Archive for December, 2009

Admit it: you've left your holiday shopping to the very last minute. Now you're bogged down with holiday baking, decorating, attending festive parties and last-minute shopping. Well I've got a great gift idea for you. The I Am Not A Paper Cup is a reusable, thermal coffee or tea mug. It's made of durable porcelain and has a silicone lid. My coworker Colleen Tully recently tested one out, and here's her rave review:

"I avoided these I'm Not A Paper Cup mugs because I thought they would be too heavy and cumbersome. Was I ever wrong! Not only is its coffee cup-like weight both comforting and easily held on-the-go, the mug doesn’t get knocked over like other lightweight portables, keeping my car and desk free of spills and stains (which is a total bonus on Monday mornings). I also switch up my drinks throughout the day, and the porcelain material doesn’t transfer the taste of morning cappuccino into my afternoon rooibos, and vice versa. I Am Not A Paper Cup would make a great gift for the moderately clumsy, alwasy busy, avid coffee-tea-coffee drinker on your list."

She forgot to mention how cool they look (see image below). You can order one of these mugs here, at www.reusablebags.com. I highly doubt you'll get it in time for Christmas, but peruse the independent coffee shops in your area - I've spotted them in three of my fave local spots. Or, just order one for yourself. After the stress of the holidays is over, you'll deserve a nice little something for yourself.

You know what? Just place an order for yourself! You deserve something nice.

Ecoholic Home is a great gift for anyone wanting to make a change.

Have you all heard that Adria Vasil, author of the oh-so-helpful green bible Ecoholic, has just come out with a new book called Ecoholic Home? It's a great book that's super easy to navigate, with sections specializing in cooking, cleaning, gardening, heating and cooling and renovating. Vasil offers an array of ways to green your home whether you're a renter, owner or live in a dorm. She also includes many helpful money-saving tips.

You can find this book at your local bookstore, retailing for about $25.

Have you checked out Vasil's new book? What do you think of it?

Check back in the new year, I may have a few copies to give away

Congratulations to Barbara! You've one an amazing Credo Bag prize pack.

Here's what Barbara said about the most difficult person to shop for on her list:

"My oldest son is the most difficult because all he asks for, every year, is a new hockey stick and that gets very boring."

There are lots of great gift ideas for kids on our site. You can check some ideas out here.

Barbara, your Eco-Shopping Gift Pack contains:

- 100 per cent Cotton Canvas shopper, "Peace-Love -Recycle"
- 3 Ecoshoppers with pouch
- 1 large produce bag, 100 per cent natural cotton
- 1 medium produce bag, 100 per cent natural cotton
- 1 Baguette Bag, 100 per cent cotton
- 1 Reusable Wine Bag

I have no doubt you'll love all these bags. Check your e-mail and look for a message from me.

For more info on Credo Bags, check out www.credobags.com.

'Tis the time of year for gift giving and receiving, and it's very easy to get caught up in consuming. During the holidays, as we're gorging on turkey and shortbread, my dad always reminds us that there are many who are less fortunate than us, unable to celebrate the holidays with food, family and warmth. As an alternative to gift giving, it's a good idea to donate to a charity on behalf of a loved one or colleague.

Here are two charities and giving options that I like:

• Ten Thousand Villages Living Gifts - Ten Thousand Villages offers a series of donations that benefit those in developing nations. Give Care, Give Education, Give Comfort and Give Green are all affordable give alternatives. At $20, Give Green provides tools, vegetable seeds, organic fertilizers and training for one farmer in Guatemala; at $49, Give Care provides a goat and its care to a family in places like Bangladesh, Palestine and Kenya. You can find more info about Living Gifts here.

• Unicef's Gifts of Magic - Give the gift of education, health, life, relief, hope, play or water with one of Unicef's Gifts of Magic. At $18 for the Gift of Play you can provide four local-language storybooks to kids in developing nations, or at $38 kids will receive a soccer ball and pump. Find more info on Gift of Magic here.

Which charity do you give to during the holiday season?

Perfect for the child, artist, writer, sudoku or crossword enthusiast.

Earthzone's pencils make a great stocking stuffer for the kids (I use the term "kids" loosely) in your life. These nifty things are made from 100 per cent post-consumer newspaper. Earthzone takes used, whole newspaper sheets, flattens and cuts them, then creates these fab writing/colouring utensils. Also, no toxic chemicals are used in these pencils and the erasers are latex-free. And, put your shavings in the blue bin, because they can be recycled. I especially love that you can see remnants of used newspapers close to the nib of the pencil. How cool is that?

Fun fact from Earthzone: Recycling a four-foot stack of newspapers preserves a 40-foot tree!

Earthzone makes HB pencils, coloured pencils and a premium artist's series pencils. Products are available at www.earthzone.com and at Chapters Indigo stores across Canada.

What are you getting the "kids" in your life this Christmas?

Congrats to Jeannine who's been randomly selected to win a copy of I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas, a great book my coworker wrote a review about here.

I asked what your favourite holiday ornament is and Jeannine said:

"My favourite holiday ornament is a toy soldier made from a wooden clothespin by my daughter years ago."

I've e-mailed you Jeannine, so check your personal e-mail account for details.

Don't forget to enter my other super fabulous giveaway. I'll be announcing the winner on Monday, December 14.

Also, if you're looking for great, original gifts head down to the One of a Kind Show and Sale this weekend. It's taking place at The Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. With all the handmade, beautiful products you'll certainly find something for the hard-to-shop for (and for yourself). You can find more info on the show here.

Have a great weekend!

These tap water bottles are stylish and clever.

A perfect gift for the avid entertainer - or that special someone who you want to gently remind that drinking tap water is the best choice.

These stylish tap water bottles are made of glass, making them 100 per cent recyclable. However, you won't have to worry about recycling these bottles because you'll be able to reuse them forever.

The bottles are available in two different sizes - 250 mL ($10) and 500 mL ($12) – that are easy to carry around with you too. But, being made of glass, they're of course breakable, so if you're the active type you might want to leave them at home. I think one of these bottles will look best on the dining table when hosting a group of friends for dinner.

You can order the bottles online at tapwater-bottle.com (bottles can be shipped across North America).