U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                    Washington, D.C.  20549
                           FORM 8-K

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  July 8, 1999
                    Commission File No.   0-22524

                    REAL GOODS TRADING CORPORATION
(Exact name of small business issuer as specified in its charter)

 California                              68-0227324
(State or other jurisdiction of         (IRS Employer
incorporation or organization)           Identification Number)

3440 Airway Drive, Santa Rosa  California      95403
(Address of principal executive offices)     (Zip Code)

Issuer's telephone number, including area code:
                                              (707) 542-2600

Item 5.  Other events

The Registrant hereby incorporates by reference the information
contained in Attachment A hereto in response to this Item 5.

For Immediate Release                   For More Information:
                            John Schaeffer, CEO; 707.521.4444
                       Mark Swedlund, President; 707.521.4400
             Linda Malone, Director of Marketing 707.521.4460

  Real Goods Announces Affiliation with Working Assets
                    ShopForChange.com

Santa Rosa, California, 8 July 1999, Real Goods Trading
Corporation (Nasdaq: RGTC, Chicago Exchange: RGT), a California
based retailer of environmental and renewable energy products
using catalogs, retail stores, and the Internet announced today
that it has joined ShopForChange.com as an affiliate.
ShopForChange.com is a unique online shopping service, which
gives 5% of the price of  every purchase to nonprofit groups
working for peace, human rights, equality, education and the
environment.  Any customer who accesses the Real Goods website
through ShopForChange.com can purchase any item from Real Goods
at the normal retail price, with the knowledge that 5% of the
purchase price will go to support worthwhile non-profit
organizations. ShopForChange.com was launched in June by Working
Assets, the socially progressive long distance, credit card and
Internet company.

Real Goods Chairman and CEO John Schaeffer commented, We've
spent the last 20 years establishing our position as the dominant
purveyor of solar and other renewable energy products to
consumers.  We believe our relatively new Website, which grew by
500% last year, offers more environmentally sound GREEN
products to consumers than any other that exists today. Our
customers share similar values with Working Assets and we have
always respected their work.  We are delighted to have the
opportunity to participate with Working Assets in the
ShopForChange.com program and look forward to a very successful
partnership.

President Mark Swedlund added,  The Internet has proven to be
one of our best sources for new customers in recent months - both
for green household goods and gifts as well as for whole house
renewable energy systems. Unlike some mass market shopping sites,
we believe ShopForChange.com will bring us the types of prospects
who are committed to building a sustainable future and who will
become very good long-term customers for us.  We love this
concept and are thrilled to be in on the  ground floor of its
launch.  We also look forward to forming additional strategic
alliances with other like-minded companies as the cyber
marketplace grows and evolves.

The following constitutes a Safe Harbor statement under the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press
release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number
of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those indicated
by such forward-looking statements are set forth under the
heading CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS in the Companys annual report on
Form 10-KSB for the year ended March 31, 1999. These include
risks and uncertainties relating to sales growth, availability of
capital, customer preferences and the general economy.

Real Goods Trading Corporation sells a broad range of renewable
energy and sustainable living products through its catalogs and
retail stores and on its Website (www.realgoods.com) (call
1.800.762.7325 for a free catalog). The Company believes that it
is the largest retailer of these products in the world. The
Companys common stock is publicly traded on the Chicago Stock
Exchange under the symbol RGT, on the Nasdaq Small Cap market
under the symbol RGTC, and through a bulletin board maintained on
its web site (http://www.realgoods.com).

                         SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements on the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

REAL GOODS TRADING CORPORATION
(Registrant)

Date:  July 8, 1999

By[S]LESLIE B. SEELY
     Leslie B. Seely
     Chief Financial Officer