Orange and black might be the traditional colors of Halloween but why can’t a little green fall into the mix? Here are a few simple tips to help make this weekend’s Halloween festivities a shade greener:

- When it comes time to make a jack-o-lantern, find a locally grown and organic pumpkin to carve.

- Make costumes from what you find around the house. Recycle clothes from years past or head to the nearest second hand store and rummage around. Try to convince the kids to trade costumes from last year with their friends.

- If the creative juices aren’t flowing (or your kids aren’t trading), rent a costume rather than buy. But if you’re set on something new, at least make sure it’s made using earth-friendly materials and fair trade practices.

- Use recyclable batteries in all the flashlights that venture out on a trick or treat expedition.

- Skip the plastic pumpkin buckets and collect the trick or treat sweets in a recyclable tote bag, or even an old pillowcase, appropriately decorated of course!

- Consider eco-friendly treats for the trick or treaters who arrive at your door. Instead of candy corn and snickers bars, why not hand out raisin boxes or organic honey sticks?

- Tell all the neighbours that your house is a Haunted “green” House. When they ask what you mean (and they will), direct them to the Green Halloween website which explains the whys and hows of making Halloween an environmentally friendly holiday.

You’re already familiar with plenty of iPhone apps that help you stay green, but these days you’re concerned about saving some green, too. Here’s a handy guide to 20 essential money-saving apps – and most are free!

Mint
Free
This free app makes tracking your finances a cinch with user-friendly graphs and charts that help you manage your budget and examine your spending habits. Plus, it will also alert you of low balances to avoid overdraft fees. So, go ahead and cut your financial advisor loose because Mint does it all without the hefty charges.

Stanza
Free
Stanza gives you access to more than 100,000 books and periodicals for free. You also have the option to adjust the font size, color, line spacing and justification for your reading comfort. Watch out, paperbacks. Stanza may just usher you into extinction.

AudioBooks
Free
Similar to Stanza, this free app allows you to download audio books to keep you entertained when your eyes are needed elsewhere.

Cheap Gas
Free
Gas prices are constantly changing, so it’s hard to keep track of where to find the best deals. With Cheap Gas, all you have to do is enter in your zip code to find the best prices in your area. This free app is especially useful for road trips.

Truphone
Free
Using a Wi-Fi network and VOIP technologies, this free app allows you to make free local calls and cheap international calls on your iPhone to cut your phone bill by as much as 95%.

Gift Planner
Free
List all potential gift recipients and create a budget using this free app. It allows you to track the amount of money allotted for gifts and how much you’ve spent on each friend or family member. You can even take pictures of gift ideas for future reference.

Free Wi-Fi
Free
Never again will you pay for Wi-Fi on the go. This free app helps you locate spots that offer Wi-Fi access at no charge.

BetterDeal
$0.99
Leave your calculator behind next time you hit up the grocery store. With BetterDeal, you can enter in the amount of product and the price for up to four items. This app then calculates which item gets you the most for your money.

Pic2Shop
Free
You’ve probably seen this app on the iPhone commercials, and it’s just as nifty as it seems. For no charge, you can scan barcodes on items while shopping and find out whether another retailer offers a better deal.

Yowza
Free
Yowza locates coupons for merchants in your area that can be applied straight from your iPhone to save paper.

Rent or Buy Calc
Free
To rent or buy, that is the question. This free app gives you an easy answer by calculating which choice will save you more money in the long run.

CostCutter
$0.99
If you eliminate your morning latte from the café around the corner, how much money will you save in a week, a month, a year? This app helps you determine just that for any expenses that aren’t essential.

KidsEatFree
$0.99
Sure, eating out was affordable when it was just the two of you. But now that you have kids, it’s a whole other story. With this app, you can locate restaurants in your area where their meals are free.

Surcharge Free ATMs
$1.99
You need cash, so you stop at the nearest ATM, only to be slammed with surcharges. With this free app, you can locate ATMs in your area that don’t charge any additional fees.

RepairPal
Free
Do you ever feel like you’re getting ripped off when it comes to auto repairs? With RepairPal, you can look up estimates, find roadside assistance and locate auto shops in your area complete with ratings and reviews.

Yoga Stretch
$0.99
Stop shelling out cash for yoga classes and trade them in for this inexpensive app. Yoga Stretch walks you through different poses and lets you choose background music to simulate the entire experience from home.

