DIY holiday crafts offer a thoughtful, low-cost gift option for a tough economy.

With only 7 more paydays until Christmas (!!), the time has come to plan your homemade holiday gifts. The Hipsters have some ideas to help DIY novices keep it manageable. Remember, if you start now, you have time to throw out your mistakes!

Beer: Really, does it get any better than this? A new release from Sierra Nevada Brewery, in a big ass bottle! Their Estate Brewers Harvest Ale is all Chico, baby.

Chocolate: Our new Favorite Listener is Gayla in SC, who provided a bar of CocoBon CocoFusion 72% Dark Chocolate. Thanks, y'all!

Finds:

• Global hottie. Hollywood's latest eco-disaster film, 2012, is noteworthy for one reason: John Cusack! Opens November 13th.
• 4 the planet. Autumn brings a windfall of good flicks for greenies: No Impact Man takes his book to the big screen; Crude exposes Chevron's underbelly; The Age of Stupid gives us a glimpse into a grim future; and the amazing Ken Burns returns to PBS with The National Parks, a must-see doc about "America's Best Idea".

• Oz and Effect. Not such a g'day for Australia, as the land Down Under moves atop the list of the world's biggest CO2 polluters per capita. (China still pumps out more gasses overall.)
• Channel your energy. Shopping for a better boob tube? Hold off until May 2010. New Energy Star standards will kick in, so qualifying televisions will be up to 40% more efficient than their competitors. Programming will still suck, though.

Avoid wasting time and water in the shower or tub. Use a dab of nail polish to mark the spot on the faucet that produces the perfect water temperature. Now you have more time to sing the More Hip theme song while you lather!

With only 7 more paydays until Christmas (!!), the time has come to plan your homemade holiday gifts. If you've never done the DIY thing before, keep it small and manageable! Come up with a list of recipients, then add a few extras for unexpected parties or guests. If you start now, you can try a few new things to see if they work for you. Rule #1: Don't stress out. Rule #2: Have fun!

• Greenies. For the aspiring Hipster, fashion a cloth hankie; or, put together a sustainable lunch kit complete with napkins, utensils and a cool box.
• Seeds. The gardener on your list would likely love some Baker Creek heirloom seeds.
• Lemons. Yummy Meyer lemons are coming into season. Whip up some marmalade or limoncello for hostess gifts.
• Volts. Families could make good use of rechargeable batteries and a charger. In fact, they can save over $100 a year on batteries alone!
• Dollars and Sense. Put together a Responsible Shopper Kit, with a ChicoBag, some produce sacks and a list of tips from GreenAmerica.
• Whoopee! Give the gift of romance to that crazy busy couple...a beeswax candle, a CD of love songs, a bottle of organic wine and a babysitting coupon. brownchicken, browncow...

Hey, where are all the e-mails? Send a question or a lovenote to hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our new blog! And remember to post articles, links and DIY gift ideas on our MHTH forum!

• Shout-out! Thanks to Miranda for mentioning us on her blog, Eclectic Eccentricities. You rock!
• Shelly in Florida wants a safe, BPA-free French press coffee mug. Three letters for you: REI. Thanks for the tip on Holy Mackerel Mango Shandies!
• Moises in Hong Kong loves the eco-wisdom of Alan Watts. Warning: beer consumption may hinder your ability to understand and appreciate deep philosophical teachings!

Show the world you're More Hip Than Hippie! Grab some merch for Autumnal Equinox or anyday!Twitter goes green on #EcoMonday! Follow us on Twitter: GrnDiva, MoreHipDori and JRich9 at your service! Add us to your friends on Facebook and MySpace!Remember to vote for us at Podcast Alley, and leave a glowing review at iTunes! More Hip Than Hippie is sponsored by Greenfeet.com.