The latest trends in sustainable landscape design have the ability to be elegantly luxurious and vibrant, without placing a strain on natural resources and the environment. From urban townhomes to country estates, green roofs and living walls are a lively and eco-friendly accent to your landscaping.

Green Roofs and Walls Explained

Green walls and living roofs both utilize the same basic landscaping concept – turning existing, otherwise unused space into a flourishing and thriving planting area. Both sustainable landscaping techniques require a supporting structure, along with an irrigation and drainage system.

Curved and slightly pitched roofs are ideal for green roof design, but any type of roof can support a variety of vegetation. If your roof wasn’t designed with a green roof in mind, it should be checked to determine if additional reinforcement is required before installing the system. Extensive roofs are most common and typically feature a variety of low-growing shrubs called sedums. An intensive green roof works best on flat roofs and may include vegetable, flower, or herb gardens, small trees, and other species generally found in ground-level landscape designs.

Living roofs can be installed on practically any vertical surface, inside or out. These gardens may feature greenery, vegetables, colorful flowers, or creeping vines and are generally installed in a series of pre-vegetated panels. Green walls can be functional as well as artistic – a number of companies are adopting the technique to display logos on their city office buildings, while urban residential structures may support create butterfly gardens, community vegetable gardens, or creative accents with green wall landscaping.

Benefits of Green Roofs and Walls

These sustainable landscaping techniques are more than creative ways to beautify your home; they hold an assortment of environmental benefits. From protecting structures to encouraging native wildlife, the eco-friendly aspects of green roofs and living walls are unsurpassed.

Green roofs block the harmful effects of UV rays and acid rain to prolong the life of your roof. Both green walls and roofs work to cool your home naturally, reducing electrical needs for cooling, and also minimize storm water runoff. Especially in the city, these eco-friendly landscape designs naturally sequester carbon and clean the air of toxins to improve community health. Green roofs and walls can also provide safe breeding areas for birds, insects, and reptiles that may otherwise become extinct with modern development.

Green Roof and Living Wall Design and Installation

Because of the intensive planning that goes into green roof and wall design, it is best to hire a landscaper that specializes in these techniques. The number of contractors available for this type of landscaping is continuously growing. A few options to consider include:

Roofscapes, Inc. – Based in Pennsylvania, Roofscapes offers customized green roof designs and works with a national network of professionals to design and install the best system for your home or business structure.

ELT Easy Green – Providing homeowners and businesses with a sustainable landscaping option since 2003, ELT designs complete green wall and roof systems for clients around the world. Contact ELT to find a qualified installer or designer in your area.

Footwear

Running, jogging or taking a leisurely stroll are popular methods of increasing your daily exercise. The market is full of environmentally friendly footwear that allows you to accomplish your fitness goals. From recycled rubber outsoles to packing products in unbleached recycled cardboard boxes, an increasing number of shoe companies have stopped using chemicals and materials harmful to the environment, such as polyvinyl chloride (better known as PVC). To get an idea of the possibilities, check out the entire line of Brooks’ Trail footwear collection or their Green Silence racing flat (shown above) – comprised of 75% recycled materials.

Socks

You can’t enjoy a good workout without protecting your feet from sweat and friction. A good pair of socks doesn’t have to contain bleached, synthetic fibers. Choose socks from companies, like Teko, which provide high quality through renewable resources, such as wool, organic cotton, and fibers made from corn. Teko uses “premium merino wool” sourced from farms in Argentina and recycled tekoPOLY to create socks with a luxury fit and insulation. Shown is the tekoPOLY Light Mini Crew for women.

Clothing

During exercise, you may cover your limbs and warm your body with a range of eco friendly clothing choices – fashioned out of renewable, organic, and recycled materials. Companies, such as Patagonia and Gaiam are known for pushing the envelope of sustainability with cotton, hemp, bamboo and soy fibers that make an earth conscious workout program easier to achieve. In addition to Birkenstocks Unisex Eco-Friendly Socks (combination of EcoSpun and cotton) to eye-catching swimwear, the Cannondale bike jersey shown is comprised of high-quality fibers comprised of recycled soda bottles.

Exercise Mats

To accommodate your Pilates and yoga sessions, an exercise mat protects your body during a workout. You can protect the environment by selecting products that forego the use of toxic chemicals and damaging manufacturing processes. For example, the Natural Fitness Powerhouse eco friendly workout mat provides cushioning for floor exercises by using an environmentally friendly foam material sans toxic phthalates or PVC. As part of the Zero Impact Program, trees are planted every time one of the mats is sold. Other companies offering eco-friendly exercise mats include GreenYoga, Gaiam and BareFootYoga.

