GivetheGift

ofaBetterWorld
Weresurethatyoulikeushavebeentryingto
Simplifyyourlife.Perhapsyouresimplifyingbecauseof
theeconomy.Perhapsyouresimplifyingbecauseyouve
becomeawareoftheburdenthatexcessconsumptionis
placingonourplanet,andonpeopleinthirdworldnations.
Thisholidayseason,weinviteyoutojoinusinthis
different,moremeaningfulapproach.

Unshopping Oneofthemostimportantgreen
purchasingstrategiesactuallycostsyounothing:
Beforebuyinganything,askyourself
DoIreallyneedandwantthis?CanIgetbywithout
it?
Isitmadefromrenewableornonrenewable
resources?
Isitmadeofrecycledmaterialsandisitrecyclable?
HowlongwillitlastandhowwillIdisposeofit?
Canitbemaintainedandrepaired?
CouldIborrowit,rentit,orbuyitsecondhand?
Isitoverpackaged?
IsitworththetimeIworkedtopayforitanditscost
totheenvironment?

The Tools of Transition.Makeiteasierforyour

Education:sendyourfriendtoaworkshopto
learnvaluableskillsforasurvivablefuture.
Manylocalgardensnowoffersessionsonhowto
growfood.Permacultureeducatorsofferan
integratedworldview.TaiChiandyoga
instructorsconveyskillsofbalanceandharmony
whichwilllastalifetime.

Functional Handcrafts.Ifyouenjoycrafts,make
somethingthedonorwilluseoverandover.Ahand
knittedsweater.Ahomesewnsilkpillowcase.Awooden
doorstopforthatdoorthatannoyinglyblowsclosed.All
handmadewithlove

Buy localforyourholidaydinners.Getasmuchof
yourfoodaspossiblefromfarmersmarkets,community
gardens,CommunitySupportedAgriculture(CSAs),and
urbanhomegrownfood.Freshlocalfoodtastesbetter,
fieldripenedlocalfoodisusuallymorenutritious,plusit
supportslocalfarmersthatweneedforourfuture!

recipienttojointhepathtowardfuturelifestyles.

Giveagarden:vegetableseedsorrootedclippings
fromyourowngarden.Gardentools.Foodgardening
bookslikeJohnJeavonsHowtoGrowMoreVegetables
orYanaShapirosGardeningfortheSakeoftheEarth.
GardeninghowtoguidesfromEnvironmentalChange
Makershttps://www.etsy.com/shop/ChangeMaking
Foranapartmentorcondodweller,makeitGuerras
EdibleContainerGardenandincludeaterracottapot.
Addanarticleaboutwhylocalfoodissoimportant.
Clothnapkinsorcanvasbags,toencourageReuse.
IncludeaprintoutofourarticleDispensewith
Disposables.
Giveamembershiptoalocalcommunitysupported
farm,commonlyknownasaCSA.Thisonemakesa
longlastinggiftforthewholefamily.

www.EnviroChangeMakers.org

Changeyourgiftgivingtraditions:

Perhapstheadultsinyourfamilywouldagreeto
onlygivegiftstothechildrenthisyear.

Extendedfamiliescouldgiveonegifttoeach
household(suchasaboardgame,tennisset,
museummembership,orticketstoaplay),
insteadofmultiplegiftstoeachperson.

Make a charitable donation inhonorofthe

person,ratherthangivingphysicalgiftsofconsumer
items.Werecommendthefollowingworthycauses:
HeiferInternational.Operatingontheconceptofteach
amantofish,yoursmallestdonationsgiveaflockof
geese,orashareofagoat,togetherwithtrainingin

Environmental Change-Makers

www.Change-Making.com

animalhusbandry,toaneedyfamilyinathirdworld
country.www.heifer.org
EcologyAction.Yourdonationhelpseducatecommunity
organizersfromleastdevelopednationsinsustainablemini
farminghowtogrowhealthyfoodfortheirpeoplewhile
savingtheworldsresources.www.growbiointensive.org
TreePeople.YoucanplantatreeinL.A.surbanforestin
honorofyourlovedone.Aswellasbeautifyingour
environment,treeshelpcounteracttheeffectsofglobal
warming.www.treepeople.org
Localcauses.Perhapsthereisagroupinyourlocal
neighborhoodthatistryingtobuildacommunitygarden,
ortryingtoraiseawarenessoftheneedtotransitionour
lifestyles.

www.EnviroChangeMakers.org

SUSTAINABLE GIFT WRAPPING

Makeyourownwrappingpapernewspaper
withpaintedorcrayoneddesignsonit.Tiewith
naturaljutetwineorgrassesyouvecollectedand
dried.Addasprigofpine,rosemary,holly,toyon
orhollyberries.(ideathankstoEcoHome
Network)

TryFuroshikitraditionalJapanesepackage
wrappingusesREUSEABLEclothratherthan
singleusepaper.Useabandannaorathriftstore
tablecloth.Thesecret:thewrapmustbesquare;a
rectanglewon'twork.

Environmental Change-Makers

www.Change-Making.com