My Doable Top Five To-Dos:

5. Compost more, online + off

4. Look into Cash for Caulkers (it’s drafty in here!)

3. Dust off the old Yoga Mat

2. When in doubt, see the glass as half full

1. Drink lots of bubbly tonight

HAPPY NEW YEAR, SPROUTERS!

The floor I inherited in my master bedroom was 70s shag. Underneath that, rotted wood. It was time to re-floor, so I called on Natural Built Home—a local eco-friendly building supply company—and they brought in a great team to level and install a beautiful local FSC Certified maple floor (in the photo, it’s the top half). The new floor has a simple matte finish + to me looks + feels so much more natural than the old polyurethane-coated variety.

Looking ahead to the New Year just around the corner, I’m thinking about ways to make some green improvements in 2010. One major call to action I’m really jazzed about is Seventh Generation’s Million Baby Crawl to demand toxic chemical policy reform from Congress. Southdale Mall got the chance to be the host of a cool Crawl to Action event last month, complete with t-shirt and poster-making tables for the kids, baby and tot yoga from a local Blooma instructor, and a chance to march, er, crawl on the “Washington” grounds to pose for this great snapshot. The real crawl at the nation’s capitol is slated for January.

Dear Sprouters,

The weather outside is {predicted to be} frightful—or delightful, depending on how you view winter storms over a holiday.

However you’re planning to spend the weekend, stay warm, stay bright. And may all your Minnesota Christmases be white.

Merry wishes!

~SPROUT

This recycled lady—made of a bottle cap with scrap metal wings and dress—is watching over our tree. Purchased at Ataz at the Galleria several years ago, she’s always one of the first out of the ornament bin. This year, I picked up a bunch of vintage beauties to add to my collection. Everyone has their favorites. What’s yours?

Isn’t this wooden 1980s kid-made menorah sweet? And a little scary? {Check out the big black burn mark.} Sprout’s mom clearly thought so because she kept it all these years. We wouldn’t have our menorah any other way. But if we were combing the market, these eco-friendly styles—made from bike chain, steel pipes, recycled glass—would fit the bill.

Happy 8th Day of Hanukkah!

—SPROUT

To celebrate her comfy kid-and-parent clothing line turning two, Swami Baby owner Katie Holley recently threw a great party at the Warehouse District’s gourmet market Local D’Lish. Check out the yogi cake (left) by St. Paul bakery Sweets Bakeshop (am definitely checking out their new shop this weekend). Besides the sweet treats, the adorable Swami swag screamed holiday baby gift. I snagged the one that says: “Same Diaper, Different Day. I Recycle.”

We’ve had some birthdays to celebrate as of late, and this one called for cheesecake (the honoree’s favorite), fresh flowers, and some fun eco-gifts: a recycled-paper notebook, a pumpkin-spice soy candle, and a bday card that sprouts. All Ms. Birthday Girl has to do is plant it, and the seeds embedded in the paper will do the rest of the work. As she smartly said—it’s a present to me and the planet.