It’s New Year’s Eve, so it must be time for some sort of year-in-review, this-is-who-we-were post, or maybe a series of mailing-it-in top ten lists. If I were smarter, I would have done both of those, and ahead of time, but that’s not my style. No, sitting here at the keyboard on the eve of the Eve, I’ve decided not to look back on the year most recent, but I’ll be looking backwards nonetheless.

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By now you probably already know the basics about the climate change conference: It was held in Copenhagen, it was attended by 193 world leaders, it included a lot of debate about the role of industrialized vs. developing nations, and it’s over now. So now you’re probably wondering … what exactly did these world leaders walk away with?

I’m so glad you asked.

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After a night of heavy snowfall in our neighborhood, the air smells like gasoline.  Nourishing Words reported that according to the EPA, running a snow blower for an hour can equal the emissions of an average car driving 70 miles.  There are electric and new lower emission snow blowers on the market, but snow blowers are expensive, and replacing something that still works just because the emissions rate is high isn’t an option for many homeowners. Read more…

Still looking for the perfect gift?  If you’re planning to get your holiday shopping done tonight, here are a few last minute gifts you can find at a local store. Read more…

You’ve heard of Cash for Clunkers, but now the government is taking it one step further with Cash for Appliances. The name doesn’t quite have the same ring, but it’s a similar program designed to get people to replace their old, energy-guzzling home appliances with new, energy-efficient ones while stimulating the economy at the same time.

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Christmas arrived early at my home last month in the form of a brown box that Mr. N, our mailman, kindly dropped off! When I opened it, inside was a fat book titled Whole Green Catalog: 1,000 Best Things for You and the Earth, by Michael W. Robbins. This book was kindly sent to me at no cost to review and discuss. While you are reading, keep in mind how we at The Greenists never mention anything that we didn’t care for…and please notice that I am mentioning this book for the next 3 paragraphs!

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It’s that time of year again! You know, the time of year when you start to have an anxiety attack every time you think about how close it is to the holidays and how little shopping you’ve actually done. Over the past few weeks I’ve been reading increasingly frantic blog posts and tweets from people wondering what to get their kid’s teacher or daycare provider. And as a teacher myself, I am here to fill you in on the gifts that do not go immediately into the trash (I’m looking at you, Coca-Cola tree ornament!) or contribute directly to the tightening of our jeans (that means you, delicious homemade baked goods!).

There are so many great eco-friendly gifts available now that it’s really easy to choose something fun, practical, and green. The CupKozy is a great gift for the coffee and tea drinking teachers out there. Because there is nothing worse than waking up at 5:30 a.m. and braving the nasty weather without a warm beverage to escort you into your classroom. Feeling cheap just getting this? Throw in a gift card to your local coffee shop and your kid’s teacher will love you for life.

Next up, these super cute rhino erasers from Priscilla Woolworths. Who doesn’t love having wildlife to erase errant pencil marks throughout the day? Plus they also come in polar bear and gorilla shapes, and I know I would personally love to have that trio sitting on my desk.

Feel like doing it up with something homemade? As a library teacher, I think these Book Page Wreaths are a fantastic idea and the personal touch would make receiving one extra special. Especially if someone used old school Nancy Drew books to make it!

Maybe you don’t know this about schools, but they are constantly running out of things like paper towels for the faculty bathroom. I’ve taken to bringing in dish towels with me so that I can wash my hands without then having to wipe my hands on my skirt on the way back into class. I would love to get some super cute new towels like this Velo Tea Towel from Branch. Read more…

Looking for a gift for your pet or your favorite pet lover?  Here are a few greener ideas.

Argo and Stella LOVE Zukes treats. I use Mini Naturals as bribes when I photograph them (the cover shot for STAY was made possible by Salmon Mini Naturals).  Zuke’s sent me some of their new Mini Bakes Biscuits, and Argo and Stella were jumping up and down before I even got the box open.  Plus, it’s nice that Zuke’s treats are small (the Mini Naturals are 2 calories each), so I can give them a treat without adding too many extra calories to their daily intake.  All Zukes treats are wheat and corn free. And they make cat treats too! $5-11.

Up Country has FDA approved, lead-free ceramic bowls and accessories with adorable designs for dogs and cats $5-20. Read more…

It’s no secret that environmental awareness has finally gone mainstream. One area where this is increasingly apparent is green cleaning products. In the past year or two, my local big box retailers have moved the Seventh Generation cleaners out of what my Rush Limbaugh-loving father would consider the “hippie foods” section and incorporated them alongside their popular-since-the-Hoover-administration counterparts in the heart of the store. Not wanting to be left out, familiar brands like Clorox have started selling new products sporting new labels that tout a commitment to natural ingredients and enviro-friendliness. And while these changes are, of course, a sign of progress, the modern world has made me a bit of a cynic, so I can’t help eyeing them with a dose of skepticism.

My wariness is warranted. With so many companies jumping on the green bandwagon, how can we separate the real thing from the green sheen?

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Protesters gather outside the City Hall Square in Copenhagen to form the logo for the 350 campaign, which calls for carbon emissions to be cut to 350 ppm. Image credit: canada.com

Don’t let the relative lack of American media coverage fool you: Drama has been high at the climate change summit in Copenhagen.

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