Earth Friendly

I hope everyone has a prosperous New Year. If you are hosting a party, serve organic wine and champagne and have some vegetarian options for those who don’t want to eat meat. If you are planning on party hopping all night, make sure to bring a little something with you for the party hosts. Find out what the hosts need or just bring a bottle of wine because that will most likely be used. Also, try to travel to each party in one car with your friends to save on gas. Lastly, be safe by having a designated driver. Renting a limo or catching a cab might be the best option if you’re going all out.

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was from my boyfriend. He gave me a Pangea Organics gift box filled with organic soap, body wash and lotion. The best part is that the gift box that it came in can be planted and a spruce tree will grow. This is definitely a great gift for anyone who is eco-conscious.

There are a variety of products you can purchase from Pangea Organics, and it’s definitely worth checking out the site. Their scents are invigorating and natural, and their prices are reasonable too.

Looking into natural and organic skincare is essential for the preservation of your skin, and when you can biodegradable products, it’s even better.

The Planet Earth television series on Discovery is an amazing show to watch. I was watching it last night and didn’t even want to get up for anything, because the animals and plants were mesmerizing. So if you find yourself sitting around with nothing to do while you are on vacation for the New Year, consider renting or buying these DVDs. It’s truly a learning experience and it evokes your curiosity about the world around you. If you have children, this is a great opportunity to expose them to places they wouldn’t normally see on television. So sit back, relax and be amazed at what is living out there in our world. 

Yes, Christmas will be over shortly, but what is a better time to start planning next Christmas than now? When it comes to giving out gifts, the worst part about it is wrapping them. It’s not that I don’t like to wrap them so they look presentable, but I hate knowing that the wrapping paper will be thrown out and will eventually end up in a landfill. However, I recently found out about a biodegradable wrapping paper that you can plant when you’re done with it because it has flower seeds in it. It’s almost like you are giving two presents in one. This eco-friendly wrapping paper can be purchased at Little Kay Gardens , and it can be used all  year round for holidays, birthdays and other special events.

I hope everyone has a warm and loving holiday with friends and family. It’s hard to believe that the year is already wrapping up. Enjoy your break while you can because hopefully the new year will bring you the motivation you need to make big changes in your life.

While you are conversing with friends and family, find out what you want to change in the new year. Maybe you want to start recycling, composting, reducing waste, etc. Start brainstorming what you want to change, so you are better prepared to write out and accomplish your 2009 New Year’s Resolutions.

Are you panicking because Christmas Eve is tomorrow? Do you have a handful of people to buy for still? Remember, gifts don’t have to be expensive or complicated; they just have to be thoughtful. For example, create a card or coupon for them saying that you will treat them to dinner or lunch. Also, consider re-gifting the presents you have received early. How many candles and body lotions do you really need? If you think the person will get better use out of it than you will then re-gift it. While some of you readers out there might look down on gifting, it’s really not that horrible because you are preventing an item from being wasted and you are saving yourself money.

While you might be a stylish cat on the outside, what are you doing to make yourself beautiful on the inside too? We will be ringing in the new year in a matter of a couple weeks, so it’s time to start thinking about how you are you going to be more environmentally friendly in 2009. Below are a few ideas on how you can be greener next year.

• Eat organic food
• Buy sustainable materials like bamboo
• Consume less meat and processed foods
• Start recycling
• Start composting
• Use natural cleaning products
• Reduce your use of plastic
• Plant trees
• Adopt a highway or cleanup litter

Chocolate is one of my guilty pleasures, and what better time to indulge than during the holidays? When you are gathering with friends and family, sweet chocolaty treats make a great addition to the selection of holiday goodies.

Chocolate fountains can help make your guests more active and sociable. Plus, you can cut up a spread of organic or locally grown fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, pineapple and grapes. For your vegan friends, you can provide a selection of dark chocolates along with assorted nuts.

Even if you have a challenging person to buy for, consider holiday tins of chocolate or nuts. Check out Fannie May if you are looking for baskets, tins, towers or gift boxes of sweet chocolaty pleasures.

Having a few pieces of chocolate can actually help lift your mood, so enjoy it before you make your resolution to give up sweets.

Have restraint when it comes to buying products made from plastic, paper, cardboard, etc., but buy more eco-friendly items in bulk. In my last post, I discuss the peculiar behavior we all do, which is Christmas shopping for people we don’t really know and who don’t really need a present from us. Anyway, if you must get something, opt for something subtle. For example, have a tree planted in their name or donate money to their favorite organization or charity. If they love animals, you can adopt an animal in their name. All of these ideas are eco-friendly and they are more meaningful than a candle, card and bath products.

Christmas can easily be turned into a time of greed, which is the opposite of what it’s supposed to be about. I think all of us at times (including me) get caught up in the shopping, gift giving and gift receiving. However, why do some of us feel that we are rightfully due a gift? We should feel grateful if we receive one thing during the holiday. Times are tough this year, and as you get older and more mature, you might come to your senses and realize that you don’t need those extra pots and pans or knick-knacks for the house.

I’m sure you have probably been in a situation where you feel pressured to buy a gift for someone you don’t really know. Maybe someone in a nearby office or someone you see on occasion. I really don’t enjoy being pressured to give Christmas presents to people I don’t really know…I’m all about giving but when you buy something because you think you have to, it’s just a waste of time and materials. Yes, give to those in need and to the ones who are dear to your heart but why worry about what the secretary in the other office is going to think of you if you don’t get him/her a gift? In other words, why go overboard when it’s not necessary?