20+11 Things I Liked in 2011: Part 1

Another year is coming to a close, and it’s time for the second annual 20+… Things I Liked, a year-end pop culture round-up.

I’m no critic, I’m just a pop culture fan. I like network television and young adult novels. There are lots of well-reviewed movies of 2011 that I have yet to see. I don’t watch Louie, for no other reason than that I have no idea what channel it’s on. But I like stuff. And here are some of the things I liked in 2011.


If you have favorites from 2011, feel free to share them in the comments!

Optimism: sitcoms, various channels

The economy sucks. The environment is in trouble. A bunch of douchebags are running for president. But goldarnnit, we’re Americans and Americans try to look on the bright side. That’s probably why there are so many sitcoms these days about people who find joy wherever they can: in a cobbled-together family (Community) or a real one (Modern Family); in local government (Parks & Recreation); in suburbia (Suburgatory), or in small towns (Raising Hope). The half-hour comedy has come back in a big way, shaking off the overly-ironic P.O.V. that dogged humor during the early aughties, and turning to holy fools who are just trying to do the best they can. (See also: How I Met Your Mother, The Middle, Up All Night, The New Girl)

Lonely Boy: song by the Black Keys

Yeah. My dad dances like this guy.

Let England Shake, by PJ Harvey

Back in the days when Sassy was still a magazine, any self-respecting riotgrrrl had PJ Harvey in the tape deck of her beat-up Hyundai (that was my sister. I was not cool). Polly Jean is still cranking out throaty primal yells and haunted melodies. This year, Let England Shake shook up “Best of” lists and iPods with its musical meditations on war and peace. I read one review that claimed the album was like “homework.” I don’t know what school that guy went to; if I’d gone there I might not have felt the need to repeatedly ask my teachers: “Why are we learning this again?” In a year of revolt, PJ schooled us in the need to keep the consequences of our government’s actions at the forefront of our minds. Best tracks: “On Battlefield Hill”, “In the Dark Places.”

Speaking of tape decks and riotgrrls…

Women Who Rock (and rap), various artists

In the same decade that my sis was rocking out to PJ Harvey, we were also sitting in the grass at the Columbia Gorge Ampitheatre, “rocking” out to the Indigo Girls and Natalie Merchant at Lilith Fair. The attempted resurrection of Lilith Fair this summer might have been a bust, but you can create your own substitute on your iPod, because women have put out some of the best music of the year (and some of the most profitable). While Adele’s 21 and Florence + the Machine’s Ceremonials racked up the radio play, 2011 also saw major new music from St. Vincent, Feist, Lykke Li, Nicki Minaj, and female-fronted outfits like Cults and Wye Oak. I’m sure that my friend Andy is glad to receive a reprieve from the annual drubbing he gets when his year-end compilation CD doesn’t contain any female artists. I’m betting he’s not the only one whose “Best of” list will be looking a little friendlier toward the XX chromosome combo.

Michael Fassbender

Any one of the five people who saw Michael Fassbender in last year’s Fish Tank knew that he was about to tear up the movies. When Jane Eyre came out earlier this year, a comment of, “Michael Fassbender is great,” would have received blank stares, and in X-Men: First Class, he was the less famous guy in a lead role. It wasn’t long though, before Fassbender began to get the acclaim he should have gotten for earlier roles, and there’s even talk of Oscar for his role in Shame (which I haven’t seen yet, because: bummer). Fassbender brings an adult gravity and masculinity to his roles that many American actors just don’t seem to have; plus, you know, he’s easy on the eyes.

