Green Gifts

With Global warming becoming more prominent, what with the artic ice caps melting and all that other stuff Rush Limbaugh says isn’t happening, why not do something about it when buying gifts?

The following are “green” ideas to give for gifts. Please expand this list with lots and lots of links to green, environmentally friendly retailers.

13 Green Gifts for Home Renovator. - http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/by-type/green-gift-guide-for-the-home-renovator-2011-green-gift-guide-161050

Gift Cards

    • The LivClean Carbon Offset Gift Card is probably the most unique and one of the greenest gifts you can give this holiday season is a carbon offset gift card. It is not only great for your loved ones and friends, it is also a gift for the planet. For more info visit livclean.ca.

Carbon Offsets

    • Another great green gift is LivClean Carbon Offsets. By visiting livclean.ca you can purchase carbon offset plans that make the perfect green gift for family and friends, helping them become carbon neutral. Each plan comes with a certificate and cool promo items that let them show their new carbon neutral status.

Paper Products

    • Mr. Ellie Pooh – A favorite at the “Greenfest” this year, this company sells recycled elephant “Poo Paper” products. Visit their online store atwww.mrelliepooh.com to purchase some great paper products and save elephants in Sri Lanka. Basically, by buying this paper you create a market for “elephant dung” which elephants produce while alive (this is key). The idea is that people in Sri Lanka can make a living off of elephant pooh rather than killing the elephants for their hide, tusks or meat.

    • Seed Embedded Paper - This paper has seeds in it that will actually grow! Done reading the note, just bury it under some dirt and have flowers! They have both paper and greeting cards for any occasion.

Donation Type Stuff

Household Items

    • Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL’s) – These are those “curly q” bulbs that maybe you have seen and hopefully own. These bulbs have come a long way in shape (they are much smaller now), efficiency, style, colors and light type. What used to be a “hospital white” has turned into a nice soft white just like the incandescent bulbs you have been using all those years. An added bonus is that they are cheaper now, under $2, and will save you about $50 in energy costs. How? The “60 watt” CFL only uses 13 watts of energy. Plus, they last as long as ten years!

    • LED Lights - Costco has double and triple packs, both regular bulb and candelabra.

    • Rain Barrels - Why let that rain water go to waste? Get yourself a rain barrell! Good for the enviroment, good for your plants. Lots of colors and options!

    • Reusable Grocery Bag - You can get them at any store and they are usually very cheap. A donation to the World Wildlife Fund gets you a bunch of really nice ones you can use or give away.

Clothing & Accessories

Entertainment

Exercise

    • Bicycle with Helmet and lock – In case you have not been following the news, there are too many cars on the road and they are not good for the environment. Why not buy your sweet heart a new bike (with helmet and lock!) so that they can ride their bike to the metro and/or for recreation. It’s great exercise and makes a difference.

Wrapping it up!

Other Green Gift Idea Websites:

http://www.newdream.org/holiday/giftideastaff.php

  • And they also have a Conscious Consumer Holiday Shopping Guide with tips and info on alternative gift fairs:

http://www.newdream.org/consumer/holiday.php

  • The Environmental Defense has a Green Gift-Giving full of tips and eco-friendly products:

http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentID=4924

http://www.adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/

  • 10 Things You Should Never Buy New:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/FindDealsOnline/weston-10-things-you-shouldnt-buy-new.aspx

One thing with all the hemp products you see here is that one day you may be growing hemp in Hyattsville :)

This is just a small sample of some “green” ideas. Try them out. Sure, you may be scorned at first from those who are used to getting “stuff”. Try starting with your own holiday list. Do you really need more stuff? If you ask for less stuff, maybe you will set an example for everyone else. You don’t have to become a minimalist living in the mountains to make a difference in the world today. There are plenty of opportunities to save the world while not changing yours. Have some other ideas? What are you waiting for? Add them to the list!