2007 Holiday Gift Guide

A GREENER CHRISTMAS TREE

-Approximately 25 million-30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the nation every year.

-An acre of living Christmas trees produces the daily oxygen for 18 people.

-Eighty percent of artificial trees are manufactured in China, and most are made with PVC and other plastics, which do not biodegrade and which contain enough lead to legally require a warning label.

While there isn’t much that says Christmas like a decked out tree, every year we are saddened by the waste and loss of life that goes into the usual cut-down-and-dress-up trees that most people buy from the local parking lot. Fortunately, there are kinder and greener options for Christmas trees that really aren’t too difficult to implement at all, if you are just willing to rethink antiquated traditions and realize that the holiday spirit doesn’t need to mean going to the tree lot to chop down a tree. Every year we are frustrated to hear the same old same old ‘plastic tree’ versus ‘cut tree” debate – when the most environmentally friendly option by far is simply to get a living tree instead.

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Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies

by Piper Kujac, 12/22/07

Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies is the perfect holiday gift for those of us who are interested in green building, but need a little expert help. Admittedly, the For Dummies® books are a smart start for anyone wanting to pick up a new trade or just learn the overall basics on any particular subject. With more than 150 million books in print and over 1000 topics, this new release by Eric Corey Freed of Organic Architect may be the best evidence out there that green is mainstream.

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INHABITAT GREEN GIFT GUIDE!

by Jill Fehrenbacher and Emily Pilloton, 12/22/07

The holidays are about giving, so this year give a little something back to the planet while you are giving gifts with a little help from Inhabitat’s Green Gift Guide!

Featuring over 100 green gift ideas this year, we’ve got you covered for all your loved ones – your tots, spouses, siblings, parents, gadget-lovers, and officemates alike. All your holiday shopping can be done in a few clicks with stylish, beautifully designed green gift ideas in the following categories: Stocking Stuffers, Green Gifts Under $50, Green Gadgets, Gifts for Him, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Kids, Knit Gifts, and Gifts That Give Back

And for those of you more relaxed people who don’t want read through hundreds of gift suggestions in one sitting, we’ve broken our gift guide down into several categories for easier searching:

+ GREEN STOCKING STUFFERS

+ GREEN GIFTS UNDER $50

+ GREEN GADGET GIFTS

+ GREEN GIFTS FOR HIM

+ GREEN GIFTS FOR HER

+ GREEN GIFTS FOR KIDS

+ ECO-FRIENDLY KNIT GIFTS

+ GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK

INHABITAT GREEN GIFT GUIDE>

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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Gifts That Give Back

by Emily Pilloton, 12/19/07

It’s easy to get “wrapped up” in the holiday gift giving (and receiving) spirit. The holidays are about giving to those you love, so why not extend that tradition with one of these gifts that give back, which will benefit not just your loved ones but millions of others around the world. Here are some great choices, from trees to magazines to solar-powered flashlights – even jewelry – all of which give back to global citizens in need.

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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: For Kids

Kids love the holidays- for the cheer, the joy, the abundance of cookies, but mostly, for the gifts. This year, why not give green gifts that are healthy, educational, and eco-friendly. The little ones will love them, and you’ll feel great about giving them. Warning: excessive cuteness ahead…

GIFT GUIDE: $50 and under

$50 goes a long way with these green gifts – good for all your loved ones, they’re stylish, sustainable, and will have your recipients thanking you for months to come…

Reusable Silk Gift Wrapping by Biota Collection

The art of furoshiki gift wrapping is a time-honored, ancient tradition, and Montreal-based Posch designs has put a new twist on this eco-friendly packaging concept with its latest reusable, silk fabric Biota Collection wraps. Rid yourself of the guilt of holiday gift wrapping excess and throw-away packaging by swaddling your gifts for loved ones in these gorgeous silk squares that can be used as a stylish alternative to paper wrapping. It’s gift giving with a conscience and a flair for luxury that lasts.

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: For Her

For the ladies in your life, give the gift of eco-responsibility – wrapped up in some very fashionable apparel, jewelry, and other girly gifts.

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: For Him

Last week we launched our Inhabitat Green Gift Guide, with over 100 green gift ideas for everyone in your life. For the next couple weeks – every Monday – we are planning to publish different individual green gift guides. Last week we covered Green Gadgets and Stocking Stuffers. Today we are going to cover gifts specifically for ladies and gents. First the gents…

Here are our favorite suggestions for your brother, husband, father, son, boyfriend, or boy you have a crush on. All these gifts are sure to please the eco-conscious guy.

GIFT GUIDE: Gadgets

For the technologically-inclined greenies in your life, the best gadget gifts are those that are innovative and unique, energy efficiency, and smart. Stock up green gadget gifts this holiday season that are sure to please everyone in your family, including Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants.

GIFT GUIDE: Green Stocking Stuffers!

For a sustainable holiday filled with cheer, fill your stockings with green gifts this year! Stocking stuffers start the holidays off right; your loved ones will be happy all Christmas night. Here are some of our favorite small gifts – all of which are green, stylish, well-designed, and will fit in a stocking!

SUSTAINABLE STYLE WARM-UP: The Best Knit Gifts

It may be hard to buy gifts for certain people in your life, but you can never go wrong with knit accessories like gloves, hats and scarves. Everyone likes to keep their appendages warm in the winter: men, women, young and old – and you’ll be hard pressed to find something that will be more appreciated than a cozy scarf on chilly winter days. Happily, there are a lot of stylish and sustainable options out there in the realm of knit accessories. Here are our top picks:

GIFT GUIDE: $50 and under

$50 goes a long way with these green gifts – good for all your loved ones, they’re stylish, sustainable, and will have your recipients thanking you for months to come…