| The most environmentally and socially responsible | | | | awareness or involvement in a movement. |
| gifts have always been ones you make yourself | | | | Examples are human trafficking or illegal whaling. |
| out of recycled material. In our culture however, | | | | To buy products that use fair labor, often in |
| while mom might appreciate a handmade basket, | | | | areas where people are basically sweatshop |
| there are some situations where you need | | | | slaves, look for the "fair trade" "sweatshop free" |
| something else, but still want to give a socially | | | | and "organic" tags. You may have to do some |
| conscious gift. Especially in business situations | | | | research to see what labels mean what. Organic is |
| where you do not have the time to create 20 | | | | indirectly backed by the Department of |
| unique gifts, you may need to dabble into the | | | | Agriculture. Fair trade is monitored by a nonprofit |
| emerging business of socially conscious gifts. | | | | organization, while some labels like "green" may |
| The first step in giving a responsible gift is to | | | | not be regulated at all. Some unscrupulous |
| determine if it is really even necessary. Are your | | | | businesses take advantage of this fact, so make |
| gift-giving habits only formed by watching too | | | | sure you know what your labeling means before |
| many pre-Christmas commercials? Maybe you can | | | | you buy what you think to be a socially conscious |
| make an agreement with a friend that you will | | | | gift. As they said in school, education is the way |
| both give to charity instead of to each other. | | | | to stop ignorance. |
| When you do buy a socially conscious gift, know | | | | Another good alternative to commercial gifts are |
| that they usually fall under one of two categories. | | | | socially conscious gifts that encourage you to |
| Some are responsible to their labor force and try | | | | spend time together or visit a laudable location. |
| to use environmentally friendly manufacturing | | | | Maybe you could buy someone a trip to a National |
| methods, while other responsible gifts benefit a | | | | Park, or tickets to a children's choir. If you still |
| noble cause. | | | | must buy that big ticket item, look up where the |
| Most adults would be happy to give up the | | | | money goes, and who might be exploited. |
| turtleneck sweater and bath set for a donation to | | | | Responsible shopper is a tool that looks to do just |
| disaster relief or impoverished children. Another | | | | that. |
| popular gift for a cause is ones that benefit the | | | | |