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 »

With Thanksgiving around the corner, there is no doubt that most of us are more than ready for the holidays.  Although you’re taking a mental break from school, be sure to stay mindful when it comes to your environmental impact.

There are some easy ways to stay green over the holidays without having to ruin your traditional Turkey Day.  Take charge of your family’s eco-responsibility and convince your family green up their holiday.  Hey, you may even get Grandma Doris talking about something other than the fact that you “still” don’t have a boyfriend.

Getting home
If you drive: Carpool with friends to save on gas money and minimize pollution.  Be sure you all time your travels so that you don’t hit traffic and waste unnecessary gas in gridlock.  Leave with plenty of time so you or the driver doesn’t have to speed down the freeway.  Reducing your speed from just 70 to 60 MPH can severely reduce the amount of money and gas your trip guzzles.

If you fly:  Pay the extra money for a direct flight, as takeoff and landing require the most fuel of any other part of the flight.  If you have the resources, buy carbon offset credits along with your flight in order to reduce your footprint.  Many companies, such as Continental, allow you to easily purchase carbon offset credits online before your flight.

Eating Dinner
Buying the bird:  If you just can’t bear a tofurky, you can still buy a real turkey that is relatively environmentally friendly.  All you have to do is buy from a local farmer.  Go to this site to find a turkey farmer in your area.  If for some reason local just doesn’t work for you, look for the labels mentioned in my last post such as grass-fed, cage free, or free range to slightly improve your turkey decision. 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 »

We live in a world of disposable everything.  Cups, plastic bags, razors, boyfriends; you name it, you can find it in a disposable form.  And although this makes our lives terribly easy, it also makes our landfills terribly full.

By just being a tad more conscious of your recycling options, you can make a huge difference with relatively minimal effort.  Here are some common products that you can recycle right in your home town!

Batteries – These babies are full of heavy metals and toxins that are of special concern to soil and water contamination, so be sure to recycle them!  Keep a box in your room so once those batteries from your remote control (or any other battery powered “appliances”…) burn out you can send them in to be recycled.  Batteryrecycling.com has a good program where you can send in pretty much any commercial battery for recycling, or you can check out any local recycling centers in your area to see if they offer this service.

Laptops – I don’t know about you, but I have definitely made my way through computers.  My most recent, Doris, has a cracked screen and a dead battery.  Who in their right mind would want to take her off my hands?  Gazelle.com, that’s who.  They offer laptop recycling services and even offer payment for some laptop models!  If poor little Doris can have a $30 value, just imagine what your old laptop can fetch!

Clothes – As college girls, I’m sure we’ve all become familiar with the beauty that is Goodwill.  There is no better excuse for buying new clothes than donating the old ones to a good cause.  But what about those that are just too threadbare to donate?  Surprisingly, you can donate them anyways!   Goodwill and the Salvation Army send out these clothes to “rag sorters” which recycle the fabrics themselves.  Another good option for running shoes in particular is Recycled Runners, a company specializing in recycling and donation of running shoes.  Hit up their website for donation info and sights in your area. Read More »

Last Tuesday I saw the documentary Food, Inc. and it changed my life.  Although it had a relatively minimal environmental focus, it still reminded me how important we are as consumers and how much our food purchasing decisions actually make a difference.

Think about it – 10 years ago you couldn’t really find any substantial amount of organic produce in mainstream supermarkets.  Now, due to the demand for healthier and more sustainable products, the supermarkets are flooded with organic products from Oreos to macaroni and cheese.  And for those of you who think you can’t afford eco-friendly foods on a college budget, think again.  I will show you where, how, and what to buy to decrease your carbon “foodprint” while increasing the size of your wallet. Read More »

You know that really annoying friend of yours who feels the incessant need to point out that they were the first to know about a now really popular band every. single. time. it comes on the radio?

As annoying as they are, there is something exciting about the knowing of a new band, new clothing brand, great sale, awesome book or recipe, and sharing it with the ones you love. And by ones you love, I mean the ones you go back and forth with right here on the CollegeCandy message boards.

So here’s the deal: every week, we will feature things that YOU think other CollegeCandy readers just have to know about. Anything at all. Nothing is off limits.

