Lifestyle

After you're finished making 'green' resolutions for yourself, here's another one to consider: Greening your home! Greenable is located in the heart of Olde City and can assist you in your abode's needs - whether you're building a new house or re-vamping an older design. They offer supplies ranging from eco-friendly paint, flooring, insulation, and more. Interested in a more eco-friendly building, but not sure where to start? Greenable provides many services including energy audits, consulting and interior design. Whether your fixing up a home or storefront, Greenable is very knowledgeable with both - their custom orders are a mix of residential and retail.

American’s #1 New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight. Sure, there’s some variations ... Such as "get fit, be healthier, make better food choices and then there are those who get specific - consume less than X number of calories everyday, cut out candy and chocolate, stop eating standing up etc." But the theme is we're resolving to lose weight in '09 (and '08 and '07...) This is the week I notice a shift in those around me in their approach to food and exercise. Co-workers that ran for the holiday treats in December now hold up their bag of carrot sticks and mutter “no thanks” to the leftover seasonal baked goods. My gym parking lot becomes impossible to get a spot in (though why not park two blocks away – it is exercise to walk over) and the battle to get a treadmill is fierce. But no complaining, I commend any efforts to take better care of ourselves. And it’s no mystery why people recommit themselves to these goals year after year. According to an article by Business Week this past August adult obesity rates have doubled since 1980, from 15% to 30%, and two-thirds of U.S. adults are now considered overweight or obese. That’s a pretty scary stat. But there’s a very real connection between getting healthier (read: slimmer!) and living green. As Julie pointed out in 10 Green New Years Resolutions in '09, there's plenty of simple fixes that go a long way. Here are some specific steps you can take to conquer your green and health resolution simultaneously:

As we're quickly approaching that infamous Times Square ball falling, it's time to think ahead and make New Years resolutions. Debating what you should do to be greener in the New Year? Here's 10 ideas to party like it's 2009:

Have trouble wrapping, and want to make your gifts pretty?  Instead of using traditional bows (that either go directly in the trash or reused on your gift next year),  try using dried flowers as an embellishment.  Your recipient will have a nicer smelling, au natural decoration! ...

Naturally, we use more energy in our homes during the holidays than other times of year. Here's some quick pointers to help you save where you can (without sacrificing any of your holiday spirit):

When giving presents for the upcoming holidays (or birthdays), reuse newspaper or old wallpaper instead of purchasing wrapping paper. The recipient can laugh at last week's "Funnie's" section (or catch up on the news) while opening their gift.

I've gotten a lot of questions recently on the environmental impact of Christmas tree. What's best- an all natural real pine or an artificial tree that'll last you a few years? Here's the dirt on real v. faux:

To take good care of the planet, you need to take care of yourself first. Last night Ali Shapiro, Health Counselor and Director of Integrative Nutritional Counseling, and Nicole Lipkin owner and Executive Director of Equilibria Psychological & Consultation Services hosted an event focusing on the importance of taking care of your body (your temple!) and mind. Ali & Nicole are both impressively knowledgeable in their own rights, and I would recommend anyone seeking help in their areas of expertise to give their services a try. Here's just a few things I took away from the discussion last night:

Stay safe on the roads and save energy by keeping your tires inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pounds per square inch (PSI.)