Free Yourself From The Holiday Frenzy With Fresh Ideas For Sustainable Giving
At this time of year, even the most environmentally conscious among us can't avoid
being caught up in the obligatory shopping frenzy, and if you have children, the blizzard of gifts is pretty much unavoidable. Which begs the question, does living green mean going giftless? I hope not! Alas, Dr. Seuss's holiday-hating Grinch is green - not exactly a pleasant association.Fortunately there are plenty of solutions less extreme than avoiding gift giving all together. In fact green, eco-conscious giving is a great way to share innovative products and ideas while supporting those organizations dedicated to making a positive difference for our planet.
Low impact Gifts
Reusable products such as bottles, bags and travel mugs are a growing trend with a positive upside. Single-use disposable products are energy-intensive to produce and transport, then it's typically away to the landfill where they off-gas and pollute for many more years than their brief duration warrants. Take bottled water for example - approximately 2 million plastic bottles are used in the US every 15 minutes. Reusable products on the other hand, are often healthier for you and so much gentler on the planet. With so many stylish and sustainable choices, reusable bottles and reusable bags make functional and economical gifts for anyone on your list.
No Waste Living Gifts
Lunch on the go is part of our busy lifestyle, but it's often costly and wasteful too. The average disposable "brown bag" lunch creates between 4-8 ounces of garbage everyday, which can add up to as much as 100 pounds per year! Pre-packaged foods are not only less healthy; they're also up to 25% more expensive. A no waste lunch is an eco-friendly, economical alternative to pre-packaged food. A reusable lunch tote or to-go ware products are gifts designed to both save money and reduce waste. No waste lunch solutions for kids and adults offer many options for smart gift ideas.
Gifts of Giving
Charitable donations are a wonderful way to give meaningful gifts this holiday season. Organizations such as Heifer International (a personal favorite, www.heifer.org) use your donation dollars to buy gifts of livestock for needy families that provide long-term solutions for ending hunger and poverty. There are thousands of amazing organizations to support in the name of a friend or loved one - you'll both feel good about helping those in need during the season of giving.
Fair Trade Gifts
Our spending choices have the ability to affect people's lives around the world. Many of the big box retailers are able to offer such low-priced products by having them manufactured in conditions that harm workers, communities and the environment - not such a great deal after all.
Alternatively, Fair Trade manufactured goods require certain conditions are met, such as fair prices paid, humane working conditions met, and environmental impact monitored. Fair trade standards offer low-income workers the opportunity to earn a living wage for their work. Fair trade products such as toys, artisan-made goods, coffee and chocolate are easily identified either by the Fair Trade logo or by the seller's association with member organizations like Green America or the Fair Trade Association. You'll find great ideas for holiday giving that make a direct and positive difference, and your gift now becomes infinitely more meaningful.
To complete the package, adorn your eco-friendly presents in re-used wrapping such as decorated newsprint, a reused box or a reusable bag for a truly green gift.
This season, let the choices you make support the ideals you care about. Eco-conscious gifts keep the spirit of giving significant and positive, and after all, isn't that what the holiday spirit is really all about?
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