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DeAnna Radaj, casaGURU's green home guru, helps homeowers learn the "Green" vocabulary and become a better informed consumer. There are so many different eco-friendly brands and products and ingredients that homeowners need to familiarize themselves with the terminology in order to make the most informed decisions for their homes.

GREEN-WASHING
This is the dissemination of misleading information by an organization to conceal its abuse of the environment in order to present a positive public image.

Green-washing is running rampant now as everyone is trying to jump on the GREEN bandwagon. Think of the Gift Show vendor I met who was trying to pass leather off as a natural fiber."

Alright, now that you've been guided through all of the GREEN lingo that's out there, here are some of the trends that I found at Javitts' big Gift Show last week.

• The #1 hot item was eco-friendly, reusable shopping bags. These were all over the place. Variety of bright colors, materials (organic cotton, hemp, cork, paper, peat), and graphics.
• Organic and/or natural products for pets -- particularly dogs (a quick shout out to my pooches Libby & Ossie!). This includes toys, treats, accessories, clothing, and beds. I also spotted spa products for dogs (towels, bath accessories), travel accessories (beds, folding water dishes, blankets), and beach toys.
• Products FEATURING dogs were also hot for the dog lovers. Sorry, feline friends. Products include door stops, pillows, wall art, and totes.

Most holiday buying for retailers has already been done by July and ready to ship to locations in August. Most buyers at the July and August gift shows are already looking at what to stock their stores with in the next calendar year.

• Anything French was hot at the Gift Show! From the Eiffel Tower to French phrases put on anything; the French, French culture, and products made in France were HOT! Viva la France.
• Watch for lots of photography but integrated in new mediums (i.e. put on metals) and new shapes -- circular photos were big.
• Reusable wall art and stickers was another interesting category. This includes frame stickers (perfect for a teenager's room where change is constant) and art work that could be placed and moved again. This is an inexpensive way to create gallery walls and avoid nail holes!
• One of my favorite things at the show were very cool ottomans in the shape of animals. These would be perfect for a kid's room, a media room, family room, or den. Shapes included dogs, rhinos, elephants, hippos, and pigs.
• Organic bedding was everywhere: this includes organic cotton, organic silk, and bamboo. A new category was organic bedding for the nursery -- great colors and designs.

Silk has taken a bad rap from some due to the fact that the silkworms are killed in the silk-making process. But organic silk is now available. Silkworms now live out their full 72-hour lifespan and the silk fibers are made into fabulous bedding, frames, and other accessories. Watch for it!

• There is new artful decorative hardware choices for kitchen and bath décor (e.g. toilet handles) in various shapes. Handles include: dolphins, golf clubs, wine bottles, and sea themes. There are matching towel bars, tissue holders, robe hooks, drawer pulls, and knobs. Check out Functional Fine Art for styles.
• Socially responsible & Fair Trade jewelry was also a hot category. I liked the story bracelets from Praols Story Bracelets. These bracelets are unique, lead-free, and handcrafted in the USA. They are packaged with an inspirational message and ready to give as gifts.
• Finally, who knew umbrellas could be GREEN? Leighton Umbrellas has gone eco-friendly with their new line made from recycled materials! Three styles available include The Natural (most popular style with eco-friendly materials), The Shield (an eco-friendly Golf Umbrella), and The Protector (comeswith an auto open/close mechanism).

Armed with your new knowledge of GREEN vocabulary and some of the upcoming gift trends for 2009, you can discern what is truly eco-friendly and what is spin. Knowing what's truly GREEN will help you determine what's the best choice for you and your family. Will you go VEGAN? How about buying more Fair Trade? You will know the difference between organic and socially responsible, be a better informed consumer, and make decisions that will help you and your family live a more harmonious life.

DeAnna Radaj, owner of Bante Design LLC and its production division Eden Place Productions, is a designer who specializes in Integrative Lifestyle Design (the fusion of Eastern and Western interior design philosophies incorporating feng shui and healthy home principles).

Emer Schlosser
		About the author:
		Always a fan of words in various glorious forms – novels, dialogue, lyrics, etc – Emer translated her passion into a writing career in 2005. She has since supplied gossip on celebrities to Canadian Press, interviewed individuals from the arts for Inside Entertainment, expressed her fondness for food for Cheese Boutique’s blog, & co-founded, edited and contributed to iheartthemusic.com. At the moment she’s taking the mystery out of Green Living and providing some great tips on Home Renovation, Decorating & Design and Curb Appeal to the members of casaGURU.com. casaGURU, “the homeowner’s home online”, is a free web community that connects homeowners and local house experts.
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