Gifts of Experiences - Green Holiday Gift Guide 2009

Instead of giving more stuff that clutters up the house, give gifts your loved ones can experience. Maybe you can enjoy the gift together.

Year of Seeds $80 Why it's green: A plant does double-duty as present and air purifier. The Year of Seeds includes 12 different seed packets and 12 pots to grow them in, so your loved one can experience 12 months of clean air. Recommended by: TreeHugger
U.S. National Parks Pass $80 per year Why it's green: Open up a world of travel options with the gift of an annual pass from the National Parks Service. This grants admission to all the national parks and recreational lands for an entire year. Recommended by: The Daily Green

Fandango Bucks $10 and up Why it's green: Friends and family can enjoy an outing to the movies instead of adding another once-watched DVD to the shelf. Recommended by: Green Picks
Audible.com Subscription $15 per month Why it's green: It’s fun to listen to digital audio books during a commute or road trip. No need to worry about losing, scratching, or storing CDs, plus there’s no packaging to get rid of. Recommended by: Green Picks

Yoga Classes Varies Why it's green: Yoga is a healthy low-impact exercise that’s good for all ages. Taking yoga classes is the perfect way to recover from all the stress of the holidays. Recommended by: Green Picks
Zipcar Gift Certificate $50 and up Why it's green: Cars are expensive to own, and they pollute, as we all know. Leasing a car when one needs it saves money, our health, and the planet. Recommended by: NRDC Simple Steps

41 Pounds Subscription $41 Why it's green: Who doesn’t want to get less junk mail? Each person spends about 70 hours a year dealing with it. Minimizing junk mail saves trees and resources. Plus, $15 of this subscription goes to a nonprofit organization of your choice. Recommended by: Green Picks
Cooking Classes Varies Why it's green: Cooking meals from scratch helps us appreciate fresh ingredients and reminds us to slow down and enjoy our food. Help someone learn to cook a new style of cuisine or brush up on old skills at one of Sur La Table's 25 locations across the U.S. Recommended by: Green Picks

Massage Gift Certificate Varies Why it's green: For relaxation or pain relief, massage is a natural and effective option. Pamper someone special with an hour of healing bodywork, and you'll get a big "thank you." Look for a licensed therapist who's a member of the American Massage Therapy Association. Recommended by: Green Picks
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Subscription $20 per delivery and up Why it's green: Joining a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, means investing in a local farm then sharing in the bounty. Members get regular deliveries of seasonal produce. A pre-paid subscription makes a wonderful gift for next growing season. Recommended by: TreeHugger

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