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Is it Greener to Spend Those Gift Cards Online or in the Store?
Filed under: Shopping Guide
Gift Card Bonanza, Photo: Arvindgrover, Flickr
Sure, to the untrained eye, your pile of Christmas goodies may look like a boring stack of envelopes, but you know what it really is: An after Christmas shopping spree waiting to happen. And when you total up all of the gift card-generated shopping bonanzas all across the globe, you get a pretty major shopping footprint -- perhaps even larger than (gasp) Black Friday.
So it stands to reason that if worked to keep your Christmas shopping eco-friendly this year, you might as well do the same with your post-Christmas bonanza. Unfortunately for people who love shopping bags and long checkout lines, that means doing your shopping online.
That's right, according to research conducted by sustainability consulting firm MindClick SGM, online purchases produce far less emissions than a purchase made at a bricks and mortar store. In fact, MindClick found that items purchased in a store represents 15 times the emissions as the same product purchased online.
According to the study, if you happened to be among the millions of Americans cramming into shop-o-plexes on Black Friday, your purchases resulted in 50 times the negative environmental impact than than they would have if you bought them on Cyber Monday! While that's great news for geeks, it's disturbing for green shoppers that prefer to actually examine the goods in person before swiping their gift cards.
Of course, the online vs. in-store debate is far from settled. While this study makes a pretty clear case for spending you gift cards online, there are a number of assumptions made by the study that don't necessarily translate.
For example, the calculations made the assumption that all of the deliveries would be made by the USPS, or that other packaged delivery services had a carbon footprint similar to the USPS -- probably not the case. The study also neglected to take into account the packaging involved in the shipping process.
Still, even with study's oversights, it looks like shopping online is going to come out ahead, even if you ride your bike to the store and bring your own reusable shopping bag.
Is it Greener to Spend Those Gift Cards Online or in the Store? originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wrap and Go Green
Filed under: Home, Shopping Guide
Festive patterned reusable bag makes great wrapping! Photo: Envirosax
Don't blow your eco-friendly gift status now!
With a little creativity, you can make your gift even more special, and green. Try one of these wrapping ideas:
- The Gift in the Gift -- tie a festive holiday dish towel (made from organic cotton, of course!) or a pretty scarf around a smaller box or item, or place some homemade goodies in a tin they can use all year!
- Bag it -- anyone who's been using her recycled shopping bag all year is probably due for a replacement. I'm hoping to see one of the stylish Envirosax prints under the tree this year. For a less flashy, even more eco-friendly choice, go for the recycled cotton Enviro-tote from EcoTech.
- Classic Paper Updated -- gift bags are popular for a reason. Just as beautiful and twice as easy to use as traditional paper, you can pick from a huge selection of 100% recycled craft paper gift bags or handmade Lotka paper plantable bags that are embedded with wildflower seeds. Added bonus, you might even get the bag back next year!
Wrap and Go Green originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Holiday Tips for Safe Pets
Filed under: Shopping Guide, Plants and Wildlife
Many kids -- including the grownup kind -- put a puppy a the top of their Christmas gift wishlist. Most organizations actually advise you to hold off getting a pet during this busy time of year.
If you're determined to do the dog with a red bow under the tree route, definitely consider adopting a shelter or rescue dog because it's the right thing to do. These animals need homes, it's better for the planet, and it goes with the giving spirit of the season.
For those of you welcoming a pet, either to stay or just visiting with family or friends, the good folks at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have a great list of holiday animal safety tips to help you pet-proof your home, including:
- Make sure the tree is secured so Fido or Mr. Whiskers doesn't accidentally bring the whole thing down
- Skip the tinsel on the tree -- cats love it, and it doesn't love them back, causing severe intestinal troubles
- Careful with the candy -- chocolate is very bad for your pet, as is the artificial sweetner xylitol
- Check the safety of pet toys -- well intentioned gifts may have dangerous small parts
- Say no to mistletoe -- bad for pet tummies and hearts! Holly and some lilies are also pet-dangerous
Check out all of the rules, including tips for letting guests show some pet love, on the ASPCA Holiday Safety Tips page.
And while you're visiting the ASPCA, consider an end of year donation to support the great work they do rescuing animals from bad situations.