English Country Houses (Jane Eyre, Downtown Abbey, The Hours)

Michael Fassbender might have been stomping around one of the most famous fictional English Country houses when he encountered Jane Eyre in the corridors of Thornfield Hall, but 2011 was a big year for other drawing rooms as well. On PBS, Downtown Abbey brought new vigor to the upstairs-downstairs drama, while on BBCA’s The Hours, a key episode made great use of the immature frivolity that accompanies the “weekend at the country house” plotline. Why are these once-musty tropes being spruced up? Maybe it’s because in our sour economy, open acknowledgement of class in these dramas seems refreshing. Or maybe we just love a good waltz. (Or the Grizzly Bear… you DA fans know where I’m comin’ from, yo!)

The Beginning and the End (The Tree of Life and Melancholia)

Serious spiritual concerns are often absent from the movies, but this year two major directors turned their lenses on the metaphysical, illustrating the beginning of our world and its end. Terrence Malick showed us the evolution of life on earth, connecting the macro to the micro as he linked the life of a Texas family to the motions of the universe. Malick’s movies always explore our inner conversations with God, and the Tree of Life had the same whispered monologues that are a hallmark of his work (despite all the praise for this movie, I still don’t like it as much as Malick’s The New World, which is probably my favorite movie). Lars von Trier, in Melancholia, ventured into another territory: the terrible silence of God in our modern world, and the ferocious pull of depression, which can be as inexorable as gravity. Both films, however, gave us transcendental cosmic images that had the massive scale of the best action movies but the moral heft of two of cinema’s deepest thinkers.

This Party Just Took a Turn For the Douche, Garfunkel & Oates

You know who else gets metaphysical? Effin’ John Donne, as the adorable Kate Micucci points out in this hilarious, allusion-filled video. You probably recognize Micucci and her partner in comedy, Riki Lindhome, from their many TV roles, but if you don’t know their comedic song stylings, however, get thee to YouTube immediately!

Bridesmaids

Yeah, yeah. Cute girls, like Garfunkel & Oates, can be funny. Pretty women can be funny too. Big women and little women. Old and young. All can be funny. The press seemed to be totally surprised by this fact, as evidenced by the rapturous essays that were produced in reaction to the movie Bridesmaids, heralding a transformation in America’s taste in funny. But seriously, what is there to be awestruck about? People like good movies with funny people in them. They like stories about people, rather than stock characters. The pundits should just shut up and laugh along with the rest of us.

Robyn’s Body Talk Tour, Houston Warehouse, February 19, 2011

I don’t think I’ve ever danced so much in my life. But none of the dancing from the energetic audience could compare with the hyperkinetic moves of the Swedish chanteuse herself.

You Say You Want a Resolution

Just think, if everyone made a green resolution this year, we actually would be able to change the world.

It's the end of the year as we know it (the end of the world is apparently 12 short months away). But let's just assume that the world isn't going to end next December. If that's the case, and we're going to be around a little while longer, then it probably would behoove us to take better care of the planet. So why not ignore that perennially-failed weight loss resolution and try out a green (yet simple) resolution this year?

In fact, this very blog was started as part of my New Year's resolution to be greener, and it's spawned several other green resolutions - such as a resolution to shift to greener beauty products and a resolution to eat more sustainably.

I started small, however. It seems as though one big reason that New Year's resolutions fail is that folks aim to make a complete lifestyle change in the split-second between December 31 and January 1st. To make resolutions stick, it can be helpful to scaffold. Start with a small green resolution, and then, if you conquer it by March, you can make a new one. There's no reason that January is the only time one can set goals.

So here are some suggestions for some green resolutions in various shades from light green to dark (I'm not there yet).

Light Green:

These light green resolutions won't require much effort on your part, and are a great place to start if you haven't thought much about greening your life, or have thought yourself too busy to make greener choices. Some small reminders, like a sticky note next to your faucet telling you to turn off the water, will make these even easier.

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth, saving up to 8 gallons of water per day.
• Start carrying a reusable, BPA-free water bottle instead of a single-use water bottle. Those single-use bottles will cruddy up our planet for up to 1,000 years!
• Switch to compact-fluorescent lightbulbs - those are the swirly-looking ones. They are 75-80% more efficient than regular lightbulbs.
• Switch to reusable shopping bags. Not only will this switch save marine animals and cut back on waste in our landfills, but reusable shopping bags are easier to carry and hold more without tearing.

