Don’t forget your accessories, since the mining of precious metals and jewels can devastate the environment. Ask for conflict-free jewels and recycled precious metals, or shop at The Green Fuse for jewelry made locally from fair trade materials.

Shopping for a present? Give something unique from the eclectic and fun boutique Re-Gifts (1832 E 42nd St), where bike parts become clocks and forks become bangles.

It may sound counterintuitive to leave the house with an empty bag, but taking a reusable bag on your shopping trips can prevent wasting dozens of paper and plastic bags. Find a favorite shopping tote for the stores and one for the market at places such as Linden Hills Natural Home (2822 West 43rd St), Wedge Co-op (2105 Lyndale Ave S) and Ten Thousand Villages (867 Grand Ave). Shop eco-handbags.ca for purses re-purposed from billboards, juice boxes and even chopsticks.