I got to know Earth Day as an activist holiday in college. I remember celebrating the 20th Earth Day — I even have a friend who was born on the first Earth Day. (Happy birthday, Hal!) I grew up when litter was a big environmental issue — people actually thought it was normal to throw trash out the window when driving down the highway. Can you imagine? Pollution and oil spills were also big environmental news.

Anyway, I am now flabbergasted to stop and realize that the electric cars that we thought were crazy futuristic ideas are now actually in people’s garages. Even seeing real solar panels on roofs in my neighborhood is truly amazing. Our cars are regularly checked for dangerous emissions. We have come a long way.

In Arlington County, Virginia, where I live, residents are given recycling bins by the government along with our trash bins. In those bins, we can put as much commingled recyclable material as will fit, from office paper to glass, including newspaper, cardboard and all sorts of plastics. This is such a grand luxury as compared to life in the 70s and 80s.

So, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all the Earth Day rallies before us. It’s all the banner-waving, litter-gathering folks (including me and some of my friends) that came before today that got us here. All the folks that made laborious trips to the recycling center with big sacks of stinky beer cans and bottles convinced counties and cities that collecting recyclables is worth it. Petitions and protests against pollution have cleaned our air and improved working conditions. Scientists have worked hard on green technology that now easily fits into our daily lives.

So today, as you think about global warming or alternative energy sources, or ocean preservation or national parks or whatever your favorite part of Earth Day is, remember that we have done some good over the last 40 years. Know that change is possible, and be proud of our big gorgeous, vibrant planet (still erupting and quaking and everything) and celebrate today!

Some of my favorite green causes:

• EarthLab — a comprehensive learning site.
• The Nature Conservancy — protecting Earth’s most important natural places — for you and future generations — through great science and smart partnerships.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation — the bay will always need protecting!
• Environmental Defense Fund — linking science, economics and law to create solutions to our environmental problems.
• U.S. National Park Service — treasures we should guard for generations to come, and enjoy now.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy — creating a network of trails from former rail lines.
• Surfrider Foundation — protecting the coastal environments, promoting low-impact use of the beaches, waves and oceans.
• Live Earth — What does the 40th Earth Day mean to you?
• Repower America — Together, we can solve the climate crisis. Join the movement calling for clean energy HERE (and enjoy a great remix video).

Also read: 4 ways to celebrate Earth Day

It’s the beginning of 2010, and I’ve gotta set my goals! Last year I gave up buying plastic water bottles, and it worked! I recommend it to everyone. We saved lots of money, and got attached to our water bottles and filtering system. It works just fine, and now we’ve got more room in the refrigerator for BEER! ☺

So here are the resolutions:

• More writing: journal every day, on paper. Some stuff didn’t get recorded last year because I didn’t want to share it with the world. So I need to organize my thoughts on paper first.
• More exercise: get in that gym, at least twice a week.
• More travel: including within DC. There are some great exhibits and museums that I need to see. Concerts and shows, too!
• Home improvement: continue to green my lifestyle, purge the junk and organize the good stuff.
• Taco night on Mondays: to simplify menu planning and because we like tacos. ☺

Wish me luck, and I wish you luck with your resolutions… if you’ve made them? If you haven’t yet, I hereby give you til the end of January to come up with some. We’ve got 11 months to go, folks. That’s a lot of time to pick something to improve on or have fun with.

Most importantly,

★  ♪ ♫   Happy New Year! ♪ ♫ ♪ ★

Here are a few cool places to find unique presents, which I’ve dutifully bookmarked over the year. Just in case you’re shopping for someone like me.

• Daytrip Society: for the traveler/nature fiend
• English Retreads: fashionable environmentally conscious bags
• Yogitoes: yoga supplies
• PalmerCash: cool vintage-style T-shirts
• Underground Signs: create your own subway stop
• Survival of the Hippest.com: bling your twitter address
• BigCartel: from the artist direct to you – i.e.,  Sandra Juto or Bakers Dozen
• WWF: Adopt a species and help protect their habitat
• Still stumped? try Neatorama for that weirdo cousin of yours.

