Your 2019 Holiday Shopping List is Here!

The holiday season can be pretty tough on the planet. The miles of saran wrap, tissue and wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbon, and garland are just a few of the single-use products that permeate our winter festivities. To make matters worse, picking out presents for our loved ones can be stressful. 

There are so many things to consider: Will they like it? Use it? Return it? Then there’s the environmental impact. Does the gift contain plastics? Or palm oil?

If you’re like me, you want your gifts to be thoughtful, useful, and good for the planet. But this isn’t always an easy task. That’s why we’ve put together a list of products and businesses to help make your yuletide decision-making a little easier!

First, let me say gifting experiences can be a powerful alternative to buying more stuff. Avoid the clutter and environmental impact by gifting your busy mom a massage. Or treat your BFF to a cooking class or a day at the natural history museum. There’s nothing like a no-waste gift that the recipient won’t soon forget! 

Or get crafty! Homemade gifts are often the most cherished. Here’s an amazing bat box DIY!

But in case that’s not your style, here’s a list of businesses and products, at a variety of different price points, that you can feel good about!

For the kiddos (and the young at heart):

• “Endangered Species Have Feelings, Too” by Alexandra Delis-Abrams, Ph.D.

  This book is the cutest. It teaches young children about feelings and biological facts about endangered animals. I shared this book with my nephew last year. I enjoyed reading it just as much as he did!

• “Zazu Dreams: Between the Scarab and the Dung Beetle, A Cautionary Fable for the Anthropocene Era” by Cara Judea Alhadeff, PhD 

  My favorite thing about this book is how much you can learn on a single page. I learned about history, the environment, social justice, environmental justice, and more! It’s written in a way that older children and adults alike can get so much from it! The author weaves together many issues and really illustrates the interconnectivity of our societal and environmental problems

For those that wear their hearts on their sleeves:

• The “Save the Act” shirt from Jim Morris Environmental T-shirt Company

  We love supporting local businesses- especially locally businesses with a cause! Jim’s t-shirt company has donated over $180,000 and counting to environmental and wildlife groups. And they designed this shirt just for us! For every “Save the Act” shirt sold, they’ll donated $2 to our work!

• The Endangered Species Coalition official merchandise from Bonfire 

  Show your love for wolves, wildlife, and grassroots engagement by sporting this (my personal favorite) Endangered Species Coalition t-shirt! Please note that these shirts are made to order, so shipping won’t start until December 27th. The proceeds help us continue to be a united and powerful voice for wildlife!

For the art lover:

• Endangered Species Art Prints

  These are beautiful artistic renditions of endangered species from around the world. The original pieces were created by K-12 students in our Youth Endangered Species Art Contest. Those featured on the Ziggie website are finalists and semifinalists. We believe in the power of art and creativity to instill lasting change for the benefit of our wildlife. And as we look past our own generation to those of our children and grandchildren, we also believe that it is our young people that will lead us to a healthier future. Please support this program by sharing the gift of art with someone you love.

For the health nut:

• Bluebird Botanicals

  Bluebird Botanicals is a CBD herbal supplement company and partner of the Endangered Species Coalition. We’ve done some great work together, including habitat restoration for the threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse! Plus, they were just awarded their B-corp Certification! And that’s something you can definitely feel good about.

For the crafter:

• eQuilter

  eQuilter.com has the largest online selection of high quality quilt fabrics and related products on the interwebs. What’s better? They LOVE wildlife and have raised over $1.6 MILLION for charitable organizations. And omg I cannot get enough of their beautiful wildlife panels.

For the outdoor-sy type:

• Backpacker’s Pantry

  When you’re camping, one of the heavier things you have to deal with is the food. And when you’re walking long distances in the backcountry, that’s not exactly ideal. The rugged adventurers in your life will appreciate a few freeze-dried meals to lighten their load. They have great vegan and vegetarian options and an awesome packaging recycling program, so you can further reduce waste. Plus, they are a partner and supporter of the Endangered Species Coalition!

• Fishpond 

  Here’s an awesome company whose founder goes above and beyond for healthy wildlife and waterways. Not only do they have super cool and sustainable products, their founder, John Land Le Coq, is a vocal Endangered Species Coalition activist!

• Patagonia 

  No holiday list would be complete without Patagonia. They are using their brand as a powerful force to protect biodiversity and the environment. Not only do they work hard to revolutionize the outdoor clothing industry and manufacturing techniques; they are also giving back to many organizations, including the Endangered Species Coalition! At this link, you can make a donation to us and have it MATCHED by Patagonia through December 31, 2019.

But maybe you already have something in mind for that certain someone. If you’ll be shopping on Amazon.com, remember to choose the Endangered Species Coalition as your Amazon Smile charity!

We wish you all a happy, safe, and wildlife-friendly holiday! 

Hailey Hawkins

PS. If you are a business and would like to support endangered species and the Endangered Species Act, sign our letter here!

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Ornament photo credit NPS