Holiday Gifts That Keep On Giving
This holiday season; consider giving a gift to friends, family and co-workers that will last the whole year through... plants!Among your many options:
- House plants with particular air-purifying qualities, like pathos, philodendron and spider plants.
- Miniature azaleas, rose bushes, hibiscus, Christmas cactus or holly.
- A set of seed packets for the vegetable or flower garden.
- A gift certificate for plants or seeds from a gardening supply catalogue or shop.
- Landscape plants native to your region of the country.
- A basketful of tulip, daffodil and crocus bulbs.
Wrap It Up!
How about these options for wrapping your presents this year?
- The Sunday color comics, especially for kids!
- Wrap made from recycled papers, now widely available in card shops and eco-catalogues.
- Large scarves, colorful handkerchiefs, or towels (they can be part of the present).
- Baskets with bows or reusable tins.
Go Live!
Why not consider planting a living tree for the holidays?- Choose a healthy tree whose roots are balled and wrapped in burlap.
- Keep the tree outside until you're ready to bring it in for decoration.
- Make sure the tree remains well-watered.
- Keep the tree inside for no more than a week.
- Transplant the tree into a hole prepared before the ground froze.
- Plant the tree with plenty of organic matter; mulch and water well.
Remember: If you opt for the traditional tree instead of a live one, make sure to recycle it when the holiday is over.
- Put the tree in a corner of your backyard, where it can become habitat for squirrels, birds, and other local wildlife.
- Trim off the branches and use them for mulch under acid-loving bushes and shrubs.
- Participate in local tree recycling programs.
- Chop the tree trunk into pieces that can be converted into firewood.
Other Festive Tips...
- Recycle last year's cards into this year's gift tags. Use serrated scissors to cut the front of the card into appealing shapes and sizes.
- Make sure this year's cards are made from recycled paper.
- Put E-mail to work and send paper-free electronic greeting cards.
Dressing Right For Mother Nature
Now you can dress like you really care for the earth - by buying clothing made from fibers produced with few or no pesticides.- Organic cotton clothing includes t-shirts, blouses, stockings, and sweaters. Some organic cottons require little or no dyeing because they grow in pale colors, such as green, brown and white.
- Fabric made from fast-growing, low-impact hemp is being used in gloves, jackets, shoes and sandals, among many other fashion mainstays and accessories.
- Energy-saving recycled polyester is being made into pullovers, jackets, vests, and footwear.
Stop the Paper Chase
Can't see the forests because all the trees are being cut down to make paper? Then you'll be happy to learn that a growing number of companies are producing "tree-free" paper alternatives. Here are some ingredients to look for the next time you buy stationery, envelopes, notepads, or folders:- Post-Consumer Waste. "Post-consumer waste" is the paper you throw out or recycle. Buying paper made from a high percentage of post-consumer waste helps reduce the number of trees needed to make paper "from scratch." It also saves energy and keeps paper out of the landfill.
- Hemp. Hemp produces its own natural pesticide, and grows so quickly it produces twice as much fiber per acre as pine.
- Note: Hemp was originally banned in the United States because it comes from the same botanical species as marijuana (even though it cannot be smoked). Paper, clothing, and other materials made from hemp are increasingly available from many manufacturers in the U.S.; hemp continues to be grown in several countries around the world.
- Kenaf. Kenaf, a cousin to the cotton plant, uses 15-25% less energy than pine to make pulp.
- Bamboo. This fast-growing grass produces 4 to 5 times the fiber of the fastest-growing commercial tree species.
- Agri-Pulp. Agri-pulp combines agricultural waste along with post-consumer waste to make paper.
- Cotton. Another new paper option is made from organically grown cotton that grows in several colors, including green, brown, and white.
It takes 60 percent less energy to manufacture paper from recycled stock
than from virgin materials. 