Green Daily

Green beans with almonds, mashed potatoes with chives and gravy, fruit cups, barbecue, tater tots and yogurt that's about to meet its expiration date... familiar with any of these items? Perhaps you know them from your last catering job, your local greasy spoon, your school lunch program or the hospital cafeteria you just left?

As the economy transforms from cream to curdle, more people are seeking out food assistance. But less food is available from them to take home. One solution for some is to visit an emergency food center, where food from commercial kitchens is donated for an evening meal. The concept is both humanitarian and environmental. Places like hospitals, restaurants and schools donate their leftovers to these centers instead of throwing away the food.

Trouble is, businesses aren't making as many extras as they once did in an effort to cut costs. Nonetheless, there is usually a little something to give to those in need.

If you're in need of such a place, you can usually find one in the phone book or through social services. Don't expect to find them online. These are shoestring, volunteer organizations. If you happen to own a business with extra food you can find a program to donate to through the USDA's Food and Nutrition Programs page. The United Way and local food shelves also tend to know where you can find these programs.

How much does a soccer jersey cost nowadays? $50? $75 sometimes more than $100. And how long do they last? A season concludes and the kids are off to new uniforms and bigger sizes. Why not put those old jerseys to good use in another part of the world?

A program through Bangladesh Relief Fund will take those unneeded jerseys off your hands and provide them to kids in Bangladesh. The program is based in Ohio, of all places. It's relatively small, but anyone is welcome to make a donation. The concept is that soccer unites and heals.

I discovered the program after a local newspaper profiled a team of Minnesota players that donated their old jerseys to the program. Think of it, an entire team's worth of uniforms for kids in a poor nation to use and play in.

This YouTube video has more details on the program.



[via Mankato Free Press]

Seriously, if you don't have the right kind of girlfriend, this could get you in a lot of trouble. But, if you and your significant other are deeply concerned about conservation, sponsoring a wild area preserve through the Sierra Club could be the most thoughtful gesture possible.

The sponsorships choices include Giant Sequoia National Monument, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Acadia National Park. Donation start at $25, and for that you get a cute stuffed animal puppet and personalized certificate. As the dollar amounts go up, the "thank you gifts" get more elaborate, including back packs and color photos of the area you're saving.

It's not quite the same thing as a pair of diamond earrings, but conspicuous consumption is totally out of style this year anyway. Go wild!

Valentine's Day is full of cards, heart-shaped candy boxes, cheaply made stuffed animals, cut flowers and any number of heart-shaped plastic items. Instead of contributing to the landfill why not come up with some DIY projects for this year?

The Long Thread blog will be posting a Handmade Valentine's Day project each Monday until Valentine's Day to inspire you. The first is a stuffed heart with arms, perfect for a little one or a sentimental sweetie.

I got a great idea a few days ago. Women always appreciate a well-planned date and guys sometimes aren't good at planning or are just too darn busy to think about it too much. Ladies, plan 12 dates, one for each month, list all important information like what to bring, phone numbers of a place that needs to be called and even approximate cost if needed. Give them to your sweetie. You can have well planned dates all year and enjoy the time together instead of being grouchy the he didn't plan something for you.

What are some successful homemade presents you have given for Valentine's Day? Let's get ready - it's just over a month away!

Christmas is a day for family, love, and giving thanks for all the blessings we've been given. And although you're probably relieved to have the hustle and bustle of shopping lists and gift wrapping over with, why not take some time today to give back to those who haven't been as blessed? Most charities (like most retailers) depend largely on the Christmas spirit during the holidays to stay afloat throughout the rest of year, so consider giving one last gift this year to a cause you care about. Here are a few ideas:

• The Fresh Air Fund gets disadvantaged kids out of the inner city and into the country to enjoy nature, fun, and (of course!) fresh clean air.
• New American Dream teaches Americans to consume and use products responsibly.
• The David Suzuki Foundation is working to help all people live in balance with the natural world.

In a matter of hours, you're going to be snowed under a pile of wrapping paper, cards, boxes, tags, bags, envelopes, ribbon and gift packaging.