Local Reuse
Free
One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure, but there’s no need to go dumpster diving with this free app. Local Reuse helps you locate items you need that others in your area are looking to discard.

Insurance Shopper
Free
With this free app, you can compare insurance rates and choose the best deal.

Woot Watch
Free
Woot Watch alerts you of the deal of the day on a variety of items from digital cameras to coffee makers.

Bargain Bin
Free
This free app helps you save money on, well, all the apps you’re interested in. It allows you to browse through discounted apps and alerts you of price cuts on apps you’re tracking.

Now, with your newfound savings, you can afford to splurge on some eco fashion!

Image: hickoryhollow113

Misconceptions about tofu, the taste of vegan anything and a serving of Quorn nuggets are just a few of the reasons a lot of people aren’t eager to go veg. I’ll admit, I had my doubts the first time a vegan friend offered me a spoonful of her tofu soup. But, all it took was one bite to discover that a delicious meal is all in the recipe. Here are some simple dishes to ease even the toughest skeptics into more eco-friendly eating habits. They’re so easy to make, and so yummy, you’ll find yourself making them again and again. At least I have!

Chickpea Curry

Who doesn’t love chickpeas? This quintessential Indian recipe packs a zesty punch of flavor and is easy to prepare. As long as your spice rack is stocked, the ingredients in chickpea curry will cost you less than five bucks at the grocery store.

Tofu Scramble

Although this meal may sound like something you’d avoid ordering, tofu scramble puts your typical breakfast of eggs and buttered toast to shame. Plus, the recipe is quick and simple.

Vegetarian Chili

Some people think chili just isn’t chili without the meat, but they obviously haven’t tried this delicious vegetarian recipe. Even amateur cooks can handle this easy dish, so don’t be afraid to get creative. Experiment a little and toss in some black beans or chickpeas to make it your own.

Seitan Fajitas

You meat lovers must be wondering if tofu is the only vegetarian alternative, so try some seitan. This fabulous fajita recipe substitutes wheat meat for the real stuff, yielding a unique and tasty meal that won’t keep you in the kitchen all day long.

Spicy Sichuan Eggplant

If eggplant isn’t one of your diet staples, it’s time to consider mixing it up a bit. You can use this versatile vegetable an assortment of delectable dishes, my personal favorite being this amazing recipe for spicy Sichuan eggplant.

Nut Loaf

I grew up on meat loaf, so it was hard to imagine a vegan alternative that could live up to this traditionally delicious dinner. That is, until I made my first nut loaf. If cashews and almonds are among your favorite snacks, this recipe is for you.

Vegan Paella

Substitute cashews for seafood, and you’ve got a vegan version of this classic Spanish meal that is simply mouth-watering.

Mushroom Tofu Stew

You don’t need potatoes and meat to make a good stew. Considering I like to add mushrooms to pretty much any dish, I might be biased, but mushroom tofu stew reinvents this basic recipe with a vegetarian twist.

Avocado Grapefruit Salad

Sick of eating the same old salads? This great recipe combines avocados and grapefruits, two flavors that deliciously complement each other to invigorate your bored taste buds.

Oatmeal Yogurt Pancakes

Ever since a friend made me oatmeal yogurt pancakes, I’ve replicated this scrumptious meal every Sunday morning for breakfast. I’ve always loved pancakes, but this recipe is truly in a league of its own.

Note: shown at top, the classic pizza margherita.

Images: sergeant killjoy, dichohecho, amy_b, arvindgrover, meganchromik, specialkrb, cookfood.net, ptc24, SMercury98, sunpath, Crystl

You know what it’s like to live green. You eat organic food, carry a reusable bag to the grocery store and haven’t touched a plastic bottle to your lips since before Obama had a White House address. But living green in a brown world is tough.

For example, maybe you can’t find a favorite organic wine at the farmer’s market, so you visit a huge supermarket chain. Can you still find the greenest wine, and if so, who has the most organic, dry-farm and sustainable grapes? Has your head exploded yet?

Not to worry. Greenopia, the web’s largest directory of green/organic/sustainable brands, is just a click away. Greenopia publishes extensive national green business, product and brand directories, as well as offering up a green web community, news articles, blogs and tips to help everyone eat, shop and live green. (Full disclosure:  I also write for Greenopia. I expect to actually turn green any day now.)

