Having recently been challenged to come up with an eco-friendly birthday gift for my Dad’s wife, I’ve discovered some really interesting “green” products - ranging from the bonkers, to the brilliant. As crazy as it sounds there’s an eco-friendly gift to suit everyone out there, even the fussiest of recipients, even if they’ve never before shown an interest in lowering their carbon footprint. Just look at some of these novel birthday gifts…

For the tech lover

Under pressure from green initiatives, many technology companies are finally embracing a demand for clean technology and doing some very creative things when it comes to the environment. Examples of “Clean-tech” might be solar powered battery chargers, eco-tank printers, smart energy meters and thermostats, and LED lighting. You can even find portable solar panels for generating small amounts of power that would be spot on for frequent campers or outdoorsy types. Visit Giftstolast.co.uk and get some great gift ideas.

For the design conscious

I could have picked a million different gift ideas for those with a keen eye for interior design. I’ve seen root wood vases, recycled confetti glassware, and even reinforced cardboard furniture. Yet the most bizarre thing I found was this doormat made from re purposed flip flops. These colourful and surprisingly affordable doormats are made of scrap foam rubber from sandal factories that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill. More than just a design statement, flip flop foam doormats are great for water drainage and also less of a slip hazard on wooden flooring. Pure genius right there.

For the garden-lover

Okay I’m sure you’re not short of eco-friendly ideas here - but if your birthday boy or girl is into gardening, seed packets and potted herbs are a great inexpensive yet thoughtful gift. One glance at Facebook will show you that far from being an overnight fad, clean-eating looks set to stay. If your friend has shown even the most cursory interest in this, helping them become more self-sufficient and grow their own produce is sure to hit the right mark. Even if they do not have a garden, many herb varieties can be grown indoors in either cute windowsill pots or propagators, or mini greenhouses.

For the beauty-lover

I’m particularly loving Burt’s Bees Miracle Salve. A pint-sized rescue remedy suitable for both girly girls and men alike, this super-enriched, emollient formula contains protein-rich bee pollen and emoilent beeswax to hydrate and nourish dry hair and skin. I used this regularly on both children when they were babies on patches of eczema which it blitzed away with ease. Not only this, it comes in the cutest little tin made from sustainable materials.

So there you have it - plenty of fabulous gift ideas for the eco-conscious - given I’ll need to come up with more of these for future birthdays, Christmases and anniversaries, do drop me a comment with more green gift suggestions.