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10 Green Christmas Gift Ideas They’ll Love

Sally Hill | 07.12.10

As you get ready for one of the happiest and most relaxing times of the year, we hope you'll spend a little time Christmas shopping, but as much as possible among family and friends.

This list provides some gift ideas which are easy to get hold of and won't cost the earth. There's no compromise on quality with these earth-friendly (and people-friendly) treasures.

We figure, if you must celebrate with presents, they may as well be ecological and respectful to the planet - and they're all the more lovely for it.

Merry Christmas!

HAND MADE POLAR BEAR PLUSH TOY

The polar bear is now a symbol of human impact on the planet. But this guy represents a planet-friendly approach. He hasn't come from a factory, but from Folksy, where you can buy and sell hand-made crafts. So he makes a nice change from mass-produced plastic toys.

Hand made to order, this is one of the truly unique gifts on offer at Folksy.

£19 from www.folksy.com

GREEN PEOPLE ALOE FESTIVE TREAT

A festive treat made with organic, vegan and fairly traded Coconut, Ylang ylang and Lavender oils makes for a gorgeous aroma and guilt-free pampering.

The gift set contains Aloe Vera Body Lotion with Aloe vera, Coconut & Berry wax and Aloe Vera Shower Wash with Aloe vera & Lavender

£25 from www.greenpeople.co.uk

SEASONABLE VEGETABLE GUIDE TEA TOWEL

If you've always want more from your tea towel, this kitchen cloth offers a second function. As well as drying your dishes it charts the best time of year to source British vegetables. So whether you growing, buying, cooking or eating them, it's great to have a veggie calendar by your side in the kitchen.

£10 from www.todryfor.com

Seasonal Vegetables Tea Towel

NOGG CHICKEN COOP

A unique gift for anyone who fancies themself a dab hand in the self-sufficient-food stakes. The beautifully engineered and carefully thought-out design looks like a garden sculpture but is a safe, durable, ecological, clean and simple way to house hens at home. The recipient will enjoy home-grown breakfasts for a long time to come.

www.nogg.co

nogg Chicken Coop

HU2 DESIGN ECO REMINDER WALL STICKERS

Dubbed a 'sustainable habit reminder' it is easy to see the usefulness of these stickers when you live with children or in a share house. Partly serious, but mostly fun, they're a great way to spark conversation with visitors, friends, flatmates as well as remind yourself about your energy and water use.

From £12.90 at www.hu2.com

HOME-MADE FOOD

You can't get more local than home made food. It's also hard to find a more personal gift than something someone has worked themselves to make. Chutneys, pickles and sauces are often the most interesting.

All the better if you can claim you've grown some of the ingredients yourself.

£0 from your kitchen

A GREEN BOOK

A green book that's also a great read is meaningful gift, and can make a big difference to someone's life.

For inspiration check out Bookseller.com, who have just published data on the best-selling environmental authors and titles of the decade.

Or.. even better than buying a new one - pass on a used book that you've really enjoyed.

Best Sellers:

'Eden' - Tim Smit

'Sustainable Energy: Without the Hot Air' - David MacKay

'Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed' - Jared Diamond

'Change the World 9 to 5' - We Are What We Do

Classics:

'Silent Spring' - Rachel Carson

'The Vanishing Face of Gaia' - James Lovelock

'Cradle to Cradle' - Michael Braungart and William McDonough

'Small is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered' - E.F.Schumacher

Our Picks:

'How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything' - Mike Berners-Lee

'The Story of Stuff: How Our Obsession with Stuff is Trashing the Planet' - Annie Leonard

'The Transition Handbook' - Rob Hopkins and Richard Heinberg

'Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal' - Tristram Stuart

'How Green Are My Wellies?' - Anna Shepard

SECRET SEED SOCIETY ACTIVITY BOOK

These beautifully illustrated activity books for children carry seeds to grow vegetables, and also sow the seeds for a life-long love of reading. Each has an enthralling story which takes kids on 'adventures with vegetables' and teaches them the benefits of healthy eating, where food comes from, growing and of course reading. Carla Carrot, Chrissie Cress and Rudi Radish are at your service to nurture super-healthy minds, bodies and attitudes.

£5.00 from Secret Seed Society

OTESHA CHRISTMAS CARDS

According to The Otesha Project's first-ever batch of Christmas cards, even Santa is watching his carbon footprint. The design, featuring an eco-friendly cycling Santa, is by Calu, a longstanding Otesha volunteer.

The cards are printed on 100% recycled paper, and proceeds go towards the organisation which helps young people to become agents of change, inspiring others to take small actions which add up to big change towards a cleaner, greener and fairer world.

£7 for a pack of 10 cards www.otesha.org.uk

RAPANUI 'NIMBY WIND TURBINE' T-SHIRT

Organic cotton, fair wear production, tracebility tool, and the ultimate symbol of sustainability - a wind turbine. The design breaks down the public perception and 'not in my backyard' attitude toward wind turbines.

Rapanui are a cut above when it comes to sustainability. On their site you can find a 'traceability' tool which makes the nature of all their materials and manufacturing completely transparent.

£24.95 from www.rapanuiclothing.com