Medium Green

So, perhaps you're ready for more of a challenge. You want to make a resolution that has the potential to make you feel much more virtuous than your next-door neighbors who throw out a giant bag of beer bottles every Monday morning. These medium green resolutions should give you enough green cred to allow you to glare disapprovingly at those around you for at least five minutes per day.

• Observe Meatless Monday. Or Tuesday. Or Friday. But one day a week, go meatless. The benefits of a vegetarian diet are plentiful, but you don't have to go full veg to help yourself and the planet. The production of meat places a huge burden on the earth, and the U.N. recommends that all of us cut back. The Meatless Monday site can help you with tips and recipes for this resolution.
• Try out No-Buy Month. For the month of January (or a different month), don't buy anything. Lower consumption is always green! You can decide how restrictive you'd like this month to be: maybe you try not to spend anything. Or maybe you just stop buying non-consumables. If no-buy January works out, you might want to set a goal for other no-buy months throughout the year. I've found that no-buy month brings a sense of peace and calm to life that is an even better reward than the money you save.
• Tele-commute one or two days a week. If your job will allow you, work from home when you can (and many employers will consider it if you lay out the energy savings that they'll have as well as the ones that you will). Click here for some tips on making this work.
• Give up paper towels. You might want to keep one roll around for really gross messes, or for cleaning the toilet. But really, paper towels are mostly unnecessary. Just cut up some old T-shirts or towels and you've got enough rags to do almost any cleaning job.

Dark Green

Ready to go big? (And let me just tell you, I'm not there yet. I'm still medium green). Here are a few ideas:

• Stop (or greatly reduce) your driving. You can ride a bike, take public transport, or walk. Of course, the feasibility of this depends on where you live and where you work. But most of us can do better than we do when it comes to using fossil fuels.
• Start producing your own food. Even city dwellers can make this work; you can be part of the growing trend of urban farms.
• Make your own cleaners and beauty products. There are tons of websites and books that can tell you how to make green products that are healthier for you and for the earth.

So dark green, these resolutions are almost black

If you're really looking to change your life:

• Give up air travel
• Become a zero-waste family
• Move to a smaller dwelling
• Buy all of your clothes at thrift stores

Do you have a green resolution this year?

Merry Christmas

Musical Bonus: Interfaith Holiday Fun!

So, yesterday I featured three songs about the Christmas story, so I wanted to share the love with my folks who jam for Hanukkah or Yule, or like their Christmas secular.

For Hanukkah

Miracle: by Matisyahu

I LOVE THIS SONG. When it comes on my iPod in the middle of the summer, I let it play. If you're not familiar with Matisyahu, he's the world's most famous Hasidic reggae star. And I mean that completely seriously. I especially like this lyric:

"Eight is the number of infinity; one more than what you know how to be

And this is the light of festivity, when your broken heart yearns to be free."

For Yule

The Christians and The Pagans: by Dar Williams

A young pagan woman visits her Christian relatives over the holidays. Cross-cultural sharing ensues. This is a story song, and it's full of warmth and humor, and the truth that the holidays bring families together, even if they know those days by different names.

For your secular celebration

Christmas in Hollis: by Run-DMC

It's a hip-hop holiday classic.

Merry Monday - My Favorite Holiday Music

(OK, yes... it's actually Tuesday. I was busy.)

Today's Theme: The Christmas story!

OK, OK. I know that many of my friends and readers are not religious at all. But whether you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, or whether you believe that the Christmas is a reinterpretation of pagan stories of winter rebirth; some of the best Christmas songs are related to the central nativity narrative.

I tend to gravitate toward the more human side of the story - the combination of confusion and wonder that the players must have felt - rather than the choirs of angels and prophecies of old.

