I snubbed sweet potatoes (or yams as they’re often called) for far too many years of my life. Luckily, over the past few years I’ve become acquainted in a big way. Organic sweet potatoes are a delicious winter vegetable that can be easily transformed into a dinner side, snack or even dessert. Plus, an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber - they're super nutritious. Here are three of my favorite ways to enjoy sweet potatoes:

Don't throw out your ipod or MP3 player when it stops working - You can recycle it! Apple's Recycling Program offers a 10% discount on your next purchase when you bring your old iPod in for recycling. You can also recycle old cell phones, old computer systems and Macs! If you're in the market to buy new electronics, Apple also sells refurbished iPods & MACs. Try buying a 'reincarnated' one over a new to save some green.

Our guest blogger & reader Chris Brown is an urban planner in The Garden State. His fascination with urban structure inspired this post. Plant, meet Lamp. A small pedestrian street in Eindoven received this illuminous makeover thanks to design firm, BYTR. How great would this look on a side street in Philly? Who wouldn't mind an extra three feet of walkable concrete without having to sacrifice the aesthetics of green plant life or a well lit curb.Talk about a win-win. See the original at

I had a recent bout of ‘green guilt' that got me thinking … I just got back from a trip to beautiful Los Cabos (don’t hate me!) - The trip, scenery, company and Mexican hospitality were off-the-charts awesome. The downer…the hotel was not eco-friendly. As in, NO recycling. (I am a strong advocate of checking into hotel policy prior to vacationing. But this time was out of my control. ) Why do I bring this up? The more conversations I have with sustainable minded people, the more I realize most of us experience a little ‘green guilt’ from time to time. It’s tough to act 100% eco-minded. Unfortunately, we’re bound to be in situations now and then where we feel uncomfortable. I felt really guilty knowing my bottles of dos equis weren’t headed for the recycling bin... The truth is harping on this mindset and feeling unworthy because I couldn’t exercise control is counter productive. What’s the best way to overcome these feelings?

Arcadia Boutique is every fashionable green girl's heaven (aka mine). Selling anything from fashionable dresses and tops, jeans, shoes/boots, bags, belts, accessories, vintage, gifts and much more - You'll definitely find something for your wardrobe. Arcadia offers a variety of sustainable finds from designers around Philadelphia and beyond. Want to 'green' the men or babies in your life?

Hungry for some local & fresh produce? Good news - The Piazza at Schmidt’s has an annual Saturday afternoon Farmers Market! The Piazza Farmer’s Market imports local farmers to Northern Liberties to showcase the best local produce, meats, poultry and dairy products available in the city of Philadelphia. Kicking off last Saturday the Piazza Farmer’s Market has

Guest Blogger Bill Hawthorne is representing maacenter.org, a leading web resource for asbestos exposure and mesothelioma cancer information, dedicated to raising awareness of terrible health consequences of asbestos exposure. How buildings are created - using sustainable green products - are crucial in avoiding asbestos and mesothelioma as well as improving existing structures. Enjoy! Going green used to be considered expensive and a luxury for those who could afford the trend. Now it appears that we are learning that not only is adopting more environmentally-conscious attitudes good for our wallets, but is also important to our health? If we dig a bit deeper, we can see that dirty industries and backwards policy is actually harming the health of the earth, our children and the health of her inhabitants today. There are two levels of health consequences associated with dirty industry,

Looking for new eco-friendly ways to trek across Philly? Philadelphia Electric Wheels opened this past fall in West Mt. Airy, apprx. 12 mins from Center City. Philly Electric Wheels is the first store in the tri-state region to sell and service electric bike exclusively. Electric bikes are one of the new hot trends in personal transit – including electric tricycles, models that fold and generate their own energy as you pedal. Easy on the wallet (they cost just one penny per mile to operate!), electric bikes travel up to

Brrr it’s cold outside! Stay toasty and reduce emissions this winter… Keep energy costs at a minimum. It’s easier than you may guess. Simply insulate your windows with plastic window film (for example) to keep the cold out – even hanging...