By installing even just a few of these products, you can be assured that your carbon footprint will dramatically reduce and you won’t only feel better in yourself, you’ll notice the difference in cleaner air and less pollution. It’s not just about reusable bags (although that’s it, too). It’s about buying smartly so you get more for your money, and contribute less to the Earth living longer.

Wait; did we say ‘more for your money’? If helping the world in which you live is not incentive enough, then surely saving a penny is. By purchasing eco products, many times what you buy will not only last longer, but they can be reused (as in the case of reusable bags, such as canvas or string bags). Energy saving light bulbs will last longer, cost less to run, and won’t harm the environment as they operate. ‘Green ink’ will last longer as it is designed to use less as it prints, plus it is less damaging to the environment when the paper it’s on is thrown out (although hopefully you’d first think about printing an email, and perhaps putting it in the recycle bin when you are done with it, if you do print it).

So, now you’ve decided to get on board and do your bit. Good for you! But there is more you can do, without spending that much more. Ethical products ensure that whatever you’re buying is sourced or manufactured in areas free from slave labour, where the workers are paid a fair wage for a fair day’s work. Chocolate that has been made using cocoa beans from countries where children don’t work to gather them will taste better, and if you want to actively purchase products from countries where the people want to create the items, then there are stores that enable you to do so. Not only will you be buying something free from slave labour, you’ll be supporting the workers and supporting the communities they live in.

It’s easy to contribute to a better world, and it costs very little. The rewards, however, are great. What’s stopping you?

As you head into the new year, it’s a great opportunity to evaluate just how eco-friendly you are and make changes to maximise your green potential. Recycling is something we can all be part of with very little effort, and that goes for giving gifts too.

Why buy recycled gifts?

We’re all familiar with recycling to a certain extent as two thirds of people now separate their recyclable waste into green bins. The latest recycling figures show a growing trend for more eco-friendly waste disposal. In the last five years the amount of rubbish sent for recycling has doubled with a staggering 33.8 million tonnes recycled since 2003. In terms of financial value, that’s £1.1 billion worth of materials reclaimed and £1.8 billion saved from sending waste to tips.

This is the start of the recycling process, but recycling isn’t just about one process, it’s a series of them. To fully recycle, we must buy the products that have been produced using the materials that we’ve made the effort to recycle in the first place. This is known as the ‘recycling loop’.

To ensure there’s a future for recycling, there must be a market for recycled products. So, when you’re shopping for goods, whether it be household or gifts, why not buy the products you’ve helped to produce and complete the loop. And when you’re done with them, send them off to be recycled again.

Recycled gift ideas for 2010

Christmas may be done and dusted but there’s usually someone in your life with something to celebrate so here are a few great recycled gifts you could consider giving.

Vinyl is dead and there’s an awful lot being sent to landfill so why not give the music lover in your life these great coasters, bookends and bowls which are made using genuine vinyl records.

Vinyl Coasters – Pack of 6	Small Vinyl Bowl – Made from a single	Small Vinyl Bookends – Pair – Made from Singles

In the past year, the UK recycled 3.3 billion aluminium cans and over two billion glass wine bottles. Why not complete the ‘recycling loop’ and buy recycled jewellery that uses recycled aluminium or glass.

Recycled Glass Bracelet – Green	Preeti Bead Bracelet

Recycled paper produces 73% less air pollution than if it was made from raw materials so buy recycled stationery. For example, these notebooks are perfect for kids to use at school or for adults to use around the house.

Eden Project A5 Notebook – Lime	Skinny Notebook – Home Sweet Home

What to look for when buying an ethical gift

Ethical gifts are receiving some welcome publicity and this has had a positive impact on sales. It’s becoming increasingly easier to find a retailer who sells ethical products but the internet is still the best place to begin your search. Online shops such as Green Tulip offer a wide range of gifts plus a commitment to customers that all their products are ethically sourced from suppliers who have not exploited people, animals or the environment during the production process. Where possible, local or national suppliers are used to reduce distribution miles and keep carbon emissions to a minimum.

Ethical greeting cards for a newborn baby

A greetings card is usually the first thing to be sent to a new parent and child. While the high street card shops are the first port of call for many people, all too often you end up buying the same card as someone else and one that hasn’t got green credentials (namely not made from recycled or sustainable paper).

For something eco-friendly and unique, this Fairtrade Baby Greeting Card is produced from sustainable paper with a lambs wool comfort blanket attached. The blanket has a free-hand embroidery of child drawings making each card individual – just like the baby it’s intended for.

Noonoo Card with Tiny Comfort Blanket

Eco-friendly baby gifts

All parents hope their newborn baby will get plenty of sleep and this product may help give them sweet dreams. The Dream Fairy is a lovely gift to hang over a baby’s cot and is produced by a Fairtrade supplier in Southern India who gives a large proportion of any profits to the welfare, health and education of local communities.

Dream Fairy

The same supplier also makes this wonderful Guardian Angel that comes complete in a presentation box and a message of comfort and protection.

Guardian Angel

And to make baby feel safe and comfortable during their first days at home, how about this comfort blanket made from ‘early years’ lambs wool. This is the purest wool available because the lambs are not dipped in any pesticides or chemicals until reaching 30 months of age. The blanket has hand stitched embroidery providing lots of textures for baby to touch and fiddle with.

Noonoo Bug-gy Mini Comfort Blanket

An ethical baby gift doesn’t just have to be for baby. Indulge mother and child with some luxurious toiletries from the Jo Woods Organics range.

Tula Gift Set: Body Mousse & Body Cream