Holiday Tips for Safe Pets originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Green Foodie Gifts
Filed under: Food, Health, Shopping Guide
A fun and organic basket to share! Photo: globalexchangestore.com
From food baskets to books or movies or even a live ewe, there are loads of creative and delicious choices that will surprise, delight and stimulate.
Consider something that will appeal to his or her intellect:
- Food Inc. -- the documentary that shows the many reasons why it's so important to know where your food is coming from.
- "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan -- published in 2006, this book is a classic exploration of the food chain, looking at industrial food, organic and even self-foraged meals get to your plate.
- "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser -- even though it came out in 2001, this is must read for anyone who has ever been tempted by the drive thru window. The movie of the same title is loosely based on the book, and similarly thought provoking.
There are several green gift basket choices for that natural-eating loved one who is far away, or if you want to send an eco-friendly message with your business holiday gifts:
- The Fresh and Natural organic package from It's Only Natural Gifts. For $49 you get a selection of gluten-free and vegan treats like Food Should Taste Good lime tortilla chips, Salpica natural peach mango salsa and Two Moms in the Raw snacking granola -- all packaged up in a cute organic cotton canvas tote.
- Global Exchange Fair Trade online store offers a beautiful Office Gang Gift Basket, for $98. In a natural hand-woven kaisa grass basket from Bangladesh, you'll send organic coffee, chocolate and nuts -- perfect for sharing! And all of the packaging is 100% biodegradable and recycled -- even the cellophane that wraps the baskets is bio-degradable!
- Diamond Organics offers a Sampler of the Month Program that delivers their most popular organic samplers on the first Friday of each month. You can choose from three to 12 months of samplers, at a range of $82-72 per month. The contents are a step beyond your usual "box of veggies." The May Macrobiotic Sampler includes burdock root, daikon radish, fresh ginger, a selection of fresh-cut cooking greens such as collards, red russian kale, baby bok choi, and more. The December Organic Dried Fruit and Nut Sampler includes delicious dried fruits like bing cherries, black figs, medjool dates, and persimmons.
And if you want to combine the gift of supporting sustainable food sourcing and organic food, consider sponsoring shares of livestock on an organic farm. For example, for $500 you can "adopt a ewe" on Monkeyflower Ranch, home of the Garden Variety Cheese business.
Your adoption fee supports the care and feeding of the ewe during the dry season (dairy sheep only produce milk for six months out of every year, and spend the dry season pregnant, fattening up for the milking season.) In return, you or your happy foodie gift recipient, receives $600 worth of farm products, like cheese and yogurt.
Green Foodie Gifts originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Green Gifts for Animal Loving Activists
Filed under: Shopping Guide, Plants and Wildlife
Adopt an Emperor Tamarin! Photo: AFP/Getty Images
For the wild-eyed vegan activist, you have the entire PETA cruelty-free catalog. Highlights include the "Hug me, don't club me" Save the Seals t-shirts, vegan chocolate, and everyone's favorite, the "Help a Chicken" gift pack, which lets you donate $15 on behalf of an ethical-chicken-killing-advocate friend.
Is there someone on your list who tells you not to buy her anything, because she has everything? Believe her, and make a donation to Heifer International in her name. The organization gives livestock and husbandry training as a sustainable way to help people escape poverty. Your friend may not need a goat, but there is village in China that will be glad to accept it on her behalf!
Is your roommate always dropping hints about adopting a cat? Avoid arguments over the litter box and adopt a whole species through the World WIldlife Fund Gift Center. They have over 100 types of animals from which to choose!
Everyone is adopting polar bears these days, so maybe give some love to Darwin's Fox or the impressively mustachio'd Emperor Tamarin. I'm also a big fan of their apparel with the classic WWF panda logo, if you must have something to wrap and place under the tree.
Like the adoption idea, but want something more aquatic? Check out the Oceana Adopt-A-Creature page, and give a loved one an octopus cookie cutter -- plus the knowledge that they're helping ensure that octopuses will continue have a home!
For my toughest-to-shop-for friends and family, I turn to the most reliable gift of all: booze. The Great Apes loving folks at Orangutan Outreach also love grapes, in the form of Red Apes Cabernet, Red Apes Chardonnay, Red Apes Merlot, Red Apes Cava, Red Apes Pinot Noir and Red Apes Sauvignon Blanc. At $20 a bottle, with $7 of every one purchased going to save the orangutans, you can get one for everyone in the office, plus a few for your own holiday cheer!
