Last-Minute Gifts (Environmentally Friendly or Environmentally Helpful Gifts)

If you haven’t noticed, I haven’t covered Christmas that much yet. Just a post on a few green gift ideas (well, really, it was one idea but options from a few organizations) and a post on Climate Counts’ Striding Shoppers campaign. I have to say, I’ve been avoiding Christmas a little bit this year… largely due to my disapproval of and fatigue with rampant consumerism in the United States. Anyway, if you have been putting off Christmas as well, and are looking for some good last-minute environmentally friendly (or even helpful) gift ideas, here are a few:

  1. Monthly or Yearly Transit Pass: Everybody needs to get around, and there is hardly a cleaner, greener way of getting around than using transit. Plus, it can save you approximately $10,000/year. If you think your friend, spouse, or family member could use a transit pass, go for it.
  2. Homemade Coupon Booklet: Forget buying something, create a couple booklet for this special someone. You can create coupons for free homemade dinners, breakfast in bed, bike rides, massages, or some combination of options.
  3. Whole Foods Market Gift Card: Eating organic and local is one way to help protect the environment, and it seems like most people have access to at least one Whole Foods Market, a great place to buy organic and local, these days. Encourage your gift recipient to eat organic and local by buying them a gift card to Whole Foods (or some other local health food store).
  4. Gardening Equipment or Seeds: Even better than buying organic, local food is growing your own. Got someone in mind who might be up for this or is really into it? Help them out by buying them some tools or seeds.
  5. Bicycle: Riding transit is great, but riding a bike is even better. If you can afford it and it would be okay for you to pick out a bike for someone, go ahead and green their transport. (Or, just buy them a gift card to a bicycle shop.)
  6. Money: OK, not so inventive, but when it comes down to it, this is pretty green. Give them some money and let them use it however they need — for food, paying off student loans, or buying something they really need — rather than guessing what they would like and would use. This has always been my favorite gift.
  7. Adopt an Endangered Animal for Them: OK, now this isn’t really a last-minute gift idea since I think it is too late to have the adoption kit sent to someone by Christmas, but if you don’t mind the gift arriving a little late, check out the animal adoption options from a few leading environmental organization. (I just went this route the other day.)

Find a good environmentally friendly or helpful gift idea in there? I hope so.

Feel free to drop your own suggestions in the comments as well!

(Note: I realize the photo doesn’t really have anything to do with the options I provided or green gifts at all, but it was too cool to pass up :D.)

Photo Credit: Edgar Barany via flickr (CC license)

4 thoughts on “Last-Minute Gifts (Environmentally Friendly or Environmentally Helpful Gifts)”

  1. My girls make me the coupon books for Mothers day, but somehow “THEY” end up getting breakfast in bed. πŸ™‚

    My kids used last years Christmas cards to make tree decorations as gifts for friends and family,keeps them out of the Landfill. Plus mommies love homemade gifts.

    I love the picture its sweet.

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