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We are officially knee-deep into 2009, and while you might still be having trouble remembering to actually write the correct dates on your checks, letters and emails, a simple glance at your new calendar should remind you that it is not, in fact, 2008 any longer.  That said, what do you do with all those old 2008 calendars you’ve got lying around?

You know the ones, the “Golden Retriever” calendar, the Outdoor Photography calendar, the golfing, knitting, cars, women, men or heck, even your old “Far Side” calendars are probably lying all around doing nothing but waiting for the trash or recycle bin.  The fact is, there IS something else you can do with them to help recycle and reuse them…for starters, you don’t have to throw them away!

I just found an article that had 5 great ways to reuse those calendars of yours, doing nothing but taking up space.  Every single little bit helps, I’ve said that time and time again, and in a world where we need as much alternative energy and recycling as possible, lets start here, and continue to do so every year!  Here, according to the article, are 5 great ways to reuse them:

1. Place mats: Throw a dinner party for 12. Place a month beneath each place setting for a great conversation starter.
2. Framed art: Update your home decor with framed calendar images. Make unique art by collaging several months together or by incorporating your own drawing.
3. Packing material: Wrap fragile holiday ornaments in calendar pages for storage.
4. Envelopes: Turn colorful calendar art into distinctive envelopes and notecards. Find a tutorial here.
5. 2036 calendar: Save a 2008 calendar until 2036, when the dates will match up. Find out how what year old calendars can be used again by checking a repeating calendar calculator.

There you have it!  Once you’ve done some, send us in some photos and we’ll put them up here.  Any other creative ideas?  Sound off…

(image via earthday.ca)

Let’s face it, we’re all doing much better than we used to do on really trying to be as Green as possible.  We’re drinking less out of plastic bottles (hopefully), we’re turning off lights when we leave a room (right?), we’re recycling anything and everything that is recyclable in our homes (aren’t we?), and we’re doing our best to cut back on how much gas we need to buy for our vehicles.  If you’re not doing these things, well, you should be, because I’ve been trying my best to get each and every one of you involved, but if not, now is the perfect time to start.

For all of you that think you’re Green, and that think you know all you could know about being Green, I have a challenge for you!  I just found, on the Sierra Club’s website, a “Green IQ” Test that will show you just how Green your mind really thinks!  There are 10 fun questions that can help show you just how green minded you really are.  The quiz wraps up the entire year, a year in which “Green” was a keyword that everyone said, everyone understood and everyone tried to learn a great deal more about.

So, what do you have to lose?  The Sierra Club “Year in Green” Quiz might just open your eyes a bit to the state of things on this beautiful planet of ours.  I’m pleased to say that I got 9 out of the 10 questions correct.  I wish I would have aced it, but alas, it was not meant to be.

Nevertheless, head over, check it out, see how you score.  We’re only 12 days into this new year, what better time to jump head first into making 2009 the Greenest Year yet for you!  Sound off in the comments as to your scores!

Got $4 that is burning a hole in your pocket?  I’m sure you do, Christmas was just here after all!  Nevertheless, if you can scrounge up $4, there are few better ways to spend it this fine Friday than by purchasing the official plans on how to build your very own, Do-It-Yourself Plastic Bottle Greenhouse.  With the plans in hand, basically all you’ll need is a TON of plastic bottles, some time, energy and a desire to do some great recycling good.

Who hasn’t wanted a greenhouse in their backyard?  I know I want one, but can’t really afford to shell out for the real deal, so for me this New Year, I’m going to build my very own out of all of the old plastic bottles myself and my neighbors have been recycling for months.  The ability to grow my own veggies in a greenhouse whilst doing it out of nothing but “trash?”  Awesome, the perfect start to our New Year’s Resolutions!

Head over, check out the idea, and throw down your $4 for the electronic plans to build your very own, DIY Plastic Bottle Greenhouse.  Once you get it made, send us some photos, we’d love to check out your handywork!!  Heck, we’ll even feature you on the website!

Image via Wikipedia

Well, Christmas Day has come and gone.  Here’s hoping that you gave, and received all the gifts you wanted, that you spent quality time with your friends and family, and last but certainly not least, that you did your best to make this the Greenest Christmas yet.

