Give to those who need it most. And who are really cute.

With the holidays comin’ round the bend, I’m sure most of us are starting to think of gifts both for ourselves and for others.  And although receiving is arguably the most enjoyable part of the gift giving tradition, we must not forget others that need our help during this time.  Giving money or volunteering with any charity is awesome regardless of its cause, but I am an advocate of environmentally-geared charities.  Here are some of the top causes and their most reliable charities to get you in the giving mood this holiday season.

Forest Preservation: Because what would the holidays be like without trees covered in snow (or twinkle lights, if you hail from California as well)?  Forests form important ecosystems for many species of wildlife and plants.  Plus, trees are a great source of oxygen and an effective method of carbon sequestration which can lower greenhouse gas levels in the air.  Some of the top rated charities in this arena are: American Forests, The Pachamama Alliance, and Trees, Water, and People (TWP).

Ocean Protection:  The ocean is the world’s last frontier.  There are thousands of species that we do not fully understand or even know about yet.  The ocean exemplifies diversity in an ecosystem and is very essential to our life on earth.  Plus, dolphins are just adorable.  Help protect them and their habitat by donating to one of these charities: Oceana, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Surfrider Foundation, and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS). Read More »

I like to think that alcohol in and of itself is good for all mankind.  It makes people happier, friendlier, and much more likely to dance like a fool if given the opportunity.  Unfortunately, your favorite spirits are probably not the most eco-friendly drinks on the block (or bar).  Instead of forgoing your Saturday nights, just swap your faves for these green alternatives and feel free to party on!

Veev:  An excellent substitute for vodka, Veev is actually manufactured from acai berries which are packed with antioxidants and anthocyanins.  What makes this drink even better, however, is the company’s commitment to the environment.  Veev donates $1 towards the Brazilian rainforest for every bottle sold, preserving their sustainable acai supply.  Veev is also the first carbon-neutral liquor company, powering all of their distillers through renewable energy.  Pass up the Smirnoff  and throw one of these back with friends (but don’t forget to toast to the Brazilian rainforest first!).

OneHope Sauvignon Blanc: I bought this baby on a whim at BevMo (5 cent sale, anyone?) and felt an instant karma boost.  With every bottle sold, OneHope donates 50% of the profits to the American Forest, a charity aimed at protecting, restoring, and enhancing our native trees and forests.  If you’re not a sauvignon blanc fan, there are several other wines to choose from, each with their own cause.  Drink chardonnay for breast cancer, merlot for AIDS, or zinfandel for our troops overseas.  Whichever you choose, you can bet you’ll feel a little buzz of goodness with every glass. Read More »

Let’s hope she’s not the Yoko Ono of the Yankees.

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Need to wake up? Try these tips.

Regardless of whether you are majoring in computer science or can’t even figure out how to type on an iPhone (guilty), you gotta admit that technology is pretty cool.  One recurring downside, however, is that most techie products require lots and lots of electricity which, in turn, requires lots and lots of oil.

Now, I’m not asking to start lighting candles in lieu of your desklamp, but there are lots of options that are sleek, convenient, and help make the change towards a greener lifestyle.  Here are some of my top picks:

IKEA solar desk lamp:  I was pretty sure before, but now I am absolutely certain, IKEA sells pretty much everything you could ever want.  Looking for a solar-powered desk lamp?  They got it.  Want some LED lights that consume 70% less energy than normal light bulbs?  Yep, they’re included.  But these babies aren’t just eco-friendly, they’re also super cute and come in every color of the rainbow.  Stick one on your desk and instantly feel the academic juices flow.

Belkin’s Conserve Surge Protector:  Recently I discovered something known as “phantom” power (who gave it that name, I don’t know.)  Phantom power is the standby power used when you keep your appliances plugged in after you’re done using them.  This “phantom” is estimated to take up as much as 15% of your overall energy use.  Eliminate your phantom by turning to this Belkin surge protector.  It comes with a remote so that you can turn off the surge protector (without having to crawl behind your TV stand) when you’re no longer using your appliances.  For those of us that need the essentials (i.e. blackberry and laptop) to be charged at all times, there are 2 “always on” outlets for your convenience. Read More »

We college students are pretty accurately stereotyped.  We party hard, sleep late, and cram for finals until the wee hours of the morning.  Luckily for us and the environment, a lot of these common habits can be easily “tweaked” in order to save energy and resources.  And as a college student myself, I give you my solemn oath that these steps will not affect your party or study life in any way.