Green Gifts for Animal Loving Activists originally appeared on Green Daily on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Eco-Chocolate Gifts for the Holiday
Filed under: Food, Shopping Guide
Theo Chocolate, Food of the Gods! Photo: theochocolate.com
Chocolate is sweet, but the cocoa trade is rough on the farmers who work on cocoa plantations -- and most of those plantations don't have the best environmental record, either.
In the past few years several fair-trade, organic, delicious chocolate makers have emerged. So when you're looking for a sweet holiday surprise, consider one of these:
Theo Chocolate
This award-winning chocolate claims to be the only organic, fair trade, bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the US. You can check them out in person, taking a tour any day of the week at their factory in Seattle, WA.
Theo Chocolate temptations for the holiday include gifts that range from a two piece boxed gift set for $4.40, to the Food of the Gods Collection for $74.99, which is a beautiful fair-trade woven basket filled with treats like Marshmallow Big Daddy, Ghost Chile Salted Caramel and yummie bars.
Dagoba
You've probably seen the exotic organic chocolates, with flavors like lavender blueberry, and spicy xocolatl in your local fancy organic foods store. The Ashland, Oregon-based company follows a doctrine of "Full Circle Sustainability" to maintain the highest eco-standards.
My vote for holiday gift giving is the 12 Bar Alchemist Blend Box, which at $44.95 is a sweet treat for dark chocolate lovers.
TCHO
San Francisco-based TCHO wants to be "an agent of positive social change", especially for the growers of cocoa beans. They developed TCHOSource, a partnership that takes Fair Trade to the next level by helping the farmers improve their product and become premium cocoa growers -- and improve their income.
The TCHO a Day 30 lets you send someone you love their daily chocolate fix for just $20, and support the TCHO mission.
Got someone on your list who's been extra good? Pick up a gift from all of these great chocolate brands!
Eco-Chocolate Gifts for the Holiday originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Green Gifts for the Kitchen
Filed under: Food, Home, Shopping Guide
Make fizzy water at home! Photo: Soda Stream USA
A nifty item for people who love sparkling water or soda, but hate the plastic bottles, is the Soda Stream. You take regular water, add the flavoring of your choice -- or none -- and push a button. The Soda Stream gives the liquid a quick shot from the carbonator, and you've got bubbles!
Of course the best water comes from the tap ... and just to make sure, get a Brita pitcher or faucet attachment. Does your gift recipient already have one? Replacement filters make a great stocking stuffer!
A fresh bamboo cutting board is always a welcome addition to the kitchen. Light, dishwasher safe and available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes to match every preference!
Wrap n mats are great for people who bring their lunch to work, especially if they tend to eat away from a table. The Wrap n mat holds your sandwich, and then functions as a placemat. Zero-waste!
Along the same lines, a stainless steel bento box lets you bring yummie lunches neatly, and in style.
Kids can get in the fun, too with adorable Yubo lunch boxes. The changeable faceplates -- and there are some really fun choices! -- means they can have variety. BPA-free, and the included ice pack means that moms can be sure the food is safe.
The great thing about the previous three gifts is that you avoid the plastic baggie. Another way you can avoid them is with pyrex glass refrigerator storage containers. Go from the frig to the oven to the freezer -- plus they have a cute retro look. You can make them even more festive by filling them with holiday candy or cookie!
If you know someone who just can't give up the plastic bags, then this is a must have message gift: the counter top bag dryer. This one from Gaiam is made from sustainably harvested birch and ash woods! (Full disclosure: I've said many times I'll never have one. I know it's the right thing but reusing plastic bags is still not my favorite. Just saying.)
Best of all? Say no to wasteful wrapping paper, but keep it festive by putting your gift in a colorful reusable shopping bag!
Green Gifts for the Kitchen originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Green Gifts for Eco-Kids
Filed under: Kids and Parenting, Shopping Guide
'Tis the season for giving gifts! The most thoughtful gift is one that helps keep the planet alive -- or at least doesn't hasten climate change, global warming, or poisons the recipient with chemicals that leach out of plastic parts. Especially when you're shopping for kids!
