More Hip Than Hippie #275 - Zero Waste Holidays

Zero Waste Home blogger Bea Johnson shares her ideas for simplifying the holiday season.

Each year, at least 25% more waste is generated during the holiday season than any other time. Stop the madness! Our bonne amie Bea has some tips to help curtail the clutter and trim the trash. Also, Val is caught cupping with the president of Thanksgiving Coffee!

Beer: Healdsburg sits in the heart of CA's wine country, but Ricardo's Red Rocket Ale from Bear Republic Brewery makes a good argument for planting hops instead of vines! It's "aggressively hopped", much to our delight.

Chocolate: Our new Favorite Listener, Amy in San Diego, sent us Kallari Chocolate's 75% Single Source Organic Ecuador. It's a riot of rich flavors in a smooth, creamy bar. Did we mention their good planet-saving karma? Hall of Fame!

Finds:

• Launderlust. Crank out small loads of dishtowels, diapers or delicates quickly and efficiently with Wonder Wash. This hand-powered machine saves water and requires no electricity. Look for it on Greenfeet soon!
• Jack of Hearts. Congrats to Hipster Hero Jack Johnson, recipient of Billboard's 2010 Humanitarian Award. Will her ever come on our show? We're Sitting, Waiting, Wishing...

• Lead us not... The US EPA has decided not to ban lead in fishing gear, despite support from 70 organizations in 27 states. Um, Happy "National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week" to you, too!
• Dutch treat. The Netherlands is the first country to commit itself to using only sustainable palm oil, by 2015. Goed werk!

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Chalk it up! You love to buy fresh produce, but sometimes forget it's in the fridge crisper, right? Try affixing a chalk board or white board to the door of the fridge, then keep a list of the goodies as you load them inside. When you use up that celery or spinach, erase it from the list. No more veggie mush in the produce drawer!

Each year, at least 25% more waste is generated during the holiday season than any other time. Who better to offer tips on trimming the trash than our waste-busting French friend, Bea Johnson? She's gearing up for the holidays with her mantra in mind: Keep It Simple. From food to gifts to decor, let's rethink our rituals!

• Holiday cards and gifts are a major source of trash. Try a Reusable Card with a fabric Wrapsack instead. Bea is a big fan of furoshiki.
• Create new decorations at home! Melt down old candle pieces to make recycled candles. Color them with melted crayons.
• String your popcorn garlands on a living Christmas tree, then plant it in your yard. You can even rent a tree!
• Bea has blogged about papermaking. She recycles scrap paper into stationery, then gives it as gifts.
• A homemade Christmas stocking is perfect for holding small gifts and treats, NOT useless crap!

OK music lovers, let us know which holiday song we should butcher for your listening pleasure! Give us your input at hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our blog!

• Charter Hipster Doug Hilton wants everyone to know he's had his last round of chemo and is cancer-free! That Hipster Mojo is a powerful thing.
• Katie in Texas paid 23¢ for electricity last month, thanks to her solar panels. See if Sungevity can help you go solar at home.
• Chelsea in Georgia stumbled across a clever concept for plastic spray bottles: Replenish.
• Patty in Rhode Island is a frugalista Hipster who finally un-lurked herself. Nice to meet ya!