Will Allen and Erika Allen cut the dedication ribbon at the Organic Gardening WaterWorks Dedication event at Growing Power's Jackson Park Urban Farm on Nov. 24th

Something's always going on in Chicago, especially on the green scene. Here are a few interesting happenings from the recent past and in the near future.

For those of you lucky enough to be done with your holiday shopping, all you have left to do is wrap them.

For the rest of you--like me--that still have some presents to purchase, still have a few things on the list to do.

And for all of you, here are a few ways to make your last-minute gift giving a little greener.

Water vapor billows from smokestacks Thursday at the incineration plant of Ivry-sur-Seine, in the outskirts of Paris. The $10 billion a year proposed by rich nations to help the poor adapt to climate change is "not sufficient" and the gap between what's offered and what's needed could wreck the Copenhagen climate conference, American billionaire George Soros said Thursday. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

There's been a lot of talk about Copenhagen in recent days--big names are planning on being there (including President Obama) and it's a vital meeting for the environment.

But what exactly is it all about?

Read on to find out ...

I'm sure this is something that most people are aware of. You can cook beans at home, instead of buying them from a can--and they're cheaper.

I know that people do it, and I've heard it's easy. But usually, I'm too lazy to do anything of the sort.

The Chicago French Market. Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune

Just in time to take the edge off losing most of our farmers markets, the new French Market at Ogilvie Transportation opens.

It's droolworthy--and I haven't even been yet.

AP PHOTO

Oh, yes, it's true. You too can buy a reindeer-dung necklace from an Illinois zoo this holiday season, according to this Tribune story. It sounds icky, but it's also kinda cool ... You can buy products made from a variety of other animals' poo too from Poopoopaper.

If nothing else, it's making use of available resources!

You've done the Sigg water bottle thing, gifted your fair share of reusable bags, and hemp products don't go over well with your friends. Don't worry--there are plenty of eco-friendly gift options out there for holiday giving. And you don't have to go far for them either.

Going to the grocery store the week of Thanksgiving sucks. Not only are there long lines, but half the stuff you're there for is long gone.

Rather than fighting someone over the last bag of potatoes or Jiffy cornbread mix, wouldn't it be nice to shop in peace and have a wide variety of fresh foods sold by kind vendors?

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving (which has its roots in the harvest, as opposed to canned cranberry sauce and football), head to Green City Farmers Market on Wednesday (from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for some locally grown holiday fixings.

Even if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, the goods offered at Green City right now are perfect for warm, cozy meals.

Need some ideas? Here are just some of the ingredients offered at the farmers market--and some recipe ideas to go with them.

Who knew that even alleys could be green? I certainly didn't, but thanks to fellow RedEye blogger/reporter Tracy Swartz, I do now!

Read all about Chicago's 98 green alleys here on RedEye's blog. As always, thoughts and comments are appreciated!