You heard it phrased a million different ways last year: green is the new black. 2007 was definitely an amazing year for advances in the “green” lifestyle. Information, organizations, and products that help us reduce our global footprint popped up everywhere! Whether you switched to a hybrid vehicle or didn’t have a chance to “go green” last year, there are lots of ways to easily transition to a more eco-friendly way of life. Here are a few of the biggest, yet easiest and most affordable green ideas;

Food
Surprisingly, what we eat has more impact on the environment than the kind of vehicle we drive! The 100 Mile Diet blew up in 2007, bringing much needed attention to the effects of transporting food rather than buying locally. Combine this knowledge with A Few More Inconvenient Truths and we’ve got a recipe for the most eco-friendly diet possible. According to an article from Earth Save called 100 Mile Diet Not Quite Right (PDF file):

“Take the intentions of the 100 Mile Diet authors to heart, but be careful about it. Make sure that the foods you choose are plant-based, seasonal and organic. Don’t drive great distances to get it. And, like Smith and MacKinnon, grow what you can yourself. In the long run, the whole world will be much the better for it.”

Clothes
Here’s a fun way to make a stylish and eco-friendly change: update your closet. When the time comes to replace any part of your wardrobe- from shoes to jeans to accessories- look for sustainable style. According to the Organic Consumers Association, “Cotton accounts for 50% of the world’s fiber needs, 24% of the world’s insecticide market and 11% of sale of global pesticides, making cotton the most pesticide-intensive crop grown on the planet.”
Because of their selection, The Green Loop is my favorite source for sustainable, sweatshop-free clothing and accessories. Their prices are a little out of reach for some, but they are fantastic for inspiration and for a few key splurge items. Amazon actually has a growing selection of more affordable organic clothes, as does eBay and even Zappos. Want more purchasing options? Check out Of The Earth’s awesome retailer links page.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Upcycle?
This is a broader concept that challenges us to integrate green ideals into every area of our lives. You’re probably familiar with the first 3 concepts, but “upcycling” is quickly gaining momentum in the handmade community. Etsy has a great article that discusses how everyone can learn to “repurpose” trash-bound items into something useful. Not only can you upcycle your own goods, but you can also purchase products that are made of upcycled or recycled material. Definitely check out Neurasthenia’s Recycled Wearables, epositive, and EtsyTrashion.

Have you decided to go green in 2008? We’d love to hear your experiences and tips; please leave us a comment!

I’ve had some exciting experiences this past year, but they weren’t the awesome fun kind you can get from Signature Days or Great American Days. Most people, including myself, would like to try new things, visit new places, and learn new skills, which is exactly why these make perfect additions to our New Year’s Resolutions list.

The beauty of an experience gift is that they are planned experiences and activities that can make positive changes in people’s lives. There are so many to choose from that there really is something for everyone.
Some of the more popular experiences are:
NASCAR, Dinner Cruises, Fighter Pilot, Cooking Classes, and Helicopter Tours.
Some of the more unique and unusual are:
Personal Jazz Performance, Rock ‘n Roll fantasy camp, be an Interior Designer, learn to DJ, Kids artistic discovery, and more.

Obviously these can make great gifts for birthdays, holidays, or just for the fun of it. These are all location based as some cities can offer certain experiences others can’t. This allows for either a truly memorable trip away from home, a fun surprise for a visiting family member, or, for those who live in big cities, just an easy way to get someone out of their house.

Some of my personal favorites are:
Private Raw Food Course, Vegetarian Cooking Class, Kids Drawing Class, Kids Surf Party, Stunt School, Skydiving, and Hot Air Balloon Rides. I’d look forward to any one of these experiences for myself if you are interested in buying me a gift certificate.

Where can I get these exciting experiences?
Great American Days and/or Signature Days. Both provide experiences as low as $50 with some experiences up into the $1000’s and both seem to have many options for many popular cities.

COUPON: Save 10% OFF at Signature Days, when you use coupon code SIGJASOND at checkout.

Continuing our series of New Year’s Resolutions from yesterday’s Get In Shape article, Take More Pictures is next. Most people enjoy looking at past photos through Picasa (or their preferred photo viewing/editing/sharing software) and reliving some great memories. As much as I enjoy doing this, I often wish I’d taken more pictures on a certain trip I took or event I attended, but mostly just more everyday pics. Here are some reasons I didn’t take more pictures throughout the year and the possible solutions.


Possible problem: Wrong camera
If you find yourself bummed about how your camera is too slow, too bulky, poor-quality pics, not enough features, low battery life, etc., you’d probably find that an easy to use camera makes life simpler. How do you know which camera is for you? Evaluate what your needs are and choose the best camera for you. Read the specifications and other people’s reviews and pay attention to their details (ie. did it capture good in low light? quick to boot up? easy to navigate menu? good documentation?, etc.) Also feel free to start asking your friends about what they do and don’t like about their digital camera, this is very useful info. The Amazon widget to the right can help you find a great camera.