Tomorrow: Interfaith Bonus Music for my friends of different (or no) faiths!

Part 1: The Annunciation
Gabriel's Message: by Sting
In 1996, various artists got together for a Christmas compilation to benefit the Special Olympics. While there have been many iterations of A Very Special Christmas since, the original is, well... special. It popularized this song, a weird and wonderful tale of the annunciation. The original is a Basque carol, but this modern take heightens the sense of alienation one would feel if an angel really did come down from heaven and declare to your teenage self that you were having God's baby.

Part 2: Telling Joseph
Joseph, Who Understood: by the New Pornographers
I'm sure there are folks who would consider this song sacrilegious, because: a) it's by a band with the word "pornographers" in their band name, and; b) it portrays Joseph's existential crisis as he tries to deal with the fact that his intended is having someone else's baby. He's really not cool with the scandal that Mary's unplanned pregnancy is causing in Galilee. Ultimately, though, he comes to accept the situation, even declaring of the baby: "Mary, he is mine." I feel like this message of acceptance and forgiveness is what the holidays are all about.

Part 3: Mary Ponders
Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song): by Sara Groves
This song is the opposite of the one above, in terms of audience. Most of the folks who know this one have heard it in church or on a Christian radio station (it was written by Amy Grant). But I just think it's a beautiful melody and a beautiful sentiment. Gladys Knight does a really nice version, but I think this one is my favorite because it's small, the way I imagine Mary really would have felt.

One Bag: Eco-Gift Idea #3... For the Literati

This week, I've been sharing some ideas for how to take one super-cute Whole Foods reusable grocery bag, and fill it with goodies that are ecologically-responsible, readily-available at common stores or websites, and reasonably-priced.


Today: gifts for those literary types in your life.


Stationery and office supplies have always been one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to impulse purchases. I've really been trying to curb this until I use up what I already own. So, buying fun tools for writers and readers is one way for me to satisfy that craving for the perfect notebook.

Greenroom Recycled Notebooks

Available at Target

$3.99-$7.99

A great notebook is a must for any aspiring writer. Greenroom produces a variety of eco-friendly notepads in cute designs, in a variety of sizes.

Refillable Fountain Pen

Available at most office supply stores

$5.00  to exorbitantly expensive

Writing with a fountain pen just makes you feel cooler. Plus, they aren't disposable, like other pens .

Eco-Tools Pencil Case

Available from Drugstore.com 

$7.99

Give this, and your grateful friends will never have to search for their fountain pens again! Plus ... cute!

Off-set your reading habits by planting trees!

Available at the eco-libris website

$5.00 balances 5 books by planting 5 trees - plus you get stickers for your books to show your eco-pride!

Eco-libris offsets the trees we destroy to create books by planting trees. And trees are awesome.

One Bag: Eco-Gift Idea #2 ... Beauty!

So, you take one cute Whole Foods reusable bag...

The other day I suggested how you could fill this bag with cheap eco-gifts that are easy to find -- gifts that a foodie friend might like.

So here's our day #2 gift bag, with ideas for how you might create a themed bag of goodies for a friend who loves her (or his) beauty regimen.

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

Available at Target, Whole Foods, and Walgreen's

Around $5.00

"I love this stuff," said a friend when I gave her some Lip Shimmer. Perfect for parties, this sparkly, moisturizing lip gloss is just what the doctor ordered for those dry winter days.

Bass Bamboo Hairbrush

Available at Whole Foods and Amazon.com

Between $7.00 and $20.00 depending on size and style

"I love my new brush. I just want to keep brushing my hair,"said another friend who received a Bass bamboo brush. It's a little like having strong manly fingers massage your head... without the dirty socks around your apartment.

Yes to Cucumbers! On-the-Go Facial Towelettes

Available at Target

Around $4.00

During this season of travel, who doesn't need to freshen up once in awhile?

