Last month we shared ideas for making your Halloween festivities a little greener. Now that Halloween has passed, the holiday season is in full swing. For some of us this creates excitement, for others anxiety. Here is the first of a few of our favorite ways to feel good about the holiday season while lowering stress and guilt. More...

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Buy organic
Conventionally grown cotton is responsible for as much as 10% of pesticide use in the world and up to 25% of insecticide use annually, according to Grist. The chemicals can impact workers and leach into the groundwater. Because the United States produces more cotton than all countries except China, much of this is on our soil.

Next, ask about the processing method for cotton, wool, and other fabrics. Look for those that use natural dyes and avoid chlorine bleaching. Organic Consumers estimates that 1/3lb of chemicals are used in the production of a cotton T-shirt, so buying secondhand comes second to buying a product that avoids the conventional cycle.
 
Image: CreativeCommons/Cosmic Kitty More...

Do you blog about local food, sustainability, or local living, and want a free Blue Sky Guide ($20 value)? Link back to a recipe or farmers market how-to which we post between May 8th-22nd, plus add us to your blogroll, and we'll mail you a free Blue Sky Guide. Limit one per person, ends May 22nd or when/if we hit our book limit, at which point we will post a notice on the homepage.

We will use the pingback at our site to identify you, so expect an email from us to your blog email. Please note you must link to a recipe or how-to article to create a pingback, linking to the directory does not create the necessary link.

Update: Due to a site glitch, you need to email us directly at editor@ecometro.com with your link to show that you wrote about us. Please include your mailing address so we can send a book.

Tell your friends! More...

Toby Ng Design created images of the world's statistics including water, food, energy, HIV, computers, fear of attack, and more. Where do you fit in the village? The World of 100. More...

Mother's Day is May 10th, are you prepared? As always, we promote giving the gift of a donation or experience instead of giving stuff.

Why not give mom a sea turtle nest sponsorship ($45) from the Sea Turtle Restoration Project? She'll get a certificate, a photo of the nest, and one year subscription to the project.

Kiva is a non-profit that gives micro loans (as low as $25) to the developing world to move lives out of poverty. Pick a project and donate in you mother's name--she'll get updates and can re-gift the loan when it is paid back by the original entrepreneur. More...

Organic cotton men's jeans for $39.99? And from Loomstate? Thank you, Target!

Loomstate is a hip organic cotton clothing company that we've long adored, and they've paired with Target for a more affordable line of 100% certified organic cotton, beach-inspired clothing for men and women. Nothing in the collection is over $50, a serious savings since Loomstate brand jeans are rarely under $100.

Shop the Loomstate for Target collection online, or visit Target at Nicollet Mall, one of 250 stores carrying the limited collection. More...

Register for the environmental site Grist.org (or if you're already registered, refer a friend) to receive a free download of their book Wake Up and Smell the Planet. We have a paper copy of this book and recommend it highly. Pass it on to friends, especially those who are new to the green scene.

How I passed Home Ec in middle school is a mystery to me. I wonder about this between Google searches on uses for stale bread and other things I would’ve simply tossed in the trash in my pre-care-about-the-Earth/need-to-save-money days. My mom has lost more than a little sleep wondering how I was going to make it as an adult in this world, what with my willful ignorance regarding all things domestic. I heard her mutter, more than once, “necessity will teach you!”

Oh, has it ever. Let’s just say school’s been in session in a big way since I became a mom and had to stop calling a can of Red Bull breakfast. Since my son was born and saving money became my way of earning it, I’ve come up with a few Home Ec hacks of my own. A while ago it dawned on me that ultimately everything we do has an environmental impact. Everything. Including, of course, the way we go about the care and feeding of our families. More...