IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!

OK, so at 55 I recognize I’m not really old (quit laughing kids), and that everyone has birthdays and not all of us appreciate them at this stage of life. But I digress.

What can I do for my birthday that may be more environmentally friendly than the past?

Maybe some comparisons are in order when considering some options.

• Fly to Florida and visit Disney World for the weekend, eat out at restaurants, turn the A/C down in the motel room...or the Earth Friendly Alternative...Take a bike ride locally, or visit a nearby amusement park. Visit a local restaurant or buy locally grown foods and cook them at home.
• Take a group of friends on a deep sea fishing trip...or the Earth Friendly Alternative...Have friends over, grill fish and veggies on the back deck and watch Jaws on DVD.
• Fly to Costa Rica, camp out in the rainforest...or the Earth Friendly Alternative...Load camping gear up in a car and camp out within a 3 hour drive of home.

One thing is for sure at this age, I don’t need more stuff. So maybe instead of a shirt, a tie, or a gag gift that will be given to someone else (maybe you) consider a gift that has continuing value and may help the environment.

Give a gift that keeps on giving:
Heifer International has a list of animals that you can give to areas that are trying to improve their food resources in a sustainable fashion. Donations range from about $10 for a share into the $1000s.

Support a worthwhile cause:
Use the American Institute of Philanthropy’s guide to help aid your decision of which organization(s) to support.

Visit charitywatch.org to find organization ratings on how efficiently they spend their donations. Listings sorted by topic. Some personal environmental favorites: Conservation Fund, Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy