Ah the weekend. There's no better time to start planning your next getaway then when you're already relaxed and in vacay-mode. We're so selfless that we want to give you a hand with this most exhausting and time-consuming task.

All you have to do is write a story for Ecollo. One. Uno. That's it. We haven't set any minimum or maximum word requirements, it just needs to have an environmental theme. Dying to write a blistering commentary defending carbon offsetting as a means of saving the earth? Raging mad about the endangerment of orangutans and need an outlet for your anger? Or maybe you just want to profess your undying love and adoration for Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Gore, Alicia Silverstone or insert-your-favorite-celebrity-environmentalist-here. Is so, we definitely want to hear from you!

In return, we'll take every entry and choose the one that receives the most ratings, comments and views and that lucky Ecollo reader-turned-writer will receive a copy of Organic Places to Stay in the UK by Linda Moss, your go-to guide for planning your next green vacation with ease.

Hit the jump to find out all you need to know to take part in the contest!

» Ecollo

Psssst...if you've left your Mother's Day gift until the last minute, it's not too late to place an online order at Organic Bouquet, your online source for pesticide-free flowers and eco-friendly gifts. The deadline for guaranteeing your order arrives by Mother's Day is 3 pm EST/12 pm PST today.

Choose from a selection of bouquets featuring roses, white calla lilies, Peruvian lilies, blue irises, French tulips or the gorgeous (Pinky Bean favorite-and-therefore-approved) Stargazer lilies. The site is currently offering $10 off a select lily bouquets that also come with a complimentary small box of chocolates.

If your mother is a big tea drinker give her the best of both world's with the Flowering Tea Gift Set. Handpicked white, green and black tea leaves are hand-sewn with cotton thread into rosettes or small bundles, so when the tea is steeped the leaves transform into stunning flowering shapes. The set contains nine tea bouquets and a glass teapot so the blooming leaves are visible as they steep, and the set comes packed in a handmade bamboo gift box.

Flowers are a nice, classic option that most moms will love, unless she happens to be allergic. If that's the case, opt for one of Organic Bouquet's alternative gift options such as a decorative tin full of equally colorful, USDA-certified organic cookies, an at-home Lavender & Eucalyptus Spa basket or the Ultimate Organic Fruit Basket. For a truly decadent treat include a box of one dozen Art Bite Chocolates made from rich organic chocolate from Madagascar that have a 68% cocoa content (not to mention they're so pretty!).

Time is running out so hit the jump to visit Organic Bouquet online and place your order before it's too late!

» Organic Bouquet

You can blame too many pieces piece of fried chicken or that all those slices of chocolate cake for those extra pounds you're carrying around, but according to new research a hormone may be contributing to obesity. Simply put, ghrelin, a naturally-occurring molecule found in humans makes that piece of cake look better than it actually is and increases perception and memory with regards to food.

Ghrelin levels flucuate between meals and may cause you to feel hungry and consume more food; scientists were already aware of this fact. But when they studied 20 individuals, some who were injected with ghrelin and some not, they found the ones who received the injections showed stronger reactions to pictures of food they were shown than the participants who had not been injected. Scientists involved in the new study believe this indicates the effect ghrelin has on hunger and obesity.

"When you go to the supermarket hungry, every food looks better," said researcher Alain Dagher, a neurologist at McGill University in Montreal. "Now, we've found that it is ghrelin that acts on the brain to make food more appealing."

"Obesity must be understood as a brain disease," Dagher told LiveScience. "Obese people eat too much, and this is likely due largely to excess hunger."

Unfortunately the treatments developed to supress the effects of ghrelin could have negative side effects such as depression since the hormone is involved in the area of the brain that affects emotion, motivation and addiction to substances such as drugs. Dana Small, a neuroscientists and psychologist from the John B. Pierce Laboratory who was not involved with the ghrelin study, says this new research indicates the facts known about drug addiction could be used in understanding and treating obesity.

It may be reasonable to think "of high-calorie food as having addictive potential," he added. "If food can be thought of as 'addictive,' this supports doing things like banning fast food shops from schools, or advertising junk food to children. Note that public policy aimed at tobacco was really spurred by the science showing that nicotine was addictive."

» MSNBC Health

Yes it's true: we like our readers so much, we've decided to share the love and hold our first contest. The prize is a copy of the travel book Organic Places to Stay in the UK, which will pretty much be your bible if you're planning a trip this summer (or any other point in the year for that matter).

Not only does author Linda Moss feature over 500 beautiful color photos, she also shows you 50 travel destinations that offer eco-friendly accommodations and provides information about the public transportation available there.

Entering the contest is easy. All you have to do is write a story for publication on Ecollo. There isn't any minimum or maximum number of words required, however it should have an eco-friendly focus. The winner will be determined by the number of views, comments and ratings their story receives.