Do It Gorgeously, by Sophie Ulliano

Available at Amazon.com and various bookstores

$15.00-20.00

Green guru Sophie Ulliano teaches you how to make your own green beauty products.

Speaking of making your own beauty products, you can make your friends a...

Salt Scrub

Click here for instructions.

The ingredients are cheap and available anywhere. This is on of the easiest DIY gifts out there, and it's a great project to do with kids.

Merry Monday: My Favorite Holiday Music

Today's Theme: Christmas Bummers

When I was little, I was pretty familiar with every single children's book that our local library offered. And every year, starting around August, I repeatedly checked out "The Book of Christmas." It was from a Time-Life series (remember those?) about the supernatural world, and it was filled with stories of trolls and ghosts and talking animals. It was about the dark of winter, and how Christmas represents hope for light in the darkness.

When I told people that this was one of my favorites, saying, "It's about the dark parts of Christmas," they would cock their heads and say, "Christmas has a dark side?" And they'd laugh.

But at a very young age, I understood that Christmas isn't all "Santa Claus and ho-ho-ho, mistletoe and presents to pretty girls" as Lucy van Pelt put it.

Or, as Todd van der Werff (my pop culture soulmate and critic at the AV Club) put it:

...there's a kind of melancholy that bubbles up around the holidays, a melancholy that unites all of the greatest Christmas stories, from A Charlie Brown Christmas to It's a Wonderful Life to A Christmas Carol. I realize this is such a snobby thing to say, but the people who think Christmas is about unalloyed joy, about smiling until you're gritting your teeth, I don't think they GET IT, not really. Christmas is about another year coming to a close and drawing the people you love closer to you because you don't know what you'd be without them. It's about what you don't have as much as what you do have, about the realization that loneliness is the flip-side of love and happiness only comes easily after you've been through some pain. To me, Christmas and New Year's are all wrapped up in sadness and melancholy and loneliness, and that's what makes the happiness feel that much more earned, that much more essential.

And so I offer four songs that "get it."

"Fairytale of New York," by the Pogues with Kirsty McColl

For many folks, this is the ultimate Christmas song. There are many others who have no idea why any Christmas song would include the words, "You're an old slut on junk." But this is the magic of Christmas... you might be in the drunk tank. But a new year is still right around the corner.

"Christmas Day," by Dido

This story song, like many a Dido ditty, begins with a sweetness, and finishes with devastation.

"I Remember," from Evening Primrose, sung by Theresa McCarthey

In 1966, a teleplay called Evening Primrose aired. The composer for the songs was a young Stephen Sondheim. The play aired only once, and only Sondheim fans know of it - it aired in color, but the color masters have been lost. However, one of the songs "I Remember" (sung, in the play, by a young woman who has been living in a department store for years... don't ask) is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. There are few good recordings of it (Barbra Streisand did it on one of her Christmas albums, but I don't like that version). The one below is my favorite. I love the tune, but the lyrics are true standouts. "And ice, like vinyl, on the streets" is one of my favorite lines. The song reminds me of a lost New York winter, like those described in Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale, and the sadness of it's final lines ("and at times I think/I would gladly die/for one day of sky") never seems to lessen for me.

"Calling and Not Calling My Ex" by Okkervil River

Your ex might not be a superstar, but everyone can relate to wondering if you should call old friends or exes over the holidays.

One Bag: Eco-Gift Idea #1 ... Foodie!

My good friend Kelly has a tradition that she calls the "Basket (or Bag, depending upon the case) of Crap." I'm not exactly why she calls it this, but basically the Bag of Crap is a gift you want to get. It's a lot like Oprah's favorite things, without the screaming suburban moms.

Basically, Kelly saves up her favorite items when she can get them on sale throughout the year, and then fills a bag (or basket) with them for holiday gifts. She also looks for little items that she knows certain friends will like.

When I saw these very cute (one might even say adorable) holiday bags at Whole Foods, I started thinking about how these would be the perfect vessel for a bag full of small eco-treasures - kind of like the Bag of Crap.

