The holidays are here! What exactly would be the perfect gift for mom and dad? What about those friends who have stuck to you like jelly since junior high? How do you shower gifts of appreciation for these people in your life without encouraging unsustainable consumption? For this holiday season, consider these earth-friendly, creative gift ideas for both the mildly green and extremely green-minded people in your life.

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• The Jewelry Bedazzler – Does one of your parents or friends just love to accessorize? Well, give the gift of Can Can Earrings or your fave piece of jewelry made of recycled material. In the Can Can’s case, the materials were made from a recycled garbanzo beans can. It was made in Brooklyn, NY and is available from one of our favorite eco boutiques, BTC Elements $24.
• The Photo Framer – I think we’ve all given someone a photo frame for some occasion, but have any of them been made from a recycled bike chain? This one is made in Oregon and available at  uncommmongoods.com, ($32 – $38).

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• The Bag Lover - Check out eco-artware.com for an assortment of cool items made from recycled materials. This website offers ecofriendly mini bags, a sports pouch made from a recycled rice sack, a variety of tote bags, and some wonderfully patterned reusable bags for both men and women! Prices vary from $15 to $215. The colorful tote above is made of recycled juice containers ($59).
• The Holiday Ornament Lover – Eco-artware also has a cool selection of ornaments and holiday wreaths, including this leaf-patterned wreath made of recycled cardboard; $38.

Finally, after all your planet-friendly fun gifts have been bought, be sure to check out their tips for sustainable gift wrapping. Happy Holidays!

Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat -  this lovely primitive piece of art looks a little more like a salmon than a trout.

The rustic piece of art is entitled ‘Rainbow Trout’ and has been created, cut and framed from discarded shipping pallets. The pieces of the fish were cut by hand and stained with earth friendly milk paint. The frame was stained and sealed with a danish oil finish. A great gift your favorite fisherman, or woman.

Created by artist Beth Anderson and sold at her RepurposedonPurpose Etsy shop.

• Industries may reduce their carbon footprint…Can ‘Carbon Ranching’ Offset Emissions in Calif.? – npr
• Cockerell’s bumblebee- catch the buzz…Rarest Bumblebee in the US Rediscovered – livescience
• Political corruption is a global phenomenon…Brazil Senate OKs Easing of Rules to Limit Amazon Deforestation – msnbc
• Great headline…NASA Telescope Confirms Alien Planet in Habitable Zone – yahoo! news
• These glaciers have lost 25% of their area over the last 40 years…French Alpine Glaciers in Retreat – bbc
• Not in Florida…High-Speed Rail Networks See Global Expansion – worldwatch institute