Going green made easy with sustainable gift giving

This time of year can reduce any nature lover to tears. Pounds of non-recyclable wrapping paper are hauled off to rot in landfills every year, and the gifts that the paper once concealed tend to be just as harmful to the environment.

Waste can seem inevitable, especially when you have a long list to shop for, but with plenty of sustainable gifts on the market, going green may be easier – and cheaper

Water-powered alarm clock

For most of us, our day begins with that dreaded alarm clock. If you don't already have a horror story about yours, then you probably have at least one friend who does.

The Bedol water-powered alarm clock can be a more reliable eco-friendly alternative as long as you remember to refill it.

The company's stylish clocks keep time without batteries or electricity. All you have to do is fill the clock's canteen up with water – or beer, if you have enough to spare – and it produces its own energy for up to six months.

The Lowdown

Where:

Amazon/Sears.com

How much:

$10 and up

Reusable thermos and water bottle

While a vending machine can instantly quench thirst, its plastics clog landfills and can be expensive if you're regularly searching for quarters or spare dollar bills.

A reusable water bottle is not only more sustainable but a trifecta solution: convenient, cost-efficient and fashionable.

Threadless sells a line of 24-oz. thermoses at Target that can also hold colder drinks. They feature over a dozen designs by artists who submit their work online for public vote.

You can also purchase a 20-oz., stainless steel water bottle from Riverkeeper, which has the motto, "I Bottle My Own. 100% Fresh NYC Tap Water."

Although we're not all New Yorkers and the price tag is a little steep, profits fund a green cause: the protection of the Hudson River.

The Lowdown

Where:

Target/Riverkeeper.org

How much:

$10-20

Vaya Bags

As students, we know the value of a dependable bag. So does Vaya Bags, a company based out of Ridgewood, Queens, N.Y.

Unsatisfied with the messenger bags on the market, Boston University environmental science student Tia Meillinger founded the company and made her own, aiming for them to be friendly to both cyclists and the environment.

Meillinger's first bag was made out of waterproof canvas, but according to a press release, her materials have since expanded to "scrap sailboat awnings, recycled bicycle tubes, old banners and any other recycled material that can be melded and warped into ‘fabric.'"

The bags are made of waterproof canvas and vinyl coated fabric. They include a padded strap with a release buckle, another strap that prevents swinging, reflective tape and front pockets.

If you don't have a budget for a messenger bag, Vaya Bags also makes items such as recycled bike tube laptop bags, handbags, wallets and waterproof canvas pouches.

The Lowdown

Where:

Vayabags.com

How much:

$10-90

Poo Poo Paper

Yes, you read that right. The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company has jumpstarted a market for elephant, cow, horse, donkey, moose and panda poop. While the idea may be humorous, the craftsmanship is a serious endeavor.

"We rinse and boil the poop to a pulp and bolster with about 15 percent other natural waste fibers that are seasonally available such as banana stock fiber, corn husk etc. and boil the pulp mixture," stated the company on its website.

"To color POOPOOPAPER™ we use natural and edible food coloring mixtures. We then make both raw sheets and rolls of paper from which we craft hundreds of different POOPOOPAPER™ products."

The products include colorful journals, stationary, picture frames and more. And don't worry about the smell; everything for sale is odorless.

Our bookstore stocks the products, but it carries fewer than the company website. However, the bookstore does stock its Christmas tree-shaped ornaments, which are begging to be amusing gifts for parents everywhere.

The Lowdown

Where:

UCCS Bookstore

new.poopoopaper.com

How much:

$4 and up

Do it yourself: collage

Stores aren't always the answer for memorable gifts. Do-it-yourselfers with access to a pile of old magazines or a color printer, scissors, glue and some spare time can assemble a collage.

Two or three years ago, a friend gave me a colorful collection of pictures that featured us and those of my favorite celebrities, musicians and movies.

It's now on display in my room, where I can see it every day and remember how thankful I am to have such a thoughtful, creative friend.

We hear this saying all the time, but it would have died out if there were no truth behind it: Sometimes the best gift is that which costs nothing at all.