Greenopia was founded in 2005 by Gay Browne, a lifelong asthmatic who began her green journey searching for ways to improve the living environment of both her and her kids. As Gay tells it, “I want to help people lead healthier lives in an increasingly toxic world.”

And she has. Greenopia has developed guides for Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City, with plans underway for a 20-city rollout that includes Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Portland and more.

How does it work? First, pick your city. You’ll find general ratings on things like cars, gifts, jewelry, as well as brand ratings on items like coffee, beer and wine. The brand ratings even expand to look at the greenest colleges, airlines, oil companies, fast food restaurants and more.

Products and businesses are assessed to determine their overall greenness using a “four-leaf” rating system. Four leaves means said product or brand meets the most stringent criteria. A one-leaf rating says not so green and meets a minimum qualifying standard.

So if want a piece of pizza, Greenopia will find you a green pizzeria, a greener pizzeria, and the greenest pizzeria of all.

And finally, you can access Greenopia 24/7. The company recently debuted the Greenopia iPhone application. It provides a handheld guide to over 1,000 stores and businesses in the Los Angeles area – the rest of the country will be added soon.

Get instant reviews, information and links. Your carbon footprint will thank you!

In this era of voice mail, email and messages limited to 140 characters telling friends and family how and what you’re doing, a genuine hand written message is a true gift.

Of course, there’s no wrong way to tell someone you care. As long as you’re speaking from the heart, the sentiment will surely be appreciated. But a handwritten note expressing encouragement to a friend or relative who may be going through a difficult time is more personal. A real letter dropped in the snail mail will brighten someone’s day, and now it’s possible to do without killing trees or contributing to the clear-cutting our forests.

Tree free paper is a reality and seems to be a viable replacement for traditional paper, with options including Banana Paper, Coffee Paper, Mango Paper, Lemon Paper and Cigar Paper. The base fibers are composted with paper that’s already been used in some way; this is most likely office paper, tetra pack containers, magazines and newspapers collected and sent to the mill to later be mixed with agricultural fibers.

A surprisingly attractive product that is environmentally friendly and of very good quality, tree free paper isn’t mainstream yet, but you can find more information about it and purchase the products online at EcoPaper and GreenfieldPaper.

Send the kids off to school this year with a fun, great looking banana paper notebook. Jot down your thoughts, travels, recipes and experiences in a tree free banana paper journal, or send a personal note card on lemon paper (top image) with a drop of your favorite scented essential oil.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Lori Hernandez, who operates DealHippie, a site dedicated to finding greener choices for stuff we use everyday and affordable solutions for an eco-friendly lifestyle. Thanks for the great tips, Lori!

Image: EcoPaper

If you’ve already downloaded the Top 10 Green iPhone Apps and are itching for more ways to stay sustainably entertained, here’s a list of 10 more to keep you busy:

MyMPG
$2.99
Similar to greenMeter, MyMPG helps drivers maximize their fuel efficiency. It evaluates braking forces and acceleration, and even tracks statistics and improvements to your gas mileage over time. Best of all, it’s half the cost of greenMeter.

Green Lemur
Free
Green Lemur is just like Get Green, both offering eco-friendly advice on how to lead your lifestyle sustainably. Check out the tip of the day or browse by a specific topic. It’s a cinch to navigate and costs nothing.

MeterRead
$2.99
If your jaw drops upon opening your electrical bill, MeterRead is the app for you. It monitors your electric meter, enabling you to track your energy consumption and ultimately choose more efficient habits.

Gorgeously Green Survival Guide
$0.99
This green app is all you’ll need to avoid the harmful chemicals in beauty products like makeup and sunscreen. Use it along with GoodGuide, which identifies eco-friendly household products, to protect you and yours from toxins.

Go Organic!
Free
Comparable to iLocavore, Go Organic helps you find nearby organic grocery stores. Use it when you’re traveling in unfamiliar places to maintain your healthy, organic diet.

Greenpeace Tissue Guide
Free
Our dependency on paper products like toilet paper and tissues is unavoidable, but the Greenpeace Tissue Guide is a great research tool. This app finds the safest brands that use recycled materials and avoid bleaches that contain toxic chlorine compounds.

