If you’re looking for a special gift that will impress even the most equipped environmentally conscious person, you’ll need to start thinking outside the box to come up with some gift ideas that will both surprise and delight the recipient. Luckily, you’re apparently quite resourceful, as your research has led you this short list of four awesome gift ideas that are sure to be a hit with any eco-conscious individual:
1. The Vermicompost Bin
This is perhaps the coolest way to compost, so if your eco-friendly buddy is into composting, this is a must-give gift. Vermicompost bins, like the famous Can-o-Worms or Worm Factory, are fully contained systems that make it easy to compost food scraps using the sheer power of worm appetite and excrement. Yes, you read that right. Basically here’s how it works: you put food in the bin, the worms eat literally anything edible, and then they excrete the recycled food product as nutrient-rich worm “castings” that are absolutely excellent for amending gardening soils. While all of this might sound unappetising, a lot of people keep these bins in their kitchens with no problems because they do a good job of keeping odours under control.
2. EcoSphere Mini Ecosystem
This one is just downright intriguing and there’s no way it could be anything less than an amazing conversation piece. The EcoSphere mini ecosystem (the concept for which was originally developed by NASA) is a small snow globe-like aquarium that houses a self-contained, self-sustaining miniature ecosystem. Inside every EcoSphere is a mini ecosystem consisting of filtered seawater, tiny shrimp, active micro-organisms, bacteria, and algae. Basically, the shrimp eat the microorganisms, which grow due to the bacteria and algae. Everything in the EcoSphere operates symbiotically to remain in perfect balance with zero maintenance for 2-10 years, depending on conditions.
3. Kitchen Plants
If your friend really already “has it all” as the title of this post implies, then they probably already have a garden. They may even have a decent collection of potted herbs that they use to enhance their culinary efforts. The cool thing about potted herbs is that there are so many different kinds. Just the mint leaf alone is available in more than a dozen distinct varieties, including Lemon, Apple, Ginger, Pineapple, Chocolate, Peppermint and more, and all of these varieties really do taste like their names. That’s just one example of how diverse potted herbs are. Thus, it’s practically impossible for your friend to have all of them, so give them a call and find out which ones they’re lacking and which ones they want the most, or just stop by and check out their herb collection to make sure your gift will be a new and welcomed addition.
4. Solar Smartphone Charger
That’s right, environmentally-friendly folks use smartphones too, and it’s a safe bet that they would like nothing more than to be able to charge their phone with the power of the sun. A solar smartphone charger like the XTG solar charger fits the bill well and only costs about £15 from Amazon. These things can give a smartphone battery a full charge from the sun alone in a matter of 3-5 hours, depending on sunlight intensity. They attach to the back of your smartphone and include a mounting clip that lets you mount the phone on your vehicle’s windshield for maximum sun exposure while driving.