And don’t forget these very very important Christmas Cheat Sheets. FABULOUS! From Cookie, an awesome designer.

Thanks to @smashadv at Obsessed With Conformity for the WWF idea.

To celebrate Earth Day I’d like to share some of my favorite ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. These are tried and tested items, not just things that look pretty. I own and use these things every day, I promise!

1. English Retreads Large Model T Tote – This is one of my favorite tote bags. It’s absolutely indestructible, and polishes clean with Armor-All, as it’s made from the inner tubing of truck tires. HEAVY DUTY. Still 100% glamorous. I also have a smaller version for evenings.
2. Preserve Toothbrushes, Ultra Soft Bristles, 6-count package – These toothbrushes are made from those yogurt cups that many of us plow through every day. That plastic is harder to find a home for than other plastics, but this company has done wonders with it. These toothbrushes are fab, and colorful, too. Preserve will take them back when you’re done with them, too! Really. I buy them in dozens and give them to my family and friends at Christmas and Easter.
3. Real Deal Made in Brazil Tarp Hat – It’s recycled from Brazilian truck tarps, and made to last. Very durable, and hip for man or woman headed on a weekend camping trip or a month in the outback.
4. Washington, DC’s Metro system – This is my primary mode of transport, and it saves me about 84 miles of driving a week.

I hope you find these little things helpful. Perhaps you can weave them into your own life! Don’t want to spend any extra money? Just follow this link to the Rainforest Site where all you have to do is ‘Click to Give‘… Or join the Earth Day Network here. Thanks and happy Earth Day!

I have seen a dozen or so petitions for a Victory Garden at the White House, starting pretty much the day after Obama won the election in November. So it was no great surprise, but with a small sense of accomplishment, to see on the news last night, and on the front page of The Washington Post this morning, Michelle Obama breaking ground on the White House lawn.

The lawn is expansive, and has at times served as land for livestock to graze. It’s not a new idea to have a garden here for the purpose of feeding the White House residents and staff. As The Post story notes, Eleanor Roosevelt had a garden here during her time in the house.

I haven’t seen notes on how organic this farming is going to be, which was a part of at least one of the petitions that passed across my desktop. But I’m glad to see that surplus veggies will go to Miriam’s Kitchen here in Washington, a deserving organization that’s been around for some time.

Obama did say that she would be using the garden to get out a message about where food comes from, and to encourage the eating of fruits and vegetables. The “where food comes from” part is especially important from an environmentally-conscious perspective, of course. Locally grown veggies require less transport and less preservatives. Plus, buying local supports your local economy.

Looking for local farmer’s markets? They are opening up now that they’re in season! Try the handy search tool at LocalHarvest if you need to find a market near you.

Fashion Washington interviewed Summer Rayne Oakes on environmentally-friendly fashion and beauty for their latest issue. She’s got a new book coming out, and you can catch her hosting on Planet Green on a regular basis.

The book: Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty could come in handy for any eco-fashionista.

More on Planet Green here.

Check out FW’s interview here.

Traveling is so much fun, but how can you get to all the beautiful places in the world without burning some jet fuel?

OK, you’re right, you could sail across the Pacific, after biking cross-country. Or hop a barge that happens to be going that way. But the likelihood that you have enough vacation time to do all that is slim to none. For me, it’s right out. If I want to go somewhere to enjoy the scenery, I better get there fast. So when I get there, I’m extra-conscious of how green I am.

I just talked to a friend today about his fabulous photos from his Asian vacation, and it turns out that the folks that took him on his trip are extra-conscious of how green they are, too. And they’ll be glad to take you on your next trip, to Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe… pretty much anywhere interesting.

Intrepid Travel – They come highly recommended. Pass it on!