Exercise Equipment

From using eco-friendly paints to coat machinery and working with sustainable materials, incorporate earth-conscious exercise equipment into your get-fit routines. Interesting selections include the WaterRower – a wooden rowing machine that uses water to create resistance during workouts. The fine hardwoods used in the construction of the machine come from sources of replenishable ash, cherrywood, and Black American walnut sources. The WaterRower uses no electricity, as it gains power from your effort.

1. Traditional Thank You Letter

If you don’t want to stray from tradition too much, you can write a thank you letter to show appreciation. It’s really great to open the mailbox and find a letter from a loved one, colleague or friend. To keep things green, use recycled paper like that found at Twisted Limb Paperworks.

With a wide variety of products – from greeting cards and invitations to handmade paper – Twisted Limb helps keep letter-writing eco-friendly. Thick, luxurious handmade paper gives your letter a rustic feel – and there are many styles and colors to choose from. Also, check out the beautiful and unique paper-cutting thank you note tutorial from Craft Stylish.

2. Picture Note

If you’d rather not go the hand-written letter route, there are other options. Take pictures of yourself and your family using the gift you received. Then, email the photos along with a note that thanks the individual who gave you the gift. This is a fun spin on the traditional thank-you note, and with more and more people using email and computers, it’s perfectly acceptable.

3. Dinner

Create a home-cooked dinner for your friend or family member who gave you the gift – and display it. For instance, serve the hors d’oeuvres on the beautiful platter your aunt gave you, or brew some of the delicious gourmet coffee your sister ordered for you. This is a great way of showing someone that you really love their gift, and they get the pleasure of watching you use and enjoy it.

4. A Kid’s Thank You

If you’d like to help your kids thank those who gave them gifts, but you know better than to try and sit them down with paper and a pen – try this unique idea. Help the kids create two to four line poems thanking the individuals and mentioning the gift they were given. The poems can be funny or touching – whatever reflects the kids’ personalities. Then, they can call the individual and deliver their thank you. Family and friends will be thrilled and the unique thank you will make a lasting impression. Best of all – there is no paper wasted and the thank you is eco-friendly!

No matter how you choose to thank your family, friends, colleagues and others for their gifts this holiday seasion – remember that a thank you from the heart will be remembered and cherished!

Wrapping Paper

Wrapping paper is a beautiful way to be festive and to show the receiver that you care enough to go over the top with ribbons and bows. There are great green ways to show you care, however, other than coating a box in Santa and his reindeer. When it comes to wrapping paper, recycling the used wrapping is a first step towards sustainability. Saving this year’s paper and reusing it for next year is an even greener way. Just tell your loved ones to be careful as they unwrap and collect the paper once the gift has emerged. Another great idea is to use colorful newspapers or magazines that were headed for the recycling bin and choosing images and articles that speak towards the gift recipient. While it may not be store bought, a movie review starring a favorite actor wrapped around a special gift would really show that you care. If you have kids, why not let them decorate with crayons or markets using paper grocery bags as the base. Or, to be truly sustainable, try something completely reusable such as a bandanna or old shirts.

Decorations

Ribbons for gifts or for a wreath, and ornaments for a tree or for around the house, can all have a green twist. For ribbons, think about using the old tape from a video or cassette. They curl just like traditional ribbon using scissors! Or for the special gift, try decorating with broken shoelaces, old buttons, tape measures, or even broken Christmas lights to make a gift look truly original. If you have Christmas tree lights that still work, try stuffing them into an empty wine bottle for a festive centerpiece. Better yet, choose LED Christmas lights that use 80-90% less energy for all of your lighting needs. For tinsel to decorate a tree, think about using aluminum cans and cutting them in a spiral to loop around or across a tree, wreath, or anywhere else around the house. Just be careful with your fingers and be sure to recycle the cans again after the holidays.

So, Merry Christmas Eve from the Green Connoisseur for those of you who celebrate the holiday, and remember that no matter the occasion, there is an eco-conscious way to celebrate in luxury!

Image Credit: QPSU, Cliquee, Country Living, Ticklymoo, Wit and Whistle, Daily Danny

Looking for an eco-friendly or organic baby shower gift that leaves an everlasting imprint in the minds of expecting mothers? A unique trend sweeping the celebrity scene and expanding creative baby shower gift giving involves stylish, eye-catching arrangements known as diaper cakes. Comprised of rolled up diapers and other festive trimmings that resemble a multi-layered wedding confection, diaper cakes are non-edible gestures filled with color and whimsy.