Now it’s the Day AFTER Christmas, which technically is the busiest shopping day as far as “returns” go.  That makes me remember a very important, very timely message I want to get across to all of you…Do not forget to recycle your Christmas Tree!  That’s right, that beautiful evergreen sitting in your living room can be recycled and turned into a very productive, very efficient means of fertilizing your lawn, helping restore fish habitats, helping sand dunes, and you know, probably a million other ideas.  If you’re not sure, check out this site that will help you find a Christmas Tree Recycling Center near you!

Here are some Christmas Tree Facts you might not have known:

“# There are approximately 30-35 million real Christmas trees sold in North America every year.
# Approximately 175,000 real Christmas trees are sold via e-commerce or catalog and shipped mail-order.
# North-American real Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states and Canada. Eighty-five percent of artificial trees are manufactured in China.
# Real Christmas trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics.
# For every real Christmas tree harvested, up to three seedlings are planted in its place the following spring.
# There are about 500,000 acres in production for growing Christmas trees. Each acre provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.
# There are about 21,000 Christmas Tree growers in North America, and over 100,000 people employed full or part-time in the industry.
# It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of average retail sale height (six feet), but the average growing time is seven years.
# The top Christmas tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington.
# The top selling Christmas trees are: balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine, and white pine.“

Image by wallyg via Flickr

Here’s a little video tidbit that many of you probably had no idea about.  I know I didn’t.  When you think about Christmas Trees, many of you probably think that the act of cutting down a living tree only to put it up inside your home for a few weeks is the furthest thing from being “Green” as you can get.  Turns out, anyone thinking that would be wrong.

That’s right, buying and cutting a REAL tree each year to serve as your Christmas tree is a great way to go green and actually give back to the environment when you’re done with it.  The trees you buy at a tree farm are insect free, smell amazing, and when finished, can be reground up to use as fertilizer for soil, helping to grow even more trees next year.  The moment one is cut, one is planted to replace it.  Perfect.

Don’t believe me, check out this awesome video I just found that shows just how great buying a REAL tree, instead of a plastic or artificial tree, really is.  Have a great weekend, stay warm and finish up that holiday shopping!

Just yesterday I talked at length about how 33% of consumers in this fine country want greener electronics.  Not only do they Want them, they plan on buying them within the next 2 years.  This is great news, but I found something today that is even better…you don’t have to Wait 2 years to buy some awesome Green Christmas gifts, you can start now, with these 8 awesome products I just found.

That’s right, the article I just read has 8 great ideas for any and all gadget lovers in your life.  The best part of all, not only will THEY love them, the Earth will too.  Can’t ask for much more than that, now can you?  Without further ado, and as usual check out the full article for more, here are the 8 best Green Christmas Gadget Gifts this year:

1. “The Voltaic Backpack - A backpack covered in solar panels that will charge your gear with the energy saved from the sun.  Rad.
2. The Kill-A-Watt - Power strip that actually measures the energy you’re using and shows just how much you save by unplugging.
3. EasyBloom Plant Sensor - A Device that measures how your plants are doing, when they need water and if they are sick or not.  Think of it as a green thumb for you.
4. Mini Kin Wind-Powered Personal Charger - Charges your gadgets using the wind.  Wind power rocks.
5. Bedol Water-Powered Clock - Pour water in, the water will charge it and power it and keep time for you.  Wow.
6. The Ankelite - A solar powered light that goes on your ankle so you’re always visible while biking.  Safety first!
7. Solio Solar Powered Charger - Fan it out, lay it out, charge all your gizmos using nothing but the sun.  Free energy = Awesome.
8. SimpleTech [re]drive Hard Drive - Made from recycleable bamboo and uses an energy star adapter.  Safe and green.”

There you have it.  If you can’t find something on that list to fill up your tree or stocking with gifts, I don’t know what to tell you.  Me, I want all of them…er…I’ll be buying them for other people!  Not a gadget fan but still want to go green this Christmas, head over to Northern Tool and look at all of our amazing alternative energy products.  There is something there for EVERYONE that wants to start helping the Earth AND their pocketbooks!