Possible problem: Don’t get to enjoy digital photos
Not everyone is computer savvy and can manipulate digital photos into works of art, or simply print one out to frame. You can buy your own printer and photo paper and try it on your computer, or you can visit a web site, upload some pictures and have them delivered to you in many different forms. Some of my favorite ways to enjoy my digital photos are to have them printed out in different formats and displayed around the house to become a part of my everyday life.
- Wallhogs: They print onto canvas, poster, or removable vinyl wall stickers up to 7 feet. Think life size cutout!
- SmugMug (Easy, ad free, many options.), Snapfish (first 50 prints FREE!), and KodakGallery (save 30% on print enlargements.), are just a few of the many places that help your organize, share, and print photos to paper, bags, mousepads, mugs, and more. For free software (Picasa, and more) to help organize, share, and enjoy your photos check out the Google Pack.

Possible problem: Forgot the camera
Start setting a better habit of bringing your camera with you everytime. Try leaving the camera by the door, always carrying it in your travel bag, leave it in the car, ask a friend to bring theirs, or tie a string around a finger. Whatever it takes for you to remember, do it.

Possible problem: I’m not a good photographer
Yes you are! You just don’t know it yet. I promise, the more you take pictures and flip through them with your favorite software the more you’ll become aware of what looks good and what doesn’t. Besides the point of the photo is to capture a moment in time, not to see who can take the best picture. Trust me, getting a funkily cropped/slightly blurry photo, is still better than getting no photo. Maybe you can even try taking a photography class at your local college.

For more choices and unbeatable deals be sure to check out eBay once you’ve found the camera model you desire.

What about you? What stops you from taking more pictures while you are out and about?

With 2008 just days away, many people are pondering New Year’s resolutions. There’s definitely something about a fresh calendar year that jump starts our desire to make positive changes. Being surrounded by friends, family, and co-workers who are also brainstorming ways to improve makes this an especially ideal time for such endeavors. Bonus!

Over the next week we will be exploring some of the most popular New Years resolutions in a new series of blog posts. Please be sure to come back again and let us know which of the featured resolutions that you will be committing to, or to suggest tips for sticking to new resolutions.

The most popular New Years resolution is always Get In Shape. There are countless ways to do this, and here are a few of my favorite tips and products.

For the Yoga Newbie: The Yoga for Beginner’s Kit from renowned yoga expect Rodney Yee contains everything you’ll need to get started with yoga. My favorite part is the marked yoga mat that shows you just where to place your feet and hands. And, if you do it regularly, “this 20-minute complete practice yields more benefits than a 90 minute yoga class once a week.” Yoga For Inflexible People is another good introductory DVD that is a user favorite. $30 & $10.99

When Space is Limited: You’ll be hard pressed to find a piece of exercise equipment that is smaller than the Mini Stepper with Resistance Cords. Taking up less than 2 square feet, it provides a no-impact, high-intensity, full body, strength and cardio workout. The built-in computer tracks time and steps, and since it’s so portable you can bring it to work and exercise while sitting at your desk. $69

Sexy Fit: Varying your routine is key in sticking to your exercise plan. If things get boring, try a DVD or class that will spice things up. I didn’t think I would enjoy the Aerobic Striptease DVD series, but I was pleasantly surprised when it actually turned out to be fun. The first 2 DVDs (”Aerobic Striptease” and “Fit To Strip”) make excellent additions to your overall workout plan, or would make great beginning points for those who are just beginning to exercise. Either way, you’re likely help you to feel more confident “in your skin”. For more sexy exercise options, check out the wildly popular Pole Dancing Kit! $34.99 & $99

I can’t say enough good things about instructional fitness videos: they are way more appealing to me than the gym. Plus, this winter weather doesn’t exactly compel most people to go outside. My fellow indoor fitness lovers will appreciate this final collection of exercise DVDs.

World Dance Inspired: This is a category near to my heart. There are movement styles from other countries that are so beautiful, exotic, unique, and sometimes quite sexy. Even better: If you feel you “can’t dance”, you may feel differently after trying one of these new styles. These titles are customer favorites, best sellers on Amazon, and are all on my To Buy/Rent DVD list.
L to R: Dance the Chakras, Bellydance Basics and Beyond, Bollyrobics Dance Workout, African Healing Dance and Hoopnotic Hoopdance Level 1 (PS- I’ve recently fallen in love with hula hooping for fun and fitness. Highly recommended.)

Photo by Cheryl Empey