Earth-Friendly Green Gift Ideas for The Holidays
Go Green This Holiday Season With The Best Eco-Friendly Gifts
Nov 5, 2009
The concern for the environment should be throughout the year including the holidays. The problem is finding earth-friendly gifts to give in the hustle and bustle of busy stores during this busy season. A list of environment-friendly gifts and knowing where to purchase them can make the holiday simple and more enjoyable.
Give Green All Year Long
Intangible gifts make great presents to give all year long and these presents won't end up in a box in the closet, among clutter or in a landfill. A great gift idea includes donating money to a charity in the name of the recipient. Other green ideas include buying carbon offsets in a recipient's name or giving a yearly pass membership to a national park, aquarium or botanical garden. For an extra special holiday gift surprise, give an eco-vacation package or a cross-country train tour.
Green Gift Ideas for The Kids
Children are fun to shop for and there are several environmental-friendly gifts out there to give as presents. Try these green gift ideas which are sure to put a smile on a little one's face.
- Organic cotton teddybears, dolls and animals
- Organic cotton pajamas
- Organic cotton tie-dye socks, body suits, hats and more
- Books such as The Lorax by Dr. Suess. A tale about a world once lush with truffula trees and filled with environmentally-friendly ideas for kids.
- Recycled Craft Box Book by Laura C. Martin. A kid's book on recycling including instructions on how to make items such as milk carton cottages, sock dog puppets, boot-i-ful shoes and many more recycleable craft ideas.
- The Global Warming Game, Keep Cool: Gambling with the Climate! It's a game and an educational tool all in one to teach the risks of global warming and how cooperation benefits our planet.
- National Parks Monopoly board game
Earth Friendly Gifts for Her and Him
Many gifts that are kind to the environment can be found for the her or him on the holiday gift list. These gifts are items that are useable, reusable, fashionable and sure to please.
- Ecoist handbags and purses made from candy wrappers, food labels and packaging that are misprinted and would otherwise end up in a landfill. Just type in Ecoist in a search engine.
- Clothing made from recycled soda bottles and recycled clothing from Patagonia's Capilene including pants, t-shirts, pullovers, jackets and more. Other recycled clothing can be purchased online on many of the sites found by searching for recycled clothes.
- Vintage and antique jewelery found at thrift shops, jewelery stores, estate sales, eBay and other online retailers.
- Green Karat jewelery which is a company aimed at ending socially destructive mining practices by selling jewelery made of only recycled metals, synthetic diamonds and using metals from ecologically responsible metal refiners. Their jewelery is one of a kind, beautiful and recycled.
Green Gifts for The Cook, Gardener and Outdoor Enthusiast
There are several gift options that are environmentally-friendly available for the cook, gardener and outdoor enthusiast on the holiday list. If finding a gift for an environmentally conscious person is hard to find, try these ideas:
- Recycled glassware including vases, wine carafes, tumblers and goblets.
- Sustainable food cookbooks that include using locally grown and organic produce, eco-friendly seafood, seasonal ingredients, sustained agricultural resources. These books can be found at bookstores or online.
- Backyard composters for the gardener to recycle yard trimmings and food scraps into nutrient-rich soil.
- Binoculars
- Portable solar battery packs
- Bicycle accessories and handbooks for bird lovers
- Gardening tools
Green Stocking Stuffer and Hanukkah Gelt Ideas
Don't forget to fill the stocking with gifts that are environmentally-friendly, too. Any environmentally conscious person on the holiday list will be sure to love these.
- Chocolate from organically grown cacao beans.
- Energy-saving lightbulbs in different shapes and sizes.
- An Inconvenient Truth dvd available at bookstores, video stores and online.
- Tie-dyed socks made from organic cotton.
- Beeswax candles
- Soy or palm oil candles that do not contain stearic acid.
Homemade Gifts to Go Green This Holiday
Homemade gifts are a great option to reuse items found at home and recreate them into perfect holiday gifts. Gifts ranging from secret books to hide items, teacup candles, bath salts, bath tea bags and paper weights. The how-to-guide and recipes for making these great gifts can be found by clicking here.
Finishing Touches for Green Gifts
These great gifts need to be wrapped earth-friendly as well. Try using the comic section of the newspaper, candy wrappers for small gifts and mail-order catalog pages. The holiday ribbons and bows can be forgotten and replaced with seasonal leaves, berry sprigs, shells and a note card made from recycled paper.
The Holiday Table Goes Green
After presents are unwrapped and it's time to eat, sitting at an earth-friendly table is a nice touch to your holiday celebration. Try using recycled glassware, cloth napkins, beeswax candles, organic wine, organic champagne, energy-efficient light bulbs in the light fixture and place cards made from recycled paper.
Don't forget to serve a holiday menu of organic foods from locally-grown organic seasonal produce, organic free-range meats and holiday desserts made with organic ingredients found at your local grocer or health food market.
It's easy to go green and gift earth-friendly items for the loved ones on the holiday list. Most items can be found online which also saves on the millions of gallons of gas used to travel to crowded malls for items that may end up in the closet otherwise. This holiday season make a change and go green, contribute to a healthier planet and recycle, reuse and reduce.
Sources:
- Environmental Defense Fund. (Sept. 2008) Green Gifts for the Holidays. Our Annual Roundup of Earth-Friendly Ideas
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