Carticipate
Free
Carticipate makes it easy to organize carpools with other environmentally concerned individuals in your area. Just punch in your departure time and destination and choose from a list of options.

iRecycle
Free
Don’t know where to toss it? With iRecycle, you choose from over 100,000 recycling and disposal sites from coast to coast based on either your location or the item you are looking to recycle.

Green Card
Free
Save paper by digitally sharing your business card with any of your iPhone contacts. If you change your address or phone number, Green Card automatically distributes the updated version to past recipients.

Yowza!
Free
This app is sure to make coupon clipping a thing of the past. Yowza finds coupons for nearby retailers that you present digitally in an effort to save paper.

For more green iPhone apps, visit Grist.

Image: bredgur

Sure, you could spray your front yard with a generous bath of toxic chemicals. Tasty! Or, you could simply enhance your collection of greenery with plants that serve that exact purpose, naturally. In fact, some even lure beneficial insects to make a meal out of the pests that feed on your foliage. All you need is your green thumb, and Mother Nature will take care of the rest.

Catnip

Keep flea beetles, aphids, weevils and ants at bay with catnip. There are hundreds of species to choose from that grow in shades of pink, white, blue or lilac. Plus, these flowering plants are known to trigger a euphoric state in both felines and humans.

Basil

Basil contains oil that is naturally effective in warding off mosquitoes and thrips.

Garlic

To deter aphids from destroying your bed of roses, plant some garlic nearby, and aphids won’t be the only insects running for the hills. This living pesticide repels snails, codling moths and root maggots as well. Also, flavoring your meals with these homegrown bulbs can help lower your cholesterol and prevent blood clots.

Artemisia

Artemisia vulgaris releases a pungent odor. While this antiseptic smell is capable of keeping away insects and small animals, it won’t bother you or your neighbors. Be aware that this shrub exudes botanical poison, so don’t plant it in your vegetable garden. It’s safest when confined to your flower beds.

Borage

Unlike artemisia, borage works best as an insecticide in your vegetable garden because it’s known to deter cabbage worms and tomato hornworms. But, it can benefit your flower beds as well by enriching your soil with trace elements and luring beneficial insects like wasps and bees.

Dahlia

These beautiful perennial plants ward off nematodes and infuse your garden with cheery shades of yellow, pink and red.

Marigolds

Various species of these warm-hued annual plants serve different purposes in your garden. To eliminate nematodes and fend off whiteflies, French marigolds will do the trick. If you can’t keep pesky rabbits away, Mexican marigolds are a better choice.

Hyssop

Honeybee populations are vanishing right before our eyes, so take part in pollination stimulation by planting hyssop in your garden. This herbaceous plant will draw honeybees and rouse your senses of smell with its sweet aroma.

Petunia

In addition to enhancing your garden with brilliant hues of yellow, red, pink and purple, this popular flowering plant deters a variety of pests that damage your flowers and vegetables, including tomato worms, asparagus beetles, aphids and leafhoppers.

Lavender

Lavenders are known to naturally repel harmful insects like moths and fleas. Plus, this flowering plant’s fragrant scent will help transform your garden into an aromatherapeutic wonderland.

Chrysanthemum

It’s no wonder that the dried flower heads of chrysanthemums are used to create an all-natural pesticide called pyrethrum. These perennial flowering plants repel a multitude of insects like fleas, ticks, roaches, Japanese beetles, silverfish, ants and lice.

Nasturtium

Don’t let cucumber beetles, whiteflies, wooly aphids and squash bugs destroy your vegetable garden. Just plant some nasturtiums and watch them bloom in vivid shades of orange, yellow, pink and red as they repel these pesky insects.

Click here for more information. Not able to plant new shrubs? Try out some safe, nontoxic pesticides with these natural solutions to rid your garden of pests.

Images: decafinata, The County Clerk, laura padgett, clayirving, daryl_mitchell, dominic, BMully, Swame Stream, The County Clerk, daryl_mitchell, avlxyz, jam343, CarbonNYC

Getting back to nature – same thing as roughing it? If you find yourself loathe to ditch your oh-so-self-indulgent rituals like “warmth”, “being clean” or “eating actual food” you’ll be delighted to pitch in with a hot new approach to the great outdoors – glamping. Luxury without ostentation, eco-tourism without eco-terrorism – and everything catered for so you can enjoy your surroundings without worrying if you’ll survive the night in them.

