From around the blogosphere, a green stimulus package for your eyes, ears and mind.

• Fact or Fiction? Valentine’s Day Special on Discovery – Tyrannosaurus Sex, 10p ET.  (via The Daily News)
• The eco fashion industry is revved up for this year’s earth-friendly runway series, TheGreenShows in NYC, Feb. 14 thru 17.  Some of the eco-fashion trendsetters who’ll be strutting their stuff – Gary Harvey, Vaute Couture, Joann Berman, Popomomo, Samantha Pleet, Thieves by Sonja den Elzen, deux fm, Ekovaruhuset and C. Marchuska.  We’ll be on the scene bringing it to you next week.
• As you may have heard, Green Music Group celebrated their official launch last weekend in L.A.  GMG is all about music and the environment – can we have our live music without harming the planet?  check it out @  www.greenmusicgroup.org.
• Do the recent winter storms signal the end of global warming?  I think not.  The inimitable John Stewart, video clip via repowerAmerica
• Oscar gets green – Food Inc and The Cove via huffpost
• Is Coke greening or greenwashing the Olympics? (more…)

Valentine’s Day – the one day out of the year when ladies expect romance.  Now, boys, before you start browsing the overpriced chocolates and cliché cards, you should know…  what we really want, is something from the heart.  Here are a few eco-conscious ideas to inspire.

For you artsy, evolved, DIY types – consider the homemade route for flowers and cards.  Rather than buying a dozen roses and the cliché hallmark card, you can easily make your own from old magazines, scrap fabrics, and materials around the house.  Check out this instructional origami rose YouTube video.  The extra time and effort alone trumps any store bought flowers or generic cards.

No reservations for dinner?  No need.  Create your own special dinner for two, whether it’s a late night picnic or a cozy meal at home.  The intimate homemade gesture, along with some stimulating conversation, makes for true romance.  Find a foolproof recipe @ Organic Authority.  And, don’t forget the wine; find a few organic vino suggestions @ my recipes.com.

Good with your hands?  Pamper your date with a good massage.  Dim the lights, light a few candles, and slather on the oil.  Keep in mind, the skin is the largest sensory organ, so every touch is a personal experience.

And, ladies, be sure to return the favor.  Guys enjoy their massages too, whether or not they admit it.

Urge to splurge just a little?  Ladies, end (or perhaps, start) the night with a visual treat for your man.  Sexy negligee is sure to spice up the bedroom.  Urban Fox features handmade bamboo and organic cotton blend fabrics that exude sex appeal.  Find a set that suits your taste, and let the fun begin.

Display a little solar love in your garden, yard or patio.  This cute piece of solar powered garden art is constructed of a stainless steel garden stake, solar collector, amber LED and detachable hand-blown glass heart swirled in red.

Just plant the lantern in direct sunlight and and let it do its thing, as the blown glass swirling heart lights up itself each night.

Comes with 2 rechargeable AA batteries. Bottom stake is detachable. Fully assembled height 58,” intermediate height 39″

on sale for $35 @ allsopgarden.com

As you know, we don’t favor mindless consumption, but we do occasionally like to perk up our wardrobes and spirits with an eco conscious, stylish indulgence. Here’s this week’s small, edited collection of eco savvy fashion finds.

(above)  Sweet somethings for your sweetie. Handmade right here in the USA from vintage ephemera and recycled sterling silver @ foundling.com

A shoe-in — check out Keen’s new line of summer sandals for kids of all ages.  (above) Men’s Coronado Sandal features natural rubber exterior and a removable cork insole.  Sounds comfy, and comes in two cool neutral shades!

(above) Everything’s coming up daisies.  Spring for lightweight accents with rings, necklaces and bracelets made from felt. Reach across the pond; (£ 4.00/each) @ Pure Design. (more…)

• We have a new word…’snowpocalypse’…More Mega-Snowstorms Coming – Global Warming to Blame? – natgeo
• It sometimes snows in the winter…get over it. Climate Fight Heats up in Deep Freeze – msnbc/ny times
• Good intentions with bad results? Controversy Mounts in EU Over Fall-Out From Biofuel – reuters
• We’ll see the disastrous effects of this move in a couple of years…Feds Pass on Surest Solution to Asian Carp Advance – myway
• Can emissions trading work? European Carbon Scheme is a Success, Research Says – reuters
• Inquiring minds want to know…Do Speedy Elephants Walk or Run? (video) – bbc
• This is what happens when you let your skills go…Bull Turns Tables on White Tiger – ananova

I recently learned that when my mother was pregnant with me she constantly craved pickles.  This might explain why I have an unhealthy obsession with them.  I’ve been trying to make my own pickles at home for a few months now (that sounds like a lot of failure, but I have to wait between one and three weeks for each batch).   Finally, today, I made some good ones!  Here’s the recipe (credit to howtopickle.com):

What you need:
Ball Jars (or any other glass canning jars)
Distilled water (this is important, you can buy it at most grocery stores)
White Vinegar
Kosher, non-iodized salt
Pickling cucumbers (this is important, I made the mistake of using small cucumbers and it did not end well).

Ok, I confess, I used a mixture of “pickling spices” that I picked up from Whole Foods; but if you’re ambitious and you want to make your own spice for the brine you can find the recipe at howtopickle.com.

• The recipe I used calls for 3 parts distilled water to 1 part white vinegar.
• Boil this mixture in a pot.  (more…)

UPDATE: Congratulations to Rosey, our official winner of this fabulous prize!  Thanks to everyone for participating.  (original post follows…)

In honor of Cupid and new moms, this Great Green Giveaway is sponsored by our friends at Georgia-based, Earth Lover Shopping, supporters of Fair Trade made, earth-friendly goods.

One very lucky winner will receive an absolutely gorgeous Tuttabella Mommy diaper bag made of organic cotton canvas; (as pictured, in teal).  This is no ordinary diaper bag.

Here’s the poop (haha)!  This sturdy bag easily converts from hand carry to backpack style and includes a handy matching changing pad.  (retail value $69) + free shipping to anywhere in the USA.

To enter, simply: (more…)

Designer Daniel Moyer makes his FunkinFunctionalLongboards out of 100% repurposed, premium, local, hard wood scrap.  Daniel hand shapes these “ride on art” made to order, old school cruising longboards in Brooklyn, NY.  Boards are one of a kind, signed and archived.  Get more info @ daneilmoyerdesign shop

From Envirosax, get 20% TODAY ONLY when you order a Pouch Set – a set of five matching bags in the Graphic Series Pouch Line – La Boheme, Mikado, Planet Green, Animal Planet, Flora, Retro Graphic, Candy, Oxford, etc.  NOTE:  Discount price does NOT pertain to the Botanica series.

No restrictions apply to quantity, so order as many as you like. Sale ends at midnight tonight, (Thursday, 2/11/10) and while stocks last.  Woohoo – kick-up your style quotient at the market!

Enter BLOGLOVE in the discount coupon section for 20% discount to be applied.

USA orders placed via www.envirosax.com Website only.

Canada orders placed via  www.envirosax.ca Website only.