Last Minute Green Gifts

Last minute green gifts require no wrapping paper!

Christmas is just days away… have you been waiting to finish your holiday shopping until the final moments?  If so, you’re not alone.  But no need to despair, fight crowds and traffic and worry about unused presents.  Here is the Peachy Green guide to last minute green gifts.  By donating to a special cause in your recipient’s name, you can both feel good about helping the environment and not adding to consumer waste.

Here, in no particular order are the top 5 last minute green gifts:

1.  Heifer International.  I first found out about this organization through my in-laws.  Each year they buy a sheep in the names of my children (all four of them), which goes to help a family in need in South America.  Be as generous as you want, and pick the animal of your choosing – gifts range from $30-$250 and up!

2.  Buy an acre of Amazon Rain forest.  Talk about a gift that is worth far more than the asking price!  For the mere cost of $15 (this is not a typo!) through Conservation International, you can protect an acre of rain forest from clearing.  Save animal habitats and help combat global warming.  Did you know that the clearing of tropical forests has a greater environmental impact that the operation of all cars, trucks and planes in the world?  That is truly frightening!

3.  Adopt a Polar Bear.  This one is especially near and dear to my heart, after having researched and written about the mighty bears who are now threatened species due to shrinking polar ice caps.  Through worldwildlife.org (WWF), you can contribute $50-$250 to the conservation of the polar bear.  You’ll even get a cute, plush toy to remind you of the generous environmental donation.

4.  Plant a tree in your recipient’s name.  Treepeople.com are the creative minds behind this unique, last minute green gift.  Spend between $25-$100 and receive a gift certificate for your loved one, good for a city tree or trees, to help the urban ecosystem.

5.  Donate to the Nature Conservancy.  This option gives you the greatest flexibility with price and environmental causes.  For as little as $10, you can make a donation to save coral reefs, help plant a billion trees in Brazil, or adopt an acre in Las Californias.

There are many worthy environmental organizations that are worth your donation.  Make this an especially special holiday season and a green New Year in 2009.  Choose one of these last minute green gifts and take a (carbon) load off your mind.

Happy Holidays!