Sunday, November 21, 2004
Help Earth in gift-giving
Treat those on your list to natural, recycled items
By Luanne Panarotti
For the Poughkeepsie Journal
All year long, we dutifully sort recyclables, carry home our
groceries in reusable canvas totes and buy organic produce at the
local farmers market. But when the holidays roll around, we often
throw environmentalism to the wind, perhaps unaware that there are Earth-friendly alternatives to run-of-the-mill gifts.
If the idea of ''green'' gifts conjures up images of hemp bracelets
purchased from the back of a van at a Grateful Dead show, have no
fear. Earth-friendly products cover a broad spectrum, from elegant to funky, from to practical to fanciful. As the shopping season begins
in earnest later this week, let's look at the environmental impact of
some of our purchases, and at some greener options.
Think recycled
Each year Americans drag more than 50 million tons of paper,
aluminum, glass and plastic to the proverbial curb. Buying recycled
goods creates a market for these post-consumer materials. Handblown recycled glass vases delight the eye; recycled polyethylene tubs are fantastically handy as garden totes, laundry baskets or toy bins. Reclaimed industrial materials, otherwise destined for the garbage dump, also find second lives: telephone wire is woven into vibrant baskets, and sparkplugs emerge as whimsical spiders.
Go tree-free
When choosing holiday cards and stationery, look for products with
post-consumer recycled content or, better yet, go tree-free.
Progressive mills produce paper from a variety of non-timber sources, such as hemp, reclaimed fabric, or kenaf. An annual plant related to the hibiscus, kenaf yields 3 to 5 times more fiber per acre than pine plantations, is drought tolerant, and requires little or no
fertilizer or pesticide input. Unlike trees, kenaf contains very
little lignin, the dark, glue-like substance responsible for strength
and rigidity in plants. As a result, it requires less energy and
chemicals to pulp, and needs little or no bleaching.
Made in the shade
Last year, the earth yielded more than 16 billion pounds of coffee
beans. In order to meet global demand for the steamy brew, tracts of
land have been clear cut to make room for plantations, where coffee
is grown in the full sun, and treated with pesticides and chemical
fertilizers. Scientists have found the number of bird species reduced
by half on such plantations, and the diversity of insects, plants and
other wild creatures significantly lower as well. Cultivated
traditionally, in the forest understory, shade-grown coffee helps
preserve biodiversity. With the canopy above providing habitat for
pest-eating birds and insects, and the native plants beneath adding
nutrients to the soil as they decompose, the need for pesticides and
fertilizers is significantly reduced. So buy that java-loving friend
a bag of shade-grown, organic beans (and why not tuck it into an
organic cotton string bag, with a bar of organic chocolate?)
Support sustainability
A recent report published by the World Wildlife Fund states that
people are consuming the Earth's natural resources 20 percent faster
than nature can renew them -- an imbalance causing species loss that
may lead to critical resource shortages in the future. Nowhere is
this more apparent than in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa,
where forest ecosystems are being converted to crop and grazing land to satisfy the demand for palm oil and animal products.
By purchasing gifts made from renewable forest resources -- such as
nuts, fruits and seeds, or wood harvested from well-managed forests
-- we can encourage environmentally sensitive industries. These
industries provide indigenous communities with an economic incentive to conserve their forests, rather than destroying them for farming or cattle ranching. Look for rainforest seed jewelry, or figurines carved from the nuts of the Tagua palm tree (Phytelephas
equatorialis), which mimic the look of animal ivory.
Gifts that 'walk the walk'
Don't forget gifts that are ''green'' in function, rather than
content. Snowshoes, walking sticks and books on organic gardening
encourage healthier interactions with the earth. Bird and bat houses
provide shelter and help offset habitat destruction for these natural
insect predators. Non-material gifts -- such as memberships in local,
national or international conservation organizations -- support the
environment while offering reduced admission fees, discounts in gift
shops and free publications for the recipient.
Obviously, we can't save the world with the purchase of one tagua nut figurine.
But giving and receiving green gifts makes us all a little more
conscious of the impact of our consumption, while at the same time
helping to protect the Earth's natural resources.
Invisible beside the recycled glass suncatcher or tree-free
stationery is the extra gift of awareness, and of connection to the
natural world.
This holiday season, as you head over the river and through the woods, do it bearing gifts that allow you to tread a bit more lightly on the planet.
Luanne R. Panarotti is the visitor services coordinator for the
Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook.
Green sources
Local brick and mortar shops
- The Ecology Shop at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 181 Sharon
Turnpike, Millbrook; 845-677-7600 ext. 309.
- The Phantom Gardener, 96 Route 9 N. Rhinebeck; 845-876-8606.
- The Rustic Bohemian 10 Main Street, Suite 401, New Paltz; 845-255-8731.
- Local health food stores carry a variety of green items perfect for
gift-giving.
Online shopping
- < has a directory of
companies with demonstrated commitments to social and environmental
responsibility.
- < has links to hundreds of companies with earth-friendly products.
is the Worldwatch Institute's online consumer guide.
Look for companies that:
- Are certified by organizations such as the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC), Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade Federation or
Transfair USA.
- Participate in reforestation programs such as Global ReLeaf or
Trees for the Future, which calculates a corporation's CO2 footprint,
then develops tree planting projects in sensitive areas to offset
that effect.
- Employ green practices in their operations, such as biodiesel
delivery trucks.
- Contribute a portion of their proceeds to conservation organizations.
To learn more
''The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices,'' by
Michael Brower and Warren Leon (Three Rivers Press, 1999.)
''Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things,'' by John C. Ryan and
Alan Thein Durning (Northwest Environment Watch, 1997).