As the holidays approach and another year comes to a close, many of us will be celebrating with family and friends. If you are participating in the exchange of gifts, we encourage you to consider gifting with a green perspective this holiday season. Here is a list of five ways to give green gifts and show your appreciation or admiration for family, friends, and the health of our planet.
Support Charlie’s Mission to Make Canada Greener
You might be wondering, who’s Charlie? Charlie is a seven-year-old from Vankleek Hill, ON. In celebration of Earth Day this year, Charlie made a promise to plant 10 trees in his community every year! It’s truly inspiring to see someone so young care so much for his community, its wildlife, and its future.
Are you inspired to help make Canada greener just like Charlie? This holiday season, consider one extra gift, a gift to Charlie, to yourself – and for generations of Canadians to come! Give the gift of a greener future with a donation to support Charlie’s mission to make Canada greener.
Organize a Celebration Planting
Who doesn’t love an excuse to get together with friends for a good cause? Celebration plantings are a great way to bring your closest friends, neighbours, or family together for a group tree-planting activity and leave a lasting positive social and environmental impact in your community.
Reach out to Tree Canada to get more information about planning a celebration planting event for the upcoming planting season this spring.
Mindful gifting
As organizations continue to prioritize corporate responsibility and their efforts to be more sustainable, it has become more common for businesses and merchants to partner with environmental organizations, like Tree Canada, wherein a charitable donation is made with every purchase, click or download of a specified product.
If your gift recipient has made a holiday wish list, take the time to find merchants that have established partnerships with an environmental organization to support their efforts to give back to environmental initiatives like tree planting!
Give an outdoor experience
Whether you live on the coast, in a rural town or urban city, getting outside during the winter season can be full of joy, adventure and a breath of fresh air – all without needing any gift wrap!
Get familiar with the parks, trails and winter activities happening in your community and plan a day for you and a friend! Whether it’s going snowshoeing, skiing, building snowmen or a walk-through town with a thermos full of hot chocolate in hand, gifting outdoor experiences – to a friend or to yourself – is often a budget-friendly way to spend time with loved ones or practice self-care, while renewing your appreciation for nature!
Thrifty Finds and Upcycled Goods
We get it, sometimes it is fun to go shopping to find the perfect gift for the next person on your list. If you enjoy the search, hit up your local thrift stores, or online buy-sell and buy-nothing communities, to gift something that has been gently or barely used and give it a second life! From home décor to books, movies or games there are lots of great options out there.
Alternatively, if you enjoy getting crafty, why not make a project out of the gift-giving tradition! Upcycle old furniture and picture frames with a fresh coat of paint or personalize picture clothing and throw blankets by stitching a special message.
Let It Be a Green Holiday Season
However you celebrate this season, we encourage you to be mindful of the impact your gifts and celebrations will have on the environment. We hope you all have a very green holiday season!
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