Last year, when my daughter opened her axolotl stuffed animal from her grandmother, I admit I was slightly peeved. Did we really need yet another stuffy? But this one had a purpose: it came from World Wildlife Fund, a conservation non-profit that sends 85% of proceeds toward conservation work and has a four-star rating on Charity Navigator.
My daughter loved it, and given the state of our climate, I appreciated a gift that supports animal and land conservation. Now, I’m not saying buying a stuffed axolotl is going to save any of us from climate catastrophe. And there are lots of other ways to contribute to a cause, such as donating, organizing, volunteering or supporting community-owned small businesses. The NAACP, for example, publishes an extensive “Buy Black” gift guide.
