by Kristen Colburn

Holiday gift giving often promotes the purchasing of unnecessary items. We rack our brains trying to think of the most useful or unique gifts to give to our family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. While gift ideas for some individuals may come easily, the majority of people struggle to think of something someone may want, need, or use. This creates an unnecessary amount of stress and frustration, and that feeling quickly turns into disappointment if it seems as though the recipient isn’t pleased with the gift.

On the other end of this issue is the fact that all of these gifts we put so much effort into purchasing inevitably end up as waste in landfills. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the total amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in 2018, when the last facts and figures were calculated, was 292.4 million tons, approximately 23.7 million tons more than 2017. Paper and cardboard made up the most material waste at 23%, followed by food at 21.6% and plastics at 12.2%. [1]

Gift-giving should be about showing thoughtfulness and love, and it should be seen as an act of altruism – unselfish concern for the well-being of others. [2] There’s no better way to show that than by giving someone a gift that is zero waste, eco-friendly, and that gives back to the environment.

If you’re looking for some budget-friendly, sustainable, and ethical gift ideas for anyone on your list, this blog has got you covered.

 

The Nature Conservancy Donation: One of the nation’s oldest environmental organizations, The Nature Conservancy is dedicated to protecting and conserving millions of open spaces across the country. A donation of $50 or more gifts the recipient a Nature Conservancy e-card, a year of Nature Conservancy magazine, and invitations to special events.

World Wildlife Fund Symbolic Species Adoption: WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization dedicated to protecting wildlife and their habitat’s around the globe. Their Symbolic Species Adoptions are a fun and memorable gift to give to any animal lover in your life. You can choose from over 125 different animals, and for just $60 the recipient will receive a formal adoption certificate, a 5×7” full-color photo of the species with interesting facts on the back, a personalized acknowledgement letter, a reusable gift bag, and a soft plush version of the adopted animal. The funds received from adoptions help support WWF’s global efforts to protect wild animals and their habitats.

SWEDEdish Dishcloths: SWEDEdishcloths creates eco-friendly cleaning cloths that can be used virtually anywhere in place of paper towels. In fact, one Swedish dishcloth can replace up to 17 rolls of paper towels! Made of 70% wood pulp (sourced from FSC certified re-growth forests) and 30% cotton, these colorful cloths are reusable, biodegradable, and compostable. They can be boiled, bleached, microwaved, and even thrown in the dishwasher. With over 30 designs, you’re bound to find dishcloths that will appeal to anyone’s taste. The company also allocates a percentage of all profits to planting trees throughout the world.

EcoSox: Hey, some people do actually enjoy getting socks for the holidays! EcoSox is committed to providing quality socks for people to wear for work, sports, and outdoor activities. They even offer diabetic and compression socks. Each sock is made with yarns sourced from renewable bamboo, merino wool, Tencel lyocell, and eco-friendly upcycled yarns from waste products. EcoSox also partners with One Tree Planted and has planted over 15,000 trees to date!

Audible Subscription: If you have someone in your life who loves reading books or listening to podcasts, a zero waste Audible subscription is a great gift idea. You can gift a 1-, 3-, 6-, or 12-month subscription, and with thousands of audiobooks and podcasts available, the recipient is sure to find something they’ll enjoy.

 

 

4oceanBracelets: 4ocean is an ocean cleanup company dedicated to ending the ocean plastic crisis. Each bracelet you purchase comes with the promise of one pound of plastic and trash being pulled from the ocean. The bracelets are handcrafted by artisans in Bali and are made of 100% 4ocean recovered plastic, 95% post-consumer recycled glass beads, and 100% recycled stainless steel charms. Since 2017, 4ocean has recovered over 25 million pounds of trash from the world’s oceans, rivers, and coastlines.

Bee Hotel: Bees pollinate roughly one-third of our food [3] and are essential to biodiversity. Sadly, we’re witnessing a global decline in the bee population, due in large part to habitat destruction and a lack of nesting and foraging sites. Handmade bee hotels are a wonderful gift idea for a unique eco-friendly contribution to a bee-friendly garden.

MasterClass Subscription: MasterClass is an online education platform that offers 150+ classes taught by respected and renowned experts in the field. There are classes in business, food, music, arts, government, science, technology, and more. Each course is divided into 10-15 video lessons that last 10-12 minutes, designed to allow students to learn at their own pace. For $15/mo., a subscription to MasterClass is a wonderful, zero waste gift for any life-long learner you know.

Goodfit Recycled Puzzles: Goodfit was created by a husband-and-wife team during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Every puzzle is created using recycled cardboard and includes a reusable cotton bag to store the pieces. Each puzzle design is created by an independent artist and 10% of every purchase goes to a charity of that artist’s choice, such as Trees for Life, Human Rights Now, Damayan Garden Project, and UNICEF.

Don’t forget — sometimes the best and most meaningful gifts don’t need to be purchased.

  • Consider gifting someone a book of family recipes, homemade baked goods, or a journal of your favorite memories together.
  • Give someone the gift of your time: a hike, a picnic in the park, a day at the spa, a ballgame, or a movie night at home.
  • Make “coupons” that the recipient can redeem for free babysitting, pet sitting, or house sitting.
  • Offer to mow their lawn, shovel their driveway, spruce up their flowerbed, or even clean their home.
  • If you have a special talent, put it to good use. Knit someone a blanket, draw a portrait of their pet, create a wooden bookshelf, or design a custom planter, photo frame, coasters, or key organizer.

Always remember, it’s the thought that counts!

 

References

[1] US EPA. (2017, October 2). National overview: Facts and figures on materials, wastes and recycling. United States Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials

[2] South University. (2016, August 23). The psychology behind gift-giving. https://www.southuniversity.edu/news-and-blogs/2016/08/the-psychology-behind-giftgiving-61911

[3] Klein, M., Vaissiere, B., & Cunningham, S. (2006, October 27). Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3721