Wishlist | Green Holiday Basics

This holiday season, let’s revisit the basics in a green way.  Here are three tips to get you started on your shopping for the green peeps in your life.

Tip 1/ Plan ahead.  Last minute madness inevitably means compromising everything.  There’s nothing quite like paying too much for irresponsibly made items that the recipient doesn’t even like.

Tip 2/ Excess is out.  Thoughtful and conscious is in.  You’re not a downer if you insist that eight (or one?  okay, two?) is enough when it comes to princess dresses for your daughter.

Tip 3/ Think before you speak.  Whether you acknowledge it or not, you talk with your dollars, so start saying something you can be proud of.

Now check out my holiday gift list, eco-style…

Sustainable Sound
For the audiophile and the interior design guru alike, Vers Audio ($219.99) sound systems offer great sound, great style, responsible design and even a take-back program.  Listen… That’s music to your ears you hear.

Hurry!  Chanukah Harry is Coming!
The perfect gift to set the tone for an ethereal eight days, this Wild Pomegranate wooden box (only $25!) includes a ceramic dreidel, beeswax candles and a beautiful set of matches.

DIY, Sort Of
Spoonflower offers eco-friendly fabrics and printing.  It’s simple: You design, they print!  Get your creative on and give something unique, chic and sustainable to that too-cool-for-school girl or guy on your list. Order by 12/14 to arrive by 12/24.

Gifts That Keeps On Giving
Give a gift of giving.  Boring?  Donations don’t have to be if you accompany them with a related, cool somethin’ somethin’.  Some ideas…

Give: Catskill Mountainkeeper (Help NY and PA protect their land, water and air against unsafe gas drilling)…Gift: Klean Kanteen water bottle ($17.95).

Give: Room to Read (Empower girls by providing educational resources in rural villages around the world)… Gift: A book, of course!  Or, if it’s got to be more exciting, eco-soccer ball ($34.99).

Give: Peter C. Alderman Foundation (Train health care professionals to heal the emotional wounds of victims of terror in post-conflict countries)… Gift: A Make A Wish necklace ($30).

Service not Stuff
You can also skip all the stuff and instead support your local business community while giving what are often the most well received gifts. Massage?  Facial?  Mani/Pedi for a year?  Make it work within your budget, and choose the recipient’s favorite salonista. If you can’t resist a small gift item to go with the service, throw in a Priti non-toxic nail polish ($12.50).

Contributing green writer Danielle Venokur is the founder of dvGreen, a sustainable event design  and production firm.  She hosts The Green Party on MNN.com, and has  been featured in GOTHAM, The Knot, Treehugger, Vogue, and Modern Bride as one of their 25 Trendsetters of 2008.