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!

Items Under $15

Zak! Confetti Dinnerware - Zak! dinnerware is made of recycled melamine. For $15 you could buy a couple dishes that your tree hugger could use on take-out night instead of those harmful paper plates
Little Concrete Planter with Airplant – A perfect addition for your tree hugger’s home, even if they inhabit a tiny dorm room!
Eco Recycled Card Holder – A card holder for your ecoholic’s bus pass or library card made from a recycled billboard banner

Items Under $30

Filtered Stainless-Steel Water Bottle – This water bottle not only reduces the amount of plastic bottles being tossed, but it also has a filter built in! Who needs bottled water now?
Greensburg DVD Set – Co-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, this series follows the ‘green’ rebuilding of Greensburg, Kansas following a devastating tornado. It’s fascinating!
Burt’s Bees Gift Set – Natural beauty products to pamper your little tree hugger without harming Mother Earth.

Items Under $50

Love to Ride Set – Perfect for your bike-riding environmentalist.  It has accessories made from recycled bike parts.
Butter Nail Polish Pack – Your ecoholic can still look good with natural nail products.
Peeled Snacks – Nourish your favorite tree hugger with a gift tin full of tasty organic treats

Items Under $75

Surge for iPhone Case – This device is seriously cool.  It is a hybrid solar charger, meaning it can charge your techie-tree-hugger’s iPhone in sunlight.  A green-addition to this energy saving gift?  A green iPhone app.

Garden Stacker - This indoor herb garden is perfect for the tree hugger that loves to cook.  Bonus: there are different gardens at various price points.

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).

Endangered Species:  Biodiversity is key to the survival of our planet.  Each animal serves a crucial role in its respective ecosystem by being both predator and prey for another animal.  For some reason that I just don’t get, the most endangered species are probably the cutest ones as well.  Pandas, polar bears, jaguars, sea otters, pygmy rabbits, and foxes are all either threatened or endangered species.  Protect our furry friends by donating to The World Wildlife Fund, Fauna and Flora International, or the Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF).

Renewable Energy:  If you don’t know by now that sustainable energy is important, then you really haven’t been reading my articles.  For those of you who haven’t done your homework (tsk tsk), let me drive the point home.  Renewable energy diminishes the amount of oil that we use, reducing air pollution, habitat destruction, and economic dependency on other nations.  Most of us don’t have the power to throw a bunch of solar panels on our roof, but we can compensate by funding charities that do such as the Environmental and Energy Institute, Union of Concerned Scientists and Global Green USA.

Charity donations can be a great gift idea for one of those people that has everything.  Instead of buying something they’ll probably just end up throwing away, make a donation in their name.  Also keep in mind that these charities are just suggestions; it doesn’t mean that every other one is bad.  If you  have a particular charity in mind, go to www.charitynavigator.org first to make sure that your money’s going to where they say it’s going.  Happy gift giving!

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.

Order matters, as well.  Eating the healthy foods BEFORE the unhealthy foods is better. This is news to me, as I usually eat vegetables or fruit after the unhealthy stuff. Usually because eating that plate of cheese fries makes me feel fat, so I follow it up with a nice, hearty celery stick. But the key is to eat the celery before the cheese fries so I will fill up on more-nutrient dense/lower calorie foods first and take in fewer calories later.

Basically, to help you stay thin and disease-free:

* The more colorful your plate is, the better. (Natural colors from fruits & vegetables, not Skittles.)
* Swap any processed foods (even relatively healthy granola bars) for unprocessed fruits, vegetables, etc. whenever possible.
* Eat the healthy stuff before the unhealthy stuff. You’ll end up eating less calories and fat.

We’re in college so we all know we won’t be giving up on the cheese fries and pizza anytime soon, but if we just balance it out with more nutritious options when we can, we’ll feel it in our bodies. And in our jeans. When we sit down. And there’s no muffin top.

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.

Labeled Herb Pots – A great gift for a mom that loves to cook and enjoys having fresh ingredients.  Go and buy some herb plants, and put them in small terracotta pots. You can paint the rims with chalkboard paint then label which the plants are inside. This way, if your mom has a black thumb she can easily switch up the plants if (or when) they die, and not be stuck with the labels. Or she can even reuse these for completely different reasons! Cute, cheap, personal and earth friendly.
Pretty much the perfect gift..

Variation on the “coupon book” – Think back to your elementary school days and chances are a Mother’s Day Coupon Book was made at some point.  While coupons such as “setting the table,” or “five hugs” are still sweet, we at CC think you can do better.  First, instead of printing out some “coupons” from a Word Document and stapling them together, get creative. Why not make Mom a jar of fortune cookies and put your little coupons inside? She will never expect it, not to mention the fact that everyone loves a fortune cookie.

And don’t just get creative in HOW you give the coupons, but in WHAT the coupons are, as well. For the technically challenged mom, try “One hour of explaining and setting up Facebook,” or “A two hour lesson in uploading and printing digital photos (from the camera dad hasn’t given you yet).” For the uber-busy mom try “Three grocery shopping trips,” or “Dinner on the table by the time you’re home.”  If you’re the eldest kid, and have a lot younger siblings, try “Afternoon outing with the kids” or “Five free nights of babysitting” to get the kids out of Mom’s hair for a while.  Or, if you’ve been neglecting your mother-daughter time lately, why not have “Two hours of fashion consultation at the mall,” or “one just-us outing of your choice.”

