Holiday Gifting

With Black Friday approaching, we’re taking this Waste Not Wednesday to talk about sustainable gifting once more! This year, many of us are looking for cost effective options, and luckily, sustainability and cost effectiveness are not mutually exclusive. There are both homemade and purchased options that will reduce waste in our environment, go easy on your wallet, and bring a smile to even the hardest to please in your group.

The best way to reduce waste is to create none at all. Consider gifting an experience, online class, streaming subscription, or dinner out. While digital items may still be a source of some “invisible waste” as we discussed previously, it is still less waste up front and requires no packaging (other than a paper card if you like). This may even be the ideal gift for the minimalist in your life. Plus, if you enjoy an experience together, you’ll have wonderful memories.

Similarly, look to purchase low-waste items that could be consumed, applied, dissolved, or reused. Top of the list is homemade baked goods, a great traditional holiday gift that can be packaged minimally or in reusable trays. If you don’t want to give food, you could gift self-care or beauty items that dissolve and leave no waste, like bath bombs and shampoo and conditioner bars. Pair those with reusable items such as patterned cloths and soap trays to make a waste-free gift basket! You could also make your own gifts, such as sugar scrubs, ornaments, or wreaths that use eco-friendly or recycled materials.

Finally, when purchasing new gifts that aren’t zero-waste, try to buy items that are upcycled or made of recycled materials, and think of the end life of the product. Avoid single-use waste items, and try to find items that can eventually be composted, reused, or recycled. Upcycled materials can be made into unique decor or reusable items, and recycled materials are better than using new resources and contributing further to waste piles.

We hope these gifting ideas help you shop sustainably with less stress, and dare we say, merrily!