7 Ways To Give Greener Gifts This Year

I wrote this piece for this month’s Antigravity Magazine, but I thought some of you non New Orleans readers might enjoy it too…

Money has been tight this year for just about everyone, and between the current recession and a shift in environmental consciousness, we’re changing the way we think about consumerism. And what time of year reeks of mass consumerism more than the holidays? Maybe you want to make a change in your approach to gift giving this year, either to save yourself some money and stress or to lighten your load on the earth. Here are a few tips on how you can do just that.

1. Skip the gifts! Okay, you’re probably not willing to give up gift-giving entirely this holiday season, but that doesn’t mean that you need to buy EVERYONE a gift. Be open and talk to your friends and family about your feelings and reasons for wanting to cut back. They might feel the same way and would be happy to mutually agree to skip the gifts this year. You can always exchange favors instead… offer to cook them a nice dinner or babysit their kids so they can have an evening out on the town.

2. Buy local! Did you know that shopping with locally owned companies has 3 times the economic benefit as shopping at big-box retailers like Best Buy or Wal-mart? More of the dollars you spend stay in your local community to help fund projects like schools, roads, and more. Support your locally owned bookstores, boutiques, and farmer’s markets as you buy gifts and prepare for holiday festivities. Check out staylocal.org for a listing of nearly 2000 locally owned businesses here in the New Orleans area.

3. Buy sustainable! Use the holidays as an opportunity to introduce your friends to sustainable materials. Show them how soft a t-shirt made from a blend of organic cotton and polyester made from recycled plastic bottles can be. There are tons of cool gifts out there made from all sorts of recycled materials: everything from wallets made from old neckties or bicycle tires to handbags made from repurposed candy wrappers to candle holders made from used farming equipment!

4. Buy handmade! Handmade gifts are special and unique. When you make your purchase, you’ll be able to connect with the person who made it, and you’ll have a story to tell the recipient about their gift. You’re also helping to directly support the artists and crafters who make these goods, and chances are you’ll be giving an absolutely one of a kind gift, so you don’t have to worry about the recipient getting two of the same thing! Many crafters are eco-conscious about the products that they make, so you can kill two birds with one stone by giving cards that are handmade from recycled paper or a scarf that was knit with repurposed yarns.

5. Buy practical! Don’t buy them frivolous gifts that they’ll probably never need or use. It’s a waste of your money and they’ll feel bad when they have to toss it years later. I’m not advocating that husbands give their wives vacuum cleaners for Christmas, but if you know of a friend or family member who has been complaining about some tool or useful item that they need but will never get around to buying for themselves, make it a gift that they can appreciate!

6. Buy consumable! Everyone has to eat and drink and everyone loves great experiences, like a day at the spa or dinner at a favorite restaurant. These experiences will be remembered much longer than some novelty item or trinket. You can never go wrong with a bottle of wine or a gift set of gourmet fair trade coffee.

7. Charitable giving! What to get for that person who has everything? Are they passionate about nature conservation? Do they help teach kids to read after school? Make a donation in their name to their favorite charity. You’ll be giving a gift that you can both feel great about.

Finally, a note about wrapping. There are so many creative ways to wrap your gifts in reusable or recycled materials, so skip the standard gift wrap. Tie it up in a beautiful scarf, give them a pretty reusable grocery tote that doubles as a gift bag or save some money and use the funny pages from the newspaper as giftwrap.

For even more ideas on how to make your holidays a bit more earth friendly this year, check out the book Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season.

The Fair Trade the White House campaign has also put out a really great Fair Trade Gift Guide for the holiday season. It includes exclusive discount offers on over 80 fair trade gifts in categories ranging from body-care to food to clothing.

Tagged as: do good, green, holidays