“During the holiday season we tend, as a whole, to consume more. And, in doing so we create more… waste, that is. The following is a short list of ideas to help you reduce, reuse and recycle this season.

• Purchase living gifts such as house plants, garden seeds or potted trees that can be transplanted in the spring.
• Reduce waste by offering homemade food items or personal services as gifts. Baking cookies or preparing a meal a week for someone who would appreciate the help are two examples.
• Reuse holiday wrapping: use old maps or pages from newspaper comics for wrapping gifts.
• Reuse good quality, nearly new items as gifts or as donations to less fortunate individuals and families. Local charities can help distribute these items.
• If your celebration calls for a Christmas tree, compensate for the harvest of your tree; arrange to plant a new tree in your yard or neighborhood next spring.
• Give gifts that promote eco friendly life style changes. For example: cloth napkins and tablecloths, cloth or string shopping bags, a compost bin, gift certificates to resale shops, lunch boxes, reusable or biodegradable picnic plates, cups and utensils, recycling bins, or any gift made from recycled materials.

To preserve the spirit of giving, don’t try to give too much. Less “stuff” means less waste and a healthier environment for everyone.”

Article courtesy of San Diego’s organic and vegetarian Ocean Beach People’s Co-op.

On the other hand, Gaiam’s 6th Annual Outlet Sale actually lives up to its name. This is the time of year that the eco-friendly retailer discounts the heck out of their slower selling items in order to make room for all the new goodies. The discounts are huge so the supplies are really limited.

There are big discounts in all categories (Eco Fashion, Home & Garden, Wellness, Fitness, etc.) but I’ve become partial to their simple eco-friendly clothing. This white boatneck hidden-zipper jacket made from organic cotton has got my name written all over it. The collar kills me it’s so cute. The Gaiam website has also gotten a bit of an overhaul and they recently added reviews and the ability to post a question about any product. For instance, one user asked what the length was of that rad boatneck jacket. Man, I love useful interactive website features like that. Anyway, the sale “ends” when the products start selling out so if you dig any of their outlet items, scoop them up now.

Mable’s has green gifts all year in our Eco-Friendly Gifts category. We are consistently looking for new green gifts to add to these categories as all of our products are hand picked.

• Eco Living
• Eco Home
• Recycled Gifts
• Organic Clothes
• Plants & Gardening

Mable’s looks for gifts that use sustainable materials, recycled materials, organically grown materials, were fairly traded, reusable, and hopefully come from a factory that uses sustainable energy.

We also just added some BioDiesel Kits to easily convert your diesel engine to run off a more sustainable and cleaner burning fuel, vegetable oil. I’d be all over this kit, but I haven’t found a diesel powered scooter… yet. I guess my 80 MPG gas scooter will do until then.

These 100% biodegradable pots are made from renewable grain husks, are certified organic, and will hold their shape and size for about 5 years. That’s a long time to grow some delicious herbs. As an added Green bonus, by growing plants indoors they will convert the CO2 you expel into Oxygen for your lungs. Yay for synergy!

Order yours today and choose between Lemon Basil, Lavender, Oregano or Parsley. Remember you can always pick up your own seeds from somewhere else and use those in these organic biodegradable pots. These make great green gifts for teachers, and families with kids to help show us all what goes into growing food.

$15.95

Find more green growing gifts in our Plants and Gardening gifts section.

One of the lines carried at Nimli was also mentioned in the Lucky feature, and they offer classy, simple, contemporary women’s styles. ecoSkin is Los Angeles-based, and Spring 2008 marks their debut line. The designer says “I wanted to give women a hip, sophisticated collection, as well as a sustainable product that would not leave a footprint on the environment. My vision is to continually raise women’s awareness of their options. We can combine eco-friendly fabrics with a high design aesthetic.”

$106-$190

RELATED: For more lovely eco-friendly fashion, be sure to check out our Organic Clothes section.

Although there are a few Easter bouquets to choose from, Mable’s recommends the Stargazer Lilies because of their sheer beauty and delicious fragrance that fills the room.

$39.95 – $59.95

Shipped fresh direct from the grower via FedEx Next Day, these beautiful roses are guaranteed to last at least 7 days from the time of delivery. Your sweetie will also appreciate that they were grown using “Veriflora” so they were “produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner”.

BONUS COUPON: Get $10 off a $50+ purchase. Just use Coupon Code AP2P during checkout. Expires January 31st, 2008.

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!

We lay our bodies on our sheets about a third of our lives, which, from my point of view, is too much time spent with the most chemical-laden crop in the world. Thanks to the many online retailers soft organic sheets are an affordable nightly luxury that we should all enjoy.

Right now Gaiam is having an Organic Sheet Sale with prices as low as $40 per sheet. They also carry attractive printed organic sheets vs the standard solid white most retailers carry.

Viva Terra carries organic Pima cotton sheet sets in queen and king, as well as organic Duvet Covers. If you are in need of other sizes I’d head over to Design Public for their organic full fitted and flat sheets.

For the little ones, who probably benefit most from chemical-free sheets, Kee-Ka carries organic cotton baby bedding in solid colors and delicious cupcake patterns. Pair the sheets together with an organic blanket and your baby should be all set.