By: Sarah Zitin

Eco-friendly gifts for a green holiday are the order of the day! Do you believe that the holidays are already right around the corner? Now’s the time to start thinking about the gifts you buy for your family, friends and others. Check out our sustainable marketplace!

Don’t like to actually go shopping with crowds of people who are frantically buying and searching for the right gift? Shop online at our eco-friendly marketplace which offers a wide variety of stuff from pet collars to baby toys to health and beauty, fashion and items for the home – all in one place!

Why shop eco? The time is now to commit to reversing climate change to  more carbon-neutral options. For those of you who think we have plenty of time to get it right, we don’t. There are so many indications of why this is so crucial at this time in our history.

I don’t want to be a downer around the holidays, but these are examples of life outside of our little bubble. Scientists from around the world have stated that we have until 2030 before the effects of climate change may do more damage than previously anticipated. If you look at what’s going on around you, it appears as if we have less time than that.

Here are six causes of climate change:

• Greenhouse Gases
• Absorption of the Sun’s Energy
• Changes in the Earth’s Orbit 
• Variations in Solar Activity
• Changes in the Earth’s Reflectivity
• Volcanic Activity
• Changes in Naturally Occurring Carbon Dioxide Concentrations.

Humans are increasingly influencing the climate and the temperature by burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests and farming livestock. This adds  tremendous amounts of greenhouse gases to those naturally occurring in the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect and global warming.

In addition, climate change affects human health through more extreme weather conditions and wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, decreased air quality, and diseases transmitted by insects, food, and water. 

Scientists have predicted that long-term effects of climate change will include:

• Decrease in sea ice and an increase in permafrost thawing
• Increase in heat and heavy precipitation
• Decreased water resources in dryer regions
• Methane gasses from inside the ocean shelf are permeating the atmosphere and creating more environmental pollution and toxins.
• Climate change may aggravate erosion
• Decline in organic matter, salinization
• Soil biodiversity loss
• Landslides
• Desertification
• Flooding.
• The effect of climate change on soil carbon storage can be related to changing atmospheric CO2 concentrations
• Increased temperatures
• Changing precipitation patterns

Trapped heat disrupts many of the systems in our environment. Climate change affects human health by making our air less healthy to breathe. Higher temperatures lead to an increase in allergens and toxic air pollutants.

*Below are some of the regional impacts of global change forecast by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change:

• North America: Decreasing snowpack in the western mountains; 5-20 percent increase in yields of rain-fed agriculture in some regions; increased frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves in cities that currently experience them.
• Latin America: Gradual replacement of tropical forest by savannah in eastern Amazonia; risk of significant biodiversity loss through species extinction in many tropical areas; significant changes in water availability for human consumption, agriculture and energy generation.
• Europe: Increased risk of inland flash floods; more frequent coastal flooding and increased erosion from storms and sea level rise; glacial retreat in mountainous areas; reduced snow cover and winter tourism; extensive species losses; reductions of crop productivity in southern Europe.
• Africa: By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress; yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50 percent in some regions by 2020; agricultural production, including access to food, may be severely compromised.
• Asia: Freshwater availability projected to decrease in Central, South, East and Southeast Asia by the 2050s; coastal areas will be at risk due to increased flooding; death rate from disease associated with floods and droughts expected to rise in some regions.

*USGS – Science for a Changing World

If that isn’t enough to convince you, think about your childrens’ future. They deserve to breathe clean air, have healthy lungs, have a future that they can rely on for their own children, and much more. There are so many ways to shop that don’t impact the environment and don’t compromise our eco-friendly values. 

Women’s Watch – Classic Women’s Vegan leather watches. This cruelty-free watch was designed for the fashion-conscious minimalist. Sophisticated and fashionable, perfect for day or night. We have a collection of colors to choose from. The perfect gift for your wife or girlfriend!

Men’s Watch – This watch is glamorous, elegant  and cruelty free. Beautiful square designs with vegan leather straps, available in 16 combinations. This vegan watch can be worn in any setting, with any outfit, the perfect vegan watch for day or night.

Sunglasses – These retro-round Ebony Wood frames are accentuated with charming brown colored tones and designed with a gold metal double bar bridge. Lovely with dark gray lenses, these lightweight shades are the perfect pair for a fashion-forward look all year round! Optimized with Polarized lenses to eliminate reflective glare.

Water Bottle – Reusable Water Bottle, Leak Proof Portable Water Tumbler with Lid, Insulated Tumblers Made from Natural Wheat Husk, 14 oz. Comes in different colors, too. The perfect gift for gym-users, travelers and everyone else. 

Puzzle – Everyone loves puzzles! For kids, adults and everyone in between. Size: 450 pieces, Puzzle dimensions: 18 x 14 inches, Box dimensions: 5.6 x 5.6 x 6.4 inches. Each puzzle comes in a reusable glass jar and includes a tube of puzzle glue, a straight-edge tool to spread the glue and a print of the art to follow.

Doll Diversity – This adorable doll for your girl or boy is an organic baby soft doll toy and is one of our bestsellers. She or he is a handmade rag doll and has a soft and squishy body. This is the perfect soft doll for children who need a soothing doll or for those looking for comfort. The perfect gift for teaching your children about diversity and inclusion!

Features: Soft body doll with plush hair, embroidered facial features.

Age Recommendation: 0+ months

Safety Standards: This product complies with European EN71, US ASTM F963 Standards. Please ensure that all packaging, attachments, and fasteners are removed before giving this item to your child.

Dog Chew –  Power Chewers: This ultra-durable nylon toy in the shape of corn on the cob is designed to withstand even the most aggressive chewers. This toy helps keep your dog entertained. Reduces Problem Behaviors: Reduces problem chewing, helps reduce boredom, and relieves separation anxiety. Peanut Butter Holder: Smear peanut butter into the cavities on the back of the toy to give your dog a treat. Fresh Breath:  This toy helps keep your dog’s teeth clean and breath smelling fresh. One Size Fits All.

Recover Creams – A hemp-infused discovery box in travel sizes for your all-day skin hydration, with a signature fragrance to uplift your day.

Inside the gift package: jojoba oil lightweight body lotion, botanical body oil, shea butter body butter, Vitamin E infused menthol balm, Himalayan pink bath salt with natural fragrance, and a free gift of shea butter lip balm.

Clean Makeup – Certified Gluten free, Vegan, Paraben Free.

Colors:

• Belgian Chocolate – dark brown matte
• Jet Set – black matte
• Smoking Gun – steel gray charcoal with a hint of sparkle
• Blue Jeans – deep navy blue matte
• Passion – deep smokey plum matte
• Envy – deep olive/army green matte

These are only a few of the eco-friendly gifts that are available to you and your loved ones. With so many quality, healthy, eco-conscious and fabulous gift items, why not shop green and make the planet safer and healthier for your children and their children! All sentient beings will thank you and the Earth will be a friendlier place in which to live.