Socially Conscious & Environmentally Friendly Gift Ideas

gift memberships/sponsorships/"adoptions" are minimally packaged, unique (who needs another sweater or another chocolate fountain?) and pro environment (because they either pertain to the environment or because they come without a lot of packaging and wrapping--such as voice lessons! lala).

(some of these places/organizations could probably be put in more than one catagory)


PLACES

the morton arboretum
http://www.mortonarb.org/main.taf?p=0

membership or sponsorship to a local wildlife preserve

membership or tickets to a museum or planetarium


PEOPLE

usa for unhcr (un refugees)
http://www.aiddarfur.org/site/c.ntJ2IeMTLuG/b.2257329/k.BF09/Home.htm?msource=h1002(aid darfur)
http://www.aiddarfur.org/site/c.ntJ2IeMTLuG/b.2257329/k.BF09/Home.htm?msource=h1002

america's second harvest
http://www.secondharvest.org/
https://secure2.convio.net/a2h/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=1560&1560.donation=form1&s_subsrc=homepagelink&JServSessionIdr012=s5kwpes762.app5b

oxfam
http://www.oxfam.org/en/
http://www.oxfam.org/en/donate/

amnesty international
http://www.amnesty.org/
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/donate_now

care
https://my.care.org/05/170820440000/?qp_source=170760460000

doctors without borders
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/

democratic underground
http://www.democraticunderground.com/
http://www.democraticunderground.com/donate.html

make a wish foundation
http://www.wish.org/
http://www.wish.org/help/donate


ANIMALS

the elephant sanctuary
http://www.elephants.com/sanct.htm
http://www.elephants.com/estore/views.php?cat=6^21&sub_link=membership&desc=Membership%20and%20Donations&menu_oid=6
http://www.elephants.com/estore/views.php?cat=6^21&sub_link=membership&desc=Membership%20and%20Donations&menu_oid=6

a local animal shelter

defenders of wildlife
http://www.defenders.org/index.php
https://secure.defenders.org/site/Ecommerce?store_id=5381&VIEW_HOMEPAGE=true&FOLDER=0&TYPE=&NAME=&s_src=WIY08WDADOPT&s_subsrc=WIY08WDADOPT_web&JServSessionIdr009=4j2dbqsi21.app27a

humane society
http://www.hsus.org/
https://secure.hsus.org/01/hiphiphumane

doris day animal league
http://www.ddal.org/help/

world wildlife fund
http://wwf.org/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/
https://secure.worldwildlife.org/forms/giftmem_1.cfm

audubon society
https://loon.audubon.org/payment/donate/CDGFT.html

national wildlife federation
http://www.nwf.org/
(adopt) https://online.nwf.org/site/Ecommerce/?store_id=1641&s_src=nwfnav&s_subsrc=donate
(join) https://online.nwf.org/site/Donation2?1081.donation=form1&df_id=1081

CARD CARRYING MEMBERSHIPS

ACLU
http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FJ_donationhome

union of concerned scientists
http://www.ucsusa.org/
https://secure.ga3.org/03/make_a_donation?qp_source=wacucs%5fhomedb

southern poverty law center
http://www.splcenter.org/
https://secure.splcenter.org/donate/online/online.jsp

greenpeace
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/
https://secureusa.greenpeace.org/securedonate/index.php?from=sitenav
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/

peta
http://www.peta.org/
http://www.petacatalog.com/peta/buynow/gift55.asp?code=G99

the sierra club
http://www.sierraclub.org/
https://ww2.sierraclub.org/membership/gift/


NATURE

the nature conservancy
http://www.nature.org/
rescue the reef: http://support.nature.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rescuethereef_hgg
adopt an acre of rainforest: https://support.nature.org/site/Donation2?2560.donation=form1&df_id=2560
gift membership:
http://support.nature.org/site/PageServer?pagename=giftmembership_hgg

the ocean conservancy
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=join_giftmemberships

rainforest alliance
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/
(adopt a rainforest) https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/aar/donate.cfm?CFID=676988&CFTOKEN=65707313

earth justice
http://www.earthjustice.org/
https://secure.ga3.org/02/supportus

wilderness society
http://www.wilderness.org/
http://www.wilderness.org/JoinAndDonate/otherways.cfm

environmental defense
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm
https://donate.environmentaldefense.org/01/aaw00aa001

national arbor day foundation
http://www.arborday.org/
(rainforest rescue) http://www.arborday.org/programs/rainforest/
(replanting fire ravaged areas) http://www.arborday.org/shopping/donations/OrderFire.cfm
(katrina tree recovery) http://www.arborday.org/takeaction/katrina/index.cfm
(other) http://www.arborday.org/getinvolved/

nrdc natural resources defense council
http://www.nrdc.org/default.asp
(membership) https://secure.nrdconline.org/08/nrdc_giftmembership


THE ARTS

americans for the arts
http://www.artsusa.org/
(membership) https://ww2.americansforthearts.org/secure/Registration/donations/gift/

tickets to a play
tickets to the ballet
tickets to a concert
music lessons
voice lessons


here is an organization that will send your money on to a project you select and give you a card insert that describes your selected project and says something to the effect of: a donation has bene made in your honor
http://www.alternativegifts.org/

so if you think everyone has enough "stuff" and want to get a present for someone that will go on to be a gift somewhere else as well (a doublt present!) check out some of the links.

if you're going to give a kid an animal "adoption" maybe include a book about the animal to help them learn more about it.
:D