Shopping is a great pastime for the greater part of the American population, if credit card companies are to be believed. Many of these shoppers now swear by all things green. If you are one of the great army of eco-friendly shoppers that is always looking for new places to find green furniture, smoke free generators, non aerosol sprays, energy efficient appliances, recycled paper, or organic fruits, shopping blogs catering to eco friendly shoppers are the sites to visit.

Here is a list of some of the more surprising "bargains" listed on shopping blogs:

* Furniture made from old car tires

* Jewelry fashioned out of plastic bottle caps

* Birdcages made from discarded wiring

* Caps hand knitted from leftover wool

If you like surprises, as well as want to be kind to Mother Earth, you can find these items and many more through shopping blogs.

So why turn to shopping blogs at all? One, as we saw, shopping blogs provide information you are not likely to find anywhere else. Who advertises caps made from old stocks of fleece? It is for such highly specific sellers and buyers that shopping blogs are such a useful resource. Many eco friendly products are sold by small vendors with little financial wherewithal to advertise on giant billboards or large broadsheets. They may be putting up a notice on a little known internet forum. Some may go as far as to put up a modest declaration on a large online auction site. But who has the time to go through hundreds of sites in search for those elusive and cheap eco-friendly dusters and acid-free reams of paper? Shopping blogs conveniently collect all data on one site, so you can check for frequent updates. Remember that the best shopping blogs out there are updated regularly; some are even updated several times a day.

If shopping blogs promote small businesses, they also scrutinize the green claims of organized retail. How green is your "eco friendly, 100% detergent free" floor cleaning formula, in reality? Many shopping blogs take pains to find out about the latest research on so-called green cosmetics and household cleaning agents. One reader stopped using a "green" lipstick that a blog rating of 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 in environment friendliness. Another lady discovered that her floor cleaner was rated 8 on 10 on the eco friendliness meter. Because many shopping blogs are written by shoppers like you, you will find more unbiased information on them. They will also contain user reviews - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Shopping blogs are great resources for those who want a second opinion on green rating touted by manufacturers. They are also the virtual bulletin boards for new sales, stock clearing, and other events important to the community of eco friendly consumers. Shopping blogs are a great tool to empower the consumer through information. Besides, this is information that is readily available at your fingertips.