Tis the Season to be Shopping, right?  You know what I’m talking about, Christmas is literally only 8 days away and the number of shopping days to fill up those stockings and load up under the tree are dwindling.  What surprised ME today, is not that I still have shopping to do, but instead, just how many consumers in this great country really are focusing on the environment, and DO want change.  While 33% is not 66% or even 100%, it’s a start, and as we all know, the longest journey starts with the smallest step.

So, this 33% step comes in the form of 33% of all consumers in the U.S.A. would prefer that the electronics they purchase, the gizmos and gadgets they fill their carts with, were a heck of a lot greener.  According to the article I just read, a study by Environmental Leader has shown that:

“…thirty-three percent of consumers plan to buy greener gadgets over the next two years…The report shows that women are out-greening men, and that being eco-friendly is as important as  cost. The report also finds that 89 percent of people want their next TV to be more energy efficient.”

33% is a start.  I mentioned that but what we really need is the demand to go absolutely through the roof.  As soon as the demand rises, the supply will too.  Can you imagine if we lived in a world where every little gadget we purchased was 100% green?  Wow.  Head over and check out the full article, some of the results might really surprise you.

Image via Wikipedia

It’s Wednesday, and we all know that means that the weekend is officially in sight.  Personally, I can hardly wait.  The weeks seem to go slower during the Winter, and to be truthful, one of the only things that makes it bearable with all the freezing weather, is that the TV shows seem to get a little bit better.  I found an article today that made me realize each and every one of us TV Lovers probably should take a second look at how eco-friendly our habits are.

The great thing is, we can keep our TV loving habit, and be eco-friendly at the same time if we follow these 5 helpful tips I just stumbled across.  As always, head over and check out the full article for more in-depth anaylsis, but for now, here in abbreviated form for your viewing pleasure, are 5 Eco-Friendly Ways to Watch The Tube!

1. “Never Sleep With The TV On” - Seems like a no-brianer, at the very least, use the Sleep Timer.
2. “Turn The TV Off” - Don’t leave the room, house, building with the TV still on.  Who’s watching?  No one, that’s who.
3. “Unplug the TV When Not in Use” - It’s called Vampire Energy, or Phantom Energy, even when turned off, your appliances are sucking energy, unplug them, save some.
4. “Turn Down The Brightness” - The brighter the TV, the more energy you’re using.  Suck it up, dim it down.
5. “Use Power Saver Mode” - Some TV’s are equipped with a Power Saver mode that auto-adjust to use the smallest amount of energy possible.  Use yours.

There you have it!  See, you don’t have to miss your favorite episodes of “The Office,” “Lost” or “Little People Big World.”  Thank goodness right, after all, who can handle this much cold and darkness without at least a LITTLE help!

Image by William Hook via Flickr

Hello and Happy Monday once again my green loving friends.  A bit unconventional of a start to the week this frosty December Monday, as I’m kicking things off with a rather disgusting, but entirely exciting article.  The title says it all, almost, and I couldn’t be happier about it.  Here’s the short end of a long story:  Farmers in Michigan have figured out a way, and are actually implementing it, to turn all of the manure their livestock produces into useable energy.  Yeah, poop to power, believe it.

According to the article, almost NOTHING goes to waste, and yes, that includes the waste itself.  Basically, they have a giant building where all of the manure from 3,500 cows and 9,400 pigs is stored, transformed into electricity, and then further recycled.  The article mentions:

“…stinky manure from 3,500 cows and 9,400 pigs is being fermented and turned into electricity. What’s left afterward is a rich, dark pile of soft biofiber that looks like mulch and smells only faintly of its origins. It goes back into the barns as bedding for the cows. Liquid that is leftover is sprayed as fertilizer onto nearby corn, soy, alfalfa and wheat crops.”

Literally, nothing goes to waste.  Even the leftover waste and liquid is reused to better the whole farm.  The best part, the actual manure, almost 60,000 gallons of it a day, is enough to power an 800-kilowatt generator all through the entire day.  Impressive, imagine how many farms around the United States and the rest of the world could actually power their entire operation using nothing more than the waste their livestock automatically produce.  I love this.

What is equally exciting, is that if you’re a farmer looking to get into something like this, government grants are helping pay for and fund a great deal of these digester plants.  If you’ve got the stock, you might get some help as the benefit to the environment is too large to argue.  Check out the article, it’s worth it.

Image by law_keven via Flickr