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This Year Give Globally
By Caroline Sapp '09
STAFF WRITER

With the holidays comes the usual retinue of complaints: the heat does not work, the stores are crowded, the stores have been decorated for Christmas since the 4th of July, and the holidays are getting too commercial, etc.

In an increasingly commercialized world, perhaps it is time to take the Holidays back, or at least strike a bargain with commercialization. While yes, this may seem like a cop-out, maybe just making the small effort under the Hanukkah bush this year and the next could make all the difference in the world.

I challenge all of you this year to buy or request a holiday gift that gives back to the world it came from, or at least does not take too much away. For this, there is no prize or certificate of recognition—just, in the words of Professor Ashbrook, “that warm-fuzzy bunny feeling” inside.

How might you do this? Well, that’s where striking a bargain with commercialization comes in. Many companies are becoming more and more responsive to consumers’ demand for producer responsibility.

Some are becoming involved with Bono and Bobby Shriver’s (Product)Red, a business initiative dedicated to the eradication of AIDS/HIV in Africa. Armani, Motorola, Converse, Gap, and even Apple are all participants. You can purchase a (Product)Red, graphic t-shirt for your significant other for $28 from gap. These shirts are made from organically grown cotton from Africa, made in Africa, and 50% of the profits go towards solving the AIDS epidemic. For the Techie on your list, Apple will donate $10 for every (Product)Red 4G and 8G IPod Nano purchased (if you are looking to pay the $199 to begin with).

If raising money for AIDS does not give you the promised warm fuzzy feeling, perhaps supporting the Invisible Children campaign would. This group raises awareness and brainstorms methods to bring safety to the children of war-torn Uganda.

Much like the Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong campaign, the organization sells leather and wire bands for $20. The wires come in different colors, each representing a different child’s story. All of the profits go towards providing healthcare, safety, employment, and education to the youth of Uganda.

Or maybe the Environment is more your cause. This is much more simple. Find cosmetic products without formaldehyde in the ingredients list, and that are not tested on animals, in any stage of production. Burt’s Bees is a great way option. These products are made with natural ingredients, and will not have a negative impact when lost to the circular file. Also, they’re made with minimum and sometimes recycled packaging. Even better, they are cheap! A tube of beeswax lip balm is a mere $2.50; a head to toe starter kit is $15.

Get creative. Instead of buying new jewelry, maybe made with strip-mined minerals, buy antique jewelry. Looking to get a new piece of furniture from your parents for your room? Skip the Pottery Barn catalogue and go to an estate sale or Lou’s Antiques. You will be saving some trees AND have a unique addition to your room.

With that, I wish you all a merry holiday and a happy new year. I hope some of you accept my challenge. For more info on the products in the article see: www.invisiblechildren.com, www.joinred.com, and www.burtsbees.com.