10 Great Green Gifts for the Holidays

By Roland Kemler

When doing your Holiday shopping this year think about gifts that are practical and Green. The “Green Mantra” – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… are fantastic watchwords to keep in mind as we shop for friends and loved ones this holiday season.  The Holiday Season has become a representation of excess in every way shape and form.  We have lost sight of the real value of the season, which is not what the retail markets would want us to realize.  Shopping for environmentally friendly products is a way to help reduce the damage that is being done to our planet.

1.      Reusable Bags--One of my favorite gifts to give is reusable bags which are available in grocery bags or in produce bags. One of the best parts of this gift is that the stores pay you to use them. This is a gift that keeps giving back every week and eliminates the use of plastic bags.

2.      Children Learning Toys-- Natural toys serve a purpose in how a child or anyone for that matter grows up. By providing developmental toys we are promoting educational growth in our children. Specialty toys like wooden toys are toys based on education and creativity for children which aids in a Childs learning experiences.

3.      Energy efficient lighting—there are many gifts related to energy efficient lighting such as the   Hand-crank flashlights which requires no batteries and no bulbs. Solar lighting also makes for a great gift and can be found in pathway lighting, flood lights, and Christmas lights.

4.      Organic Coffee & Tea—Coffee and Tea is something that you find in almost every household in the USA. A gift of Organic coffee or tea would be something that would be used and appreciated by any coffee or tea drinker.

5.      Natural Jewelry—All women love jewelry and usually can’t get enough.  The latest craze in jewelry is handmade natural jewelry.

6.      Alternative Medicine—With pharmaceutical medicines that can cause serious problems people are looking for alternative ways to treat their ailments. So giving a gift of wellness oils, or vitamins can show someone how much you care about them.

7.      Organic & Natural Bath & Body products--It’s said that using organic materials for your body is better for your health. Anything better for your health would make a great gift.

8.      Organic and natural gardening products--Food grown organically has more antioxidants than food grown using conventional methods. Giving the gift of organic seeds for growing your own food is a way of showing you care about their health.

9.      Organic & Natural Pet Products-- The market for organic pet food has exploded in recent years due to concerns about product recalls. Our pets eat the exact same foods every day so what we choose to feed them has a major impact on their health, longevity and emotional well-being.

10.   Organic Cotton, Bamboo, Hemp Apparel—these products are Environmentally Friendly, and healthy for you and our planet. Organic clothing is the safest, non toxic clothing you can find and will outlast non-organic clothing.

These are some great green gifts to get you started this holiday season but there are many more gifts that you can get that are environmentally friendly. Think about handmade crafts or a gift of your time to help someone out.

Buying Christmas gifts online can be a great way to shop. It helps release the stress of going store to store trying to find that certain gift and fighting the crowds.

Roland Kemler

www.ecolochi.net