Although I would like to support local retailers to boost our ailing economy, I still feel my money is better spent aiding our ailing environment and feeding our fellow starving citizens. So instead of lining up at 4am at your neighborhood big box store trying to snag that single item on sale for 50% off, consider a contribution in your gift recipient’s name to one of the many reputable green charities:

The Conservation Fund is the nation’s foremost environmental organization dedicated to protecting America’s most important landscapes and waterways.

Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment.

EcoTrust is an organization that believes economic systems and ecological systems are intertwined. This means that the prosperity of the environment depends on the prosperity of the society around it. EcoTrust encourages conservation of rainforests by ideas like promoting local farmers’ products, thereby reducing the strain on local watersheds. A whopping 84% of Ecotrust’s funds go towards benefit program costs.

The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide, making one of the largest eco oriented charities in the world. The Nature Conservancy is a green charity that covers all bases, from climate change to invasive species.

The Environmental Defense Fund supports the necessary research of scientists involved in Strong Science, as well as tapping smart business practices to bring about lasting environmental progress. They score a very high rating on Charity Finder, using 79% of their funds to program expenses.

The Sierra Club is the oldest environmental organization in the United States, founded by major conservationsist John Muir. Inspired by the beauty of Yosemite National Park and the coastal Redwoods of California, Muir helped establish The Sierra Club to preserve and protect the rapidly developing California landscape (which has now expanded to saving lands worldwide).

National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) is the nation’s most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.3 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals.

The New York Restoration Project, founded by Bette Midler, is a non-profit organization dedicated to reclaiming and restoring New York City parks, community gardens and open space. In partnership with the City of New York, NYRP is also leading MillionTreesNYC – an initiative to plant and care for one million new trees throughout New York City’s five boroughs by 2017.

TreeBank provides a pro-active way for anyone, anywhere to support local urban forests and make a difference where you live–in your own community. TreeBank is a web-based tool that enables any city to develop a community fund for tree planting, care and education. Customized specifically for urban forestry initiatives, TreeBank donors can self-direct their contributions to the local TreeBank “branch” in their communities of choice. TreeBank harnesses the green intentions of donors and accelerates the missions of tree organizations, thus raising awareness and enabling support for healthy community forests everywhere.

Greenfingers is a UK organization that creates gardens for children’s hospices. Children with life-limiting conditions, their families and caregiversrs, all need the benefits that a garden can bring. A Greenfingers’ garden can be a place to play, or a place to rest; it can be a place to be together, or a place for quiet contemplation; it can be a place for laughter or a place for reflection.

Have you read The Blue Sweater, the inspiring personal memoir of Jacqueline Novogratz who has spent her life on a quest to understand global poverty and to find powerful new ways of tackling it?  Her charity, Acumen Fund, is a non-profit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty. They seek to prove that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with large doses of business acumen, can build thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor. Investments focus on delivering affordable, critical goods and services–like health, water, housing and energy–through innovative, market-oriented approaches.

Donate time instead of cash: Idealist, an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives.

GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50-percent of its revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users. It’s a simple and compelling concept. You use GoodSearch exactly as you would any other search engine.  The money GoodSearch donates to your cause comes from its advertisers–the users and the organizations do not spend a dime!

Happy Thanksgiving!