Green Up Your Holiday Gifts Ideas

12/15/2019 7:42 pm

Can’t find the perfect gift? Desperate for gift ideas for people who “already have everything”? Or maybe you are ready for an alternative that won’t end up in a landfill someday. You can indulge your love of gifts, use it as your language of love, and show our Earth some love in the process.

• Give gifts that are durable, energy-efficient, recyclable, or made of natural products. Purchase gifts that are fair-trade, locally made or grown, or organically grown.
• Support your local economy by buying from local merchants, craft shows, or antique shops.
• Make your own gifts: knit, sew, bake, build, or create art; make calendars using your own photographs or a recipe book with favorite recipes.
• Give in ways that also support your community: tickets to local theater performances, concerts, sports events, local attractions; museum memberships; gift certificates for a massage at a local spa, horseback riding, or a rock climbing lesson.
• Give your time and skill—coupons for household chores, meals, gardening, cleaning, window washing, car detailing, scheduled dog walks, or lessons in computer or smartphone use for senior citizens.
• Consider alternatives to battery-powered toys. If you must provide batteries for a gift, be sure to buy rechargeable ones. If you are giving electronics, choose energy-saving items.

Source: “Go Green for the Holidays”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/features/greenholidays/index.html