Ever noticed how many times we open a wrapper, see a gift and then later rewrap in a new shiny gift paper and keep aside to pass on to someone else? Most of us know gifts are a terrible waste – you end up giving and receiving things one is not likely to use and the gifts often get recirculated or shoved away somewhere for use later and are just forgotten about. Yet, we all buy gifts – and yes it causes global warming in the production and distribution of the smallest of products. And then we drive down to a mall and waste time, energies and money (and increase our carbon emissions) in buying a gift and wrapping it up in one of those fancy, non-biodegradable wrappers. I feel its against the diktat of common sense and thankfully most of my friends and family agree with the view. We have, with mutual understanding, stopped exchanging gifts at general get-togethers, dinners, festival times. And in the rare case that I do buy a gift, I wrap it in newsprint or used A4 sheets.