• Wonder if there are any hungry bears in the area…Sarah Palin and Kate Gosselin go Camping – cnn
• Alaskan oil spill averted? Towing Ship Steams to Rescue of Stricken Tanker – msnbc
• Electrocution of Birds and Collision With Power Line: Solutions to a Global Problem – sciencedaily
• Honey, you got a package…‘Operation Spiderman’ Busts German Man Accused of Mailing Rare Tarantulas – aol news

Gala, office party and casual soiree invites mounting? Here are some ecofashionable dresses that can be worn now or year-round.

(above L to R ) For 10% off at checkout use code HOLIDAY10 for these 2 dresses: AngelRox Formal Wrap – can be converted into many styles; $188…@ nimli.com and Nixxi Faux Wrap (in black or plum) – made from a blend of organic cotton, viscose made from bamboo, soy and Spandex jersey; $180 @ nimli.com.

(above L to R ) Tank Dress with Racer Back and New Muu Dress – made of 98% bamboo jersey and 2% Spandex, machine wash cold; $99/each @ LTRbrands.com.

Transition from day to night in Jonano’s organic bamboo little black dress; A-line with cowl neck @ Nancy’sGoneGreen eco boutique; $75.

(above L to R) The Lilikoi Veronique made of rayon from sustainable bamboo, organic cotton and a touch of Spandex; ($170) and Elroy Gili in combed organic cotton; ($98) …$5 on all shipping; sign up for newsletter and receive special discounts on eco and vegan fashion @ ecolissa.com

The following travel post is provided by Guest Contributor, Holly Maguire for Escapio.com.

Packed beaches, trashy discos and Benidorm are the conscientious traveler’s Spanish nightmare. Far away from the sun worshipers and sangria, Paradores across the Iberian peninsula offer stylish, historic and environmentally friendly retreats, the ideal hideaways for nature and culture lovers.

The converted buildings range from palaces, castles and forts to former hospitals, monasteries and convents. Many of the properties are centuries old and thanks to an early 20th century government initiative, were saved from ruin with a concept to transform them into stopping points for travelers and pilgrims across the country.

Many Paradores sit beautifully in natural surroundings, protected areas and mountain locations, whilst others are in historic city centers like Granada, Santiago de Compostela and Ronda. The restaurants are the ideal way to sample traditional regional cuisine, with menus tailored to classic recipes and ingredients sourced locally and organically.

Having stayed in paradores in Andalusia — they’re a fantastic way to see a new yet truly typical side of Spain, whilst supporting local enterprises and contributing to the continuing restoration of historic buildings.

photo credit:  escapio.com

Here’s something different. For obsessed audiophiles, tie-wearing hipsters and voracious fashion attention seekers – these conservative looking neck ties and accessories are constructed of sonic fabric – the invention of conceptual and sound artist Alyce Santoro. The ties, purses and hats all emit a garbled, underwater-like sound if you run their fabric over a tape head over it (good luck with that).

The pieces are made of a textile woven from 50% recorded audio cassette tape and 50% colored polyester thread. I know, it could be greener, but there’s no legislating ‘cool’. The limited-edition accessories are hand sewn in Manhattan by designer Julio Cesar.

The sound collage mixed onto the current batch of tape before weaving consists of looped and layered samples of Manhattan and Brooklyn street sounds from Alyce’s Between Stations CD.  The collection can be found and purchased @ Alyce’s Supermarket store.

These earrings are handmade from recycled Mexican bottle caps. Very cute.. at Etsy-based JustineJustine for a very reasonable $13.56 U.S.

Eco smart, eco chic, eco sexy…EcoSkin’s Holiday Promotion – until December 15th, receive 30% off your entire order by using code HOLIDAY2010 at checkout.  Start saving @ ecoskincollections.com

In an effort to get into the holiday spirit I present these lovely handmade, newspaper rose wreaths created by NatureAccessories.  No trees, pine cones or shrubs were harmed in their creation… just some upcycled newspapers being spared the recycling bin or landfill by being transformed into something quite artsy useful.

• A win for our oceans and beaches…U.S. Won’t Allow Drilling in Atlantic, off Florida – reuters
• The big nations don’t lead…Climate Talks Hit Bump as Brazilian Leader Expects No Result – yahoo! news
• Trees that would glow…without lights. Bioluminescent Christmas Trees? – npr
• Africa ‘Can Feed Itself in a Generation’ – bbc
• This poison is in everything from kid’s sippy cups to antiques…Dangerous Levels of Lead Found in Many Consumer Products – sciencedaily
• NYC Bees Turn Red From Cherry Juice – myway
• Are you a scorpion or not? New Species of ‘Pseudoscorpion’ Discovered at Yosemite – msnbc

Creating edgy outdoor apparel since 1994, New Zealand-based, Icebreaker opens their first East Coast store, TouchLab in Manhattan today and we’re celebrating by giving away $375 worth of their snazzy apparel.

“More and more New Yorkers will soon discover Icebreaker’s miracle fiber from New Zealand,” said Jeremy Moon, Icebreaker’s founder and CEO. “We think it will be love at first touch.”

(L to R, below) – Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) and New Zealander Taika Waititi (Academy Award nominee named as one of “ten new directors to watch” by Variety and director of the new film “Boy“) popped in for a sneak peek and Icebreaker shard this informal snapshot with us. In fact – Jemaine and FOTC bandmate Bret McKenzie wore Icebreaker base layers a lot to stay warm while shooting their HBO series in often chilly NYC.

The 2,500-square-foot flagship store is located at 102 Wooster Street, between Spring and Prince Streets. Duck into TouchLab and dip your hands into silky smooth raw merino wool. Enter to win their Grand Opening Contest, a Free Trip for Two to New Zealand – just visit the store, try on on a merino wool garment and fill out an entry form. Be sure to check out their Holiday Gift Guide.