[Dialogue] Low Impact Gifts

[LAURELCG@aol.com]

This comes from the Union of Concerned Scientists and looks like a nice 

list to consider.  Forwarded by Jann McGuire (2  e-mails I got on the D.Min. 
list)


Low Impact Holiday Shopping....


In the frenzy of holiday shopping, it’s easy to neglect the 

environmental impact of your purchases, but Mother Nature doesn’t have 

to be left off your gift list. Here are some thoughtful gifts that are 

environmentally friendly as well.


Environmental news delivered right to your desktop!

The Union of Concerned Scientists has launched an online service that 

will alert you to important environmental research and legislation. 

It’s easy and free—click here for more details on the UCS RSS feed.


For food and wine lovers:


    •   Cooking or serving materials made from recycled glass or bamboo (a 

fast-growing grass).


    •   A selection of organic wines (available online and at many liquor 

and natural food stores).


    •   Membership in a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. 

The recipient will receive a bounty of sustainably grown produce 

throughout the summer and fall.



 For outdoors enthusiasts:

    •   Gift certificates for low-impact outdoor adventures such as rafting 

or canoeing trips.

    •   Membership to one or more state parks, or a National Parks Pass. 

The National Parks Pass, administered by the National Park Foundation, 

covers the entry fee to many national parks and monuments.

    •   Fleece outerwear (jackets, gloves, hats, scarves) made from 

post-consumer recycled plastic.


 For gardeners:

    •   A selection of seeds for heirloom and native (non-invasive) plants. 

Heirloom fruits and vegetables are grown from seeds passed down from 

generation to generation, helping to preserve genetic diversity. Native 

plants are adapted for the local climate and therefore require less 

water, fertilizer, pesticide, and maintenance than exotic varieties.

    •   Books on environmentally friendly gardening and landscaping 

techniques.


 For new homeowners:

    •   An energy efficiency gift basket including weather stripping, a 

water heater blanket, a programmable thermostat, and compact 

fluorescent light bulbs.

    •   A home energy audit to be performed by the local utility.


 For gadget lovers:


    •   Rechargeable batteries (available in most hardware stores).


    •   Wind-up or solar-powered battery chargers for laptops and cell 

phones.



For all the other people on your shopping list, consider gifts that are 

locally made, durable, made from recycled or recyclable materials, or 

use minimal packaging. Happy holidays from all of us at the Union of 

Concerned Scientists!


For more information:


Organic Consumers Association—Organic Wine

http://www.organicconsumers.org/Organic/OrganicWine.htm


LocalHarvest—Community Supported Agriculture

www.localharvest.org/csa


National Park Foundation

http://www.nationalparks.org


Seed Savers Exchange

www.seedsavers.org


Native Seeds/SEARCH

http://www.nativeseeds.org


National Green Pages

http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greenpages/



Good morning,


Another low-impact shopping place is www.gaiam.com.  At the top right is a

link for "online print catalogs" where you can page through as if you had a

print catalog.


Gaiam is the parent company for Real Goods, Living Arts, Harmony &

Explorations catalogs.


You can also go to www.realgoods.com, for environmentally friendly products

up to and including solar panels and water filtration systems and other

sustainable living products. There is a technical staff to help you with the

details of the more advanced products.


Go to www.explorations.com for the mind-body-spirit DVDs, books & CDs.


And www.livingarts.com for yoga, pilates and other health & fitness

products, including organic clothing and more.


My name is Stacy. I work there. You can also read the philosophy of the

company on the web site. It is inspiring!


I'm currently a seasonal temporary employee with hopes of being hired there

permanently. It is a great place to be.


Love,

Stacy


What the Caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a

butterfly.


                            - Richard Bach

                              Illusions.