Hand-painted pottery - Remember when you were five and you could bring home macaroni glued to a piece of paper and your mom would proudly display it on the fridge?  Well, unfortunately that won’t cut it anymore.  So, why not bring Mom home a masterpiece she won’t have to pretend to like?  There are paint your own pottery places everywhere (Color Me Mine has locations all over the world), so grab some friends, and go make some presents for your moms. It happens to be super fun and incrediby therapeutic, so this is a gift that everyone can enjoy.  Or, if you are pressed for time, you could always make a fortune cookie coupon with an afternoon of pottery painting with mom!

Photo Album – There is nothing moms love more than their children, so give her the ultimate gift and put together a family photo album for her. But not any old photo album with a bunch of pictures stuck inside some sleeves – really go to town. You can get really crafty and build a scrapbook of some of your favorite family moments, or simply compile some of memorable digital photos into a real bound photo book. These books are beautiful and allow you to get creative without doing all that time consuming work.

This gift may take a bit longer, but the end result will totally be worth the wait. And your mom will agree.

Got any other ideas for good, personal Mother’s Day gifts? Share them below!

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.

And no more worrying about over-watering because if you do, the plant will drain itself into a water vessel. The ridiculously awesome pot is charged via USB port and has an LCD display.

Yay! No more plant killing for me.

Then again, I also killed a Tamagotchi or two in my day. Sigh.

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.

So, how do you know what plants to get that’ll help the most? That’s why I’m here. No worries. Since I don’t have to lay things out the way I had to with the critters a few articles ago, I’ll give you nine – because I just couldn’t find a good number ten – of what I think are the best dorm-plants, once again in order of care. (If you’ve never really taken care of a plant before, check this site out first. Plants need more than just water and sunlight if you want them to be really awesome!)

Jade: I recently almost entirely killed one of these – because I didn’t water it for almost two months. It’s coming back now. That’s how hardy these things are. They like the average room temperature. They prefer bright light or full sun, but they can tolerate all the way up to partial shade. Allow the soil to dry a bit (stick your finger in the pot; if the soil is dry for the first inch, it’s time for a drink) between waterings. Jade is a pretty slow grower, so repot them every two or three years. (Aloe Vera are pretty much identical to Jade in care, so you can opt for either.)

Mother-In-Law’s Tongue (Snake Plant): These guys’ name always made me laugh, but despite the implied harshness, they’re pretty easy to take care of. They too like bright light or full sun. They can handle just about any temperature. Let the soil dry a little between watering on these guys, too. They’re a pretty slow grower, so repot them every two years or so.

Spider Plant: Don’t be creeped out by the name; these guys get their title because of the little baby plants they produce. (Share the abundance with a friend!). These guys can stand up to a lot of abuse. They like average temperatures and thrive in well-lit but indirect light. During spring and summer, keep the soil moist, but not sopping wet. During fall and winter, though, let the soil dry a little between watering. You can even mist them if you’d like, since they love humidity. Only repot them if you can see the roots coming out of the bottom of your pot.

African Violet: Another flowering plant, these guys will give you the cutest little flowers totally at random throughout the year. They’re another fan of bright light, but they don’t like full on sun a whole lot. Allow the top soil – about half an inch – to dry between waterings. DO NOT get the leaves wet! They’ll get brown and shrivel up. You really don’t have to repot these guys at all, because they really like being root bound.

Pothos (Devil’s Ivy): If you’re into vine-like plants, Pothos is your plant. They like bright light and enjoy partial sun. They’re okay in average room temperature, but they thrive in warmer areas (70 – 90 Fahrenheit). Let the water dry as much as you would for African Violets. They like misting too. Repot these guys during the growing season (spring/summer) only if they’re showing their roots.

Chinese Evergreen: These guys have HUGE leaves – and they get pretty big, too. Really, if you have one, you don’t need any other plants. They love shade and are great for rooms without much sunlight. They’re fine in average temperature, but keep their soil fairly moist (again, don’t drown the poor things). Repot them when they’re getting really rootbound.

Christmas Cactus: These guys have gorgeous flowers when they bloom (and incase you haven’t figured out when that is, it’s around Christmas). They love bright light/full sun, as well as warmer temperatures. Water them with the same frequency you would a Jade or a Snake Plant. Getting to flower can be a little tricky; check out this site for more care info.

Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily): You’ve seen them before, all lined up in malls and probably at Easter services. Their flowers are huge and gorgeous. They’re another one that like indirect light and average temperatures. Their soil should stay fairly moist, too. Take good care of them and they’ll always have a flower up for you.

These plants are all pretty popular, so it’ll be easy to find them at your local nursery (and sometimes you’ll even see plants like African Violets and Spider Plants in big grocery stores). And even though I put them in order of care, they’re all outrageously easy to take care of, so don’t worry if you’ve got a withered brown thumb – these guys can make any plant-killer look like a regular horticulturalist.