Make good with
wood.Knotty, rough-looking wood decor is
gracing tables of the fashion-forward these days, and lucky for us,
it’s as sustainable as it is stylish. Made from reclaimed Chinese
fir, Viva Terra’s Root of the Earth baskets make stunning gifts or
servers. Small basket (8" x 6.5"), $49; medium basket (13" x 9"),
$79; large basket (16" x 10"), $95. (800) 233-6011; www.vivaterra.com
Bottle stopper. Every day, Americans
throw away an estimated 30 million water bottles. Instead of adding
to the waste, give attendees reusable SIGG Swiss Engineered Water
Bottles to tote during the event. A leakproof liner prevents
chemicals from leaching into water. Available in more than 144 (and
counting) designs, bottles can be customized with corporate logos.
From $15 each. (713) 979-4687; www.mysigg.com
Power packed. Charge all, and yes, we
mean all, of your gadgets with a single solar-powered charger. The
hybrid Solio can charge through the sun or the socket, letting you
power up your iPod or cell phone on the go. Interchangeable power
tips are included to fit any device. Available in black, white,
silver and pink. Cost, $99.95. (510) 868-8714; www.solio.com
Write stuff. Finding biodegradable
replacements for common plastic products is a big challenge. But
this pen, made from Mater-Bi, a material derived from cornstarch,
will disintegrate after just one year in the dump. The pen has only
one non-green element: the blue ink. Cost: $1.99 each. (888)
633-5833; www.grassrootsstore.com
Take note. These handcrafted Flora
Spiral notebooks from See Jane Work are made from recycled paper
and are a perfect gift for attendees to jot down notes in.
Available in Allium Bee (orange), Pachysandra (eggplant), Feather
Grass (black) and Hello Sunshine (yellow-green). Cost: $16 each.
(877) 400-5263; www.seejanework.com
Badge wrangler. Keep attendees
from scrambling for IDs all day with the Jimi Wallet from Mr.
Smith. These colorful translucent cases keep credit cards, badges,
room keys and cash together in a sleek, slim case. Made from
recycled polypropylene, the cases can be customized with logos.
From $14.95. (415) 839-7502; www.thejimi.com
Hey, jute. Reusable bags made from
eco-friendly jute in casual earth tones are a change of pace from
run-of-the-mill plastic gift bags. The plant fiber material is
completely recyclable and biodegradable. Custom embroidery and
personalization available. Priced from $6. (917) 445-6610; www.bringitinabag.com