The mother-and-daughter team that are the brains behind K Studio believe that customers shouldn't have to choose between high quality products and sustainability. They've set out to prove you can have the best of both worlds with their line of beautiful and creative, yet practical home decor including pillows, wall art and journals. They've also branched out of home decor and offer a line of quilted bags.

The shells of the products use materials such as organic cotton, organic hemp, recycled wool and post industrial recycled poly and the pillows are filled with a feather/down insert. The best part of the line of products is that the customer can customize a product to their liking starting with the pattern and followed by the fabric and stitch color. Simple translation: you can pick up a gift for mom that is tailored to her tastes and completely unique. It's almost guaranteed she won't discover her aerobics friends have the identical piece in their own home.

Visit K Studio online to customize your order and to find other retailers who sell their items if you don't have the luxury of time.

» K Studio (Official Site)

This Sunday will mark one year since a powerful F-5 tornado all but destroyed the small town of Greensburg, Kansas. The storm left 11 people dead and many of the 1,400 residents saw their homes and businesses turned into a big pile of rubble. Now those who still call it home are still working to rebuild all that was destroyed, but have decided to take a green approach to doing so.

Greensburg was once known for its natural and manmade landmarks including brick buildings dating back to the turn-of-the-last-century, as well as Victorians and prairie-style houses. Now the norm are things like energy-efficient lights, rainwater collection systems and LEED Platinum certified buildings. Of the newly constructed homes, approximately 40 were built with eco-friendly components such as added insulation and double-pane windows and recycled materials including lumber and bricks salvaged from the tornado wreckage were utilized. The eco-conscious measures also extend to the interior of the homes, with water-efficient faucets, shower heads and toilets being installed. Solar panels will also provide energy to some of the homes. The local John Deere dealership and the new town arts center have both installed wind turbines, with others also in the works.

And in the event disaster should strike again, homebuilders are preparing themselves this time around by erecting tornado-fortified walls and underground shelters.

"I would never say the tornado happening was a good thing. I would never wish that on anybody," said Kim Alderfer, assistant city manager. "But given the opportunity, we have to do it right — to make it better."

"It will be a stronger, better, greener community," said Erica Goodman, a newly elected city councilwoman. "I think the green initiative is really what will set Greensburg apart from every other rural community in the United States."

The event of the tornado itself and the resulting casualties is undoubtedly a terrible occurrence, however it seems that rebuilding afterward is done in a way that is far more environmentally conscious than it ever used to be. First Brad Pitt decided to build green homes in some of the most devastated areas in New Orleans, and now Greensburg is the latest example of a town that has - as the local commemoration of the disaster puts it - turned "tragedy to triumph."

» MSNBC Environment

The concept that spawned Cali Bamboo was simple: Create a business that can make a difference. After traveling together on a year-long surf expedition Jeff Goldberg and Tanner Haigwood started to ponder life pre-climate change and excessive pollution. Their musings led to the creation of Cali Bamboo, a San Diego-based company whose main purpose is to promote the use of bamboo for use in everyday products. That's why they sell only goods that are sustainable and have minimal impact on the environment.

Jeff and Tanner chose bamboo due to its strength, durability and fast regeneration. And now that the warm months of summer are finally upon us, Cali Bamboo's line of bamboo fencing and lumber give you the perfect excuse to redo your deck or finally erect a fence to keep your neighbor's dog away from your compost pile. There is a generous range of wood colors and sizes to choose from and three collections of flooring available, one of which is organic.

Cali Bamboo doesn't stop at sustainable flooring and fences. You can shade your windows with bamboo blinds sold by the company, or cover your new bamboo hardwoods with a bamboo rug (do you think guests will pick up on a sort of running theme?). If you're feeling really adventurous and have always wondered what it would be likely to live a completely eco-friendly lifestyle, pick up some of the palm thatching for a roof and build yourself a bamboo hut to live in.

The company even donates on per cent of its product sales is given to various environmental groups, such as Surfrider and Rainforest Relief. And the best part is, you don't even have to live in California to take advantage of these renewable resources; products can be ordered online at Cali Bamboo's website or by phone, and a quote for your project can be requested.

Visit Cali Bamboo online to learn more about their products and why bamboo is the ideal choice for your next big home improvement project.

» Cali Bamboo (Official Site)

Sure, shutting your computer down when you aren't using it is the eco-friendly thing to do, but there are also several ways you can make your home office a green space when your machine is humming away.

- Limit your print jobs to only the emails and documents you really need a hard copy of and print double-sided jobs whenever possible to reduce the amount of paper you use. Many companies also allow you the option of receiving bills via email rather than a paper copy and most newspapers have digital copies online that you can subscribe to. And if you haven't ever paid a bill online, get your bank account set up to do so immediately. You'll be amazed at how convenient it is to pay your Visa bill without having to even get up from your office chair.

- Reuse the paper you do have kicking around. If you have botched print job, keep them around as scrap paper. Forget about buying expensive post-it notes; use a paper cutter to divide your unused paper into smaller sheets and keep them buy the phone for recording messages. The local library or your hair salon may also be able to make use of old magazines cluttering up your office.

- You knew the third "R" was coming: recycle. Keep a container close by (next to the trash can is ideal) and recycle anything that you absolutely can't find another use for. While you're at it, buy recycled paper products including envelopes and packaging materials.

- If you're in the market for some new equipment, look for that Energy Star label to save you energy. Even if they cost more initially, you'll save money in the long run when your energy bills lowers considerably. And as suggested before, always turn your machine to standby mode or shut it off entirely when its not in use. You can also by power bars to plug-in multiple machines to save you from having to shut off every single one.

