Are you someone with a green conscience looking for a last minute gift idea? Look no further than the Green Market Oracle’s summary of green gift ideas that are sure to please everyone on your holiday list. These gifts are not only more environmentally responsible they also communicate something about your own ecological attitudes.
Here is a quick review of 18 gift recommendations as well as a dozen catalogs each full of green gift ideas.
1. Green Gifts that Help Animals and the Planet
Some of the best gifts we can give take the form of donations that help to protect animals and their habitats. Two of the most prominent organizations are the NRDC and the WWF. The NRDC and WWF are two of nature’s leading champions. By donating to the NRDC or the WWF you can help them protect the natural world. Two other organizations that have been included in this list of animal conservation organizations are Orangutan Outreach and the Born
Free Foundation. Here is a summary of some of the most earth-friendly gifts on the planet:
NRDC
Revive a Rainforest:
Plant a tree in Costa Rica,
$15.00
Ocean Protector:
Revive our oceans,
$25.00
Butterfly Beauty:
Create a monarch sanctuary,
$25.00
Den Defender: Protect polar bears and their cubs,
$35.00
Leader of the Pack:
Adopt a wolf in Yellowstone,
$25.00
Cozy Cats:
Protect North America’s big cats,
$50.00
All gifts are tax-deductible and every NRDC Green Gift comes with a beautiful print or e-card that will be
sent to the person receiving the gift. You can write a personal message
and choose exactly when it is sent.
Each Green Gift provides much-needed funds that allow NRDC to protect
our environment, wildlife, and wildlands.
For more information click here.
WWF
Panda: Give a Panda Room to Grow
$100.00
Tiger: Give a Tiger a Fighting Chance
$100.00
Polar Bear: Help a Polar Bear Keep Cool
$100.00
Walrus: Help a Walrus Keep Its Toothy Smile
$75.00
When you symbolically adopt a species at risk, you’re giving an extraordinary
gift while supporting WWF’s conservation efforts. All WWF gifts come with a tax receipt. For more information click here.
Orangutan Outreach
Adopt an orangutan and help save these creatures and their habitat. For more information click here.
Born
Free Foundation
Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals
worldwide including lions, elephants, gorillas, tigers, wolves, bears,
dolphins and many others. For more information click here.
2. Greeen Gifts for Kids
This section of the Green Market Oracle’s Green Gift Guide is intended for for kids and parents who prefer greener play products. Here are a number of gift ideas that are both fun and eco-friendly:
KidsCraft Playhouses: An amazing gift idea that fosters creativity with well-designed, eco-friendly, and durable cardboard structures. No need for tape or glue to build these structure. Two options, The Shuttle Imagination, $69.95, and The Creation Cottage, $59.95, both of which are made from 100 percent recycled materials that are made here in the US. KidsCraft, a new and rising company, believes strongly in providing families with environmentally-friendly products. Additionally, the Atlanta based business contributes to charitable organizations and values the significance of sustainability. Their dedicated responsibility led them to partner with Trees for the Future Foundation, a program that plants one tree for every KidsCraft product sold. For more information about the playhouses, and other KidsCraft products, click here.
The Magic School Bus Solar Energy to the Rescue: This award winning educational eco-friendly activity kit is made by The Young Scientists Club and it teaches young children about the incredible power of solar energy. With the help of the Magic School Bus driver, Ms. Frizzle, kits can learn how to collect real carbon dioxide, recreate global warming in a bottle, and use a solar panel to spin a fan, among the kit’s many activities. At just $19.99, this green children’s kit, is both enlightening and affordable. With simple and well written directions, the Magic School Bus Solar Energy to the Rescue kit is also easy enough for older children to comprehend and use while on their own. The Young Scientist Club was started by a mother of five, who as a Harvard trained biologist, wanted to expose her own children and others to the incredible world of science. For more information about the science kits or about other products made by The Young Scientist Club, click here.
Haba’s Arranging Game, Corner to Corner: This Eco-friendly toy was developed for little ones three and older. It is comprised of a set of small wooden tiles help to provide endless opportunities for your child to create a variety of fun and exciting patterns. The 62 colorful pieces included, help to spark creativity and imagination growth. Haba toys and games are now available in more than 1,000 stores across the United States. Arranging Game, Corner to Corner retails for $36. For further information about Haba’s green toys and other products, click here.
3. Ethical and Sustainable Candles
Here is a collection of 3 ethically made, sustainable pillar candles (Vetiver, Lavender and Bergamot). These candles are made with renewable, biodegradable materials, natural vegetable wax, cotton wick and 100 percent pure essential oils extracted without chemicals or pesticides. The company behind the candles is LITE+CYCLE, they seek to blend form, function, utility, beauty and responsibility. They approache everything with a sense of purpose, sustainability and ethics while never compromising on design and quality. The idea is a conscious, and aesthetic approach to living, and the things that add comfort to our lives.
Bergamot: Citrus bergamia
An effervescent citrus providing! an uplifting and enlivening aroma to brighten any atmosphere.! Cultivated in Italy without
pesticides or chemical fertilizers our bergamot oil!is cold-pressed for aromatherapy that is safe for you and the earth.
LITE+CYCLE –
Lavender: Lavandula officinalis + Lavandula angustifolia
A balanced lavender providing a tranquil and clarifying aroma to enable calm and complete peace.!Cultivated in France without
pesticides or chemical fertilizers our lavender oils!are steam distilled for aromatherapy that is safe for you and the earth.
Vetiver: Vetiveria zizanoides
A deep and warm earth aroma to root and ground the mind encouraging harmony. Cultivated in Haiti without pesticides or
chemical fertilizers our vetiver oil is steam distilled for aromatherapy that is safe for you and the earth.
LITE+CYCLE Pillar Candles are available in two sizes that burn for 40 hrs ($36) and 85 hrs ($68). For more information click here.
4. Green Gift Catalogs
This section of the Green Market Oracle’s guide contains a number of catalogs each with a wide assortment of greener gifts. Check out each one of these twelve catalogs chock-full of eco-focused products and services.
Ethiquette: A database of over 600 responsible products and services. For more information click here.
Grassroots Environmental Products: This site offers a wide array of green products.
For more information click here.
Green America’s Holiday Green Gift Guide: Features great deals on green products. For more information click here.
GreenDeals: Green products and services. For more information click here.
GreenPages: The nation’s leading directory of green products and services, featuring thousands of businesses nationwide. For more information click here.
Inhabitat: The well known green living site also has a green gift catalogue. For more information click here.
NRDC: An extensive catalog
of holiday gifts. For more information click here.
Save Green Money: A wide assortment of Green Gifts. For more information click here.
Shop Organic: Eco Friendly Gifts that are organic, green and natural
For more information click here.
The Daily Green: Another green site that has compiled a
list of more than 100 green gift ideas for the home and garden, for
women, men and kids, and special selections of radical recycled
materials, volunteer opportunities, charity giving etc. For more
information click here.
TreeHugger: This well known site also offers a green gift guide. For more information click here.
WWF: The World Wildlife Fund has a wide variety of colourful, high quality toys and games are a fun way for kids to learn about nature and animals – and a great tool for teaching about the importance of conservation. For more information click here.
© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.
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