Green Gifts

Green Gift-Giving Tips

Give Memories, Not Stuff.

Tickets, season passes, memberships, gift certificates and other experiences provide memories they’ll cherish. If you’re not sure what they’d like, check their social media for clues about their interests and aspirations (or just ask).

• Fremont Peak Observatory Association
• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Yosemite Annual Pass
• County Parks Annual Day Use Pass
• California State Park Annual Day Use Pass
• Monterey Museum of Art
• National Steinbeck Center
• Elkhorn Slough Gift Membership
• Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum
• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
• Santa Cruz Warriors
• Monterey Bay FC
• Music Concerts
• Sporting Events
• Symphony
• Opera
• Theater
• Observatory/Planetarium
• Ski/Snowboarding Pass
• Whale Watching
• Kayaking Tour of the Bay
• Cinema / Theater
• Art Gallery/Museum
• Natural History or Cultural Museum
• Cultural Festival
• Gym/Fitness Center/Health Club

Give the Gift of Time and Energy

Spend a day together on an epic adventure, or provide a service to make their day!

• Picnic with a view
• Biking excursion
• Plan an outing at a beach, park, or museum
• Take a hike or camping trip
• Go bird watching
• Volunteer together with a local community group
• Try a new sport or activity for the first time – what’s on their bucket list?
• Share an evening watching the sunset
• Offer a service gift (cleaning, cooking, babysitting, etc.)
• Make them dinner, breakfast in bed, or bake something special

Give Gift Certificates!

Certificates reflecting a person’s interests or everyday needs can be a perfect way to ensure your gift is as useful as it is gracious.

• For kids, start a savings account or give stocks or bonds. It’s fun to watch money grow and it teaches children the value of financial conservation.
• Local Coffee House
• Gardening Store/Nursery
• Favorite Restaurant or Delivery App
• Music Store or Online Media
• Earth-Friendly Products Store
• Book Store/ Used Book Store
• Grocery/Specialty Foods Store
• Art Supplies
• Ice Cream Shop
• Sporting Goods/Outdoor Store
• Hardware Store
• Car Servicing
• Car Washes
• Prepaid Gasoline Cards
• Dancing Lessons
• Martial Arts /Self Defense Training
• Tai Chi/Yoga/Meditation Classes
• Scuba Diving/Snorkeling Lessons
• Gardening/Landscaping Workshop
• Vocational Training Workshop
• Professional Workshop
• Massage/Hot Spring
• Art Class (Painting, Photography, Ceramics, etc.)
• Cooking Class
• Music Lessons (Instrument/Singing)
• Writing/Poetry Course
• Computer Training

For the things that you just can’t resist, Buy Recycled!

• Always look for products that are made from Post-Consumer Recycled Content or that can be reused, recycled or repaired for long-term sustainability.
• Consider products that address other environmental or social sustainability, such as Fair Trade practices, organic farming, or donating proceeds.

Donate

• Donating to a charity in someone’s name shows not only your care for someone, but also your recognition of the values they cherish in their own lives.
• In the spirit of giving, donate used items in good condition to local reuse organizations.

Reuse to Prevent Waste

• Give gifts that encourage others to use less stuff, like reusable shopping bags and reusable cups. For the coffee enthusiast, give a reusable thermal mug, and include a pound of their favorite beans, or a gift card to their local coffee house.
• When you buy electronic toys and other portable items that require batteries, buy rechargeable batteries to go with them.
• Give something you’ve made yourself from reused items, like repurposing a unique item (like a teacup or seashell) as a container for succulents. Be thoughtful about their hobbies and interests.
• Reuse packing cartons and shipping materials such as peanuts, wood shavings, shredded newspaper and bubble wrap.

Do Away with Wrapping Paper

• Repurpose newspaper, magazines, posters or textiles (cloth napkin, towel, scarf, pillowcase) to wrap your gift.
• For the even more adventurous, have your gift go naked! Hide unwrapped presents in the house and create a gift hunt using clues.
• Think of gifts that don’t have to be wrapped at all: tickets to concerts, museums, or sporting events, gift certificates, house plants, or gifts of time together.
• When giving oversized gifts like bicycles, just tie a bow around them.
• Kids’ artwork is a perfect wrapping for presents to proud grandparents.
• Use brown paper grocery bags to wrap small-to-medium size boxes that have to be mailed.
• Make the wrap a part of the gift: Putting cookies or baking ingredients in a mixing bowl, wrapping bubble bath in a towel, or hiding jewelry in a new pair of gloves will keep your gift under wraps and the wrapping out of the trash.

Recycle

• Wrapping paper (not foil, or cellophane type paper) and some packaging like cardboard and paperboard, can be recycled in your Curbside Recycling Bin.
• Remove excess tape and bows (save bows for reuse).
• Recycle those holiday cards, excess magazines, catalogues, paper and cardboard.
• When you get or give new electronics, recycle your old electronic items properly.

Save for Next Time

• Set aside gift boxes, intact wrapping paper, gift tissue paper and bows.  Save wrapping items and reuse them for future holidays, birthdays and parties.
• Reuse shipping materials.