Eco Saturday: Tiny Houses, Foodie Hot Spots, Great Green Makeovers

Jay Shafer had no construction experience when, a decade ago, he ditched his job and his full-sized house and built himself an 89-square-foot home. Now he has a thriving business building tiny houses for his clients, who marvel at how much space and style Shafer can fit into 100 square feet. "Living small has changed my life dramatically and I couldn't ask for anything better," he says.

Food and Wine magazine taps its most trusted sources for help in putting together a list of the 100 best new food and drink spots for 2010. (Info on who helped make the list in the main link; list of the top 100 has a link of its own, midway down the page.)

Does one of Food and Wine's listees look familiar? Yep, it's Oregon farmer Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor, whose switch from corporate life to farm life is featured in our Second Act blog.

Speaking of SecondAct, more great green stories: Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell now runs the Mother Nature Network, one of the web's most influential environmental sites. 

Film exec Laura Howard, told to avoid cow's milk, caffeine and alcohol during a cleanse, turned to goat's milk ice cream to soothe her sweet tooth. Intrigued by the great taste and health benefits, she created a premium-brand goat's milk ice cream -- and a new career.

If giving a green line of work a try sounds like the right path, check out these 10 green businesses for conservation-minded entrepreneurs, courtesy of author Glenn Croston. 

You know those toning shoes, the ones with the weird soles? They may make your legs ache, but, according to the American Council on Exercise, the shoes don't help burn more calories.

Going green by going...gray? Check out all the glamorous women ditching their hair dye in favor of life au naturel.