ilikeitgreen - Green for Life!

“Welcome to the United States!” I was home. Well, almost. The friendly Customs agent sat in his booth in the muggy Oahu airport. “Hello Ms. House,” he said with a warm smile, “where are you traveling from today?” “Palau,” I replied, via “Guam.” He asked me a series of routine questions then scrunched his nose as his smile twisted to a frown. “Is there a problem?” I asked with a lump in my throat. “Yeah, there is actually,” he responded, not even looking up. “A problem” is probably the very last thing that you want to hear from a Customs agent, especially after 22 hours of travel… He then picked up a phone and called for assistance. An hour and a half later, after the Agriculture agent verified that I wasn’t attempting to contaminate this country with bug-infested fruits and vegetables from... Read the full story on Planet Green

A post-holiday dinner walk is custom for lots of families. But a marathon? Before you serve yourself with several helpings of Christmas dinner, think about the amount of calories that are quickly adding up, and what the after-dinner repercussions will be. Charles Stuart Platkin, author of “The Diet Detective’s Count Down” breaks down each food item’s calorie and fat content, then equates it to the amount of time you will have to spend working it off! Be afraid, be very afraid... -pre-meal Martini (4 oz serving)- 274 calories, 38 carbs = 4... Read the full story on Planet Green

Alison Levine has been lured by arresting mountains and snow capped peaks. Though she climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, trekked up Mt. Everest as team captain of the Ford sponsored American Women's' Everest Expedition, and cross country skied the arctic circle to the North Pole (her first time on cross country skis)- the “top of the world,” she considers “extreme sports” a relative term. As she says, “For some people it sort of conjures up visions of skiers flying off of huge drop-offs and ledges -- doing all kinds of things that ‘regular’ people don’t really do. I feel like many of the things I do are things that anyone with a desire to push themselves a bit could do. It’s just about getting out there and trying something new.” For Alison, anythi... Read the full story on Planet Green

I’m the first to admit that an out-of-town attitude includes skipping out on my regular workout. But that’s the great thing! It's your opportunity to try something new, work new muscles, and maybe even LOSE, as opposed to GAIN weight! I know... the holidays can be brutal for your diet. You're too busy, tired, and full to do your entire regular workout routine. Instead, slip in several quickie workouts into your day, every day, to keep your metabolism stoked and naturally burning off even more calories for you. When it comes to holiday travel, immediately get your head in a fit mindset. Here's how: BURN CALORIES JUST GETTING THERE The surprising fact is that you start racking up calories burned even before you arrive to your destination. Yup, the hour it takes to pack (o... Read the full story on Planet Green

Whether for gift tags, place markers, or for your own tree, homemade ornaments help make the holiday special. Want to make some of your own? Here are some ideas to inspire you. 1. Seashell Ornaments Hang beautiful shells with ribbon to remind you of summer. Seashells make beautiful ornaments, naturally! 2. Recycled Christmas Cards Last year's cards make this year's ornaments and gift tags! Glue images from your favorite cards onto wooden disks and add a ribbon tie. 3. Ornaments Made From Recycled Materials Be creative and reuse ... Read the full story on Planet Green

If you're familiar with the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you may want to pick up "Redwood to Deadwood," a book by Colin Flaherty about hitchhiking across America. Hitchhiking? In this day and age? And living to tell about it? Now that's an adventure. That may be the cynical Detroiter in me (I grew up down there). Or maybe I've seen too many hitchhiker horror movies. According to author from Wilmington, Delaware: "Before I tucked my thumb in for the final time, I... Read the full story on Planet Green

Tune in to Born Dealers Saturdays at 10 pm! Find out more about the show and get a sneak peek. Written by Jeremiah Pasternak Guys don't decorate. They have stuff that they like and they fit it into whatever space they have, no matter how big or how small. Single guys have bachelor pads. If they want a motorcycle in the living room there's no one to tell them that they can't. Guys that are married or are living with their girlfriends generally don't have this freedom. If we're lucky, we get a room. Whether it be a garage or a basement, a large space or small, this is our place to fill with whatever we wan... Read the full story on Planet Green

