By Julie Chai, Sunset associate garden editor

The EcoMetro Guide is one of my favorite finds—it's packed with coupons to markets, restaurants, and other businesses for items that I'll actually use, and also has a "Yard and Garden" section for those of us who love to have our hands in the dirt.

Similar to the decades-old Entertainment Book, EcoMetro Guides have a greener focus and include info about local, eco-friendly resources like your area farmers markets, utilities, and recycling centers as well as educational tips on topics like sustainable fish, organic produce, and energy-use calculators.

Guides are available for five Western regions: Silicon Valley/Santa Cruz, East Bay, Seattle/Puget Sound, Portland Chinook, and Denver/Boulder. Priced at $20, they make perfect hostess gifts. You can order here.