Solar-powered lighting, rainwater reuse and an organic menu make Canvas Chic an eco-friendly lodging, while antique décor, four-poster beds and oriental rugs make it luxurious. Located along the Ardeche River gorge in the Rhone-Alps region, the scenery is awe-inspiring.

At Ecocamp Patagonia in Chile, you can stay in domes that resemble the ancient dwellings of the native Kaweskar and soak in the stunning landscape of Torres del Paine National Park with activities like hiking, horseback riding and kayaking.

Looking for something a little closer to home? Just an hour outside San Francisco, Costanoa is set in the heart of nature among 30,000 acres of protected wilderness. Their spacious canvas bungalows seem more like cabins than tents with queen beds, windows and hardwood floors. (Image via Jazz Violin)

Built above the ground to catch the breeze off Jervis Bay, the safari style tents at Paperbark Camp in Australia are extravagant and eco-friendly, with spacious verandas, solar-powered lighting, insect screening and hardwood floors. Plus, guests can explore the bay and surrounding forest with complimentary canoes and bikes.

At Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, tents are equipped with their own fireplace, cozy bed, antique dresser and composting toilet. This stunning destination on Vancouver Island provides plenty of activities for its guests with library, lounge, spa, dining and games tents.

The Resort at Paws Up is nestled along the beautiful Blackfoot River in Montana. Lavish tents with king beds, stylish wall art and a personal butler make for a pampered stay, while activities like horseback riding and mountain biking cater to your adventurous side.

Not exotic enough for your seasoned taste? Take a journey into the Gobi Desert and stay at the Three Camel Lodge. Their deluxe gers feature wood stoves, hand-painted furniture and a king bed. Plus, they come stocked with Mongolian-style bathrobes, felt slippers and locally produced toiletries.

Main image: notsogoodphotography

Unless otherwise noted, images are the property of the corresponding, respective facilities.

Reduce, reuse, recycle… and re-invent! Going green is often a creative process, and we green gals are always brainstorming new functions for an assortment of old items, from wine bottles to sarongs and everything in between. Well, how would you like to win a $500 gift certificate for your eco-friendly ingenuity? Just e-mail your ideas and accompanying photos to ideas@vivaterra.com by this coming Tuesday, September 1 to enter in the drawing for sponsor VivaTerra’s fabulous fall re-invention contest. Can’t choose just one? No problem! Though only one entry is allowed per person, there’s no limit to how many ideas you can include. So, take a look around your home with pen, paper and camera in hand and submit your entry today.

Image: VivaTerra

As much as I love crepes, pancakes and omelets, who has the time to chef away in the kitchen before work every morning? But just because you’re running short on time doesn’t mean you can’t savor a delicious organic breakfast and start the day off on the right foot.

Here are some quick and easy recipes.

Granola

In just an hour, you can make a tasty breakfast that will last for weeks to come. In a large bowl, mix a cup of organic honey and apple juice with 8 cups of oats and spread it out thinly on a cookie sheet. Cook it in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, let it cool completely, crumble your homemade granola and store it in an airtight container.

Oatmeal

If oatmeal sounds like a pretty bland meal, try this simple recipe. Boil 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Turn down the heat, add a cup of organic oats and stir until it absorbs the water. Mix in a tablespoon of flaxseeds, ¼ cup of chopped walnuts and dried cranberries, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Shut the burner off, cover and wait 5 minutes. Stir in some molasses and soy milk to make this meal as good as gourmet.

Smoothie

Boost your early morning energy level with this scrumptious organic smoothie recipe. Pour a teaspoon of almond extract, a cup of firm light tofu, 2 scoops of soy protein powder, 3/4 cup of blueberries and a cup of vanilla soy milk into a blender and press the button. Trust me, it will turn out to be the best 5 minutes you spend all morning.

Cereal

Skip the processed, sugary boxed version and make your own. Mix a cup of unsweetened apple juice, 4 cups of applesauce, 2 cups of oats, a teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ cup of almond slivers and ¾ cup of raisins, and refrigerate this tasty concoction overnight. The best part is that you can store it in the fridge and enjoy your homemade cereal all week long.

Yogurt

Measure a cup of organic yogurt, ¼ cup of granola and a cup of seasonal fruit of your choice, and layer these ingredients in a bowl. Now aren’t you glad you didn’t splurge on that fancy parfait?

Image: the bitten word