Be sure to check the Good Guide, which tested and rated the most popular toys for the year. Sorry to break it to you, but Zhu Zhu Pets rated a relatively low 5.5, which isn't going to stop your kids from wanting them, but may change your mind!
The Plan Toys Cargo Train received the highest Good Guide rating, of 8.3, followed closely by the (awesome sounding) Lego Star Wars: the Clone Wars Fan's Vote Anniversary Edition, Home One Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, which received an 8.1 rating.
If you want to support green toy companies, check out the Eco Toy Alliance. It's a collaboration of four earth-friendly toy companies that is "dedicated to helping consumers understand the benefits of eco-toys and the importance of raising our children to respect and protect the planet."
The toys produced by the Eco Toy Alliance, Green Toys Inc, ImagiPLAY, Hosung Naturals, and Sprig Toys, are all made from eco-friendly green materials, like wood, organic cotton and recycled milk jugs. They also all encourage imaginative play.
Speaking of recycled materials, remember our GreenDaily favorite, TerraCycle. It seems like they are always announcing a new and cool upcycled product. Check out the kite made from Oreo wrappers, the Honest Kids backpack made from juice pouches, or the Yak Pak mp3 player slip case made from vinyl billboards.
Green Gifts for Eco-Kids originally appeared on Green Daily on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Green Tips for Black Friday
Filed under: Shopping Guide
Store manager gets ready for Black Friday/Photo: John Moore, Getty Images
For those of us who are less radical in our day to day lives, but still want to shop with a conscience, there are some practical ideas -- and cool tools -- to help you make your post-Thanksgiving sale shopping a little more eco-friendly.
To start, remember to consider the carbon footprint of what you're buying. Where was it made, what's it made of, how did it get here, and what type of packaging does it have? Some inexpensive gifts have a huge "earth cost"! You can mitigate this by patronizing companies that you know have good green practices.
The excellent Good Guide has come out with a free iPhone app that lets you scan the bar code of an item to check it against their database, and tell you if the company is good and green, or bad and green-washing. They also have a text message version for you non-iPhone folks out there.
Another way to reduce the impact of your shopping is to wait until Cyber-Monday and do your deal hunting online. You'll avoid the drive and the inevitable idling as you wait for a parking spot at crowded malls.
True, you still have the carbon-footprint of shipping, but you can buy as much as possible from one vendor, and have it shipped all at once to cut down on the impact. Also, if you're going to have to mail gifts to far-away family anyway, take advantage of gift wrapping services and send it directly to them.
If you're determined to get into the stores, consider carpooling or taking public transportation if it's available. This will also keep you from over-buying, if you know you have limited space in the car or have to fit your bags into a seat on the bus.
Also, remember to bring your reusable bags. They're not just for groceries: you can also carry sweaters, video games and Barbies in them!
It's easy to get caught up in the spirit -- or frenzy -- of holiday shopping. Just try to use the same thought and care you put into your everyday attempts to be environmentally aware. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that you're already an eco-shopper!
Green Tips for Black Friday originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Fun Vegan Shoes From Chicago
Filed under: Shopping Guide
(Photo by mohop.com)
I'm on my way to Chicago for BlogHer '09 this week, so the combination of cute shoes, vegan and made in Chicago caught my eye when I saw a post about Mohop shoes on the Green Lashes and Fashion blog.
Mohop shoes, which have handcrafted soles made from maple, cherry and (my total favorite) walnut wood, come in three different heights -- low, medium and high. All of the heels are purported to be comfortable, like clogs, because they conform to the natural shape of your foot.
The best part is that the "top" part of the shoe can be changed around and customized to suit your mood. The ribbon or fabric straps -- you can even order straps made of fabric remnants, so very "reuse-chic!" -- can be laced several different ways through unique elastic loops on the side of the soles.
Annie Mohaupt, the designer, makes the shoes in her studio in Chicago. I'm hoping to have enough free time to get out and see a few sites while I'm there, and I'll definitely keep my eyes open for real life sightings -- and maybe even trying on -- of these groovy, green shoes!
Fun Vegan Shoes From Chicago originally appeared on Green Daily on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
