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 »

Salads = phytochemical wonderlands!

We treat our bodies pretty poorly in college. We stay up late, we put our livers to the test (daily), and we eat a whole lot of unhealthy treats. And we feel the effects on Monday morning when we’re trudging to class in pants that barely fit and a foggy, unhappy brain.

What if I told you making one small change could give your body a boost? No, I’m not going to tell you to stop drinking beer – that would be unrealistic – but I am gonna tell you to start indulging in phytochemicals.

Phyto-wha?
I know – when I first saw that word I had to Google it too. Allow me to break it down:

A recent study found that eating food containing phytochemicals at the beginning of a meal prevents oxidative stress, which can cause obesity, heart disease, joint disease, diabetes, and more.

So basically, You + Phytochemicals = Thin, Disease-Free You!

Understandably, I’m a HUGE fan. And I’m ready to hit up the phytochemical aisle at my campus grocery store.

So where can you find phytochemicals? Think healthy, plant-based foods like leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. You don’t need acai berry for this; stick with what you know! In fact, they say that wonder pills and even juices (apple juice, cranberry juice, etc.) aren’t as beneficial for you as fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables. The study specifically mentioned the great phytochemicals in garlic, tomatoes, soy, carrots, red wine, whole grains… Wait, red wine? You know we love any excuse to down a box of red…

In order to get the best health benefits from our food, we are encouraged to “…go back to the whole sources of food, the nonprocessed foods if we can help it.” So even swapping some raw almonds for your typical granola bar on the way to class, or drinking tea instead of coffee will help add more phytochemicals to your diet. Read More »

There is officially less than a week left until Mother’s Day. I know – that little holiday totally sneaks up on you when you are swamped with exams, packing, and living out the final days of the school year. But don’t panic if you forgot (and your mom hasn’t been dropping hints every day as to what she wants).

The school year may be over and the cash flow may be pretty low, but there are some easy DIY gifts you can make for Mom this year. And you can make them fast and you can make them cheap. Not that your mom deserves something cheap – I’m just pretty sure she’d much rather have something from the heart than something you whisked off the rack at Nordstrom. 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 know, I realized shortly after I wrote about the top five small-space animals that, well, not everyone can have animals. Now, I know that there are certain people who sneak by their ordinances and ignore the rules of the college/landlord/whatever and keep their critters regardless of what is and isn’t allowed. But for people who do want to follow the rules or having a pet right now just isn’t feasible, how about brightening up your room with a little green?

Plants do a lot more good than people give them credit for. As we all know from third grade science, they take in the gross carbon dioxide we breath and give us back lung-friendly oxygen. They also do an amazing job of cleaning the air. They can also filter pollutants in our air – stuff that come from everyday house products like plain old bug spray, spray starch, and even glue. And studies have proved that in work places that had plants had up to a 40% reduction in headaches, sour throats, and coughs. There was also an 84% increase in well-being. If you don’t like numbers, though, let me put this in laymen’s terms: plants + your dorm = happier, healthier place. Read More »