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A ‘greener’ take on this year’s holiday gift giving

By Samantha Vercellino

Gift shopping can be stressful, especially when the holiday is right around the corner. But don’t fret; we’ve put together a list of our five favorite “green” gifts of 2015!

Smart Crock-Pot: Unlike most slow cookers, the Smart Crock-Pot is Wi-Fi crockpotenabled which allows users to adjust its temperature or turn it off from their smart device. Your favorite foodie will love that he or she can step away from the kitchen—and still monitor the appliance’s settings. Plus cooks who put the smart crock-pot to work instead of the oven or stove top can see significant energy savings—a fact they’ll just eat up! Price: $129.99 on Amazon 

Powerless Washer Machine: The Monica Geller in your Friends group, or LaundryPodthe person who thrives on order and cleanliness, will love the Laundry POD. It’s an environmentally, friendly washer that uses zero electricity and consumes very little water. For comparison’s sake, a standard washer uses 9,188 gallons of water and 768 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity annually. Not only will your Mr. / Mrs. Clean save energy and water, but he or she will also spend less at the drugstore on pricey detergents. Price: $99.95

Solar Chargeable Lanterns: Give the night owl in your life the gift of light with Luci Original by MPOWERD, an inflatable solar lamp luci that provides up to 12 hours of lighting over a range of 15 square feet. The clean energy product is lightweight, portable and waterproof, which makes it practical for any situation—from staying up late with a good book to outdoor camping adventures. With the solar lamp’s help, your special someone can keep the lights off—and power bills down—during his or her all-nighter.

Better yet, the receiver of this special light will feel good knowing he or she is supporting a good cause. MPOWERD is part of the Solar Justice Movement, which strives to provide light to communities around the world. Price: $14.99

All-in-One Breakfast Sandwich Maker: If you know someone who’s a big fan of all-day breakfast, check out the Hamilton Breakfast Sandwich Maker. Your special someone can breakfastmakerprepare each part of a breakfast sandwich all at once. The bottom half of the device cooks the meat, the middle cooks the egg and the top section toasts your bread of choice. That means you can cook breakfast without turning on your regular stove, oven and toaster, which cuts down on home energy use and clean-up time. It’s the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective way to get a tasty egg and bacon sandwich on-the-go! Price: $24.00 on Amazon

Rechargeable batteries: There’s nothing gamers hate more than having their wireless remote control die in the middle of Batman, Game of Thronesbatteries or some other video game. Stuff their stockings with a pack of rechargeable batteries. They can be easily charged in any USB port either on-the-go or at home. Your gamer’s bank account—and the environment—will thank you for this gift. Price: $19.95 on Amazon

We wish you Happy Holidays! Check out our energy efficiency page for ways to save all year long.