Trace Tech Drafting Eco-Friendly Design

Making Holidays Green

Is anything more wonderful than finding the perfect gift for someone, or receiving just what you needed? How about gift-giving accompanied by the knowledge that your gift is also a gift for the planet? There's more to green giving than just finding gifts with the 'green' label. Here are some pointers for finding the right gifts that make everyone happy.

Give a consumable gift
Your friend will love your consumable gift twice: once while enjoying the organic teas, fair trade coffee, fresh flowers, fresh or dried fruits and nuts, or other consumable gift; and again when they appreciate that your gift leaves them with no guilty conscience about a gift left unused in the corner of their closet.

Creative gifts show you care
The baby sweater you knit yourself is more likely to become a family heirloom, extending the life cycle of the materials in your gift.

Buy a local gift
A gift made or grown locally can tell a story or share a unique product you have discovered on your own stomping grounds. Your locally-sourced gift will save the environment from the emissions involved in shipping.

Think about your packaging
We spend millions as Canadians on gift wrap yearly. Start greening your gift giving with recycled wrapping paper and cards. Better yet, try getting them with non petroleum based inks or design a card yourself. A good way to recycle is by using existing products around your household such as news print, or comics, old fabric or gift bags/boxes. You could also recycle old Christmas cards by cutting out the picture on the front cover page and using it as a gift tag.

Give a gift that lasts
Think about giving eco-friendly gifts for the holidays, like a gift you can't wrap such as a donation to a charity or shares in a green company.

Just remember Recycle
Items that you no longer need could be just what someone else is looking for.
By donating not needed gifts you can help the environment, support other families and keep your unwanted items out of landfills.

When thinking about taking that winter holiday trip, consider a volunteer adventure. Go somewhere you can provide valuable hours of help to a project that gives back to the planet. Many destinations in less developed countries offer dramatic wildlife and you can venture off on your free hours to explore.

Earthwatch or another organization that combines tourism with work to preserve wildlife habitats or participate in scientific research.  Also consider purchasing carbon offsets to help reduce the environmental impact of your journey. Keep in mind for the summer Holidays a very inexpensive holiday can be found within Canada through www.wwoof.ca. Volunteering at organic farms.