Green gifts

Here are ten suggestions for gifts that give back to, or at least don't take from, the environment:

• Anything recycled or repurposed (handbags made from candy wrappers, coasters made from vinyl LPs, picture frames made from bike chains, etc.) Reusing items reduces waste, reduces items added to landfills and reduces use of nonrenewable resources.
• Reusable shopping totes. Reduces use of plastic and paper shopping bags that deplete trees and fill up landfills.
• Grow-your-own tree kits. Reduces carbon monoxide and replaces trees lost to industry, manufacturing and urban sprawl.
• Solar powered gadget chargers. Reduces toxic batteries that end up in landfills and pollute ground water.
• Carbon offsetting from Terrapass.com. Terrapass helps you calculate your annual carbon footprint and when you purchase a Terrapass membership, your fee helps fund carbon reduction projects.
• Organic clothing. Reduces use of pesticides and herbicides that pollute groundwater.
• A book of green living ideas. Helps others learn ways to live greener.
• A composting system. Eliminates the need for chemical garden fertilizers.
• Organic herb growing kit. Promotes healthy eating and reduces the need for chemical garden fertilizers.
• Reusable personal water bottle. Reduces the number of plastic containers that end up in landfills, along roadsides and in bodies of water.

References

1. http://www.unt.edu/newuntfeatures/greenholidays.htm