Greener gifts from Blue Sky to (yikes!) worms

The green revolution is also an evolution. A purse made from seat belts, tires or gum wrappers is greener than leather, but not if it sits in the back of the closet or worse yet, is put in the trash unused. "Don't buy an item just because it's made from recycled materials if the person doesn't need it," said Kate Rime, market director of the Blue Sky Guide. "Buy used or create something yourself."

This being a holiday season that's leaning on the practical side, I asked other local eco-maniacs to suggest green gifts that won't pile onto someone's heap o' stuff. I allowed them one plug for their organization and an optional nonplug.

Alliance for Sustainability

Sean Gosiewski, program director for the Minneapolis nonprofit, said there are two ways to look at being green: our own carbon footprint (the cars we drive, lightbulbs we choose) and our ecological fingerprint (the imprint for making a better community). Other: While he plugged no products, he recommends the Blue Sky Guide as much more than a green Happenings book. "It teaches you about good behaviors," he said. In addition to coupons for organic foods and free bus passes, the guide shows users how to be green when buying food, cleaning house and building and remodeling. The guide is $15 at Byerly's/Lunds, Whole Foods and co-ops through Christmas.

Gosiewski also suggests a gift of an eco-retreat -- such as a night or two at the Journey Inn in Maiden Rock, Wis., an hour south of St. Paul. The B&B was built with an environmental, healthy home focus on 66 acres of prairie, woodlands and creeks. Prices range from $110 to $150 per night (1-715-448-2424 or www.journeyinn.net).

Arc

Laurel Hansen, the thrift business director at Arc's Value Village stores, has an obvious plug: Shop any of the three value Village thrift stores for good-quality used items. Other: Twice the Gift (Gaviidae Common II, 555 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-338-3916) showcases and sells products, services and gift cards offered by more than 50 Twin Cities nonprofit groups.

Do It Green

Ami Voeltz, executive director of the nonprofit that educates Minnesotans about green and sustainable living, plugged the organization's Do It Green magazine ($8 at co-ops and independent bookstores) as an excellent resource for anyone wanting to adopt a greener lifestyle. Other: Buy a bus pass, a gift card to a co-op, or an energy-saving power strip. A "smart" power strip surge protector is available for about $30 at Sunny Day Earth Solutions (2601 Como Av. SE., Mpls., 612-455-1355, www.sunnydayearth solutions.com). It reduces consumption when electronics are "idling" after 30 minutes of nonuse.

Eureka Recycling

Here's a favorite, but odd, gift suggestion. Plug: Dianna Kennedy, director of communications for Eureka Recycling in St. Paul, suggests a class on worm or back-yard composting ($5) hosted by Eureka (651-222-7678 or www.eurekarecycling. org). Other: A gift certificate from Minneapolis restaurants that compost their food scraps, including Birchwood Cafe, Common Roots Cafe, Bryant-Lake Bowl, Red Stag Supperclub, Barbette, Brasa, Sen Yai Sen Lek, Gluek's and Fireroast Mountain Cafe.

Mayors' offices

Minneapolis and St. Paul mayors R.T. Rybak and Chris Coleman encourage shoppers to buy local when they can. Both champion local water supplies instead of bottled water. Plug: Buy a reusable water bottle that can hold city tap water instead of bottled water. Midwest Mountaineering, as well as other outdoor retailers, sells BPA-free plastic bottles from Nalgene and Camelback ($8 to $10) or bottles with a built-in filter from Katadyn (ExStream XR, $50) that filters bacteria and parasites from stream water.

Mother Earth Gardens

Paige Pellini, co-owner of the garden and gift shop (3738 42nd Av. S., Mpls., 612-724-2296), also likes the gift of worms. Plug: Feed the red wigglers your kitchen waste, put some straw or newspaper on top and get clean compost for houseplants and outdoor gardening. Don't worry about odors. The worms are like a borg from "Star Trek," single-mindedly devouring the waste quickly and efficiently. A 17-gallon farm costs $170. Other: A gift donation to the Youth Farm & Market Project (612-872-4226, www.youthfarm.net), which teaches youths about connecting to their food and environment with nine garden sites in Minneapolis and St. Paul. She also found a cool lunch box at Linden Hills Natural Home Store (2822 W. 43rd St., Mpls., 612-279-2479). The Bento lunch box ($23 to $38.49) is BPA-free plastic. The multiple containers of varying sizes are all microwave- and dishwasher-safe.

Twin Cities Green

Tina North and her husband, Ryan, started ReGifts (now Twin Cities Green, 2405 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-374-4581, www.twincitiesgreen. com), the Twin Cities' first retail store devoted to "new" products made from recycled materials. Plug: One of North's favorite items at her store is an electric scooter ($1,200) equipped with pedals so riders can choose human or electric power depending on how green they feel. It tops out at 20 miles per hour. Other: A donation to the Heifer Project (1-800-422-0474, www.heifer.org), a nonprofit devoted to ending hunger while caring for the Earth. Donors can choose animals such as a flock of ducks ($20), which in Xiang Qian, China, tripled a family's income with its eggs and offspring.

The Wedge

Barth Anderson of the Wedge Community Co-op (2015 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., 612-871-3993, www.wedge.coop) searches for environmentally and economically sustainable products. Plug: He recommends baby toys that won't become part of a landfill within a year. The Fair Trade Kenana Knitted Critters, made from fleece by Kenyan women, are $23 to $30, the HABA frog ($12) and the wooden rattle ($9) are heirloom-quality.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 • jewoldt@startribune.com