tips to get you going to a greener and happier you!

Potential Resolution #1:  “I will get all of my books from the library.”
First of all, this is probably something most of us do on a regular basis anyways.  Second of all, it saves you money and storage space.  Buying books not only wastes a lot of paper and binding materials, but it also takes a lot more energy to package and transport.  If you absolutely need to have a certain book at hand, such as a textbook for a class, see if any of your friends are in the class and ask them to go halfsies on the book.  You’ll save money on those ridiculously expensive textbooks and you always have the option of checking it out at the library if you get in a bind.

Potential Resolution #2: “I’m no longer going to put up with junk mail.”
Now you really don’t have an excuse not to pick this one up, considering that nobody actually enjoys getting junk mail.  The first step is to go paperless with as much as you can – bills, bank statements, etc.  Then check out Precycle.  For a minimal fee, Precycle will stop most of your junk mail and send you a reusable shopping bag with 2 CFL light bulbs.  It’s pretty much the same thing as adopting “getting cool free stuff” as your NY Resolution.

Potential Resolution #3: “I’m going to put a water bottle in my toilet’s water tank.”
Ummmm….WTF?
I promise there is sound evidence behind this one.  According to The Daily Green, filling up a water bottle with water and a little sand and placing it in the water tank will make your toilet use less water when flushing.  How, you ask?  By displacing the water in the tank so that it can’t fill up all the way and thus, uses less water per flush.  Some other great ways to reduce your water bill include turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth, timing your showers so that they don’t exceed 10 minutes, and keeping a cold pitcher of water in the fridge so you don’t have to keep the faucet running to get to the right temp. And how easy are all of those!?

Potential Resolution #4: “I’m going to save on gas.”
And guess what?  It doesn’t even include driving less!  Just driving the speed limit, especially on the freeway, can increase the efficiency of your car and save on gas.  Also, if you have the choice, take the route that has the least stop and go.  For example, opt for the freeway over going through town, unless there is tons of traffic on the freeway.  Also, try to plan your errands out in advance so you can avoid the rush hour and get all of them done in one fell swoop.  Lastly, keep your car in tip top shape and it will use less energy.  Pay special attention to your tires – flat tires are less efficient and cause your car to use more gas to go the same distance.

So which one will it be?  Let me know what you resolve to do this New Year’s and how you’re gonna stick to it!

Here are some of the more harmful holiday practices and how we can tweak them to make them more eco-friendly without any less holiday cheeriness.

Gift Giving:
Every year we all spend our precious time and money picking out the perfect gifts for our loved ones.  Unfortunately, what may seem like the “perfect gift” to us may not be so appreciated by the recipient and end up as a throw-away by the time spring cleaning rolls around.  Avoid this potential waste while saving your own time and effort and give them something they will actually use.  Go for gift cards to their favorite stores so they can pick out something they’ll want.

Another idea is to stray away from buying “stuff” and give experiences to your loved ones instead.  A massage at the local spa for your mom, tickets to the big game for your dad, or a backstage pass (slash nosebleed section ticket) to the Jonas Brothers for your little sis should do the trick.  Plus, all of these gifts have the potential for you to include yourself in on the action (minus the J Bros, thanks).  Happy holidays to you!

And if none of those ideas strike your fancy, there are tons of eco-friendly gifts that will make everyone – including Mother Earth – happy.

Keep the travel to a minimum:
While it’s great to spend time with loved ones during the holiday season, it can become a little exhausting for the family and for the planet.  Spare your fam the holiday traffic, fights over the radio station, and tons of air pollution and keep it small.  Instead of driving from family member to family member, invite them all to one place for a holiday dinner or small party.  Not only will it reduce the stress of the holidays, it will also take a load off of the planet.  If you just have to go see Aunt Edna this year, consider renting a hybrid car (Zip Car, the greatest business ever, has plenty for rental, either for a few hours or an entire day!) for the journey to save on gas and increased mileage on the family minivan.

Get off your butts!:
For some reason, “family time” during the holidays now tends to include TV, going to movies, or playing Wii tennis (thanks, Walmart commercials).  My advice? GO OUTSIDE.  For those of you lucky enough to have snow during the holidays, go build a snowman or have a kids vs. parents snowball fight like old times.

If a food coma’s got you feelin’ a little sloth-y, go on a leisurely walk around the neighborhood to check out the over-the-top decorations or stay in and play Apples to Apples.  Not only will you save electricity and energy, but you’ll actually get to spend time with your fam that doesn’t involve your Mom’s awkward comments during Nights of Rodanthe about how Richard Gere is “such a hunk.”

Reuse your wrapping paper:
As much as I would like to think that I could convince you all to wrap your gifts in recycled newspaper, I know that’s just too tacky, even for us poor college students.  The next best thing?  Save wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows, and gift tags for next year.  This will cut down on holiday waste and save you a butt-load of money next year.  Another great tip that I picked up from my Mom is to re-use all those holiday cards as gift tags for the next year.  Just carefully cut around the writing to get some free, unique, and recycled gift tags for next year’s gifts.

What do you to green up your holiday?
Don’t be a Grinch – share your tips with the rest of us!