This year, the blog started off with a big dip. In our efforts to make it more professional-looking, as if someone other than my grandma reads it (I love you Grammy), we redid a lot of things. Little did I know, those changes mess with all sorts of blog rigamaroll, and you lose a bunch of traffic.

I feel pretty excited that I stuck with it and kept building up the blog even after the big hit, and now the blog is as big as it was back then (with fewer Russian crazyviews too- score!). This is by no means a masterful blog, and I am no expert, but I do think I write some content that could really help somebody. I hope that anyway.

Here are ten of my favorite things we talked about this year- consider checking them out if you missed them before!

10. Where to Buy Eco-Friendly and Awesome Holiday Cards

I love this post because it has to be one of the EASIEST switches that people don't even realize they could make! So many great companies out there, so there is no reason to shop somewhere like tinyprints or Shutterfly, who may have nice enough designs, but use virgin paper. Why not use recycled when you can?

9. Don't Buy from Exxon Mobil, Instead Try...

2017 has been ROUGH on the environment, and like so many areas of the government, seemed to attend to the needs of an uber privileged few instead of the people and the country as a whole. For the "environment" agencies and their leaders, it's all about selling our land and our standards to fossil fuels. It's not enough to yell at our dealers about how sketchy they are- we have to start ending our own addictions to gas and plastic.

8. The Best Wording for a "No Gift" Birthday Party Invitation...

No gift parties are still a controversial move for parents, but this blog tries to lay out ways to cut off the gifts with positivity, humor, and grace (because somebody is definitely not going to listen to you. And that someone is Grandma).

7. Could you Get Rid of 2,017 Things for 2017? 

I took on a big challenge for this year, and even though I am only 5/8ths of the way there, I am still so glad I did it. Excited to hear from friends and readers that they tried it too, and you better believe we are going to try it again next year. Because we all have too much stuff, and we can help fulfill the needs of others by being less attached to what we have.

6. Don't Buy Modcloth, Instead Try...

Walmart bought Modcloth this year. Blech. Rather than just harass the company for selling out (even though it does really suck that they did), I offer other options to give your money to. I will not buy from a company I don't respect, and I always believe another option exists. Here is a perfect example of how this is true, and it got really enthusiastic traffic as well.

5. The Best Clothes to Buy Secondhand

I love secondhand shopping for the sake of the environment, but you have to get over the stigma to see what great possibilities are out there. So we spent a month focused on clothes and especially on thrifting. Letting go of our obsession with the "new" frees us up to all sorts of fun new possibilities. Hopeful more and more people start thrifting!

4. Where to Donate VHS Tapes

I kicked off 2017 with a month of donation possibilities, because the less we just throw in the trash, the better. Little did I know this post would become one of my most popular of the YEAR. I mean, this gets clicks everyday. Just goes to show there are a lot of VHS tapes out in the world- do you really need to get things on Blue Ray if it is just the VHS of tomorrow?

3. Four Practical and Meaningful Ways to Limit your Gifting

This post really clicked with readers, and it makes me feel encouraged that so many people want their Christmas, Hannukah, and birthday gift piles to get SMALLER. The "fantasy" we are sold is that things have to get bigger to get better, but I know more and more people see that is a lie. We waste so much money and energy on stuff because we are worried our presents (and our presence) isn't "enough" but I hope you feel empowered to enjoy your holidays another way.

2. Deciding What We Have and Who We Are Is Enough

I keep writing this blog as a whole because I am hopeful that when people see they have other options they might make changes that fit their life. I genuinely believe that everyone has so much more to give the Earth than just be a constant consumer. I think you are amazing, and I hope you can see that all of these messages that tell you that you aren't enough are lying to you.

1. 75 Crazy Easy Ways to Get Plastic Out of Your Life

I am so proud of this post, because I think every one of us can find things we already do, things we could do easily, and things that make us face up to our own addictions to plastic. Letting go of plastic is HARD, and it forces you to step against the grain of everyday American living. But it is so worth it. I also love that the picture is of a straw, because one of my favorite things that happened all year was that my brother-in-law gave up serving straws at his restaurant! We can all do something great.  Hope you check this out if you haven't already!


Runner Ups (it was a better year than I thought!)- Hey Millenials, Give Bar Soap a Chance, Don't Buy Old Navy or Gap Clothes, Instead Try... How to Still "Be In" the Paris Agreement, 10 Green (and Perfect) Gifts for Father's Day, How to Throw an Eco-Friendly Graduation Party, Unique and Eco-Friendly 6th Anniversary Gifts, Don't Buy Monogrammed Napkins, Instead Try...



What a year! So excited to still be doing this and hopeful that it continues to grow in 2017. I believe that no one person can save the world alone, but if we all work together and keep trying to do something, things can still be great in the future.