The New York Times reported that the most iconic icon of New Year's Eve, the Times Square ball o' light, is getting a green makeover. The ball has already been fitted with energy-efficient LEDs last year for the 100th anniversary of the ball drop (pictured), but this year it is doubling in size to a 12-foot diameter.

So how, pray tell, is a bigger ball with more lights going to be more efficient than last year's? We're not too clear on that (or any science, for that matter), but according to Philips, the company who rigs up the light ball, it will in fact be 20 percent more efficient than last year.

What makes even less sense about this plan is that the new ball will remain on display and lit all year round. We're really unsure how green that last part of the plan is, as was the author of the New York Times article.

I don't claim to have always been the greenest hippie to ever eat granola with soy milk, but I have been doing the following things for many years: wearing vintage clothes, using secondhand goods, being vegetarian, recycling containers and paper, tearing full sheets of used paper into quarters as scrap paper, buying organic/sustainable goods when practical, etc.

But it's always possible to go even more green, even if you can't afford to drive a biodiesel car, install solar panels and a wind turbine, buy everything organic, sustainably produced, and all your groceries at Whole Foods. More recently I've tried to become conscious of energy use: turning off lights, unplugging chargers, hanging laundry outside to dry instead of using the dryer, using the toaster oven to reheat leftovers instead of firing up the oven or microwave. I also try to choose local when grocery shopping, shop at the green market, and grow my own vegetables (so far that has been limited to a pepper patch but there's another resolution: Get Better at Gardening).

I'm also planning a wedding in 09, and while many people are going to have to fly to it, I've taken steps to green that event. Vintage dress (natch), bridesmaids in dresses they promise they will wear again, DIY carbon offsets as favors, planting trees at our destination, homemade partially-recycled invites without the traditional like 14 cards and envelopes each, and so on. If all goes well registry-wise, I'll start composting this year as well. These are all small steps, but in the spirit of being positive about the New Year, keep in mind that little steps do add up.

My phone rang early yesterday, right as my girls were sitting down to open presents. It was my neighbor Mary, who called to wish me a Merry Christmas and ask me what I was doing on March 14, 2009.

"Andrew and I have an event in the City that night and we'd like to spend the night at a hotel. Shall we bring the boys to your house or do you want to come over here. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" To Mary and Andrew, I gave the gift of a coupon for one free "overnight" of babysitting. It was one of many such gifts of "time not money" I handed out this year which seem to have been very well received. I already have an appointment this Saturday to help a friend go through her closet and whittle down her clothes to "just winners."

As for the girls: they saw no difference between the store-bought gifts and those that were from consignment stores or handed down. Mina was thrilled with her American Girl bed, and never noticed that the wood frame was slightly scratched. Nor did she notice the button missing on a navy blue peacoat for her doll, Ruby. Both gifts were handed down by my sister.

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Well, it's too late to leave it out for the hardest working man on Christmas Eve (sorry, Santa), but you still have time to give a thank you gift to that special someone in your life who worked extra hard to make this holiday season special.

Maybe it was your mom or aunt, who hosted a huge dinner and party, or maybe it was your husband, who braved the store, shopping list in hand, to pick up all those last minute gifts. Shoot, maybe it's you. Whoever it was, you can rest assured they'll appreciate some Tired Old Ass Soak, for the Overworked and Underappreciated.

It's more than just a hilarious name. Made from 100 percent mineral salts and oils, Tired Old Ass Soak claims it "treats exhaustion and washes away the years of abuse you've put yourself through -- just soak and sigh." It can be used in a full bath or just for a quick foot soak, is biodegradable and planet friendly. Get your own at The Vermont Country Store for $14.95.

Merry Christmas to everyone who is celebrating! And, to everyone who is not celebrating: Merry December 25th!

It's the big day, but there's still something you can do before the festive season ends to extend the spirit of merriment and charity. Give a gift to a homeless person. I'm serious. I know it sounds scary and/or black diamond difficult, but it's not. See Doc Gurley's How-To video above, and this terrific article she wrote, as well: 5 Reasons to Give a Gift to a Homeless Person.

My reason? "It gives us back a small bit of our battered compassion." That's from the above article, which got me so excited about Doc Gurley I made her Tonic News Hero of the Week.

