Make Christmas 'greener' with these eco-friendly gift ideas

Many have someone on their Christmas list who already has everything what about a gift that could make a difference to P.E.I.'s environment?

• In Montreal, a zero-waste Christmas is easier than you think

• Oulton family donates P.E.I. land to Nature Conservancy of Canada

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is hoping eco-minded shoppers will consider its annual Gifts of Canadian Nature program.

"It's an alternate gift-giving program or green gifts, so to speak," said Andrew Hollandwith the Nature Conservancy in the Atlantic region.

"People can symbolically purchase an acre of habitat or protect natural spaces for various species at risk in the country."

The group's gifts start at $40 and can be purchased online.

"If you buy the gift, you get a charitable tax receipt," said Holland, while the recipient gets three things: a 2018 Nature Conservancy calendar, a species booklet and a certificate certifying habitat has been purchased in their name.

In the past 15 years, the program has raised almost $3 million for the Conservancy and its projects across the country.

"It's a win-win-win situation," Holland said.

The Conservancy has acquired more than about 2,100 acres on P.E.I. to date and is currently working on two P.E.I. projects in Abrams Village and Howe Bay, P.E.I. that require about $15,000 to complete, Holland said.

"We're always looking to try and conserve special places on P.E.I. whether it's rare forests or key salt marshes," he said.

More green gift ideas

The Island Nature Trust, which also acquires land to protect wildlife habitat on P.E.I., also has an easy online donation button.

Some other ideas for eco-gifting:

• Seeds or other gardening supplies from a local supplies store like Veseys, Van Kampen's, orDoiron's.
• Reusable shopping bags.
• Reusable water bottle Kleen Kanteen and S'Well are good-quality options.
• Gift card forrecycled goods retailer such as Value Village or an antique/vintage shop like Riverview Antiques or Coulson's Antiques in Summerside.
• Tree pod rental in the P.E.I. woods.
• Book on how to fix things, such as the Reader's Digest Fix-It-Yourself Manual or The Art of Fixing Things
• $20 micro-course on how to pare down your closet to a capsule wardrobe.
• Spend time going for a walk or a coffee with someone.

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