Did you know household waste increases more than 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s? This year, try going ‘green’ by shopping for environmentally friendly (but just as loved) presents for your friends and family.
Living sustainably can be really challenging - which is why we’re making it easier by bringing you this sustainable gift guide. Below, we’re sharing our favorite gift ideas that are as loved by the earth as the gift recipient.
1. Event Tickets
Buy someone a gift they will never forget- an experience! With many tickets being stored on your phone nowadays, it’s the perfect way to give an unforgettable gift and benefit the environment while you're at it. Electronic tickets ensure that it is a no-waste gift, and the experience is sure to be one they will look forward to and remember forever.
2. Memberships or Classes
For the movers and shakers in your family, give them a membership to the new yoga studio down the block, or a set of cooking classes they can do with a friend! Platforms like MasterClass offers tons of virtual classes as well. This cuts down on any paper, plastic, or other material that goes to waste and instead creates a memorable experience custom to your friend's and family’s interests. The possibilities are endless with wine tastings, spa days, workout classes, and so much more just waiting around the corner.
3. Scrap Collector & Freezer Compost Bin
This compost bin allows you to collect compostables even in the smallest apartment - without the mess and smell - because you can store the compost in your freezer. It features a wire rim that attaches to drawers to easily scoop scraps off your counter or cutting board and is dishwasher safe! 4. Conscious Step Socks Through the Conscious Step company, customers can choose a team through which a particular non-profit is promoted. For example, their “Protect the Planet” humanitarian partner gets a percentage of the profit from each pair of socks donated. While it is a small percentage, every $1 that goes to this non-profit plants about 4 new trees. 5. Carbon Negative Ground Coffee
4. Conscious Step Socks
Through the Conscious Step company, customers can choose a team through which a particular non-profit is promoted. For example, their “Protect the Planet” humanitarian partner gets a percentage of the profit from each pair of socks donated. While it is a small percentage, every $1 that goes to this non-profit plants about 4 new trees.
5. Carbon Negative Ground Coffee
This is the perfect gift for the coffee lovers in your friend group! Tiny Footprint Coffee, the world’s first carbon-negative coffee brand, takes sustainability to the next level, one tasty sip at a time. For each batch of coffee they make, they plant trees to offset their carbon footprint. Each pound brews 1.35 gallons of ready-to-drink delicious cold brew.
6. Ocean Bottle Eco-Friendly Water Bottle
Ocean Bottle’s goal is to create reusable water bottles that reduce the amount of plastic being dumped into the ocean. For every ocean bottle that is sold, the company collects 11.4kg of plastic from the ocean, equivalent to 1000 water bottles. Their goal is to collect 7 billion water bottles by 2025.
7. Organic Indoor Herb Garden Kit
This indoor herb seed kit makes a fun gift for the green thumb in your life! The indoor herb garden kit grows perfectly on a windowsill, in an apartment or condominium, and is easy to use! This kit comes with everything you need to grow basil, sage, cilantro, thyme, and parsley.
8. Reusable Grocery Bags
Since plastic bags are harmful to the environment, reusable bags are the next best thing. These reusable grocery bags are created by BeeGreen, with a mission to reduce the amount of plastic in the environment. By creating fabric bags that are reusable, less plastic is being thrown into landfills.
9. Eco-Friendly Travel Backpack
Even bookbags can be eco-friendly! This laptop backpack is designed with sustainability in mind - the fabric is made of recycled PET! Every new reusable backpack produced can prevent about 20 plastic bottles from falling into the world's oceans and landfills.
10. Zero Waste Year Planner & Journal
This unique planner and journal helps you find ways to be more sustainable and reduce your carbon footprint in your day-to-day life. The planner includes zero-waste ideas, a habit tracker, a garden log, pages for zero-waste recipes, a yearly calendar, a monthly calendar, a weekly calendar, and much more!
11. Reusable Beeswax Food Wrap & Produce Bag
Did you know beeswax wraps are a great alternative to plastic? Instead of grabbing a plastic bag to preserve your food in, you can use a beeswax wrap to keep your food fresher, longer. These beeswax food wraps are made from 100% organic beeswax cotton and jojoba oil; making them biodegradable compostable.
12. Reusable Metal Straws
Did you know reusable metal straws are healthier for yourself AND the environment? Not only do metal straws cut down on plastic waste, but they also help prevent problems with your teeth.
13. Give a Sustainable Subscription Box
Everyone loves a recurring gift! Surprise your loved ones with the gift of a sustainable subscription box. Not only are you helping support small businesses, but you’re cutting down on single-use products, plastic waste, and your carbon footprint. Here are a few of our favorites: Earthlove Green Kid Crafts Simple Earth Ecocentric Mom Package Free
14. STEAM Clean Water Science Kit
Know a young scientist? Perfect for ages 8 and up, this personal desalination kit demonstrates the scientific way to extract salt from seawater. The kit contains a plastic filter system, active carbon, sand, rock, and filter paper.
15. Manual Washer and Dryer Combo
One standout gift that aligns perfectly with our sustainable theme is the manual washer or manual dryer. These innovative devices offer a unique and energy-efficient approach to laundry. Say goodbye to electricity consumption and hello to a greener laundry routine!
16. Plantable greeting cards - a growing trend
Plantable greeting cards are crafted from biodegradable and eco-friendly seeded paper. These special cards are embedded with a blend of flower, herb, or vegetable seeds, ready to sprout new life when planted in soil. The recipient can enjoy the festive message, and once the season is over, they can plant the card to watch a garden of flowers or herbs blossom.
Reducing food waste and living more sustainably isn’t as difficult as it may sound. Making small changes in your lifestyle is a simple, yet effective way to live a more sustainable life - like being eco-conscious when buying gifts!
Learn More
To learn more about reducing your food waste and living sustainably, check out our blogs on food waste and Ways to be Sustainable this Holiday Season!
Make a Difference
Help us feed families in need this holiday season? By donating just $35, you can help feed a family of 4 for a week - donate today to make an impact.
