Stephanie Posterizes The Cloud

 
Tags


Filed under

gifts

 
February 3, 2009

Do you know about Heifer International?

Below is some info and a link to the website - but the basic premise (and i'm sure some heifer international branding czar out there will hate me for this grossly oversimplified explanation) is that someone can give a small gift (starting around $20 for a flock of geese) to subsidize a farmer, and eventually a community of farmers (as those original geese make many babies!).


--> Rather than giving one time shopping bags full of consumables, you are contributing to an ongoing means of food production: meat, eggs, milk, etc. Heifer is an excellent gift for family, friends, colleagues, etc.

http://www.heifer.org/

Heifer's Mission to End Hunger

Heifer envisions…
A world of communities living together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet.

Heifer's mission is…
To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth.

Heifer's strategy is…
To "pass on the gift." As people share their animals' offspring with others – along with their knowledge, resources, and skills – an expanding network of hope, dignity, and self-reliance is created that reaches around the globe.

Heifer's History
This simple idea of giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief caught on and has continued for over 60 years. Today, millions of families in 128 countries have been given the gifts of self-reliance and hope.

Loading mentions Retweet
Filed under  //   farming   funding   gifts   shopping   social change  

Comments [0]

December 5, 2008

Special Edition from the Brooklyn Green team.

I absolutely could not keep this tops list of holiday gift ideas to myself! Enjoyenjoyenjoy!


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brooklyn Green Team
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Subject: Special Edition

Season's Greetings from Brooklyn Green Team!

We'll get right to it. We've been crunching the numbers, checking it twice, and we've come up with some suggestions for your earth-friendly gift giving this year...

The tangible gifts

Give a subscription to Good [magazine]. Trust us, it rules. Plus 100% of the price goes to a non-profit of your choice (from their list) and the printing is green and the content is terrific. 

How about a suite of eco-friendly cleaning products? Support local and pick them out at Go Green on Atlantic Ave.
 
Eco Puzzle's bright, friendly-looking wooden puzzles come in many colors and shapes – cars, dinosaurs, turtles, hippopotami…you get the idea.  They are made from recycled chipboard and are hand-painted using non-profit acrylic paint.  Order Online or mosey on over to the Union Square Holiday Market. 

Green Goods Technology makes phone chargers, sirens, flashlights, radio, massagers, and stuff for the tech geek in your life.  Products are made with recycled materials and charged manually through a hand crank or solar cells.  Order Online or visit the Union Square Holiday Market.  

In these tough economic times the gift of good foods may be the best gift of all. Purchase a gift certificate from your local health food store or organic market. Back to The Land in Park Slope and Whole Foods offer gift certificates.

The 20 oz./.6 liter "I Bottle My Own" water bottle is an emblem of Riverkeeper's Take Back the Tap New York campaign. Made from #304 food-grade stainless steel, it comes in blue, aqua, red and silver. 

Everyone in this city deserves an umbrella. Totes' model is made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles, bamboo, and 70% recycled materials. You can find it at your nearest Target.

Vintage Signage on Atlantic Ave sells old subway signs, Coca-Cola advertisements, and anything you could think of. What a great gift (which is second-hand and requires no carbon to make) to give a friend who has more than they need already!  Vintage Signage is located at 334 Atlantic (between Hoyt and Smith). 917.608.0787

Ginga Jewelry is a line of jewelry inspired by, and consisting of the shapes, designs and metals of small bicycle parts.  These pieces emphasize the importance of cycling as an alternative form of transportation as well as a reusable source of material.
 
Talented? Make art.
 
One Word: Etsy

Experiences

Gifts you can put on a shelf are great, but memberships and donations and experiences can give endless satisfaction (at least for one year).
Here are some suggestions:

Animals. A membership to the Wildlife Conservation Society includes a full year of FREE admission to the world-renowned Bronx Zoo, NY Aquarium, and Central Park, Queens, and Prospect Park Zoos, and supports conservation projects around the globe. 

Nature. Visit the American Public Gardens Association to find gardens and arboretums where you can purchase gift memberships for friends wherever they live in the U.S. Hint - you might find one in Brooklyn or New York. 

Flight. Help your loved one face their fear of heights while they fly through the air at the New York Trapeze School.  Trust me, from a successful flier, it is an unforgettable gift! 

There are also the big guys who are fighting the big fight, such as Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, NRDC, StopGlobalWarming.org  and Mr. Gore's We Can Solve It

Or give to these local organizations:
What about Plant-It 2020? Founded by John Denver, this foundation plants, maintains and protects as many indigenous trees as possible worldwide. It costs $1 per tree (of course you should plant many trees) and they plant here in New York State.

Heifer International builds sustainable communities with the goal of ending world hunger and caring for the earth.  Give a gift that helps children and families around the world receive training and become self-reliant.

Redefine Christmas is a site dedicated to changing the way we look at gift giving and receiving. It's all about taking money we usually spend on gifts and creating gifts of charity that give in multiple ways, to the receiver, the giver, and people who truly need.

Make and can your own jam: buy local fruits (apples and pears are still in season) at your greenmarket, buy canning jars at a local hardware or cooking store and get to work.  PickYourOwn.org has all of the answers to your questions.

Or as one sappy green team member suggests...give yourself! (a bow would help)


Other people's ideas...
The Daily Green's Gift Guide.  Greenopia helps you find green spots in NYC (or other cities). Coop America gift guide .

Visit our blog for green superheroes, eco-challenges, and green news and events

P.S. - Join Brooklyn Green Team tonight and next Thursday for the Snowflake Celebration! This buy local campaign is brought to you by the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce and encourages residents to support their local shops by keeping them open late both these nights and offering great discounts. We will be selling official Buy in Brooklyn reusable travel mugs and signing folks up for the Bring Your Own Mug Challenge. We'll be parked in front of the Park Slope Food Coop on Union Street between 6th and 7th Avenues from 6:30 - 8:30. See you there. 

P.P.S - Join our partner GreenEdge Collaborative NYC for their 2nd annual holiday bash at Rebar on December 20th at 8pm. Should be a great event. Buy Tix Online for $8 or at the door for $10.

Loading mentions Retweet
Filed under  //   art   environment   gifts   nyc   social change  

Comments [0]