Many years ago, I grew tired of the commercialization of holidays and began to research the origins of these special days. I found a rich heritage of purpose and tradition that brought meaning and joy into celebrating. Most of the holidays we celebrate today have their roots in festivals that reconnected people with nature and spirit throughout the seasons of the year. Here are the natural origins of some of our winter holiday traditions.

Santa Claus
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Mistletoe
Christmas Carols
Wassail

I am always thrilled to come across an activity that helps both people and the planet at the same time. Habitat for Humanity is a shining example.

Habitat for Humanity brings families and communities in need together with volunteers and resources to build affordable, healthy, sustainable housing. The program enables families to build their own homes, with assistance and training. They have excellent policies to support their purpose.

To finance their work in part, they operate "ReStore" home improvement centers across America that sell high quality used and surplus construction and home improvement products of all types. My husband and I went to visit our local ReStore and found a good selection of second-hand doors (including a $50 front door exactly the same as one we had purchased at a salvage yard for $100 and was selling for $200 new at a home improvement warehouse), marble bathroom tiles, some great salvage windows, siding shingles, and a lot more. If you have a ReStore in your area, it's worth a visit.

If you don't already have a calendar for 2005, now is the time to order one printed on recycled paper. These websites all have a good assortment of wall calendars, daily-weekly-monthly planners, desk pads, and refillable desk calendars. Most are printed on 100% recycled paper with 30% post-consumer material, some are printed with soy based inks, and some have recycled materials in their covers. Many of these sites sell an "Earthscapes" design that has nature photos and quotations.

Green Earth Office Supply
Planners, Earthscapes, desk pads, refillable desk and wall calendars. Click on their "Calendars" tab to find them.

Dolphin Blue
Planners. Choose "Appointment planners" on the pull down menu.

The Real Earth
A large selection of all types of recycled calendars. Click on "Office Supply Catalog" then type "calendar" in the search box. Then you have to search through all the recycled and non-recycled calendars, but the recycled ones are clearly marked.

Office World, Staples, and Office Depot also all have a very good selection. Just type "recycled calendar" in the search box for results.

Yes, thousands. While we're accustomed to seeing recycled paper products at our local office supply warehouses, there are many many more recycled office products of all kinds available online, that you won't find in the big stores. You can buy almost everything recycled--even recycled paperclips! Visit these websites who are dedicated to carrying recycled products and see if you can find a few more eco-friendly items for your office.

If you are giving an electronic gift that requires batteries this holiday season, here's something useful to add--a battery recycling service. Battery Solutions will accept all types of batteries for recycling from residential customers. For a small one-time fee, they ship you a container that you ship back when it is full of spent batteries.

Dear Debra,
Thanks so much for your newsletters! I'm so glad you're sending them! Do you have a remedy to fumigating for cock roaches? I've lived in the same place for 11 years and only in the last year have I had cockroaches which got into the building. I will get sick if the manager fumigates my apartment, but she says she must if I can't get rid of them fast. Thanks!!
P.N.

I suggest boric acid. Here in Florida we have a similar creature called a palmetto bug. Boric acid worked great.

Also, read this article on controlling cockroaches from the University of Minnesota Extension service. It tells a lot about the characteristics of cockroaches, how to prevent infestations, and nontoxic controls such as sanitation tips and where to apply insecticides for best effect. They also discuss insecticides both toxic and nontoxic (including a recommendation of boric acid).

And this article from Beyond Pesticides about the safety of boric acid.