Sierra Club Green Home

Sierra Club Green Home will ring in the new year with gratitude for what 2011 has given us and excitement for what the next year holds. Here, writer Roland Oehme shares the top 12 things he is grateful for going into 2012.

Every year, 25 to 30 million live Christmas trees are sold in the United States. Their ornaments and decorations help brighten our holiday. But after the holiday, they end up curbside as trash or, in towns offering such services, as recycling. A sad fate for such a wonderful part of Christmas.

Around the country, a new tradition is growing: renting a living tree for the holidays. (Photo by Monica Hudson, RentALivingChristmasTree.com)

If you are tired of the same ritual of trudging off to the mall, jostling through the crowd, waiting hours to park, and struggling to find gifts within your budget, there is a solution. Yes, the solution to enjoying the holidays and not getting overwhelmed with shopping till December 25 is really quite simple.

The past two weeks SCGH staff and readers have reflected on the environmental progress we can be grateful for. Below is a list of things we can appreciate as steps on our path to a sustainable, healthy planet. (Photo by Jenosale, Flickr)

Businesses that are completely conscious of the earth, creator, and consumer are not as hard to find as many think. A host of Web sites and boutiques offer vegan, organic, and fair-trade products. Where you spend your money can speak about what you support. (Photo courtesy of 31 Bits.com)

We don’t always appreciate the eco-progress we’ve made, but what better time to reflect on what environmental programs we’re grateful for than now? We take a moment to appreciate the thrift shops, eco-friendly home products and furnishings, and laws to protect the humpback whale.

Let us know what environmental progress you’re thankful for, whether it’s your town adding municipal composting or a new United Nations program. We want to hear from you! We will publish more responses on Thanksgiving Day. (Photo © Konstantin Sutyagin | Dreamstime.com)

SAN FRANCISCO — Waste management company Recology has hit a milestone: 1 million tons of composted materials in San Francisco. What’s more, Thanksgiving is the biggest food week of the year, and Recology is calling for all scraps to be composted. Read more about the company’s many programs, including art, education, and falcons. UPDATED: Take a video tour of its facilities.

A new report by the Breast Cancer Fund called “BPA in Thanksgiving Canned Food” reveals that many of the canned foods associated with Thanksgiving contain high levels of BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA is used in a wide variety of applications, including linings of metal canned goods. BPA can leach from the inner metal coatings of the cans into the food itself. It also leaches from products like plastic food storage containers and water and baby bottles.

Combine traditional fare along with raw and vegan options. These options are more eco-friendly, and usually healthier. (Photo © Stephanie Frey | Dreamstime.com)

It’s one thing to admire a beautiful bouquet, but another to taste it. With this organic autumn bouquet, you could decorate your table, throw it on your salad, or both. (Photo © Kuzsm | Dreamstime.com)