Pretty Little Green Things

I’m starting this series of meaningful and creative holiday gift ideas with charitable donations.  What better way to show you really understand someone than by supporting something that’s important to them.  I’ve gathered a list of sixteen pretty amazing green, fair-trade and social causes (I couldn’t narrow down these good causes anymore than that).  There are plenty of other charities out there for just about every interest or cause so if you don’t see something perfect here for someone on your list, do a quick google search for your loved one’s favorite activity.

Green Building/Environmental Causes

• Architecture for Humanity: A non-profit design firm that taps into more than 40,000 professionals willing to lend design services for global projects that most need it.  Their members have done extensive work rebuilding New Orleans as well as projects throughout Africa, India & areas affected by the tsunami of 2004.
• Charity: Water: A non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.  Why donate?  Because one in eight people doesn’t have access to clean water, and that’s a scary fact.  But $20 can provide one person with clean water for 20 years.
• Green for All: This organization is working towards a clean energy economy throughout the United States by partnering with businesses, government & grassroots organizations to increase awareness, create jobs and develop green policies.  Their goal is two fold: to create a healthier environment as well as more domestic jobs.
• Global Green USA: This is the United States arm of Green Cross International.  Their mission is to fight global climate change through green affordable housing initiatives, National Green Schools Initiative, national and regional green building policies, advocacy and education.
• Nature Conservancy: The leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.  Their Plant A Billion Trees campaign is working to bring the Atlantic Forest back from the brink of destruction by planting a billion trees by 2015.  You can help them plant one tree for one dollar.
• Garden Harvest: Has two farms of 105 acres with a goal to alleviate hunger & improve nutrition of this country’s economically disadvantaged citizens.  With only volunteer help, Garden Harvest grows and donates produces to over 100 shelters and food kitchens throughout Maryland.  They also have an education program that trains youth sustainable agriculture procedures.
• Natural Resources Defense Council: The NRDC is an environmental action group with 1.3 million members and a mission to “safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals and the natural systems on which all life depends.”  You can give a membership as a gift to your loved ones.

Microfinance & Social Charities

• Kiva: “Kiva’s mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty.”  This microfinance organization was borne out of the belief that impoverished people with an entrepreneurial spirit are highly motivated and just need a bit of help to get started.  As a lender, you can pick a specific business you’d like to give money to and follow them as they grow.  This charity is especially great for kids to teach them the basics of finance and the realities of worldwide poverty.  You will receive your payment back when the loan is repaid, which you can then use to lend to another business.
• Microplace: Similar to Kiva, although your donation is pooled with others, which means that you can’t follow a specific business.  You will, however, earn interest on your loan and then give even more next time around (should you decide to continue donating that is).  Microplace is associated with eBay & Paypal.
• Women’s Microfinance Initiative: Also similar to Kiva, but this charity loans only to women and so far only in Uganda.  They believe that by supporting impoverished women, it’s possible to raise their standard of living and help their entire family rise out of poverty.  Your donation is not returned but after being paid back stays with the organization and continues to work for other women.
• The Girl Effect: I don’t think I could have summed up their mission any better – “If you want to end poverty and help the developing world, the best thing you can do is invest time, energy, and funding into adolescent girls. It’s called the Girl Effect, because girls are uniquely capable of investing in their communities and making the world better.”  I firmly believe that girls in these communities are the future and deserve all the help we can give them.
• NextAid: I may be a bit biased about this NextAid because a good friend has been an integral part of the organization, but I can tell you firsthand what a worthy cause it is.  NextAid’s mission is to ”improve the lives of children, youth, and women in Africa by promoting and implementing sustainable solutions.”  These solutions have included small scale sustainable building projects, community causes, health care education and much more.

Animals & Farms

• Heifer International: This non-profit donates livestock to disadvantaged families throughout the world with a goal to alleviate poverty and hunger by providing self-reliance.  And as most of the livestock produce offspring, it’s truly a gift that keeps on giving.  With your donation, you can sponsor a specific of animal or goal.
• Farm Sanctuary: With farms in both New York & California, Farm Sanctuary works to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living.
• World Wildlife Fund: The WWF has been around for more than 45 years and is the world’s leading conservation organization.  They work to protect natural areas and by 2020 will conserve 19 of the world’s most important natural places, such as rain forests, coral reefs & endangered animals.
• North Shore Animal League: They are the world’s largest no-kill companion animal rescue and adoption organization.  Although located in New York, North Shore Animal League rescues animals and provides education throughout the country.  To date they have saved almost one million lives.

