Better Presents for a Better Future
It's almost inevitable: every year, we manage to get some sort of ridiculous candle/sock/body lotion/bath kit holiday gift medley. Why does this continually happen, when there are plenty of gifts worth being good for? Like, say, a Philips Eco FlatTV? (We're salivating.)
83% of American adults said that they receive unwanted gifts during the holidays. At 400 billion dollars in spending each season, that's a holiday #fail with a $330 billion price tag. But what if that massive buying power could be used for good? We could solve the clean water crisis multiple times over! To that end, we put together a little wishlist that will make the future (and your holidays) a little brighter. It's time to change the world, one gift at a time.
1.) Hope Equity Micro-endowment // Hope Equity invests the money you donate into an endowment, which means that you get to give away the returns again and again. Give the gift that keeps on giving -- literally.
2.) The FEED Foundation's FEED HEAL+H backpack // Buy a bag and the same style, filled with medical supplies, will be sent to community health workers in Africa's Millennium Villages to support underprivileged communities in the region.
3.) Charity Water Thermos Hydration Bottle // Made from beautifully designed stainless steel, these Thermos water bottles show off the facts about the issues behind clean water access; each bottle purchased gives two people safe drinking water for 20 years. Get an eco-friendly bottle with a lot to say and give the gift of clean water this holiday.
4.) Baking for Good Oven-baked Treats // Mmm... Gingerbread, peppermint brownies, and sea salt caramels with a donation on top. Baking for Good donates a portion of all profits from their delicious home-baked goodies to the charity of your choice.
5.) tranSglass® Vase // A collaboration between Artecnica and Aid to Artisans, these designs by Emma Woffenden and Tord Boontje’s are made from recycled material with the help of Guatemalan craftsmen. Part of the permanent collection of MoMA, nothing says "classy" like socially conscious design.
6.) Better World Books Reading Materials // Books are always awesome, but now they can be even better. Get that must-read through Better World Books, and the profits go to support literacy programs, book drives, and diverting books from landfills by finding them new homes. To sweeten an already delicious pot, the free shipping is carbon offset.
7.) The Organic Wine Company membership // Um, wine club membership? Yes, please. Now you can make it organic to boot!
8.) Cleanup Soaps // Dangerously sudsy, these soaps are designed by Parsons alum Hideaki Matsui, who fashioned the soaps after landmines to raise awareness about the global landmine crisis. Opening the package is a metaphor for the de-mining process. Proceeds from the soaps benefit landmine removal and survivor assistance worldwide.
9.) Vittana Education Loan Certificate // Give the gift of education for the holidays through student loan gift certificates. (We wish they had had these when we went to school!)
10.) Slow Food membership // Like food that makes the world a better place? Get that Slow Food membership and receive discounts on tasty events and delectable publications. Yum.
