Green Gift Giving
Gifts that Can Make a Difference
Nov 26, 2007 Mark H. Leichliter
Some might think giving a goat as a present odd. In reality purchasing a share of a goat through Heifer International does a world of good for needy families in a developing nation. That goat, and the education its owners receive, can help produce many more goats, and from them, milk, cheese, wool, and meat, and animal by animal, change the lives of so many. If you have loved ones in your life who don’t want another tie or a gift card to a box store, friends and family who want to make a difference in the world, consider giving them “green gifts” this year. Here are some alternative gift ideas that will be appreciated not just for the thought you have shown, but also because their recipients know their gifts will help them make the world just a little bit better place.
Green Gift Ideas
- Buy a cloth grocery tote; help reduce the presence of plastic bags in landfills that can take millennia to degrade. Your loved ones will think of you every time they shop for groceries.
- Going to give that yearly Christmas sweater? Okay, but this year look for apparel made from alternative fibers like hemp or flax.
- Do you have a book lover on your list? Then pick a book focused on energy reduction, alternative technologies, or sustainable practices.
- Shop for organic bath sets or organic-based make-up products.
- Consider beautiful selections of stemware made from recycled glass.
- Maybe this is the year you make some of your presents. Do you knit, paint, carve? I once made a birdhouse for a present and every part of it, from the wood to the nails, came from found objects, including whimsical bird roosts and decorations found in junk drawers.
- Give a coupon book you’ve made up of chores you are willing to help with or of events/dates you wish to share.
- Give the ultimate gift and feed a family, plant a tree, or save an acre of rainforest. Unusual gift opportunities abound, like those from Heifer International and Project Concern. More information is also available at Alternative Gifts International.
Recycle That Card
- Consider making your own cards and Christmas cards. Or start a card chain and exchange a card with a special friend year after year. Reuse that old wrapping paper or recycle the newspaper to a new use. Remember little things like buying locally when you can or supporting local artisans.
- “re-gift” that present that’s been sitting in your closet for years, the sweater that’s too big, the tie you can’t wear at your casual office, you know, the one that looks just like your uncle’s….
This Christmas the Green can last a lot longer than the green of the holly or the Christmas tree.
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