I’m starting this series of meaningful and creative holiday gift ideas with charitable donations.  What better way to show you really understand someone than by supporting something that’s important to them.  I’ve gathered a list of sixteen pretty amazing green, fair-trade and social causes (I couldn’t narrow down these good causes anymore than that).  There are plenty of other charities out there for just about every interest or cause so if you don’t see something perfect here for someone on your list, do a quick google search for your loved one’s favorite activity.

Green Building/Environmental Causes

• Architecture for Humanity: A non-profit design firm that taps into more than 40,000 professionals willing to lend design services for global projects that most need it.  Their members have done extensive work rebuilding New Orleans as well as projects throughout Africa, India & areas affected by the tsunami of 2004.
• Charity: Water: A non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.  Why donate?  Because one in eight people doesn’t have access to clean water, and that’s a scary fact.  But $20 can provide one person with clean water for 20 years.
• Green for All: This organization is working towards a clean energy economy throughout the United States by partnering with businesses, government & grassroots organizations to increase awareness, create jobs and develop green policies.  Their goal is two fold: to create a healthier environment as well as more domestic jobs.
• Global Green USA: This is the United States arm of Green Cross International.  Their mission is to fight global climate change through green affordable housing initiatives, National Green Schools Initiative, national and regional green building policies, advocacy and education.
• Nature Conservancy: The leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.  Their Plant A Billion Trees campaign is working to bring the Atlantic Forest back from the brink of destruction by planting a billion trees by 2015.  You can help them plant one tree for one dollar.
• Garden Harvest: Has two farms of 105 acres with a goal to alleviate hunger & improve nutrition of this country’s economically disadvantaged citizens.  With only volunteer help, Garden Harvest grows and donates produces to over 100 shelters and food kitchens throughout Maryland.  They also have an education program that trains youth sustainable agriculture procedures.
• Natural Resources Defense Council: The NRDC is an environmental action group with 1.3 million members and a mission to “safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals and the natural systems on which all life depends.”  You can give a membership as a gift to your loved ones.

Microfinance & Social Charities

• Kiva: “Kiva’s mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty.”  This microfinance organization was borne out of the belief that impoverished people with an entrepreneurial spirit are highly motivated and just need a bit of help to get started.  As a lender, you can pick a specific business you’d like to give money to and follow them as they grow.  This charity is especially great for kids to teach them the basics of finance and the realities of worldwide poverty.  You will receive your payment back when the loan is repaid, which you can then use to lend to another business.
• Microplace: Similar to Kiva, although your donation is pooled with others, which means that you can’t follow a specific business.  You will, however, earn interest on your loan and then give even more next time around (should you decide to continue donating that is).  Microplace is associated with eBay & Paypal.
• Women’s Microfinance Initiative: Also similar to Kiva, but this charity loans only to women and so far only in Uganda.  They believe that by supporting impoverished women, it’s possible to raise their standard of living and help their entire family rise out of poverty.  Your donation is not returned but after being paid back stays with the organization and continues to work for other women.
• The Girl Effect: I don’t think I could have summed up their mission any better – “If you want to end poverty and help the developing world, the best thing you can do is invest time, energy, and funding into adolescent girls. It’s called the Girl Effect, because girls are uniquely capable of investing in their communities and making the world better.”  I firmly believe that girls in these communities are the future and deserve all the help we can give them.
• NextAid: I may be a bit biased about this NextAid because a good friend has been an integral part of the organization, but I can tell you firsthand what a worthy cause it is.  NextAid’s mission is to ”improve the lives of children, youth, and women in Africa by promoting and implementing sustainable solutions.”  These solutions have included small scale sustainable building projects, community causes, health care education and much more.

Animals & Farms

• Heifer International: This non-profit donates livestock to disadvantaged families throughout the world with a goal to alleviate poverty and hunger by providing self-reliance.  And as most of the livestock produce offspring, it’s truly a gift that keeps on giving.  With your donation, you can sponsor a specific of animal or goal.
• Farm Sanctuary: With farms in both New York & California, Farm Sanctuary works to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living.
• World Wildlife Fund: The WWF has been around for more than 45 years and is the world’s leading conservation organization.  They work to protect natural areas and by 2020 will conserve 19 of the world’s most important natural places, such as rain forests, coral reefs & endangered animals.
• North Shore Animal League: They are the world’s largest no-kill companion animal rescue and adoption organization.  Although located in New York, North Shore Animal League rescues animals and provides education throughout the country.  To date they have saved almost one million lives.