By HELEN MALANI, shopzilla.com

Earth Day is nearly upon us -- it's April 22 -- and in celebration of, well, our great Earth, I recently went to a natural-products trade show to check out what was going on in the world of green goods. Turns out, a lot!

In just a few weeks Earth Day will have come and gone and we'll be left to wonder if this year will be any different from the last 38 Earth Days. The beautiful thing is it can be, if we choose to do something about it. I'm not talking big things. Even little changes to your small piece of the earth can really add up.

We all know that April showers bring May flowers, but this season April is also bringing some of the cutest rain gear I've seen in a long time. For him and her, kids and furry friends alike, there's something to keep everyone dry.

We all know that people love their pets. In recent years, our four-legged darlings have gone from the new accessory to surrogate children. Even in this tough economy people are eager to pamper their furry companions.

From Shamrock, Texas, to Dublin, Ohio, people are gearing up to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.About one third of all revelers will make a special dinner at home (I'll go out on a limb and guess corned beef and cabbage), while another third will go to a party at their favorite bar or restaurant and drink (I'll go out on another limb and guess green beer).

Valentine's Day has come and gone, and if you're in the midst of a breakup, you probably couldn't be happier about it. After all, the last thing you need if in the throes of a bad breakup are hearts, flowers, and chubby-lovey babies everywhere. But now that Cupid's flown away, it's time to stop wallowing and start rebuilding a better, happier, more confident you.

Valentine's Day is here, and if you're in love -- particularly new love -- that probably means the flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and every other Disney cliche is springing to life.

If you're among the many folks who enjoyed a blissful "Bridal Christmas" -- the industry term coined to describe the hoards of happy couples who get engaged over the holidays -- then this column's for you.

Go figure -- only 35 percent of women go to Super Bowl parties to watch the game. I was intrigued and wondered what in the world the other 65 percent are going for. When I found out it wasn't to scout out boyfriends -- only 4 percent have ever gone to a Super Bowl party with the hopes of finding a man!

The nights are long, and mornings are cold and dark. This means it's harder than ever for most of us to get out of our warm, cozy beds and start our days. Fortunately, there are some innovative products out there that can actually make that dreaded part of the day a little more bearable.