Despite being one borough in a big city, Brooklyn has much to offer those who want to live green. Our Brooklyn coverage this year included a few Green Tours, a shout-out to two Brooklyn companies selling amazing wares, and a look at some inspirational outdoor spaces courtesy of our Small, Cool Outdoors contest. Brooklyn really wowed us this year.

TOP ROW
• 1 Steve Burns' New Brooklyn House
• 2 Gary and Ellen's Storage-Savvy Apartment
• 3 Jackie's Brooklyn Kitchen & Bathroom Renovation
• 4 Wallpaper Designer Kimberly Lewis' Brooklyn Alcove
• 5 Hammersmith Copper Cookware Made in Brooklyn
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Etsy recently made an inspiring video about Liberty Tool Company, a shop located in a small town in Maine. Founded by H.G. "Skip" Brack in 1976, the first floor is dedicated to used tools that Brack salvages and resells at affordable prices. He hopes that by offering artists & craftsmen the tools they need, he will help to support a sustainable local economy. Check out the video: More

Perennial Plate's latest video visits three different farmers—Annie Novak from Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Greenpoint, Abu Talib from Taqwa Community Farm in the Bronx, and Jack Algiere from the Stone Barns Center—who make real food happen around New York City. If you're a local, this is definitely worth a watch! More

Bartering for goods and services might seem like an old-fashioned practice, but not in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, where residents might trade surplus tomatoes and eggs for plant bulbs and honey. And just in time for the holidays, they're hosting a barter meet-up next week - an event that, in light of the season's focus on consumerism, might be just what you need to slow down, meet your neighbors and reflect on the value of homegrown and handmade. More

This week we ring in Thanksgiving—the holidays are upon us! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. It's not the stuffed-silly feeling I am so excited for; instead, I love to use Thanksgiving as a time to celebrate what food does for our families, communities, and culture. Maybe you feel the same. More

"Too often, environmentalists slip half-knowingly between human health and environmental health...Unfortunately, there's no natural law saying that planet health and human health are unitary. Consider the potato... It takes 466 kilocalories of energy to produce a pound of potatoes, according to research by David Pimentel of Cornell University... Other health foods like Brussels sprouts and snap beans also take significantly more fossil fuel energy to produce than the maligned potato. A heaping bowl of steamed greens might be good for you, but the planet would prefer that you ate a plateful of microwaved potatoes..."

Must Read: Good For You, Good For the Planet? | Slate

Third-generation patternmaker Eric Kaster and partner Sattie Clark are the founders of Eleek, a Portland based company that sells handmade lighting, sinks, hardware and tiles. The product offerings range from traditional and vintage to modern and eclectic and are mostly constructed of recycled or reclaimed metals.

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While we recognize that the food movement has come a long way in recent years, legislation that directly affects our food—and the local farms we'd ideally like it to come from—is going to be voted on very, very soon. Here's what you can do to help send a sustainable-food-friendly message to Congress about the Farm Bill. More

Living lives controlled by our own choices and not by those of large corporations can help us live more consciously and sustainably. Need a few tips to get you started down that path? Here are 7 ways to reduce the corporate influence on your life. More

The helpful staff at FACT (Food Animal Concerns Trust) recommended the Eat Wild website and national directory to help us find local, organic turkeys this Thanksgiving. Eat Wild currently features a link to local farms selling pasture-raised turkeys. Simply click on the "Order from a local farmer" tab (actually, it says "Don't be a turkey - Order one NOW from a local farmer!") and then click on your state using their interactive map. Pow! Local farms in less than 30 seconds. More