Guffly.com
We all are trying to be green: wear more green, eat more green, recycle more green, earn more green. But sometimes it’s hard because we don’t know where to look for the best products. And let’s face it – some of those eco-friendly fashions have been hit with the ugly stick one too many times. Not to mention the sometimes way-out-there price tags – I mean I could buy some Jimmy Choo’s for the price of some of these reusable forks, frocks and eco-friendly gym bags! But thankfully, Guffly has come to our rescue. Guffly is a one-product-per-day online store (perfect for those of us who get overwhelmed by too many fabu products at once!). They feature eco-friendly products and fair trade lifestyle goods like home, pet, clothing, office and personal accessories. They have made it their jobs (literally!) to find only the most stylish eco-friendly and fair trade products out there.  Now you can actually do something good for the environment, feel good about yourself AND still look cute. Sign me up.  Read More »

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 »

I have this theory that anything that’s good for the planet is good for your health as well.  You’ve heard it all before:  ditching the car, eating organic greens, and drinking tap water are all great ways to maintain your well-being.  But did you know that adding a little green to your workout routine can actually bump it its effectiveness and your subsequent sexiness?  Read on, my friend…

Treadmill vs. Trail: Treadmills use a lottt of energy – about 6 hours of lights on a Christmas tree-worth in only 30 minutes (obscure analogy, I know).  Running outside, however, requires no additional energy except for that needed to manufacture your workout clothes.  I don’t expect you to run outside just for the environment’s sake, but what if I told you that running outside can up your calorie burn and save your joints from strain and impact?  Not only are trails more likely to have inclines that torch calories like a wildfire, they also have a bumpier terrain which causes your muscles to make tiny corrective movements. All in all, this can increase your calorie burn by up to 10%!  Run on sand, and burn 1.6 times more calories!  Plus, dirt trails, wet and dry sand, and even asphalt (never run on the concrete sidewalk!) are softer than the surface of treadmills and will better protect your knees and ankles from impact and future joint pain.  Trust me, running in nature sure beats trotting alongside that 50 year old man sweating like a pig in his 1976 gym shorts. Read More »

I love shopping, but I just can’t help but feel a tad guilty every time I invest in another mother-earth-will-cry-when-I-wear-this kinda number.

I know that the clothing industry contributes to global warming, air and water pollution, and tons of waste, but I really can’t bring myself to be Goodwill’s number one customer.  Don’t get me wrong, thrift and consignment shopping is awesome, especially in economic times such as these, but once in a while I want something new of my own.

So what’s a girl to do?  Find cute, eco-conscious clothes that don’t make you look like you’re wearing a sack of potatoes.  And that’s exactly what I have done.  All of these have been cuteness certified by yours truly, so feel free to go ahead and splurge!

Plato’s Closet:  This is one of my personal faves.  It’s a consignment shop, but this place is anything but shabby.  They have tons of designer jeans for super cheap – plus they’re pre-broken in.  I also sell a lot of my clothes here because you get money up front instead of having to wait the 10 years for your senior prom dress to finally sell.  Cute clothes, money in your pocket, and green shopping – what more could you ask for?  Check out the Plato’s Closet website for locations in your area!

Good Society Denim: Now to move on to the new stuff.  The best thing about Good Society denim is that their clothes look like high quality designer jeans with all the benefits of an organic label.  They only use 100% fair trade organic denim, making all of their products entirely sustainable.  The top of my wish list is their Straight Cut Denim in Raw, which, at the semi-meager price of $93 (hey, it’s cheap compared to the $210 True Religions everyone is wearing), is soon to become a reality.

Stewart and Brown: Established in 2002, Stewart and Brown is one of the top non-granola-y green brands out there.  They have a cute, Urban Outfitters-esque style featuring clothes only made from 100% organic cotton grown from non-genetically modified seeds and other sustainable fabrics.  Plus, they donate 1% of their profit to various charities to keep giving back.  Pick up one of their cute dresses and then bask in your eco-conscious glory.

Beyond Skin:  100% of Beyond Skin’s shoes are vegan and made from entirely earth-friendly materials such as polyurethane leather and polyester satins.  And like Stewart and Brown, Beyond Skin donates a percentage of their profits to environmental and social projects.  I personally recommend the Cherub pumps in black hemp (you can’t even tell it’s not leather).  All products are shipped from England, so it’s not the most eco-conscious thing for us Americans, but it’s definitely better than the fugly pleather alternatives.

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 »