You can read more about the contest by hitting the jump and be sure to check Ecollo tomorrow for our review of Organic Places to Stay in the UK!

» Ecollo Contests

Plantable paper is one of the coolest ideas to come out of the green movement. Rather than throwing a piece of paper into your garbage bin (gasp!) or even into your recycling box, the idea is you plant it instead (hence the name of course) and get some lovely buds in return.

If you're intrigued by the idea of seed paper, be sure to check out the collection from the user "recycledideas," available on the Etsy website. She's been making homemade paper for over 10 years and prides herself on the quality of her work. The cards, boxes and bookmarks available are made from junk mail, cereal boxes and newspaper inserts and have been infused with flower petals, leaves, glitter and post-consumer yarn. You can choose between several types of plants including (but certainly not limited to) poppies, snapdragons, marigolds and English lavender (which is actually grown organically by the line's creator!). Each card comes with germination instructions and absolutely everything is recycled and recyclable.

These cards are a fabulous option to give away for Earth Day. In fact, the creator recently designed the "A Seed is all you need" cards for a group of school children from Vermont who plan to hand them out to audience members attending their production of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax during their Earth Week celebration. She was so pleased with how these cards turned out, they are now available to others as well.

These cards are also great idea for those seeking unique business cards, thank you notes, labels and anything else your creative imagination can think up.

Hit the jump to visit recycledideas at Etsy online to view the entire collection and place your order!

» Etsy

The Lean Green Family is two of my favorite things - as their name would suggest they are committed to living a eco-friendly lifestyle and finding cost-effective ways to do it (the blog was formerly called Suddenly Frugal). After all being environmentally conscious shouldn't necessarily have to break the bank.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Leah (The Lean Green Mom) has posted some great suggestions for making the occasion green. I'm completely sold on the idea of hunting through antique stores for jewelery, except I'm not entirely sure how much I would find for other people! Read Leah's ideas and be sure to visit The Lean Green Family for more wonderful lifestyle tips.

Forget red on Valentine's Day. This year I think you should go green for Valentine's Day. Here are four ways that you can green your Valentine's Day gift ideas and/or your celebration plans.

1. Choose Organic or Locally Grown Flowers
A rose is a rose is a rose, but on Valentine's Day, you can expect about 214 million roses to be the flower gift of choice. In fact, according to the Society of American Florists, fresh flowers are the number one gift choice for Valentine's Day. But if you'd like to give a green floral gift, try to choose either locally grown flowers or those that are grown organically. If you live in a warmer climate, where farmer's markets are still up and running (not so much in the northern half of the United States), buy your flowers this way.

"Organic flowers are easy to find online and often at boutique flower shops in large cities," suggest Courtney Hamilton, a spokesperson for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC). "Why buy jet-lagged flowers at the cost of the environment or the health of workers, when you can get fresher cleaner ones down the street?" I just heard of a new organic florist and gift shop in New York City called Gardenia Organic, and I'm sure other major cities have similar kinds of shops. I'll bet you can find locally grown flowers in small towns, too. Where I live there is a shop that has its own greenhouse that operates year-round, meaning that I can get locally grown orchids and hydrangeas whenever I want. As far as online options for organic flowers, check out Organic Bouquet.

2. Share a Sustainable Meal Together
By now you've heard about the 100-mile diet and folks who eat locally grown foods and call themselves locavores. This Valentine's Day, why not take a page from their culinary book and share a sustainable meal together. You can cook this meal at home or dine out at a nearby restaurant known for its local and/or organic fare.

One such restaurant in Philadelphia is the White Dog Cafe. Its commitment to the Earth and to good causes is exemplary-the restaurant buys from local, organic farmers, uses alternative energy and recycles religiously. Is there a restaurant like this near you? Make a reservation for Valentine's Day dinner there--and walk or take public transportation to get there, if you can.

3. Raise a Glass to a Local Spirit
These days you can get great wines from places other than California and France. If your goal is to enjoy a fine, green wine, try looking in your own backyard (or at least a nearby state) for your spirit of choice. Local wines "don’t travel as far, from grape to table," says the NRDC's Hamilton. A hot trend in wine growing is doing so organically (no surprise there). "Organic wines don’t cost much more, particularly in the era of discount wine markets," Hamilton adds. "As an added bonus, organic wines are made without added sulfites, which makes them more friendly to people with asthma and those who are allergic to the common vino additive." Google "organic wine" and the area where you live, and see what you come up with. I'm confident you will find lots of local options. Once you find a great bottle of local wine, remember: after you've enjoyed it, don't forget to recycle the bottle.

4. Green Your Jewelry Gift
I'm not talking about giving a ring that turns your finger green. No, this year why not shop for jewelry in a consignment or antique shop? This would totally qualify as reusing and recycling. Or how about purchasing jewelry made from recycled materials? One of my favorite companies is Uncommon Goods, which sells a ton of jewelry made from recycled materials. How cool is that?

