Go green this holiday season

Amazing kid swings, handbags, local food deliveries and more -- all organic or handcrafted from recycled materials.

By Rebecca Clarren

Read more: Environment, Science, Climate Change, Life, The Good Life

Dec. 10, 2007 | We all know people who love to complain the holidays are no more than a display of idol worship at the altar of consumerism. Yet most of us like to give gifts -- it's the giving that fills us with love and cheer. And I bet even the grinches among your family and friends won't mind a thoughtful present made in the U.S. from recycled goods or sustainable materials. Here's an offering of Earth-friendly gifts.

Messenger bags

Alchemy Goods turns old bike tire tubes and seat belt straps into hip messenger bags. Eli Reich, a former mechanical engineer, started the company in 2003 after his messenger bag was stolen and he noticed a bunch of old bike tubes collecting dust in his apartment. He now collects old tire tubes from bike shops along the West Coast. Waterproof and stylish, his bags come in three sizes. The Messenger ($148) is good for bike commuting or trips to the gym, the Urban ($138), a bit smaller, is better for carrying laptops, and the Haversack ($88) is a good unisex purse, big enough for a book and your lunch, and it has a handy front-zippered pocket for a wallet or iPod. (Memo to my friends and family: I really want one.) Look for a new line of men's wallets ($32), made from recycled billboard banners and, of course, old bike tires.

Kid swings

When I was young, my dad followed instructions from Sunset magazine and turned old car tires into bucket swings. Don't get me wrong, they were the best; but, sorry, Dad, these handcrafted tire swings, made from recycled tires, are the Porsches of the playground. Works of art, they're crafted in the shape of a horse with a mane or a longhorn steer or even a motorcycle. If I had one of these -- even now -- I'd never come inside for dinner. Compatible with swing sets, they can also be hung inside on a ceiling beam or from a strong tree limb; they hold up to 200 pounds. The swings, made by the Palumbo family in Kunkletown, Penn., are constructed without glue, and every nut and bolt is covered with a smooth, spoon-shaped surface so they're safe for kids. Lab tested, they follow home playground equipment safety standards. Prices range from $90 to $200.

Wool mittens

From the base of the West Elk Mountains in tiny Paonia, Colo., Elisabeth Delehaunty turns vintage wool sweaters into unique and colorful mittens. Washed in hot water to felt the wool and make the materials denser, these mittens don't unravel like most handmade knitwear. No two pair are alike, making them great for those who likes their clothes to convey their individual and arty nature. Delahaunty and her four employees sew everything themselves at their studio, a former livery stable built in the early 1900s. The mittens ($56) come in one size that fits men with average hands and most women.

Local food deliveries

For foodies, Michael Pollan fans and people committed to buying local, a regular delivery from a nearby farm is a fantastic present. An increasing number of farms throughout the country offer weekly or monthly subscriptions where members receive baskets of vegetables, flowers, fruit, eggs or milk. Community Supported Agriculture keeps farms local, decreasing the distance food travels from the field to your plate. It also sustains small family farms instead of the agribusiness giants that stock most grocery stores. To find a local farm near you that delivers, visit Local Harvest.

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