by Marina Hanes

Spring-Inspired Jewelry

Unique handmade jewelry is often hard to find, and when you’re looking for natural pieces inspired by nature, it can be even more challenging. However, Moonrise Jewelry creates their pieces by hand in Virginia, and currently they are featuring their real orchid necklaces preserved at their peak bloom. The turquoise and plum colors in the Turtle Bay orchid necklace makes for a head turning statement, and the St. Kitts is a simple necklace perfect for everyday or for work. See moonrisejewelry.com.

Fashionable Bottles

Swiss engineered water bottles by SIGG are sustainable and functional for work, school and sports. If you’re going to be riding your bike around town to save gas this summer, having a bottle in you backpack is essential so you can stay hydrated. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to find one that reflects your personality and style. SWIGG has created modern geometric designs, retro color palettes and some bottles even feature Hello Kitty. These reusable, recyclable and crack-resistant bottles can prevent you from using paper and plastic cups when you’re on the go. Go to mysigg.com.

Meaningful Gifts

Gift giving makes you feel good, but it can feel even better knowing that your gift also made the world a more positive place too. Changing the Present can assist you in finding the right gift for friends and family. For example, if your aunt has an affinity for horses, purchase horse pails for Best Friends Animal Society in her name. Some of their new gifts include planting a memory tree and buying a bundle of shingles to replace a roof for the Habitat for Humanity of Camden County. If you’re soon to be wed or expecting a baby, create a gift registry and share your celebration with the world. See changingthepresent.org.

College Life

School is all about increasing your knowledge and awareness, so why not get ahead of the game by learning how to live an eco-lifestyle while on campus next semester? Green Student U suggests starting with essential supplies like a recycled laptop bag. Once your dorm room is setup, you can purify the air with an African violet or an Aspidistra, which requires less care and natural light. With the online encyclopedia, you can start from the beginning and learn the basics of pollution, recycling and green vehicles. College is an adventure and you can also check out the stories and successes of others like the British student who created a portable solar refrigerator. Go to greenstudentu.com.