December 3, 2008
Our Ocean-friendly Gift Guide
BY: Emily Fisher
Looking for holiday gift ideas that are meaningful and ocean-friendly? First, check out our holiday adoption center , which was recently picked by Posh Cravings for their 2008 “Purpose Present” gift guide. And before you rush off to the shopping mall (which I know you’re dreading anyway), check out the rest of our gift ideas, and if you have any ideas of your own, let us know!Cheap:1. Plastic is fouling our oceans, so avoid enviro-guilt at the checkout line. Get all manner of attractive reusable shopping bags for your favorite shoppers. (Cost: $5+)2. Add reusable water bottles for a reduce-your-plastic-consumption gift pack. (Cost: ~$20)3. Help a friend discover the beauty of sharks and the threats they face with the Sharkwater DVD, in which Rob Stewart debunks stereotypes about the ocean’s vital, threatened predators. (Cost: ~$20)4. For the DIY-inclined: Make a squid hat out of fleece — it’s soft, warm, and perfect for the cephalopod lover in all of us. (Cost: ~$20)Mid-range:1. Encourage responsible sushi eating AND help someone learn a new craft with a sushi-making kit for $29.99 and sustainable sushi wallet card downloadable for free. 2. Cheers to conservation. Give a set of four glasses made from the bottom halves of recycled wine bottles, decorated with a sandblasted fish design. (Cost: $45)3. Remember our Freaky Fish contest back in October? The photographs were taken from Claire Nouvian’s beautiful book, The Deep. Introduce your loved ones to the wonders of the deep sea. (Cost: $36)4. Give the gift of knowledge. Taras Grescoe’s book, Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood, both enlightens and entertains. (Cost: ~$20)Bigger Bucks:1. Climate change is wrecking our planet, including the oceans, which are becoming more acidic. Take action to stop global warming by reducing your loved one’s carbon footprint with a carbon offset. (Cost: ranges from $10 to $1,000)2. Be an eco-tourist. Help monitor endangered sea turtle nesting and hatching for a week in Costa Rica. (Cost: $800+)And lastly, if you purchase a gift from one of our partners, a portion of the sale will go toward Oceana’s conservation work.