How to Make Your Oktoberfest Uber-Green

Prost! For centuries, Oktoberfest has brought together youthful vigor with old-world tradition in a swirl of polka, clinking steins, and voices belting out songs from the hinterland. But do you know if the beer you're drinking and brats you're munching were made in an environmentally responsible way? Here are our recommendations for Oktoberfest fare that keep traditions up and emissions down.  

Wunderbar Beers Marzen — brewed in March and fermented in the summer — is the bier of choice for Oktoberfest, and many micro-breweries across the nation are not only catching on with traditional Bavarian lager recipes, but are also implementing innovative and sustainable methods to brewing their beer. Micro- yet big-name brewers that use clean energy to make seasonal beer include New Belgium Brewing Co., Alaskan Ale, Fish Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada, Bell's Beer and Balast Point.  For more of a demonstration on how earth-minded beer is made, check out the video below: 

5 Eco-Inspired Halloween Costume Ideas

We've covered alternatives to the cheap, plastic costumes that line the shelves this time of year. You know all about going vintage, handmade, and hand-me-down to reduce your Halloween waste. But when October 30 rolls around and plans for an elaborate costume based on your favorite literary character have fallen through, your options may seem limited: a bed sheet ghost or a quick trip to the nearest grocery store for a "Sexy [Whatever they have left]" costume? Put down the plastic, and make one of these easy, eco-inspired costumes that let you send a message (and still get the respectful "ah, you are very smart" head nod that your Holden Caulfield costume would've prompted) without too much effort or waste. 

Energy Vampire: Remind your fellow partygoers about the waste of standby power from unused but plugged in appliances. A large box can easily be turned into a computer with fangs, or a suit and black bed-sheet cape can be decorated with large paper power outlets to show the terrifying danger of wasting energy. 

Endangered Species: Spread the word about your favorite furry (or scaly, slimy, or feathered) friends who face extinction. A grey tracksuit with a paper-cone horn and ears becomes a message of solidarity for endangered rhinos, and animal costumes are cute on everyone. Search the endangered species list for your favorite animal, or search online for detailed DIYs, like this caribou costume tutorial from YouTube user BouTheCaribou.

How to Travel to Brazil, Without Fossil Fuels

With Rio de Janeiro's Carnival in February, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup a few months after that, dozens of tourists are starting to book flights. Despite the excitement, there's a giant eco-nomic cost to taking these transcontinental Co2 confetti poppers. Every flight to Brazil sends 3,000 to 5,000 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere (departing from the U.S. or Europe). Some travelers might displace the eco-guilt of airplanes with carbon offsets, but how much fun is that? We found "tourists" making their way to South America without using fossil fuels. As we often say here at Sierra, "it's not easy being green." But whether walking, sailing, or biking, Brazil is just a hop, skipper, and a pedal away.

Sail

John Francis boycotted motorized vehicles after witnessing the 1971 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay. He walked for all of his needs, from attending university in Montana, to working in Washington, D.C. John wanted to travel to Latin America to see the rainforest. Instead of walking all that way, he worked on a sailboat, visiting Venezuela and other areas of the Caribbean without draining a drop of oil. 

Sailing is also the fastest way to get to Brazil without fossil fuels. Some claim to have sailed from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Brazil in just 23 days, and it can probably be done even faster. For sailors on the West Coast, crossing the Panama Canal with their sail boat is an option, though we assume that the hydraulic locks used to lift ships across the canal do create carbon emissions. 

How Could You Say No to this Face?

You may know him as irresistible bad boy Damon Salvatore, but unlike the undead cad he plays on the Vampire Diaries, actor Ian Somerhalder just wants to compel people to protect the planet.

As part of the #STARTARYOT Challenge, the eco-minded thespian is asking fans to compete for a good cause. Here's where you come in: If Somerholder can help the Sierra Club Foundation raise the most funds on CrowdRise, RYOT will donate an additional $75,000 to the organization. That money would help the Club protect more wild places, get more kids outdoors, fight more pollution, and build a cleaner, healthier future.

Somerhalder, who has always had a connection to the outdoors, was inspired to take his eco-activism to the next level when he saw how the BP oil spill devastated his home state of Louisiana. An lest you think he's just lending his gorgeous face to the environmental movement, rest assured that Somerhalder also has his hiking boots on the ground — he recently took the stage at a Beyond Coal rally in North Carolina, where his strong words inspired a more than a few young fans to think differently about dirty energy.

The #STARTARYOT Challenge ends on Tuesday, September 24, so visit the site soon to help Somerhalder help the Sierra Club. Every donation — no matter how small — moves the Foundation closer to its goal. But first, take a moment to look into those dreamy, vampy eyes. You just can't resist doing a little good today.

