You put it on your cereal, pack it with your kids, add it to your coffee and use it to make sauces.  It comes in a variety of flavors and colors.  Yes it’s milk!  Skip the annoying commercials (who’s getting paid for those anyway) and let’s talk about economics.

On December 3rd over 100 dairy farmers traveled to speak with congress “to demand justice and overhaul a broken milk pricing system,” said Joel Greeno of Kendall, Wisconsin. What’s wrong with the pricing of milk, you ask?

It’s actually relatively complicated.  Milk goes through three stages: farmer, processor, and vendor.  The farmers have the cows and milk them.  They then sell this raw milk to processors who pasteurize and package the milk.  You see milk at the third stage, in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.

Dairy farmers are getting the short end of the stick, they’re being paid less than ever for milk that’s costing more and more to produce.  This is disproportionately affecting small farmers, who are having a hard time surviving.  The USDA estimates that farmers spend $18 per 100 pounds of milk, but they’re only getting back about $10 of that money.

There are several reasons for this gap.  (more…)

• Glenn Beck says their thermometer was broken…U.N.: 2000 to 2009 Likely the Warmest Decade on Record – yahoo! news
• The plot thickens…Was the Russian Secret Service Behind Leak of Climate Change Emails? – the independent
• Lobsters to be Supersized by Climate Change? – natgeo
• Dick Cheney just called from Haliburton’s underground lair to voice his disapproval…Copenhagen Summit Welcomes US Emission Curbs – bbc
• More on the growing ‘cow’ problem…Tenn. Man Says Cows Licked $100 in Damage to House – myway
• Our political machine needs some replacement parts…EPA Move on Climate as Congress Stalls – reuters
• Yes, this estimate came from a scientific study…Sea Levels Could Rise 0.75 to 1.9 Meters This Century – sciencedaily

We’ve recently joined the OpenSky Shopkeeper community where we now have a our own little green shop.  OpenSky is a unique internet shopping community where every product in a shopkeeper’s store is handpicked by the shopkeeper/blogger with an interest and a love for their own area of expertise.  In our case eco-friendly products.

Now through midnight Wednesday December 9th you can register to receive coupons ranging from $15 to $100 off and 10% to 50% off any items in any shopkeepers store.  When you register enter AlternativeConsumer as your favorite shopkeeper.

The quicker you enter the better your chances for great savings, year-round!

register @ theopenskyproject.com

Artist Carl Woodland creates some striking stuff out of driftwood gathered from the islands around Texas and California.

Carl makes tables, lamps, mirrors and sculptures primarily out of weathered cedar.  We thought we’d feature a couple of his beautiful mirrors.

find more of Carl’s work @ alldriftwoodfurniture.com

Having just experienced a frigidly cold high school football game at Giant Stadium last Saturday night, I can now more fully appreciate the value of this Sneak It In Disposable Flask.

After purchasing our tickets to the New Jersey State Championship high school game, we were frisked before entering the stadium — to remove any explosive devices, contraband alcohol or innards-warming cocoa.  No beverage containers were allowed (thus insuring sales of $4.50 hot cocoa and $8 beers).  As we cheered enthusiastically amid the beautifully falling snow, having the ability to enjoy a nice hot toddy (adults only) would have been an awesome, bone warming option.  Perhaps a nifty gift for the sports enthusiast in your crowd. Restoration Hardware (set of 3, $15).  Oh, more importantly, Mountain Lakes crushed Butler, 48 to 7.

I like my Thievery Corporation…Power Up The Planet, a new compilation CD created by cause-based music company Planetwize, features a flavorful mix of 14 global fusion tracks from top international artists like Thievery Corporation, Brazilian Girls, Zap Mama and Ozomatli.  Sales of the CD raise funds for SolarAid, a project dedicated to bringing solar power to people in underdeveloped nations.  The eclectic mix of English and Spanish language tracks ranging from reggae and Latin to electronic and Afrobeat all tap into Power Up The Planet’s theme of: energy, empowerment, and hope.

SolarAid is about getting power to underprivileged people – currently 1.6 billion people have no electricity – by providing people the skills and technology required to produce enough solar energy to run a radio, mobile phone, or light where previously there was none.  Every download or physical CD sold helps SolarAid (www.solar-aid.org) fight climate change and poverty.  With successful projects in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya, SolarAid brings solar lanterns, mobile phone and battery chargers to rural and remote communities throughout Africa, replacing dangerous and expensive kerosene lanterns with clean, renewable power.

Power Up The Planet is available in digital and physical CD versions @ planetwise.com.  The physical CD comes in completely “green” packaging made of recycled cardboard printed with soy-based ink; the CD tray is made from recycled plastic bottles and the wrap is biodegradable.

An eco-friendly, charitable stocking stuffer?

I guess GM is putting its money where its electric vehicle mouth is.  General Motors has announced it will invest $336 million in the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant to begin production of the Chevrolet Volt electric car, with extended-range capabilities, in 2010.

The move brings GM’s combined Volt-related investments in Michigan to $700 million, covering eight facilities.  Detroit-Hamtramck will be the final assembly location for the Volt, using tooling from Grand Blanc, lithium-ion batteries from GM’s Brownstown Township battery pack manufacturing facility, camshafts and connecting rods from Bay City, and stampings and the Volt’s 1.4L engine-generator, from Flint.

“We expect the Detroit-Hamtramck plant will be the first facility in the U.S. owned by a major automaker to produce an electric car. (more…)

This week I wanted to take the opportunity to share with all of you Alternative Consumer readers a holiday gift guide that EcoSceneInc.com and MeGoGreen.com have collaborated on – the 2009 Holiday Green Guide.

The Holiday Green Guide is for anyone desiring to go green as well as anyone looking for eco-friendly gift savings. The Guide is filled with coupon savings from nearly 30 online retailers, such as: West Paws for pets, Goods for the Garden, A Tree Instead Corp, five ACCESSORIES, Happy Bambino and MyChenelle Dermaceuticals. It appears to have something for everyone.

The savings contained within this Green Guide ranges from 10%-30% off, to free gear and free shipping. The Guide coupons are good thru to the end of December, so there’s lots of time to take advantage of them for Christmas gifts or even after Christmas sales.

Each of the businesses has provided a coupon code to enter upon checkout, so be sure to visit the Holiday Green Guide to get the best deals on your last minute shopping.
It’d be great to hear how many of you found this useful and if you were able to find any unique and fabulous gifts for your loved ones.  Feel free to jump in and leave a comment.

Enjoy!

Strapya always has cute, kitchy stuff like this Mickey Mouse solar calculator.  Although some of their stuff is total junk.  Better order this cute little gadget fast before the Disney trademark lawyers track down the manufacturer.

find it @ strapya-world.com