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Copenhagen is all over the news this week... so what's the deal with the Climate Conference? This week our guest blogger, Clayton Bedwell, shares his expertise. With the largest and most anticipated global climate conference in history kicking off in Copenhagen, here are a few story lines that are shaping expectations: US & China Ready to Play Ball - Last Wednesday The Obama Administration announced they were ready to take a plan to Copenhagen that would reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels, by 2020, and an 83 percent reduction by 2050. One day later China announced a plan to slow the growth of greenhouse gasses by 2020. Clearly the US and China have realized that the age of running from global climate reform has come to an end, but given how little both countries are willing to sacrifice in relation to their European counterparts, its hard to imagine that the Copenhagen Climate Talks will yield the profound results that was once expected. East Angelia University & The Emergence of "Climategate"

Need another reason to have a leftover meal of turkey and stuffing? Over 40% of food produced in America is not eaten. Fossil fuels are used to fertilize, harvest and process much of the food we eat. Ample gas is spent transporting food from processor to manufacturer. Help lessen the impact by

It's no secret that 'organic' just sounds better. Many people easily make the transition to buying organic produce, but we often get asked what's really the payoff to switching to less-obvious organic products? Let's take wine for example (after all the holidays are coming up and for some that means 'social lubrication' is on the incline!) What makes organic wine special?

Eco-friendly products have flooded the market - which is great to see! Unfortunately, you have to be aware of possible impostors - some supposedly green products have a more damaging carbon footprint than a simpler, non-green branded product. How can you tell if a product is really green or if it's just marketing? This Sincerely Sustainable blog post shows the ANDREA air filter as a green imposter. While the intentions of ANDREA are good - transforming plants into air cleaners - there's a huge carbon footprint from creating this gadget (between sourcing, transportation and creating the manufacture and sale). A better alternative than ANDREA? Mother nature's "houseplant" - A novel concept, and it costs about $197 less than the $200 price tag. Other 'green' marketing scams & questionable companies include:

Are solar panels feasible for the common homeowner? This week our guest blogger, Clayton Bedwell, shares his industry knowledge on how to calculate financial incentives for solar installations. Over the last decade, growing concern over global warming has pushed federal, state, and local governments to legislatively encourage the implementation of clean and renewable energy sources. Pennsylvania - the Saudi Arabia of coal & natural gas - currently touts some of the most aggressive solar incentives in the country. However, these incentives won't stick around forever and aren't completely straightforward. Below are a few State and Federal incentives currently available - and how to easily calculate them.

Mark your calendars for Manayunk's November 21-22 Cut the Craft event. Discover hard-to-find arts and crafts that make unique gifts just in time for the holidays! What to expect?

Every day we're exposed to tons of chemicals - whether in our food, in products we're using, and putting in OR on our bodies. Gross to think about, right? Luckily, you don't have to worry about your nails being toxic - A green innovation has landed right in Philadelphia! Tierra Mia Organic Nail Spa is the nation’s first truly organic nail spa located at 328 South 17th street in Rittenhouse. Reinventing the traditional nail experience, Tierra Mia Organic Nail Spa is

Interested in perusing a different and playful fashion display? Philadelphia's Moore College of Art & Design is currently displaying their Jumpstart Fashion Exhibit, selected pieces from their 14th annual Runway Show that ran at the end of September. Moore partnered with Penn's Veterinary School for the 'Fashion Faux Paw' theme to be creative and keep our four-legged friends out of our attire. Junior & senior students used recycled & reused "lying around unused" materials such as toothpicks, nails, sponges, bobby pins, Brillo pads, dusters, mops, plastic bags and cotton balls to create an intriguing collection of vests, skirts, leg warmers, and more. Another cool aspect of this exhibit is

Happy Monday! (Hmmm... Is that an oxymoron?) Here's something to brighten the start of your week: Check out the Reusablebags.com major fall sale! If it's time to invest in some new bags or you just have the shopping itch - this site has a good selection. I'm a big fan of these bags. They're sturdy enough to handle heavier items and are made of 100% recycled fabric.