Think outside the Gift Box! Celebrate the Sustainable Way

by Jacqui Bauer, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Bloomington

The holidays don’t have to be a celebration of overconsumption!   Below are a few no- or low-material gift ideas that will make anyone’s Christmas a happy one—and support the economy at the same time.

1) The personalized song. For $5, you assemble a silly or romantic song for a friend, spouse or relative. www.instasong.com
2) Recycled stuff. From local art (like www.moesache.com and www.twistedlimbpaper.com) to snazzy home décor (www.globalgiftsindy.com), there are all sorts of ideas for people who like the idea of closing the loop.
3) Fix something loved that’s broken. www.fixitclub.com/
4) Buy them a home energy audit (http://www.gnnbloomington.com/?page_id=677), or a simple weatherization kit (weatherstripping, foam draft-stoppers for switchplates and outlets, etc.), and start them on the path to perpetual savings on their utility bills.
5) Sponsor a membership in a non-profit organization, especially one like www.catalogchoice.org, which will remove your loved one’s name from junk mail lists as a membership perk.
6) Plant a tree in their honor. Try the Bloomington Tree Fund. http://bloomington.in.gov/street-trees-and-landscaping
7) Regift. Everybody’s doing it. There is no shame in finding loving homes for underappreciated gifts.
8) Tickets to something. A play, a movie or a performance at one of our lovely local venues. Make it a package with a gift certificate for dinner.
9) Sponsor or subsidize their membership in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program (www.localgrowers.org/CSA.html), and provide support for local farms at the same time.
10) A gift certificate for a massage, a dance lesson or a pottery class. Try Downtown Bloomington gift certificates, good at dozens of participating downtown merchants.  www.downtownbloomington.com/giftcertificates.html

Your challenge? Think outside the gift box—you can both support the local economy and minimize holiday consumption. What better way to celebrate the season of peace and giving?