By 
image: © istockphoto.com/kutay tanir
The holiday season is often a whirlwind of activity, and finding the time to shop for everyone on your list—including coworkers and friends—can be challenging when you’re a nurse with a busy work schedule.
At the same time, you may want to focus on gifts that are affordable and eco-friendly. The good news is that there are lots of great options this holiday season, including the following:
1. Strawberries: This windowsill planter from Clean Air Gardening comes with everything you need to have fresh strawberries year-round: a 13-inch galvanized windowsill tray, seed packets, potting soil and growing instructions. Just water the seedlings and leave them with plenty of indirect sunshine. Growing produce at home or the office reduces your carbon footprint, filters your indoor air and releases fresh oxygen. Price: $9.99.
2. Organic tea: Ineeka Whole Leaf Organic Tea comes in attractive, reusable 1.1-ounce tins. The tea is certified organic, Fair Trade certified and grown in India on an ecologically balanced family farm in the Himalayas. Its single-serving system eliminates the need for pots and strainers. Comes in a variety of flavors. Price: $9.99 and up.
3. Drink bottles: Klean Kanteens are made from #304 stainless steel and are toxin-free and non-leaching. The bottles come in a variety of sizes and fun colors, are toxin- and BPA-free, and are recyclable. The wide mouths allow ice cubes or the easy pouring of smoothies. Price: $9.25 and up.
4. Soy candles: DANI soy wax candles are a combination of 100 percent soy wax with essential oils. The candles are made from nontoxic, food-grade ingredients free of paraffin, petroleum, pesticides and herbicides. They contain no genetically modified materials. The 7-ounce candles are available in numerous essential oil blends such as grapefruit ginger and lemongrass lavender. Price: $16.
5. Reusable bags: These bags can be folded to about the size of a baseball so they conveniently fit in a purse, backpack, briefcase or glove compartment. Made of lightweight, ripstop nylon with a padded shoulder strap, the bags come in six colors and can hold up to 25 pounds each. The carry pouch becomes a small pocket when expanded. Price: $8.99.
