Donations are great, but some of us feel the need to give a physical present—or at least put something under the tree. If you can’t bare the thought of showing up to Christmas “empty-handed,”  then give a green gift. A local, responsible, organic, sustainable, biodynamic, recycled  . . .

No, it’s simple. Just choose items that are made from non-harmful materials that won’t pollute or harm the earth.

One of the best ways to ensure a gift is “harmless” is if it is organic. Most organic products come from environmentally conscious companies that use original materials harvested in a sustainable manner.

According to National Geographic, organic farming doesn’t contribute to soil and water contamination, and uses far less energy than commercial farming practices.

There are many different types of organic products—all of which will surely delight your giftee. From organic cotton sheets, to organic skincare, to organic food, to organic wine, to organic chocolate . . . mmmmmmm . . . . the greener gift giving possibilities are endless.

As I’ve said many times before, the greenest gift is no physical gift at all. Supporting organizations and donating money is by far the best alternative to actually buying something that will most likely end up stashed in the back of your giftee’s closet . . . or worse the landfill. A donation will not only cut back on unnecessary consumption, but will also assist those truly in need.

For great donation ideas check out the Nature Conservancy’s website. Their site features a giving guide. There you can explore several options from adopting an acre of rainforest in Costa Rica, to rescuing a portion of endangered coral reef.

According to eco-authority Treehugger.com, other fantastic environmentally-focused organizations excepting Christmas donation gifts include:

* Amnesty International
* Architecture for Humanity
* Biomimicry Institute
* Carbonfund
* China Dialogue
* Dropping Knowledge
* David Suzuki Foundation
* The Go Green Initiative
* GreenDimes
* Heifer International
* The Innocent Foundation
* Kiva
* Natural Resources Defence Council
* Nature Conservancy
* o2 Global
* Partners in Health
* Practical Action
* Rocky Mountain Institute
* Seva Foundation
* Sustainable Table
* Tech Soup
* Wiser Earth
* World Bicycle Relief
* World Resources Institute
* World Wildlife Fund’s “Extraordinary Gifts” program

For the Wine Connoisseur:

An Exotic Wine
A certified organic wine, from a biodynamic vineyard, owned by one of the most respected South American winemakers, Alvaro Espinoza, is hard to come by. Luckily ShopGreen found Vinedos Organicos Emiliana Natura Carmenere, a Chilean wine, sure to make your giftee’s heart flutter.

Or Something More Local . . .
Shame on me for recommending a wine from overseas , but it is so good I couldn’t resist. For a local gift, give Landmark Vineyards’ Syrah. Landmark Vineyards is famous for stellar wines and even better environmental practices. With grapes sourced entirely from the El Farolito Vineyard on the northeast side of Sonoma Mountain, California, this wine is entirely local.

Also in California, Frey Organic Vinters offers a tasty organic and rich Syrah. “An opulent nose, fragrant with spice and toasty oak.” In wine talk that means it tastes good and your giftee will like it.

Frey also makes a popular, yet inexpensive Cabernet. Good and inexpensive wine is always great . . . especially over the holidays.

From Napa, try the Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvingnon. Long Meadow Ranch is an integrated organic farming operation. As award-winning viners produce red wine, extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed beef, eggs, and heirloom fruits and vegetables for Napa Valleys finest restaurants. If you live in the Napa area be sure to look them up.

I have no idea what a “minimo” is, but wow, these things are really cute.

A perfect friend for your child, each minimo is is made from 100% Organic Egyptian Cotton. Organic cotton is a great eco-alternative to conventional cotton because it’s harvested free of environmentally harmful pesticides and insecticides. Conventional Cotton, on the other hand, uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides, making it the second most pesticide-laden crop in the world after coffee. (source: Allen Woodburn Associates Ltd./Managing Resources Ltd., “Cotton: The Crop and its Agrochemicals Market,” 1995.) After conventional cotton is harvested with pesticides, it is often pretreated with peroxide so to make the dyeing process easier. Once dyed, garments are often washed in formaldehyde. The chemical wash gives garments a softer hand feel.

Bleaches, dyes, washes, pesticides and insecticides can wreak havoc on ecosystems. Polluted soil can become dry and erode. If chemical washes and dyes are not properly disposed of, they leak into nearby rivers and streams, severely disrupting local ecosystems. Biologists estimate millions of birds die from the effects of agricultural chemicals used in conventional cotton production and garment manufacturing.

Another thing to consider is the dangerous use of polyester fluff in stuffed animal toys. Polyester fluff can be very dangerous to young infants. Don’t risk it. There’s no fluff to inhale in these minimos.

To learn more about organic cotton and pesticide free products for your baby, click here.

Call them nerdy, geeky, even dweeby, but they’re the savviest people we know. Rather than waste precious natural resources on the latest energy sucking technology, get your gadget guru something green this year. There are plenty of options to choose from.

Juice Bag
Get ‘em mobile solar. Yes, believe it or not, your giftee will be able to charge all of his or many gadgets through this super hip solar panel bag. Not only does it look cool, but it will also easily charge cell phones, iPods, GPS or anything with a 12 volt unit. Solar energy is a great alternative to regular electricity. In one day, the sun provides more energy than our population could use in 27 years. Make the switch to sunlight — it doesn’t pollute and it’s free.

To boot, Juice Bags fabric is made from recycled 2-liter soda bottles. Each bag keeps up to 8 soda bottles out of the landfill!

Apple 17″ MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo Notebook
Since 2001, all Apple computers and displays have earned the original (2000) ENERGY STAR® rating. Now Apple is taking it to another level of energy efficiency and recently created the Apple Mac and the Apple MacBook Pro either in a 15.4 inch screen or 17 inch screen, all of which have received the impressive Energy Star 4.0 certification.

The 15.4 inch MacBook Pro, is “especially green” because, it’s the only model that uses LED backlighting in order to eliminate the use of mercury and extend battery charge.

Apple iMac 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 20″
If your giftee is a lover of desktops or you simply don’t want to fork over the money for a laptop, give the energy efficient and energy star certified (but only 2.0) Apple iMac 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 20″ desktop processor.

Casio PAG50T-7V Solar Triple Sensor Men’s Titanium Watch
Give a timepiece that combines style, function and eco-chic. Featuring a barometer, altimeter and thermometer the harnesses the power of the sun (or any light source, even artificial) so your giftee will never have to change the battery–ever.