Here are some of the most well-known college kid characteristics and how you can change them to better our earth:

We are constantly glued to our laptops. And no matter whether you’re Facebooking or researching the native crops of Haiti, you’re still using lots of energy.  Now I’m not stupid – I wouldn’t dare suggest that you cut down your Skype time just to save the Earth.  Really all you have to do is cut down your energy usage when you’re not actually on the computer (i.e. sleeping or boozing).  How do you do this?  Unplug your electronics!  Computers practically use as much energy when they’re in standby mode as they do when they’re actually in use.  So if you’re leaving the room for a good amount of time, turn off your computer and unplug all of the plugs in your outlet if possible.

We are messy and we have our clothes to prove it. I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to eat or drink anything without staining whatever I’m wearing.  This is especially tragic when you happen to be wearing one of those “dry clean only” numbers, which of course, are always the cutest.  But don’t run off and spend last night’s tips on pricey dry cleaning before you try some other easier, cheaper, and more eco-friendly tactics.  Believe it or not, some “dry clean only” garments (such as silk and wool) can actually be hand washed with cold water.   Of course, give it a test run before you wash and potentially ruin your favorite silk dress.  If that doesn’t work, seek out “wet cleaning” or “green dry cleaning” locations by searching at GreenEarth Cleaning’s website. Read More »

I love any reason to celebrate, especially when it’s a good reason like Earth Day. I don’t know if it’s the first day of spring or the conscious effort of everyone around me trying to be a better earthling, but Earth Day just makes me happy.

So why aren’t we celebrating?? Get into the spirit! Be environmentally friendly. Throw a party hotter than global warming. Make your friends green with envy. Reduce your work load…. Okay, you get the idea. Now get out there and get ready to celebrate with these Earth Day ideas.

1. Skip the morning shower and go for the hippie-chic look instead.

2. Break out some candles, some home-made booze and throw an Amish theme party! Who conserves energy better than people who don’t believe in it?

3. Reward your favorite eco-hottie with a global-warming make out sesh.

4. Talk the local produce guy into giving you an Earth Day discount, then invite your friends over for an earth-friendly veggie fest. Read More »

What a coincidence it is that April is both Stress Awareness Month and when we all take finals. Cruel trick, world. A cruel trick, indeed.

Instead of grabbing a cigarette or another cup of coffee, use exercise this year as a way to alleviate the overwhelming feelings that come with cramming a semester’s worth of information into a few study sessions.

Clinically proven, exercise naturally decreases the amount of stress hormones your body produces and counteracts your body’s normal stress response. By working out regularly, your body will better be able to handle finals week and allow you to get in the amount of studying you desperately need. It will allow the burden of 2 tests in one day seem much less daunting than it really is. It will make the inevitable ‘F’ seem like a very doable passing grade.

So just take a deep breath and put on those sneakers before you hit the books. Read More »

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Midterms, sleep deprivation, icky weather, oh my. In these gray, stressful times, exhaustion can take over. So if you’ve already downed that 10th cup of coffee but are still looking to revive yourself (for more than five minutes), here are five ways to do it:

Open the Window Shades. If you have them. I am blessed with a bay window in my dorm room, and I use it to my advantage. Light is a beautiful thing. And it’s an instant pick-me-up when all you want to do is sleep yourself into oblivion. So raise those blinds and let it shine! And if you have no windows, get your ass outside!

Take a Cold Shower. Though it may be unoriginal, this renowned technique really does the trick—cold showers are both refreshing, and invigorating! They’re also especially good for hangovers. So come out from your down comforter coma, get off your tush, and jump in the shower! It might be painful, but it will certainly wake you up. If you’re looking for something a little less severe, you can get the same effect by finishing off a hot wash with a 30-second burst of cold. Rumor has it that these chilly splashes make for shinier hair…so jump in, cool off, and rev up that energy!

Exercise. Though counter-intuitive, exercise has been proven to boost energy and reduce fatigue. Convincing yourself to leave that squishy mattress in exchange for a treadmill may be difficult, but it will be well worth it. Plus, you’ll burn calories and suppress your appetite. Believe me—in retrospect you’ll be happy you worked out instead of munching on Cheetos in your jammies. The best energy boosting exercises? Running, Yoga, and Kickboxing. (If not energy, toned muscles, flexibility and useful self-defense moves should persuade you…) Read More »

We could all stand to save some more energy and resources. It’s not only good for the environment, it’s good for us, too. By greenifying even one or two more aspects of your life, you’ll save money and do your part to make the world a better place.Here are some instructions for how to make specific areas of your life a little greener!

In the Home

Heat: Turn down your thermostat 5-10 degrees when you leave the house in the morning. When you come back, you can turn it back up—but make sure to turn it down again when you go to sleep, and snuggle under those blankets. These adjustments can save you at least $20 per month.

Electricity: We all know that we should turn the lights off when we leave a room, but did you know that vampire appliances could be sucking cash out of your electricity bill? Just by leaving your microwave, TV, and other appliances plugged in, you’re zapping electricity. Unplug them when they’re not in use, and you could save $10 or more per month. Read More »