Forget “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” this holiday shopping season — make your holiday green.
Purchasing locally-produced and/or ecologically responsible holiday gifts not only supports local and emerging sustainable businesses, but it is also a means of educating the gift recipients about fun alternatives to traditional big-box shopping.
Try GCBL’s green holiday list before setting out for the strip mall this year. You may find the perfect gift without ever having to suffer the crowed aisles and long lines that have come to define December shopping. Or you can redefine the holidays by giving gifts of charitable donations.
Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy Gift Baskets
Give the gift of local food. Each food basket includes a hand-picked selection of breakfast foods from Northeast Ohio farmers and artisan producers. A CVCC gift basket supports the Countryside Conservancy and local farmers.
All Basket orders and payments MUST be received by Friday, December 8. Baskets will be available for pick up on Tuesday, December 12, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy, 2179 Everett Rd. Peninsula.Call 330-657-2178 or email kmoore@cvcountryside.org to order. (Delivery in most areas of Cuyahoga and Summit County can be arranged for an additional fee.)
Deluxe Basket for $60: Roasted Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancake Mix, Ohio Maple Syrup, Granola, Locally Made Jam, Locally Roasted, Certified-Organic, Fairly-Traded Coffee, Spiced Mint Tea, Farm Fresh Ohio Apples, and a copy of the Countryside Harvest Guide.
Breakfast Basics Basket for $30: Roasted Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancake Mix, Ohio Maple Syrup, Locally Roasted, Certified-Organic, Fairly-Traded Coffee, Farm Fresh Ohio Apples, and a copy of the Countryside Harvest Guide.
Ohio Maple Syrup
Add locally-produced maple syrup to a gift basket or send it to a relative who moved out of town to remind them of what they are missing. There is no substitute for Ohio Maple syrup and it is truly one of Ohio's best exports.
Everything by Local Artists at Heights Arts
Shop at the Heights Arts Holiday Store on Lee Road and support art in the community. The Holiday Store has art, crafts, books and CDs by 100 Heights artists, writers, and musicians. Holiday Store hours:Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday - Saturdays from 12 to 9 p.m. Closed Mondays (Special holiday hours: December 24: 1 to 4 p.m., Closed December 25)
Lehman’s Holiday Store
Lehman’s has served the local Amish and other non-electricity loving Ohioans for decades. Lehman’s goal is to preserve historical technology for future generations and to provide authentic, historical products to those seeking a simpler life and has an array of unique and hard-to-find gifts.
eBeeHoney.com
For Ohio honey, raw honey and honey bee hive products direct from a beekeeping family. eBeeHoney.com offers honey, raw honey, comb honey, Royal Jelly, bee propolis, beeswax, bee pollen, a variety of beeswax products, and honey favors. Also order personalized honey favors like personalized 1.5 and 4 oz lip balm and body cream. Shoppers can choose clover honey or wildflower honey and some folks even choose different favors. There is a minimum order of 30 favors.
Coit Road Farmer's Market
A source of locally-produce goodies, including a fantastic selection of spices, honey, maple syrup, apples and other produce, baked goods, handmade soap, and other items. They'll have organically grown meat on December 16th, the day of the Toys for Tots programs. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. year round (though sometimes closed as early as 1:00 p.m. in the winter).
Check out other local stores with Cool Cleveland’s 2006 Holiday Buying Guide
Alternatives to traditional holiday accessories
Keep that holiday spirt all year and for years to come with a replantable Christmas tree. Country Pine Tree Farm offers a small selection of live trees for replanting. (8280 West 3rd Street, New Lebanon, OH 45345, call: 937-835-3464) Hours: 9 to 5 p.m. daily.
Ten Thousand Villages
If you cringe at the sight of watching varnished, coated, non-organic wrapping paper going directly into a massive trash bag after the flurry of present opening like us, you should check out some gift wrap alternatives like the ones at Ten Thousand Villages (there are two locations: 2254 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115 or 19321 Detroit Road, Rocky River, OH 44116)
Gift-buying events
All in One Night, All in One Place at MOCA
Wednesday, December 6 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Head to MOCA for an evening of cocktails and fashion show featuring designs by There-She-Goes, Horst Couture and other local brands. Attendees can also peruse an eclectic assemblage of accessories and jewelry by local artisans and artists. Don't forget to tour the galleries and take in the art on view and check out ARTspace, MOCA's very own gift store.
Tickets are $10 with a $2 rebate if you enter the voucher code MOCA when you register online at www.CRAVEcleveland.com/holiday2006.htm . As and added bonus, a portion of the proceeds benefits MOCA's exhibitions and programming.
Holiday Green Gift Fair at Mustard Seed Market
Make a positive impact with your holiday shopping dollars by purchasing unique gifts that support a healthy planet and our regional economy at Mustard Seed Market. The Mustard Seed Market and ecokiss décor and gifts will host its inaugural Holiday Green Gift Fair at two locations this December.
Friday, December 8, from 10 am to 4 pm at Montrose (Call 330-666-7333 – Montrose)
Saturday, December 9, from 10 am to 4 pm at Solon (Call 440-519-3663 – Solon)
Other green gift links
Cool Cleveland local holiday buying guide
Redefine Christmas — Ideas for giving to charities instead of giving more stuff.
Mercado Global — Making a difference never looked so good as when you buy fairly-traded goods from this nonprofit group.
Ideal Bite – Try this site to find everything from organic cotton, green cleaning products and sustainable gift baskets.
Tree Hugger – One of our favorite sites for everything green, Tree Hugger is a great source for green technology, furniture and a really cool clothes you won't find anywhere else.
Heifer International – Nothing prevents the feeling of over-commercialization or superficiality that the season can bring like Heifer International. This organization provides the gift that keeps on giving by allowing you to purchase a variety of livestock or other sustainable products to be sent in your name or a loved-one's name to a part of the world where it will make a profound difference in a family's life.
Eco-artware – This website has some of the most creative re-use of computer, typewriter equipment, vinyl records and beach glass. Check out the old street-sign wreath for a new twist on a traditional decoration.
New England Cartographics – These geolopes are the ultimate in recycled paper. This company is using old maps to make unique and sustainable stationery and envelopes.