Maybe you even got stuff today that you don't need and would be happy to give. Give it. Giving a gift to a homeless person is something you can do alone or with your family and friends. Watch the video to see how it works. I think it would inspire Ebenezer Scrooge himself!

To say that the weather outside is frightful would be the understatement of the year, at least where I live anyway. But having spent my life in Canada, I know a few easy ways to stay warm without sending your heating bill through the roof. Don't spend Christmas Eve shivering away, wishing for morning. Maybe you should try:

• Wearing socks to bed. It's pretty amazing how much a thin pair of socks can warm you up overnight.
  
• Or, if that doesn't do the trick, a hat too. You lose most of your heat through your head, after all.
  
• Drinking tea before bed. Stay away from caffeinated teas, but a nice herbal tea before bed will help you sleep and warm you up. My favourite is Tetley's Dream Tea.
  
• Sleeping with a hot water bottle. Hug it like a teddybear while you drift off.
  
• Asking Santa for a bed warmer. It's like an electric blanket but you use it under the fitted sheet on your bed. Turn the bed on five minutes before you climb in and it will be nice and toasty.
  

Got any other tips? Do share.

Maybe you didn't plan on getting a Christmas tree because you thought they were too wasteful, but now you're reconsidering because you feel grinchy. Or maybe you just don't plan all that much, and let things fall together serendipitously at the absolute last minute. You might want to check out The Cardboard Tree by Chicago-based Cloud Gate Designs.

Here's the breakdown: it's a three-feet tall by three feet wide self-supporting tree, built of completely recycled cardboard with tons of space to hang your favorite ornaments -- and it's only $22.95. Not to mention, it's got one of the smallest shipping footprints of any tree I've ever seen. It basically ships as on piece of flat two-ply cardboard.

And not only would it make you feel good that you avoided the eco-pitfalls of the real vs. fake tree debate -- but a portion of the profits from sales will be donated to the Trees For America program. Which means, for every dollar donated, a tree will be planted in a damaged US forest. Bonus!

[via Treehugger]

During the holiday season, greeting cards can wreak some serious havoc on your refrigerator's feng shui. You know what I mean. You get like 20 cards, stick them up on the fridge and then start contemplating how long it's appropriate to leave them on display before you're allowed to throw them away.

Well now there's a socially acceptable way to enjoy your card and then dispose of it with haste -- just chew it up and swallow. It's all part of UK design firm Oxygen Creative's plan to reduce its collective holiday footprint. They sent out a few hundred edible cards that can reduce holiday waste by becoming a somewhat tasteless but high fiber midnight snack.

Featuring a large holiday brussels sprout on the cover, the card itself is made out of potato starch, printed on with edible inks. Get this, even the signatures are edible -- signed with a special pen. Cool idea, right? Probably a little bland. I might recommend trying your card with some onion dip or Tabasco.

[via Treehugger]

Still looking for the perfect gift for the crunchy eco-type on your list? Dreading the mall? Also, running out of money?

Isn't Christmas shopping fun?!?

Okay seriously, how about this: for a mere $20, Green Dimes will stop the onslaught of catalogs clogging your mailbox. Don't have the $20? Our friends at Green Daily have a solution! They're giving away one year of Green Dimes service! Free AND good for the environment!

To enter, go to Green Daily and leave a confirmed comment on this post, detailing the funniest catalog you've ever received in the mail. Contest ends at 5:00 pm EST on Friday, December 19, so go now and enter!

And then, when you win, you can give your tree-hugger friend a catalog-free year. Perfect.

Still looking for the perfect gift for the crunchy eco-type on your list? Dreading the mall? Also, running out of money?

Isn't Christmas shopping fun?!?

Okay seriously, how about this: for a mere $20, Green Dimes will stop the onslaught of catalogs clogging your mailbox. Don't have the $20? Our friends at Green Daily have a solution! They're giving away one year of Green Dimes service! Free AND good for the environment!

To enter, go to Green Daily and leave a confirmed comment on this post, detailing the funniest catalog you've ever received in the mail. Contest ends at 5:00 pm EST on Friday, December 19, so go now and enter!

And then, when you win, you can give your tree-hugger friend a catalog-free year. Perfect.