Don't worry if you're not ahead of the game like Kelly, and haven't started stocking up. This week, I'm going to feature some ideas for eco-themed ways you could turn said bag into a treasure trove for friends. I'm also going to feature items that are available in commonly-found stores - so you won't have to stress if you want to try one of these out. Because what's the point of a gift guide if you can't find any of the featured gifts?

Bag #1: The Foodie Bag

Ideas for that environmentally-conscious gourmand in your life.

O Organics Hot Cocoa Mix

Available at Safeway and Randalls

Price not available

This cocoa is so delicious, it's easy to forget it's not a pricier brand

Charity Mug (NRDC Design)

Available at West Elm

$10.00

Fifty percent of the price of the West Elm Charity mugs go to great organizations like the NRDC and Teach For America!

Green & Black's Organic Chocolate (Peanut and Sea Salt shown)

available at Target and Whole Foods

Around $3.99

These organic, fair-trade chocolates are absolutely delectable.

Peanut and Sea Salt is my no-holds-barred fave, but they also offer yummy flavors such as Hazelnut and Currant, Toffee, and Ginger.

Bamboo Cooking Tools (Rachael Ray set shown)

Available at a variety of cooking stores and at Target

Sets by different brands range from $8-$30

Bamboo is a renewable resource, and when I'm in the kitchen, I always find my wooden tools get more use than anything more "modern."

Spiced Cashews

Click here and scroll down for the recipe.

I make these treats every year. They're always a hit, but you might want to make a few extras for yourself!

Holiday DIY - Yarn Wreaths

I've been making these yarn wreaths this holiday season, and I have to say, I've loved the way they've turned out.

Plus - they're a great way to repurpose random yarn from your stash that you're not sure what to do with (you know the balls of yarn that aretoo big to discard, but aren't big enough to make much of anything?), as well as random craft supplies and ribbon.

If you want to make your own yarn wreaths (or the felt flowers), you can click here for a tutorial... but I bet that some of you crafty types canfigure out how it's done just from the picture.

Now, when I was teaching, one of my rules when we were doing any kind of project was: "simpler is better." You see, when kids are faced with baubles and beads, they want to use ALL of them.

Of course, "simpler is better" is not true all the time, but in crafting, it quite often is. Just Google Image search "yarn wreaths." You'll find lots of inspiration. You'll also find some wreaths made by people who never had a teacher who told them:"simpler is better." When designing your wreath, remember this simple axiom.

One way to green this craft: If you can find old wreaths at a thrift store, you could take off the decorations and use the form as a base for your wreath. My thrift store didn't have

anything appropriate, so I had to buy the wreath forms, which are very ungreen. Also, some craft stores (though not mine!) have straw wreath forms, that will be better for the environment than floral foam. If you try this craft, hopefully you can find greener craft supplies than I did!

Merry Monday: My Favorite Holiday Music

Today's Theme: Winter Songs!

These songs are part of my holiday playlist. Although they aren't officially "holiday" songs, they all put me in the winter spirit.

Winter Song: by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson

I love this song's message of hope, love and light in the winter... and if you have lived in northern climes, you know that message is needed in the darkest days of winter. Plus, this video is adorable.

River, by Joni Mitchell. Version by Robert Downey, Jr.

This song could definitely fit into the "Christmas bummer" category as well as the Winter category. It's a beautiful song, but super-depressing. There are also a lot of great versions, but for some reason I particularly like this version by Robert Downey Jr. from Ally McBeal.

Swingset Chain, by Loquat

Again, kind of a bummer. (Seriously. If you've lived in a snowy place -- winter can be a huge, dark, bummer). This one is about looking back to winters' past - in particular, the frozen playgrounds of childhood, and how those loves and friendships have been lost.