Before you heave it all into a bag, consider giving it a new purpose. Not only will this make you feel good, it can also save you money.

Re-wrapping

• Many people celebrate Christmas morning at home before heading out to parties held by friends and family. You may even already have been to a few work gatherings and a Christmas Eve event. This should give you plenty of materials to help you wrap the gifts that are going out later in the day or that week. You can also reuse the materials to cover hostess gifts for your New Years Eve party!
• Fold the wrapping paper into envelopes that can hold gift cards or money. Keep an eye out for generic colors, as these can be used for other holidays.
• Shred up the paper and use it to line gift baskets.

When composing your Christmas gift list, chances are, jewelry is written somewhere next to at least one of those names. It is a popular, classic gift that can be personal and very meaningful. Unfortunately, it can also be costly, and not everyone's tastes suit those of your local jeweler.

Fortunately, there are handmade alternatives that can be easier on a budget, eco-friendly, and personalized. Many recipients will feel extra special owning an original piece that was created by you, or a gifted artisan.

If you don't think you have it in you to make something yourself, why not browse the jewelry category of Etsy? Each item is handmade, and you won't believe the unique designs you'll find.

Ready to make your own? Hop on through the break! Many of these projects make ideal gifts for students, and range from beginner to expert.

Christmas can be a financially draining experience. Between gift giving, party hosting and decorating, it can feel more like work than a holiday.

Why not save some money this year, duck out of some of the commercialism, and spend some quality time alone or with family making your own decorations?

These ideas are not only eco-friendly, they also provide the opportunity to start a new holiday tradition.

Still working on gift ideas for that one hard-to-shop for person on your list?

'Tis the season to do what's best... for those on your gift list, and for the world at large. I often think about giving a donation in someone's name, but then wonder if that someone might not like the same charities I do.

The website Tis Best takes care of these concerns. Founder Erik Marks explains on the company website: "We believe there is too much focus on gifts of 'stuff' and that a donation gift is often the most appreciated and satisfying and gift of all." It's more satisfying, though, if you get to have a hand in choosing where the money goes.

Those who receive Tis Best gift cards can choose from 250 carefully vetted organizations to receive the donations. Environmental choices include the Earthwatch Institute, Earthjustice, and American Rivers, among many others. Also on the list are organizations like Amnesty International, Habitat for Humanity (one of my personal favorites) and La Leche League.

The gift cards are available in the "classic" plastic form with a number of customizable images; but if you're going green for the holidays you might just email the gift and save a little paper, too.

If you watch CSI - Miami or catch "Frost/Nixon" you may have noticed a world map glowing on the wall. That's the Geochron. Ronald Reagan gave one to Mikhail Gorbachev.

The Geochron is a map that tells time for the entire world, and also shows you what part of the Earth is facing the Sun. Daylight and darkness constantly shift in front of you as the day progresses. The clock adjusts the sun's position for the time of year and eclipses.

Geochron says anyone who understands that humans live in a global environment would want a Geochron. They say it's more than a timepiece. And while clearly it is, I thought our readers might be interested in this clock for another reason: The Earth.

There's no hiding the fact that a Geocrhon will burn energy 24 hours a day displaying light and darkness and time for however long the clock hangs on the wall. But the image is also a constant reminder of who are our neighbors, what follows, what precedes each moment. It's a calming and frightening thought, for me at least. And it occurred to me that at least one geography buff and another environmentalist I know would stare at something like this for hours.

If you're looking for a unique gift, this could be one.

It's an odd title for a blog post, I know. But I'm at a loss for how else to describe what author Jami Lin is suggesting. Lin wrote Color Alchemy, a book that explores how color influences and empowers people. Lin is also a Feng Shui interior designer, and its with this in mind that she suggests color coding holiday gifts.

Try out making and buying gifts that ring with color, and not just any color but colors that connect with the person you're honoring with a present.

Green, she writes, is the color of love and compassion. And while red is vitality, it can also be stress and anger. Buy a green silk wreath, she suggests, or repaint a candelabra with touches of green and gold.

