Everyone else is doing it, it’s THAT time of year…when bloggers publish their gift guides. While a lot of bloggers are paid to list certain products, I am not, so I am free to make an incredibly unrealistic wish list and no one can stop me, BWAHAHAHA! Here, in no particular order, are things I highly recommend or drool over:

• Plastic-Free Gift Pack – includes Beth Terry’s book Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too, packaged together with a DVD of the documentary Bag It in a handy fabric non-plastic reusable gift bag. I actually already own this, but I want to recommend it to anyone on their “green” journey. I am in the middle of it, and so far it’s great! Which reminds me, I should probably write a review some time in 2013…

• NatureMill Automatic Composter – it’s a pipe dream, but I include this every year because it’s awesome. An under-the-counter composter that does all the work for you and just spits out beautiful compost! Of course, considering my kitchen layout, this gift would have to come along with a kitchen remodel.

• Cuisinart 12 cup food processor – ever since I started reading my friend Stephanie Moram’s blog, Good Girl Gone Green, I’ve realized that my 3 cup processor just won’t work for vegan treats. I actually have the 7 cup version on my Amazon wish list, but if we are going to be unrealistic, let’s just go for the 12 cup, huh?!

• Rain barrel – I’ve seen ways to make rain barrels out of trash cans on Pinterest, but when I clicked to the instructions they require a lot of messing around with tiny hoses, leaf grates, rubber seals, etc. Phrases like “cut a hole with a miter saw and use a plastic sealant” are used… Neither my husband or I are that handy. So my wish would be for a rain barrel that is ready to go as-is, that we can just hook our hose right up to!

• Another Stokke Tripp Trapp – these aren’t just high chairs for babies, they are also great toddler, big kid, and adult chairs, depending on how you configure them. I really wish we had a second so that both my kids had one. My 3 year old hates the booster seat and I hate that all booster seats are a) unsteady and b) made of plastic.

• New windows upstairs in our house – I’d always heard that installing more energy-efficient windows on a house can save on heating and cooling but now I know for sure. The previous owners replaced all the windows downstairs but none upstairs. In the winter, even though heat rises, it’s actually warmer downstairs than upstairs because the downstairs windows hold the heat in so much better! My son’s room upstairs is freezing cold sometimes, poor guy. I’d love to have some windows that would keep him more cozy and save us money on heating the whole house just to keep him warm.

• Nest “smart” thermostat – we’ve drooled over this since long before it was available, but now that it’s out on the market and even in 2.0, we can’t really afford it. Any programmable thermostat would probably be preferable to our old-school manual model but this one can also be controlled from your smartphone and “learns” your heating and cooling habits. Fancy!

• Green Apple workout clothing – being a Pilates instructor, I am in my workout clothing nearly all day at least twice a week. I like this brand because it is made from natural (eco-friendly) fabrics. We also sell it at the studio and I get it at a discount, so that makes it pretty handy! My wish would be for ALL OF THEIR CLOTHING.