Green gift ideas are certainly an appropriate topic for Earth Day. Lots of us (me!) don’t really enjoy plodding through malls and would rather do our shopping online. So if you’re a member of the I Hate To Shop sorority or fraternity and need a Father’s Day gift for the man-who-already-has-everything-he-could-ever-want, or ANY other occasion, then consider some of our eco friendly gift ideas. They surely beat a gift card or certificate!
Sure, there are lots of natural gifts that are things, like soy candles, organic cotton, reusable shopping bags, composters, natural soap and wooden drying racks. What we’re focused on today is a little less concrete and more universal – earth friendly gifts to our beautiful planet and the plants and animals we share it with.
Green Gift Idea 1#: Adopt A Dolphin Or An Orca Whale
One of my as-yet unfulfilled dreams in life is to swim with dolphins. So how cool is it to be a foster parent to a dolphin or an orca? These magnficent creatures are suffering because of our way of life, with pollution in the seas, loss of habitat, getting hit by boats and becoming tangled in nets. Adopting one will help to support their existence and well being. Currently, there are five dolphins available for adoption:
- Billie – a female who spent some of her younger years in an aquarium
- Wave – a female who loves to perform!
- Sparkle – a motherly dolphin who has had several calves
- Spunky – a lively and determined adult male
- Captain Hook ‘Hookie’ – an easily identifiable male, first identified in 1989
You are a proud parent for a year and will receive a postcard of ‘your’ dolphin, a personalized adoption certificate, regular dolphin updates and a newsletters regarding the conservation of dolphins and whales. This is gift-giving at its best because you are supporting a magnificent creature who has always been friendly to humans and deserves our support. We are responsible for their dwindling numbers.
If you’d prefer an orca – known as the “killer whale” there are seven of them:
- A1 – a grandmother orca
- Rocky – a male who likes to hunt amongst rocks
- Corkscrew – a male with an usual twisted dorsal fin
- Digit – a friendly female
- Miracle – an adult female, stranded in 1993 and saved by a miracle
- Ben – a male who loves to travel
- ANZAC – an orca with a wounded tail
Green Gift Idea 2#: Adopt One Of 80 Species
The World Wildlife Fund allows us to adopt and animal from up to 80 species. The lowest price for this adoption is a modest $25 and goes up to $250. Beginning with the $50 contribution you get a plush toy that matches your animal. According to the WWF the top 10 adoptees are:
1. Polar Bear
2. Snow Leopard
3. Panda
4. Meerkat
5. Penguin
6. Tiger
7. Blue-Footed Booby
8. Pygmy Elephant
9. Amur Leopard
10. Gray Wolf
My problem with this gift is choosing! I want almost all of them!
Green Gift Idea 3#: See The “Earth” In Stunning Color
Perhaps you’ve seen part of the Disney/BBC film called “Earth”? Photographers filmed over 100,000 hours of nature and include touching scenes such as a momma polar bear followed by two playful cubs.
Giving this eco friendly gift will raise the consciousness of humans concerning species that are in danger of becoming extinct. For instance, the most endangered species in the world is the Amur Leopard of Russia. There are thought to be less than 30 of these magnificent animals alive today. Honestly, I can’t watch this film without tears coming to my eyes.
http://disney.go.com/disneynature/earth
Green Gift Idea 4#: National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass
In 2004 a program began to allow annual passes to our national parks and federal recreational lands. There are different prices for different areas. For instance, there is an annual $80 pass for one non-commercial vehicle containing up to four adults or there is a lifetime pass for seniors for only $10. Such eco friendly gifts will encourage us humans to get out in nature and learn to appreciate the beauty and glory of the outdoors. It is only through love of the environment that we will learn to treasure and protect it.
http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm
Green Gift Idea 5#: Plant Trees
For as little as $10 you can join the Arbor Day Association which will plant 10 in your honor. As you most likely know, trees are our respiratory opposites: we breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide while trees ‘breathe’ incarbon dioxide and ‘exhale’ oxygen. Without trees we could not survive on this planet! So the more trees we have, the better off we all are.
Choose green gift ideas whenever possible! Helping the earth while making another human being happy is an ethical way to live. No matter how well we try to live, the fact remains that we are taking from the environment that supports us. It’s only right that we should give back whenever and however we can.
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