--Photo by Renee Scott

Android Apps for Autumn

From chasing orange leaves to tasting golden brews, apps can inform your autumn adventures. And even if you're not headed to a maple forest or a beer festival, you can follow the fall remotely through the window of your phone with these cutting-edge applications for Android. (But don't forget to turn those screens off and get outside, too.)

Arboreal apps: Leaf chasers will love fall foliage apps like Peepr, which crowd sources leaf color reports. Because autumn leaves turn at slightly different times each year, foliage trackers can waste a lot of gas and time driving in search of the deciduous. On Peepr, users can file reports for the foliage in their area and view county-level data on a national map. The map shows what color the leaves are at that moment in a given location, allowing drivers to better plan their trips. North East Tree Identification helps outdoors enthusiasts identify trees year 'round, with a special focus on New England species. It walks you through visual taxonomy to help even the most amateur threehugger find precise species names in seconds. Knowing tree species and locations names will make you a more educated advocate for the environment and a more interesting hiking partner. 

Green Your Weekend: Organize a River Cleanup

You may not want to believe it but the summer heat is dissipating, school sessions are beginning, and fall is just around the corner. Whether you spent your summer white-water rafting, kayaking and canoeing, floating, fishing, or just plain ole' swimming, now's a great time do give back to your community by doing your part to keep America's bodies of water clean.

Make next weekend a green one by organizing a river cleanup with friends and family (it's easier than you'd think). And on the off chance organizing isn't your thing, just volunteer! You'll have a great time getting rid of rubbish, while helping keep our natural playgrounds in tip-top shape for next summer and making sure wildlife have safe wintering grounds. 

Watch the video below to learn more. 

Did Your Alma Mater Make Our Top 10 List?

It's back-to-school season, which means that Sierra magazine has unveiled its seventh annual ranking of America's greenest universities. This year, the University of Connecticut took top honors. The number-one school offers more than 600 sustainability-related classes, produces its own honey, eggs, and seasonal produce on campus, and has cut its water use by 15% since 2005.

In addition to naming the Top 10 Coolest Schools, Sierra asked the question "Do Green Schools Matter?" We covered life-changing teachers and classes, examined how green education leads to jobs, reported on the newest on-campus activist movement, and compiled eco-scholarship opportunities. Our conclusion? At America's Coolest Schools, the future looks bright.

Check out the latest issue of Sierra magazine to find out if your alma mater made our list.

--Cover artwork by Harry Campbell

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Every Budget

No matter how much cash you have to spend, our gift ideas will help you keep Father's Day (Sunday, June 16) green.

NEARLY FREE: If you're working with a tight budget, these ideas cost almost nothing. 

1) Get creative. Set aside a few hours, open up your tool box and channel your inner Martha Stewart to make your dad a repurposed key holder or a keyboard wallet. These gifts easy and fun to make — and they'll create a tangible memory for years to come. For other ideas check out Sierra's "Repurpose" column.

2) Head outdoors. Keep things simple and go hiking! If your dad is an outdoor enthusiast, there's nothing he'll love more than spending quality time with you while enjoying the nature. A website like trails.com can help you find a trail nearby and pick one at the appropriate difficulty level.  

MODERATE MIDDLE: If you are looking to spend between $25 and $200, our next list was designed with you in mind.  

6 Great Gifts for Moms

Love is unlimited, but money and time aren't always as abundant. With Mother's Day fast approaching, many of us are scrambling to find a gift that shows our love, but not our lack of resources. Whether you're restricted by a tight budget or you're just low on spare time, we've got a few gift ideas that will make your mom smile.

Gifts on the Go If you're flush with cash but don't have a second to spare, a few clicks will put one of these products en route to your mother.

• Order one of these five eco-friendly cellphone accessories. Extra points if you follow up with a phone call.

• Keep an on-the-go mom refreshed and healthy with one of these five BPA-free drink containers.

• Spread the love around by giving one of these upcycled gifts: Purchase a recycled candle holder that helps homeless mothers in Chicago or a recycled necklace that helps support impoverished Ugandan women.

Gifts on a Budget If your pockets are empty but you're full of creativity, go the DIY route this year.

Even Internet Animals Can't Believe Fossil Fools!

Happy April Fools Day! We're not fooled by fossil fuel lovers, and neither are these cute animals. Watch our video to see why puppies, kittens, mice, and other adorable critters might be smarter than some humans when it comes to the climate.

If you don't tolerate fossil fools, take action on Facebook at http://sc.org/earthtosteve.

And if you like cute animals and smart ideas, stay tuned all week for more cuddly goodness.