End of year ideas that won't cost the Earth

 Ideas for:

Children
Gardeners
Him
Her
Food Lovers
Anyone concerned about living sustainably
People who have everything
Everyone

Green Hints for Children at Christmas

• Organic & natural stuffed animals (babies skin is more than 10 times thinner than adults so are more likely to absorb chemicals and dyes in many commercially produced toys and bed linen.)
• Sigg reusable water bottle
• Adopt an endangered animal at Australia Zoo.
• Locally made wooden toys or puzzles
• Fair trade football
• Herb garden starter kit
• Get the kids to appreciate the environment by getting them out into it with a pair of binoculars, a bug catcher, camping gear, or a science kit.
• The Lorax by Dr Suess
• Uno's Garden by Grahame Base
• Trips to the zoo, aquarium, museum or science centre can be great fun, and their gift shops are great for momentos of your time together, as well as some of their proceeds going to research and conservation projects.
• Frame a special piece of artwork your child has produced and let them hang it in a room of their choice.
• Picture books are a great choice, can be read over and over, and passed on to sisters/brothers/friends. And there are so many to choose from! 
• If sending presents interstate or overseas, order on-line and have them delivered direct. You can address the parcels to a relative and have them deliver them on "the day".

For older children/teens

• Itunes voucher for downloading music, which will save on buying CD's with plastic cases.
• Bags made from recycled materials, eg. jeans, vinyl signs, fabric scraps, or make your own from things around the home.
• Make up or face/hair care products from stores like The Body Shop or The Natural Source, with organic & sustainable ingredients and recyclable or biodegradable packaging.
• Recondition an old bicycle - retro is back, and also saves mum and dad some petrol! 
• Books are a great choice, can be read over and over, and passed on to sisters/brothers/friends. They can be informative, encyclopedias, atlases, nature books or just a really good story!

Green Hints for Gardeners at Christmas 

• Compost bin or a worm farm. Many are now partly made from recycled plastic. Lawn clippings, kitchen scraps, shredded office paper and even hair from your combs and brushes break down and reward you with lovely nutrients for your garden instead of going to landfill and releasing greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane.
• A herb garden starter kit. Commercially available or put together your own with cuttings from your own garden. Making your own saves on packaging and transport costs.
• A tree! For people without much space in their own yard, have a tree planted in their name.
• A bonsai. Even these miniature trees do their part in taking CO2 out of the atmosphere.
• Even a humble potplant can help clear our air.  
• Pot up a tomato bush or tub of lettuces and encourage someone to grow some of their own veggies and reduce their food miles.
• Heirloom seeds from the Diggers Club. Old fashioned varieties that help maintain biodiversity in our gardens. Oppose genetically engineered seeds that promote the use of chemicals and support sustainable slow food agriculture. Order online today and check out their amazing website at www.diggers.com.au
• Many of these gifts do not need or are difficult to wrap with the usual Christmas wrapping paper. Save some paper and give them as nature intended, or add a simple ribbon, gift tag, or Christmas decoration instead.
• Subscription to magazines like Earth Garden (www.earthgarden.com.au) or The Organic Gardener which promote sustainable living practices that will help to reduce CO2 emissions one backyard at a time.
• The Diggers Club - Growing your own heirloom vegetables - Bringing CO₂ down to earth. Not only a lot of advice on growing but some very well written chapters on Climate Change too.

Green Hints for Those People Who Have Everything! 

• Support a not for profit organisation and make a donation on someone's behalf. This cuts back on consumption, and goes to a good cause. Consider organisations like the Australian Conservation Foundation, Care Australia, RSPCA, Red Cross, or the Wilderness Society.
• Care Australia offers the opportunity to contribute to some of the poorest people in the world. What about a goat for a poor family? Maybe a blackboard for an under resourced school. Or even a birthing kit for a midwife. Check out the latest CAREgifts catalogue online at www.careaustralia.org.au.
• Frame a piece of art created by a child.
• An Inconvenient Truth DVD or book.
• Compile a booklet of their favourite recipes!
• Make your own gift certificate for favours like an hour of free baby sitting, lawn mowing, ironing, or for a shoulder or foot massage.
• A Bokashi bucket small space kitchen compost system. This will convert and recycle kitchen scraps into scrumptious compost for your garden or potplants.
• Offset someone's carbon emissions with a gift voucher from neco, www.neco.com.au and while you're there check out the coolest online eco superstore for other awesome gifts!
• A hamper from Australia's greenest retail store Biome is a delight to savour. Visit the Brisbane store at 215 Adelaide St, or the Paddington store at 2 Latrobe Tce. An amazing product range of organic, recycled and sustainable items is also available online at www.biome.com.au.
• And don't forget - those people who really have everything they need, REALLY DON'T want any more ornaments or nick nacks! Do them and your wallet a favour and don't buy! (A bit cheeky but from experience - it's true)

