It always amazes me as to how excited some people get over holiday shopping.  Particularly those folks who line up outside of the mall at 4:00 a.m.--just to be one of the first to get a "bargain."

I don't get it.

As it is, I can barely stomach spending more than 5 minutes in a mall when the place is empty.  Much less having to maneuver through holiday crowds a couple of weeks before Christmas.

That's why we typically like to offer up gifts of homemade baked goods (organic, of course) or items purchased online to cover our gift obligations. 

But this year, I did have to suck it up and head to the mall.  Though it was not because I had to buy anything.  No, this trip was all research.

You see, this past Fall, Deloitte & Touche commissioned a holiday spending survey that revealed close to one in five consumers will purchase more eco-friendly goods this year.  As well, many indicated they were willing to pay more.

The remaining question, however, is will these consumers make their "green" purchases online and through local shops, or will their desired "green" products be available with everything else at the mall?

Many "green" advocates will tell you that this market has gone mainstream.  But if it truly has gone mainstream, then it only makes sense that these items should be found in conventional retail outlets, instead of solely online or in little specialty shops far removed from traditional shopping districts

So on Saturday, after a hearty breakfast and a quick trip to the gym (I needed to go into this with a clear mind and no distractions), I set sail for the mall--in search of all that is green.

Here's what I found:

·        Fair trade chocolate, coffee and apparel

·        Solar-powered laptop chargers

·        Organic cotton sheets and towels

·        Conflict-free diamonds

·        Sweatshop-free labels on t-shirts

·        Organic sugar

·        Yoga mats, books & DVDs

·        Natural and organic cosmetics

·        Compact fluorescent light bulbs

Admittedly, I did see a lot more than expected.  Though mainstream?  Well, I don't think we're there yet.  But that's actually a good thing.  Because if we were, the opportunities for growth wouldn't be nearly as explosive as we're going to see over the next decade.

Where we've been, where we're going...

In 2006, the LOHAS market (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) had an estimated worth at just under $209 billion.

Here's a breakdown of the 5 LOHAS market sectors according to the data provided by LOHAS.com

Personal Health                                                $118.03 billion

Natural Lifestyles                                              $10.6 billion

Green Building                                                  $50 billion

Alternative Transportation                                 $6.12 billion

Eco Tourism                                                     $24.17 billion

Now I realize many of you came to Green Chip because of our alternative energy coverage.  Because let's face it: That's where a big chunk of our profits are coming from.  But that doesn't mean we should ignore the other "green" markets that we follow on a regular basis. 

Because the fact is, some of our best performers in the Green Chip Stocks portfolio are from LOHAS companies that don't fall into the alternative energy category.

For example, earlier this year we took profits in excess of 74% from Wild Oats Markets, right before organic retail behemoth, Whole Foods Markets (NASDAQ:WFMI) acquired the company.

We've also done quite well with organic and natural food provider Hain Celesital (NASDAQ:HAIN), which we're up 51.8% since our initial recommendation, and green media firm, Gaiam (NASDAQ:GAIA), which we're up 299.83% since our initial recommendation.

In 2008, we'll be recommending a few more companies operating in this sector.  Companies that are either new to the market, or older, more established firms that have reached a level of validation and profitability which now make them excellent long-term plays for the Green Chip portfolio.

The first of these new recommendations will be made next month.

So if you're not already a member, and you want in on our best LOHAS picks for 2008, you can sign-up here .

To a new way of life, and a new generation of wealth...

Jeff