From organic cloth diapers to luxury baby products, a variety of businesses make choosing a diaper cake that stays in line with eco-conscious values an easy task to achieve. While some businesses use eco-friendly products to decorate the center of the diaper cake, others conceal special trinkets and gifts inside – so when the expectant mother finally unwraps her work of art – a surprising treat is discovered. Keep in mind that the typical 3-tier diaper cake consists of around 50 small diapers.

Available in small diaper ‘cupcakes’ (shown right) to elaborate 5-tier cakes, the following companies are just a sample of what to expect when searching for your next eco-friendly or organic baby shower gift:

Diaper Cakewalk

With Seventh Generation chlorine-free disposables and the luxurious reputation of Burt’s Bees all-natural baby care products, Diaper Cakewalk constructs diaper cakes topped with an all-natural cotton critter. For example, a vegetable dye is used to color the stuffed animals. The typical eco-friendly diaper cake is comprised of 40 to 45 (size 1) diapers (accommodating infants up to 14 pounds). Diaper Cakewalk offers eco-friendly arrangements centered on their Blue Elephant, Neutral Giraffe, and Pink Lamp (shown at top).

GrowinStyle

Choose the Organic 2-Tier Green Polka Dot Diaper Cake to deliver an attractive gift for parents who aren’t sure if they’re welcoming a baby boy or girl into their lives. About 25 to 30 eco-friendly diapers (size 1) are used in the creation of the diaper cake – decorated with high-quality ribbon and topped with Sophie the Giraffe –a natural BPA-free teether. The diaper cake comes with your choice of Nature BabyCare or Seventh Generation Diapers.

GrowinStyle also makes an Organic Upscale Diaper Pound Cake and Cupcakes arrangement that gives the appearance of a custom “you shouldn’t have” diaper cake order. This upscale selection includes 45 to 50 eco-friendly Nature BabyCare Diapers (size 1) and Weleda Baby Care Trial Size cream.

Rattlecake Diaper Cakes

The Eco-Friendly Trendy Turtle Diaper Cake provides a new mother with four tiers of Seventh Generation (size 1) diapers and organic baby products, including Carter’s Organic Cotton Hooded Turtle Towel and Carter’s Organic Cotton Turtle Onesie. Four Carter’s Organic Cotton Washcloths decorate the outside of the cake alongside a Safety 1st comb, brush, and nail clippers. Accent ribbon and ingredient card round off the package. The smaller 2-tier Cuddly Honey Bear Diaper Cake supplies a plush teddy stuffed with recycled fibers and flanked by natural, Burt’s Bees products.

Image Credits: Diaper Cakewalk, Rattlecake, GrowinStyle

There are a host of great shops that feature vegan, organic and fair trade desserts that are both mouth-watering and guilt-free. While it may be a bit late for holiday delivery, it’s a perfect gift you can get anytime for yourself and the ones you love. Check out a few of the great shops below!

Holy Chocolate, Batman!

Ghalia Organic Desserts has a huge selection of organic chocolate desserts to choose from. Whether you want to purchase a delicious treat for a friend or grab some comfort foods for yourself – this is the place to go.

The dairy free, egg free, Mexican chocolate cake looks absolutely divine and is made with whole wheat pastry flour and Dagoba semisweet chocolate. Other desserts that look inviting include the Dark Chocolate Coconut cake, the Upside Down Caramelized Banana Chocolate cake, and the Carrot Ginger cake.

Baked to Perfection

If you’re a sucker for delicious baked brownies and cookies, you’re in for a real treat. Sweet Debbie’s has a great selection of baked goods. The only problem you’ll have is deciding which ones to try first.

You can get delicious flavors like oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate chip, and peanut butter chocolate chip. The gourmet dark chocolate peanut butter brownie is absolutely drool-worthy! Both the brownies and the cookies are made from spelt flour and are organic.

Nectar of the Gods

Anyone who knows me knows that coffee is my vice, and nothing better complements a couple of rich chocolates or a chewy brownie than a freshly-brewed cup of Joe. Luckily, Allison’s Gourmet has that, too – and organic/fair trade teas.

All of the coffees available from Allison’s Gourmet are shade grown as well, to ensure wildlife habitat protection. From decaf vanilla nut coffee to rich, Aztec dark coffee, you can get your fix here – and look forward to more information on Allison’s coming up on the Green Connoisseur main site.

Make sure you check out the large selection of herbal teas and tea gift tins, as well. When you’re looking for delicious vegan, organic and fair trade treats – keep these delicious organic bakeries and shops in mind.

