Giving the gift of green

We all love receiving gifts, especially for big celebrations like a wedding or the birth of a baby! Believe me, I use every gift we have received for these occasions with absolute glee and appreciation...

But in the event that you have all that you need and still need to register for gifts, head to the Alternative Gift Registry, where you can help the green movement by opting for non-material gifts, secondhand wares, homemade treasures, and earth-friendly products. While making selections from the site directly, you may also list your own ideas of gifts you'd like (a massage from your professional masseuse friend!) or link to a green product you have been wanting.

A page on the site that I found particularly relevant and genius was the Ways to Have Fun without a Mountain of Toys page. I LOVE their idea to make a child sized bowling alley out of toilet roll canisters and a ball of aluminum foil! I also love the simple, yet often overlooked idea of having a bin of old clothes, hats and shoes around for your children to play dress up.

Another favorite from my childhood was to use sheets and chairs and string to build a giant, tented fort. Why was it that I could spend hours in my room if I was just under a canopy?

This imaginative site is a treasure trove of green ideas and forward thinking. Check it out for your next gifted event!