Great Green Gifts

Overwhelming is the only way to describe the sheer volume of possible gifts available for purchase this holiday season. Recalling the days of Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers and Beanie Babies (really dating myself here), I know that, sometimes, only a very specific gift will do. But for most of your gifts, you really do have a choice. Here are some things to consider.

1. Don't overbuy. It is just so easy to get sucked into the buying frenzy that we may wind up with way more than makes economic or environmental sense.  Resist the urge.
2. Buy durable products. This can be tough for people with children in the fad toy and "some assembly required" phases of childhood. But nothing is more irritating than having a toy break or malfunction just after it's received, so look for some level of quality. And avoid toxins in products, especially PVC in toys. Not sure if an item is toxin-free? Check with the manufacturer.
3. Think retro (read: used). Clothes, room accessories, DVDs, CDs, and sporting equipment are examples of gifts that can be traded with friends or purchased at a thrift store, saving money and resources.
4. Buy energy efficient and recycled products. For electronics, look for the Energy Star logo to assure energy efficiency. And look for products made from recycled paper, plastic, and other materials--just read the labels--which means that fewer natural resources were used to produce them.
5. Gifts to a favorite charity or non-profit in a giftee's name are great stocking stuffers (for smaller gifts) and, with larger gifts, benefit everyone by helping sustain our important local, national and international philanthropic organizations. What could be greener than that?
6. Give without giving stuff. Alternative gifts, such as tickets to a play or concert, adopting animals online (like a whale or an octopus), buying a tree for your school or town, taking friends to dinner, or arranging for a weekend getaway, make excellent gifts.
7. Gift certificates, especially for those hard-to-buy-for teens and college students, are green because you know they'll be used for something that will be used, avoiding waste...and that awkward moment when a teen opens a gift, rolls her eyes and tries to sound like she actually likes the polka dot blouse you bought for her.
8. Avoid excess packaging, and recycle as much as you can of any packaging you do wind up with. (Remember that, in Summit, all plastics 1-7 can be recycled curbside as can mixed paper and cardboard.)

Next up: Wrapping your packages creatively to minimize waste

By Beth Lovejoy