Buying gifts:

• Buy gifts with less packaging. Look for gifts that are unpackaged and those without unnecessary plastic wrap or cardboard backing.
• Evaluate the gift for simplicity and durability. Buy durable gifts with long-term warranties (ideas include well-made wooden toys for children).
• Give rechargeable batteries with electronics.
• Shop for gifts at antique stores, estate sales and flea markets.

Environmentally friendly gifts:

• Choose well-made, durable gifts.
• Give a garden! Seeds, gloves, tools, etc.
• Sponsor a bald eagle, bison, grizzly bear, moose and more through Northwest Trek's Animal Sponsorship Program
• Give items that support environmentally friendly lifestyle choices, like a cloth grocery shopping bag, water-saving showerhead, refillable pen, reusable razor, cloth napkins, compost bin or energy-saving fluorescent lights.
• Create a gift basket filled with non-toxic household cleaners (try local co-ops or environmental stores for ideas).
• Refurbish an old tricycle, bicycle or rocking chair to pass along as an heirloom.
• Gift certificates for native plants and trees.
• Give an online subscription to a favorite environmental magazine.
• Stationery made from recycled paper and stamps.
• Be a waste free gift giver. See the Waste Free Gift Catalog for gift ideas.
• Shop local. When shopping for gifts, food or decorations, buy local. Shopping local helps cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, saves energy used for transportation, and supports our local economy.
• Give each other practical gifts you would have bought anyway, such as tools, kitchen stuff or a laptop computer.
• Clothing made of organic cotton, hemp, recycled materials, or hand-knit items.
• Make a car safety kit by packing items into a coffee can. Ideas include candles, orange hazard triangle, and roadside assistance club membership.
• Give gifts that encourage others to use less stuff, like a book about making crafts from reusable items, or a cookbook for leftovers.
• Candles made from bee, soy or vegetable-based wax (most conventional candles are made from petroleum).
• Products from local craftspeople or artists, such as pottery, jewelry or paintings.
• Give bird feeders and houses, rain barrels, or compost bins.
• Consider the long-term environmental effects of gifts, such as appliances or electronics. When you do give those items, choose energy-efficient (Energy Star-certified products).
• A gift certificate for bike repair to someone who bikes encourages a non-polluting way to travel.
• Gift certificates for balancing and rotating car tires or for oil changes to keep a car as efficient as possible.
• Transit pass or a Hybrid car (for the generous!)