Green gifts, a contest winner and more to win!
First and foremost, the first winner of my book contest is kap22. I'm still waiting to hear back from kap22 so I can send the winner Jill Lambert's A Good Catch - a book I'm sure anyone would enjoy. So, please respond to my e-mail kap22!!
Don't worry, there are still two weeks left in my book contest and two copies of A Good Catch to give away. Just sign up to receive my Green Living blog in your e-mail inbox, and you'll be eligible to win. All you have to do is click on the word e-mail under the icon at the top left side of this page (it looks like this 
). Good luck!
Now, onto my list of green gifts! Every Friday until Christmas, I'm going to recommend some green gifts you can either put on your wish list or give to a loved one.
Every year my family and our very close friends do a secret Santa gift exchange on Boxing Day, and each year it has a broad theme. This year's stipulation is that it has to have an "environmental connection" - very loosey goosey, I know. I'm not going to tell you who I have (it's a secret!), but I've decided to get my secret Santa a Bloembox Butterfly Habitat Garden. This pretty box contains a plantable seed ribbon that will eventually add a wonderful splash of colour to any garden. Plant the 15 foot biodegradable seed ribon in spring and watch them bloom into beautiful Orange Cosmos, Dahlia Flowered Zinnia, and Annual Phlox – inviting the butterflies over for a backyard party! Plus, the box is really pretty and can be reused for other things umpteen times. If your interested in checking out what else Bloembox has to offer (they also have bumblebee and hummingbird habitats), visit www.olivebarn.com.
What green gifts are you giving, or asking for, this holiday season?
December 5th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I am making seed packets from my garden for annuals and perennials that I grow. These will be put into lovely little seeds packets like you get in the stores, but customized for the recipient. They are an easy gift to make and one that any green thumb or not so green thumb will have fun with. I will also be using recycled cookie tins to contain the seed packets. Inside I will include growing instructions and some photocopied (short) articles from some of my favorite magazines (with proper accredition given), so my friends will know where they can get more information if they want it!
December 10th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
For my nephews this holiday season I will be adopting a grizzly bear and a cougar to help support The Land Conservancy of BC.
When you adopt an animal for someone you love, the “new parent” will receive: a cuddly plush toy, a personalized adoption certificate, and a fun, informative booklet explaining how this symbolic adoption will help save the animal’s habitat in B.C.
Habitat protection is the key to ensuring the long-term survival of B.C.’s wildlife. Protecting special places – like the spectacular natural areas where B.C.’s grizzly bears and cougars make their homes – is what The Land Conservancy does. Your adoption will help them to continue protecting key habitat areas for these animals, like the Fort Shepherd Conservancy Area near Trail, B.C.
December 11th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
hey so i really wanted to get everyone on my list a green gift that was cool and that they would appriciate fully. i decided to go online to find the best ideas and shop for said gifts - saving on gas and stress both. my favourite place to pick up green gifts is http://www.sweetguides.ca they have some great ideas to keep gifts green as well as some great sales to keep online shopping cost effective as well.
December 11th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Thanks for all of these wonderful ideas!
December 14th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Your recent contest winner suggested food baskets of locally grown food (great idea), here is another Christmas gift solution that can work well for groups on your list. My Dad has been living in a Community Care Centre for the past few years and my Mother always looks for ways to say thank you to the hard working staff who look after these fragile and sometimes challenging folks. Christmas plants are lovely but the residence receives them anyway; chocolates are yummy but some staff are watching their weight so my mother always chooses a huge basket of red and green crisp eating apples from a local orchard, adds a bow or other decorations and brings it in for all the staff to enjoy on their breaks. For good measure, she also packs in a tin of her famous home made fudge!