Gift Ideas for the Hard-to-Impress Green Guru

EcoSphere Pod

EcoSphere, environment, self sustaining ecosphere pod \r\n Give your Green Guru the world...or, control of his or her own world, at least. Beachworld is a miniature biosphere, encapsulating the fundamental workings of a sustainable ecosystem, complete with tiny Hawaiian shrimp sustained entirely by heat and light. $59.99 at target.com, 1-800-591-3869.

Ego Cycle

Ego Cycle, commute, auto, emission free, vehicle ego cycle \r\n Dependable, fast and pollution-free, the eGO Cycle is the perfect gift for the commuting environmentalist. $1,899 at egovehicles.com.\r\n\r\n

Reusable Utensil Set

Reusable Utensil Set, eating utensils, kitchen reusable utensil set \r\n Every weekday nearly 44 million American workers purchase or eat lunch out -- generating 1.8 million tons of disposable utensils and take-out containers. To-Go Ware\'s Reusable Utensil Set solves the problem, and comes wrapped in a chic carrying case (made, of course, from recycled plastic bags). $19.95 at to-goware.com.\r\n\r\n

400-Watt Wind Generator

Wind Generator, wind energy, energy alternatives, wind power 400 watt wind generator\r\n Your eco-geek will love this DIY wind generator. Perfect for any job -- great or small -- from powering a home\'s water pump to charging iPod batteries. $599 at target.com, 1-800-591-3869. \r\n

Bat House

Bat House, bugs, insects, wildlife, pest and rodent control bat house Give the critter lover in your house a gift to make him the envy of the neighborhood (maybe) -- a bat house! As your loved one surely knows, bats eat their weight in bugs every night -- and they need ever more help from humans as the mysterious White Nose Syndrome reduces their numbers. $39.99 at cleanairgardening.com.

GreenPrint Home Premium CD

GreenPrint, GreenPrint Home Premium CD, save paper, office, computer, printer greenprint home premium cd\r\n For the Green Guru obsessed with saving paper, give GreenPrint, a software set that prevents unnecessary and wasteful printing (most notably that last page with just the URL or legal jargon). It saves time and toner -- not to mention trees (38 million of them, if all new computers used GreenPrint) and carbon dioxide (117 million tons, or the equivalent output of 23 million cars). Now that\'s a gift! $35 at verdantcomputing.com.\r\n\r\n

Pangea Holiday Gift Box

Pangea Organics, beauty, gift box, skin care, bath and body pangea holiday gift box\r\n For the \"dirty hippie\" on your list -- a set of all-natural cleaning products. Pangea\'s fully biodegradable Holiday Gift Set comes in a box embedded with tree seeds to grow next year\'s Christmas tree. $30 at pangeaorganics.com.\r\n\r\n

Global Electric Motorcar E4

Global Electric Motorcar E4, eco vehicle, auto, battery powered global electric motorcar e4\r\n Does anyone really buy a car as a gift? If you might, consider the GEM e4 electrolyte battery-charged car. It\'s perfect for the eco-family on the go. Now, about that big red (sustainable) bow... Starting at $6,795 at gemcar.com.\r\n

Bamboo Rollerball Pen Set

Bamboo, Rollerball Pen Set, writing, Tornado Pen bamboo rollerball pen set\r\n The barrel of this Tornado pen is made from bamboo, a renewable resource that is as beautiful as it is durable. Bamboo is one of the most versatile woods in the world, making it a fantastic material for flooring, furniture -- and fine writing pens. $40 at katespaperie.com.\r\n\r\n

Wonderworld Wooden Doll House

Eco-Friendly toys, eco friendly Doll House, kids wonderworld ecofriendly wooden doll house\r\n Teach kids to play house -- the right way ... Wonderworld\'s Eco House illustrates green themes, from recycling and tree planting to collecting rainwater and harvesting solar energy. $129.99 at toysrus.com.\r\n

Bamboo Spork

bamboo spork, green gifts bamboo spork Even babies can be green gurus--give your pint-sized greenie the eco-friendly Bamboo Feeding Spork. Made from organic and rapidly renewable bamboo, the sturdy and easy to clean Bamboo Spork acts as both a reusable spoon and fork, replacing the disposable cutlery and plastic utensils that overload landfills. $4.95 at stylekid.ca, 1-877-988-7467.\r\n

Banana Paper Journal

banana paper journal, green gifts banana paper journal For the holidays, surprise your Greenest Guru with Costa Rica Naturals Banana Journal, made from discarded stalks of banana trees (a.k.a. pinzotes). The banana stalk presents a perfect paper alternative because it\'s rapidly renewable and best of all, makes use of a material that would otherwise go to waste. $8.95 at ecopaper.com, 1-805-644-4462. \r\n\r\n

