Yesterday, a friend sent me a message asking what I was doing for "Xmax." We both enjoyed the typo, since it seems to sum up our feelings about the crazed nature of the holiday season. For folks trying to live a happy, simple life, this time of year is particularly trying.

But here's a way to live green -- and save green: a short list of great sustainable gift ideas. All of them can be ordered online (read: no driving to a crowded mall) and most are priced under $35. (And that's not a typo.)

Even before the first "crying Indian" anti-litter advertisement aired in 1970, the folks at Keep America Beautiful have been striving to end the lazy, disgusting habit of littering.

And it appears their efforts have paid off handsomely. Founded in 1953 -- way before "green living" was cool -- KAB is one of the most influential groups that have helped to reduce littering by over 60 percent since 1968.

Recent research sponsored by KAB finds that litter costs America over $11 billion each year. About 38 percent of litter is one item: cigarette butts. But there's more good news: people under the age of 30 litter much less than their older counterparts, so the future is looking greener.

Some gifts touch the heart more than the wallet. The gift of a charitable donation is a great way to show that you care about the gift recipient and about the rest of the world, too.

This holiday season, why not give a gift donation to an environmental group? Many gift memberships come with nice perks like tote bags, calendars, magazine subscriptions and toys, as well as attractive gift cards. And some highly respected environmental groups have gift memberships that start at just $35.

Perhaps best of all, you can do all that shopping from the comfort of your own home -- no traffic, no mall, no crowds. Just visit the group's website and wrap up all your shopping in a matter of minutes.

Here's a smart, funny look at a country -- the good old U. S. of A -- that's searching for its agricultural roots. This being the holiday season, it's a good time to remember those parts of our heritage that made us what we are today, and to reflect on what we've become in recent years.

For everyone who still docks their SUV at the McDonald's drive-thru, it seems there's someone else who's starting an organic garden at an inner city school. For everyone who makes big money investing in big agribusiness, there's a farmer who no longer sprays chemicals on his crops.

And for that, we can all be thankful.