Green to the Core

Holidays. They're stressful, expensive, often wasteful. But they don't have to be. Here are some seasonal gift ideas that will help the planet and won't wreck your post-bailout budget.

Your favorite gardener may not know that in 50 years a single tree can recycle $31,000 worth of water. For just $5, treeinabox.com offers a choice of eight species, including American elm and Ponderosa pine.

Tired of Chilean berries and Peruvian asparagus? Help the chef in your life cut carbon emissions by buying him or her a seasonal cookbook, such as Recipes From America's Small Farms (Villard, $18).

Boys are at risk of impaired fetal development if their mothers were exposed to high levels of phthalates during pregnancy. Protect your lady love by giving her phthalate-free nail polish (Honeybee Gardens, $14 for two).

The synthetic estrogen BPA, often found in plastics, has been linked to reproductive abnormalities and breast and other cancers. A reusable BPA-free water bottle will keep the family jock in top shape (Sigg, $20).

Finally, help a techie friend go off the grid, at least in a small way, with a solar charger that will power all those small electronic appliances (SolarStyle, $20).