a green Christmas after all

The Daily Green offers a comprehensive Holiday Gift Guide full of fantastic ideas for those looking to buy green gifts.

I'm partial to the Gifts Under $20 section, myself! There are some really nifty ideas to be found for inexpensive yet environmentally-friendly gifts.

Alternatively, for those not looking to buy tangible gifts, a day at the spa, theatre tickets, a volunteering-vacation and planting a tree are just some of the ways that a gift can be given without actually giving 'stuff'.

Happy shopping!

the paper cup, evolved....

Brandimage, a very cool multi-national design agency, has created this brilliant alternative to the plastic water bottle. The Eco-Friendly 360 Paper Bottle. While still a concept (which features enviro-friendly staking and shipping packaging) is made from 100% recyclable, food-safe paper.

Hopefully we'll see something like this on store shelves soon.

Green.tv

Green.tv is an iTV channel on out of the UK broadcasting VoD content on topics unclsuing air, land, water, climate change, people, technologies, and species. Content is mainly in the form of short frontline-style documentaries running from 1 to 5 minutes. The information is top-notch and covers the gamut around the globe. http://www.green.tv/

Feeling Used?

I came across this site looking for green toys (Christmas is coming, after all). Usedtoronto.com is part of UsedEverywhere.com, which looks to me to be a company based in Victoria, British Columbia.

It's a great idea, and there is a fair amount of listings... So, if you have some used stuff you're looking to unload, add usedtoronto.com to your list of classified resources.

UsedToronto.com

It's about time

We plug a bunch of stuff (television, gaming consoles, etc.) into a powerbar that gets shut off when we're not in the house. Why waste energy keeping a few blue and red lights on during the day? Well, finally someone has come up with the "why didn't I think of that" extension of the idea. The eight outlet powerbar with timer. Program the thing, and on and off it goes, saving energy for you while you're out working to make the money to pay the bills. BC Hydro is offering a $5 mail-in-rebate on the product to encourage consumers to make the switch.

Apparently Canadian Tire is selling them, but I can't seem to find it on their site.....

one of a kind fun

The One of a Kind Show and Sale has become a yearly pilgrimage in my family…one that we all thoroughly look forward to and for so many reasons.

The Show offers up fantastic alternatives to shopping in big box stores and buying mass-produced merchandise. It also provides the opportunity to buy local and unique gifts all while supporting our Canadian artisans.

The 2008 Christmas show in Toronto will have twice the square footage in the Green section compared to last year. This is clearly in keeping with the growing trend of consumer awareness about sustainability and the environment.

The show runs in:

Toronto from November 27th til December 7th at the Direct Energy Centre and

Vancouver from November 20th til 23rd at BC Place Stadium.

Ready...set...shop!

power hog HDTV

Even if you obsess about turning off the lights and own a fuel efficient hybrid, you may be surprised to learn that your shiny new HDTV uses more electricity than your old one, thanks to the sizable increase in screen pixels.

Luckily, the folks at CNET created this handy chart that compares power consumption between 128 HD televisions.

They also have some excellent power-saving tips, such as turning down the LCD's backlight, controlling room lighting, and the most obvious - watching less TV.

the quest for a reusable coffee sleeve

I admit, I don't always bring my own cup for java. I know, I know. But after I wash it, sometimes I simply forget to slip it back into my purse. So while I'm feeling guilty about the disposible cups, I figure I can at least keep a reusable coffee sleeve around.

And so began my quest. I've seen custom embroidered sleeves, thermal couture sleeves, and my personal favourite: an elegant earth-toned cuff from Vancouver-based Bentwood that you can wear and then slip around your to-go cup. It's georgeous AND made from reclaimed architectural veneer offcuts, so no trees are being felled.

But at $68 CAD, the price tag is a little too steep for me. So I'll keep looking. Then next on the list? Chopsticks! From PlanetGreen: "According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, roughly 63 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are churned out each year in China alone; the vast majority of those have a one-way ticket for the trash can."

nalgene goes BPA-free

Nalgene yesterday announced its partnership with Guyot Designs to launch its first ever non-plastic product line of stainless steel bottles.

The new bottles carry 100 pounds of verified green house gas emissions reductions-enough to offset the negative impact of their production, making them not just carbon neutral, but carbon negative.

With heightened concerns about the materials used in the linings of aluminum bottles, Nalgene's new stainless steel bottles are 100% BPA-free and are made of 100%surgical grade 316 stainless steel with no lining or coating of any type.

The bottles will be available in Backpacker (shown) and Standard models at Nalgene-Outdoor.com starting January 1, 2009.

whole life expo this weekend in toronto

On November 14, 15 and 16, Whole Life Expo is back at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with 200 exhibitors and 60 speakers showcasing the best of natural health and green living.

Exhibitors include superfoods, organic products, natural approaches to anti-aging, and holistic treatments - from shiatsu to craniosacral therapy to spiritual healing. And don't miss the Whole Foods and Organic Market!

Friday 4 - 9pm, Saturday 11am - 8pm, Sunday 10 am - 6pm
Admission $8 (3-day Exhibit Pass), $15 (3-day Lecture/Exhibit Pass)

Visit wholelifecanada.com

put Quebec on your plate

The Ministère de l'Agriculture/des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec has launched a bilingual ad campaign to encourage consumption of local foods.

The TV spot features an animated map of Quebec showing where different products such as lobster, lamb, cheese and wine come from as a voiceover informs viewers that "Quebec is teeming with delicious food proudly grown or processed here. Ask for them. Taste them."

The spot ends with the voiceover and tag line, "Mettez le Québec dans votre assiette," (Put Quebec on your plate) which appears under a dinner plate featuring a provincial map.

Read more at Marketing Magazine>>

the amazing dryer ball

Cleverly rebranded with a throwback package to match, the Amazing Dryer Balls of TV infomercial fame are now Nellie's Dryerballs.

Made by a North Vancouver company - Batten Industries - and priced at around $20, the dryer balls soften and separate clothes to reduce drying time, and unlike traditional fabric softeners, the balls don't leave a petroleum-based coating on clothes.

Nellie's also sells laundry soda, touted as a biodegradable, non-toxic, hypoallergenic alternative to regular laundry detergent.

We're ordering some today and will let you know how amazing these balls actually turn out to be ;)