by Celine Araujo

Created on: October 09, 2008   Last Updated: October 20, 2008

The holiday season is a time of giving and appreciation. What are you thankful for? Does the earth even come close to making your list? This holiday season, show the earth how much you care by being environmentally conscious of the presents you give to your loved ones. Here are some tips on how to shop green, and have a very merry (and green!) holiday season.

Don't use wrapping paper: printed on non-recyclable materials and disposed of immediately after use, wrapping paper is not at all eco-friendly. Instead, pack your gifts in pretty, reusable gift bags with tissue paper or bows that you can reuse, or wrap presents in an old scarf or excess fabric.

Make your gifts at home: nothing is more heartfelt than a homemade gift. All manner of DIY gifts, from simple to complex, can be found on the Internet. For some great ideas, go to http://www.make-stuff.com/recycling/index.html.

Buy fair trade, labour-free products: a green and also ethical present this season; you can purchase chocolate, coffee, clothing and more that is certified fair trade. Certified fair trade means that the person who made it was paid fair wages, well treated by their employer, was not a child, and the product was created using sustainable environmental practices. For more information, visit http://transfair.ca/, or http://www.transfairusa.org/.

Buy neat eco-friendly gifts online: you won't have to guzzle gas to drive to the mall, and the product will be delivered right to your house! From items made out of plastic bags to solar-powered yard lights, everything and anything eco-friendly can be found online. A particularly useful site is http://www.findgift.com/Categories/Eco-Friendly/.

Fro m the person who has everything to the person who has nothing: we all have that one friend or family member who is exceedingly hard to buy for they seem to have everything! So this holiday season, instead of buying them another useless gift, make a charitable donation in their name and support a worthwhile cause. Check out http://www.projectconcern.org/site/PageServer?pagena me=Gifts_of_Life_catalog_A_unique_gift_catalog&JServSessionIdr001=g3c9fjyiv4.app14a.

Clearly, it's easy to make less of an impact on the environment this season, with these few simple tips. Let the colours of the season red, white and green, inspire you. This season, green isn't for Grinch. Green is for the earth, and the benefit of us all. Happy holidays.

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