holidays

Hot Cocoa is the perfect Christmas treat in my opinion. It brings me back to my childhood and puts me in a festive mood while I'm wrapping presents (or watching It's a Wonderful Life for the 50th time.) This year I decided to put an eco-friendly twist on an old classic by making a vegan version (no animal products used.) It was even better then the original! Plus, sometimes it's just soothing to make something from "scratch" rather than use a prepackaged food. Tasty Vegan Hot Cocoa Recipe:

Want to limit the eco-impact from your gift-giving this year? Instead of the typical gift ideas, give an 'experience' gift. Movies, concerts, restaurants, massages or cooking classes all are thoughtful alternatives of the typical stocking stuffers. Another bonus: You can pick something you & the recipient both enjoy to spend time together!

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

Still looking for a Valentines day gift that's beyond the typical chocolate & flowers? BeGreen has eco-friendlyValentine's solutions for any procrastinator. Or for anyone looking to carbon offset some not-so-earth friendly V-day plans. And it’s under $10.

It may be a contrived, made-up “hallmark holiday” - but who doesn’t like an excuse to give and get? This Valentine’s Day you can do that and show love to the planet at the same time. Here's some tips to green your Valentine’s Day:

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:

Planning a Christmas or Hanukkah holiday party soon? Send out invites electronically rather than in snail mail - They'll get to your guests faster, be easier to track guest responses, and save paper (& trees!)

Fretting over what to give this holiday season? Try giving gift cards instead of presents. Gift cards are more useful and green then conventional presents - there's less packaging involved, and the recipient can choose what they really want. Worried about retail stores going under?