Frugal living has its roots in the Great Depression, but makes sense today as we look for ways to save money and energy. Budgeting for a sustainable future creates opportunity, not sacrifice.

The United States is home to 5% of the world's population, but we consume 30% of its resources. To be green, we must spend and use less in our lives. Dori and Val discuss the merits of frugal living, which is more a creative opportunity than a state of deprivation! Listen for tips to help you make the shift to thrift. Also, the Hipsters reveal their (Facebook) "hippy names" and give you the BitchBuzz on Coors beer.

Cider: We start off Spring with a big-ass bottle of light, refreshing Ace Perry Cider from the California Cider Co. in Sonoma County. Homegirl Val approves.

Chocolate: Listener Trystan brought us goodies from her trip to Europe! Amedei La Tavoletta Toscano Black is as rich and tempting as Italy itself. Grazie!

Finds: >

• Val's Favorite Thing! A sweet summertime essential is the new Smooshed Ice Cream Set. Mix your favorite treats into ice cream just like they do at expensive creameries. You'd better stock up on cones!
• Bud wiser. Become a Citizen Scientist with Project BudBurst. Record your observations about the onset of Spring in your area. Researchers use the data to get a clear picture of the effects of our warming climate.

• Crude awakening. Twenty years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, researchers find toxic impacts of oil persisting in Prince William Sound. Oh, and Exxon still owes $92 million for cleanup. Wasn't that, like, 3 tanks of gas last summer?
• Gimme 5! Governors of CA, OR and WA are working together to turn Interstate 5 into the nation's first green freeway. Let's see if they can clean the rest stop bathrooms next.
• The truthiness is out there. Congrats to Stephen Colbert! He handily won NASA's contest to name a new room at the international space station. The agency reserves the right to choose a name other than "Colbert" when it makes a final decision next month. If they do, they're dead to us.

Would you, could you in the dark? More than 2,000 cities around the world will power down this Saturday, March 28th for Earth Hour. Join the fun from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, then let us know how you spent the time!

Contrary to what we've been told for eight years, we can't spend our way out of our economic woes. Smart consumers are borrowing a page from Grandma's playbook: frugal living. You can create a satisfying, substantial life for yourself and your family while shrinking your carbon footprint.

• Frugal Living. It's not about deprivation, it's about creativity! Here are some tips to get you started.
• Budget. Living smarter means knowing how much you can and cannot spend.
• Stock up. Shopping less frequently cuts down on waste. Try to buy groceries once every 2 weeks.
• Invest. Purchasing high-quality goods can be more expensive up front, but you'll save money on repair and replacement.
• Fiscal Fast. Learn to consume less by going on a spending detox for a week or more each year.

Be a part of our show! Send an e-mail to hip@greenfeet.com. And remember to post articles, links and Earth Hour stories at our MHTH forum!Send Val at least 25 beer caps or labels for her patio project, and get a free MHTH bottle opener! Mail them to More Hip Val, 275 Fairchild Ave. #107, Chico, CA 95973. No Sierra Nevada please!

• Kristi in Minneapolis (dontcha know) is awash in green cleaners! We recommend trying small batches of each and logging the results. Let us know which is best, would ya?
• Kat in Atlanta has a great idea: compost the leftovers from your local smoothie shop! Here's a list of green colleges for you...be sure to note #8.
• Chris in Montana points out the hazards of carpet in landfills. Keep your rug out of the rubbish pile with CARE, and make more sustainable choices.
• Trystan at Yahoo! Green tried to keep it green during her world travels. Thanks again for the chocolate, and for pointing out that beer has a much smaller water footprint than wine. Happy World Water Day!

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