
This list was compiled by members of the City of Davis Davis Climate Action Team and concerned citizens who want to live more responsibly. We have created a list of suggestions for a greener holiday celebration. The following ideas are just to get you started. Get two for one this holiday season: give a gift to your loved ones that’s also a gift to the planet.

What a relief not to face traffic and crowds in unfamiliar shopping malls.  Limit yourself to friendly Davis and Yolo County for your gift shopping this year. Reduce stress, lower your carbon footprint and help the local economy.


 Give the gift of sustainable living 

Many folks appreciate a practical gift that also helps Mother Earth.  Why not go the next step—shop locally and buy products that save energy and promote healthy living?

 Energy Efficiency 

   Give the gift of a light bulb  compact fluorescent lights (with the potential energy savings of 75%)
   Give a gift of LED holiday lights with timers (save up to 25% in electricity costs)
   Give a gift of Smart’ power strips (Reducing “phantom load” saves 10% or more of home electricity consumption)
   Give a torchiere light (can now be purchased with CFL bulbs)
   Give a gift of occupancy sensors (sensor turns on light with motion and turns light off after set number of minutes).
   Give a books book on energy efficiency.
    Even better, give http://ourchoicethebook.com/ Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis
   Give an Iphone solar charger
   Give a solar cooker
   Give green cleaning products
   Give a reusable http://www.chicobag.com/ Chico Bag available at B & L Bike Shop & Davis Food Coop
   Give a http://www.kleankanteen.com/ Klean Kanteen or http://www.camelbak.com/en/sportsrecreation/bottles.aspx CamelBak Bottle available at Davis Food Coop, B & L Bike Shop & Davis Outdoor
   Give a clothesline and clothes pins or a drying rack
   Give the gift of a cooler home and save water by planting a tree, building a trellis, growing droughttolerant plants, or installing awnings.
   Give an electric, push or reel lawn mower.
   Give a gift of duct sealing or insulation
   Give a gift of natural light with installation of a solar tubular skylight
   Give a gift of a composter, rain barrel or worm bin
   http://treedavis.org/dedicate.php Dedicate a tree through Tree Davis!
   Or if you want to give a bigger ticket item,: energy efficient water heaters, windows, solar thermal, solar photovoltaic,  whole house fan, energy star appliances, computers and tvs (Check for rebates at www.pge.com/rebates/ )
   Give a gift of Contraception birth control. wiki:WikiPedia:Overpopulation may be http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090418075752.htm the worst environmental problem on Earth.

To get more ideas from the City of Davis/ Valley Climate Action Center 2009 Energy Efficiency Forum: experts from UC Davis, Davis Energy Group , Verve Solar and the City of Davis identify energy efficiency actions you can take at home.
http://eec1.ucdavis.edu/news/Cooling%20the%20Earth%20%20Summary.pdf

 Transportation 
  Give a gift of a bus pass
  Give a bicycle or bicycle equipment
  Give a bike tune up
  Give a gift of walking shoes
  Give bicycle panniers and shopping bags
  Give a membership to Zipcar
  Or if you are looking for a bigger ticket item, give the gift of an all electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle

 Shop local 


  Give a gift from downtown Davis.
  Give a gift from Yolo County.
  Regift at a Thrift Stores thrift store
  Find local resources at Front Page DavisWiki.
  Find local businesses at Davis Chamber of Commerce.
  Find local downtown business at Davis Downtown Business Association.

You’ll find fresh and unique gifts while you save time and fuel when you purchase from local vendors.  Don’t miss out on these special products.  Add your own to the list below.

  Give a gift from a local seller at the Davis Farmers Market or the Davis Flea Market.
  Give a subscription to a Community Supported Agriculture box from a local farm.
  Give a work of art.
  Give a one of a kind gift from The Artery
  Give olive oil or wine from Yolo County.
  Give a membership to Slow Food Yolo
  Give a gift from the Davis Art Center Holiday Sale

 Give a local experience 

We all get too busy with our lives, but the gifts below help us slow down and enjoy quality time together.  The hardest part will be deciding which activity to give—this list is just the beginning of many local possibilities.

  Give a membership to a Museums museum.
  Give the gift of a class (such as at the Davis Art Center: www.davisartcenter.org/classes.html, Experimental College: http://asucd.ucdavis.edu/experimentalcollege, Yolo Master Gardeners  http://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/
  Give a play at Davis Musical Theatre Company.
  Give the arts from http://theatredance.ucdavis.edu UC Davis Theatre and Dance
  Give a concert from the http://music.ucdavis.edu/events UC Davis Music Department
  Give a performance from the Mondavi Center
  Give a ticket to Acme Theatre Co. Acme Theatre Company
  Give the gift of a movie ticket at a local theatre: http://www.davisvarsity.net Varsity Theatre or http://www.fandango.com/95616_movietheatershowtimes?tidaafzc link to show times
  Give an adventure at Outdoor Adventures
  Give a class at the UC Davis Craft Center
  Give a climb at Rocknasium.
  Give a tee time at a local golf golf course
  Give a ticket to the http://www.cmssacto.org Chamber Music Society of Sacramento  Davis concert series
  Give yoga, dance or fitness lessons
  Give tickets to a romantic ballroom dance:  www.dancingtonight.com,
  Give a cooking class: http://www.davisfood.coop/classes.html
  Give a spa, beauty treatment or message
  Give a meal at a local restaurant.
  Give a Tuleyome or Stebbins Hiking and Backpacking outing: http://yolohiker.org/
  Give a bird watching walk:  http://www.yoloaudubon.org/
  Give a ticket to a film festival
  Give a gift of a visit to a gallery or a museum
  Give a gift of sports sports camps

 Support a local nonprofit 

Many folks don’t want any more “things” to clutter their homes, so a gift that helps others is perfect.   Match your gift to the interests of the recipient.  This list provides a start.
For a list of Yolo County nonprofits, see: http://webiii.yolocounty.org:81/

  Give to a local treasure at the UC Davis Arboretum.
  Give to families in need at STEAC.
  Give to those in need at Food Bank of Yolo County.
  Give to global understanding at the International House.
  Give to the wildlife refuge at Yolo Basin Foundation
  Give to a healthy creek at the Putah Creek Council
  Give to protecting the wild heritage of Yolo County at Tuleyome
  Give a gift to Davis Schools: http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/district/foundation/
  Give a gift to help women and children: http://www.sadvc.org/
  Give a gift of health: http://www.communicarehc.org/

 Give a handmade or recycled gift 

Nothing is more touching than something made especially for you by hand.  Challenge yourself to use local and recycled materials in your crafts.  There’s no end to what you can create.

  Give a gift of a food basket (try Fruit and Vegetable Stands local foods!)
  Give a gift of homemade food including mixes, bread, jams and meal coupons
  Give a gift of dress up clothes from the thrift store
  Give a gift of handmade jewelry
  Give a gift of homemade craft items (candles, holiday cards, quilts, wreaths)
  Give a gift of coupons (babysitting, gardening, making dinner)
  Give a gift of a homemade book of memories, family history, or an original story
  Give a gift of recorded bedtime stories
  Give a gift of music
  Give a gift from a Thrift Stores thrift store
  Give a book from the Friends of the Davis Public Library book sale
  Give a gift of cloth bags for vegetables at the grocery and in the refrigerator
  Give a gift of homemade wrapping papers and gift bags
