Give Water-friendly Gifts this Holiday Season
Tired of the annual holiday shopping scramble for stuff nobody needs?
Here's the perfect alternative that's convenient, meaningful and
socially beneficial: water-friendly gifts.
"Celebrate the holidays using waste-reducing practices and giving 'green'
gifts that can help keep our waters blue," says Sue Jones, Watershed
Management Coordinator with the Dane County Office of Lakes and Watersheds.
"Consumption is highest during the winter holidays, a good time to focus
on simplifying and saving money, reducing consumption and educating
people about all the energy impacts," says Rebecca Grossberg, Environmental
Action Teams (EnAct) program manager for Madison Environmental Group.
"Green holidays are part of setting an example and living an environmentally
responsible lifestyle." The EnAct program brings neighbors together to support
each other in taking practical steps to reduce their environmental footprint.
Green holidays are creative and affordable. They celebrate the natural world,
reduce waste, conserve energy and water, and encourage environmental awareness.
The Dane County Office of Lakes and Watersheds offers the following water-friendly gift ideas:
- For a thoughtful last-minute gift for the person who needs nothing,
give a membership to their local conservation or "friends" group.
These volunteer groups work throughout the year to maintain the health of
our natural resources and make significant contributions. Visit
http://www.danewaters.com/resource/WatershedMap.aspx
and click on "watershed locator tool" to learn what watershed in Dane County
your gift recipient lives in. Then click on "watershed associations,
friends groups and other natural resource groups" to find organizations
that work in that area.
- Gifts to help people experience the outdoors (the best way to get them to care
about our lands and waters), such as a new bike helmet or a certificate
for a comprehensive bicycle tune-up at the local shop; gift coupon for
ice skates or ski rental; gift certificate for a kayak or canoe rental
from your favorite paddle shop; or a voucher for a guided hike or wilderness
trip.
- Gift certificate to a native plant nursery, or for plants to start a rain garden.
- Rain barrel to collect rainwater for your garden (available locally from the
Upper Sugar River Watershed Association at 437-7707).
- A share in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm that produces wonderful
organic vegetables in a way that's friendly to our lands and waters.
An extensive list of other green gift ideas and information on EnAct teams are available at www.enactwi.org.
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