HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE: Green, Inexpensive, and Thoughtful Gifts
It happens every year. The beginning of the holiday season brings on the beginning of a lot of stress and pressure to live up to some imaginary standard of what we think we should be doing. When will you have time to shop? How are you going to buy for all those people? What are you going to buy? Where will you begin?
Here are some things to keep in mind to help you have a happy, joyous, holiday season, of course with a positive impact on the environment, the economy, and your budget.
Gifts You Feel Good About:
These are gifts that make you feel good when you purchase them. They can be: Fair Trade, made in the U.S.A., purchased from a local small business, Green, or one that benefits a Charity. The idea is that you are buying a gift that was made by someone who was paid a fair wage, or that stimulates the national or local economy (buying locally keeps $65.00 of one hundred dollars in the community, whereas buying otherwise keeps only $11.00), or was made with a low or positive impact on the environment, and is safe for the recipient to wear, eat, or play with, or the gift supports an organization that you or the receiver cares about.
You can find gifts like this at The Green Home Experts (http://www.ghexperts.com/), The Little Green Baby (http://www.littlegreenbabychicago.com/), A Cooler Planet (http://www.itsacoolerplanet.com/), Kate’s Caring Gifts (http://www.katescaringgifts.com/), or any local store in your neighborhood. You can also purchase them online (many online sites will offer free shipping or other discounts around the holidays). Most stores have several different gifts that range in cost. And while some gifts will meet more than one category for you to feel good about, others may meet just one. It is up to you. There is no “right” gift. Remember it’s a gift that YOU feel good about purchasing and giving.
Two places that I love to shop (live and virtual) and always make me feel good are Half Price Books (http://www.halfpricebooks.com/) and Better World Books (www.betterworld.com) online bookstore.
Two resources for finding business that you can feel good about: Co-op America (http://www.coopamerica.org/) and the Organic Trade Association (http://www.ota.com/).
Free and Green!
It’s the thought that counts, right? When it comes to gifts like these, it really is food for thought. There are several free online newsletters. You can sign up a friend or loved one to receive these gems of in the now resources and know that while they are getting great information on a regular basis, it is at a low or no cost to the environment with no paper trail. It is perfect for people in your life that are interested in being more environmentally aware, but don’t know where to start. Some great online newsletters include ecOscene (http://www.ecosceneinc.com/), A Fresh Squeeze (http://www.afreshsqueeze.com/), and the ever hip Ideal Bite (http://www.idealbite.com/).
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