Press Release
Give the Gift of Green This Holiday Season and Explore Local, Sustainable, and Recycled Items
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Why worry about the impact on the environment if you can’t do something substantial for your loved ones—and the planet—this year? Choose from a wide variety of gift ideas that are sustainable, beautiful, and unique at www.parksconservancy.org or by visiting the Warming Hut in San Francisco, where your purchases support conservation and education efforts at one of America’s premier national park sites—the Golden Gate National Parks.
With options ranging from Alcatraz themed escape wallets to stuffed toys for the tots on your list made from recycled plastic bottles, you can pick up entertaining gifts this season that are also environmentally conscious.
All of your purchases directly support the Parks Conservancy’s work in the Golden Gate National Parks—80,600 acres stretched 80 miles north to south, encompassing 130 miles of trails, 1,000 types of plants, 250 bird species, and 700 historic structures. These parks are home to the highest number of federally protected threatened and endangered species in any national park unit in the continental United States and welcome over 17 million visitors annually.
By holiday shopping with the Parks Conservancy online and in our stores, you give back to one of the most visited and cherished national parks. Since 1981 the Parks Conservancy leads programs and projects that preserve the parks at the Golden Gate, enhance the experiences of visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the national parks for the future.
Here are five thoughtful gift ideas that will allow you to contribute to a sustainable planet as well as delight your family and friends at your seasonal soiree this year.
1. Fuzz That Wuzz: Did you know 2 million plastic bottles are used in the U.S. every 10 minutes and it will take 700 years before plastic bottles in landfills start to decompose? Buy our stuffed toys made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles where each toy keeps over 10 bottles out of landfills and our kids will be all right. $13.95. ($11.85 for members)
2. Eco-friendly, water powered clock: Take a leap forward towards a greener planet and give the gift of time to the efficient and eco-conscious people on your list with this environmentally practical and hassle-free timepiece. The clock runs on tap water with a splash of lemon juice. How is that for a smart toast at the holiday party? $19.95. ($16.95 for members).
3. Cashmere scarf: Made from 100 percent repurposed cashmere sweaters that were cut and sewn together, this one of a kind eco scarf is purely environmental and completely individual. Show off your sustainability flair in style this holiday season. $46.95 ($39.90 for members).
4. Banner bags and folios: Stock up on the bounty of the season with our stylish 100 percent recycled park tote and folio. Locally crafted from Parks Conservancy banners exhibited in our “National Parks: America’s Best Idea” campaign, these bags use Michael Schwab’s iconic park images and are quintessentially San Francisco. Go ahead, wear your local pride on your sleeve! $29.95 for the bags ($25.46 for members) and $14.95 for the folios ($12.71 for members).
5. Parks Conservancy Membership: And here is an option to be really green this season: Gift your loved ones a year of Parks For All Forever. With exclusive hikes discovering the parks’ hidden gems, environmental lectures, as well as supporting the Bay Area’s national treasures, protecting essential habitat, and providing educational and leadership opportunities for the next generation, this is a gift that keeps giving. Available at the Park Partner level of $35 and higher.
Here are four imaginative gift ideas that help support the parks, celebrate a sustainable planet, and bring good tidings to all—with a little Alcatraz history:
1. Alcatraz regulation pencils: Made from recycled denim in the United States, this set of five pencils has regulations screen printed on each of them. “Inmates may correspond only with the approved correspondents. You will refrain from discussing other inmates or institutional affairs.” Enough said. $4.95 ($4.21 for members).
2. Alcatraz identity theft dog tags: Inspired by John Giles, an inmate, and his daring escape attempt on July 31, 1945, these dog tags are perfect for the wannabe tough guy on your list. Giles changed into his stolen uniform and climbed into a boat leaving the Island’s dock but was discovered by a deckhand and arrested as soon as the boat arrived on Angel Island. Feel a grudging admiration for our escape artist’s bold attempt at escape from the grinches? $9.95. ($8.46 for members).
3. Alcatraz escape wallets: “All I think about is escape,” reads the tagline on one of the wallets—made from 100 percent recycled plastic—and another sports Regulation #26: You are required to save a part of what you earn. Guess Santa isn’t the only one who makes lists of naughty and nice when thinking of stocking stuffers. $14.95. ($12.71 for members).
4. Alcatraz Luggage Tags: Don’t give a gift that keeps them guessing. The Alcatraz luggage tags—embroidered with unique park images—are a boon for the travelers on your list to help them identify their luggage, backpacks, bags, and carryalls in style. $5.95. ($5.05 for members).
Media Contact:
Veda Banerjee
Associate Director of Communications
415 561 3082
vbanerjee@parksconservancy.org
