• As I type I’m watching one flap around in a nearby tree…Plastic Bags: On Their Way Out? – sierra club green home
• Bad and badder…Global Economic Downturn Failed to Curb Global Warming Emissions – livescience
• The cold (or hot), hard truth…Three-Quarters of Climate Change is Man-Made: Study – scientific american
• The USA has plenty of its own biofuel sources…Asian Palm-Based Biofuel May Struggle in US – reuters
• This Wet Bug weighs as much as 3 mice…World’s Largest Insect Discovered in New Zealand – yahoo! news
• In Florida, Cautious Hope for Everglades Protection – npr
  

Have you noticed that when you are entertaining at home, people love to congregate in the kitchen? No matter how big your living room is, your guests are crammed into your kitchen elbow to elbow, as happy as can be! In feng shui the room that people gather in has energy called, “ren chi” and is the heart of the home. So I thought that with the holiday season on our heels, this would be a good time to share my EcoChi® tips for the kitchen with you.

• Replace your sink faucet and with a low flow faucet. Some have water saving features that use 30% less water!
• Plastic is toxic for our planet and takes up to 500 years to decompose. Install a water filter system for your cooking and drinking water and avoid drinking from plastic bottles whenever possible.
• Use LOW VOC or NO VOC paints. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds which are toxic gasses that are emitted and released into the air by a wide range of products, including paints, lacquers, adhesives and carpets. (more…)

Do you have a music lover on your gift list? The solar-powered party in a box Soulra XL boombox is a portable, solar-powered sound system – perfect for all you poolside sexy beasts. Check out the specs – it looks great. You can find it on amazon.com for $249.36.

The definition of a ‘sexy gadget’ is definitely in the eye of the beholder. How about a high-tech thermostat that will help save cash for that favorite someone in both hot summers and cold winters? The Honeywell FocusPRO 600 – pictured above ($55) has some nice features:

• 5-1-1 or 5-2 day programmable
• Wireless
• Built-in instructions
• It can help you save up to 33% on annual heating/cooling costs

(photo above) Make listening to your favorite tunes a greener, more sustainable experience with these Vers eco earbuds.

Designed for high performance – these PVC-free earbuds with microphones offer sound isolation, blocking 90% of ambient noise – and the solid wood acoustic chambers deliver richer sound than their plastic counterparts. They’re nicely handcrafted and sourced from sustainably sourced walnut, bamboo and natural cherry. available @ versaudio.com $49.99

Voltaic solar bags, backpacks and chargers make a great gift for students or travelers who need to keep all their vital electronics constantly charged. Given that most of us are tied to at least one electronic gadget, it’s almost essential to have an electrical outlet nearby at all times. But considering the hobbies and professions of some people, this isn’t always an option. The Voltaic series bags by Solar Power Generation gives us the means to recharge our essential electronics while on the go.

The Voltaic bags and backpacks have rows of small solar cells on their exterior, allowing you to recharge nearly any electronic device in your inventory without needing an outlet. Whether it’s a cell phone, PDA, MP3 player, or camera, Voltaic bags can recharge them all by plugging in a basic car charger. If a car charger is not handy, each bag comes complete with 11 standard adaptors to recharge just about any device.

Each bag features a Lithium Ion battery pack that will store any surplus power gained through the day, and they are obviously a great way to ease our reliance on basic electricity. You can find Voltaic’s full line of off-grid solar chargers @ amazon.com.

Related: more holiday green gift guides on The Alternative Consumer

Since our first trial of Vaska in ’09, I’ve been a fan of their laundry detergent (review here) – it’s one of the best green laundry detergents available. So when I was recently offered a free bottle of Spotoff spray for testing purposes, I said sure. This past weekend, armed with the advanced botanicals spot remover, I put it to the test on a white organic cotton hoodie that was covered with all sorts of stains, including red ink, tomato sauce and soy sauce. (I know, what a slob.) Poor hoodie – I thought it might be headed to the re-use bin but much to my amazement all the ugly stains were lifted in just 2 easy steps.

I sprayed the garment with Vaska Spotoff, let it sink-in for about 30 minutes, and then tossed it into the washing machine with a load of whites. I used my usual Vaska Herbatergent (liquid laundry detergent), which I buy on a regular basis. When I hung the hoodie to dry I almost hugged it. It was spotless. Freakin’ aweseome. Needless to say, you’ll never see another bottle of Shout on my shelf.

Spotoff is biodegradable – derived from natural ingredients, and formulated to treat spills and stains on clothing, rugs and upholstery. Safe on colors, whites, natural and synthetic textiles. The company tells me it’s potent enough to remove wine stains, which I’m sure will come in handy (perhaps after that New Year’s bash).

ingredients: botanical surfactants, natural blending agents, lavender extract, alcohol and filtered water. Contains no dyes, chlorine or fragrances.

