giving
N E E R G ISTOCKPH
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ts f i g y l d n rie f o c e p o T
BY SHARON NAYLOR
LIVING GIFTS SUCH AS POTTED HERBS, TREE SEEDLINGS, FLOWERS AND GREEN PLANTS NATURALLY CLEAN THE AIR INSIDE A HOME.
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igh on the priority list for many this holiday season is giving eco-friendly presents. Gifts can be made from sustainable materials, be manufactured in fairtrade situations, and perhaps support a charitable organization or artisan co-op in a developing country when a percentage of each sale benefits a group making a positive difference. “I love to give gifts that give not only to the recipient but also to the artisans who made the gift. It’s just a perfect way of creating good energy,” said Sophie Uliano, author of “Gorgeously Green” and creator of the green lifestyle website of the same name. She regularly posts her reviews of eco-friendly gifts with a supportive benefit to each buy. “I love the bloom travel tins at prosperitycandle.com,” said Uliano. “The soft and spherical tins are hand-painted. The candle wax is a natural soy blend with a cotton wick.
November 2013 | Advertising Supplement to The Gazette & Gazette-Star
It can be cleaned and reused forever as a trinket box, and it comes in an eco-friendly gift box stor card sharing the miswith a story sion of the company. Prosperity Candle is an amazing organization (that) helps women in the aftermath of war or natural disasters to rebuild th their lives.” The key to many eco-friendly gifts is the ssharing of the artisan’s story, often a story of triumph over adversity or a compelling tale of an artist leaving a six-figure corporate career to pursue their passion of supporting rain forest preservatio or a community of preservation artists in a far-off country. A tag ecoon an eco-friendly gift adds the element of connecting the recipient to this artisan, knowing their name, feeling w wonderful that this pretbrac or bamboo coaster ty shawl, braided bracelet o a flow of positivity in set makes them a part of the world. Eco-friendly gifts can also be healthier when they’re made without toxic chemicals or chemical-laden fragrances or dyes. Top choices in this category include BPA-free drink bottles in bright patterns, as well as spa and pampering products, such as organic sugar scrubs, soaps, facial creams, beeswax foot creams and nail polish sets. Among the popular items to make a home smell fabulous are aromatherapy candles or scent spritzers made with 100-percent natural ingredients. An organic tea candle set beneath an aromatherapy wax disc can make a home smell lovely; the recipient may also enjoy his or her future purchases of safe and organic aromatherapy wax discs from the brand’s collection for a healthier home throughout the year. Uliano said that eco-friendly gifts can introduce people to healthier products in a subtle way. It’s just a pretty, floral-scented candle, given with a tag or label explaining its green qualities, without any judgment or instruction to “live a greener lifestyle.”
Bamboo is one of the best-known ecofriendly materials because it grows so quickly and is sustainable. In recent years, artisans have found amazing ways to create products using bamboo, including serving bowls, dishware, writing instruments and ultra-soft garments—robes, pajamas, yoga pants, T-shirts and socks. You can find everything from pens to picture frames made of bamboo, which can make it easy for you to shop eco-friendly for everyone on your gift list. Edible eco-friendly gifts can include organic gourmet-flavored popcorn—a top trend this year—organic chocolate collections, organic fruits delivered every month, and organic preserves and jams. Living gifts such as potted herbs, tree seedlings, flowers and green plants that clean the air inside a home naturally get to the heart of green gift items. Gift cards to local, organic nurseries can let your recipient pick out the pepper, tomato, pole bean and herb plants he or she would like to plant. One big trend in living gifts is the glass-domed terrarium, which can be purchased already planted or made as a DIY project with family members. Another option is a donation made to a reputable organization, such as the Arbor Day Foundation, that will plant trees in your recipient’s name. The tree will help to replenish a ravaged forest fire region and create an ecological home for birds, butterflies and other creatures. For children, eco-friendly toys can be safe and educational. “When it comes to the toys and games kids are playing with (and oftentimes chewing on), parents are more conscious than ever of what toys are made of and of what toys they bring into their homes. A great way to ensure that playtime is free of harsh chemicals and BPAs is to gift environmentally friendly toys and games,” said Dr. Stevanne Auerbach, known as Dr. Toy and an expert in the best toys on the market. Auerbach’s most recent list of eco-smart toys includes a plant-a-bean kit with a vertical wooden maze for the beanstalk to grow and arch through, wind-powered toys, and craft kits. Whatever the gift you give, be sure to wrap it in eco-friendly wrapping paper. –CREATORS.COM–
Holiday Gift Guide
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