Eco-conscious closing gifts say more than thank you 
 

By Elyse Umlauf-Garneau 
 

Reasoning that the last thing homeowners need is another refrigerator magnet or cookie jar, some practitioners are opting for green closing gifts. Good closing gifts are creative. They help clients remember you. And ideally, they’re something useful to recipients.

So ditching the tchotchkes and offering something truly valuable can go a long way in making an enduring impression on clients. Jonathan Marks, a REALTOR® and EcoBroker® with Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate in Greenbrae, asks, “Why not celebrate the purchase of a home with something that benefits the planet?” Here are some green gift ideas.  

Eco-Pets

Fido’s not off the hook when it comes to green living. Ecoanimal.com features everything from biodegradable poop bags ($7.49 for 50) to hemp bone toys ($8.95). Create a snack pack with Heidi’s Homemade (http://heidisbakery.com), a company that bakes up organic treats for cats (starting at less than $1), dogs (special-occasion canine cakes are $14.95), and horses. Pet care has gone green too.

A gift certificate for a stay at Pet Camp would likely thrill a San Francisco-based dog or cat. Pet Camp co-owner Mark Klaiman says the camp is designed to let pets do what pets love. The green-certified boarding facility provides 6,000 square feet of outdoor romping space for dogs and a sunny greenhouse where cats roam. The building features sustainable elements, like solar panels, a tankless water heater, and high-volume fans that improve air quality.

Pet Camp also is participating in an experimental pilot program involving dog waste composting. The daily rate is $45 for dogs and $25 for cats.

Green Starter Kit

The Eco Hatchery Starter Kit provides a variety of tools in one box: an energy monitor, a compact fluorescent bulb, a faucet aerator, outlet sealers, a step-by-step booklet, and personalized recommendations. Kit costs $97.50 (www.ecohatchery.com/actionpack ).

E-organic Grub

With a membership to a CSA (community-supported agriculture), clients will get organic produce that a farmer picks, packs, and ships. The whole point is to eat locally, so choose farms close to clients’ homes. Locate farms at www.localharvest.org/csa/ or www.wilson.edu/csasearch/search.asp .

Drink Responsibly

Toss an organic cocktail party for prized clients. L.A.-based Natalie Bovis-Nelsen bills herself as “your personal guide through Cocktail Land,” and is creator and editor of www.TheLiquidMuse.com. She’ll put together an energetic event that gives party-goers insight into and tastes of organic cocktails. She provides the alcohol and ingredients and guests sample four cocktails showcased in the Liquid Muse Sustainable Sips party. They can also try their hand at mixing drinks. Bovis-Nelson stirs up alcoholic and non-alcoholic green drinks for a day rate of $1,250.

Green-ucation

Introduce clients to easy strategies for greening their lives with Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life by Sophie Uliano. Also check out Greenopia: The Urban Dweller’s Guide to Green Living Los Angeles and another guide focused on San Francisco. The books list green businesses, groups, and service providers in the two cities.

Art with a (re)purpose

For artsy, offbeat gifts, check out Green With Envy (http://store.greenwithenvygifts.com). It embraces a cardinal rule of being green by offering gifts re-purposed from daily objects. A New York City taxi medallion becomes a clock ($130), traffic signs become trays ($49), and candy wrappers become coin pouches ($19.99). Furniture made from a Boeing 707 is also available. Green With Envy’s Linda Cox says street signs and album products can be branded with logos.

Tree-Hugging

A gift from Santa Rosa-based Trees for a Change (www.treesforachange.com) works like this. You buy a tree gift and Trees for a Change sends recipients a card stating that a tree has been planted in their name. The tree is planted in a U.S. National Forest to replace one destroyed by wildfire or disease.

Each gift is $27, and bulk pricing kicks in when you buy 10 or more trees.

Carbon Credits

For Greenbrae-based REALTOR® Jonathan Marks, giving the gift of carbon offset credits through www.TerraPass.com allows him to be true to himself—showing a commitment to sustainability—and it’s a way to raise awareness among clients. Marks writes a green housing blog (www.athomeinmarin.com/green_.html). Dollars donated to TerraPass are dedicated to clean energy, farm power, and landfill gas capture. His gifts have been hits. Those committed to sustainability are thrilled by the originality and that he’s doing something beneficial for the planet. For skeptics, it’s a gentle introduction to sustainability and to the importance of reducing their carbon footprint even in small ways. “Some don’t understand how easy it is to be some shade of green,” he comments.

Elyse Umlauf-Garneau is a freelance real estate writer.