Al Gore's first big speech in 2009 should be an apology, according to Harold Ambler, a columnist with The Huffington Post. Ambler believes Gore's view on climate change "is the biggest whopper ever sold to the public in the history of humankind."

Wow, them's fighting words. Among Ambler's list of grievances (which you can read in full after the jump), are:

☆ The term "climate change" is redundant, since climate is constantly changing and has been  that way for thousands of years. Warm periods in the past have paved the way for technological advances and flourishing agriculture.

☆ Rising carbon dioxide levels and rising temperatures have a direct correlation, however there is an 800-year lag between temperature and carbon dioxide, a fact Ambler says Gore fails to acknowledge.

☆ In 2007, Antarctica experienced a record growth of sea ice, another fact Ambler claims Gore conveniently ignored.

For lack of a better phrase, these few brief summaries are the tip of the iceberg, however Ambler goes into further explanation of why he believes "I'm sorry" should be some of the most prominent words Gore speaks this year. What do you think? Do you still believe the message Al Gore presented in An Inconvenient Truth is valid or is there good reason for him to grovel for forgiveness?

» The Huffington Post

Last week we talked about the positive green changes you could resolve to make in 2009, but now comes the hard part: actually making them happen. New Year's resolutions typically have a negative connotation since most are broken within the first few weeks of the new year.

So why is it so difficult to meet these goals? The reason isn't the same for everyone, however some of the more common causes of failed resolutions include setting too many, being unrealistic in how you set them and a feeling that you "should" set them rather than the actual desire to reach the goal. Fortunately it is indeed possible to buck the trend of unmet resolutions that will leave you feeling triumphant with your accomplishments rather than disappointed.

Have the want to do it
Simply put, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reach a goal that you feel you "have" to meet rather than one you want to accomplish as well. You know you ought to reduce you car miles and use your bike or feet as modes of transportation more. However if you don't actually want to bike or walk places, chances are you aren't going to do it. The same goes for weight loss: you know you should lose a few pounds to be healthier, but unless you actually want it as well, you probably won't be overly motivated to haul yourself to the gym before work or after a long day.

If you know you should do something and want to have the desire to do it as well, make a "pro" list of all the benefits of reaching your goal. For example if you walk or bike more, you'll do something good for the environment, get some exercise, be able to enjoy time outdoors in the warmer months despite a busy schedule and be able to clear your head and possibly even get some alone time. Set goals you actually want to see yourself accomplish for your best chance at success.

Look at both pictures
It's easy enough to say you want to recycle 25 per cent more household items than you did last year which is the big picture, but figuring out how to actually get there - also known as the small picture - is just as important. Focusing solely on the big picture can also overwhelm you if the task at hand seems insurmountable. Instead, take baby steps and set smaller goals that will eventually lead to achieving the big one. Instead of saying you'll recycle more household items, start breaking it down by week. Week 1: Recycle all newspapers, Week 2: Add cardboard, and so forth until you hit your target.

...read the rest...

Just because Christmas is over doesn't mean you have to stop spoiling your four-legged friends. Annie's Sweatshop (don't be fooled by the name, it actually refers to warm weather) features a sustainable, hand-crafted collection of dog products.

Annie's items are a culmination of her love for do-it-yourself projects, sewing and positive environmental initiatives. She's an animal lover herself, with to mini dachshunds, Porter and Stout, serving as inspiration for her line, which includes coats, scarves, leashes, harnesses and dog beds, among other things.

Pinky's Picks:

Reversible Dog Coat (Pink Lime Green) - This adorable jacket is made from Malden Mills Polartec Polarfleece, a recycled fiber made from consumer recycled PET containers. Not only will it keep your dog warm during these cold months, it also features decorative patches and a shirt tail design so Fido will be the best-looking pooch on the block.

Smart Scarf - A scarf made for a dog? Sure, why not, they deserve to have their necks kept warm too. These are also made from recycled fleece fabric.

Dog Collar (Pink Plaid) - This collar is made from 100% renewable cotton webbing and a repurposed black plastic buckle.

Dog Harness (Pink Yellow Plaid) - After finding the dog harness she purchased online a disappointment, Annie created this cloth version made from renewable cotton and a repurposed side-release buckle.

As an added bonus, if you recycle your old leash parts with Annie, you'll receive a $5 rebate with the order of a new leash! Visit Annie's Sweatshop on Etsy after the jump.

» Etsy (Annie's Sweatshop)

If you have access to the Internet, watch TV on a regular basis or pay attention to any type of media outlet, you're undoubtedly familiar with the phrase "going green." The folks at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan are well aware of this fact and have thereby moved to strike the familiar words from your (and everyone else's) vocabulary in 2009.

The school has released their 34th Annual List of Words to Be Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Overuse and General Uselessness and certain eco-friendly terms are on the chopping block for the upcoming year. The environment-themed offending words or phrases include "green," "going green," "carbon footprint" and "carbon offsetting."

As some critics put it:

"It is now considered fashionable for everyone, tree hugger or lumberjack alike, to pay money to questionable companies to 'offset' their own 'carbon footprint.' What a scam! Get rid of it immediately!" Ginger Hunt, London, England.

"If I see one more corporation declare itself 'green,' I'm going to start burning tires in my backyard." Ed Hardiman, Bristow, Va.

Obviously being an eco-blog, Ecollo uses its fair share of these phrases (and will continue to do so until somebody comes up with some viable alternatives that carry the same weight and meaning). What are some of the other words and phrases related to being environmentally-conscious that you could do without seeing or hearing over the course of the next year?

» Lake Superior State University

Now that the new year has officially been rung in, environmental observers are making their green predictions for 2009. Their topics range from eco-friendly technology to the future of climate change. Some of the predictions for the upcoming year include:

☆ The Toronto Business Times thinks environmental-consciousness will become the rule rather than the exception in the world of Information Technology (IT) in the upcoming year. 

☆ Among the seven green trends predicted by The Green Building Blog are the downfall of non-green building practices and the embracing of energy-efficiency.

☆ Green will share the spotlight with blue, as water concerns come to the forefront, says the Detroit Free Press.

☆ The Huffington Posts believes that the U.S. government could remove bottled water from the menu - figuratively and literally - by the end of the year.

☆ Speaking of the U.S. government, President-elect Barack Obama could turn the country into climate change leaders by the end of the year, says the Globe and Mail. The columnist for the paper also predicts that the price of oil is now reasonable enough to implement a cap-and-trade and that climate change will be the - for lack of a better word - hot topic of 2009.

» Toronto Business Times

☆ Today is the last day to take advantage of the Boxing Week sale at Go Green Baby, so head on over to check out the adorable cloth diapers and baby carriers.

☆ After admiring a composter for a year, Urban Branches' Lindsay finally received it as a Christmas gift and is documenting her experience with the newest addition to her kitchen. 

☆ The Organic Beauty Expert recently had the opportunity to chat with the brains behind the new green magazine Organic Beauty.

☆ Ars Technica asks - and answers - how "smart" a smart grid should be?

☆ Though eco-friendly car seat covers are rare, Tiny Decor has found three options for parents.

» Go Green Baby