Walking in the Air, from The Snowman

Watching The Snowman during the holiday season is a tradition in my family. It's a sweet story, but the most magical sequence is this one, where a boy and his snowman fly through the arctic skies. Beautiful. (You might want to view this one full-screen).

Do you have a favorite winter song?

Q&A: O Christmas Tree!

Let me tell you, Christmas trees are magical.

When I was a kid (and still to this day) one of my favorite Christmas moments is when you come downstairs on any December morning and you see the tree, unlit, with the ornaments sort of glowing softly in the dim light.

But there are lots of strident environmentalists who will tell you that any Christmas tree is wasteful and that you shouldn't have a tree. Well, bah humbug to you too!

Some of us, however, love our trees (that's why we're light green and not dark green eco-warriors). But, as my friend Shelley pointed out the other day, it can be hard to make a good choice about what tree is the greenest. Shelley asked, via Facebook:

What is more sustainable - a real Christmas tree or a fake? My fake is probably made of all kinds of nasties - but I can use it year on year. Real trees - though? I just don't know. I think I made a good choice, but something about this question feels slightly complicated - and I can't put my finger on it. As we approach the holiday season - how can we make sustainable choices with our Christmas trees? What do you think?

Shelley has definitely hit the nail on the head: This feels complicated. Like Shelley, I have an artificial tree. It's a small table-top tree that I've had for years.

The simple answer is: real trees are better for the earth. However, there's a bit more to know. Here's the run-down:

Artificial Trees: Despite the fact that artificial trees are long-lasting, they are, as Shelley said, "made of all kinds of nasties." In this case, the nastiest nasty is PVC. As we learned during my adventure in CD-consolidation, PVC is hard to recycle. It's also full of chemicals.

If you have an artificial tree, though, don't despair and chuck it out the window. Sure, you don't want to chew on your tree or eat the needles or anything (you may want to spray some bitter apple on it to keep pets from chewing on it), but if you have one tree, I'm of the very unscientific opinion that you should use it as long as you can. (I know that some people advocate getting rid of all plastics in your home, but for most of us that's not a practical option. Reducing plastic consumption over time feels a lot more do-able).

What you really don't want to do, however, is buy lots of different artificial trees, or continually upgrade. As with most things green, the key is to moderate your consumption. You want to think about: do you really need a new tree? If so, then it may be time to transition to real trees (this may not be a good financial option for some who live far from where the trees grow). Do you really need a tree in every room? And of course, a small artificial tree is going to be better than a large one.

Cut Trees: Cut Christmas trees have all of the problems attendant on our factory agriculture system. They are a better option than artificial, in general. However the tree you buy outside of the grocery store usually isn't a very green bet. If you can, of course, buy organic.

The best option, however, is to cut your own tree in a forest. You know, if you have a forest nearby. For example, if you live in the Rocky Mountains, you can actually get a permit from the US Forest Service to cut a tree in the national forests. This helps to thin and maintain the forests over time.

If, like many of us, you don't have a pine forest right outside your door, and you decide to buy a cut tree, then make sure it's healthy with soft, bouncy bristles. The supermarket near my house had a whole bunch of dead-looking trees. Yuck! You might want to check a few different nurseries or lots to find the healthiest trees you can.

Live trees: At first blush, it seems like a live tree is the best option. You use it at Christmas and then you re-plant it, right?

Except winter is not the best time to plant a tree. And in many places, pine trees are not a match for the environment.

Many live Christmas trees end up dying.

What does that all mean?

Well, if you're starting from scratch (i.e., you don't have a tree now), then your best bet is to go with a cut tree.

If you're replacing an artificial tree because it's old and bedraggled and just can't be used any more, then switch to a cut tree.

If you have an artificial tree already, go ahead and stick with it, but don't buy more artificial trees or constantly buy bigger artificial trees.

When it comes to being green at Christmas, in the end, it's best to remember that Christmas isn't about buying more and bigger stuff. That's a good way to be greener all year round.