We all have that super-environmentally conscious person in our life, lovingly (most of the time) referred to as the Tree Hugger.  While they’re always giving back to Mother Earth by reminding you to recycle, to take shorter showers or turn off the lights, they are not so easy to give to.  It seems like there are many ways to offend your favorite tree hugger during the holidays, be it by using non-recyclable gift wrap, too much packaging, or buying them a gift that somehow depletes the ozone layer.

But they still deserve something this holiday, right?

Let me take the guess-work out of buying for the environmentalist in your life, with a few eco-friendly gifts that even Captain Planet could love.

But first, a few tips:

Tip #1: Look for products with sustainable materials and processes.  Items made from recycled materials (there are tons of these on Etsy!) are very environmentally friendly, as well as unique!
Tip #2: Consider where the product was made.  Items made in your area require less fuel to reach store shelves, and therefore have a smaller impact.  It’s also good to know whether an item is fair trade.
Tip #3: Redefine what constitutes a gift and give to a charity in your recipient’s name.  Use Charity Navigator to make a donation to an environmental organization your tree hugger supports.
Tip #4: Think about how you’re wrapping the gift.  Gift bags can be reused, or you can reuse newspaper for a free way to wrap your present.

And now for some fun gifts! Read More »

Somewhere along the way, someone always manages to find a way to make something that seems disgusting into an incredibly tasty dish. Like the Kitty Litter Cake pictured here (Google that and see what other horrifyingly realistic pictures you find).

A little milder form of the gross-turned-delish is the ever classic Dirt dessert.

There are different recipes circulating, but the differences lie mostly in the assembly. Yeah, you can serve up this dessert for a Halloween party or that ultra chic Garden Party on your patio in the Springtime! All it takes is a little tweaking.

First, the mechanics. This recipe comes from Taste of Home. To make this ultra mega tasty dessert you need:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup margarine, softened

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 1/2 cups cold milk

2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 package (18 ounces) cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (yeah those would be Oreos) Read More »

No matter how hard I try, I just do not have a green thumb. At all. It’s beyond frustrating to me that plants are so fickle and indecisive. Some want lots of water, but some freak out and die if you give them too much and would rather dry out a bit. Some thrive in the sun, while some prefer shady coolness. Some people insist that plants only grow if you sit and talk to them. I don’t have time for that. So, what’s a girl to do?

In my case, I just kill every plant I come across, to the point where it’s not even worth having any. Why, oh why can’t plants just tell me what they want, I wonder.

Wait, what did you say? They can? According to Gizmodo and Yanko Design, designer Junyi Heo has come out with a digital plant that lets you know, through the use of emoticons, exactly what it needs. OMG it’s just like a Tamogotchi, only it actually grows!

Basically, the pot measures soil conditions, temperature, humidity, and water and tells you just what the plant needs and whether it’s “satisfied” or not. Hey, if my plant’s talking to me, I might even take a little time to talk back to it. Read More »

You don’t have to be an extremist to be environmentally friendly. There are a bunch of little changes you can make in your life that will not only help you to be kind to this planet, but these things will also save you money in the end.

Saving money is good; it’s really good. In fact, if you help save the planet enough, you can destroy your body with all of the alcohol you’ll be able to suddenly afford.

• UTILIZE CAR POOLS. Why drive separately? Work out car pooling whenever you can. Gas is way too expensive these days not to.

• CLOTHING/HOME GOOD EXCHANGE PARTIES. Get your girls together and swap the clothes and other things you no longer use.

• DON’T BE AFRAID OF TAP WATER. Even though bottle water is sooo cool, your tap water might not be bad for you — contrary to popular beliefs. If you start drinking your tap water, you’ll save money and reduce your plastic waste.

• HANG DRY YOUR CLOTHING. Sure, it’s sort of a pain in the ass, but you can save all of those dryer quarters for something else. Like arcades. Which are awesome. Read More »