Reduce-Recycle-Reuse-Regift

• Give gifts that reduce the impact on the environment, either through how they are produced or used.
• Purchase gifts that conserve energy and resources and result in less waste:
• Rain barrels
• Curly bulbs (compact fluorescent bulbs)
• Energy Star appliances
• Low-flow showerheads
• Rechargeable batteries
• Biodegradable products
• Items with little to no packaging
• Shop at used bookstores, thrift stores, flea markets and antique malls. If you’ve never done this, you’ll be surprised at the treasures you’ll find. See our list of Triangle area “resalers.”
• Make sure your holiday and special occasion cards are green by purchasing those made with recycled paper. You can also purchase tree-free paper and hand-made paper cards. Or, download one of our free Green Gifting blank note cards and print it on recycled paper.
• Be creative with gift-wrap: reuse newspaper or paper bags and decorate it with holiday cards you’ve received in the past. Try wrapping your gift in product catalog and magazine pages! And don’t forget to use recycled paper for printing our Green Gifting tags!
• Pass down heirlooms to the next generation of family members or special friends. If you have an item that needs to be restored before making it a gift, do so — it’s worth it. An heirloom needn’t have monetary value; it can have sentimental or emotional value to you or the recipient. If your daughter has always loved a particular vase, photograph, scarf, or piece of furniture, call it an heirloom and gift her with it. Our resources are so precious.
• There is no shame in re-gifting. If you think your friend or coworker would love and use something that was given to you, then by all means pass it on with one of our free Green Gifting blank note cards.

HomeMade Is Where The Heart Is

Do you enjoy painting, taking pictures, sculpting, woodworking, sewing, cooking, or scrapbooking? We are all creative, whether we realize it or not. Something homemade by a loved one will always be treasured more than something bought – and the possibilities are endless.

If you like to cook –

• Bake something yummy to share with friends.
• Can some garden delights and give some as gifts.
• Gather your best recipes into a cookbook for a loved one.
• Prepare a full-course meal as a gift to someone special.

If you like to write, get out your pen and –

• Write a story for your children.
• Write a poem for your spouse, sibling, or best friend.
• Write about your early life for your grandchildren.

If you like to garden –

• Create a bouquet of flowers.
• Can some of your garden delights.
• Share seeds, bulbs and cuttings.

If you're crafty –

• Sew an article of clothing, perhaps using vintage fabric.
• Create a scrapbook with memorabilia from a special place or time.
• Frame a child's drawing.
• Do your art, whatever it is, and share a part of yourself for a lifetime!

At Your Service

Services generally don't require packaging or long distance transporting, so most services are considered Green Gifts. This is a perfect opportunity to use the free personal and professional green gifting gift certificates for our purchased or personal services.

Personal growth work

• Financial planning
• Life coaching
• Tutoring
• Seminars and workshops

Spa treatments

• Massage
• Manicure
• Pedicure
• Facial

Home maintenance and improvement services

• Organizing
• Cleaning
• Repair work
• Energy audit
• Yard care
• Pet grooming

Chores

We can perform a variety of chores as services for free! This is always a great option for teens and children who have less disposable funds for gifting. Again, there is no end to the list of possibilities, depending on your lifestyle, abilities, and circumstances.

• Yard work
• Car washing
• Laundry
• Housecleaning
• Shopping
• Babysitting
• Petsitting

Fit for a King and Queen

Have you heard your spouse, sibling, friend, or colleague talking about wanting to get in shape? There are numerous ways to support this desire. Consider neighborhood opportunities that require less driving.

Fitness memberships

• At a gym
• In a wellness center
• With an outing club

Movement classes

• Yoga
• Dance
• Pilates
• Martial arts

Personal training sessions

Nutritional cooking classes

Out and About

One of the best ways to gift green is to purchase an experience. Memories last forever, especially if there's a photo involved. Examples include:

Tickets

• Dance events
• Concerts
• Gallery openings
• Plays
• Speaker events and seminars
• Sports events

Gift certificates

• Restaurants
• Movie theatre
• Museums

Even a day shared at the park with a picnic lunch!

Go Green, Sow Green

Supporting green businesses through your gift purchases will go a long way toward shifting the market toward a more sustainable society. Consumer demand has already made a tremendous difference in the wide availability of organic and fair trade products. This demand has also generated a variety of alternative resources. Check out Co-op America 's National Green Pages which lists businesses belonging to their Green Business Network. Virtually every kind of store and product can now be found in this network!

Also remember that buying locally is a truly green decision.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Donations

Does your relative, friend, or colleague think it's more blessed to give than receive? Why not give a spiritual gift: a donation to his or her favorite non-profit? Both of you will reap the rewards, as will the earth and the people, animals, or projects the charity supports. What makes a donation “green?” The only resources donations require is love or caring – and both are infinitely renewable!

Time

Spending time with others is one of the greatest gifts we can give. Make plans to visit with a loved one on a regular basis and offer a hug and a kind word every time. This is green gifting as its core – for the earth and each other with love.