We weren’t completely sure, so we tried some new things in 2009 to improve our overall sustainability. We’d like to share the strides made during 2009 and our goals for 2010.

If you haven’t been over to our Green Thumb page yet, we’ve been tracking our monthly progress on green goals such as recycling and paper usage. We’re happy to report the final progress (seen in the graphic above).

As you can see, we came close to most of our goals. We did a little research an learned that we recycled enough aluminum to power a TV 24/7 for over 100 days. By partnering with our clients to choose recycled paper on which to print their materials, we saved 26 trees, which would provide enough oxygen for 14 people for a whole year. The water saved was also enough for a year’s worth of drinking water for 66 people. (data via our friends @NeenahPaper) For more details, check out our Green Thumb page.

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How are you doing on your 2009 resolutions? (Sorry for bringing it up). If you remember, in January we started setting some goals for our environmental standards around the office. We’ve been keeping track of our progress here so you can see how we’re doing. We still have quite a bit of work to do in one month, but I think we will make it.

We’ve been surprised by some of the results of our efforts. For starters, it’s become almost second nature to incorporate new habits such as recycling and tracking the results. It really isn’t as hard as we thought it would be — so give it a try. Also, our clients have embraced our green stance and have been excited to incorporate responsible printing and design practices into their identity. Thirdly, our efforts have been noticed. The good folks over at Appleton featured us in their September Utopia publication. We were surprised and honored.

Don’t forget to check out our Green Thumb section, Designers Accord, and our profiles on Core77 and CSBA for more on our green stance. Look forward to a full report in January with our progress, fun facts, and helpful hints.

Our beloved Chicago is making strides to become more and more sustainable. The latest development in their efforts is joining with the RecycleBank program. This program tracks and actually pays the every day household recycler for the amount of goods they put into recycling instead of throwing into the landfill.

Here’s how it works: You earn points for both curbside recycling and electronics recycling. The RecycleBank program keeps track of it. Once a certain amount of points is accumulated, you can redeem them for gift cards at big names like Sears, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target.com, Kraft, CVS, Dick’s sporting goods, and more. Pretty easy, right?

The city of Chicago (the first city in Illinois to partner with RecycleBank) is kicking off this program for 38,000 households. I think the results will be extremely positive. Who wouldn’t recycle for money?

Are there any other great recycling programs out there? Do you recycle? Let us know!

My husband and I love to cook. We rarely eat out at restaurants, and instead enjoy being in the kitchen together making our own meals. Because of this we’ve always bought a lot of fresh ingredients, primarily produce. Lately, though, after hearing time and again how much produce is sprayed with pesticides and how expensive buying organic market vegetables can be, we have looked into going the DIY (do-it-yourself) route. It’s healthy for both our family and the environment – conserving water and reducing pollution from toxic chemicals.

Even though we only have a small patio, we still have managed to start planting a few delicious items including peppers, cilantro, and hopefully tomatoes and pumpkins soon. A small plot of land in your backyard is a big plus, but we’ve found that planters on a cement slab work just as good! Just follow the eco-friendly gardening tips after the jump and you’ll be on your way to a great fall harvest.

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Do you have an iPhone? For any avid cyclists or those interested in hopping on your bike (whether for fun, for your commute, or daily exercise), check out REI’s new app “Bike Your Drive.” This app measures your average speed, maps your route using GPS, and even calculates your carbon offset, calories burned, and money saved in lieu of driving. Along with many other features, we are loving this app so far. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Even if you don’t have an iphone, check out their website to get extremely practical and helpful tips, videos, and other resources to start biking your drive.

Do any of you already commute to work or store by bike? Any tips for us as we try something new?