Merry Christmas everyone and have a great silly season.

See you back in the new year.

I won’t be blogging for the next few weeks because I’m taking a break. See you soon. Any tips about good places to visit in NZ, especially with a sustainable angle, please let me know.

In the meantime, check out the story of stuff to learn more about the underside of our production and consumption patterns.

The idea of covering my house in a vertical garden certainly is appealing. Sometimes I feel I just can’t squeeze enough into my garden. It is pretty full in terms of fruit trees, vege patches, compost bins plus areas for my son to play in.

So what next? Could it be that I cover the exterior walls of my house plus fences with vertical gardens. I love the idea of my walls becoming a living, green patch. I also love the idea of picking my salad greens from my walls.

A vertical garden grows upwards and downwards from planter boxes attached to a wall. Check out the website of Australian company Fytogreen - they provide a range of ideas for such gardens. I love the herb garden (pictured) idea.

another test

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I just can’t help blogging this one and I just have to say: only in the Netherlands. The Dutch Greenpeace office has released a report which reveals that the plastics in a wide range of sex toys contain very high concentrations of hazardous phthalates - toxic chemical softeners used in PVC to make it soft and flexible. Greenpeace research shows that phthalates can disrupt the human hormonal system, diminish fertility and adversely affect the kidneys and liver. Read the full story. Also, Treehugger has an online video about buying green sex toys. Not sure where Australian sex toys lie in terms of hazardous chemicals - maybe someone out there has an idea?

The following sites provide general information and news on the environment. This list is a work in progress and by no way a representation of all websites. To list a site that you think is missing, please post it in a comment below or email me at: greenfoot at email dot com. Or visit the feedback page.

Breathing earth
A map that displays the carbon dioxide emission levels, birth and death rates of every country in the world.

Eco shout
Internet portal to Melbourn’s green underbelly.

Environmental News Network
Provides a global perspective on environmental issues and promotes thought, discussion, and awareness globally.

Wiki Good Globe
WikiGoodGlobe is a collaborative project set up by and for people who care about the environment, social justice and animal rights. It aims to provide reliable information and practical solutions. You can also add your knowledge on a range of environmental topics.

Have you got any story ideas or tips about living life in a greener, more sustainable way? Or maybe you have some feedback about this site. If so, I would love to hear it. Please post it here or email me at: greenfoot at email dot com.

Below is a list of green bank loan related resources. This list is a work in progress and by no way a representation of all the relevant resources in Australia. To add a link, please post it in a comment below or email me at: greenfoot at email dot com.

Sportz mortgage
Green options loan.