Holiday gift giving doesn't have to mean giant trash bags full of discarded wrapping paper. Here are a few eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas to help make your holidays less wasteful. The best thing about these wrappings is that they're not only earth friendly, but can be reused year after year. 1. Fused Gift Bags Use this tutorial to make beautiful reusable gift bags out of old plastic bags. 2. Cloth Bags Perfect for little trinkets, these simple drawstring bags can be made from scraps of fabric. 3. Fabric Gift Wrap Fabric wraps w... Read the full story on Planet Green

Part of the joy of the holiday season is the anticipation of Christmas day. Advent calendars are a fun way to keep track of the big day as it approaches. Here are five great advent calendars you can make that will delight children, young and old, through each day in December leading up to Christmas. Start a holiday tradition of your own by making one (or more!) this year. 1. Advent Cones Make numbered cones out of colorful Christmas papers and attach them to a ribbon for a festive garland. Each cone can hold a small present or treat. 2. Matchbox Tree This small tree, made out of matchboxes, has 25 little compartment... Read the full story on Planet Green

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. However you celebrate during December, you don't need to fly to do it. Think about it. No airports. No delays, or overpriced foods, or announcements that you can't quite make out, or sitting next to someone you'd rather not. How about getting stuck with the middle seat? Convinced? Try these five green holiday trends on for size, via Greentraveller, with five no-fly holiday ideas. The list, published recently on the Reuters Business Traveller site, puts an emphasis on the carbon emissions you'll keep out of the atmosphere. But you don't need to be a greenie to appreciate these. Greentraveller calls them Fiv... Read the full story on Planet Green

Sustainable resort development doesn't have to be an oxymoron. Meet Stanley Selengut, who created Maho Bay Camps, a 114-unit campground on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, in 1976. It was built to be an economically viable and environmentally friendly camp, compatible with National Park mandates. It's now one of the most profitable businesses on the island. And as with any good story, there's more. Maho Bay was built by locals on hand-dug footings to minimize impacts to the land. How refreshing, and quieter than heavy machinery. Beep beep beep. Maho Bay is considered a pioneering development by leaders in the ecotourism... Read the full story on Planet Green

It's not hard to make some great one of a kind toys that your kids will love. From chunky crayons to hobby horses to hula hoops, your child will love these projects. They're fun to make and fun to play with, and many of them use materials you are likely to have on hand. Let's play! 1. 1. Felt Fishing Game Use scraps of fabric and felt to make this fun magnetic fishing set. It will provide hours of fun for your little fisherman. 2. 2. Hula Hoops Yes, you can make your own Hula Hoop. Here's how! 3. 3. Magnetic Paper Dolls Cover old a... Read the full story on Planet Green

The 670/671 Lounge and Ottoman, designed for Herman Miller by husband and wife team Charles and Ray Eames in 1956, is the single most important, influential and collectible American designed piece of furniture from the entirety of the 20th century. There, I said it, and considering how many wonderful designers and memorable pieces came from this most productive and innovative century, you've got to know that to make it to the top of my list (and many others) it must be something truly special. It's beautiful, it's sculptural, it's comfortable, it's timeless and it's iconic. And, because of all of these factors there are probably 10x more non-Herman Miller, 'Eames Style' lounges that have been produced over the last 50+ yrs than the real deal, authentic Herman Miller pieces. Prices ran... Read the full story on Planet Green

It’s the holidays and you want to see your family! You understand the effects of travel on the environment, but you look forward all year to jumping on that plane to see the cousins, grandparents, aunts, in-laws—whoever—that you haven’t seen in far too long. You can’t always choose how you get somewhere and what sort of carbon footprint that will leave, but you can choose a travel company that keeps the environment in mind, therein counteracting your holiday carbon footprint. These 5 companies have a reputation for planning great green trips and giving back to the environment: Photo: Microsoft Images Cabin in the Woods Read the full story on Planet Green