Holiday Gift Ideas!

Here’s my list of environmentally conscious gift ideas for the holidays.

1. Buy someone a tree.

http://www.arborday.org/

2. Give out reusable shopping bags.

You can find them at Shaw’s for one or two dollars.

I like the nylon Baggu bags. $22 for three (yikes!)

Or if you’re feeling creative, bike to a craft store and find blank canvas bags to decorate yourself.

3. Reusable Bottles/Cups

Discourage the use of water bottles and paper coffee cups…

Nalgen (Hard plastic)

Kleen Kanteen (Aluminum)

4. Donate to a charity in someones name.

International Medical Corps

http://www.imcworldwide.org/

Partners In Health

http://www.pih.org

Environment Northeast

http://www.env-ne.org/

5. Offset someones carbon emissions.

Carbon Counter

Cool Driver

Carbon Fund

Other things to keep in mind:

Use recycled wrapping paper:  newspaper, old magazines,  paper bags, etc.

Buy locally and consciously. More lists-

Conscious Consumer Marketplace

Eco Shopper

Must See Sunday

Here are some of my favorite websites, documentaries and organizations of the day.

www.freerice.com

• Help end world hunger by playing an online word game! For every word you get right, 10 grains of rice are donated through the United Nations World Food Program to those in need.

AND… Sign the ONE campaign “to make poverty history”

www.ser.org

• The Society for Ecological Restoration International work around the world “to promote ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and reestablishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.” This organization is not for the “lazy environmentalist”- these people are taking physical action to create a greener world.

www.pluginamerica.com

• Learn about the electric car and how it is an obvious solution in creating a sustainable future.

And watch this while you’re at it….

Who Killed the Electric Car?

Buy the DVD here.

Marry Me

I’ve been obsessed with St. Vincent since I first heard them last week on Stereogum. “Marry Me” is the debut album from the band, whose singer, Annie Clark, has roots in the Polyphonic Spree and with Sufjan Stevens.
I can’t really put my finger on why I like the album so much. Possibly because I’m always drawn to chick-led bands (I really want to be in one) or maybe because of the unique style of each of their songs. Annie Clark’s voice fluctuates from having a distinct Kate Bush quality in “The Apocalypse Song” to a deeper, lounge singer tone in “What Me Worry?” Her voice is refreshingly dynamic and really, you just have to experience it for yourself.

Now Now (mp3)

Paris is Burning (mp3)

Art stuff

“Mosaico”
During one of my first nights in Spain I stumbled upon the phrase “pase lo que pase” in my Spanish/English dictionary. The definition given, “whatever happens, come what may”, would become my mindset for the next seven weeks I spent in Barcelona. Once I made friends with people who grew up in the city, I soon learned that this phrase also summed up the relaxed attitude of the culture. Inspired by this idea and the prominent works of Gaudí, I created a reflection piece of my new experience for an assignment in my Spanish art history class.

 

 

Part of the Away exhibit at the Student Life Gallery at MassArt.