Friday, December 11, 2009

Give sustainability

It's two weeks until Christmas, which means it's almost time to start panicking about what to get people. Instead of hunting for a bunch of gifts that my relatives might not even use I've decided to give gifts that give back this year.



One of the easiest ways is to donate to a charity in someone else's name or buy a gift with a pay it forward mentality. For instance the World Wildlife Fund has a large range of animals up for "adoption." These are great gifts for kids. Buy the caribou and you'll get a high-quality cuddly toy, a personalized adoption certificate and a report detailing the work that your symbolic adoption will support. In B.C. the mountain caribou is in serious trouble and a donation to the WWF will help the species survive. A leopard frog is another good choice to help support B.C.'s environment. Once commonly found in British Columbia, the Northern leopard frog is now limited to the extreme southeastern portion of the province and has been designated as endangered in the region - loss of habitat is the most significant cause of the decline. The WWF has lots of other gift options where proceeds go to conservation work.

Another option is to give to specific causes. The WTA and its members are working for and donating to a number of causes that support wildlife and wildspaces including Save Our Wild Salmon and Adopt-a-Fry.org. Cash donations are a great way to further their work. You can also ask your favourite resorts and lodges about causes that are close to their heart. Or if you want to make it as easy as possible donate to the WTA's own Wilderness Stewardship Fund. Donations can be made in any amount. The money in the fund is used to help organizations and companies complete worthwhile sustainability and stewardship work throughout the year.

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