Electricity Usage Monitoring Power Strip

Electricity Usage Monitoring Power Strip, green gifts Ideal for the Green Guru who likes to play God, p3 International\'s Electricity Usage Monitoring Power Strip tells you exactly how much individual appliances cost to run. $100 at p3international.com, 1-888-895-6282.\r\n

Origins Organic Starter Kit

origins organics, beauty products, organic essentials, green gifts origins organic beauty products starter kit With a long history of environmental initiatives behind it, beauty company Origins now offers a full line of skin, body and hair care products certified USDA organic. $45 for the Origins Organics Essentials Set (seen here) origins.com, 1-800-ORIGINS.\r\n\r\n

Global Warming Survival Handbook

global warming survival handbook global warming survival handbook The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook offers essential tips for stopping and surviving climate change--think Boy Scout Handbook crossed with WorldChanging atop the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. Chock full of tongue-in-cheek suggestions, but equal parts practical advice and factual information, this must-have book is good for both guidance and a guffaw. $14.95 at barnesandnoble.com, 1-800-843-2665.\r\n

Elephant Poo Paper

elephant dung paper, elephant poo, green gifts elephant poo paper The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company has been turning poo to paper since 2002 (really). Making stationery, notebooks and greeting cards from elephant dung, the folks at Poo Poo give a portion of profits to benefit elephant welfare and conservation. Greeting card set pictured here $19.99. Visit the Pootique for a full range of poopoo paper poopoopaper.com. \r\n

Laptop Lunches

laptop lunches, green gifts laptop lunches Laptop Lunches are a hit -- and for good reason. Each bento box helps diminish our disposable dependence by offering colorful, convenient and easy-to-clean reusable lunch containers. $20.99 for one at laptoplunches.com, 1-831-457-0301.\r\n

Profit from the Peak

Profit from the Peak, green gifts profit from the peak Energy expert Chris Nelder\'s book Profit from the Peak: The End of Oil and the Greatest Investment Event of the Century offers a clearly written, succinct, and well-referenced summary of one of the most important issues to strike Western civilization -- the end of cheap oil. $27.95 at barnesandnoble.com, 1-800-843-2665.\r\n\r\n

Reusable Meal Kit

Reusable Meal Kit, green gifts reusable meal kit Support your Green Guru\'s efforts to \"Reduce, Reuse and Recycle\" with this durable, long-lasting reusable meal kit. Compact and light, it makes a satisying sustainable substitute for disposable plastic containers. $19.99 at thinkgeek.com, 1-888-GEEKSTUFF.\r\n\r\n

Sneakiest Uses for Everyday Things

Sneakiest Uses for Everyday Things, green gifts, books sneakiest uses for everyday things Sneakiest Uses for Everyday Things reinforces the cardinal rules -- reduce, reuse, recycle. From alternative energy simulations to rubber band security alarms, the book offers easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions for revamping common household items into new and exciting gadgets. $10.99 at thinkgeek.com, 1-888-GEEKSTUFF. \r\n\r\n

Sigg Cleaning Essentials

Sigg Cleaning Essentials, green gifts sigg cleaning essentials For cleaning reusable bottles, Gurus love SIGG\'s cleaning tablets and soft-bristle brush, both of which clean -- without damaging -- the bottle\'s delicate non-toxic liner. $11.99 for brush, $8.99 for cleaning tablets at mysigg.com, 1-888-507-7444. \r\n\r\n

Solio Solar Charger

solio solar charger, green gifts solio solar charger Behold the mighty all-in-one battery charger powered by the sun! An indispensable gadget for the green guy or gal on the go, Solio chargers keep a wide range of portable electronics powered whenever and wherever. $99.95 at solio.com, 1-800-653-4099.\r\n

Staple Free Stapler

Staple Free Stapler, green gifts staple free stapler If every office worker used one less staple every day for a year, the U.S. would save approximately 120 tons of steel! Help your Green Guru cut back with this handy \"Staple Free Stapler,\" a nifty device that acts as a stapler by folding and binding your paper without actually using a staple. Genius! $8 at wrapables.com, 1-877-411-9600. \r\n\r\n

Hot, Flat and Crowded

hot flat and crowded, thomas friedman, green gifts, books hot flat and crowded For the know-it-all who doesn\'t know her impact, give three-time Pulitzer Prize winning author Thomas Friedman\'s eye-opening book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution - and How It Can Renew America. This no-nonsense, authoritative approach to oil addiction and consumerism is blunt, but never boring--sure to compel and hopefully change. $19.56 at barnesandnoble.com, 1-800-843-2665. \r\n\r\n

Two Person Bicycle

two person bicycle, green gifts two person bicycle The 26-inch Kulana Lua Tandem bicycle is loaded with neat features like a stylish frame, extra large saddles, easy-to-reach handlebars and fun beach graphics. This is made for enjoying the scenery -- with a loved one. $229.98 at walmart.com, 1-800-925-6278. \r\n\r\n

keywords: