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A friend sent me this story about a new iPhone app that lets you geotag your own musical journeys--and discover neighbors with similar tastes in music.

Think of it as Pandora with propinquity: Just like the popular internet radio station, Soundtrackr creates playlists based on users' favorite songs and artists. But then it goes one step further, allowing the user to tag favorite stations by where they listen. Then, by searching for similar locations and playlists, they can find out what others in their vicinity are tuning in to.

Since posting last week's entry, "Make a gingerbread global village," I've taken some better photos of my own attempts. Here they are, so that you might better study our engineering calculations and geographic detailings:

In the spirit of the holidays and the Copenhagen Climate Change talks, I am combining the two for this Five for Friday post- five ways to make your White Christmas green. Or, for those of you who live in warmer climes, five ways to make your Green Christmas greener.

1. Buy a re-plantable Christmas tree: I'd never heard of such a thing until fellow intern and green-queen extraordinaire Hilary told me her family does this every year. Although very few places in the United States actually market it, the idea is simple: Buy an evergreen with its root ball still attached, enjoy it for the holiday season; then return in to the nursery, plant it in your backyard, or donate it to a local park! Swanson's in Seattle, Washington is one such nursery that will take back the tree and re-plant it in Pipers Creek, a salmon habitat that needs conifers and other trees to maintain a healthy stream for the fish.

Another organization in the Pacific Northwest calls itself the "Original Living Christmas Tree Company." They pick up trees and replant them in watersheds all over the Northwest. They also have great tips on other ways to get a living Christmas tree if you don't live in the Portland, Oregon area.

Whatever kind of tree you buy, make sure it's real! According to the Environmental News Network, real trees are better for the environment than fake plastic ones. Check out the full story to read more.

2. Wrap gifts in recycled paper: My mother is the master of recycling wrapping paper (and ribbons) year after year. In fact, we have an entire closet in our house dedicated to wrapping materials, most of which have been used and re-used many times. Newspaper makes excellent (and often nicely-sized!) wrapping paper, especially if you use the Comics and other colored or graphic sections. Here at National Geographic, the Maps department frequently gives away old, rejected, or torn maps; I've been digging through the pile all semester, and plan to wrap all of my gifts this year in them! Ribbons and bows are also very easy to re-use. Grab a bag and see how many streamers, bows, and other gift-garnishes you can collect this year. You'll be surprised how fast your pile grows!

For the past several holiday seasons, we have plugged our favorite geography gifts. We share them again this year throughout the December newsletter and here on the blog. After all, we like to think we're experts on the topic! This time around, however, we thought we'd mix it up by stirring some new voices into the holiday mix. So we asked our favorite teachers and activist parents: What's on your shopping list?

We've combined our favorite responses into this delicious holiday list. Check out our Quick Guide for a list of these great ideas; then check out the comments for extra info. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Quick Guide
Knock, Knock... Where am I? game (Maya Frost)
Passport to Culture board game (Maya Frost)
Bueno, entonces DVD set (Maya Frost)
Blank world map, rolled up with ribbon and with markers included (Maya Frost)
Cajun Night Before Christmas book (Kim Hulse)
Ken Burns Documentary Series: The National Parks, America's Best Idea DVD set (Kerry Jones)
National Geographic Map Bundles (Kerry Jones)
Great States Board Game (Kerry Jones)
Talking USA Puzzle Map (Melissa Martin)
The Scrambled States of America book and game (Melissa Martin)
Homemade jam in wooden carrying case (Sheila Keller-Powell)
Amazon Kindle (Nancy Sathre-Vogel)
Map of the World PlayScene game (Soultravelers3)
Dolly Dingle Goes around the World book (Soultravelers3)
EarthSearch book (Soultravelers3)
The Complete National Geographic DVD collection (Soultravelers3)

Over 100 world leaders, President Obama included, will converge in Copenhagen this week and next for the UN Climate Change Conference, but they are not the only ones flocking to the Danish capital. Thousands of young people from all over the world, 500+ from the United States alone, are pouring into the Bella Convention Center to make delegates take notice. They may come from every corner of the planet, but they all share the same message: Now is the time to fight climate change. Here are two awesome groups leading the charge.

Expedition Copenhagen
Will Steger, the renowned polar explorer, educator, activist, and National Geographic Explorer in Residence Emeritus, is among the conference attendees. With him is Expedition Copenhagen, a dozen of the Midwest's most dedicated youth, intent on spreading the word about the impacts of climate change and elevating the status of youth voices around the world on this topic. As a Midwesterner myself, I am extremely proud of these young people and their dedication to the environment!

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is underway in Copenhagen. Over the course of the 12 day summit, participants from 192 countries representing governments, the business community, and civil society will attempt to agree on "an ambitious, global agreement that meets the challenge set by science," although many officials doubt that a solid treaty will be achieved. Instead, Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, outlined these four questions, and feels that if these questions are answered, a sufficient framework will be in place to solidify future plans:
 
1. How much are the industrialized countries willing to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases?
 
2. How much are major developing countries such as China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their emissions?
 
3. How is the help needed by developing countries to engage in reducing their emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change going to be financed?
 
4. How is that money going to be managed?
 
Hammering out all the little details will be tricky, de Boer says, but if conference participants can agree on these points, he'll be happy.

So why do we care as geographers?
This conference highlights environmental, political, and cultural issues... all topics that geographers study. The effect that this conference could have on climate legislation is clear, but just think about the logistics and cultural hurdles of getting representatives from every country in the UN together in one place to come to a solid agreement. A tricky game to play!
 

Do you know where this mystery location is? Send your guess to Maggie at mstrassm@ngs.org with the subject line "Monday Mystery Quiz" for your chance to win an awesome prize from National Geographic!

Hint: No, that white blob in the middle-left of the image isn't a giant marshmallow, it's a "super" stadium, home to this city's professional football team.

Read the November 2009 Newsletter: Celebrate Geography Awareness Week!

Inside
GeoFeature: GeoMentors Take Action
Geography in the News: Geography + Basketball = Fun!
Blog: Inaugural Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-thon

Read the October 2009 Newsletter: America and the World.

Inside
GeoFeature: Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
Geography in the News: Brazil Wins Olympic Bid
Blog: Join in the Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-Thon


Plus:

Read the August 2009 Newsletter: How Can Geography Prepare Your Family for Disasters?

Inside
Take our new Reader Poll
GeoFeature: 4-H "Alert, Evacuate, and Shelter" Program
Geography in the News: GIS Aids Planners in Katrina Aftermath
Blog: Earth Science in Australia



Plus: