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Gift giving isn't just for the holidays.  We have occasions to let our family, friends and co-workers know how much they mean to us all year.  If you are looking for a gift that's unique, easy and thoughtful, a gift basket is a great way to go.  They can be delivered directly to the recipient and are filled with special items in line with their needs and interests.  So when you're giving a gift basket, why not give one that's as thoughtful of the earth as it is of the recipient.

An eco-friendly gift basket can have many layers of green.  The first consideration is packaging.  The EPA says that 65% of household trash and 1/3 of an average landfill is made up of packaging.  Choosing gifts with sustainable packaging can help to reduce those numbers.  With green gift baskets, the "basket" itself is reusable and is often made from an environmentally friendly material.  They are also packed with recycled, natural, biodegradable and recyclable packing products.

The next component to consider is the gifts.  Green gift baskets contain items that in addition to being unique and fun are also all natural, organic, healthy, local and/or fair trade products.

Here are some companies that have really nice eco-gift baskets and also follow environmentally conscious business practices:

Ordinary packing peanuts are made out of polystyrene, which generally is not recyclable and takes 900 years to decompose.

I think the baskets from That's Caring are really cool.  One of my favorites is the "Fresh Start" basket.  It's a reusable tray filled with eco-friendly cleaning products and paper towels made with unbleached, 80% post-consumer waste paper.  It's a perfect gift for a wedding or house warming present.