Green Hints for Him at Christmas 

• Ceramic coffee mug for work. Avoid throw away plastic cups and help to encourage him and his workmates to take his own mug to the local coffee shop.
• Battery charger, or USB cell that recharges simply by plugging into your computer.
• Wind up torch or radio. Never worry about flat batteries again.
• All natural men's grooming products, such as soap, shampoo, and aftershave. You'll find a great hamper online at www.biome.com.au
• Restock his stationery supplies with paper, pens, clipboards and folders made from recycled and salvaged materials. Check out the nifty staple-less stapler and more at neco, the online eco superstore, www.neco.com.au.
• For the keen DIYer give a subscription to ATA's Renew magazine. ReNew is packed with information on how to have a more sustainable home and lifestyle, with plenty of DIY tips and advice on solar hot water systems, solar panels, water collection, alternative fuels and energy efficiency. 
  http://shop.ata.org.au/cart.php?target=category&category_id=250

Green Hints for Her at Christmas 

• Vintage jewellery - it's the elegant way to recycle darling!
• Stella McCartney Designs are fashion with a conscience! No fur or leather are used in her designs and she is a strong advocate of animal rights. An affordable range of Stella's designs are available in Taget stores across Australia.
• Silk eye pillows found at local craft markets are a little luxury that re-uses scrap silk offcuts!
• Digital scrapbooking kits are the paper friendly way to get crafty with treasured memories.
• Beeswax or soy wax candles are a healthier alternative for you and the environment, as regular candles are paraffin based, which is made from petroleum. 

Green Hints for Food Lovers at Christmas 

• Bake some cookies and put them in a spruced up jar or tin with some raffia & a gift tag.
• Gift certificate to a local restaurant.
• Organic fruit basket with produce from the local markets. Shop locally and reduce your food miles and commercial refrigeration costs of your fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Native food products like wild rosella jam or finger lime marmalade  supports agricultural practices more suited to our climate.
• Coffee mug filled with yummy organic chocolates!
• Organic farming practices help maintain healthy soils and keep greenhouse gas emissions down, so look for products like organic wine, coffee, olive oils, spices, etc.
• Cast iron pans for the kitchen avoid Teflon coated and aluminium products which cannot be recycled.
• Barbeque accessories or microwave cookware encourage more energy efficient forms of cooking compared to electric stoves.
• The Cook's Companion by Stephanie Alexander features recipes listed by ingredient, which is fantastic for cooking with seasonal and locally grown produce.
• Encourage someone to grow their own food and reduce their eco-footprint. Buy them a fruit tree for the garden or a punnet of veggie seedlings and some simple gardening tools.

Green Hints for Anyone concerned about living sustainably

• Browse the ATA webshop for energy efficiency products such as LED downlights, dynamo torches, electronic kits or an energy meter such as the new low cost Power Usage Meter. They also have books and dvds. shop.ata.org.au
• Check out other green websites for ideas e.g. www.thegreendirectory.com.au

Green Hints for Everyone at Christmas 

• Buy locally. Avoid products that have travelled a long way to get to you, and support local businesses rather than mass produced imports. Check out local markets, art galleries, antique shops and craft stores.
• Reduce the number of shopping trips you make and save petrol as well as time and money. Share a ride with a neighbour or some friends. Don't forget to take your green bags with you to avoid the plastic ones.
• When shopping online or by catalogue, consolidate your orders into as few shipments as possible.
• If you are posting gifts in the mail, consider small light items that take up less space and fuel than big heavy ones.
• Consider a live potted tree this year instead of the fake plastic ones. If you are getting rid of your old tree, ask your local kindy, doctor's office or nursing home if they can give it a second life and spread some cheer.
• Avoid disposable cups, plates, and cutlery if you are hosting a big gathering. Use your own, or consider biodegradable plates instead. They break down faster in landfill or they can go into your compost bin. Find them online at places like www.biome.com.au or www.neco.com.au.
• Cut down on wrapping paper by going for re-useable gift bags instead, or be innovative and use material, newspaper, comics, magazines, children's kindy artwork or even junk mail to wrap presents.
• Send e-cards or phone a friend instead of sending a card this year. Trim your card list to only those you will not be catching up with over the holiday season.
• For older people and the housebound remember that your time is the best gift. A visit will perk them up and they'd also enjoy a trip out, a picnic, meal out or even a movie!

 Merry Christmas