I Love Trees by Project GreenLabel

This “I Love Trees” t-shirt is an obvious choice for today’s Top Three. Made with ringspun 100% organic cotton jersey, this shirt expresses everything a shameless treehugger could want without saying a single word-Perfect for those days that you are practicing walking meditation or just want to bark (couldn’t help myself) your love of trees to all the last anti-nature neocons that might still be lurking about your office or suburban community clubhouse. Obama is here for at least four years people, so all the Drill Baby Drill, whale meat-eating, redwood TP-using treekillers can go stick it! (Again, I just can’t leave this tree humor alone. I apologize…I need to branch out.) I sense this is the only time in my journalistic career where I might  share one of my favorite jokes from childhood (read: last year). What’s brown and sticky? …A stick.

Madelaine Top by Kate Organic

With its creamy layered ruffles made of organic cotton voile, this “Madelaine Top” by Kate Organic is both romantic and sophisticated. Kate and her partner Henry care for the environment in a deep and authentic way. Kate’s incredible design abilities match Henry’s passion for environmental activism perfectly. Through their partnership with Trees for the Future, a tree is planted for every garment sold. Trees for the Future has been initiating agroforestry programs all over the world since 1989. These former Peace Corps members not only plant trees, they integrate agriculture, trees, people, and animals in the same space, resulting in improved soil quality, higher yields, and improved standards of living. Turns out this little top has quite a ripple effect.

The Guardian Angels in desperate need of a green fashion make-over!

And that’s when it dawned on me looking at Sunday’s New York Post, yet another story about Lindsay Lohan acting out for the cameras, giving a performance, on the stage of life, playing with the paparazzi, knowing full well, fully conscious, that all these images will once again splash all across the globe in gossip rags. She’s not doing anything different, consciously or not, than what Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin did in the 60′s, except in her case, her cause, is her, nothing else.

TOMS Shoes introduced the world to the One-For-One business model back in early 2006. For every pair of shoes they sold, one pair would be given to a child in need. Some called it simply genius, others called it fiscal suicide. Over the past three years, TOMS has given over 100,000 pairs of shoes to kids in Argentina, South Africa, and Mississippi. Not only have TOMS canvas slip-ons become quite trendy, but it seems the One-For-One methodology has caught on as well.

Element Skateboards has just launched a collaboration with TOMS. For every TOMS co-branded skateboard they sell, one board will be given to a kid at the Indigo Skate Camp near Durban, South Africa. Skateboarding gives the kids at Indigo a positive activity to revolve around; much needed for those living in the midst of one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

A few weeks ago in Venice, CA, there was a quaint little party at the TOMS “pop-up” store on Abbot Kinney Blvd. Hipsters, skaters, locals, and staff drank beer, talked skating, browsed shoes, and rocked out to one of LA’s finest deejays, Mr. Alfred Hawkins. Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS, and President of Element, Johnny Schillereff, got up to speak about how the partnership came to be, while the half drunken crowd of do-gooders whistled and catcalled their favorite heros of conscious commerce.

I heart Broccoli City. Finally some urban designers are pumping out fresh designs on 100% organic cotton. With a little bit of bling and a whole lot of (healthy) flavor, Broccoli City has successfully married funk to eco-fashion. By using water-based inks and organic cotton to make their shirts, BC cares not just for fly design, but for the health of the cotton farmers, local residents, land, and surrounding wildlife effected by agriculture. Add positive messaging for both men (Strap Up) and women (Who Loves Me More Than Me) to BC’s high style and eco-consciousness, and you’ve got street fashion’s newest triple threat.

Okay ladies and gentlemen, in this easy to follow video, Emily Main of National Geographic’s The Green Guide takes you through an array of romantic, organic, and ethically-made gifts to shower your mate with on Valentine’s Day. Emily has covered the V-Day basics with guilt-free luxuries like a super cute lingerie set from PI Organic (note to guys out there: I received this from my man recently and I was very impressed with his sexy, eco-conscious choice), fresh cut roses from Organic Bouquet, ethically made in the USA jewelry by Moonrise, delectable Theo Chocolates (the Coconut Curry is amazing!), and organic boxed wine from French Rabbit, which to be honest, ain’t gonna go over really well with most ladies as a Valentine’s gift. But, for all those diehard boxed wine lovers out there, Emily does suggest sneaking it into a romantic movie, which is actually kind of hot.

Whatever you decide guys (and girls), make it happen quick! Your window to shop is quickly coming to a close. If you’re stuck for a last minute gift that will make your Mother Earth-minded princess squeal with delight, get her a gift certificate from the best eco online store there is…we’ll let you guess who we’d suggest.

Your favorite ladies deserve to be treated like queens on Valentine’s Day, and that includes Mother Earth. At least one, if not all, of these eco-friendly Valentine’s Day gifts will make your wife, Mom, best friend, sister, boss, girlfriend, or weekend fling extremely happy. And if you must get something for all of them, it’s really not hard to do with these extremely affordable options.

Crown Your Eco Queen

Still chilly in your neck of the woods? Crown your favorite queen with the chic cashmere cap by legendary eco couture designer Deborah Lindquist. This adorable, super soft hat is made in the USA from 100% recycled cashmere sweaters to keep those regal ladies in your life super toasty. And you know what’s even better than a cute couture hat that’s sustainably made? The fact that it’s majorly on sale. Happy lady, happy wallet, Happy Valentine’s Day! $55 (Down from $110)

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Regift

Who knew regifting for Valentine’s Day could be so cool? Art meets eco meets technology with these beautiful crimson and orange hearts by Heart Is Hot. Made in the US from 100% recycled glass, each HIH piece is etched with its own individual number, the epic flower of life symbol, and the Heart Is Hot web address. What makes these so cool is that everyone who gives or receives this heart logs on to HeartIsHot.com and tells their story of how it came into their life and what inspired them to pass it on to the next person. The physical journey of each traveling heart is tracked at HeartIsHot.com, using a custom Google map, and each piece has an archive of “heart stories“  associated with it that anyone can go to the site and read. These make the perfect gift for those people in your life who are huge romantics, big supporters of conscious commerce, need a deeply heartfelt gift, or just really love a good story. As Heart Is Hot founder Sahara Damore says, “Heart Is Hot represents re-gifting at its finest.” $24.99 ($2 of which is donated to the Unstoppable Giving Foundation…this gift really keeps on giving!)