Green, Sustainable, Fair Trade Holiday Gift-Giving Ideas

Whatever your religious views, if you participate in any holiday gift-giving or gift exchanges, why not consider giving green, eco-friendly, fair trade gifts this holiday season? Here gift-giving ideas from companies committed to using renewable, sustainable resources. It makes good sense and good cents to buy green, fair trade gifts made from recycled and renewable resources. Supporting local artisans, small business, cooperatives, cottage industries and fair trade endeavors celebrates the real meaning of any holiday: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa.

The Hunger Site (click here) I've been a loyal supporter of this worldwide endeavor for over four years. The Hunger Site Store is maintained by Charity USA.com (click here) also called Greatergood.com. These cooperatives maintain The Hunger Site, The Breast Cancer Site, The Literacy Site, The Child Health Site, The Rain Forest Site and The Animal Rescue Site. Each of these sites is linked as a tab on The Hunger Site and each site can be accessed from the other. These sites feature daily 'Click to Give' links, in which advertisers donate food, medical supplies and support in exchange for advertising. The Hunger Site Store features products from all six sites. I've linked to the Fair Trade Store, as I want all my gift-giving to support fair trade initiatives around the world.

Global Girlfriend: Partnering with The Hunger Site is Global Girlfriend which empowers mothers and women around the world in cottage industries. The great thing about fair trade goods is that they are also eco-friendly, green and made from recycled or renewable resources like bamboo. I have purchased Trashy Chic jewelry and handbags made from recycled rice bags, billboards, computer motherboards, tires and scrap fabric.

Serrv.org (click here) Another favorite shopping site, Serrv.org sales can be organized in homes, communities and churches to benefit fair trade initiatives around the world.

World of Good Ebay (click here) This site combines the buying and selling power of Ebay with fair trade goods. Explore their store today for exciting fair trade goods.

Fair Indigo (click here) Check out all the lovely 'green' eco-friendly fair trade clothing on this site: baby clothing, children's products, adult clothing and accessories. Beautifully made, fairly traded.

From these listed vendors, you can buy fair trade chocolate, coffee, decorations, clothing, baskets, purses, bean project foods, scarves, bags, journals, jewelry, herbal soaps, dishes, glasses, pottery, bath and body products, gifts, furniture, decor, housewares and much more. The prices are very fair, shipping is reasonable and every gift purchased donates money also. I give these gifts proudly and enclose a note explaining how fair trade works. Think how good it feels to help a young Nepalese girl avoid being sold into indentured servitude or to help a family in Darfur start a family business, or help struggling cholera victims in Haiti. You are buying items that you would normally buy anyway. Only this time, you dollar is helping families not supporting slave labor. Once you go global fair trade, you never look back.