Have you ever met one of those people who gives gifts for no apparent reason? My friend Kelsey is like that. Before she moved away, every time I would see her she would give me something lovely: stationary, gourmet cupcakes, a Christmas ornament, candles. Kelsey’s small gifts spoke volumes about her generosity and affection. Always caught by surprise, I never gave her anything in return except a hearty "thank you" and a hug. A bit thoughtless perhaps. Even worse, these were lost opportunities. Thinking about how excited I always was to receive these gifts, something occurred to me. Wouldn’t it be easier to get people excited about going green if we just gave them cool green gifts to enjoy? Thus began my quest to stock up on eco-presents so not to get caught off guard again.
Having coffee with my friend Pat Gibbons, the owner of online boutique Green Earth Market, I shared my quandary. Pat’s story is an inspiration for any entrepreneur, and as it turns out, he’s an inspiration for confused shoppers as well. “We’ve got dozens of green gifts for mom, household and baby,” says Pat. “We also just launched a new gift registry through MyRegistry.com, which making getting green gifts as easy as giving them,” Pat tells me. After perusing his site, I can see how brides and mothers-to-be will delight in filling home, hearth and nursery with organic and pesticide-free textiles and accessories.
But what about those little everyday gifts, the ones that show people how much you care – and what you care about? “Let me make it easy,” assures Pat. “I’ll send you a list of my favorite gifts.” You can’t beat that kind of service. Since he’s done all the homework for me, I wanted my readers to benefit, too. Here are twelve wonderful ways to share the gift of green for any occasion:
Six items under $50
1. Cards (Set of 10 Assorted Handmade Cards - Mr. Ellie Pooh)
2. Book (The Green Bible (NRSV))
4. Cedar birdhouse (kit or assembled)
6. Stainless Steel Sippy (Durable, safe and non-toxic drink bottle for your precious one)
Six items under $25
9. Book (The Complete Organic Pregnancy)
10. Bag-E-Wash
11. Hemp Frisbee
12. Organic cotton bright washcloths 3-pack
I took Pat’s ideas to heart. I selected the soy candles to give a friend who gave me her son's entire wardrobe of almost new clothes for my 2 year-old son Ryan to wear. I gave The Green Bible to the pastor at my church. Not only has he enjoyed reading the essays, he tells me, but he also has been inspired to deliver a sermon series on creation care.
Giving gifts should remain an act of generosity toward the receiver, not merely a statement on the part of the giver. Fortunately, with such a variety of wonderful green things available, we no longer have to sacrifice quality in order to make a statement. There is no shortage of fabulous green gifts waiting for environmental stewards to hand out! For plenty more ideas, check out SustainLane.com’s directory for a menu of gift ideas from A to Z.
Anna Clark is president of EarthPeople, a Dallas-based consulting firm. She is an author, a speaker, a columnist for Greenbiz.com, and a regular contributor to SustainLane. Anna lives in Dallas with her husband Michael, their toddlers Jordan and Ryan, and their pet Bullmastiff named Casper . Their home is the second LEED-certified Platinum residence in Dallas.
Poy C. says:
Thanks for sharing some of the good information and ideas about candles.
Poy C. says:
i like your idea about candles..thank you very much for this post! i really like it.
Jordana G. says:
Hmmm I don't know about Bag E ... reusing food storage bags and particularly after subjecting them to the high heat of dishwasher washing doesn't sound all that safe.