» The Lean Green Family

A Valentine's Day gift shouldn't have to be expensive or conventional. In fact gifts that require thought and effort are usually the ones that don't end up tucked away in a forgotten box in the basement. That's why I love the idea of this personalized photo frame. A wooden frame is inexpensive, easy to find (IKEA carries them), and versatile. Trust me, I'm far from being artistically inclined (in fact, I border on downright ineptness) on and even I managed to make one of these once without once getting my finger glued to the back of the frame.

I really love this personalized picture frame project! It's quick and easy, and makes a perfect customized gift for any occasion. Use the frame as a canvas to extend the theme of the picture inside it.

Items You'll Need
Wooden frame
2 Photocopies of related photographs
Decoupage medium
Foam brush
Sandpaper
Scissors
Thin white glue
Acrylic varnish
Memorabilia (optional)

Use your imagination to come up with a theme for your personalized picture frame. Do you have a picture in front of a landmark? Use a photo of the skyline from that city on the frame (use one that you have, or look on the internet, in magazines or books). Are you an avid hiker? Put a picture of yourself hiking in the middle, and frame it with a photo of the forest you were hiking in when it was taken. Whatever theme you come up with, have fun making this one-of-a-kind treasure!

Visit the Do It Yourself Gifts website to see all of the instructions to make this unique and sure-to-be-appreciated gift. And remember you don't necessarily have to add a photo the way it's done here. Attach some special mementos from your relationship to a frame such as movie stubs from your first date or dried flower petals from the first roses ever received (or given).

» Do It Yourself Gifts

We've already established that the rainforest is being destroyed as more and more land is cleared for the production of crops needed to creat biofuels. However, for Valentine's Day you can show some love to both your partner and the rainforest through World Land Trust.

With a donation as little as £25, you can save a minimum of a half-acre of rainforest through the organization. In turn, they'll ensure you have a gift pack to present your Valentine, including a personalized gift certificate showing the number of acres of rainforest saved through your gift, as well as a "Be my Valentine" card, the organization's most recent newsletter and the quintissential Valentine's Day gift: chocolate. A bar of Organic Meltdown Chocolate by Brand Stand will also be included.

Don't delay, you have less than one week left! Visit World Land Trust to make your donation and receive your gift set.

» World Land Trust

Our Green House is a great resource for discovering all sorts of earth-friendly products in every imaginable category. If you're looking for organic bedding or clothing for every member of your family (yourself included of course!), natural health and beauty products, sustainable pet goods and pretty much everything else one would require to add some green to their home, be sure to visit this site.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Our Green House has posted their eco-friendly gift suggestions, a few of which I've added to my own wish list.

Tennis Balls - These are actually marketed as a dog toy and are non-toxic and recyclable. The fact that they're available in pink make them perfect for Valentine's Day and provides an easy way to tell your best friend you love.

Organic Soap - The only problem with this bar of soap is that it looks far too pretty to use.

Darling Sigg Bottle - I've obviously developed a fondness for all things SIGG, so it's no big surprise this caught my eye right away. The design is perfect for the occasion and the bottle guarantees beverages stay safe for the user.

Hit the jump to visit Our Green House to see the rest of their gift suggestions and to browse the site to come up with your own unique ideas.

» Our Green House

Tiffany, the Nature Mom reminds us that a great Valentine's Day gift doesn't have to cost a lot of money to be meaningful and appreciated. Somtimes offering your significant other the luxury of time or a thoughtful gesture has a bigger impact than rushing around in search of the perfect bouquet of roses or diamond earrings.

Nothing says “Love” like your time - Spending time with your sweetie has to be the easiest and lowest impact way to “gift” your valentine. Instead of showering each other with material objects why not set aside some time to spend together alone. Go to a movie or a museum, take a bike ride or a hike, take in a opera or a play… give each other the gift of time…there is nothing better….sigh. 

If you can’t get away together because you have rugrats maybe you could gift each a few hours each to go out on your own or with friends. Maybe you could give your husband some time to go out with his buddies, watch some sports at a nearby sports bar, etc. and he could give you a few hours to go shopping, have coffee with a friend, or browse a good book store. Sometimes time to yourself can be just the thing you need.

Breakfast in Bed - There is no need to cook up a storm for this one. I have the perfect solution. Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oat cereal by Kashi. It is like a healthy version of Cheerios with soluble fiber from natural whole grains, antioxidants, like white tea. In additions to the Os you will also find adorbale little hearts! I have been eating this cereal for a few weeks and it is yummy good and available at most grocery stores.

Have a happy and green Valentine’s Day!

Tiffany also provided some great gift ideas last year, that range from practical (reusable bags and bottles) to romantic (organic candles) to randy (sustainable sex toys). Check out her blog for more of her suggestions!

» Nature Moms Blog