Green Up Your Holiday Gifts Ideas

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