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Dreaming of a Green Christmas?

Whatever holiday you’ll be celebrating this winter, Co-op America’s Green Pages can connect you with the sources of green products for decorating and gift-giving. Thanks to Sarah Green for passing along this press release:

For Immediate Release Contact: Sarah Green

December 9, 2004 Co-op America;

(202)872-5322

1612 K St. NW, Ste.

600

Washington, DC 20006

Deck the Halls with Organic Boughs;

2005’s National Green Pages Offers Alternatives to Mass Market Decorations

WASHINGTON, DC – Millions of Americans are decorating their homes for the

holiday season, and much more than their tree can be green. Co-op America’s

new 2005 National Green Pages makes helping the planet hassle-free, with

over 2,500 screened green businesses offering products from organic candles

to fair trade nativity scenes for consumers as they decorate their homes for

the holidays.

People buy and consume in the greatest of numbers during the holiday season,

which is why their support of green products over other products has the

most significant financial impact on communities and the environment. The

average consumer plans to spend over $700 this season specifically on

holiday gifts, decorations, food, and cards, according to the National

Retail Federation’s 2004 Consumer Intentions and Actions survey. The “Green”

businesses are committed to operating in an environmentally and socially

responsible fashion. “Goods and services, jobs and empowerment, community

and environmental health – all of these are the products of green

businesses,” says Co-op America Executive Director Alisa Gravitz.

The products that many Americans use for decorating such as tinsel,

artificial trees, scented candles, and lights tend not to be recyclable,

emit many different pollutants in production and often usage, and can add to

the greater whole of peak-time energy used in the evening by running lights

and accessories. There are alternatives, however, to mass produced,

resource-wasting gear, as thousands of green businesses that support organic

farming, fair trade, recycling, and living wages can be found in the

National Green Pages. A shopper can find everything he or she could possibly

need for holiday decorating, including clean-burning candles, energy efficient light bulbs,

organically grown trees, and any and all sustainably produced home and table furnishings.

Using green products, such as natural candles, reusable wrapping paper, and

organic wreathes, helps the planet by directing money towards

environmentally protective and humanitarian practices. These producers of

green products are also committed to paying a fair wage to artisans and

farmers who aid in the production of green products, which is not guaranteed

when buying non-green products. The Green Pages makes finding these green

companies easy for the lay-shopper by putting the contact information of all

the pre-screened companies together in a bound book, and online at

www.greenpages.org.

The National Green Pages is available for $11.95 with shipping by calling

1-800-58-GREEN or by surfing to www.greenpages.org.

# # #

Sarah Green is a Public Education and Media Intern for Co-op America, a

national nonprofit organization founded in 1982, providing the economic

strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and

individuals to address today’s social and environmental problems.

Additional Holiday Shopping Resources:

* The National Green Pages: Directory with over 2,500 screened

sustainable businesses, online at www.greenpages.org

or print copies by calling (800)58-GREEN.

* Ten Thousand Villages: Choose fairly traded handicrafts from

30 different countries, including holiday decorations.

www.tenthousandvillages.com

* Hempy’s: Browse a large selection of high-quality hemp

clothing and accessories at www.hempys.com .

* Global Exchange: A Fair Trade Federation member, this

organization offers hundreds of fair trade products, including coffee,

chocolate, and gift baskets. www.globalexchange.org

* Acorn Designs: Choose recycled, chlorine-free, and tree-free

holiday cards and stationary online at www.acorndesigns.org

.

* Diamond Organics: Provides nation-wide, overnight, home

delivery of fresh, all-organic food gift baskets. www.diamondorganics.com

* Botanical Earth: Offers gift baskets filled with handcrafted

botanical body care, solar-infused oils, and handmade hemp soaps.

www.botanicalearth.com

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