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With all the end of year holidays upon us, and everyone in media rolling out their gift guides -- we're no exception; here's our 2009 Gift Guide -- it seems appropriate to lay out a few meta-rules for green gift-giving. Rules is probably a bit too harsh. Green guidelines perhaps...
Considering one theme this year, particularly considering that though the economy has improved somewhat from last year, thing's aren't quite going gangbusters -- a good thing for carbon emissions, by the way -- is the idea of slowing things down a bit and really considering the scale of your gift-giving.
Shouldn't quality take precedence over quantity? Yes, it should. Regardless of green materials, or locality, or fair trade, or what have you, buying fewer things is inherently more green. Surely there's a marginal exception there that goes against that notion, but it's essentially true.
So that's really rule number one: Make Quality Count
Think items that will last for a long time, even if you have to spend more on them. Items that will last and serve their purpose for years, perhaps decades, not months. Well-made, classic items are available in every category, fashion, tools of all sorts & outdoors gear... Electronics are a bit more difficult by nature, but in reality, with many items (cameras, mp3 players, phones) you need not upgrade as frequently as you used to and still have some eminently serviceable gear.
Digging a little deeper, we can come back to those things I just discounted: Materials, locality, fair trade. If you've reduced the amount of things you're giving, the next stage is examining the provenance of what you're giving.
That's rule number two: Provenance Matters
Whether it's organic natural fibers, recycled synthetics, wooden items made from sustainable sources, it all matters. As does the locality of the gifts -- for special gifts it may not matter as much for your everyday items, but given the choice between two comparable items, the local one should probably win out. Less transport is greener, plus the money stays in the community, building more wealth than if you send it elsewhere. Fair trade matters in a similar way.
Want to really give what is perhaps the greenest gift of them all? Forget about things all together and focus on experience. It's not a new idea, but giving the gift of tickets to an event, a night out for your family at your favorite restaurant, or something similar are all great and green. It obviously doesn't work for any situation, but it does for many.
That's the third rule: Redefine What a Gift Is
Let's face it, the average Planet Green reader has all the 'stuff' they ever need. Sure, things wear out and have to be replaced. Things break, no doubt/ But in terms of quantity, you already likely have all you truly need.
Compared to your grandparents, and certainly your great grandparents, you consume way more in the way of natural resources than they ever did. Compared to many people in this world, the average Planet Green reader emits more carbon in the first week of the year than the majority of people do in the full 365 days.
Which is all to say, whenever possible, just say no to giving physical gifts unless you can a) consume it -- everyone likes homemade baked goods, b) it's replacing something that's worn out or broken, or c) or for whatever reason the giving the gift of a good experience isn't appropriate.
Again, these are just some guidelines. There will be exceptions to all of them, and that's OK.
New Holiday Traditions
Green Gifts
How to Go Green: Gift Giving
Giving Green Gadgets: How to Choose a Techy Gift
Quick Green DIY Gift: Framed Found Images
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