cheers to you.

with our best wishes for a very green, healthy, happy 2009!

in honor of bad behavior, we’re all taking off New Year’s Day.

and resolving to not make any new resolutions.

see you next year…hopefully without a hangover.

With Shine On, a new hair styling product from John Masters Organics in hand, we had the opportunity to put it to the test.

My hair is long, and has a tendency to be dry in the winter so I was curious to see if this green goo would make a difference.  And from the first time I applied it to my wet head of hair, I’m happy to say that it really works.  My locks really do look and feel healthy, soft, and shiny.  My hair feels moisturized, and the volume is kicked up a notch. A definite green thumbs up.

It’s not surprising.  When I looked into the ingredient mix, I realized that the addition of a new innovation to beauty, organic sea kelp is key to this product’s success.  You won’t find any of the nasty stuff in any of John’s products.  He adheres to a very strict, self-imposed set of eco and body friendly standards for every one of the 30 products in this unique brand.

find at Whole Foods ($30) or buy online @ johnmastersorganics.com before 12/31/08 and receive 20% off, enter code “so” at checkout. So go and get your Shine On.

For that feathered friend who just wants to get away…

Winter’s a great time to get out your power tools and create some bird-friendly housing.

$27 @ etsy

Disposable batteries consumed by devices ranging from garage door openers to vibrators are an expensive, toxic source of pollution.

Eco-friendly alternatives include rechargeable batteries and wind-up, or crank powered devices, like this Wind-up Remote Control from EZ Power.

Thirty turns of the remote’s dial will fully charge this baby for a whole week. Keep it fully charged by turning the dial a few times while watching those re-runs of Baywatch or Wild Kingdom. This man-powered remote can control up to 6 devices at a time.

Now if they could just make this gadget out of bamboo…

£19.53 @ ethicalsuperstore.com

• The Bush record on the environment is a travesty...Calif. Sues to Block Bush Species Rules – msnbc
• That pesky British beaver problem…Escaped Beaver Fells River Trees – bbc
• California’s OriginOil Seeks Better Way to Grow Algae – reuters
• The hunters become the hunted…(video) Kayakers Escape Shark – natgeo
• Could my shortage of hair hurt my plants? Human Hair Combined With Compost is Good Fertilizer for Plants – sciencedaily

Writer, carpenter, parade float designer and artist, Jim Rosenau has transformed books into thematic, handcrafted bookshelves and furniture.

Recycled prose, art furniture, upcycled books or mind-tweaking sculpture – it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

find out more @ thisintothat.com

It’s hard to appreciate what one doesn’t know, and in 2009, there could be no knowledge greater and appreciation more necessary than that for the Earth’s health. This is where backpacking comes in.

Backpacking has the ability to seed and nurture gratitude for the environment, while feeding desires to preserve it. When one enters the wilderness with only a pack on their back, awareness rapidly takes formation around issues like water consumption, garbage creation, biodegradability, behavioral impacts, and one’s place in the natural world.

The amount of water that a traveler’s body will require to quench its thirst, cook its food, or cleanse its surfaces, has to be either physically hauled through the rugged terrain, or sought after and filtered to insure safety. The traveler must keep all garbage items in their possession until the journey has been completed, providing a constant reminder of the amount of packaging and waste utilized daily. They, not the plants and animals, must adjust their behavior to accommodate the union – using only biodegradable products and observing how their choice of trail or campsite could affect the surroundings.

So as vacation time approaches during the New Year, one needn’t travel any further than their own country to find the adventure and awe of another world.

Existing amongst the intense beauty offered by National Parks (while utilizing the least amount of energy possible for a good time), one can truly find peace of mind, discover the level of their body’s health, and feel their sense of responsibility to the Earth. Trek on with this hydration-compatible backpack made of recycled materials and complete with a day pack and tracking-pole mounts.

• Name the band that popularized the ‘vegemite sandwich’. NZ Airline Flies Jetliner Partly on Veggie Oil - yahoo! news
• Focus on Weatherization is Shift on Energy Costs – ny times
• Scat Tested for Clues to Orca Decline – msnbc
• They’ve got coal too…Montana’s Got Wind, Needs Power Lines – cs monitor
• Unleash the hounds! Rachel Ray’s Toxic Dog Food Recipe Making Owners Growl – ecorazzi
• First clue. Think weather…Top 10 Most Literate U.S. Cities – livescience
• Don’t forget the flowers…Flowering Plants Speed Post-Surgery Recovery – sciencedaily

Check out our Top 10 posts and bag that plastic bag.

• goodOne – how profane the f bomb
• GreenAid Reusable Shopping Bag it’s war
  
• Sheryl Crow Shopping Totes for under a buck
• Anya Hindmarch’s I’m Not a Plastic Bag eco faux pas
  
• Bags on the Run washable & recyclable
  
• How Green is Your Bag market bags from jute
• BeGreenNow’s BeGreenPod fold up and clip on
• BlueAvocado’s Coordinated Collection (pic, above)
• Wear Some Green on Your Shoulder 17 eco-friendly bags
• Eco chic and Eco Friendly Shopping Bag Guide 20+ options