Photo Credits: Sweet Debbie’s, Ghalia Organic Desserts, Allison’s Gourmet

Keep this holiday season special and sustainable with Precious Earth’s Fine Jewelry. At Precious Earth, they believe in inside as well as outside beauty. Their pieces are made from recycled and renewed metals to limit the environmentally hazardous processes such as metal mining as well as preserve the limited natural resources. The diamonds that Precious Earth incorporates into their beautiful pieces are natural, social responsible, and high quality.

Commitments

In addition to the environmentally sustainable materials with which the jewelry is made, Precious Earth is devoted to empowering the people with whom they work. They work with the socially responsible Namibia Diamonds company, which supports workers in Namibia through education and fair wages. The Namibian workers are further empowered with more complex skills because the diamonds are cut and polished at the Namibian Diamond factory, thus keeping the labor local. Precious Earth is committed to both environmental and social sustainability.

Engagement Rings

The jewelry available from Precious Earth is incredibly beautiful. They offer an array of different types of jewelry, including many engagement rings. The holidays are a big time for proposals, so if this is on the horizon, be sure to check out Precious Earth’s incredible collection of engagement rings. This 18-karat white gold engagement ring is a wonderful example of the sophisticated and beautiful rings they have to offer.

Silver Jewelry

Precious Earth also creates incredibly complex and beautiful silver jewelry pieces. Check out their sterling silver zebra bangle inlayed with a single gem of environmentally friendly and conflict-free imperial dioside and featuring a “zebra stripe” design of raised silver. This bracelet is made of 100% recycled silver and contains the “little green gemstones” that are the signature of Precious Earth’s designs. In addition to the bangle, Precious Earth offers lovely matching zebra cuff links as well as matching rings.

Other Great Ideas

At Precious Earth, beautiful, sustainable jewelry is not just for woman. They have a “for men” section of their website, as well as a couture section which houses more elaborate designs. Check out this 18-karat World of Africa bracelet. It is beautifully hand carved with out of yellow gold and features 1.60 total carats of diamonds as well as their signature single diopside gem.

So, for this holiday season or the next, think about giving the gift of sustainability and support with a beautiful piece from Precious Earth, whose tag line is, “sustainable luxury, transparent beauty.”

Image Credit: Precious Earth

Let’s face it – holiday shopping can quickly go from festive to frustrating if you’re not sure what to get the people on your list. We’re down to the wire and you really need some great vegan gifts. Well, you’re in luck – below are 5 great vegan Christmas gifts that your friends and family will really cherish!

1. Sterling Silver Vegan Heart Pendant

Help your friend or family member proudly show off their care and concern with this silver vegan heart necklace. Handmade by artist Christy Robinson, this necklace is created from ethical sources and is sure to please. It will bring a smile to your vegan friend or family member’s face – and they’ll love showing it off to the world.

2. TerraSource Gourmet Vegan Chocolates

TerraSource, based in Madison Wisconsin, creates rich chocolates free of animal products of any kind. They’re made from fair trade and organic ingredients and you can choose from a wide variety of flavors – such as:

• Balsamic Strawberry
• Brandied Pear
• Coconut Dream
• Orange Ginger
• Wild Mint
• Pecan Praline
• Blueberry Bliss

There are a ton of other flavors, and this is a gift that absolutely anyone would love. Delicious chocolates free of animal products – what’s not to love?

3. Brown and Tan Stripe Knit Vegan Scarf (not pictured)

This adorable scarf is not only a wonderful vegan fashion statement – it’s a great way for your family member or friend to keep warm this holiday season. Created from animal free materials, this scarf is available from Alternative Outfitters, where you can choose a coordinating vegan hat to finish the gift!

4. Thames by Neuaura

If you know the size, you’re ready to order one of the most amazing holiday vegan gifts available this year. The vegan dress boot, available from Vegan Chic, is one of the greatest gifts you can buy.

It’s not only chic and super sleek, but it’s free of animal products and can be worn with just about anything. From jeans to long skirts to holiday dresses, this boot is the vegan boot!

5. Defenders of Wildlife Animal Adoption

Show your vegan family member or friend that you support their cruelty free lifestyle by adopting an animal for them.

When you make a donation to help save wildlife, you receive an adorable plush animal, along with literature that you can give to your friend.

It tells them all about your gift, which helps pass acts to protect animals, fight hunters and poachers, and educate the public.

It’s a lovely gift that any vegan would be thrilled to receive – and the animals will thank you.

These 5 great gifts will help you fill out your list and choose something special for your vegan friends and family members!