Going green "gifts"?

Question

i work for an apartment complex and we are attending a housing fair next week. our theme this year is "going green" but i cant think of any goodies that i could hand out to potential residents that relate to going green. just something small and cheap to hand out to people would be great - i thought about energy saving lightbulbs but then i considered people breaking them lol so that wont work

any ideas would be great! id like to keep it under 100 dollars, and we'd only need about 50 of the item, so about 2 bucks a piece...thanks!

Answer 1

I recycle my grocery bags by bringing them to the food pantry every time I go.  They always are in need of bags.  What about pressed flower bookmarks or something.  There used to be a beautiful note paper that was made of pressed flowers and such.  But today those things can run into money.  Maybe something that is green to put up on their walls or their doors.

Answer 2

Give a plant - one that is a natural air filter (researched by NASA) such as the Spider Plant (Chloropytum naturcomosum 'Vittatum')  This plant is very tough and will survive even the most ardent non-gardeners.  Plus it looks good and doesn't cost to much.  Beats commercial air filters.

Answer 3

well I have ideas for ethical gifts... a bit more expensive though than $2

goodgifts.org

It's basically donating in someone else's name, and you give them the certificate.

such as heart surgery for a baby in India, or acres of land in the rainforest, or supplying a village with clean water. Prices vary, the pricing is in pounds so just double that to get what they cost in dollar amounts. I believe the cheapest good gift would be $20 though, but they're still ideal if you wanted to mix up your gifts/do a raffle/anything like that:

http://www.goodgifts.org/

For cheaper ideas check out:

http://www.greengiftguide.com/buygreen.p...

http://www.taraluna.com/

Light bulbs are breakable, but I don't think you should abandon that idea just yet... a lot of people would appreciate it because energy saving lightbulbs can be expensive! If you really need to stick to a budget, then they're ideal.

Edit: I agree with above too... definitely the cloth grocery bags! billions of plastic bags are left in landfills every year... so if they switched to cloth bags it'd be great.

Answer 4

Well, two $1 bills will look rather cheap, but it is green.

Answer 5

Well, it would be greenest to hand out nothing at all.  :D However, if you do hand out something, it should be something useful or edible, with minimal packaging.  

Small canvas or recycled-material totes would be a good idea, if you can find them on sale.

Or green-frosted cookies (very cheap, and you could make them yourself, in a pinch).  In a recycled paper bag.  (You could print labels with your complex name and address on them and stick to the bag for extra advertising exposure)

Answer 6

Try gaiam.com for ideas. But it you really want to go green, reuse something, or make it yourself! (I know, not what you had in mind).

Sometimes, also, the best thing for greening is information (less stuff). Try printing (responsibly) a brochure about green apartment living.

Google "green living" or "green apartment".

Answer 7

you could get those cloth-like bags for grocery shopping...they're usually like a buck at the store, i think.

you could include a paper (using recycled paper) with ideas on things people can do to help the planet.

maybe put a water bottle that can be washed and reused

perhaps include some seeds if you think people will possibly plant them...and then allow people to grow plants, which renew the oxygen supply.

you don't want to send a whole bunch of stuff with them that might get thrown away because that would defeat the purpose. put things that can be recycled or have been recycled.

Answer 8

Do you have a recycle center where you live?   You could start a recycle thing.   Other than paper or plastic.  Maybe something like ink cartage's.

Answer 9

CFL's would be perfect.

Answer 10

You should give them a cloth bag ( a tote bag) with your apartment logo on it.  They can use it instead of plastic or paper when they go shopping, so it'd be a great green gift.  I don't know where to get them that cheaply, though, sorry :)