Climate Change: Help By Giving Eco-Friendly Gifts

Everyone is talking “global warming” and “climate change” these days. The way the weather is heading, with endless torrential storms, earthquakes and other worldwide disasters, it’s time to think of giving rather more eco-friendly gifts in an effort to help the environment.

This is actually easier than it sounds, and the following are just a few suggestions for the best eco-friendly gifts out there. Whether it’s buying environment-friendly items or recycled goods, a little goes a long way and friends and family members will be thrilled to receive the results.

Try shopping in a worthwhile cause. Amnesty International has a full range of great gifts, including Amnesty gear – clothing for the whole family and Amnesty Kids – a whole range of books, music, games, and toys the children will just love. They also offer a range of the best fair trade items, including jewelry, bags, scarves, and wallets as well as items for the home and office. Not only will you purchase great gifts, but the proceeds go towards aiding human rights projects worldwide.

A friend or family member who loves to cook and eat healthy food has a birthday coming up.

Why not personally make them a gourmet food hamper full of delicious goodies, like organic vegetables, homemade pickles and jams, tasty cheeses, delicious baked goods and a good bottle of wine?

This option would also be great as a wedding gift for a newly married couple, helping to stock their pantry at the beginning of their life together.

When buying a gift for an animal lover, you can’t go better than by shopping at Animal Aid. They offer the best in ethical, vegan products including animal-friendly cookery books, organic wines, vegan chocolates, and perfumes, as well as leather-free shoes and Beauty Without Cruelty cosmetics. Their online store literally has eco-friendly gifts to suit everyone.

Not to forget, when wrapping that precious gift think “recycled.” Either purchase wrapping, boxes, and ribbon direct from a eco-friendly gift company that supplies such goods, or do it yourself.

If you plan ahead, you can carefully unwrap gifts you receive yourself and store away that pretty paper and ribbon for later use.

Alternatively, a great idea is to use eco-friendly gift wrap, such as recycled brown wrapping paper to wrap the gift, then brighten it up with some colorful raffia ribbon, pretty lace, or other sewing trim you have lying around the home.

Should you choose to make some homemade candy or cookies to give as a gift, recycle a glass jar from your kitchen supplies and pretty up the lid with some colorful paper and ribbon.

While its still summer at the time of writing, it’s also good to think ahead for Christmas and how you can give gift baskets that keep on giving.

Your efforts will surely be appreciated by both friends and family members as they receive your original, beautiful, and eco-friendly gifts and the world can only benefit too.

[Image: Gift CC by 2.0 Cláudia Assad / Food hamper CC BY-SA 2.0 neal whitehouse piper / Jar of candy CC BY-ND 2.0 305 Seahill]