Green Gifts for the Holidays

The holidays can be a time when we’re tempted to go a bit overboard. Generation Green’s owner Sherry Sobey shares a few of the items she has in store to help you have yourself a merry little Christmas – one that’s kind to the planet, too.

Vego

Vego is a vegan chocolate bar made from Italian hazelnut paste, hazelnut cocoa cream and whole hazelnuts. Made in Germany, Sobey’s customers have long requested that she carry the popular bar that is similar to the flavours of Ferrero Rocher, she said. A new Canadian distributor has made it possible. The chocolate bar is also fairtrade certified, organic and gluten-free.

Cosman & Webb Townships Organic

This unblended, single forest maple syrup has been produced by a family business in Quebec founded in 1977. The organic certification guarantees the syrup is produced without the use of harmful toxins on the trees and taps. The syrup is packaged in 100 and 375 mL-size glass bottles.

SipSmart

The SipSmart is a collapsible, easy-to-clean, eco-friendly reusable straw. The 9-inch straw folds into a portable 2.75-inch case, complete with a keychain hook. The cases are made from wheat straw, which is the stalk left over after wheat grains are harvested. The straws are lined with silicone, which means they can also be used in hot drinks.

Practical Homestead

Sewn by a Winnipeg maker, the reusable produce bags, bowl covers and food wraps “are the things millenials are buying for their parents and grandparents,” said Sobey. The washable covers come in sizes to cover everything from a small bowl to a watermelon, “and they’re so darn cute,” said Sobey of all the colourful print options.

Fresh Emblem

These re-scentable wood air fresheners can also double as ornaments for the tree, or gift tags. You can add evergreen-scented essential oils to the Manitoba and Winnipeg-inspired designs to bring a holiday scent to your home.