‘Tis the season to give. Donating and making eco-friendly choices can go hand in hand. Whether you’re looking into eco-friendly and socially responsible cell phone companies or just trying to figure out what to do with old travel books, below are some great ways to give back and make your dollar (or your old stuff) count for something.
Phone Activism
Cell phones are an often critical part of travel. I just discovered Credomobile and I’m fascinated. As far as I’ve found, this is the only phone plan that comes with a side order of eco-friendly and socially aware activism. If you want a portion of your monthly phone bill to go towards a number of causes, look into it. Your money goes directly to socially aware causes: CredoMobile supports everything from animal rights groups to human rights organizations. They’ve donated over 10 million dollars to groups such as the Sierra Club and were named the Environmental Business of the Year in 2009. For extra fun, check out their green policy . Plus, you can donate your old phones.
Old Luggage
Part of being green also means being aware of finances. Heading on vacation for the winter holidays? Consider borrowing luggage from a friend or family member, rather than spending your green on brand new gear. If you’re looking to unload old suitcases, consider donating them to this charity, devoted to making sure that foster children (who may move several times before being permanently placed in a loving home) have suitcases of their own.
Book Donation
Is it time to give away tattered and out of date travel books? Give them away to libraries or hospitals. Also, check out book trading sites that allow you to trade old books for credits towards new ones. The aptly named Better World Books has raised over 10 million dollars for literacy programs and even has a carbon offset program for their shipped books. If you want to donate to them, they pay for the shipping (complete with carbon offsets), so your old books can transform someone else’s life. Plus, for every book you purchase, they’ll donate one book to someone who needs it.
Photo by Newton Free Library