Blue is green's counterpart in calm, and Lin suggests taking a photo of water or sky and framing it as a gift. For someone who needs confidence, think yellow. Violet deepens peace, so make an eye pillow of violet fabric and violet essential oil.

Making your own gift with beauty in mind is one way to cut back on consumption and on spending; another way is antique shopping. Cobalt and green glass from the 1920s and 1930s make beautiful and functional decorations for just a few dollars. Vintage holiday decorations are classic, unique and sustainable.

If you have a little one on your list, or even someone young at heart, consider feeding the dolls (and bears, and squirrels, and tigers) this Christmas.

Rather than spending money on factory-made plastic play food, why not support the handmade movement? Many creative Etsy artisans have designed original toys with your child's heart and imagination in mind. They encourage hours of unplugged, unscripted fun.

I remember spending time at my Granny's house playing with a hand-crocheted set of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and although I had plastic dolls too, these never failed to inspire my play time.

Handmade items are made with love, and never come over-packaged. They are not made with toxic materials, there's no assembly required, and they won't break right out of the box. Many can be designed by you, come in a variety of colors and materials, and can even be personalized, usually at no additional cost.

These days with the options for local, organic, sustainable, fair trade, grass fed, free range and whole grain foods popping up at most grocery stores anyone who is trying to eat green turns into a foodie of sorts really quickly. What can you give for Christmas besides a share in a CSA or homemade delicacies?

How about heirloom seeds for the garden, GreenPans or a gift to Heifer International. Eat. Drink. Better. has a list of the Top Ten Sustainable Culinary gifts. You can also consider gifts that can be redeemed later in the year if you live in one of the many places that fresh, local produce is not available for Christmas. Some ideas for Christmas and beyond:

• Gift certificate for a u-pick farm or farmers market.
  
• A cooking class for someone who is less experienced.
• Canning supplies for the home canner.
• An energy-efficient freezer.
  
• A gift certificate to a locavore restaurant.
• A vegetarian cookbook.
  
• Home-canned and preserved foods.
  
• Local beef, pork, chicken, etc. for the freezer.
  
• A bread machine for a busy cook.
  
• Ingredients and recipes for a local/organic/vegetarian recipe.
• Nice bulk storage bins for the pantry.

The possibilities are quite endless. Consider everything too. Someone who loves to cook but is on a tight budget might be dying to try cooking with a pricier organic ingredient but hasn't been able to afford it. What about a basket of spices, organic flours and mixes and just fun stuff from the grocery store.

Those of you that cook a lot, what are you hoping for under the tree this year?

Cookie mix in a jar is one of those quick and easy gifts to make at home, in large quantities, for giving to all sorts of people. Most require that the recipient add eggs and butter or other ingredients when mixing up the cookies.

How about a vegan option that only requires the addition of vegetable oil, vanilla and water? Buy some vanilla powder and reduce the required ingredients even more. The only fancy ingredient you will need is some vegan chocolate chips.

Don't need vegan cookies? Use regular chocolate chips and call them all-in-one cookies since you only need to add a small amount of ingredients. If you can save nice glass jars from the recycling bin and clean them up nicely and decorate them it's an even better project!

So, maybe all of you already figure this out, but I've just had an epiphany.

This year, I am going to wrap some of my Christmas gifts in reusable grocery tote bags. We are already planning on giving many homemade jams and jellies, breads and cookies. It would be perfect to pack them up in a grocery bag.

Everyone I know is trying to use cloth grocery bags right now. My Grandma asked me if I had extras (of course I shared since I had plenty) and I know some people who have four or five but always end up needing one or two more. So, this seems like the perfect wrapping.

Stores like Whole Foods are even offering bags that aren't just plain colors with the store name. You can also use drawstring bags or wrap things in fabric. What about a wooden box for a child that can later be used as a toy box or for presents in the future? Or even a backpack if a new one is needed for school.

If you take some time to think about it, you can probably find lots of wrapping ideas that are really cool and almost as useful as the gift itself.