- Lighting is everything; if you invest in a good, bright lamp for your desk that uses energy-efficient bulbs, you can shut off the rest of the lights in the room to save some energy.

- Find a desk and bookcases that are used or built from re-purposed wood instead of buying brand new ones. It's probably safe to say your family members are typically the only ones who will use the office on an ongoing basis, so there's no need to have the fanciest furniture in that room. Instead, check FreeCycle.org to give new life to older furniture.

» CNN

Sure you can compost the leaves and dead grass in your yard, but why stop there when the potential for composting material is so much greater? This is especially relevant these days, given the increasing amount of food waste being set to landfills every single day.

But exactly what can you put in your composter? So glad you asked...

- Wood chips
- Paper towels
- Hair clippings
- Citrus rinds
- Tea bags
- Olive pits
- Stale bread/burned toast (though with rising wheat prices, you may want to keep an eye on expiry dates and toaster settings)
- Soggy Cheerios
- Cooked rice and Kraft Dinner
- The peanut butter sandwich your two-year old hurled to the floor in angry protest (of what, you're not sure)
- Beer and wine that for some inexplicable reason wasn't consumed before it expired
- Toenail clippings
- Urine?...Apparently not only can you "recycle your cider and beer," but it actually acts as an accelerator.

You'll notice this list doesn't have 163 items on it. To see the entire list of household waste that can be thrown in the composter, hit the jump.

» PlanTea.com

The prospect of visiting the eco-friendly resort he's developing on a Caribbean island apparently isn't enough for Leonardo DiCaprio. It appears the environmental activist/actor woud prefer to live in a green environment on a more permanent basis and has recently purchased a condo in Battery Park City facing the Hudson River.

The view likely isn't the only appeal the new residence has for Leo; the development is LEED-certified gold, one of the highest ratings a green building can receive. It's no wonder, considering the dwellings are powered using solar energy, have their own water treatment facility and will be built using earth-friendly materials and finishes. The accommodations are not without the luxuries one would expect for a celebrity, and offer a pool and a fitness center. The builders also ensured the smallest members of the family will be comfortable by providing a children's play room and a dog spa. The Action Center to End World Hunger, the City Bakery and a branch of the New York Public Library will also occupy space in the building.

And how's this for being committed to the environment: despite the fact that he already drives a hybrid vehicle, the times DiCaprio was spotted arriving at the condo sales office, he was riding his bike.

» Associated Press

Sure, the sustainable housing Brad Pitt is helping construct in New Orleans is green in a figurative way, however the literal view of the homes actually reveals a shocking shade of pink.

The 150 hot pink houses will be occupied by residents of the city who were left homeless in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They have been built in the Lower 9th Ward by 600 volunteers and Los Angeles-based architecture firm Graft designed them to be eco-friendly, equipping the houses with solar-energy and water-resistant technologies. The Make It Right charity will provide no-interest loans to prospective buyers.

Says Brad: "The heart and soul of New Orleans are paramount to this project. We're going to help 'make it right' with 150 sustainable, affordable houses so these people can live in beautiful, safe structures that respect their spirit and provide a good quality of life."

Brad is no stranger to charity - he donated $5 million to this project and over $4 million to various charities in 2006. While filming The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on location in New Orleans, Brad is said to have developed an affinity for the city and took up residence there with Angelina Jolie and their army of children.

» Daily Mail

Looking for an eco-friendly home that you don't have to sell vital organs to afford? If so, then raralZED - a group of green building companies - has some good news for you. Yesterday they revealed what they say is the first affordable zero-carbon home which meets all levels of the Government's Code for Sustainable Buildings. The even better news is, should you decided to purchase one, you could be living there in as little as three months.

Some of the highlights of the home include:

- As a pre-cautionary measure, the house is connected to the National Grid, however it was designed to make it through the entire year without ever having to utilize the grid for power.

- With the exception of an extreme situation, three times the insulation of a regular home eliminates the need for heat in the coldest months of the year and air conditioning in the warmest. In the event of unfavorable weather conditions, a small radiator, as well as a cooling system are included.

- Solar panels on the roof will generate enough electricity to power the home. Those in windy locations may be able to use wind energy.

- Roof panels and a wood chip fuelled biomass boiler provides heated water to as many as six homes at a time.

All of this can be yours for the low, low price of £150,000, not including the cost of land or installation of surrounding infrastructure.

I can't help but think this must be the way people felt when VCRs became commercially available in the 1960s: fascinated, curious, maybe a little bit hesitant to embrace the idea just yet, but realizing this is probably only a mere glimpse of what the future will look like.

» The Independent

The phrase "going green" has taken on a life of its own. There are so many ways to incorporate eco-friendliness into your lifestyle that it can be difficult to know where to begin. Always keep in mind that baby steps and small improvements are a good start. Even if you're not ready to start composting in your backyard just yet, there are some simple ways to bring the new It color into your home.

- Bamboo blinds are a great environmentally conscious choice as opposed to regular wooden ones because bamboo is a renewable resource that grows quickly. They are also easy to keep clean by dusting or lightly vacuuming.

- Washing machines carrying the Energy Star seal use less power and even better, the front-loading models use 40 per cent less water and 50 per cent less energy than the top-loading varieties. More water is also removed from clothing during the spin cycle of a front-loading machine, meaning it will take them less time to dry.

- Reduce your water usage in a high-profile room in your home such as the kitchen or main bathroom. Installing an aerator is easy, inexpensive and increases water pressure enough to reduce use anywhere from 25 to 50 per cent.

- Zeolite, a mineral contained in volcanic rock, is not only odorless, it also gets ride of organic and chemical-based smells in a safe, non-toxic way. Deordorizers containing the mineral don't just mask a smell, they eliminate it.

» Energy Star (Official Site)

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