Green isn't just a popular color during the holidays. It's also an environmental friendly spin that's grabbing hold this holiday season -- especially after a string of toy recalls.
The threat of lead-tainted toys have concerned parents looking more closely at them and turning to eco-friendly options.
Deborah Barrow, founder of
TheDailyGreen.com, said people understand that the toy recalls is an environmental story which is why her site compiled a list of 250 U.S.-made toys.
"My inbox is filled with 'thank yous,'" she said.
Kara DiCamillo, a writer at
Treehugger.com said that there's definitely more of a focus on eco-friendly gifts this year.
Great Ideas
She said popular eco-friendly items this holiday season are USB Cell AA rechargeable batteries, which recharge by plugging into a USB port; also the PowerCost Monitor that measures a home's energy use.
DiCamillo said bikes are a hot item as people are seeing the value of getting around this way. Bikes on Treehugger.com's list this year include the Schwinn Electric bike, Strida-5 Folding Bike that's great for the city; they also sella product called Do-It-Yourself E-Bike Kit that lets you transform a regular bike into an electric bike.
"Giving eco-friendly gifts is important around the holidays because so much gets consumed. We are a society in which consuming is important for so many people," DiCamillo said. "People are still going to shop around the holidays, so if you do shop then shop green. It's also important because you have the opportunity to teach something to family and friends by giving them eco-friendly gifts."
Some sites are keeping both style and eco-friendly high on the priority list.
"We have a pretty strict criteria. They have to be stylish, fun and sustainable," said Emilie Cowan, director of business development at
Ecofabulous.com. One of Cowan's favorite items is a composting pail from
Dhlovelife.com.
"It's very functional. I find it very beautiful. It has a purpose and it sends a good message," she said.
Cowan said the Sigg bottle -- an alternative to polycarbonate or plastic bottles -- can be personalized and has an aluminum-safe coating.
She also recommends the Brunton SolarRoll --a portable, waterproof charger that comes in three sizes and rolls out flat to soak up the sun's rays and charges a laptop from a backpack or purse.
Gifts For Non-Green People
She said
Method's Home for the Holidays Kit is a good first step of getting into the green world with cleaning products.
"People want to know they're doing the right thing and being part of the solution," said Cowan. "I think it's an excuse to get people to interact with these great new products."
Mercia Tapping, president of
GreenandMore.com, a division of Boston Green Goods Inc., said that eco-friendly gifts aren't really more expensive. She said environmentally conscious gifts come at all price points and their site has many that are less than $100.
"I think it is a feel-good type of gift, which contributes to the planet as well as to a healthier household, or in some cases, saves money," she said.
Stef McDonald, editorial director at
Greenopia.com recommends buying reusable market bags, which have become more popular as designers have gotten into selling them.
"A lot of people are using them as gift packaging," she said.
Even luxuries can be green. McDonald suggests buying a gift certificate to a day spa that uses all-natural or organic products or taking someone to an organic restaurant.
McDonald suggests buying a membership to a nonprofit as a gift. "You're also supporting people out there day to day who are doing something for the environment," she said.
What To Look For
Consumers might want to go beyond the environmentally friendly label to research the item to make sure it lives up to its green claims.
"I would suggest they read why it's eco-friendly," Cowan said.
Points to look for include: where the item is from, how it's made, the company who makes it, its ingredients and what's going to happen to the product after its consumed.
DiCamillo said a key thing is look for how a product is packaged and that many eco-friendly items have minimal packaging to eliminate waste.
She suggests criteria such as: use of green materials (recycled, recyclable, biodegradable, presence of toxic substances), lifecycle energy use, multifunctionality, styling (ugly or trendy doesn't last long) and durability and repairability.
As the number of environmentally friendly products and consumers' awareness continues to grow, some say the green mindset is here to stay.
"As the selection of goods increases each year, and people realize that global warming is real and there is something they can do about it in a small way, we think that trend toward eco-conscious giving will increase, and it's not a passing fad," Tapping said.
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