Gifts of Experiences - Green Holiday Gift Guide 2008

Instead of giving more stuff that clutters up the house, give gifts your loved ones can experience. Maybe you can enjoy the gift together.

Cooking Classes $50 and up Why it's green: Cooking meals from scratch helps us appreciate fresh ingredients and reminds us to slow down and enjoy our food. Help someone learn to cook a new style of cuisine or brush up on old skills at one of Sur La Table's 25 locations across the U.S. Recommended by: Green Picks
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Service Varies Why it's green: Harsh chemicals aren't the only way to banish grime from the baseboards. For busy professionals and parents who don't have natural cleaning products on hand, hire them eco-maid services, like those listed in Co-Op America's Green Pages. Recommended by: Green Picks

Massage Gift Certificate $40 per hour and up Why it's green: For relaxation or pain relief, massage is a natural and effective option. Pamper someone special with an hour of healing bodywork, and you'll get a big "thank you." Look for a licensed therapist who's a member of the American Massage Therapy Association. Recommended by: Green Picks
National Parks Pass $80 per year Why it's green: There are lots of beautiful national parks in the U.S. -- why not explore them and support them? Recommended by: Green Home Huddle

Netflix Subscription $17 per month to $204 per year Why it's green: Using mail delivery to get a movie fix is more efficient and sustainable than renting DVDs from a store, according to WorldChanging.org. Some titles can even be streamed online. Recommended by: Green Picks
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Subscription $500 per year Why it's green: Joining a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, means investing in a local farm then sharing in the bounty. Members get regular deliveries of seasonal produce. A pre-paid subscription makes a wonderful gift for next growing season. Recommended by: TreeHugger

The Good Card $10 and up Why it's green: Give the experience of changing the world. The Good Card is a gift card for charity where recipients get to donate to their charities of choice. It's a personalized gift that can help make a difference. Recommended by: Network for Good
Eco-Friendly Date Night $20 and up Why it's green: Pick up your significant other in something other than a car (who doesn't love rollerblades?) and head off for an organic picnic with real plates and silverware. If you want to give flowers, try something from your garden. Recommended by: Green Home Huddle

Carbon Offsets $36 and up Why it's green: We can reduce much of the energy we use, but some things just can't be eliminated. So let's offset the greenhouse gases our activities create by purchasing carbon offsets from verified business like TerraPass. Recommended by: Green Picks
The Great Backyard Bird Count Free! Why it's green: From Feb. 13-16, 2009, be part of the Audubon Society's annual count of birds across America. Print a data sheet, then get friends and family together to count local birds on as many days as you like. Send your list in by March 1. Recommended by: Green Picks

Be the first to comment on the post

Post Comment

Wrap your presents without waste

Shiny paper and ribbons aren’t the only way to make presents presentable. Get green ideas to wrap ‘em up.
Green Christmas cards

About 7 billion paper Christmas cards are sold each year in the U.S. Find some eco-friendly options.
Which is better, a real tree or plastic?

Get the eco-facts about artificial, living, and cut Christmas trees.
Holiday decorating ideas

How Mother Nature can help decorate the house for the holidays.
Tips for a green Hanukkah

Add environmentally friendly flourishes to your Festival of Lights.
Can wrapping paper be recycled?

Putting holiday papers in the recycling bin depends on the type of wrap and where you live.
Greener shipping options

Worried that shipping your carefully chosen green gifts to far-flung locations will wipe out any gains? No need...
Does shopping online really save energy?

You bet, especially when the alternative is driving around a packed shopping mall parking lot.

Take the "Buy Handmade" pledge

Give one-of-a-kind gifts and support individual artisans. Make gifts yourself, or search craft sites like Etsy.com.
Buy from green businesses

Co-op America’s members are environmentally and socially responsible. And they’re offering holiday deals.

Living Green - all about saving money, energy, and the planet