Green & Frugal Holiday Tips from Natural Wildlife Federation

Use recycled holiday paper, DIY paper and LED lights. Those are a few of the green & frugal holiday tips & gift ideas from the Natural Wildlife Federation. Here's the list:


"Green Holiday Tips:

Christmas Trees and Lights Buy an organic, locally grown Christmas tree. Trees provide habitat for wildlife and absorb carbon dioxide while they are growing. A better idea is buy a living tree in a pot, plant it and enjoy it for years. New generations of affordable and stylish LED holiday lights are safe and use less energy than ever.

Save Paper Holiday cards and wrapping paper are two paper-heavy holiday traditions. Green your holiday this year by using cards and wrapping paper made out of recycled materials. Get the kids to make your own wrapping paper or cards. Have some fun and use recycled paper decorated with colorful holiday stamps, stickers or freehand designs for a personal touch.

Entertaining Make your holiday party earth-friendly by serving organic and locally produced foods. Visit local farmer's markets or natural grocery store for heritage breed turkeys, or really have an impact by going totally vegetarian for the holiday.

Holiday Decorating Buy an ornament and a portion of the cost goes to wildlife conservation or to plant a tree. That’s a simple way to “green” your tree. Don’t forget about the classics like popcorn, cranberries and ginger bread men to give your tree a nature friendly, homey and nostalgic look.

Nature Friendly Gift Ideas: (my disclaimer: some of these gift ideas are great, with obvious links to nwf.org's product line. Use your own judgment. Shop around or DIY, but the concepts are great.)

Bird Houses and Feeders: These inexpensive gifts add personality to any yard and give wildlife a place to call home. Or how about a “do-it-yourself” family project like homemade edible ornaments that will make your yard look festive and feed the birds at the same time?

Wild Birds Unlimited has a great product line and is an enthusiastic supporter of NWF’s Green Hour project.


Organic, Sustainable and Free Trade Products: From coffee and wine to wreaths and flowers, many programs deliver “green” and environmentally friendly products.


Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' National Wildlife Blend is a fair-trade organic coffee that helps protect migratory bird habitat by using shade grown coffee beans. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters offers coffee, sweet treats, gift baskets, brewer systems.


Frugal options: go to the Health food store or an organic farm and makde a DIY basket of organic products. Buy sale products or special promotions.

Organic Bouquet is the premiere floral resource for holiday wreaths. Organic Bouquet offers the finest floral gifts sourced from growers that are committed to the highest social and environmental standards. Each bouquet in the collection is hand selected and shipped fresh from the farm, ensuring optimal product quality upon delivery.

Carivintas Winery's Natures Wine Club collection celebrates the natural beauty and diversity of nature. Bottled from environmental-friendly vineyards.

Magazine Subscriptions for Kids Get the kids away from the video games with engaging magazines like NWF’s classic, award winning Ranger Rick . It’s fun and interactive just like Wild Animal Baby and Your Big Backyard for the younger kids.
Unplug the kids and get them connected to nature! ( http://www.rangerrick.org/ )

Adopt Wildlife or Wild Places From polar bears to sea turtles, symbolic adoptions offer gift givers and recipients the knowledge that the donations are being used to help protect imperiled wildlife and habitat across America. Check out the Adoption Center.

Experience Nature Technology can help you experience nature too. Take the new Identiflyer on a nature hike to identify the calls of 216 birds and frogs. For the less tech savvy, NWF field guides are a traditional way to connect with nature.


Recycled Products From fashions to tableware to yard art, there is new life from what was once headed to the land fill. Recycline’s Preserve line offers a host of green gifts for everyone on your list. The new Preserve Kitchen line includes: recycled plastic cutting boards, colanders, and food storage containers.

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