Incorporating your sustainable values during the holidays doesn’t have to be hard. Let’s take the three basic tenants of sustainability and apply them to our celebrations. The three basic tenants are known as the three E’s- Environment, Economy and Equity.

Here’s how we translate that into action:

Healthy Diverse Environment
During the holidays we can shop for eco-friendly gifts or we can be really great and make gifts from things that might normally go in the trash or recycling. Need ideas? Please visit our Sustainability Center or attend our "Make Your Own Gifts from Recycled Materials" workshop on Sunday, Dec. 16th at the Fairfax Pavilion from 3-7.

You can also give the gift of your time. A coupon good for one hike in the woods or watershed, a bike ride, a day helping with a home project, or something you are good at for a friend or family member. Think of that thing you never seem to have time for but have always wanted to do. After living in the Bay Area for 15 years I finally took my daughter on a bike ride around Angel Island. Amazing day!

Want to give it all? Buy a copy of the Green Zebra coupon book.

• BookBeat has a nice selection of hats, mugs, shirts, journals, and oh yes books.

• What about a gift certificate for ice cream from Fairfax Scoop.

• We saw beautiful calendars at Avatar.

• Rainbow Fabrics has lots of good ideas for those homemade gifts.

• Fairfax Variety, Sherman's General Store, and Revolution 9 have everything you need for the kids on your list.

• How about local gourmet food gifts for the party host from Good Earth.

• Get a Bicycle at either Sunshine Bicycles or Fairfax Cyclery-Imagine a town this size supporting two bike shops-Yay!

• Inspire a friend planning a remodel with a gift certificate from Green Fusion.

• Get your Living or sustainable grown tree from O'Donnell's Fairfax Nursery or Sunnyside Nursery.

• Looking for the perfect festive outfit? Tela D has all organic cotton. How about Yeah Baby or Stella’s Consignment store in the Red Hill Shopping Center; reuse and reasonable prices.

• While in San Anselmo-Antiques are always nice, so is a long thriving one of kind business like The Great Acorn.

• Local thrift stores include is St. Rita's in Fairfax and in San Anselmo, The Humane Society thrift shop.

• If you can’t find it in Fairfax or San Anselmo, San Rafael should be your next stop with games for family bonding at Gamescape and much more. Possibilities are endless and you don’t have to fight traffic, spend on gas, and pollute your way to the over expensive malls for items wrapped in plastic.

Equity is usually translated as if your neighbor isn’t doing well than neither are you.
We call this Connected Community-

• I am sure you saw the above event that we are doing with Fairfax Volunteers and Marin Conservation Corps. Why not join us by volunteering for this event?

• How about hosting your own neighborhood Block Party Potluck. One neighborhood hosts a traveling three house party-one for appetizers, one for soups and salads and one for dessert and caroling. Consider spending time with family or friends helping other less fortunate. One site is: Holiday Gifts of Love across Marin

This is not by any means a complete list but it should get you thinking and talking. Be sure to share your quest with family and friends.

Disclaimer-We didn’t mean to make any assumptions about anyone’s religion or leave anyone out. We adore and respect a great many of our local businesses, but could not name them all.

A few more online resources you might like-

• Our friends at New American Dream gave us lots of ideas to simplify the holidays.

• Some more give more with less ideas at Earth Easy.

Join the holiday bird count .