Body- and planet-friendly, find Vaska at Duane Reade in NYC and online at amazon.com; (priced at about $10 per 22 oz & worth every penny).

full disclosure – I received one bottle of Spotoff for the purposes of this Tried and True Green Product Review – no strings attached.

• Obama and Clinton Announce Energy Saving Program – npr
• No this is not about sex with kidnapped country rock band…World’s First Captive Breeding of Ozark HellBenders – sciencedaily
• In engineering, two heads are better than one…Toyota and BMW Join Hands on Green Technology – reuters
• Finally a confirmed Yeti sighting…Yeti Crab Grows its Own Food – nature.com
• US horses are trucked over the border for slaughter…Why PETA is Supporting Horse Slaughter in the USA…for Now – ecorazzi
• What’s that smell? Some Personality Traits Affect How You Smell – livescience

Related: more eco news from The Alternative Consumer

Holidays got your mind in a spin and panties in a wad? Kick back … take deep breaths in and out … in and out … whether on or off the mat.

(above) UK-based Good One makes it easy to reflect personal values as you cover-up … with seriously sustainable style (the line features recycled and upcycled fabrics) and taste, some personal Outerwear faves:  Blanket Coat $325; Oversized Sweatshirt $70; Jersey Cape $55.

(above) Keep mitts as warm as your heart – even while you text … mittens on the outside, fingerless gloves on the inside. Organic Cotton Cable Knit Capped Mittens from Gaiam – now on sale, $29.99

(above L to R) Bamboo lounge wear, anyone? Relax in uber Yala comfort – from Green Earth Bamboo: … (also check out their holiday sale thru 12/15)

• Molly Long Gown by (renewable bamboo) $65
• Men’s Bamboo Lounge Pant $65

(above) Green every step of the way … Autonomie Project Ethletic All Black High-top eco sneaks for your green guy $58 @ nimli.com.

(above L to R) Embracing the good … Handcrafted and Fair Trade jewelry from EarthLoverShopping – 4-strand heart bracelet ($11); 3-strand necklace $26 made from recycled paper beads; and recycled silver Let Your Heart See What Your Eyes Cannot necklace, made in Taxco, Mexico $72. find @ EarthLover Shopping.

Just for fun – enter our latest Great Green Giveaway $50 Gift Card for fabulous gifts from Vickerey!

Related: more eco-fashion finds from The Alternative Consumer

Festive Tree is small, New Hampshire-based,  innovative design company that provides stylish alternatives to the traditional Christmas tree. Larger than a typical tabletop tree (these are roughly 3 feet tall), a Festive Tree can serve as your primary holiday tree or a stylish, space-saving holiday tree for your second home or apartment.

Crafted from genuine wood, these heirloom quality, modern designs are a smart alternative to artificial trees that are oftentimes made in China and contain hazardous lead, polyvinyl chloride and other hazardous chemicals. Although we’re fans of “real trees” when they’re grown locally and either potted, or disposed of in an eco-conscious manner — many farm-grown evergreen trees are trucked hundreds, if not thousands of miles, only to end up on a landfill.

Festive Trees trees come in three styles ranging in price from $195 to $250. If that seems expensive, remember these trees can last a lifetime, unlike real trees which are a costly yearly expense.

Related: more tabletop Xmas trees on The Alternative Consumer

When we think of the ‘word’ environment, an image of a tree may come to mind. But, humans make up an important component of our environment. And unfortunately, the issue of people suffering from hunger here in the United States sometimes goes overlooked. Feeding America is a nationwide domestic hunger-relief charity that addresses this environmental issue.

Feeding America seeks to engage America in the fight to end hunger by feeding the nation’s hungry through a network of member food banks across the country. This relief organization recognizes that the issue of hunger is not confined to small areas of our nation. Hunger is everywhere. In fact, the unemployed are not the only people who suffer from what this organization calls a “silent epidemic.” Working Poor families also suffer from hunger. The Working Poor are American families who are living below 100 percent poverty but have at least one family member working. According to the 2010 US Census Bureau, 21 million people live in working poor families. Thirty-six percent of the households serviced by Feeding America are classified as Working Poor. Children and seniors are other common victims, going without food or meals for potentially several days.

This organization fights hunger with the implementation of a variety of programs, including Kid’s Cafe. Kid’s Cafe makes available free meals and snacks to low-income children in various places where kids are during after school hours. These places may include churches, public schools, as well as the Boys and Girls Clubs. (more…)

If you’re considering giving your ‘favorite someone’ jewelry as a holiday gift you might want to consider a sexy cuff or cool earrings made of recycled (virtually tarnish-free) Argentium Sterling Silver.

• Leaf & Swarovski Crystal Cuff $159
• Berry Drop Earrings $125
• get 5% off every item until Dec 18, 2011
• find @ janpeyserjewelry.com