Q&A: Green gift baskets

Your eco-questions answered:

Question: My office is looking to put together an eco-friendly gift basket as our holiday gift to clients. Any suggestions on what should go in the basket? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Sara

Answer: Let me start with the lazy girl's guide: just buy entire gift baskets. There are some yummy ones out there, if your company is willing to drop some real money.

The most expensive: Imagine from Therapy in a Box -- all eco-friendly and fair trade -- is yours for $250 (left). Or you could pull the same stuff together for yourself for under $100.

More reasonable are the pretty Mandala gift baskets -- also fair trade, and put together by a woman-owned business in Santa Monica! These, however, are a bit too touchy feely for my taste, what with the Yak Milk soap and scented pillow sachets -- but I don't know your clients.

Global Exchange has a Chocolate Lover's and an Office Gang basket. Here, the contents look super yummy, but the baskets themselves are kind of crunchy looking (though if you want to see REALLY crunchy, check this out).

So: Some sleeker ideas. Start with pretty silver bowls -- made of recycled plastic wrappers -- for a nice base. And to put in it, some fun stuff to consider:

Egg Plant. If your clients' cubicles are anywhere near a window, a rosemary Egg Plant could be the gift that keeps on giving.

Goldfish or Onyx Apple Paperweight. Is it bad etiquette to give paper-related stuff to people who probably have to deal with more paperwork than they like? At least these would be pretty -- and fairly made.

Not for Squares Coasters, perhaps paired with Sol Tumblers -- and organic Square One Vodka. The coasters are eco-friendly AND made right here in L.A., the tumblers are recycled, and the vodka is vodka, except that it is made without pesticides and put in a very fancy square bottle.

Short on cash? Fair trade chocolate and coffees are now readily available at Whole Foods, since John Mackey announced his "Whole Trade Guarantee."

For L.A. clients, throw in a copy of Greenopia -- a green guide to get them thinking eco all year long --

Remember those good old days when one could wait to think about holiday gifts until somewhat after Halloween? Actually, I'm trying to remember those times, but can't --

Got a question? Ask me: greenlagirl@gmail.com.

Comments

[The Not Quite Crunchy Parent]

Great to see you at the LA Times, Siel!

A quick and easy client gift would be a locally grown fruit basket. A trip to the Farmer's market supplies the contents...a basket or better yet, a reusable shopping bag (The net ones available at Wild Oats are retro cool and natural) can finish off the gift. Come to think of it, Wild Oats also has locally grown fruits so...one stop could get it all!

[Sara]

these are great! thanks for the suggestions!

[rachel]

Our company used Lula Organics last year... they were great. We had our logo put on a canvas bag and filled with all sorts of eco friendly goodies. :)