More Hip Than Hippie #272 - Helping Hands

"Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows." ~ Moliere

Did you know that Australia is the most charitable country in the world? Or that lower-income Americans give proportionally more of their incomes to charity than do upper-income Americans? The Hipsters look at ways to lend a helping hand, by listener request. They also discuss airplanes, olives and the annual ritual of Dori's purse.

Beer: Congrats to Anderson Valley Brewing Company! Their Brother David's Double Abbey Style Ale scored a silver medal at the Great American Beer Fest. And Val didn't make malt face.

Chocolate: Smooth and simple Chocolate Santander Columbian Single Origin Dark Chocolate paired nicely with the beer. Thanks again Chris!

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Thing! The next time you throw a big feed, load up on Disposable Birch Utensils. They're sustainable, sturdy and easy on the pocketbook...a pack of 100 for under $9! See how they fed a wedding party at Style Me Pretty.
• Deep sleep. Now you can spend eternity sleeping with the fishes. Encase your ashes in a bereavement ball and you'll become part of an underwater reef.
• Boneless. Actress Emily Deschanel's wedding was a vegan affair, right down to the s'mores.

• Herbicide. One-fifth of all plant species are at risk of extinction, mostly in the tropics, as humans convert their habitat for agriculture. You want a side of rainforest with that burger?
• Sticker picker. You can weigh in on the proposed designs for new fuel economy labels. The DOT and EPA aim to put them on 2012 model year vehicles.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Press for success! We're getting ready to break out the holiday gift wrap, right? You can still reuse that wrinkly recycled ribbon; just press it flat with a warm iron. It's as good as (re)new!

• To get a good idea of which organizations are worthwhile, start with Charity Navigator and Charity Watch.
• Groups like FEED Projects and Hands Up, Not Hand Outs offer products made by those in need. Kiva empowers entrepreneurs by making microloans.
• To invest in sustainable communities, support The Water Project or Heifer International.
• Some companies just do the right thing. Gilden Tree promotes environmentally-friendly textile manufacturing in Pakistan. Greenfeet carries their bath and body products.
• It's true, the poor give more than the rich, and Australia really is the most charitable country in the world.

Listener E-mails

Attention lurkers: we want to hear from you! Drop us a line just to let us know you're out there. Of course, feel free to add comments, questions and links..we love to get your input at hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our blog!

• Leanne in Washington wonders if she should switch to phosphate-free dishwasher detergent. Find what works best with your water; we like Mrs. Meyers scented dishwashing packs.
• Melanie in Pennsylvania is a nutritionist, and she recommends the Moderation Nation promo for free consultations. Check out her site, Fresh Start Nutrition.
• Eileen in Florida shares a study linking PFOA in non-stick coatings to higher cholesterol levels in kids.
• Maggie in Madrid wants to know which material is best for recycling: glass, plastic or aluminum?

Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow Val on Twitter: GrnDiva, at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook!